Spring ramblings

I love spring in Washington.  The world seems so much brighter and clearer. I have been wanting bees for ... well, for a really long time.  I met a lady last summer who said she would mentor me.  I have been attending the Skagit beekeepers club meetings on occasion.  They happen to be on the second Thursday of each month; the same day as the Boy Scout's round table meetings.  So Jonny and I have been trading off.  Lisa, my bee mentor, is going to be queen rearing this spring and I get to tag along (if I can manage the timing).  I wanted to get bees this spring but it won't happen.  I'll have to wait until next year.  It is probably wise to wait anyway.  I definitely wouldn't finish my assignments if I had something so much better to do.  I have already spent way too much time reading about bees and watching youtube videos on it (usually while I am cooking dinner).

Other news:
We have changed the way we do our school times lately.  It is a lot more structured and parent directed. (I am actually giving assignments; probably not as much as many, but more than we were.)  It is working much better.  Our free spirit way of learning was working very well for a long time and then we seemed to stagnate.  After a lot of prayer and thought we have changed things around.  We are in a good grove now and I like it.  The kids seem to be happier too.

Although I might have to mess it up for my school.  My time has run out for July.  I'm not going to make that deadline.  So the plan is now to do student teaching in January.  But even with putting it off I still have a LOT to do before the end of the school year.  Last Thursday I was looking over what assignments I had left while actually looking at the calendar.  I think I had an honest-to-goodness panic attack.  I tell you.  my emotional state changes from moment to moment.  I don't like being so wishy-washy.  Heck, I'm supposed to be the stable one, the one that is strong upon which others can rely.  I'm gaining all sorts of empathy.

My hypothyroidism is not helping either.  Hashimoto's is connected with depression and anxiety.   hummm.  Vitamin D depletion is connected with depression.  hmmmm.  Untreated celiac is connected with depression and anxiety.  hmmm.  Lack of exercise...  I am starting to see some effects.  I have never noticed any physical symptoms with my hashimoto's.  I cannot tell if I am high or low at all.  But I am starting to see the emotional ones.  Speaking of celiac.  My doc told me last time I was in that since I am not noticing any symptoms when I eat wheat, I don't have to be that picky.  I can eat as much as half my choices as gluten free.  OK.  But then I start to think about it.  That doesn't make sense.  If I understand correctly, it doesn't work that way. Gluten in the system affects the body, it doesn't matter how much.

Well that's about all I can fit it for now.

Just for kicks, here is Joshua enjoying a green smoothie (a couple of months ago)

Easter

Resurrection, from the new Bible Videos 

I am coming to really LOVE Easter.  For the first time we managed to do none of the traditional Easter stuff and it was lovely.  We talked about the Savior's last week throughout our week and watched the new Bible videos.  We had no chocolate or candy (except what they got from primary) and no fancy shmancy big dinner.  I did want to do something special so I made a Baked Alaska.  That was fun and the kids were impressed.
But I was able to focus on Easter and death and resurrection.

I taught the Relief Society lesson yesterday that just happened to be on the topic of the immortality of the sole.  One of the questions poised in the suggested discussions was, "How do you teach children about the Resurrection?"

Just this past week I received an insight into how I have been teaching my children about death and the Resurrection when Rebecca one day at dinner made this statement.  "Mom when you die, I will miss you but you will be happy because your spirit will be with Jesus and family.  I will see you when you have a perfect resurrected body."

You see, my children have two living grandfathers and two great-grandfathers, but no grandmothers.  The only one they remember is Mom.  Those months before and after her death provided many opportunities for us to talk about death and why their grandmothers have passed on.

Why did grandma die?

Because her body got sick.  Her body became too weak to hold onto her spirit anymore so her spirit left her body.  We buried her body in the ground and it will turn back into dirt.  Her spirit is now in the spirit world with her mom and family and Jesus.

But I miss her.

Yes we miss her when we don't get to see her, but we will see her again.  Someday her spirit will be joined with her body again, but this time it will be a perfectly resurrected body.  When she is resurrected she will have a perfect body.  She won't get sick or get old or get hurt.  It will be perfect and she will never die again.

Am I going to die?

Yes, but not for a long time; probably not until you are a grandma/grandpa.  But then you will be resurrected too and have a perfect body.  You won't get sick or get old or get hurt.  It will be perfect and you will never die again.

or

Mom are you going to die?

Yes, I will.  Not for a long time though, I still have a lot of things to do.  But I will die.  I will miss you, but I will get to be with Jesus and my mom and dad and family.  And I will be resurrected and get my perfectly resurrected body.  I won't get sick or get old or get hurt.  It will be perfect and I will never die again.

Apparently we have gone through this enough that they are starting to understand.  Usually when we have these types of conversations, we have the sweetest feeling in the home.  It was rather amusing to have her say it so simply, "mom, I'll miss you when you die, but..."

I only broke down one time (my lesson doesn't count) yesterday and that was when a mother and daughter sang a duet in Sacrament meeting.  That seems to be my trigger.  I miss singing with mom.  Whenever these two women sing, I lose it.  Oh well, at least that seems to be the only thing that does it.

Have a wonderful week.

just a teaser

I know, I know.  It has been way too long since I gave an update.  And I'm not going to do it now either.  I am coming down with a cold and I need to get to bed before I fall on my face.  I have to get over this one; I am suppose to teach this Sunday and I want to be well enough for it.  I missed last month because I had no voice and two in a row is just bad form.  I'm not one to miss church so they will start to worry.

But I wanted to share this. just for kicks.

That's my handsome boy over to the left, -almost cut off.

good night