Famous Homeschoolers

I thought this was interesting! Some good, some bad!!!

Homeschooled Celebrities:
Alan Alda
Louis Armstrong
Charlie Chaplin
Hillary Duff
Dakota Fanning
Whoopie Goldberg
Hanson
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Vanessa Hudgens
Lindsay Lohan
Yehudi Menuhin
Moffatts
Frankie Muniz
LeAnne Rimes
Jordin Sparks
Taylor Swift
Raven Symone
Elijah Wood

Famous Parents who Homeschool(ed):
Will Smith
Michael Card
Mike Farris
Robert Frost
Kelly Preston
John Travolta
Lisa Whelchel

Famous Inventors:
Alexander Graham Bell
John Moses Browning
Thomas Edison
Benjamin Franklin
Elias Howe
William Lear
Cyrus McCormick
Guglielmo Marconi
Eli Whitney
Sir Frank Whittle
Orvill and Wilbur Write

Famous Scientists:
Pierre Curie
Albert Einstein
Michael Faraday
Oliver Heaviside
T.H. Huxley
Blaise Pascal
Booker T. Washington

What about Presidents of the United States? Yes, them too...
John Adams
John Quincy Adams
Grover Cleveland
James Garfield
William Henry Harrison
Andrew Jackson
Thomas Jefferson
Abraham Lincoln
James Madison
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
John Tyler
George Washington
Woodrow Wilson

Famous Writers:
Hans Christian Anderson
Margaret Atwood
Pearl S. Buck
William F. Buckley, Jr.
Willa Cather
Agatha Christie
Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)
Charles Dickens
Robert Frost
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Alex Haley
Brett Harte
L. Ron Hubbard
C.S. Lewis
Amy Lowell
Gabriela Mistal
Sean O'Casey
Christopher Paolini
Isabel Paterson
Beatrix Potter
Carl Sandburg
George Bernard Shaw
Mattie J.T. Stepanek
Mercy Warren
Phillis Wheatley
Walt Whitman
Laura Ingalls Wilder

Snapper

Madelyn is so excited because she has learned how to snap. She hasn't stopped since she started the other day. We spent the weekend at the Lake with Jarrett's parents and we asked her if she was going to get in the water and swim, she said,"No because I will lose my snapper." We laughed so hard.

Oh, by the way it is 6:22 pm and both my kids are in bed. They aren't asleep yet but they have been tucked in, read to and prayed over. I will just say it was for their own good that they are in bed this early! Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day!!

The End of an Era!

Today was my sweet Madelyn's last day of preschool. Can you believe that??? I realized today that I will never again be taking a child to preschool. I'll be honest it made me a little sad. Madelyn really wants a baby sister or brother but her daddy will not hear of it. He says we are done!! What is up with that? My honest opinion is that he is used to only 2 kids because that is what was in his family but there were 5 kids in mine so the only logical thing would be to have 3. That would be fair. Right?? Sorry, I didn't realize that her last day would lead to a rant. So, as far as more kids go, I am leaving it up to God. He can either change Jarrett's heart, change mine, or He could fix my tummy. I will be content with whatever HE chooses.

Back to Madelyn, she has really blossomed the last two years at Yellow Balloon. When she first started she did not want me to leave her. There were times I stayed the first hour with her and mind you it was only a 2 1/2 hour program. They like you to stay until your child is comfortable with you leaving. I wasn't so sure about that at first but it worked. Now she walks into school with a smile on her face and full of confidence. She is a leader in her class and has a lot of friends. Madelyn has the most caring spirit. She is the one that comforts people when they are hurt and knows every one's name, their mom's name, their sister/brother's name, etc. Jarrett and I joke that she will either be a nurse or the person that stands next to the president of the United States and tells them who everyone is and what they do. This time has just flown by. I am not sure I am ready to give her up all day to school. Please pray for us as we decide weather or not to homeschool Madelyn or not. We want to do what is best for her.

Today after school several of her classmates went to the splash pad and ate lunch and played. It was a great day!

Florida or Bust

19 days AND COUNTING until our vacation to Florida!!!!!!!!! I can't wait. I am ready for some R and R! We are driving to Seacrest, Florida with our good friends Chris and Lisa and their kids. I asked my kids what they are looking forward to most about our trip. Nathan said watching videos in the van and Maddie said sleeping in bunk beds. I just craked up that we are driving 15 hours away to a beautiful beach house and THAT is what they are looking forward to. Oh, gee. I, on the other hand, am looking forward to white sandy beaches, refreshing water, watching my kids have fun, building sand castles, sleeping in (Oh, who am I kidding), relaxing, laughing, spending time with Jarrett, reading, eating,swimming, and walks on the beach.

Holding On

Lucy's service was absolutely beautiful. God was glorified and you could most certainly feel His presence. It was gut wrenching to watch Kim, Micah and Ella walking up to Reflection pond carrying Lucy's casket. I held it together as best I could because Nathan and Madelyn were with us. We chose for them to come because they are at an the age that they understand what is going on and we wanted them to have closure and understand how this was a celebration for what Jesus has done for all of us. Sometimes I think they seem to understand better than we adults do at times. I wish I could have the child like faith that they do. Nathan was so sweet at the service, he stood with his head bowed and hands folded and tears streamed down his face. I think he gets it. I praise God for his tender heart.

It started raining after the service and it just seemed so appropriate for some reason. It was like the angels in heaven were weeping with us. When we got to the church for the luncheon the sky was clear and the sun was shining only on the church. Everywhere else it was cloudy. Wow! At the lunch they showed the video of Lucy that Jarrett and I had made. We did this for Carter 2 years ago and it just seemed plain weird to be doing it again. We spent 4 hours looking for the perfect song to put all of her pictures to and just couldn't find her song. Jarrett was on his computer and I was on mine desperately searching. Last week a friend of my mother in laws sent Kim a comment on her blog about this other lady that had recently gone through a similar situation. She gave Kim the link to her blog. So I spent Saturday night reading it and getting to know this precious family who lost their daughter Audrey. Her husband is the singer in a christian band, Selah. After their loss they wrote this beautiful song and I thought that would be the perfect song for Lucy. The only problem was the song will not be released on his album until fall.

Fast forward to Tuesday night around 10pm and we are stressing about what song to use for the video. I remembered that song and I knew Kim had heard it as well and we both thought it would be the perfect song. I told Kim there was no way to get it and the Lord knows Jarrett tried everything to get it. So I decided to email the lady, Angie, and tell her the situation and ask if we could borrow it for the funeral. I am not kidding, within 10 minutes she emailed us back with the mp3 for it. God is so good!!! Only He could have worked that out! It was the perfect song for Lucy. Take a look at Audrey's blog, you can hear the song there. (I will carry you) The link is on the side of my blog.

I kind of fell apart this morning. The grief kind of rushed in like an unwanted visitor. I know Lucy is in the place we long to be some day and is dancing with Jesus. I take comfort in that. My heart just aches for Kim. I hate that she is hurting and it hate that so many other mothers have faced this same loss and will face it in the future. As a mother I can't even imagine the pain. I am holding on to God's promises today.

Lucy

Dear Lucy,

May 9, 2008 was a miraculous day Lucy, it was the day you were born. It was also the day you went to be with Jesus. But your story doesn't end on May 9th. Your story has only just begun Lucy. Your story has touched so many peoples lives and will continue to do so. Some people who have lived long lives haven't had the impact that you have had in such a short time. When I first saw you in your mommy's arms I couldn't believe how beautiful and peaceful you were. Your mommy and daddy are amazing people and demonstrated such an incredible attitude during this difficult time. When most people enduring the loss of a second child would be questioning God and asking "Why Me?" your mommy was saying "Why not me?" She she saw that your life, however short, had a purpose. She was honored to be chosen to be your mom. You have brought classes of children to their knees, you taught people to pray without ceasing, you taught people that God's ways are higher than theirs,you taught people to be the hands and feet of Jesus, your life and death have brought people to the throne of God. I asked God to show up "Big" the hour before you were born and although he didn't answer my prayers how I would have liked, he did show up "HUGE" He was praised and honored. Tonight on the eve of your celebration service I rest in the fact that our God is in control and He loves us. Tomorrow our family will gather to praise our Heavenly Father for your precious life. I love you Lucy!

Love,

Aunt Kathy

The end is near!!!!

We are busy at the Short household trying to finish up the last few days of first grade. Nathan had his CO-OP Promotion the other night, I have ordered his 2nd grade curriculum, and he is busy planning his end of the year celebration. He wants to go to Incredible Pizza. I really can't stand that place but I will endure for the sake of his happiness. As I reflect back I am amazed at how much he has learned and grown up this year. I am reminded of what the dr's told me in the NICU 7 years ago. They said he would never run and would have significant delays. Well, they should see him now. He is reading long chapter books, writing in cursive, can do all sorts of science experiments, is doing great at math, loves history, is riding his bike with no training wheels, loves the LORD and loves to learn!! We have had a great year and I am so thankful that I got to be with him each day and be the one to teach him. This time has been precious. There have been days I have wanted to throw in the towel and drop him off at school but the Lord always seems to give me an extra dose of grace and we make it through. One thing I have learned this year is to chill out some. This has helped a lot. We all seem to be more relaxed.

Thank you to everyone who is praying for my sister Kim. If you haven't already check out her blog for ways to pray specifically. Don't forget to drop her a comment.

That's my KING

This is my niece. Please pray for her. Pray for Kim, Micah, Ella and Ty. The baby is sick and needs a miracle and we are trusting God for one. We want Him to be honored and glorified through this whole situation. Our God is huge and we are going to walk by Faith not by sight. He is not a God of statistics! He is a God who heals! He is a God of miracles! He loves us and wants what's best for his. I love my God!