Great place to visit

This is a new blog that portrays an excellent perspective from a girl transitioning from high school to college.  She has a beautiful way of expressing the struggles she had in high school.  Also, the struggles of striving to live in the world and not of the world.  Check it out.    http://gracetruthlife.blogspot.com

Recovering

Last year, I went through the experience of a hysterectomy and I was blessed to have had my sister come and help me out during my recovery.  This past week I was able to return the favor since she had the same surgery two weeks ago.

As a woman, I find it so hard to submit myself to the care of others or to let people help me. When I had to do this in August of 2008 and then again two months later when I had a mastectomy due to breast cancer, I found myself struggling with being able to let people take care of me and help me with my responsibilities. 

This past week, I found it very interesting to find my sister in the same struggle. As I cared for her young children, tended to her needs, and cleaned her house she continued to feel guilty.  A feeling I know so well.

I would much rather be the one helping and taking care of someone, but it was a great learning lesson to be on the other side.  One of the things I learned was how to be better on the care giving side. Also, I realized that as much as I want to help others, others wanted to help me. It was my gift to them to let them.  Just as it was my sister's gift to me to let me take care of her.

Still snowed in...

Today is the day after Christmas and the third day of being house bound due to a blizzard in the midwest.  We have watched more than 25 movies, baked cookies (as shown in the picture), eaten, napped, did laundry, napped, eaten, eaten, eaten. 

In between all this, in my attempt to get started on my daughter's scrap book, I starting going through pictures. Trying to decide what all to include.  Of course there are B.C. photos and A.D. photos. (Before computer and after digital photos).  I didn't get very far. It is a process, I know.

Daughter's high school scrapbook. One and a half yrs. and counting.

Two and a half years ago, my daughter was a freshman in high school. It was then that I decided to start making her own scrap book.  Well, she just finished her first semester of her junior year in high school and I have not one page done. 

I guess it is such an overwhelming task for me to think about.  Where do I begin? What all do I include? How many tears will I shed?

Now, I am thinking about all the other tasks that may be involved in preparing for her graduation, preparation for college, preparation for her leaving the nest.  I guess this is as good a time as any to start.  I still have time and if I blog about it, maybe it will help me stay on track.

Wish me luck....

Christmas Past

This is the eve of Christmas Eve. This year, we have no presents under the tree. It saddens me. I remember the Christmas' Past.

But then, tonight, I received an email from a friend of mine. She was thanking me for the support I've given. Because this Christmas year she not only has fewer presents under the tree, but she also has one less child. She lost her 15 year old son in a car accident March 8, 2009. She told me again how hard this Christmas is for her and I can't imagine her pain and how she goes on. My heart breaks for her and her family.

So, when I look under our tree and see just the red skirt, I am reminded not that it is empty but rather how much we do have.

Amazing Resource for School Projects!

I am amazed at the number of projects my kids have had to prepare, especially in high school. They usually get to choose how to present it and in the past have done scrapbooks, story boards, videos and more. Needing a new venue my daughter, who is a junior in high school chose to make a website. A lot less cutting and pasting and even though it still is taking a lot of time, not nearly as much as the other types she has done. The time spent this way is more on the actual content and not the project.

After several searches for free website design we landed upon MoonFruit. This site is easy to use, a has all the bells and whistles for making a sweet website! They have a free version, but since my daughter's project needed multiple pages (more than the free version allowed) we had to purchase the basic version for a very affordable $4.95. A lot less than scrap book supplies.

Not only is she using it, but she has referred several of her classmates after they came crying to her about their woes of other sites that left them frustrated and/or required more $$$.

I can't say enough about this site in that they have made a huge contribution to the education of middle and high school students!

Help my challenge and join my community......please

Please join my community and help The Children's Hospital at the same time! BlogFrog is sponsoring the "Give the Gift of Community" challenge to its members to inspire blog readers to connect with their peers in communities this holiday season. If this blog gets 20 new participants to start or reply to a community discussion, BlogFrog will donate $10 to The Children's Hospital, one of the top 10 hospitals in the country for kids and teens.
What do you need to do? Don't be shy, click here and hop on over to join my community.