Monday, March 13, 2006 - Superwoman: There's No Such Thing!

For the past generation, our society has tried to foist upon us the idea of the woman who "has it all" and "does it all." We stand in awe of women who (we are told) run successful businesses, volunteer for community service, keep beautifully decorated homes, send hand-written letters, cook and entertain guests with style, attend artistic functions, bring up happy children and look like a million bucks to boot. As we stand gaping at these idols of domestic and economic success, we wonder exactly where we fell short of achieving their outstanding meritsÂ…

HereÂ’s the key: No woman in history has ever done it all or had it all. We all must make choices about what we do. When you choose one thing, something else must necessarily fall through the cracksÂ…  

Trying to be Superwoman doesn’t help anyone. It cannot be done. It is a sure path to failure and disappointment. The path to life and health and peace is the way of humility, service and love for others – not seeking praise or recognition but being willing to work hard day after day and find our fulfillment in what God has given our hands to do. Let Superwoman die; put her superhuman accomplishments out of your mind. Instead, work hard today on what is most important and what will make your home a love-filled place for your family and your community. Do it beautifully! Do it without guilt. You are a keeper of the home, and that is a sacred trust that requires an ordinary human being who loves others more than she loves herself. Superwoman need not apply.

• I homeschool my three children. I donÂ’t use a box curriculum. I use bits and pieces of whatever looks good to me, and I plan it all out by myself.
  
• I cook from scratch. I use very little “ready made” convenience food. I bake my own bread, and do not use boxed breakfast cereal in the morning. I make some sort of breakfast every day (sometimes just toast, but usually more than that). I do this because in our family we are very interested in maintaining good health through nutrition, so it is very much a priority, but it is also something that I enjoy.
  
• I milk my dairy goat twice a day (for now), and we use the milk for the (human) kids to drink, for kefir, or for cooking. I also take care of the goats (feeding, cleaning, etc.).
  
• I feed our chickens and collect the eggs (when there are eggs) every day.
  
• I keep up (barely) with the dishes and laundry.
  
• I buy organic, which means we take the family on the hour trip to the store once a week (although there are getting to be more options locally for obtaining organic produce, which is very nice).
  
• We try to do something “fun for kids” at least once a week. Most of the time it is on the same trip as our shopping expedition. Yesterday, we went to the zoo!  
  
• I enjoy blogging and reading blogs.

• I donÂ’t haul my kids all over creation taking them to lessons, activities, etc. We are doing t-ball this spring (both boys will be on the same team). ThatÂ’s about it. I prefer to stay home during the week. We don't even belong to a homeschool support group.
  
  
• I donÂ’t lead the ladies' Bible study. Or even attend one. Maybe I should, and at some point IÂ’m sure IÂ’ll go to one in the future. Just not now. We go to church on Sunday mornings. But thatÂ’s the only meeting weÂ’re doing right now.
  
• I donÂ’t sew our own clothes, although I like to sew, and just learned to sew last year (and am still a learner). I like to do handiwork like sewing, crocheting, cross-stitch, etc., but have just had to let it drop. I also don't do crafts.  
  
• I donÂ’t clean house regularly. Things here at home are more disorganized than I would like, but I do not make it a priority. I try to keep things here livable, but it is never spic-n-span.
  
• I donÂ’t have a business or work away from home.
  
• I do not wake up at the crack of dawn. Normally, I am late to bed, late to rise.
• I do not have a huge garden. It is rather small, and filled mostly with tomato plants covered with those big, ugly, green hornworms. Also, a few substandard zucchini plants. I planted asparagus a few years ago, but my husband accidentally plowed them all up (I love asparagus).
  

Monday, March 13, 2006 - BRAVO!!

Monday, March 13, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Monday, March 13, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Monday, March 13, 2006 - fantastic

Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - THIS IS GREAT !!!!!!

Thursday, March 16, 2006 - Cool