Thursday Thirteen
#13: Several times a month, my cell phone rings, I answer it and the caller on the other end says, “Oh, is this Julie? I didn’t think I’d get you.” And I suppose if I were a conniving business woman, that would be the point at which I’d say “Unfortunately I sent the entire staff on vacation to Miami and so I’m taking all calls for Brave Writer for just this week. Aren’t you lucky?!”
#12: How do you paint two bedrooms at once? Simple. You move furniture, clothes, and bedding back and forth between the two rooms, dripping paint on the carpet and comforters as you go. Easy.
#11: “So You Think You Can Dance” is like watching paintings that move. It is easily the most satisfying competition show I watch all year. I loved seeing the rumba, cha-cha and a ballet-like dance that featured a hummingbird and a flower last night.
#10: One phone conversation went like this: “I was at a baseball game last spring talking about my frustrations with writing when another mom asked if I homeschooled. When I said yes, she said, ‘Then you should try Brave Writer. We love it.'” Nothing makes my day like hearing that Brave Writer comes up on the sidelines of kids’ team sports.
#9: Some couples talk about politics. Some talk about religion. In our house, Jon wakes up and turns to me lovingly and says, “What about The Sound and the Fury? Do you think Brave Writer kids would read it?”
#8: Postage went up. I just noticed.
#7: I’ve spent this month reading about legends and mythology. The more I read, the more convinced I become that the ancients of every culture had imaginations far superior to any blockbuster movie producer. A God creating the world through hatching himself out of an egg and shaping the top-half of the shell into the sky and the bottom half into the earth? And how about the Aborigines calling that lost long ago time: Dreamtime? Gorgeous.
#6: I’m scanning photos of my daughter’s life for the obligatory tear-jerking slideshow for the “Send-off to College” party. In between scans, I thank God, my husband, my dearest friends and family for her life and for sharing her with me.
#5: No matter what I regret, I never regret homeschooling.
#4: Confession: I love to reread my own writing. I reread my blogs, my books, my papers, my journals. I don’t reread any journals from France (where I wrote over a thousand pages of boyfriend angst and homesickness and one cannot tell I even inhabited a place called France).
#3: I miss Italy. As July approaches, I dread realizing that it will have been two years since we took our family on the “trip of a lifetime” to Italy. The sunlight slants differently there. The gelato is more flavorful. And the artwork litters every church and archway. Plus, Rome’s Hard Rock cafe… rocks.
#2: Jon turns 50 in August. He doesn’t want a party. Any suggestions for making it special?
#1: I’m grateful for our Brave Writer community. Your notes, phone calls and enthusiasm keep me going!
A suggestion for honoring your husband in August – (will he see this???) solicit pictures and notes of thanks/remembrances from current and former students/extended family/friends, then compile them into a memory book. Add your own family pictures and remembrances, too. Then, find out what his love language is (The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman) and plan his day around what makes him feel loved. ~ Tonight we are on a plane back to the state of my birth, NH, to celebrate my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary (party tomorrow). We asked guests for pictures and remembrances to be placed on large posterboards. We plan to compile a memory book after the party. ~ Loved the Thursday Thirteen! I have to admit that when I received an immediate reply to my first email, I had the same response as your caller. I don’t know how you keep up with it all, but I’m thankful and blessed because you do. Have a great weekend. I’ll be anxiously anticipating the high school announcement you are deliberating.
I think you should take everyone out for a “night on the town” in Cincinnati. Get fancied up, head to a posh restaurant and then to a show – maybe at the Aranoff.
But then again, you may already do this as your kids are older than mine.
Still, since you are reminiscing about Italy, wouldn’t it be great to see the sights in your own city?
Enjoy!
Lora
Jennifer, thanks for the great ideas! I will do that (solicit notes/cards/letters). I hadn’t even thought of something like that. (Not to worry about his reading this… he never reads my blogs.) Have a wonderful time at your parents’! anniversary..)
Lora, thanks for your idea, too. We did a “night on the town” for our Valentine’s Day this year (staying in a hotel downtown etc.). So it was/is a good idea. We’ve just already done it. LOL
More ideas anyone? I’m listening. 🙂
Julie
My husband will celebrate his 50th in two years, and I’ve already started mulling over ideas in my head. How about surprising him by whisking him away for the weekend to a place he would enjoy…New York City, Niagara Falls, Stratford-on-Avon? I’ve got two years to make my plans, and you’ve got less than two months, so this may be too ambitious, but I know my husband loves those rare moments when just the two of us can spend time together. Celebrate with the kids the night before you leave, and surprise him with the trip that night.
Mary
Love this- the 13 things idea.
Notes:
#13
Yes, or you could charge by the minute! I see ads for homeschool counselors. But, don’t do it! Just keep the prices where they are on your books and courses…. that is my MBA opinion. lol
#12
I will try it. Our house needs painting and I have two strong young men here who beg to do any chore besides yardwork in hot humid Houston.
#7
Beautiful imagery. I love the quote from CS Lewis. He had not yet converted to Christianity and he and his buddy JRR Tolkein were walking/talking one night. As they talked about the myths of past religions, Lewis realized- Christainity was the ‘myth that came true.’
#4 I love to re-read my writing, too. I love to read the ‘novel’ I wrote in 2005 during nanowrimo, though only one other person was allowed to. My favorite blog is my blog. lol
#1.
You are loved and have impacted our lives greatly. Keep it up and blessings from our family. 🙂
I loved your post about Johanna’s graduation gift from your mother. What a treasure! I added two of your mother’s books to my Amazon shopping cart – for my mother. And I’m thinking of starting my own journal for my mom. When I read your question about celebrating Jon’s 50th birthday, I thought it might be nice to write up a journal with 50 favorite memories of your times together. They could all be from you, or it could be a joint project with your kids, etc.
Joyce