Ramblings...

My thoughts are all jumbled around and it's hard for me to make heads or tales out of them.  So, I'll share with you, aren't you lucky?  These are in no particular order of importance because they bounce around on the list almost constantly.

• I'm still trying to figure out how to go to the White House and then have a purse.  I can't seem to work that puzzle out.
• I may be worrying for nothing.  Mark's not doing well.  His cough is getting worse, if that's even possible.  He has a doctor's appt. tomorrow.  I'm really praying that they'll be able to do something to help him, yet honestly, I doubt it.  I think if there is someone out there that can help him it's not going to be a family practioner.  Maybe an allergist/lung specialist?  Don't know.  
• Lily's sick.  That makes my heart ache.  I pray she's better soon and that no one else gets it.  No fun to have tummy viruses, that's for sure.
• Rebekah's back at school and I'm happy for her, but I miss her.  :/
• This weekend, there was an article in The Columbus Dispatch that talked about population growth in our area.  This sentence rings in my head, and bothers me so much. "Franklin County's population grew 8.8 percent over the past decade, but all that growth can be attributed to racial minorities.  But.  Really?  Am I being overly sensitive, or does that somehow indicated that minority growth is a negative?  I try so hard to teach my kids that people are people.  I wish for my children to grow up in a world where, "they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character".  Reading articles like this plant the little seeds, it seems to me, that color of our skin still matters.  Sad.
• My little girl informed me today that she's so! excited! because she finally has reading group again.  It seems she hasn't had it since November, because the "other kids that aren't good readers needed to read every day".  She's eight.  Yes, she's a good reader, but she still needs reading instruction in her life too.  A couple of years ago when our district eliminated gifted education in the language arts area we were assured that it would be all right, the classroom teacher would just make it up.  That is complete and utter bull#@!*.  There's no way a teacher should be expected to do that, nor have I met one yet who could.  These kids are losing out and it makes me really, really frustrated and angry.  An eight year old going 4 months without reading. (Yes, she reads every day at home, and she was independently reading at school, but without instruction, discussion.)  I'm truly not upset with the teacher, I'm frustrated by our system right now, a combination of our district (lack-of) leadership for teaching anything above the middle, and no-child-gets-ahead which seems to leave teachers with little choice.  Those kids must pass the tests and the kids that are in no danger of failing, get little instruction.  :(
• I'm having a very hard time dealing with my child's lack of faith in God.  It's very hard for me that my grandchildren are not baptized, are not learning about God.  I wonder where I've failed and what I need to do differently with Jacob and Julianna.  It's truly difficult and I'm really struggling.  We went to church, we went to Sunday school.  We prayed as a family.  Sometimes I feel like why bother doing any of it with J&J, they're just going to grow up to abandon God too, is it just me or does it seem as though our whole culture is turning their back on God today?  I've struggled with doubt too, I'm not trying to be holier-than-thou, honest.  But to see my grandkids grow up outside of a church, no baptism, no true meaning of Christmas, Easter? No relationship with God?  How confusing is that going to be for J&J as soon as they figure it out?  Very, very hard.

All right.  That's it.  There's more, of course, there's lots floating around in there, but I'll leave it at that.  Thanks for listening.