How does the sun work? Why is it that when it gleams through my house it lifts my spirits?  I feel like I could conquer the world today!  Though my desk is messy, isn't it beautiful with the sun shining in?  I like my desk this way.  This is how I think.  If everything is put in drawers then I will forget about it. Like the saying goes "out of sight out of mind".  Last time I let the electric bill get "out of sight" we went without electricity:/ Hey, I never claimed to be perfect!

We hung a new map of the USA in our classroom last week.  We have learned so much just by having it hanging up.  Lots of questions about where is this, what is a border, where is South.  I have also learned and been reminded that I have yet to see the world.  Wouldn't it be great to just pack up once a month for a week and go be a nomad?  Like travel to learn not to "relax" or "indulge" like some people.  Of course it would be great to travel for the sake of laying on a beach, forgetting what day it was and drinking island rum.  But to travel becasue you want to know what desert air feels like or becasue you want to see what real cowboys look like.  Ya know?  I am just as curious as my children are when it comes to this.  If you can't find us next week, check out West.

One time Josh and I took a trip to Maine to visit his brother.  We decided one morning when we woke up that we wanted to go to Maine, so we did.  Ella was a newborn attached to the boob and Emma was potty training.  Seems like a wonderful time to take a trip, right?  In our world yes, becasue we may never get today back.  Anyway-we traveled and stopped, traveled and stop about every 2 hours to feed the nursing babe.  Josh took a detour to show me Niagra Falls becasue I had never seen it before.  I saw it at night when the lights were all on.  Breathtaking.  The trip ended up taking 22 hours to get to Maine.  We never stopped at a hotel to stay overnight-we had someplace to be!  We surprised Josh's brother and landed in Maine:)  I remember almost running out of money on the way home-rolled into Sycamore Ohio at like 8 a.m. on fumes just in time for Josh to go to work.  No regrets!

Emma is writing her LA report on the desert and she is about finished.  Time for me to get back on track. 

I just heard Joshua ask Emma if he could stinker in the classroom.  Love that kid.

Oh almost forgot...our adventerous dog disappeared again lastnight.  We were tucked into bed and I said to the kids "Where is Lady?"  I noticed she wasn't in her bed.  Sometimes when Josh goes out for a smoke he forgets to let her back in so I thought no biggie.  Well went to the back door-no Lady.  Went to the front door-No Lady.  By this point the kids are in sheer panic, crying and praying in bed together.  Emma was telling the kids all the miracles Jesus had performed so she was sure he could bring Lady back to us.  I am glad to have her-she is better at consoling the little ones than I am half of the time.  After about 10 minutes I had to wake Josh from his slumber at 1 A.M.  He went to look for her and found her trotting along the neighborhood.  She was soaked-it was raining.  The kids were so excited when she bolted in the door and shook everywhere.  She slept wrapped up in a blanket by the heater the rest of the night.  Stupid dog;)