Up to the Minute News Report

In our first non-story, no miscarriage so far. Some Braxton-Hicks-like false alarms, but that's it. Thanks for your prayers as we continue to await God's perfect timing. A time may come for medical intervention--but that time will not electively be scheduled for the next two weeks, which are packed with Godspell dress rehearsals and performances, family visitors, a painter at my house, and more Godspell performances!

And speaking of Godspell, the first dress rehearsal last night went exceptionally well. They got through both acts with minimal starting and stopping, though it was their first rehearsal on the actual stage where they're performing this weekend. Bantam17 seemed to be getting the hang of running a spotlight for the first time. I was thrilled to see the show again; I'd forgotten that the whole script is Scripture, except for the Bible stories which are modern-day retellings in creative genres, such as the Prodigal Son telling his story to a Hollywood talk show host. The Disciples and Jesus have great voices, camaraderie and stage presence, and the final scenes depicting Christ's death and quick resurrection (not always included) were powerful. First dress rehearsals are not usually reassuring, but this is going to be a great show!

In other news, my flamingo pink Dell laptop arrived last Thursday--and it is lovely and makes me very happy--but on Friday, we had a resurrection! When I went to move my old laptop from my "desk" on one end of the dining room table, I tried turning it on one last time--and it started! So now I am torn--my first love or my new one?

"Here's what happened." (Any other Monk devotees out there? We don't have cable, but my father-in-law records them for us.) I'd been having a problem with my old computer, in the part where the power supply plugs into my computer--the connection was loose and power was getting in only intermittently. As long as I was careful to adjust the power supply cord so that the little light indicating power stayed on--which was tricky--then we were good. But if power didn't get through and the battery got low, it kept crashing for lack of power. Then one day, the battery must have been so drained that it couldn't even light the little light telling me whether power was getting through or not. It appeared to be absolutely dead. I tried leaving it plugged in, adjusting the cord and leaving it in different positions hoping power might get through for days before taking it in and explaining the problem. That's when I was advised not to put the $250+ into it (best case, if it wasn't something more serious), but into a new computer.

So I now have an extra laptop. Bummed as I am to have spent all that money on a new one, I had been wishing for an extra, for the kids for homeschooling. With two high schoolers using the computer more and more--for writing papers and study guides, and taking two courses each on CD-ROM--we can use it. (That is, they can use my old one!)

In our final story--back in January, as we were picking up the loose ends in our return to homeschooling, I began freaking out about my freshman daughter, afraid that we really weren't challenging her enough this year. In my pregnant state--feeling overwhelmed is one of the main symptoms of my typical first trimester--I began wondering if I should put her in school too, like Bantam8. As I prayed about that, I realized that really, the only subject I felt bad about was Freshman English. Long story short, I just knew I wasn't doing enough there and didn't see how to proceed to do do so. Should I enroll her just for one class? And drive her back and forth every day? Yuk. Check out the online schools? Buy new curriculum? I was in a dither. I prayed some more.

This crisis happened on Bantam17's birthday--maybe because we were taking the day off of school, giving me some time to think in the car as I ran an errand. Then I picked up two friends who were coming over to celebrate with us, and one of them, a homeschooled freshman boy, politely answering my questions about how his school year was going, mentioned an English class he was taking. It was really hard but he was learning a lot and he loved the teacher. And I knew the teacher, another homeschool mom. Why hadn't I heard about this class? Oh, of course--since we thought we were moving, I hadn't signed up for another year with the homeschool group, so I never received the fall newsletter with class offerings like this one.

I called her up. Would there be any chance she'd consider adding a student mid-year?

Well, she countered, what makes you want to sign your daughter up mid-year?

So I poured out all my freak-out concerns, including my thoughts of sending my daughter to school and ending by confiding the news of my pregnancy. And bless her heart, she thought she could accept one more student, on an exceptional basis.

So now Blondechick15 is in an exceptional English class with a fantastic teacher and my heart is still doing flips of gratefulness every time I think about it! What an amazing answer to prayer--all in one day.

Tonight--another dress rehearsal; tomorrow--an Ash Wednesday service, Blondechick's class, off to another dress rehearsal; Thursday--we clean like mad because my parents, sister-in-love and her two girls all arrive; Friday we hang out with them till Opening Night and the Opening Night party after that; Saturday--two more performances; Sunday--finally, a breather! (--during which Summer and I plan to meet-up with Megan!)