I have figured out why I find it so difficult to post here with any regularity anymore.

Yes, I am in school, which takes up a lot of my time. But this semester, I have to blog once a week for my Interpersonal Communications class. One blog post a week is my limit, I guess. Maybe I should also post them here!

*Did you hear about the school shooting in Chardon, Ohio? That is where my friend
Jen lives. The Saturday before, one of Blackeyed Susan's classmates, whose brother is one of Alvin Fernald's best friends, died of a drug overdose. Our children are living with so much pressure--they need our Lord so very much. We need to be "Jesus with skin on" more than ever.

*I'm sorta being rebellious with my Comm assignment this week. We are supposed to break a social construct and then see what happens. For instance, you can sit and stare at someone until they get uncomfortable (and maybe punch you in the nose). Or you can get into an elevator with only one other person and stand very close to them. My problem is that my Mother taught me better than that. It was *impolite* to stare at someone, and we all know about that concept of "personal space." I do have a past incident I can post about. . .

My sister came home for Christmas in 1988. My brother, his wife, and I surprised her by picking her up at the airport in Chicago. Since she was not expecting anyone, Robin and I wore big, shiny Christmas bows in our hair, and brought one for my sister, as well. That would have been the end of the story, but we decided that since we weren't in Chicago very often, we'd just stop somewhere to "say we'd been there." We chose Saks Fifth Avenue (ohh, those golden doors!) and the door through which we entered the store was entrance to the Fine Furs Department. Here we were, three girls with Big Shiny Bows, waltzing through Saks, and looking at furs, none of which had price tags attached. We were out of our league, big-time. We noticed the sales clerks whispering among themselves (I imagine they were drawing straws...) and finally one came over to us and ventured, "Is there anything I can show you?" [for instance, the DOOR?] Well, shoot, it was Christmastime. How did she know but that we were picking out our stocking stuffers? Somehow, though, she did, so we made our way to the exit. I imagine the clerks calling us "rrrriff-rrraff" a la Mrs. Thurston Howell III.

*This past weekend was Friedenswald, a get-together of folk-music types and their groupies at a lodge at a church camp in Michigan. Food and music, music and food. These people have been getting together every year for 29 years. We've been going about 12. It's always a great time, and this time (because the friend's funeral was Saturday) Charming and I went alone, a great treat.

*Today will hit 65 degrees, which is wonderful. It is also the beginning of baseball practice on the home field for Alvin. He'll be on Varsity this year, but I don't know what position he will play. He has played first base, catcher, and pitcher in the past. His very best friend, Will, is a senior, and he is One Great Ballplayer. As a sophomore, he pitched some 96 mph balls, and his batting average is impressive, as well. He has heard from almost every MLB team's farm programs, and is ready for his baseball scholarship at Indiana University. Alvin is ready to be his manager ($$$$) when he's in the majors.

*If you are wondering where the great Thinker that used to blog here with wonderful pearls of wisdom went, she is spending her brain on homework. That is going well for her, though, as she has a GPA of 4.0, and is looking to repeat this semester, as well. She also received a scholarship for next year!

...and I'll look into re-posting some of those assignment-blogs. They were pretty decent.

Love you all!