Well-Mannered Peeps
Yes, it is. Yet, ANOTHER post about a little girl party/ activity. Are you surprised? Are you rolling your eyes? I understand. It’s almost hard to type because I am running out of adjectives to describe these recurring events made up of adorable little girls and I have not even written about everything we have done! Plainly, this one was just a good idea (not mine) and thought someone reading from the blogging world might want to tuck it away to use later. But to halt those rolling eyes, I want to come at this one from a different angle- one over 4 feet tall.
When I yielded to the Lord’s impressing me to home school Julia, I fell into a loosely knit group (Jessica, through prayer, doing most of the “knitting”)of Mom’s who had decided to do the same thing.......sort of. Little did I know then what an incredible group of Moms I would be getting to know. And “getting to know”, I still am doing but what I am finding out only encourages me more for the years to come.
In January, we met at a jumping house (for those of you with kids over the “jumping” age- a facility full of bounce houses) to talk about the activities we wanted to do for the spring. I can’t tell you how glad I was to be the one typing all the ideas into my trusty laptop because listening to all of them, I had the realization I was WAY out of my league. Each one came with several fun, educational, and enriching ideas that they wanted their child/children to experience and because I just happened to get to be in this group, MY kids could experience all THEIR great ideas. Sweet. I have about one great ORIGINAL idea a year. 2008 was just beginning and I had nothing. So, I typed and no one really noticed. Of the myriad of things mentioned and discussed that day, we have done 12 of them!!
One of the things mentioned was an Easter party. We decided to have someone come to teach the girls table etiquette and Elise (one of the Moms) is mentored by Mrs. Marilyn Basham who is certified by the Washington School of Protocol. The party would also give the girls an opportunity to wear their Easter dresses. As the day of the party drew closer, Elise also came up with the idea of having a tea cup exchange. She also found an Easter responsive reading the girls could learn and she picked out a hymn to teach them the morning of the party. The girls would recite and sing these for our guest, Mrs. Basham. I hosted the party, providing the “fluff” and Elise came up with the “substance” that made it actually mean something! I see this as a normal addition from her to the group.
Amy, who loves to bake, is a trained educator, an initiator and has a knack for planning. She came in, arms laden with beautifully decorated home made cupcakes and cookies. Jessica, who had a heart for a group like this to form and prayed fervently for it, is wonderful kitchen help and a perfect co-host. Her example has impacted me greatly and the Lord used her to soften my heart towards my decision to home school. We are all watching with awe at how gracefully she is living through the last days with her Mom. Shannon, who brought the main course, is one who you wish would talk a little more because everything she has to say is significant and seasoned with grace. Elaine dropped off her 2 peeps and headed for a solemn Good Friday service at her church. She has given us valuable book list after book list after she threw her schedule out the window after about a month and piled her coffee table with mounds of wonderful books to read to her girls. We have all benefited from her choice. We missed Kathy and her Leah. Kathy has a way with kids that always inspires me. Sort of like my friends TJ and Nikki, she has a way of making them feel so special and loved. This woman, I think, has an idea a minute and the only problem with that is that they are ALWAYS good and we only have so many years in which to fit them all in!
When I yielded to the Lord’s impressing me to home school Julia, I fell into a loosely knit group (Jessica, through prayer, doing most of the “knitting”)of Mom’s who had decided to do the same thing.......sort of. Little did I know then what an incredible group of Moms I would be getting to know. And “getting to know”, I still am doing but what I am finding out only encourages me more for the years to come.
In January, we met at a jumping house (for those of you with kids over the “jumping” age- a facility full of bounce houses) to talk about the activities we wanted to do for the spring. I can’t tell you how glad I was to be the one typing all the ideas into my trusty laptop because listening to all of them, I had the realization I was WAY out of my league. Each one came with several fun, educational, and enriching ideas that they wanted their child/children to experience and because I just happened to get to be in this group, MY kids could experience all THEIR great ideas. Sweet. I have about one great ORIGINAL idea a year. 2008 was just beginning and I had nothing. So, I typed and no one really noticed. Of the myriad of things mentioned and discussed that day, we have done 12 of them!!
One of the things mentioned was an Easter party. We decided to have someone come to teach the girls table etiquette and Elise (one of the Moms) is mentored by Mrs. Marilyn Basham who is certified by the Washington School of Protocol. The party would also give the girls an opportunity to wear their Easter dresses. As the day of the party drew closer, Elise also came up with the idea of having a tea cup exchange. She also found an Easter responsive reading the girls could learn and she picked out a hymn to teach them the morning of the party. The girls would recite and sing these for our guest, Mrs. Basham. I hosted the party, providing the “fluff” and Elise came up with the “substance” that made it actually mean something! I see this as a normal addition from her to the group.
Amy, who loves to bake, is a trained educator, an initiator and has a knack for planning. She came in, arms laden with beautifully decorated home made cupcakes and cookies. Jessica, who had a heart for a group like this to form and prayed fervently for it, is wonderful kitchen help and a perfect co-host. Her example has impacted me greatly and the Lord used her to soften my heart towards my decision to home school. We are all watching with awe at how gracefully she is living through the last days with her Mom. Shannon, who brought the main course, is one who you wish would talk a little more because everything she has to say is significant and seasoned with grace. Elaine dropped off her 2 peeps and headed for a solemn Good Friday service at her church. She has given us valuable book list after book list after she threw her schedule out the window after about a month and piled her coffee table with mounds of wonderful books to read to her girls. We have all benefited from her choice. We missed Kathy and her Leah. Kathy has a way with kids that always inspires me. Sort of like my friends TJ and Nikki, she has a way of making them feel so special and loved. This woman, I think, has an idea a minute and the only problem with that is that they are ALWAYS good and we only have so many years in which to fit them all in!
Well, those are the Moms of Julia’s girl friends that are schooled at home. I think I am in good company and just hope they’ll keep me around. After all, I type really well.
Mrs. Marilyn Basham's contact information is (817) 763-8858. She does ALL ages!!
Comments
Love you Jeff