Waddling Penguins

I had to run to the computer to type this before I forget!

We are homeschooling right now and Madalynn is writing her numbers to 100 for her math lesson, despite her insistence that she already knows how. So, she's been talking to me as she writes.

"Oh, yeah, Mom," she said, as she was telling me what they did last night while I was at church and Travis was home with the kids (the boys and Jillian were sick). "Me and Daddy and the boys watched Madagascar last night."

Somehow the topic turned to the funny animated penguins in the movie.

"You know, Mom. Penguins." Madalynn said, as if I don't remember what a penguin is. I wanted to know what's on her mind, so I allowed her to fill me in on her penguin enlightenment.

"YOU know. Penguins are those silly-looking black and white birds that don't really fly very good. They walk like they need to go to the bathroom or have a baby or something."

Always honest, aren't they? I'm still laughing, she's still writing!

Trick or Treating for the Lord!

Every day is God's day! "For the Earth is the Lord's, and everything in it" 1 Corinthians 10:26

I promised I would share how our family "handles" Halloween, so that's what I'm going to do today. We believe daily activities, including participating in Halloween and Trick-or-Treating can be done for the Lord!

We encourage our children to use their imaginations to think up fun (but not scary) costumes for dressing up in. Sometimes they don't have a lot of choice in the matter, like when they're made to wear a hand-me-down costume, but that is usually fine with them! We take them around to the houses of anyone they want to visit and show their costumes to, and then we sometimes go on to a church or community-sponsored trick-or-treat.

We are open with our children. Strange things they see on Halloween give us a great opportunity to discuss what's real and what's not and the truth about what's in store for us after we die. They are never too young to know the reason Jesus died for them (so they have the opportunity live eternally with God in heaven).

Halloween is also a great way to encourage giving thanks to God. Sheer joy is on the faces of my children when they put their costumes on and they SO enjoy telling people about their costumes. Dressing up, sharing excitement with others and getting CANDY are wonderful examples of things to be thankful for! We encourage our kids to give thanks to the Lord in everything.

I recognize many people think there's a underlying evil behind Halloween. The Americanized Halloween seems to me to be a conglomeration of all of the fun traditions of lots of different cultures all mashed-up together under the banner of Halloween for marketing purposes only. I have a feeling the majority of Americans who go trick-or-treating this year don't REALLY even know what Halloween originally was. Most people (adults and children alike) don't need a reason dress up, have fun with their friends and get enough candy to last until next Halloween! ;)

I will certainly be telling our children the information behind the holiday. We will put emphasis on Halloween being the All Hallows' Eve for All Saints Day, celebrated November 1. Learning about the "saints" who died for the cause of Christ is a great way to teach our kids about the sacrifices some Christians have made because their unwavering commitment to Jesus.

We totally respect and encourage both those who go all out on Halloween and those who choose to focus on other things that day. Below are some encouraging verses I found in the Bible pertaining to the details we choose to deem important in life.

MAY GOD BLESS YOUR HALLOWEEN! :)

Romans 14:5-8, The Message

"Or, say, one person thinks that some days should be set aside as holy and another thinks that each day is pretty much like any other. There are good reasons either way. So, each person is free to follow the convictions of his conscience.

What's important in all this is that if you keep a holy day, keep it for God's sake; if you eat meat, eat it to the glory of God and thank God for prime rib; if you're a vegetarian, eat vegetables to the glory of God and thank God for broccoli. None of us are permitted to insist on our own way in these matters. It's God we are answerable to--all the way from life to death and everything in between--not each other. That's why Jesus lived and died and then lived again; so that he could be our Master across the entire range of life and death, and free us from petty tyrannies of each other."

1 Corinthians 10:23, The Message

"Looking at it one way, you could say, 'Anything goes. Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster.' But the point is not just to get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well."

Halloween. Trick, or Treat?

Many people have asked me if and how Travis and I "handle" Halloween in our home because of or in light of our faith in God. I am going to explain over the next few days how we handle Halloween at our house and the reasons behind what we do.

Today, however, I will give a brief summary of where our present-day traditions of Halloween came from. My information comes from two sources, including the Wikipidia online encyclopedia entry for Halloween and the book "Redeeming Halloween: Celebrating Without Selling Out," written by Kim Wier and Pam McCune.

Halloween, in name and date, did not originate as a pagan celebration, but as a Christian holiday. The pagan festival of death called Samhain, which originates back to the Celts and Druids, was held on November 1st until 741 A.D. The Christian church moved the celebration of All Saints Day from May 13th to November 1st, sharing the date with Samhain. Both All Saints' Day and Samhain were celebrated November 1st from that year forward. All Saints Day is a Christian holiday set aside by the church to honor the many Christian martyrs that died for the cause of Christ.

October 31st first became a significant day only because November 1st was declared All Saint's Day. October 31st became the eve of All Saints Day (like December 24th is Christmas Eve). All Saints' Day was also called All Hallows' Day by some. All Hallows' Day (All-hallow-even) was shortened to Hallowe'en, or it's alternative name we know it by, Halloween. The Scottish and Irish brought their Samhain and All Saints' Day traditions revolving around October 31st and November 1st to America when they migrated here in the mid 1800s.

The "American" Halloween (as we know it in 2007) has evolved over the last 110 years. Halloween went mainstream in America in the early 1900s with the production of Halloween greeting cards. Mass-produced Halloween costumes were first sold in stores in the 1930s. Trick-or-treating wasn't popular until the 1950s. Manufactured Halloween yard decorations replaced mostly homemade decorations and came into stores in the 1990s, making Halloween the 6th most profitable holiday in the U.S. for retailers. Halloween is the second-most decorated-for holiday in the U.S., after Christmas.

Visit again tomorrow as I will discuss whether we believe Halloween is God's day or Satan's holiday!

Roller Shuffling

P.E. is our newest homeschool activity we've joined through our St. Tammany HEA group. Thursdays from 2-3 p.m. kids from 4 yrs. old through high school get together in a hockey arena near Madisonville, LA, get with their age groups and have good, old-fashioned P.E. Maddie and Justis start their calisthenics with laps, push-ups, sit-ups and stretches and then play a game (this month it's basketball) and end with the fun things like scooter races and playing with the parachute. An area of toys and coloring is reserved for the littler ones and their mothers, where Dawson, Jillian and I hang out.

The last Thursday of the month is skating day at P.E., though. The hockey rink doubles as a roller skating rink and activity center, so the all of the age groups of kids strap on skates provided by the arena and are let loose to roller skate!

Last Thursday was our first skating day, since we joined P.E. at the beginning of the month. None of my children have roller skated before, so I knew we were in for an interesting time.

We spent a good 20 minutes putting on skates, simply because I only have two hands and six wiggly feet to fit skates on! S

Skates strapped on and ready to go, the kids stood up. We had to somehow make it from the front of the building to the back of the building, where the entrance to the rink is. Jillian was in the stroller, so I grabbed Dawson's hand, pushed the stroller with the other and told Justis to hang on to the stroller and we would go SLOWLY to the rink entrance. Madalynn's hands were held by two helpful women who helped her along behind me so she wouldn't fall.

The kids busted out their skills once they were in the rink! Well, maybe they just busted their butts, but it was still fun to watch! ;)

Madalynn realized quickly that because of her height she has further to fall, therefore she hugged the wall very closely. Justis was brave enough to try allowing me to pull him along until he fell on his tush, too. Dawson, with his low center of gravity and extra cushioning was bravest of all. He felt comfortable going it alone, but he, too, had a sore tailbone by the end of the short skate.

Thirty minutes of slowly and cautiously shuffling across the wall and back hanging on for dear life was enough fun for the afternoon, the kids all decided. Maddie was particularly frustrated. She clearly had dreams of quickly conquering the skates and being a graceful skater like she sees on TV. I assured her practice is all it takes. There were also plenty of other kids just starting out on skates, so they didn't feel alone in learning how to skate.

I didn't ask, but I'm sure they'll be ready to brave it again next month!

Incognito

The kids went incognito to story time last Thursday.

Each child dressed up in their Halloween costume, Miss Renee (the librarian) read seasonal books, and the kids got to "Trick or Treat." Each family brought a bag of candy and we shared.

Madalynn won my award for the most mysterious story-timer. Miss Renee did not recognize her under all of that clown makeup! I wore the same clown outfit as did my sister when we were little, because my mom sewed it for us. The wig is actually the Raggedy Ann wig from another
costume.

Justis got my personal vote for most original. We didn't have a home-sewn costume in his size, so when he saw a camouflage-type jumpsuit at Wal Mart, he said, "I could be a hunter like Daddy!" So Justis cleverly went "disguised" as a duck hunter.

Dawson wins the award for getting two-years use out of the same costume. He went as the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. His costume is one I sewed originally for Justis the year Madalynn was Dorothy.

Jillian wins my award for tolerating ears, a bow tie and a tail for two hours without ripping them off! She wore the mouse costume my mom made back in the day for Laci and I to wear.

The kids are all fired up for Halloween now!

Paid in Full

The insurance statement of benefits from my "$85" doctor's appointment I walked out without paying for arrived (see the blog titled, "Security!" if you're confused). I owe the clinic $11.15 and will be putting a check in the mail tomorrow.

I did call the accounts & billing manager upon receiving my insurance statement to make sure my file was corrected in case I do need to take my children to the clinic again. A note stating the appropriate way to handle billing through my insurance has replaced the erroneous notes that the receptionist put in my file that day. The accounts/billing manager went to great efforts to repair the situation as best it could be repaired and apologized for the incident. I had lots of questions about the crazy figures the receptionist kept suggesting I pay, but I decided I didn't want to go there and didn't ask.

This was a tough situation. Nobody should be act like or be treated like a door mat, but there is a fine line between being assertive but kind and losing composure and saying and doing things one doesn't mean. I was on the assertive but kind side until I invited them to call the police to come and get me. It was all downhill from there!

I apologized to the head of accounts billing over the phone, and explained I was stubborn said some things I shouldn't have. Imagine that. Me being stubborn! I also put in a good word for the equally-stubborn receptionist :) I had the run-in with and assured her that she was doing her job at trying to make sure the clinic got their money!

I've replayed the scenario over and over in my head, wondering what I could have done in the seemingly impossible situation. I came up with a game plan in case I am put in the situation again. If I am ever in a public situation where I am tempted to say crazy or not nice things I will walk out the door instead of inviting the police into the situation. I will leave it in their court and let THEM decide if they need to call the cops on me after I am gone!

Jeans and Sweaters

Louisiana DOES have seasons!

I was truly beginning to wonder Monday, when the rain poured down in warm, muggy 80 degree weather, if fall was a distinguishable season here in the deep south.

Crisp, moist air greeted me as I walked out the door Tuesday, though. The temperature was 45 degrees when we woke up and only peaked out at 50 degrees.

Justis, who has asked whether it's warm outside or cold outside almost every day since we moved here, was thrilled when I confirmed that, yes, it was time to put on the jeans and long sleeves. "Yes!" he said as he wheeled into his bedroom to take his long-sleeved Power Rangers shirt off the hanger to wear. He's been eyeing that shirt for months now, wondering when the weather would be cold enough to justify long sleeves.

The wardrobe change that came with the changing season was a necessity, so we got out the fall and winter clothes from last year. Digging in boxes of clothes they haven't seen for a year is almost as good as Christmas to the kids, though. It's like Patsy Cline says in one of her songs, "If I could see the world through the eyes of a child, what a wonderful world it would be." I got a full-out fashion show when I asked the kids to try on some of their last years clothes to see if they fit.

Opening Madalynn's old clothes to see what would fit Jillian gave me a smile. Two pairs of "bling-bling" sneakers (as Travis called them) that Madalynn used to wear are a huge hit with Jillian. Both pairs are the same style with glitter stripes on the side, but one pair is pink and the other is purple. She fits the pink pair right now. We hope they will inspire her to start walking!

Justis was a humorous sight as he proudly sported the same Power Rangers shirt he wore yesterday (that was a fight I didn't pick), a high-water pair of jeans, his crock sandals and a jacket to Wal Mart today. He insisted his ears were cold and kept his hood up the entire time we were in the store. I wish I had that kind of confidence!

Oh, one more weather note. The meteorologist in New Orleans was going on and on about how windy it was Tuesday and how much colder that makes it feel outside. I was puzzled, because the highest measured wind gust had been a whopping 13 mph up to that point in the day. I'm not in Kansas anymore, Toto! :)

Homeschool Progress Report

Our first quarter of homeschool ended last Friday! Nine weeks flew by so fast, but the kids have made great strides. We are now part of a homeschool group, have started some "extracurricular" activities and have a classroom schedule we look forward to daily.

Madalynn has grown in self-control and maturity in taking instructions and doing her work with a super attitude. Her desire and excitement to learn new things encourages me and I look forward to homeschooling. The effort she put forth in learning how to write, say and "build" (with hundreds, tens and one "unit" bars and cubes) numbers to 999 was above and beyond what I could ever expect. Math was never my strongest subject, so I was a thrilled as she was when she "got it" and understood place value and, most importantly, that effort pays off.

Justis's ability to sit and follow instructions has grown. He now can sit at least three hours in the morning and another hour or so in the afternoon to homeschool, without whining or losing interest. He has learned all of his letters and sounds they make and his penmanship has improved 100% since the start of school because of his perseverence.

Dawson, my three-year-old whom I haven't been officially schooling, is a joyful learner and sits with us (if he wants to-and he usually does) and participates in most of the recitation and learning songs that Madalynn and Justis do. He happily works on his color song and shapes song each day while Madalynn, Justis and I "help" him. His openness to and interest in learning is evident when he recites the months of the year and days of the week all by himself.

Jillian grows during school time in the morning. That's right, she naps almost three hours by the grace of God while we get the nuts and bolts of each day's schooling done.

We joined the St. Tammany Parish (county) HEA (Homeschool Educators Association), after checking out several homeschool groups in the area. St. Tammany HEA was the best fit for us and we have already made friends through the group. St. Tammany HEA serves as both a support group for parents as well as a group that organizes activities, field trips and runs a homeschool co-op (a once-a-week group were students get together for "extra" classes). We joined a little late, but we are doing P.E. every Thursday afternoon this semester.

The kids all look forward to story time at the library every Thursday morning at 10:00. Miss Renee, the librarian, makes listening enjoyable and always has lots of love and special activities for the kids. This Thursday we're dressing up in our costumes and going to a special dress-up story time for Halloween.

I feel indebted to the individuals that designed the curriculums I am doing with the kids. They are very well thought-out and include every necessary detail necessary for the kids to master each subject. I did a semester "grade card" for both Madalynn and Justis and I could check of more than half of the skills as "mastered" for each child and they are well on their way to mastering their remaining goals for the year.

To be honest, I put God to the test with homeschooling. I said, "God, I'm doing this because I feel like you are specifically asking me to. So, You're going to have to do this, because I don't know the first place to start!" Silly me. I was skeptical, as usual. After all, I had a super time in public school and felt like public school is good choice as well. Far be it from me, however, to do the opposite of what I feel God is directing me to do! God is God, and, as usual, he saw his plan through. I do NOT take credit for the kids' success and happiness in homeschooling. I give God all the credit! God supplied me with wise family and friends whom are teachers for support as well as fantastic curriculums and daily strength, patience and grace we all need to learn each day.

What's That Smell?

Like a blood hound trying to catch a scent, Dawson's most-used sensory organ is his nose.

Smelling good himself is one of Dawson's top priorities, and it's no surprise, considering he smells everything and everybody. I think his sense of smell helps him remember people, activities and, of course, what he eats.

Take his beloved blankie for instance. A couple of times we've left it at Grandma's house. A box with his blankie is always lovingly sent ASAP from Grandma. The first thing he does when he gets it out of the box is put it up to his face to take a big breath of blankie smell in. It's like he's confirming it's his own and not a phony. We have another Noah's Ark blanket that is strikingly similar to the hand-quilted one. We've tried in vain to trick him into using that one before. He takes it, smells it, and refuses it, because it's not his own!

New "Smell Goods" is one of the gifts he received for his birthday. Now he has his own personal stash of three different body sprays. He now likes to choose what scent he wants to wear any particular day by pointing to one of the three colored bottles of his. Hilarious to note, is the body sprays Mom and Dad got him are called, "Bod Man."

Guessing the scent on someone's breath is also one of Dawson's little smell games. He will come up on my lap or Travis's and give us a kiss. Then he returns his nose back close to our mouth and says, "What's that smell?" if he smells food. He can smell a peanut eaten 30 minutes ago on someone's breath! Chocolate, Pepsi, peanuts, anything spicy are among the foods he is best at discerning. I don't have to worry about going out of the house with bad breath. I have a child who'll tell me to go brush my teeth if my mouth isn't fresh enough for his particular standards!

Dawson runs up to Jillian when she first wakes up and bends down and smells her diaper area. He then announces, "Jillie's poopy, Mommy!" or "Jillie's not poopy, Mommy." Jillian seldom sits in a dirty diaper for more than five minutes on account of Dawson's discerning nose!

Moon over the Mississippi

We got more than our money's worth on our Natchez Steamboat cruise that Travis, I, the kids, my parents and Holly went on for Dawson's birthday.

Rounding the bend in the river, the tour guide was telling us about Algiers, in the 15th of the 17 New Orleans "wards," located directly across the Mississippi River from the French Quarter. An interesting history lesson about Algiers is that it is believed to have gotten it's name because the proximity of Algiers to the French Quarter reminded the French of the proximity of Algeria to France, or because the land looked like Algeria (viewed from water) to a soldier who had seen to the country from a ship.

Algiers is a diamond in the rough, according to our tour guide. He proudly told about how the area is fairly little known to tourists, but most of the buildings, built in the 1800s, are still standing and are lived in and used.

We Kansans were all sitting in our deck chairs, soaking up the sun and viewing the pretty gingerbread-like rooftops we saw over the levee.

Just then a jet-skiier flew around the bend with a lady on the back and both waved at us "tourists." The tour guide noted that it is NOT a good idea to jet-ski on the Mississippi, which gave us all a chuckle.

A group of four young men, standing on the levee near the bank of the River, waved at us as we passed, as well. We waved back then most of the Natchez cruisers diverted their attention out ahead of the boat to whatever the tour guide was talking about.

Curious about the pretty little rooftops I was seeing and wondering what was over the levee, I kept looking at the little Algiers community, which was now located directly behind the four young men standing on the bank of the river. I wasn't listening to the tour guide.

Movement caught my eye and I looked at the four young men standing on the banks of the Mississippi just in time to catch a full moon! That's right, one of the guys just turned around and pulled his pants down. Now, there is nothing cute to me about a stranger's backside, but I just started laughing histerically, because it was just funny.

Nobody else seemed to notice or care because most were listening to the guide. "Travis, look!" I said, and pointed toward the guys (still laughing histerically). "That guy is mooning us!" Holly heard me and had been watching them as well. We all got a good laugh.

"What? Mooning???" Madalynn asked as she turned around, thankfully at the same time the guy pulled his pants up!

What a hoot! One thing is for sure. I now go into New Orleans expecting to see or experience something strange, shocking or quarky, so I won't be surprised when the "experience" or "sight" comes!

Security!

I'm sure you've seen her. The crazy lady that is just fed up with being taken advantage of and who is stubbornly refusing to comply to "their" rules? You know, the one they call security on to have escorted out?

I never thought I would invite someone to call the police on me, but that's exactly what I did in the doctor's office a week ago! I was the "crazy lady" on purpose!

Dawson had just not been himself for about three weeks or so. He wasn't running a fever or anything, he was just REALLY cranky. I decided, after waiting it out for three weeks, I should take him to the doctor to at least rule out the possibility of something physical causing the crankiness.

We got to the pediatric clinic, checked in and waited as patiently as a mom with four kids closed up in a small exam room can wait. The doctor came in for a WHOLE of three minutes and I left even more confused than I was when I arrived. He gave a guess diagnosis of a really strange ailment and send me out the door and on my way with a referral to another doctor. I may not be a doctor, and I'm certainly not going to let my kid suffer, but I honestly think someone was getting some kickbacks from referrals, if you know what I mean.

Dumfounded from the weird appointment and swift "in and out" treatment, I walked up to the front desk to check out.

Some quick history on my previous visits and financial dealings with this office. My insurance is not like the traditional "co-pay" type insurance. I don't have a copay, and I have ALWAYS been billed by the doctor's office after they have billed insurance. We are blessed to have insurance that writes off quite a bit and we normally owe less than $15 per visit. The ladies in the office either just couldn't grasp this whole concept or refused to look into the particulars of my insurance. The first severa times my children were seen there I paid the bill in full before leaving for two reasons. One, I was a new patient and had no financial credibility with the clinic. I totally respect that because, unfortunately, some people never pay. Two, they just didn't understand what I was trying to tell them and I didn't want the hassle of arguing with them. So, what happened is I paid them up $250 up front over the first four appointments. Insurance quickly wrote off and paid for most of the $250 I was billed for those appointments. The clinic owed me $180. I asked for a check to be returned to me for the surplus they had held in the beginning of July. I called again at the beginning of September because the check had never been issued. They profusely apologized and sent me a check the same week in September.

Back to the clinic visit. "What is your copay?" the clerk asked me when I handed her my check-out sheet.

"I don't have a copay," I politely responded. "My insurance is billed. They do write-offs and pay their portion, then I pay the remainder.

"Well, we'll have to have you pay the full $85 for the visit since you dont' have a copay," the lady responded.

"I'm not going to pay for the entire amount," I said.

Confused, the clerk referred me to a woman who was apparently the head clerk.

"Are you responsible for 20%?" She asked.

"It's never the full 20% of what is billed," I responded patiently, "because of the write-offs. It also depends on what portion of the deductible is met. Sometimes I owe nothing."

"I'll have to have you pay $85 today, since we don't know how your insurance works."

I stood and tried to remain composed. I thought, "Are you kidding me, after four visits they can't look at our past records and see how the insurance works?" I was beginning to get aggrivated. I could pay the $85, but when would I see the $60 or so the clinic would owe me after the claim was filed with insurance?

Still composed, I said, "I will write you a check for $10, so I don't end up overpaying again. Then you can bill me for the small remainder (which would be less than $5, if any)."

She said, "You'll have to pay this in full today."

My patience was wearing off. In a firmer, but still respectful manner, I said, "I paid over $250 during my first four visits here. After everything was filed I only owed about $60 of that. Your clinic then owed me $180 and I didn't see that money for three months after the bills had been finalized. I'm not paying the full amount. You can bill me." I said, "Let's go kids," and started to walk off.

"Ma'am you'll have to sit down while I call your insurance," The lady rudely said as she pointed a strong finger to the waiting room.

I still wonder why I felt obligated to immediately obey her orders and have a seat while she called my isurance. I should have left then. Nevertheless, I went and the kids watched Dumbo while we waited on the woman to come back.

She called me back up. "Okay, she said. Your insurance said you owe 20% percent of the remainder of the bill after write-offs. So, you owe $57."

I'm no math genius, but $57 is neither 20% or 80% of $85!

"I'm sorry," I said, I would not owe $57 even if I paid a full 20% of the bill, never mind the write-offs. This is why insurance needs to be billed and then you can bill me."

"Ma'am, you can't just leave without paying," the lady said again. "See, the sign even says that you must pay at the time of the appointment."

I said, "I respect the fact that you want to make sure you're not stiffed, but I have insurance, and the whole point of insurance is to ensure I do not pay more than have to for health care. You don't have to worry about me not paying. I'm going to pay you when I receive a bill AFTER you've billed my insurance company."

She threatened, "Well, Ma'am, if you walk out without paying, we'll have to ask you to pay in full before your children are seen when you visit us again."

I pondered, but I only had to think for a nonosecond. The service I had received that day was humorous, at best, and it would be no loss to me to take my business and kids across the street to the clinic that knows how to manage insurance and billing.

I said, "Look. You can call the police to come and get me if you want. I am not paying today. You can bill me. If you need a loan you are not going to take a loan out on my money. That's what the bank is for!"

The woman, face red and flustered, and in a last-ditch effort to collect my money before I walked out the door, said, "Well. Like I said before. You'll have to pay up front from now on."

I responded, "I'm finding another place that understands how my insurance works and take my kids there." I turned and walked out the door.

I got outside and took a few moments before I went to the car. I thought, "Wow, that lady was just trying to do her job."

I asked the kids to follow me back inside. I asked for the same lady I had spoken to. I aplogized to her and told her I didn't want her to take my not paying personally. I told her I understood she was doing her job, but reiterated I was not going to loan my money out for three or four months at a time wondering when I would see it again. I reaffirmed her she was doing a good job and that I'd pay when my bill arrived. She smiled. I smiled. I left with my $85.

I trust I will be getting a bill soon!

Random Acts of Kindness Nominee, My Mom!

My mom would throw a fit if she knew I was going to blog about her, which is why I'm doing it without her permission! :)

Mom was named the Ulysses "Random Acts of Kindness" citizen! The Grant County Gazette came and took her picture and everything! Mom was surprised when the newspaper called her and said she was up for the award. She didn't even know she had been nominated, and later found out her friend Liz had nominated her.

I wasn't surprised when she told me, though. Mom always gives of her time, money and emotional support to help and encourage others. Her calendar is FILLED with birthdays, anniversaries, etc., so she can send a card or gift to fit any occasion. I could easily name at least a dozen people (not counting her previous students and Laci, Dad and I) she's made an life-changing impact on because of her random acts of kindness. I know my mom, though, and her acts of kindness are deliberate from her end. Maybe they seem random to the receivers, but she supports others out of love on purpose.

I am proud to have a mom and dad who gave me a good example to follow! On behalf of the Davis family, way to go, Mom!

Goodbye, Cotton.

We woke up with one less family member today. Cotton, our golden retriever, was put to sleep last night around 8:30. God wants us to give thanks in everything, so I want to write a short bit about the joy Cotton brought to our family.

We adopted Cotton when he was a pup from our friend Tillie in Wichita, KS, whom had adopted him from the Humane Society. We brought Cotton home to Haven,KS, where we lived at the time. He and Dixie, who was still a pup as well and had only been with us for about a month or two, hit it off right away. Travis whistle-trained Cotton to hunt, just as he did Dixie. Cotton "hunted" for enjoyment, however, not for business like Dixie did. Cotton was the nose of the two and Dixie was the speed. Watching them fetch the fetching dummy was always hilarious to watch. Cotton would almost always find the dummy first, because of his sense of smell. He would take it out of Dixie's path, lay down, and put his trophy between his front paws as if to say, "I got it. Victory is sweet." Dixie, however, was sometimes right on his tail and Cotton didn't have time to go protect his prize. Dixie is about business, the business of fetching her dummy or bird and then bringing it back to Travis for praise! Cotton, in a feeble attempt to dissuade Dixie from taking the dummy, would run around in circles, while Dixie tried and would finally succeed in stealing the dummy right out of his mouth! This game was the source of endless laughs for all of us. Then Dixie would run back to Travis with the stolen dummy and she would get the praise. Cotton brought many smiles, love licks and company to our family and we will miss him.
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Travis called me from his cell phone last night (just as he had gotten home from work) while I was fixing supper and told me he was across the street with our neighbor, Keith. He instructed me to quickly find a veterinarian, because Cotton was convulsing.

Dogs need to run once-in-a-while, so I let Dixie and Cotton out every Friday when I mow so they can go romp for a few hours. They always back home at dark or before then. Dixie and Cotton have also developed a relationship with Keith, our neighbor, and his scrawny LITTLE mutt named Chubaka. Keith said all three dogs were playing and suddenly Cotton threw up and started convulsing shortly thereafter.

We made the decision, based on Cotton's alertness, to take him to the nearest animal emergency center, which is about 30 miles from here in Mandiville. We took the two back seats out of the van and loaded up the family, plus Cotton. Travis sat in the back to calm and comfort Cotton during the trip.

Cotton's situation was not hopeful, based on the veterinarian's opinion once we got to the emergency center. Cotton's temperature had been so high (it didn't even register on their thermometer) and he had convulsed for so long that she said he would only have about a 25% chance of surviving and living a half-way normal life. She said he most likely would not be able to control his bowels again and would need to be on seizure medicine the rest of his life.

I was at McDonald's getting supper for the kids when Travis made the wise decision to put Cotton down.

Cotton was in a cardboard "coffin" ready to come home with us when I returned from McDonald's with the kids. We asked the woman at the front desk for a moment with our kids to explain. The kids were very upset, of course. Telling them their dog had died was not easy or pleasant. It hurts when your kids hurt and you are helpless in turning the situation around. We explained Cotton did not hurt anymore because he was dead and that he was going to ride home with us in a box so we could bury him in our yard.

The mostly-quiet, tear-filled ride home was difficult for everyone. Madalynn asked at one point, "Mom, is Dixie going to be lonely?" I told her most likely she would be lonely and sad because her friend was gone.

The evening seemed surreal and we tucked into bed feeling sad. Today is a new day. We plan on having a nice little doggie burial for Cotton after Travis gets the hole dug for his dog coffin so the children can have some kind of closure and hopefully understanding. Life is bittersweet.

Our Destrehan Plantation Visit

Gone With the Wind is a book I've never read and a movie I've never seen, but I've always wanted to visit and plantation and so has my mom. So, on my mom's birthday (October 2), that's just what we did. We visited the Destrehan Plantation, that is.

The Destrehan Plantation is located in Destrehan, LA, and is the oldest documented plantation home in the lower Mississippi Valley, established in 1787! The Plantation is named after the family whom established and resided in the plantation, the Destrehans. The plantation is actually only 1/4 mile from one of Travis's locations.

Indigo and sugarcane were grown during the family's ownership of the plantation. The plantation became "home" to many oil manufacturing companies from 1910-1959. Amoco finally deeded the plantation house and 4 acres of adjoining land to the non-for-profit River Road Historical Society in 1971, but only after it had been vandalized, looted and burned as it sat empty for twelve years. The River Road Historical Society and community made HUGE efforts to restore the plantation home and it is a beautiful and rich historical place today!

Okay, Y'all. I don't know how easy Rhett and Scarlet had it, but life for the Destrehan plantation owners was not as glamorous as it seemed. Our tour guide explained it well when he said the Destrehan family owned slaves, yes, but they were just as much slaves to their own high society rules.

I was completely confused while the tour guide, Ernie, was taking us through the bedrooms upstairs. He was showing us the "ladies' side" of the house and the room where the mother/wife slept. I had to break in, because the question was eating me alive.

I asked, "So the wife and husband didn't sleep together?!"

"No." replied the tour guide.

"Now how did that work, then?" I asked. "Didn't you say they had 14 kids? If they didn't sleep in the same bed, how did they have 14 kids?!"

Our tour guide explained that the husband had to formally (in writing) request to "see" his wife. The man of the house would make his written request, then a slave would take it to his wife. The wife then wrote a written response and it was sent back (via slave), to her husband. Nothing like the whole house knowing what Mr. and Mrs. Destrehan were up to on any given night!

I am also glad I was not a plantation wife. One of the wives of the house died of poisoning. The makeup she wore to make her skin light had arsenic and something else in it that killed her. The lighter the skin meant the wealthier the slave-owner (or so society viewed it). Lighter skin meant the lady had more money for slaves so she spent less time in the sun doing their hard work. Not only that, the poor women could not take naps in their own beds! They had a bed at the foot of their bed that was for napping. They didn't want to be seen (by passersby on river boats) sleeping in bed and labeled lazy. It was okay, though, to take a nap in the "bed at the foot of the bed". Oh, brother. If a lady can't take a nap in her own bed, what's the point?

We watched a demonstration on how bousillage (a mixture of Spanish moss and mud) was made and used to construct build the walls of the plantation. Don, the man who gave the demonstration, filled my dad in on Louisiana politics after the demo.

I discovered that my favorite "palm" I see everywhere here is actually a banana tree! Bananas were hanging under the branches in full view when we were on the balcony of the plantation. Mom and I are pictured in front of some banana trees at the top of the blog.

Thank God for the outcome of the Civil War. Thank God the plantation way of life isn't the way we do things anymore. Slaves being "owned" and white people being slaves to their own silly rules seems to me a hopeless way to live. I am also glad, however, that pre-Civial War history was restored so we can learn more about the history of our cultures and country.

"I neeb my mom."

Writing is Madalynn's new avenue of expressing herself. Reading the stories, sentences and notes she writes me is a thrill for two reasons. I am excited to see her growing in her reading, writing and thinking skills. Her notes to me are always heartfelt and encouraging, too, no matter how hard they sometimes are to decode.

I instructed her to do her math worksheet in the homeschool room where it was quiet while I kept Jillian and the boys busy in the play room this afternoon. She needed to do the first part of the worksheet herself, then have me check it. I noticed she would need my help reading the last two story problems with her, so I told her to come get me when she got to that point. She brought the workbook to me and said, "I'm ready for your help." I looked down to start reading her story problem and saw, "I neeb my mom" written on the bottom of the worksheet. Apparently she had made a note to herself so she would not forget to come ask for my help with the story problems.

I also received a note from Madalynn that I will keep in her school memory book for sure. Wednesday of the first week of school I went to our school room to prepare for the day and found a note that said the following on my desk:

"Jae theak u for been mi teethr. Frum Madalynn"

The fact that she used her then-limited spelling skills to pen the note was an expression of love in itself!

So, Madalynn, "Theak u for been mi daugther. Frum Mom."

Gator Crossing

I now have a picture and witnesses (Holly, Mom and Dad and the kids) to prove that there really IS an alligator that lives in the river down by our house. Our alligator friend must know when we've got visitors, because she made herself known while Holly was visiting in July and again this last Tuesday when my parents were here.

She really puts on a quite a show. She glides right over near the bridge and swims back and forth right up close (so we can look down on her from the safety of the bridge) for a good view each time I've seen her with out-of-state guests. She's about six feet long. Experiencing a wild alligator is way more exciting than seeing one in an alligator farm, because there's no tour guide or fence between you and the alligator!

We must have eaten some of her cousin the other day, too. Dad ordered fried alligator as an appetizer when we went to Don's Seafood in Hammond. Tasted like chicken. Just kidding. :) Dawson wanted some of my "chicken," so I gave him some "chicken." He ate the 1/2 piece I gave him and then I asked him if he wanted more. He scrunched his nose and said, "No, that's yucky chicken." Justis didn't much like it, either. Jillian's and Madalynn's tongues knew no different, however. They ate the alligator right down. The heavy marinade the alligator had been soaked in made it hard for my dad, mom, Travis and I to decide if we liked it for the marinade or the meat.

We saw a boy swimming in the river (the same one we saw the alligator in) this afternoon when we came home from church. Travis and I looked at each other like, "Is he crazy? Should we go back and tell him we've seen a gator in there?" Travis and I assume those Louisiana natives know something we don't about swimming in alligator waters. On the other hand, he's the first person we've ever seen swimming in the river... Hope that alligator doesn't get hungry for human!

Rollin' On the River

Our first 2-hour Mississippi River cruise on the Steamboat Natchez with Holly and my parents on Dawson's birthday, Sunday, September 30 was an unforgettable experience.

We began our cruise when the Steamboat Natchez departed the Toulouse Street dock in the French Quarter at 2:30 p.m. The third balcony (the top level of the boat) is where we sat since the kids wanted to be "all the way at the top." A tour guide on board gave us the rich history of the city on the banks of the Mississippi on the eight-mile stretch of river we traveled down and back through speakers.

Cargo ships docked for loading/unloading, tugboats, plantations and military landmarks were among the many we were educated about on our tour. The kids went back with Grandma Chadd to see the paddle wheel on the back of the boat. Jillian was not sure about the big, scary paddle wheel, so she and I didn't stay long on that level of the boat! We all sipped on Cokes from the bar as we sat at our tables and enjoyed the cool(er) breeze blowing off of the river and the lazy roll of the Mississippi smoothly gliding us.

The Steamboat Natchez is quite possibly the most fun thing I've experienced here in Louisiana since moving here. I'm so glad we all got to experience it together.

Runaway Retirees!

My mom, Marsha, and dad, Tony, said goodbye to Kansas for a couple weeks to take a well-deserved road trip!

We were blessed to have my dad and mom from Ulysses, Kansas, visit us Friday, September 28 to Thursday, October 4th. This trip was their first visit to our new home AND to Louisiana. We had a great time while they were here and we hope they had fun, too.

Louisiana is so much different than Kansas, so we tried to give them a small taste of our new home.

Saturday we attended La Fete d'Ecologie and the Alligator Festival. We watched Dawson open presents, enjoyed cake and ice cream and then crossed Lake Pontchartrain on the 24-mile Causeway bridge to New Orleans where we took a Mississippi River cruise on the Steamboat Natchez Sunday (Dawson's birthday). We picnicked at Tickfaw State Park where we took a swamp walk and watched the kids play in the water park Monday after I homeschooled the kids. My mom's birthday was Tuesday and we visited the Destrehan Plantation (located in Destrehan, LA) in the afternoon and ate at Don's Seafood in Hammond that evening. Dad and mom got in 18 holes of golf at the Hammond Golf Center Wednesday morning while I homeschooled the kids. We had girly time while Dad watched the three littlest Wednesday afternoon. I treated mom to her first ever pedicure and manicure for her birthday, and Maddie and I got pedicures, too.

We were sad to see my parents leave Thursday morning at 9:00, but their vacation was not over yet! They drove to Vicksburg, Mississippi yesterday to view National historical landmarks. They were still in Vicksburg this morning when they called and they sounded like they were having a great time. Dad assured me when he told me they were getting on one another's last nerve that they were doing it in fun. :) They plan on driving along the Natchez Trace in Mississippi; visiting Tupelo, Mississippi (where Elvis was born); stopping at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee; stopping by Leon, KS to visit my sister Laci and her family and then going on through Wichita back to Ulysses. I am so glad they get to spend some time visiting places they've always wanted to see!

Mom and dad are now fully retired from teaching at the middle school where taught at for years, so I'm sure this will not be their last road trip. I can't wait to hear all about the last leg of their adventure!

Two Festivals in One Day!

You don't have to wait for Mardi Gras to have fun here in Louisiana. There's at least one festival almost every weekend of the year for when the mood to celebrate strikes.

We were in the mood to be social last Saturday, so our family plus my dad and mom (Tony and Marsha Chadd) and Travis's sister, Holly Davis, went to TWO festivals, La Fete d'Ecologie and the Alligator Festival.

We got to La Fete d'Ecologie at the Jean Lafitte National Park in Thibodaux, Louisiana, at 3:45 p.m. The festival ended at 5:00 p.m., but this did not discourage us. We just enjoyed the last hour before we went on to the next festival!

La Fete d'Ecologie is an educational festival, focusing on teaching people about the unique ecological and cultural aspects of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary. An estuary is coastal area where salt water from the ocean mixes with fresh water from rivers, rainfall, and upland runoff that supports very unique and dynamic ecosystems. The Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary, where the fresh water from the Mississippi River mixes with the salt water of the Gulf of Mexico, is one of the most expansive estuaries in the world.

We learned that certain male crabs have one claw larger than the other simply to show prowess (the female doesn't have a big claw). We also got to watch a hawk attack, bite the head off of and eat a live mouse, thanks to the demonstration of a hawk trainer. We stood under an awning and enjoyed some ice cream my dad treated us to while we waited for a brief shower to pass at the end of the festival. We spent a few minutes touring the Preserve's Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center, a building that accompanies Jean Lafitte National Park.

The Alligator Festival in Luling, Louisiana (right on the banks of the Mississippi) was our next destination. I'm sure there's a reason behind the name Alligator Festival with which I am not familiar with, but the festival is the local Rotary Club's annual fundraiser for scholarship funds.

Carnival rides were in full view of the children upon arriving at the Alligator Festival. You'll understand, then, why we adults spent the whole time getting a kick out of watching the kids ride the carnival rides! I honestly wonder who gets more of a kick out of a carnival, a kid riding the rides or a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or friend watching!? Justis, I must note, was not one for the mechanical rides. He did ride the kiddie train with Madalynn and Dawson, but he chose the gunny-sack slipper slide and the walk-through fun house for his other two daring adventures.

We skipped the Alligator Festival food and entertainment on account of the large crowds we had already endured at the carnival and went to Wendey's afterward for a bite to eat before heading home.

Travis and I are now armed with a website listing all of the festivals we have the opportunity to attend here in Louisiana. I've listed it below (along with a few others) and on our side bar of Davis Family Louisiana Fun Picks in the side bar of the blog if you want to learn more.

Click below for more information about the following:

Festivals of Louisiana

Barataria-Terrabonne National Estuary.

La Fete d'Ecologie