Author: BleuBird Mama

Life's Lessons: My Mother & Homeschooling

Published by BleuBird Mama

Every now and then I browse through my Facebook newsfeed and eventually I wonder why I wasted time reviewing people’s lives when, a few years ago, I would have gone on with my daily life not knowing of friends’ inconsequential outings or newest hobbies. However, this is the age of social media, and it can be worth a moderate investment considering the opportunities to learn and be informed by other peers and acquaintances. I mainly take interest in the links, articles, videos, and blogs shared via Facebook and find that many of those resources are the catalyst for other personal thought processes and exploration. For example, the title and subject of my post here is inspired by a former fellow Psych major’s link to a mommy-blogger’s post about homeschooling/unschooling. The Nesting Gypsy‘s philosophy of teaching her children at home, her supporting details and resources were cause for me to reflect on my own unconventional academic journey and it’s life lessons. My three older brothers are the smart ones so I say when I tell the …

Quotations: Relational Rock

Published by BleuBird Mama

the purpose of man is to know God and enjoy him forever. how can we know him? how can we enjoy him unless we know his character? by reading what he wrote about himself through those divinely chosen and inspired to share about their relationship, experiences with him… this is what david shared about his relationship with God: “the Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom i take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. i call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and i am saved from my enemies.” – Psalm 18:2-3 on this dreary february fourth, this devotional reading explains the second verse of the psalm in more poignant detail: “ROCK – a picture of stability and security; FORTRESS – a place of refuge to run for defense and protection; DELIVERER – one who is mighty and powerful enough to rescue you from everything; GOD – everything i will ever need, my all in all; STRENGTH – a …

To Do: Hug & Peel

Published by BleuBird Mama

Long high gray of the morning sky to bright white blue of the afternoon. Oddly enough, 4-6 inches of snow predicted for tomorrow. These strange mountain climates. Twas a hustled, bittersweet weekend with my husband. Friday night we crashed after an involved week; Saturday we sorted and cleaned and packed and danced and talked and laughed and prayed and crashed (again); Sunday we rose at the ungodly hour and my husband departed for his work trip. Here are a few snapshots and their explanations of all that ensued…

Thursday Chronicle: Linkups

Published by BleuBird Mama

Today I finally did it. I took the plunge after over a month of avoiding it due to the holidays and the weather. No more excuses. It was time to swim again. I am no athlete by any mark, but a consistent exercise routine does my heart and mind good. I swim lap after lap after lap… until my arms won’t stroke and my feet won’t kick. That only takes about 45 minutes, and then I’m all swum out. To prevent poor form and unnecessary exhaustion, I watch youtube videos on channels like GoSwim and SpeedoInternational for helpful tips and tricks. Here are a few that I’ve found helpful: Breaststroke technique, which is my favorite, and Freestyle technique, which I am always perfecting. – – – – – – – – – – Maybe I secretly wish I were a makeup artist. I just have so much fun doing it on myself that I’d probably love doing it on other people for fun. There’s actually an all-natural makeup artist whom I  follow and she kind …

Fellowship: Youth vs. Longevity

Published by BleuBird Mama

After the church service this morning, a friend asked if I would like to join her for lunch in town, since I was husbandless, along with a couple other gals from our congregation. Of course, I am always delighted to socialize. I don’t often spend time with my friend, as she’s a nurse and we work opposite schedules. I don’t often spend time with the other three women who joined us, either; in fact, I didn’t know any of them, considering that they all live in retirement communities and are over the age of seventy. Despite the diversity, we all had a delightful time together and said we’d do it again. My friend and I are both in our late twenties, working steadily at our jobs, persevering in our marriages, and anticipating our near thirties of more adventures. Our unconventional companions are settling into a slower pace of life, ailments and discomfort, the death of loved ones, and the completion of their adventures. It’s a cold gray day here in these mountains, so the Village …

Puppyhood: Welcome Home Molle

Published by BleuBird Mama

Ian and I have been discussing getting another labrador for several months. Our older lab, Luke, is Ian’s dog who is now 13 years old, a wise old senior for a large dog. I had wanted to pick out a pup during the summer, but the timing just wasn’t right for our family. Luke is still in good health and excellent shape, so when I discovered that a friend from church had a new litter I probed Ian to find out if we could just check them out; I proposed that if we were going to get a pup now would be a good time for Luke. I told myself to not get my hopes up, but that is apparently very difficult for me to do… After much consideration, discussion, prayer, and seeing the litter twice…We ended up choosing a yellow female, the only one of her litter who was genuinely drawn to us. She had one other sister who was more anxious around us and Luke. This yellow female, in contrast, was sweet, affectionate, calm, …

Anniversary: One Year Down

Published by BleuBird Mama

During our first year of marriage we have experienced, a hurricane honeymoon trapped in the mountains with no water, heat or food three months of wedded bliss hiking early in the mornings, sharing devotions and prayer, dinners by candlelight, meeting and laughing with friends forgiving, respecting, and trusting each other six months apart during Ian’s hellish special forces military training two weeks of summer heat fun with Ian and my parents and his mom for his graduation from training loving, mending, and serving each other a quick trip with Ian’s family for his brother’s graduation from basic training readjusting, learning, and wrestling with each other a weekend getaway to our favorite historical downtown hotel to celebrate friendship and forever These pictures symbolize the first year of this covenant,

Studio: Quiet Time

Published by BleuBird Mama

Get a puppy and all of a sudden you have to be structured, consistent, and purposeful. I knew I needed a puppy because I wasn’t using my downtime well, even though I planned my days around going to the office. But now I’m forced to utilize my moments of quiet effectively. After getting up in the morning and meeting my puppy’s needs, I come up to my ‘studio,’ my hideout to practice yoga exercises, pray and read the scriptures, journal or blog, read good books, drink my tea. I have a tendency to be whimsical and random in my thinking, so it can be difficult for me to stay on one task and complete it. I use this space for solitude and for projects, and I try to make the most of the downtime that I get. Kind of like having kids. Except I have two furry ones.

Sunday Morning : North Star

Published by BleuBird Mama

  “For I know that my Redeemer lives… And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.” -Book of Job 19:25-27     May the compass of our hearts be pointing due north – as in Job’s heart, as in the magi’s hearts – so as to have true Hope that though this life is mortal, we are immortal through the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior; He has made a way for us and we can trust in His righteousness, His complete authenticity. We will be with Him forever in paradise. Thank you, God, for this eternal gift through your Son Jesus. Mary, the mother of Jesus, proclaimed with joy of her miraculous pregnancy: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior… And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation… He has helped His servant Israel in remembrance of His mercy” -Book of …