Top of the Pile

Every week the boys and I go to the local library and trade in one stack of books for another. The books typically end up in a precarious sort of pile beneath the table next to my bed. Our favorites migrate to the top of the pile and we read them over and over again until they are due to be returned.

Since I know many of you share my love for books in all shapes and sizes, I've decided to give a rundown each week of the two or three books that are currently on top of the pile. Eventually I may include books from my own pile (on top of the bedside table), but for now these stories are from Caleb and Nathan's pile (under the table).

How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long and David Shannon. I must confess that I love reading this book as much as (or maybe a little more than) the boys like listening to it. How often do we grown-ups get to say things like "Shiver me timbers!...We must have taken a wrong turn at Bora Bora" or "...just run the Jolly Roger up yonder pole"? I believe I'm perfecting my "Arrgh!" and my pirate snarl.

In summary, the story is about a boy, Jeremy Jacobs, who goes to the beach with his parents and finds himself recruited by pirates. He loves everything about the pirate life--no carrots or spinach, no please or thank you, no bedtime--until he discovers that there is also no bedtime story, no being tucked in, and no being comforted when things get scary. There is nothing profound about this story, but it is fun, and isn't that really the chief reason we read.

Doctor De Soto by William Steig. This is a clever tale about a mouse who is a dentist. When he finds himself compelled to treat a fox with a rotten bicuspid, he must come up with a crafty plan to avoid being eaten. Our boys have been running around the house all week saying, "Frank oo berry mush."

Lightning: A Cowboy's Colt by Bill and Bernard Martin. Illustrated by Edward Shenton. Found in Best in Children's Books published 1959 by Nelson Doubleday Inc. Nelson Doubleday published a series of books in the 1950s collecting the best of children's stories with full-color and two-color illustrations by some of the most well-known children's book illustrators (Does Ezra Jack Keats ring a bell?). I found two books from the series for 25 cents each at the library's used book sale a year or so ago. In hindsight, I wish I had hunted for more.

Lightning: A Cowboy's Colt is a wonderful short story for boys ages 5 and up (maybe girls too, but I am not an authority on that). Danny, the main character, is the son of a horse rancher. When his father returns from the annual round-up, Danny is allowed to pick a colt of his very own. Instead of choosing a colt, however, he is fascinated by a beautiful black mare and asks to have her. His father agrees but Danny is never able to "gentle" the horse or even get very near her. As Danny's love for the black mare deepens, a dispute arises between Danny's father and their Indian neighbors who insist the mare belongs to them. With no markings  on the mare, the Indians cannot prove ownership and Danny's father refuses to give her up. The Indians retaliate by burning the family's barn which, of course, hardens Danny's father's heart against them.

One evening Danny goes out after dark to check on his mare. He finds her quietly nuzzling an Indian boy while the boy rubs her neck. The Indian boy explains that the mare was his. Danny can see that this is true by the mare's behavior, and he willingly gives her up to the Indian boy. Danny must tell his father about the mare the next morning and his father insists that Danny has been tricked. Danny responds simply, "Horses don't lie, do they, Daddy?."

The following summer the Indian boy returns at night with a surprise for Danny--a colt--the offspring of the black mare and the lead stallion from Danny's father's herd. The next day Danny asks his father to take him to the Indian camp so he can thank them for his colt. His father agrees and the story closes with the stage set for a reconciliation between the rancher and the Indians.

One of the reasons I love books is that they allow you to see virtue with its skin on. Honesty is a boy giving up something dear to him when he knows it belongs to another. Forgiveness is a rancher thanking an Indian chief. Love is Danny relinquishing a horse he can't tame. These are virtues I want my boys to embrace. How better to teach them than through story.

No More Excuses

Since returning to the States eighteen months ago, I have not had a portable computer. I transitioned from a cranky, ready-to-retire laptop to a desktop that has been rebuilt more times than I can count. The desktop is still a good computer and suited to my needs, but it set up permanent residence in our basement. Accomplishing anything more than a quick scan of new e-mail required convincing or cajoling both boys to play quietly in one place for more than five minutes. It goes without saying that my computer usage plummeted in 2010.

After Christmas, we discovered that we had accumulated enough reward points on our bank cards (plus some cash from Christmas gifts) for me to get a new netbook! I am finally mobile again. It is small enough and has a long enough battery life that I can carry it easily around the house. While I wander after the boys keeping them from strangling each other or setting the house on fire, I can also write a quick blog post. Three cheers for multi-tasking! I won't be churning out the next great literary novel in this fashion, but at least I can post more frequently than once every five or six months.

A Creative Solution

Nathan has reached that endearing stage when children discover their individuality and creatively assert their personal preferences. In other words, he is two.

After his third or fourth spanking of the day, I found him sitting on the couch with his arms crossed against his chest and a scowl on his face. The ensuing conversation went something like this...

Me: Nathan, what's wrong?

Nathan: I don't like Daddy.

Me: Why don't you like Daddy?

Nathan: I don't like spankings.

Me: You don't have to get spankings. What can you do so you don't get spankings?

Nathan: Put Daddy in jail!

Good Friday

Taking a moment to remember that my peace and joy and life were not cheap. The love of Christ truly is amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dooif2-yAoI 

I was bought at a price, therefore it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me.

Perplexing Pronouns

When we first started studying Vietnamese, I was baffled by the use of pronouns. There is no general "you" or "your." Instead, pronouns are specific. In order to use them correctly, you have to know your hearer's age and gender. You also must gauge the person's relationship to you, being careful not to seem too intimate or too distant. I was forever coming across as either flirty or snooty because I lacked the subtle understanding of culture necessary to define a relationship in each and every conversation.

It makes English pronouns seem like child's play. Our verbs may require complex conjugation, but our pronouns are a breeze. At least, they are for an adult. A two-year-old apparently finds them more puzzling. This morning, Nathan and I were singing together (roughly to the tune of "Where Is Thumbkin")...

Me:  Where is Nathan?
          Where is Nathan?

Nathan:  Here me are.
                  Here me are.

Me:  How I want to kiss him.
          How I want to kiss him.

        I can't resist.
        I can't resist!!!

Nathan: (giggling and fleeing)

On My Mind

I've been reading a lot lately about education. Like everything else in our life, decisions about educating our children are complicated by living and working overseas. In Vietnam, our best option is homeschooling. We're not comfortable with the government schools, and international schools are way outside of our price range (read that as WAAAAAYYYYY outside). I've never seen myself as a homeschooling mom and am trying to learn more about it.

I've come across several books or articles that make a compelling argument in favor of Christian education or home education. The argument is this: education is about training the whole person and is primarily about shaping character rather than conveying information. If this is true, the conclusion is that we can't train a child without being deeply engaged in the education process and without being able to teach from a biblical perspective.

It's hard to find fault with this argument. On the other hand, I've known many godly and wise parents who have shepherded their kids through public school. This is clearly one of those issues that isn't answered by one prescription for every family.

I'm curious, how have you made decisions about educating your children? Do you home school, provide for them to attend a Christian school, or guide them through public school? If your kids are in a secular school, how do you help them form a biblical worldview? If they are away from home most of each day, how do you stay involved in shaping godly character? If you homeschool or send your kids to Christian school, how do you stay engaged with the community so that you are able to share Christ's love with others?

Enough questions. In short, I would like to learn from your experience. 

In the Vernacular

I was at the sink washing dishes when I heard a scuffle break out downstairs. I ignored it until Caleb started howling. I hastened pell-mell down to the basement wiping soapy hands on a dish towel. The ensuing conversation went something like this...

Me: What's going on down here!?!

Caleb: (Wailing and clutching his head) Nathan hocked me!

Me: Huh?

Caleb: (Still wailing, still clutching) Nathan hooooockckcked meeeee!!!

At this point, I look to Nathan for clarification. He stares back at me with his very large and very innocent chocolate eyes, wisely saying nothing. Unfortunately, he forgets to discard the plastic hockey stick he is holding over one shoulder. I begin to put the pieces together.

Me: Nathan, did you hock your brother?

Nathan: Yes. (Wailing stops. Both boys wait wide-eyed for the consequence.)

Me: Nathan, no more hocking your brother. Give me that stick. (He complies.) No more hitting, kicking, pinching, scratching, biting, or hocking each other before lunch. Do you understand?

Both boys: Yes.

They return to playing semi-civilly. I return to my dishes. Another word is added to our family dictionary.