there is a warm, mellow light this afternoon, lighting up the leaves on the pear tree like incandescent emeralds. a fine backdrop for a first meeting. so... hi. i'm shawna, and i dont capitalize. its not that i have anything against grammar. in general, i'm quite a fanatic. even millitant when it comes to issues like 'they're, there, and their' and any time anyone in the world says 'should of.' i taught english for 6 years, and it shows... but im getting off track. this isn't meant to be about grammar. if you're reading this, though, you may wonder why there are no capital letters, and ill just clear that up right here. it's not from any disrespect for the rules of grammar, nor is it from any pretentious e.e.cummings delusion. the thing is, i simply dont have time to capitalize. (the apostrophes are spotty as well) the extra quarter of a second it would take for me to hit the shift key first and then the desired letter... is just a luxury i dont possess. (go ahead, roll your eyes, i probably would, if i were in your place.)
but honestly, sometimes you just have to do away with the nonessentials. i am a single mother of 7, with two dogs, a job, a church ministry, and any number of side projects. this leaves little time for such unnecessary procedures as ironing, going for coffee with friends, showering and, alas, capitalization. so i should probably make the introductions. im 32. i work at a christian bookstore, and i write. words. lots of them. i also spend time - a lot of time... most of my time - doing all the things i have to do to be a good mom to my kids. rosa is 19, she'll be 20 next month, and she's going into her third year of college. she wants to be a dr...or a lawyer... or a philosopher... or all three. she's ambitious and motivated and brilliant. ernie is almost 18, and working on getting himself to college. and taking care of a huge, frolicky german shepherd named logan. nancy is 14 and starting her first year of high school in about 3 weeks. she loves animals and is largely responsilbe for the profusion of pets that populate our house. next on her list: a bearded dragon, which will either be named Meistro or Fitzwilliam. she takes care of bruno, the chihuahua. owen is next. he's 8. he'll be going into third grade this year. he is brilliant and funny and a classic type-A personality. he wants to be a firefighter, or 'whatever God decides.' i approve. max is 7 (they're 14 months apart, and both best buddies and fantastic enemies). max will be entering the second grade. he is sweet and caring, thoughtful and sensitive, and riddled with ADD. :) the boy can not sit still to save his life. he makes me laugh at least 4,327 times a day, and takes care of sassy, the neurotic australian shepherd. annika is #6. she's three going on thirty-seven. she recently woke me up in the morning and demanded we pray because it was 'about time she asked Jesus in her heart.' she is articulate and sophisticated, and loves to read books (together) and keep the boys in line. naomi brings up the rear. she's 16 months. she talks all the time, and has the most adorable giggle. she's not walking yet, though, and im slightly concerned about that. owen, max and annika all walked before their first birthdays. but God, mercifully, made each of us different and unique, and im content to wait for her to be ready... for now.
and that's probably more than sufficient for this first shot into the dark, unknown bloggerverse. God's blessings, may they rain down on you as you seek to do His will.
ps: i just told owen that this blog is about being a parent, and how to do it the way God wants us to do it. he thought about this for a moment, and said with a laugh and a shake of the head: 'i have no thoughts on that... a parent should be... i dont know... kind...? pleasant...? and they need to stick right next to God, because that's gotta be a rough job." I couldn't agree more.
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