Thinking About Moving

Hi all. We are considering up and moving our family. For 20 years, we have lived in (well 15kms out of) a small town. There are no other homeschooling families in our town, and no other large families. It's been tough, and we've been very isolated, but we stayed because I had (have) a responsibility to my ageing parents, and we have been blessed with a large farm house and very cheap rent.

However, both my parents are now in the Old Folks' Home, and so we are now considering moving. As well, the children are now older, and opportunities are scarce - there is no doubt that all the children will eventually have to move far from home for any sort of employment opportunities, or to study. As it is, we now have to do a 350km trip (each way) once per fortnight, just so my daughter can have a clarinet lesson - I am completely fed up with the isolation and all the travelling, just for a basic thing such as a music teacher.

But where to go? That is the question!

Here's what we are looking for:

Somewhere with a small-to-medium population - around 20,000 would be ideal.

It'd be nice to have some other Catholic families around - ideally, a thriving Catholic Community would be ideal.

and it'd be nice to have some other homescholers around!

We'd also need a great post office and an office supplies store for our Adnil Press business - and somewhere that services photocopiers.

We're not into sport, however, we are into art and music. Music teachers, opportunities for concert band and / or ensembles, and a choir would be wonderful.

Opportunities for art would be also wonderful - perhaps somewhere with a local art gallery, and a few art and craft groups around the place.

One sport we do like, however, we do like ten-pin bowling - so a bowling alley would be good.

Some sort of higher-education opportunities. Not necessarily Uni, but TAFE or equivalent.  Music again comes into consideration here, as my 16 year old wants to follow music as a career, so she'll be needing opportunities to study and follow her passion.

It'd be great to have a larger town or city within driving distance - up to 300kms, so we can travel for any specialists or other services if need be.

And most definitely, I want to go somewhere with trees and greenery! Rural SA is so brown and dry most of the year.

We'd most likely be looking at a rental property - preferrably a farm house within 10-20kms of town. It'd need to be about 4 bedrooms, as we still have 6 at home, plus the business. I'd like to think we could purchase a property, but with dear hubby unemployed, that will not be likely.

Now, after reading through that, if anyone knows of such a place, please feel free to make suggestions! It's all wide open at this stage - maybe northern NSW? Maybe closer to Adelaide? Maybe near Perth?

It'll be interesting to see where we end up!

Prayers for the Lord guide us in this decision would be appreciated. Thankyou!


Linda.

From Happiness to ……..

Well, things can certainly change in a day.  I’m hoping that there is someone out there who could offer some advice…..

Both my Dad and Mum are now in the Old Folk’s Home.  Mum went in about three weeks ago, Dad’s been in there a couple of years.

I’ve been gathering a list of anything that any of my brothers or my sister would like to keep, once we decide what to do with the house.  My sister lives nearby, and we’ve had some discussions, but as Mum often goes home to check on things, sort things out, etc., we haven’t taken anything from the property – it’s still their house, after all.

However, we seem to have a brother (or more correctly, a sister-in-law), who feels differently.  They know that Mum is suffering from Alzheimer’s, and that she often promises things to several different people, and then has no memory of any of it.  A few weeks ago, they turned up, emptied several cupboards, and took off with them.  When I tried to intervene, they said that they had ‘an arrangement’ with Mum, and that she’d promised them these cupboards for years. Despite the fact that Mum said, right there and then, she didn’t want them to take them, they ‘compromised’ by leaving her one cupboard, but still took the others.

Fast forward to today.  I’ve just found out that they came up last weekend, spent a little time with Mum in the home, and then spent TWO days in the house, and I quote, ‘cleaning’.  This, of course, also meant taking more things, despite the fact that when I saw them last time, I explained that nothing else was to be removed from the house, until we’ve all had a chance to chat about it as a family, and make the list as to who wants what.

My other sister-in-law asked me to keep aside for her some special plates – royal plates actually, which are heaps old, and have been in the family – well, forever.  Guess what was gone when I walked into the family home today?  I am so mad at myself for not taking those plates as soon as she’d asked me to.  I really trusted the fact they wouldn’t take anything else  – stupid, stupid, stupid…….

When I called my brother to ask if they'd taken the plates, he said they had, but was very vague when I asked what else they'd taken.  I asked for them to be returned, and they said they might bring back a couple (no doubt the least valuable ones of the set). It's a SET, and it was promised to my other sister-in-law.  I know it, and my Mum has said this also.  My brother became very accusative and almost abusive on the phone - and when I said not to take anything from the shed, as my husband still has some of his tools in there, he basicially accused me of lying, insinuating that we were tying lay claim to things that were not ours.

So, the question is – what to do from here?  I was determined not to remove anything from the house while Mum is still alive and heading home to spend time there, but, I think I’m just going to have to go in and put into storage anything that is left.  

The really stupid thing is, no-one in our family is materialistic.  None of us really care about possessions, what we care about is this particular person coming into the family, and taking anything she can get her hands on.  I don’t ever recall any of us even having a fight before, but, we’ve got one now.   And, so long as they can sneak in and sweet-talk Mum into letting them take stuff, they will continue (if, of course, there is anything left of value).

And now, for the news that topped off the day totally.  My Dad.  I called into see him today, but he was asleep.  He’s been asleep for most of the week, and when he isn’t, he’s frightened because of all the bad dreams he’s been having, and experiencing dizzy spells.  He’s told my Mum that he is ‘ready to go’.  So, on top of everything, my Dad may be very well nearing the end, and I need to spend as much time with him as possible.

If there’s anyone out there who may have some advice or experience in these matters, I’d really love to hear from you.  I know what they’ve done is wrong, but it doesn’t seem there’s much I can do about it, and the last thing I need to do is to upset Mum, especially at this moment.  I just cannot grasp the concept of taking from the family like that, and justifying it with ‘but Mum said we could take it’, knowing her condition.  The entire family is furious, and yet, they still continue to say that they are in the right.

Linda.

Update on Lesha Myers

Here is an update for those of you who are praying for Lesha Meyers, author of three of our IEW books: The Elegant Essay, Windows to the World, and Writing Research Papers.

Dear Prayer Partners,
I have a decorated box near my chair in my living room in which I keep inspirational notes and letters that I sometimes receive from students and friends. It’s bulging with new additions because of the outpouring of love you’ve sent my way. (One friend sent lots of “positive light.” That’s a new one for me because I didn’t realize light could be negative.) Add to this my equally bulging Facebook and email accounts. And the flowers! I think flowers are one of God’s richest decorations on the planet, and it’s wonderful to experience the spring flood both in my classroom and at home.
Needless to say, I am humbled and overwhelmed with your encouragement. Thank you so, so much for your thoughtfulness.
I want to give you a quick update because three things have happened since the last time I talked to you.
First, I discovered that the cancer has attacked my brain. It’s in my cerebellum, which mostly controls motor functions, but also affects attention and language. I’ve been spacier than normal, having a little issue with equilibrium for a while, and many people have told me that my Minnesota accent is back, so maybe that’s a result of the new brain lesions. I’m on a steroid to prevent brain swelling, and it’s not without its side effects (of course).
Second, I’ve entered the hospice program at my HMO. I know that sounds terrible, but it really isn’t. Before this, the focus was on the disease. Hospice transfers the focus to the person, and in the two weeks since I’ve started, I feel so much better. I’m really glad I made this decision.
Third, I have my retirement date from school. It’s Friday, May 18. If any of you former students want to visit, you will either need to come before then or drive out to Concord. Don’t come 5/16 or 5/17, I’m not staying those days, and 5/9 is iffy because block days are not only in the middle of the week, they are long and hard. But like I said, I’m doing better, so we’ll see.
After I retire, some of you who have offered to help can if you like. One of my friends is going to set up or help me set up a Web site with “stuff” (technical term) on it. Probably meals and errands (I’m no longer driving.) and maybe other ideas. I’ll let you know when it’s up, and you can take a look if you like. For those of you who are close to Concord, come visit! I crave your company. Two weeks ago, a group of friends brought over tea—yes the whole Victorian tea. It was lovely to tea and talk. Yesterday some friends came over for dinner. Yes it was takeout, but so what. We took it out of the plastic containers and put it on nice plates and it tasted just fine. We could “do lunch” as long as we “did” it here (getting out is harder), but a visit with no food would be just as good. In fact, if you sign up to bring dinner later, please plan on staying for at least a half hour. As much as I think I’m going to enjoy being home, and maybe catching up on some of my writing, I still covet your visits.

Prayer Requests
In the meantime, if the Lord brings me to mind, would you please pray for the following for me?
1. Stamina and energy to get through each day to complete what the Lord has for me that day.
2. Comfort for my family. They are bearing up well, but it’s still hard.
3. That I would live each day in the center of the Lord’s will and in the strength He provides.
4. That my AP Language students would do well on their exam (May 16th).
5. Sleep. This steroid doesn’t like me to sleep.
6. Pain equalization. So far, so good.

Please feel free to share this message with anyone who might be interested.

Thank you, thank you for all you do to encourage me.
Blessings,
Lesha

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:17-18).