It never hurts...

It never hurts to have a little fun with all of your besties. Friday night I got the chance to hang out with some of my best friends! We roasted marshmellows, and hot dogs, watched a movie, chit-chatted while we caught up on life after not seeing each other for about a month, and of course, had lots of fun taking pictures.

Thanks Anna Gray for taking all of these wonderful pictures!

Don't forget to have fun every once and a while, it will make your life so much better!
~Your Author~Bailey

The Choices of Love: Part 5

Sorry I haven't been posting anything else than my story, but I don't have anything to post about. So I hope that you are enjoying it!

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“Elizabeth, what is taking you so long?” called Ruthie from the kitchen.
“I’m coming. Do you need help with something?”
“Yes actually, could you help me sew up a hole in Laura?”
“Your baby doll?”
 “Yes. Who else is named Laura in this house?”
“I am coming.” As I began to sew the hole in the dolls neck, she asked me a question that I had a hard time answering, because of the thoughts that had been going through my head.
“How is Ben doing?”
“I guess he’s doing ok.”
“I almost forgot about the superintendents arrival. How did that go?”
“Good actually, he said my teaching was so good that,”
“That what?”
“That he wanted me to take a job in Boston at a girl’s boarding school.”
“What? You can’t move to Boston, you just can’t. I would miss you so much. Please don’t go, please!”
“I didn’t say I was going, its just a small possibility. I haven’t even told him if I was going yet. Don’t tell Mama, cause I haven’t told her either.”
“I won’t.” After saying that she walked away angrily with her doll in hand. I saw how me leaving would effect the lives of others. Maybe I shouldn’t go. I would just have to spend some time in prayer and thought.
It had been about a week and a half since Ben cut his leg, and he was doing much better. Thankfully it had not gotten infected, mostly because we cleaned it out every day and replaced the cloth covering his wound. As it got closer and closer to supper time, I decided I would tell mother about Boston, but there was someone I needed to talk to first.
“Ben, are you awake?” I said quietly.
“Yes, Lizzie. Do you need something?”
“Well sort of, I just wanted to talk to you about something.”
“All right, what?”
“Well, I am really considering moving to Boston to teach. Do you think I should?”
“I don’t know. It’s your decision. All I know is that lots of people would miss you an awful lot.”
“I suppose that’s true. I was thinking about telling Mama tonight at dinner.”
“Oh.”
“Oh, what?”
The saddest expression washed over his face as he replied, “Nothing, I am just really tired.”
At dinner time we talked about how Ben was doing, and mother said that his leg was doing much better and he should be able to start working again in about two days. This seemed to be a great time to ask her about Boston.
“Mama, Papa, when the superintendent came, he thought my teaching was so good that he...”
“He what?” my mother questioned.
“He asked me to move to Boston and teach at the girl’s boarding school.”
“Oh my, Elizabeth that is wonderful, but Boston is at least a full days journey.” my mother and father both said.
“Yes, I know. It would be wonderful though Ma. They provide all of your clothes and food.”
“We will continue this conversation after the children are in bed,” said Pa.
“Of course Pa.”
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The next installment will come soon! -Your Author- Bailey

The Choices of Love: Part 4

“Thank you. I will get back to you in about two weeks.”
We said our goodbyes and I started to walk home trying to comprehend how I was going to tell my mother that I wanted to move to Boston, which is a three day’s journey.
While I was on my way home, I began to think about how I would tell Mama that I wanted to move to Boston and be a teacher. As I rode onto our property and began to put old Trigger away, I heard several loud yelps from inside the house. I hurried to put Trigger in the barn and then ran inside as fast as I could, which was very hard with my dreadful petticoats. I walked into the house and the yelps continued, but just getting louder and louder. I walked into my parents bedroom and saw Ben laying there.
“Mama, what happened?” I said with a shocked voice.
“He has a severe gash on his calf,” Papa replied hurriedly as he and mother wrapped his leg up quickly.
“Where are the children?” I asked.
“Upstairs, in your bedroom. Would you go sit with them please? I’ll tell you when we are done and you all can come downstairs.”
“Of course.” As I walked upstairs, I knew it would be a few days before I could ask Mama about moving to Boston.
When I got upstairs, all the children asked me how he was doing and if he was going to be ok. I didn’t really know how to respond since I had only seen him for a few minutes. When Mama and Papa called us downstairs they told us Ben had fallen asleep. I helped them to get Ruthie, Caroline, Jacob and Caleb down to bed, then we talked for a little while.
“He was outside fixing the plow, when the horse was frightened and the plow ran over is leg and cut a five and a half inch gash across his calf. He should be ok, but the doctor came earlier, before you got here, and said that it would take at least a week to two weeks before he can go back to work.”
The next morning, things were quite different around the farm. Even though I went to school that morning, I had to end it before lunch so I could get home and help around the farm. When I got home, Mama said to me, “Elizabeth, I need you to go tend to Ben’s leg, he is still in our room. Tomorrow I will need you to stay home from school to help me cook and care for Ben so your father can work outside.”
“Yes, Mama. Where is the cloth to rewrap it?”
“On the shelf by the fire.”
“Is it infected Mama?”
“No, not yet at least. We’re praying that it doesn’t get infected at all.”
When I began to tend to him, he woke up and said to me, “Lizzie, how did everything go with the superintendent?”
“Fine, thank you,” I said, actually glad to hear my nick-name. I could not decide if I should tell him about Boston and the job at the boarding school or not. After thinking about it for a few seconds, I said, “Actually, he offered me a job in Boston at a girl’s boarding school.”
“Boston, Elizabeth, that’s three day’s journey!”
“I know, I haven’t told my mother, so don’t mention it.”
He laughed and went back into a peaceful sleep. As I finished to cleaning his leg, I thought about Boston and how easy life would be there. I would not have to do anything for myself. No more chores, or tending to leg wounds. The hard thing would be asking my Mama and Papa about it. When would I ask her? How would I ask her? Would she take it well? Maybe I should wait until Ben got better. All these things were running through my head as I was caring for Ben. Other thoughts were going through my mind too. Was Ben more than a farm hand to me? Was he more than a friend? Would I miss him calling me ‘Lizzie’ if I moved away?
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That's all for now! I hope you are enjoying it...I'd love to hear what you think. Thanks for reading- Your author- Bailey

Top Five Questions I'm asked as a homeschooler

Being home schooled is a blessing from God. There is honestly no other way I would want to be educated. But, when I tell people that I am home schooled they ask some pretty interesting questions, so I'm going to tell you the top five I hear, and my answers for them.

1. Q: So, do you get to do school in your pjamas?
A: No, I don't. My mom would never let me do school in my pjs!

2. Q: Why did you start home schooling?
A: I had a bad first grade year, and my mom and dad felt God calling them to start homeschooling me in second grade.

3. Q: Do you ever get to see your friends?
A: Absolutely! I get to see my friends on Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday, and usually one more day a week!

4. Q: Don't you get done at lunch time?
A: noooo, I don't finish until 3 or 4 in the afternoon,

5. Q: Don't you ever think about going to public school?
A: Honestly, no. I hear what my friends from church say about public school and none of it sounds appealing.At.All. None of it.

So there you have it, the top five questions I hear when I tell people that I'm home schooled. If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask away, and I will do post to answer them.
~Your Author~Bailey~

The Choices of Love: Part 3

If you didn't read the fist 2 parts, click here: The choices of love part 1, and here: the choices of love part 2
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When I arrived at school, I hung some of the old, but nice, curtains above the window and put some of the student’s art work on the walls. I also put some flowers on my desk that I had picked on my way there. The students began to arrive one by one then two by two and then a big group of children ran up the road just before I rang the bell. We began with arithmetic, then continued on with spelling and reading. In the midst of all of the students reading aloud, I heard a loud knock on the sturdy wooden door. My heart began to pound as I walked towards the door, I straightened my skirt and made sure my ribbon was still in my hair and my bun had no stray hairs. Right before I answered the door, I said in a calm but commanding voice, “Children, please be on your best behavior for our guest.”
Then I answered the door. At the door was a man dressed in a button-down shirt with pin-striped pants and black dress shoes. He greeted me very kindly by saying, “Good morning Miss Stanton. My name is Mr. Howell, I am the superintendent of the schools in this area and I have come to observe your teaching. It looks as if you have a very nice classroom here.”
“Why thank you, Mr. Howell, you may call me Elizabeth if you wish.”
“No thank you. I prefer to call you Miss Stanton, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. We are in the middle of reading. Do you mind if they finish reading before we break for lunch?”
“No, I am here just to observe so continue on as if I was not here.”
I thanked him and went back to the front of the room and told the children to continue on reading. The rest of the day was a blur except when Mr. Howell told me at the end of the day, “Your class was superb ma’am, I enjoyed it thoroughly. I will be back in the morning to observe arithmetic and spelling.”
“That will be wonderful, thank you Mr. Howell.” we said our goodbyes and when I arrived home I told everyone about the whole day and the arrival of the superintendent. They listened intently as I told the stories and how he was to return the next day. Papa played on the fiddle for a few minutes before we all went to bed.
The next day went very well in my eyes. The superintendent arrived very early that morning just as I got there. He looked very intrigued as I taught like he was thinking about something. After school that day, I found out that he had been thinking of something, and it had been about me! When school ended, he asked if he could take me out for a cup of coffee. I did not deny, because he was the superintendent and I was honored that he would ask. When I arrived at the hotel restaurant, he kindly brought me in and pulled out my chair motioning for me to sit down. After we each ordered our coffee and talked about school and teaching for a few minutes he asked me question that shocked me so much I thought I would fall out of my chair and onto the floor, “Miss Stanton, I believe you are too great of a teacher to be teaching at such a small country school. If you are not interested, I understand, but at the Girl’s Boarding School of Boston we have a fine teaching opening. You would be teaching a writing, spelling and grammar class. The school is very nice, all of your clothes will be provided, along with food and housing. If you would like to stay here I understand, but I will need to know in the next three weeks if you would like to take the job. I will be leaving tomorrow so you can just send me a letter at this address.” after saying this he slid a piece of paper across the table with his name and address.
“Oh, my. That is quite an offer, I am honored that you would ask me Mr. Howell. I will discuss it with my family and get back to you, if that is all right?” I responded, trying not to sound surprised.
“That would be great, I am glad you are considering it. I must be going though, I have to rest for my trip home tomorrow. Thank you so much for letting me visit. It was a pleasure.”

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Come back in a few days for the next part, it starts to get REALLY good....you won't want to miss it!
~Your Author~ Bailey

Reason

* I am continuing to work on the design whenever I have time, it should be complete with in the next two days or so.

for personal reasons, I have chosen to remove the design on my blog. I am working on re-doing it to make it look nice myself. This reason has nothing to do with any of you, or any of my friends. Thank you for understanding-

Bailey

Welcome to "A Note From the Author!"

This is still me, Bailey! I just had a girl named Bree design my blog and it was free! Don't you love it?!? Tell me what you think of the design...

~Bailey

Ten years ago...

Ten years ago, it was a normal day.
Ten years ago, people were driving down the road going to work.
Ten years ago, something happened that changed our country.
Ten years ago, planes hit the twin towers.

Ten years ago, firetrucks raced down the road.
Ten years ago, families were destroyed.
Ten years ago, our country grieved.
Ten years ago, more than 3,000 people died.
Ten years ago, people were sitting in a coffee shop, when they were shocked with the news that the twin towers had been hit by several planes, killing everyone in the planes and almost everyone in both of the buildings.

But, ten years later, our country is stronger.
Ten years later, we have healed from this.
Yet we have not forgotten this day, but honor the people from our country who sacrificed their lives and fought for us that day.
Ten years later, after much, LOVE, FAITH, and most importantly, GOD, we have healed from this.
Ten years later, we stand stronger as a country, because that is how one nation under GOD, responds from a tragedy like this.

~Bailey

P.S. You need to watch this video, it was the inspiration for this post: The skit guys, 9/11

The Choices of Love: Part 2

As I got closer to the small house we lived in, I heard Caroline yell, “Elizabeth! Could it have taken you any longer to get home?” I didn’t respond to her but just rubbed her head, messing up her tangly hair, which she had gotten from playing outside all day, I assumed.
“You must wear your best dress when the superintendent comes, so he will think wonderful things about you,” Mama half yelled as she stirred the delicious smelling soup she was brewing.
“I will Mother, don’t you worry about me! I will be just fine.” After dinner, we all sat around a warm fire, while father played on his fiddle. We all sang until it was time for bed. Since Ruthie and I shared a room, we both talked about the superintendent coming and all of the things that I would have to do to get ready for his arrival. We talked for at least an hour, then finally Ruthie just didn’t answer me and I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
The next two days were spent in anticipation of the superintendent coming and his arrival. After school each day, I spent two hours cleaning the school room from top to bottom, enjoying an excuse to be away from home, and not doing all of the chores my mother had for me. Since I was the oldest, it was a big job, even if Ben was around to help Pa with the farm chores. When I got home, Ben greeted me with my hated nick-name by saying, “Hello, Lizzie. Have you had a good day?”
“Fine thank you. I’m not kidding you, don’t call me that name.”
“Oh my, I almost forgot. Your father went into town again today to see if they had received any news about the superintendent coming, and they heard that he would be here mid-day tomorrow.”
“How exciting! It’s a good thing I stayed to clean today.” as I said this mama yelled, “Elizabeth, Ben, Pa, come on inside, it’s time for supper.”
When I walked in mama informed me, “I made your favorite: chicken pie and green beans! I made it to celebrate the arrival of the superintendent.”
“Why, thank you, Mama. I was just cleaning up the school house. Sorry I got back so late. I wanted it to be nice for when the superintendent came.”
“That’s fine, I understand. Just please, be home on time tomorrow. I could really use your help around the house.”
“I will,” I was abruptly stopped with the entrance of my father and Ben. After they came in, we all sat down to eat and Papa said the blessing, “Dear Father, thank you for the food you have so graciously placed in front of us. Please bless this food and our time together tonight and keep us all safe. In your name, amen.”
Our meal, as promised by my mother, was delicious, and our conversation was centered around the arrival of the superintendent. I was so excited, I barely said anything, but just listened to the conversation of the others at our table. Time for bed came quickly that night for everyone was tired from the hard work that day so they all went to bed shortly after dinner. When I crawled into bed, Ruthie fell asleep quickly, but I couldn’t go to sleep for the knots in my stomach were keeping me awake. I finally did go to sleep, and was quite refreshed when I awoke. I put on my best school dress and tied a ribbon around the neat bun on the back of my head.

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Come back soon if you want to read more! -Bailey

Those Days...

Sometimes you have "those days" where everything does not go the way you wanted it to.

Today was one of those days. Physical Science is a bomb, and I hate it. Having to vacuum. Things not going on very well with your siblings, when you are really trying to love them and show them that. School seems like it is never going to end. It was just one of those days...

But, then I begin to ask my self why these days have to happen...

Why I have to struggle loving my brothers?
Why Physical science was ever invented?
Why school takes so long?
Why the Rainbow vacuum was ever invented?
Why can't I have a good attitude on days like this?
Why you have to have sinus headaches days in a row?
Why God lets you struggle?

So many why's, and I'm not quite sure about the answers to any of the questions, which frustrates me. But I know over time God will reveal the answer to all of these "whys". And on these days, I just have to tough through it, and know that next day I get to start over, and most of all remember that because God loves me I have a responsibility to love those around me even if I am having a bad day. Then I can listen to Taylor Swift or Hillsong United, make cards, and text Paige(thanks Paige), and then I am mostly all better.

I just have to remind myself, that even though there are so many unknowns, I do know one thing. God loves me, and lets me struggle so I want to fix those problems even more. And that also means I have to have a good attitude and love those around me, even when I don't want to.

And because he loves me so much, I can do all things through him who gives me strength.

~Thanks for reading my nonsense~Bailey~Psalm 56:3~