Who are we accountable to?

Sorry! I have really been trying to post on here once a week, but sometimes, I get too busy and forget...(imagine that)!

So, my friend Meg has got me addicted to several blogs recently and I wanted to share something that I found SO helpful on one of them.

This particular blog is kept by a Stay-At-Home mom of 8 children, all of whom she homeschools classically! BINGO...already a hero in my book! But I digress...

She was finding herself overwhelmed with the daily tasks: cooking, cleaning, teaching, mommying, etc. She was stressed and trying to do WAY too much in WAY too little time. One evening, when she collapsed onto the couch after another hard day's work, her husband very gently reminded her of an important truth:

*You are solely accountable to God and to me!* WOW...isn't that just a freeing statement?!?! Well, for me, it certainly is! Now, don't get me wrong, a mom is certainly responsible for MUCH, but did you catch it...the key word...ACCOUNTABLE?

That statement brought me to a screeching hault and sent me in a frenzy over to my email to begin a note to my husband. In it, I asked him to be completely honest and let me know what his daily expectations of me are. You know...what does he expect me to accomplish in a day's time? What does he need to be finished in order to come home to a pleasant, peaceful aroma?

I have not heard back from him as of yet (well, other than "I'm working on it."), but I'm so excited for what he has to say!

Now, I'm obviously not expecting this to just melt all stress away and by no means am I thinking "well, as long as those expectations are met, I'm home free and can sit down and finish all of those Bon Bons." The daily tasks will still be difficult. But, I will KNOW what my Lord (yes, I called him my Lord...he will appreciate that) is expecting of me and you can be sure, THOSE will be met.

Now, to get alone with my God and know His expectations as well!

Cheers,

Melissa

A New Perspective

Well, as you all know, I am now a full-time SAHM (stay at home mom)! This has taken some adjusting on various levels. It was a steady progression for me into this new role. I was teaching full-time up until Addison was born. I went back to work part-time (2 days a week) when she was 4 months old and stayed in that position until 1 week before Emerson joined us last May (2009). It was then that I became a full-time SAHM!

Now, I would be lying if I told you that it is pure bliss, all day, every day and that I don't miss my job one bit. Truth be told, this is, HANDS DOWN, the hardest job I have ever taken on. Honestly, there are days that I WISH I was leaving the house in the morning to go to school to teach for the day. But, I have come to realize that it's all about perspective.

I am called by the Father to be a wife and mother and manager of my home. That truth means that although the work is hard and often unrewarding, God is pleased with my work and I should find pleasure in the mundane tasks 0f cooking, cleaning, and child rearing. This is no simple feat and I am certainly NO expert...YET!!! But, I'm working on it.

In the beginning of this journey, I found myself feverishly trying to fill our days with fun outings and shopping/eating adventures with the girls. Well, not only did the money run out, but my home suffered greatly. The laundry piled up, the dishes weren't done, the furniture gathered dust and the carpet gathered everything else! It was a mess and so were we! Addison was all out of sorts because there was no routine, no consistent nap, lunch time, play time, etc. Perhaps what I felt most terrible about was what Joe came home to: a messy house, grumpy children and leftovers from wherever we ate out for lunch. UGH...and here he was, working hard all day to provide for our senseless outings.

So, you see, it's all about changing your perspective. This is a season in which my priorities need to be maintaining my home and raising my children. This means sacrificing. I realized that all of those outings were really just for me...my kids didn't care what/where we ate lunch each day. They are much more content to be in their home eating PB&J sandwiches! That doesn't mean we never get out, but we do try to make our outings purposeful. Not just "playdates" that are really for the moms to sit around and gossip about who knows what about who. We work hard on creating a peaceful aroma for Joe to come home to each afternoon.

Yes, there's much to be done...but I have a new perspective!

Twilight symbolism

With the introductions out of the way (see my previous post), it is time to begin to examine Twilight in a little more detail. Twilight falls into the romantic fantasy genre category because of Stephanie Meyer's use of vampires. These are not your grandparent's vampires. None of the old tricks work on them (garlic, crosses, wooden bullets) and they have superpowers (mind reading, future seeing, emotion manipulation). But they are still vampires and the use of vampires carries a historic set of symbols with them. And Meyer makes no attempt to deviate from these symbols.

Vampire literature has always been pretty straight forward in its symbolism. Picture most vampire movies and think of a neck-bite...what do you see? An erotic scene is a safe bet. Twilight is no different, but first a quick history lesson. Vampire stories were very popular in pre-Victorian and Victorian era England. Brothels were often visited by husbands. When they came home to their unsuspecting wife, they passed along a present...syphilis. Thus, the dark, sexual undercurrent of a vampire sinking his teeth into an innocent woman was a perfect parallel to society and it continues to be. Meyer does not shy away from this. A strong sensual and electric vibe is seen(the eyes, it is always the eyes) between Bella and Edward from early in the book and continues to develop throughout. He is continuously warning her he is dangerous. He cannot be trusted to control his urges around her. Edward works hard at it, but Bella's fragrance is nearly enough to drive him beyond self control. He wants her. He wants her bad. The symbolism is clear.

However, just to make sure the reader gets the point, Meyer drives it home like a nail in a coffin. Think of prom. Think of prom movies, especially those in the 80's. What is prom's, or more specifically after-prom's connotation? What goes on, or what does 'the guy' stereotypically want to make happen? Twilight ends with Bella and Edward at the prom, "And he leaned down to press his cold lips once more to my throat" (p. 498). As gentle as a two-by-four across the face the author makes it clear that Twilight is a sexually erotic book with teenagers as the target audience.

At Last!

My Italian Wedding Soup-see below!

Well, here we are, one week later! I am happy to report progress on the sleeping front!!! We worked hard all week on trying to keep Emmy on a tighter eat/wake/sleep cycle. And, it's really paid off! She is finally sleeping through the night...YAY!

Now, the issue we have is getting her down before 10:00. She usually takes a feeding between 8-8:30 and goes right down...we are working on this being bedtime. However, she is usually only down for about an hour and wakes up. We allow her to cry for no longer than an hour hoping that she will learn that it's bedtime. We have then gone to her and brought her downstairs. She is pleasant and will play for awhile until she is tired again between 10-10:30. At this point, she nurses and I put her right down. She then sleeps until at least 8:00 and I wake her if she is not up by 8:30.

So, not ideal, but LEAPS and BOUNDS from where we were just a short week ago! Mommy is feeling well rested again...FINALLY!

On another note, I made an incredibly easy Italian Wedding Soup for the fam yesterday and was super surprised at how tasty it came out. Here is the recipe:

1/2 lb. ground beef 6 c. chicken broth

1 egg, beaten 2 c. escarole, thinly sliced (I used collard greens instead)

2 T. bread crumbs 1/2 c. orzo, uncooked

1 T. grated Parm. cheese 1/3 c. shredded carrot

1/2 t. dried basil

1/2 t. onion powder

Combine beef, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, basil and onion powder; shape into 3/4 inch balls. Heat broth to boiling; stir in escarole, orzo, carrot and meatballs; return to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook at slow boil for 10 minutes or until orzo is tender. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Serve with Parmesan cheese on top! YUMMY!

Serves 4-6

The only thing missing was Fabio...

The Twilight series has been a huge pop culture hit. Books have flown off the shelves and there have been long lines at the theaters. This craze has centered around teenage girls, but many adult women are just as fanatical as the young ladies. What is of particular interest is the way this book, authored by Stephanie Meyer, a Mormon, has been circulated through Christian circles. This blog series will examine Twilight, its meaning and its message.

The genre of this book fit perfectly into the romantic fantasy category. Our main character, Bella, has moved in with her father and is an outsider in her new school. She views herself as having no special talents or good looks, but is known for being rather clumsy. She enjoys moving in with her father, mainly because he leaves her alone and does not ask a lot of questions. Sparks begin to fly as she lays her eyes on Edward and his mysterious family. After a brief period of trying to ignore each other, their romance begins. As it begins, Edward repeatedly warns Bella to stay away because he is dangerous. Bella does not heed his less than convincing warnings and the romance continues to bloom. She cannot stay away even after discovering the truth about Edward. Not surprisingly, Bella finds herself in a little bit of life or death danger and, equally unsurprising, Edward saves the day. And the first novel in this 'saga' wraps up with our main characters going to the prom. How cute. The only thing missing was Fabio on the cover.

Sleep Is Good!

Hello Everyone!

It's good to be back, and I am hoping that we are able to keep our blog up to date with family news and happenings. I though I would blog about some of the issues we have been having with sleep, as this is what has been causing me some grief recently!

Addison has always been a wonderful sleeper. I credit much of that to our diligence in using the Babywise Method from birth with her. She started sleeping through the night at 4 weeks old and is still very much a routine 12 hour sleeper. Now, her little sister, on the other hand, has not been as easy to "train."

I'm sure that we are much more relaxed with Emerson, which is to be expected I guess. But, I thought I was doing everything right. Well, needless to say, at 8 months, she is STILL not consistently sleeping through the night!!! Anyone who knows me well KNOWS that I NEED my sleep, so this is not a good situation and I am DETERMINED to find the answer to her sleeping woes. I am praying that the book I just ordered helps. It's called "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child," and it comes highly recommended from a fellow Babywise mom!

This week, we have worked hard on keeping Emerson on a more strict routine of eating/sleeping. We are being diligent about putting her to bed at a consistent time each night and we seem to be making progress. While she is not sleeping all the way through the night just yet, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Addison has had a few rough nights also, but I attribute most of that to us being busy and getting her to bed WAY past her normal 8:00 bedtime. The other night, when Joe checked her before coming to bed, he found her asleep with her pillow on top of her head and the blanket underneath!!! Too funny!

I'll keep you all posted!

Sweet Dreams,

Melissa

We're Back...

Howdy ya'll. Did you miss us?

We are ready to roll out our new design here at the Canney Family Blog. I now have a co-author, my lovely wife Melissa. Melissa, say hi...

The two of us have agreed to begin to post regularly, as in once a week each. Melissa will be posting about motherhood, being a wife and life in general. My posts will be centered more on Christianity, education and culture. I am going to try to post each Tuesday and Melissa will be finding a day that works good for her.

As a little teaser of what is to come, I have been reading Twilight as part of a deal with a co-worker and I look forward to posting my thoughts on the book here.

Cheers.

A Book I Am Currently Reading...

A little about the Trivium...

I thought it would be good to speak a little about the Trivium and Classical Education. The longer I am involved with Christian and Classical Education the more wisdom I gain as an educator and parent. I want to take this opportunity to share a little of that wisdom.

Thus, what is the Trivium? It takes learning and divides it into three stages – grammar, logic and rhetoric. Those stages cut with the grain of how children grow and develop. When children are in the grammar stage, they are easily able to store large amounts of information. For example, a few days ago my wife and I went to get our two year old daughter up from her nap. As we entered the room and approached her bed, she looked up at us and began to sing…ABCDEFG…and on went the song until, next time won’t you sing with me. We were shocked. We had sung the ABC’s to her, but she had never sung the entire Alphabet. How was a barely two year old able to remember 26 bits of information? God designed her to be able to remember information, especially when it is set to a tune. Now if I broke the alphabet down and asked her what letter comes after R or even why there are 26 letters, of course she would not be able to answer me. But we have laid the ground work to build on and that building begins in 7^th grade as students formally move into the logic stage of learning, our Dialectic school.

Dialectic school is distinctly different than grammar school because we now begin to teach Logic and we open up the classroom for debate and discussion. The role of the teacher changes from that of a giver of knowledge to facilitator of understanding. Opened ended questions and logical discussions are the order for the day. But we have to have something to discuss, so in the 7^th grade our students begin to read the Classics along with many other Great Books, along with studying Hebrew and Greek. This is when the true academic rigor that the students have been prepared for through the Grammar school begins.

Finally in the 10^th grade our students enter into the Rhetoric School. For us at Bethel Prep, the Rhetoric is our capstone. It is where our students use the facts from Grammar School and their logic from Dialectic School to express their thoughts and ideas on the various subjects they have learned about. Rhetoric School puts a heavy emphasis on being able to clearly articulate and express the student’s wisdom that they have gained over the years.

Books I Am Currently Reading...

Playing in the Rain!!

Can You Tell Me How To Get...

Yes, yes...I have heard the cries of my people, Canney Family Nation demanding for posts. I know there have been many of an angry Town Hall Meetings across the nation screaming for a new post. Well here you go, my people...

The Canney Family recently journeyed north of Philadelphia for a day of fun in the sun at Sesame Place. After stopping to sing for directions, we safely arrived to begin our day. It was Addison, Melissa and myself, along with our friends Rob and Christy, with their almost two year old son, Caleb.

We splashed in the water, rode rides, changed poopy diapers, watched shows, took in a parade, changed more poopy diapers, ate lunch, splashed some more, stared in amazement at poor parenting, more rides, more food and then more diapers. Whew what a day. All in all, the napless kids did great and we, the parents, managed to keep it together too.

Here is a link to more pictures (and more of my skin) than you probably would like to see, but it appeases the grandparents so I do what I must.

Cheers.

Having To Do All The Things...

Dad is closing in on his first week at home. I have talked to him a few times and he sounds upbeat and positive. When we talked last (4/1) I asked him, "What is the best part of being home?" He responded by saying "Not having all those people taking care of me." I followed up by inquiring what was the worst part of being home. He quipped "Having to do all the things that everyone in the hospital did for me." =) Typical Dad and a typical man!

As we chatted Dad said things were going good. He has begun outpatient therapy and he said he was pleased with how it was progressing. He did comment that his right leg is still bothering him, which inhibits his ability to walk. When he wakes in the morning it feels good, but as he goes through the day, the swelling and pain return. He was also was a bit stressed because Tax Day is barrelling down on us all.

I had a good time sharing with Dad some of the things we have going on in our family. My daughter, Addison (who is twenty months today), had a fun time telling Grandpa that she was eating a Boo Pop (translation = a blue Popsicle) while I chatted on the phone.

Dad said people have been visiting and encouraging him. I could tell he appreciates all the support he has been getting. He was especially touched by the reception he received at Church this past Sunday. He said it was "kind of a big deal" when he showed up.

Thank You

As Dad prepares to come home today, I think it is appropriate to take a moment to say Thank You to all of you who have done so much to support Dad and the family through his surgery and recovery. What we had hoped would be four to six days has turned into two months. It has been a long and hard two months. Your support, kindness, and generosity has made this ordeal easier to cope with. I know Dad needs and appreciates all the encouragement he has received. Many of you have eased Missy's worries by providing food, kind words and selfless actions. She wanted me to make sure I relayed how thankful she is for each of you.

As Dad begins the next chapter in his life, I ask that we would continue to pray for Dad's recovery. When I talked to Dad yesterday, he was excited to go home, but at the same time he kept expressing he was worried about the unknown. We can pray that his mind and heart would be at ease as he comes home. We can also all pray for Missy as she takes on the roles that the nurses had in the hospital. They both need our continued love and support.

Remember, we are NOT doing a surprise welcome home party for Dad. We think it is best for him come home quietly without much pomp or circumstance. You are welcomed to stop by for an encouraging word, call or send cards.

Thank You and God Bless.

Here Comes Bim!!

I gave my dad a call Sunday night. We talked for about forty minutes about a variety of things. I shared a lot of things that are going on in my life here in New Jersey. He was excited to hear from his Granddaughter Addison. She told him 'hullo', 'I luv you' and 'ga-night' among other things. =) She is quite the talker for a 19 month old.

Dad was open and honest about how things have been going. He said rehab has been going well. He did tell me, however, that he has been feeling 'blue' lately. I encouraged him that this was of course to be expected and that acknowledging how he was feeling would greatly help in his recovery.

Of course, Dad is excited to be going home Thursday (3/26). He has a countdown of days going on until he leaves that he informs me of each time we talk. He also has a count-up going on of how many days he has been in the hospital. Thursday will be exactly two months since his surgery.

We have decided not to do any kind of welcome home party. I think Dad would like to come home quietly with just him and Miss. I do encourage (with Missy's and Dad's blessing) friends to stop by, say hello and offer encouragement. Cards are still welcomed, as are phone calls. Dad still needs all our support and help.

Thanks!

Happy Birthday Grandma!!

We love you and we hope you have a great day!!

Ready...Set...WAIT!!

Once, when I was about 10 years old, I was walking up to soccer practice. The team was scrimmaging a little before practice began and as I approached the field the coach started to holler for me to jump in and play defense. I was intimated because this was one of my first practices with a new team in a new league of older kids. I did not jump in and a kid scored a goal. The coach was upset and disappointed with me, thus the tone was set for the remainder of the season. I did not like the coach and he did not respect me as a player.

I share this story because Dad is not coming home from the hospital. He has been granted another week, and while I would love for him to be home, I want him to as ready as possible so that it is a positive transition. I also count it as blessing that Missy gets another week to prepare for Dad coming home. The move will be more difficult on her than anyone else, so I ask that you would be sensitive to ways you can help her. Thanks!

The target exit date is now set for next Thursday.

Get Ready...Get Set...GO...HOME!!!

Yes, you read the title correctly...Jim Canney MIGHT be coming home today, Thursday 3/19!!! We will find out sometime this afternoon if he has been cleared for take-off from Riverside.

Missy is thinking of doing a Welcome Home greeting. If he is coming home today and we plan to have a Welcome Home party, I will post it here as soon as it is confirmed. What we are thinking of is having anyone who is available to be outside the house as Dad arrives home. It will be a an encouraging and uplifting time for him.

There is a chance he will not be discharged. If such is the case, it is not a set back. The original target date was NEXT Thursday, so the idea of him being homeward bound this Thursday is speeding things up at bit.

Thank you and stay tuned...

TOBY!!!

Dad is progressing steadily each day, but as we all know stroke recovery is a long road. Unfortunately, no one knows where the road will end or what detours we will encounter as we travel, so we must accept that the journey on this road is now part of our lives. More so for those who are closest to him.

Dad is going through the paces, and as I have stated before he is a 'good' patient. He is doing all the things he is asked to do. However, when is the last time any of us remembers Jim Canney being the employee?? =) He has been the 'bossman' for as long as I can remember. I think prefers being his own boss! Hopefully the thought of getting out soon and coming home will give him the motivation he needs to make the most of his remaining time at rehab. When I spoke to him Monday(3/16) night on the phone, he knew exactly how many days until he is out of Riverside! =D

The rehab staff are terrific. Dad and Missy are glad they had the chance to stay at Riverside. Dad is still looking at a discharge date towards the end of the month, but it could be moved up if he can do what he's currently working on as an outpatient. The outlook for outpatient rehab is that Dad will continue twice a week with all three therapies. The plan is to stay with Riverside's program at a center in Upper Arlington for the outpatient rehab.

Jim had a nice surprise visit Sunday(3/15) from Toby, Dad and Missy's(really Dylan's) dog!! She was excited to see Dad and proceeded to sniff everything in his room. He was happy to love on her too!

An Over Due Update

I offer my apologies for not having updated the blog recently. I have been busy celebrating my wife's 30th birthday day!! Anyway, here is an update from the middle last week...

Dad is seeming more like himself as the days progress. On Wednesday (3/11) Dad went on an outing with two other patients and three therapists. They had planned to go to the Jack Nicklaus museum, but for some reason they ended up going to Target! Dad the other two patients and told Missy all about their experience. They were all happy to be doing something we all take for granted! It has to be great to get out of the hospital after having been couped up so long.

Dad's stamina continues to improve. He is sitting up in a chair all day and working at therapy. After having spent many a meals with Dad watching him eat, Missy invited him to the cafeteria to watch her while she ate. He responded with "If you want me to." That is a very typical statement for him, so off to the cafeteria they went. =)

Dad is fortunate to be in Riverside and they are doing a great job of helping him get better. This week Dad had the help of two good friends. On Tuesday a good buddy was his rehab 'partner' and then Friday another friend had the same honors. It is great that Dad has had such supportive and caring friends. Those two are an example of many that have been reaching out to Dad, Miss and the kids, along with the rest of Dad's family. It is very encouraging to see how much everyone cares and is helping Dad through this challenging life experience.

For more information about stroke and how it affects people, you can go to the National Stroke Association website.