The Combs Krewe

I met someone new last week and as we were talking I mentioned that I home school my children. As with many people, I got the response, "Oh, I could never do that!" I know that everyone does not agree that homeschooling is a viable, desirable option but no one has ever been rude to me (at least not to my face!) when I mention that's what we do. Almost always people bestow compliments on me. I try not to let this go to my head because I happen to know that I am nothing special. Yes, I have four children and their ages sometimes make things challenging. Although I have a natural creative bent and love learning, I didn't exactly plan that I'd be homeschooling a teenager, a preschooler, a curious two-year old, and a mama-lovin' toddler. It's hard juggling geometry and diapers! I like to think of myself as an innately patient person (when it comes to dealing with people) and that helps, but that is not my secret. Over and over I hear people say, "I cou...

I was so excited to find a printable Resurrection set to make for the kids to explore the Easter story with. This set came from the blog,  catholicicing.com . She has all of the figures drawn and gives easy instructions for how to put your set together. Something to think about: I wish I hadn't glued our crucified Jesus to the cross because then we couldn't place him in the tomb. This morning we used our set during our Bible reading time (Some dinosaurs showed up!). Jathan and Ryland loved it! I hope that since we laminated our set it will last for several years. 

from the neck up. Okay, so this post is kind of a remake of one that I did a couple of years ago on another blog. I wanted to revisit the issue though because it keeps coming up and I'm so not over it. What's the issue? Makeup. Most of you are used to seeing me wear it. It doesn't matter where--at church, at the grocery store, on the playground, and even at the pool! This is the face I bear. Foundation, powder, blush, four colors of eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick. All the time.   I don't remember the occasion or even how old I was but I remember the first makeup kit I ever had. I remember holding it in my hands, feeling that excitement--I was going to be beautiful. It was cheap, kid stuff and after I put it on I'm certain, looking back, that I resembled a clown. But I was hooked; I added more and more makeup to my collection and got pretty good at applying it. I've never been afraid of color, to go a little wild. I've had blue and purp...

Do you like love stories? Who doesn't! Well, as Jackie and I prepare to celebrate our 7th anniversary tomorrow I'm ruminating on ours. It had an unexpected beginning and several surprising twists some of which threw me off so badly that I'm only now beginning to see how beautifully the Master Author has written it. I know it has had to have been in His hands because I seriously couldn't make some of this stuff up. Though Jackie and I didn't meet until 2004, but I will begin our story in 1998. That year I was 15 and pregnant. I suppose everyone thinks a baby will change your life to some degree but few people understand just to what degree that is. Because of Keeleigh a lot of things were different in my life. I traded in some of my freedom as a teenager for bottles and diapers. I remember I used to leave school and tell my friends, "Well, I'm off to play house." "Don't you wish you were just playing?" a friend asked. Really? I didn...

This morning at church I learned that today is Sanctity of Life Sunday , a day of recognition of the value of human life first instituted by Ronald Reagan. Our church flyer talked about it and shared the remarkable story of a young woman who has recently joined our church. Last year she found herself pregnant with her third child and made an appointment to have an abortion. God worked in several ways (including the closing of the abortion clinic) to save her unborn child who turned out to be a beautiful little girl that I got to see today. The baby's big sister is in Ryland's Sunday school class (where I'm a helper) and is so sweet. I feel so fortunate to have gotten to know this story; I know so many stories go unheard! That's why I wanted to share a little bit of my story. 13 years ago I was 15 years old and pregnant. Of course it was heartbreaking to my parents and family. An abortion would have been completely acceptable, understandable, and even welcomed. And ...

Like every journey there are some things you know before you even take your first step, some things you may never understand, and lots of things you can only learn as make your own way. Likewise it's important not to be afraid to stop and ask for directions from those more familiar with the territory. It's also important not to be afraid to get off the beaten path every now and again and explore uncharted realms. This is the story of the first leg of our homeschooling journey. Homeschooling is something that is relatively new to us. I'm not sure I'd even heard of homeschooling when I first had Keeleigh and I only ever knew two or three people who were homeschooled before we moved to New Orleans. Our family was blessed in that Keeleigh was able to stay at home with my mom who taught her a lot during their days together then she started kindergarten at a small private Christian school in our hometown. It wasn't until she was in 2nd grade, I believe, and I'd just...

References have been made to new believers as spiritual babes who are dependent on easily-digested milk and that over time we should mature and be ready for meatier matters. The thought occurred to me, however, that we might also go through a spiritual teenage-hood during which we fill ourselves up on junk and think we know it all. I’ve been there and hope to goodness that I’m finally emerging from that phase! During that time in my life when I was certain I had all the answers figured out, however, I did what teenagers—physical and spiritual—do: I ran my mouth. A lot. I wasn’t afraid to help everyone out by pointing out where they were obviously wrong and God and I were right. Ah, growing pains stink. Now I’m not saying I have arrived or anything but I am getting better at being slow to speak and quick to hear. I’m playing the Holy Spirit less and opening myself up to God’s guidance instead of filling in the answer to “What would Jesus do?” with my own logic. Recently, however, a fr...

This morning the kids and I did something a little different. We visited an unveiling ceremony at a Buddhist temple to get a look at a 4-ton Jade Buddha. This particular Buddha is the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace and was carved out of an 18-ton jade boulder found in Canada. It is on a world-wide tour and has already been viewed by millions of people. According to a Times-Picayune report , "The purpose of the tour is to inspire joy and give people around the world, regardless of their religion, the opportunity to reflect upon the meaning of peace." There were some opening comments (in Chinese and English, thank goodness!) and then the Jade Buddha was dramatically unveiled amid clanging bells, firecrackers, and the oohs and aahs of the crowd. After the unveiling they released balloons and pigeons which in some strange way felt spiritual. Sitting there amongst amazed people some of whom had devoted their entire lives to this, I could definitely understand how people could fe...