Jamestown

Once we finished day 1 in Williamsburg, we decided to make the trip over to Jamestown. It was much closer than we realized and it was well worth the time.

It was where Pocahontas lived in the Wampanoag village. It was incredible. We saw the homes inside and out. We were shown how to treat fur and make it into useable hide. We were shown how to make the grass rope used in every aspect of Indian life. Part of me thinks the girls would have moved in and lived there if they thought it was possible. They loved every part of it.

The ships were so amazing. We crawled in and out, up and down, around and around. They were in the process of making a canoe out of an huge log, and the girls were able to help scrape out charred wood with oyster shells. This is how it was done.

The fort was almost breathtaking. For real. The buildings, the dried tobacco, the thatched roofs, the gunpowder room, the cannons and the ballast areas. The armor left out for the kids to try on was awesome too.

I hope walking through history will forever be a part of their memory.

Williamsburg Day 1

Williamsburg was a bit intimidating at first with all the houses, buildings, shops to see. We did get a tour guide that filled us in on much of history of that time period which I was thrilled about. He did not stay in colonial character, for he was known as the “whaz-up” man.

I was amazed at the buildings where famous men, like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry and others, spoke, decided, argued, planned and governed our history. It was so great. The girls loved the people in character, whether it be the shoe maker, the tailor or a lady running a general store.

There was a three consecutive day play going on in the afternoons, called Revolutionary City, and it was really good, but a little high on comprehension levels. We saw the fife and drums, an indentured servant couple, people reciting the Declaration of Independence and a British man who was taken prisoner and jailed.

The most favorite part of the day was touring the Governor’s Palace. It was a massive impressive building that was burned down by the British and rebuilt because of Jefferson's drawn blueprint that was later found. The guide was absolutely perfect. She was quick talking, and so informed. The entry way was mind boggling. It was filled with more guns, swords and sabers than I have ever seen in one place. The rooms were beautiful and the décor was elegant. The dining hall was a bright green since the color helped with digestion and the dance hall was a bright blue and it made one just want to dance. The gardens were lovely as well.

We learned that a common cheering phrase is “Huzzah”, like hip, hip, hurray. So, we could be heard randomly hollering, “HUZZAH!” We even ate at a restaurant that evening called Huzzah! and we almost got kicked out for the ruckus those younguns were making during dinner. Fabulous!

Camping cabins

Our housing over the holiday was wonderful in Williamsburg, but you could say that my directional skills I usually have and use, were left in Florida. We circled the town a number of times and the company I kept, did not help at all. Steve is a support, but not observant. Brent and Amy are directionally challenged so they say a number of times daily. So we found the local walmart and kept our driving to a minimum. The kids loved our cabins, and we did too except for the lack of water, toilet and heat. Oh, there was heat, but it was cold. I mean cold. In the twenties cold. And the water...none. Five hundred yards to the bath house. We bought a bucket at walmart for those early morning bathroom moments. But it was great. If you go, you should look up the KOA. It was only $29.00 a night. Bunks for the girls and a full bed for us. A little squeaky, but really pretty and CLEAN!

Eating out colonial style

Our first night in Williamsburg we decided to have a dinner at a local tavern to set the mood. It was so interesting to know we had eaten where George Washington had eaten or at least in the kitchen where he had food cooked. Steve ate his food in about four seconds flat...it was small...and he was none to happy about that $23.00 seafood gumbo that was gone that quick. The girls were little ladies and were so well mannered.

Miles and miles and miles

We loaded the car and hit the road on Thursday night. We landed in Hardeeville, South Carolina around eleven. The girls hooped and hollered because we were in a hotel. They are easily amused. The next morning,good breakfast and early on the road we went again.

We were on a mission to get through three more states before dark. We did not quite make it by dark, but we had a great time. We are good travelers, us, Porvazniks. We got a little extra bonus when we were heading into Baltimore and the snow started falling. Oh we squealed. It was so cute. What a great memory.

We finally arrived at my college roommates house, in Maryland, had dinner and then headed out again in the snow, so I could go visit her mom. She is sick and ready to go be with Jesus. It is sweet and sad too.It is amazing to witness such love and strength in a woman who has raised seven kids and 18 grandkids and all of them serve the Lord.

We had a quick trip and then it was back on the road again. But this time south. We were headed to Williamsburg, Virginia for a wonderful time of walking back in time to visit the colonial town. Success came a few hours later and we made it.

More details to come...

Aunt Kaitie's in charge

Every now and then I get the chance to give my kids away. It is never for more than a day or two at a time!! I have convinced myself that the girls need love and correction from others besides me! HA! Double HA! when it comes to their Aunt Kaitie and correction! My sister loves to do all she can in the few short hours she has them to undo all boundaries and self-governing ideals I have tried to instill into my children. She is single (with a cute boyfriend). And very princess like. She is just sharing her way of life with them. Spoiled. But what is a few hours of candy, movies, ice cream, skating, swimming, fast food, Target, and basically the moon, when all one has to do is ask for it? That is her mission statement as an Aunt.

I am really not complaining, the girls love their time with her. Olivia especially thrives on her aunt's long blond hair, makeup, nails and cute car. She loves her big hairy dog too!

So thanks Kaitie. You are earning some serious tally marks in your column of life. Moving to Tenn. will probably delete all the tally marks, so consider that in your packing.

By the way Mee-maw, thanks for all the love and attention from you in all of this. You are not innocent either...don't be fooled, I know your ways. And we love all of them.

Defining moment

I was in church yesterday and listened to a man speak about comfort zones, defining moments and obedience. It was a whirlwind of information. How glad I was that we stayed and took part. One of my friends had one during church yesterday. It was about seeking after God as her first love. The kind of love where you can't get enough. You have to be near Him. Your mind swims of thoughts of Him. Your stomach gets nervous just anticipating Him. You dream of Him. Consumed by Him. That is what and whom she seeks.

Chewing on it again this morning during our bible time, I was able to rehash some of it on a elementary level. It was a interesting conversation.

My girls see things in the perspective of "shynes" and "embarassment" when it comes to doing something they don't usually do, aka comfort zone. Like being the first one to speak to another kid they have never met. Like offering to unload groceries from a ladies cart because she is in a wheelchair. I love watching their comfort zones stretch. I beam with joy at seeing their confidence grow.

Defining moments. Does one resonate within you? Stephanie from a very young age has told me how the Lord speaks to her. I shutter to think of the blessing she has at recognizing the Lord's voice. She was healed in her early weeks of life from a immovable right arm. She had defining moments at seven.

And mine? Moving to Paraguay. Marrying Steve. Choosing adoption. Just to name a few.

I would love to hear some of yours.

Ocali Days

What a great day the girls had with their Aunt Sam. Steve and I were in an all day class for our adoption process (which was great, by the way) and so the girls spent the day having fun with the Symonds. Of course, fun is relative to the situation. Uncle Aaron did not find the scattering of salt fun, but to kids, it was like confetti. And Emma did not find a stomach virus at all fun, she had to miss out on the day. Oh my!

The celebration of Ocali Days focuses on primitive times and early floridian history. The girls learned so much. They ground corn into flour. They watched laundry being done by hand. Arrowheads being carved. A blacksmith at work. Baskets being woven. Cannons being shot. A primitive campsite. Talking with a "live" Indian. It was a great day. They gave their Aunt Sam a workout in making their spending money stretchhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Michael Buble has nothing to do with this day, but I put it on the video, and this song "Everything" is just one I love.

Happy belated halloween

Over a week late, but with lots of candy still hanging around, here is our belated halloween pictures. I am not hating life though since the girls are not badgering me constantly for another piece, they have a little and then are fine for the day.

My camera was left at our friends where we went for the evening of trick or treating. The girls ended up sleeping over since Steve and I had a youth lock-in (yes, the stay up all night and hang with teens,kind)and we did not want the girls to taste of that fun just yet. So thanks Mela for the great party and for taking care of my girls.

Olivia just could not decide this year what to be. The ideas ranged from a belly dancer to a cave girl, but she settled on a colonial girl when we walked into Cracker Barrel and she spied the beautiful purple gown costume. She was lovely.

Stephanie always had planned on being an indian. She was the cutest blond Native American I have ever seen. I loved her walking stick, her headdress and her purse. She is not one for wigs or makeup, she has a mind of her own.

So it seems by this lot of girls I have in my house that we are ready to jump into celebrating Thanksgiving with two girls who look like this. Turkeys better watch out!

School fun!

Today we had our monthly class. The morning time was with the younger, All about Animals group. We first walked down to the local fire department for a tour and a detailing of the trucks. We think they were playing a joke on us, because we could find no one. Nada. Zilch. It was like a fireman rapture had taken place. Well, the trucks were cool.

Next we had share time. Olivia taught us about armadillos. She was so cute and smart in sharing. They read a book, played a game, had snacks, and made two crafts. They were so adorable. Turkeys, they live in the forest and we love them at Thanksgiving. Brilliant.



If you look at this sideways, you can see it is a turkey made from footprints and hands. Blogspot must like it turned this way, I cannot fix it.

This turkey had too much rum. He even looks a bit hinduish with his white spot. We try to keep it multicultural too folks.

Stephanie's history group learned so much today too. They made candles by the drip method like in colonial times. No, they did not have pringles back in the 1600's; but they work really great at making candles. They had hasty pudding (gross and terrible, don't ever eat it) and homemade root beer, not a hit either. They learned about jobs like tanners, house wrights, pewterers, cobblers, coppers and such. Stephanie shared about the books she had read by the author Clyde Robert Bulla. She really enjoyed these books, and her favorite study was about Squanto.



Two bonuses were they had practice walking in a line, and cooling off after recess. Too funny...sometimes these home school kids need practice at the minor things in life.

Change from a kid's view

This morning, I was ready and waiting for the conversation I knew would be at hand.

"So Mom, who won? Who is our new President? Did the one with the lady win or the brown skin man?"

Steve and I had already gotten our thoughts together last night and we knew we would speak truth, love and honesty to our children. So here is how it went.

"Our new president is Barack Obama."

"So my vote (the one at the public library in the kids section) did not count?"

"Yes, it counted. Be proud you had a chance to vote, and stand up for what you want."

"Was McCain mad? Did he cry?"

"No, actually Senator McCain spoke on the TV last night and he thanked everyone for their vote. He said he wanted all of us Americans who had voted for him to support Obama and even if we disagreed, we should show him respect."

"That was nice. Yeah, sometimes me and Olivia disagree, but I still love her. You and Dad disagree and you still love him. You respect him too Mom, you call him the leader of our family. So, what about all those commercials we saw about how they said bad things about each other, did they mean it? Were they trying to hurt each others feelings?"

"Not really hurt each others feelings, but they were trying to get other people to agree with what they believe. But now we have a chance to respect a man that is our leader. He is someone who we will honor as the President. We might not agree with all of his choices, but we will not be disrespectful." "So, how do you think it was in the Obama house this morning when they woke up?"

"He probably woke up and said 'Yeah, this is over. Now I am the President. I have work to do.' His wife probably said,'Oh,my goodness, I am the first Lady.' His girls were probably talking about how they want their new rooms decorated while they ate breakfast." (Stephanie)

"I bet those girls are going to be the most popular girls in school today." (Olivia)

"I bet they don't go to school today. They might celebrate. They might have to pack to fly on a plane to Hawaii, because their great-grandmother died the other day."

"What? Fly on a plane to Hawaii for a funeral? How can you go on vacation and go to a funeral?"

"She lived there, it is not a vacation."

"Well, I am sad for Sarah Palin, I guess I can't wear her shirt anymore, but I am glad I match our new president." (Olivia, referring to her brown skin.)

"Mom, I bet they are making the statue of his face, to put in that hall of presidents, at Disney. We will need to go see it soon."

And that was just for part of the ride in the car today. Don't you wish you were hiding in our trunk?