Not all is fun

Just in case some of my readers may come to think that the trials and tribulations of life do not apply out here, let me set the record straight. Out here, we strive against all manner of challenges on a daily basis. It is only our disposition that defines a good day from a bad one, and as I have mentioned before "a good disposition is the greatest gift of God". For example, some of you may have noticed that the text on my blog has gotten larger? Well, it's not you, it's me. I have been pushing the computer farther and father away from me in an effort to see. This is a progressive thing that started, maybe 7 years ago. Well, I'm running out of arms! My arms aren't long enough to reach my "focus point" anymore. Lucky for me, everything looks bigger underwater.

Out here in paradise we must home-school the kids ourselves. If this last sentence didn't send the fear of God racing up your spine...well you just need a little more elaboration on the matter. We do not own passive, obedient, or industrious children. Oh no, we have the defiant, hedonistic variety, nothing like me. Most mornings are set aside for school.

An unhappy Eva...doing school work.

The kids completely refuse any interaction unless fed first, and they want what ever takes longest to prepare. With breakfast behind us, Marie starts trying to get the kids on subject and making progress on whatever subjects must be covered that day. At about his time we start getting defiant outbursts like, "I hate my life!", or "I wish I was never born!".

Marie has to spoon feed Hadrian.

Marie starts out really supportive and patient, but starts to wear down with all the resistance. About 2 hours into our little classroom, Marie is like a pressure vessel about to blow. She lets out a little steam, "do your work!". The tone and volume just keeps getting stronger and louder. At about this time we start hear broadcast on the radio from the children who actually do posses some of the attributes mentioned earlier, "I'm done with my homework, wanna go to Hamburger Beach?". Upon hearing this the kids just start crying, begging, and promising to make-up any work they have failed to finish, at a later time of course. By now at the edge of her sanity, Marie starts to scream at the top of her lungs. I mean we're talking trailer park loud! I poke my head out of a hatch to see if any of the neighbors are alarmed by this burst of decibels, wondering if perhaps we will ever be invited to another social gathering. However, so alarming is this screaming that the kids hunker down, and reach a point in the schooling somewhere between less than they are suppose to do, yet beyond  child neglect, which all we really want anyway. The following day we start this process all over again! If abnormal is in fact normal, yeah, we got that.

The kids are building a sandcastle.

Eva and Lily putting on a modeling show with very limited resources!

Hadrian and his model boat.