Spring is here. At least that's what the calender tells me. But today it has been snowing. Not enough to stick, just enough to keep everything sloppy, wet and cold. I walked up to the store today to pick up a few things, planning to get home and do the paperwork that has been hanging over my head like a wet, depressing, fog. I know I'll feel so much better once I get it done, but somehow I keep thinking of other things I need to do first. Grocery shopping, dishes, and hey, I haven't undated my blog in a while. Truly. When I'm done with this I will go and get started on it. Ugh.

I've been so tired lately. Maybe I have the residue of the cold/cough thing that seemed to linger over us for the past couple months. But I don't feel very motivated to do anything. I'd like to just turn the telly on and sink into mindlessness. It seems like I always mosey to the computer when I'm tired. Ya'all probably think I'm always tired!

I saw at Marbel's site a meme I thought was pretty good. It was from site and invites us to share our thoughts on this quote:

"Clearly there is an appropriate kind of sheltering. When those who are opposed to homeschooling accuse me of sheltering my children, my reply is always, 'What are you going to accuse me of next, feeding and clothing them?" ~R.C. Sproul Jr

That always kind of strikes me as kind of a "duh" moment, when people accuse me of sheltering my children. Of course I'm sheltering my children! Haven't they kind of noticed that this culture is just eating children alive? If I don't protect them, who will?

I'm protecting them from bullying, abusive teachers, over zealous social workers, and math phobias. I'm also sheltering them from having to walk top the bus in the cold morning, that noisy, obnoxious bus ride itself, classrooms with no windows, cafeteria food, and most especially, the gym locker room. From not having time to read the books you want to because your teacher said you HAVE to read Flowers for Algernon. (A most depressing book.) From the sinking fear that comes over you on Sunday night because you realize you are having a quiz in the morning and you completely forgot. The humiliation of having a teacher berate you in front of your whole class because you haven't figured out how to borrow in math. Hiding under the bleachers during PE because the boys in your class play dodge ball rather roughly and it scares you. And especially those politically motivated movies about global catastrophes like global warming, nuclear war and the clubbing of seals in Canada. From kids who thrash on other kids to hide their own insecurities, and from BECOMING one of those kids.

Yeah, I guess I shelter my children a little.