Maybe I should get license plates with GORGEOUS on them, non?

It's raining out.

Still.

But I'm not going to complain about that. I am grateful that we are having rain.

Instead, I'm going to read.

I just finished reading an article on Thomas Jefferson Education and could write a lot on homeschooling right now and how much I love this choice of education but I need to gather my thoughts or I fire things willy-nilly out like, "Requiring young children to learn is the wrong way to go about it. Inspiring is the way to go! Let the children play, play, play, I tell you! Children learn when they are curious. Forcing them to learn makes them resent it. Arggggh to the system!"

See, a calming breath could do us all good. (But Nicole, since you asked I will write a post on why I homeschool)

I'm also reading SUCH a good book.

It's called The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child's Heart for Eternity by Sally Clarkson (yes, I took the image from Amazon). It is so good.

If you've read and own 'Educating the Whole Hearted Child' by her and her husband Clay, then you know this is a gem.

It is a jewel. A gem. A fresh drink of water, and an amazing reminder of what my true calling is as a mama.

Mom's the world over can learn a lot from this book.

So, naturally, I have to write some poetry.

Natalie from Blonde at Heart gave me a blog award. Remember?

I remember. It's been weighing on my mind like a fat frog breaking the fronds of a lily pad. I need to mention that she gave me an award, I need to completely disregard the rules of the award and not forward it on, and I need to thank her with a poem. I have a big to-do list this morning.

But before I do...I just have to say that I loved how many of you included your word verification word in your comments of the last post. Let's make that 'our Saturday-only thing' here at Redeemed Diva ok?

Saturdays. My place. Leave your word verification word. Be there.

OK, now for Natalie's award

And see what award she gave me:

Notice the wording there, my friends.

You didn't? Let me help you out. It says: GORGEOUS.

Me + GORGEOUS =Natalie's new BFF! That's the way to win friends and influence people.

Without further ado, here is Natalie's poem. (Read that line with a British accent. It's funnier that way)

It starts....NOW!

Natalie is wonderful

Natalie is great

Natalie I hope that you never

Get stuck out on a lake

Floating on an air matress

Coloured sea foam green

I hope that you won't have a cold

So you can loudly scream

But if you ever find yourself

trapped alone or up the creek

Remember canoes are lifeboats

When driven by the Greek

And if they question why you're there,

your dark hair or tattoo art

You can tell them to go and read about it

on your blog, Blonde at Heart!

The end

Please, no applause.

Oh, you are too kind, really.

Stop! You are giving me a complex!

This is not about my prowess in poetry skills. It's about Natalie and her fetish for scuba diving and hot pink nail polish. (I don't know if you have a tattoo Natalie, I was just guessing).

Please go visit Natalie and thank her for my blog award and for calling me gorgeous.

So, nominate me for a blog award (that I will not pass on to others) and you, too, can have a poem written about you.

Some say that's blood money.

Others fair trade.

I call it a good excuse to get new license plates, don't you?