Cocked & Loaded, Shootin’ Stars, & Blasting Giv3away H0P

Cocked & Loaded, Shootin’ Stars, & Blasting Giveaway Hop

(Click on the hottie above to return to the LINKY LIST)

July 5th – 11th

Hosted by:

Queentutt’s Word of Escapism 

&

Close Encounters of the Night Kind

Hello Everyone!  Are you are ready to celebrate Independence?  Well Nikki, Ronda, and a host of wonderful Co-sponsors are celebrating big.  Yes, we are Cocked & Loaded with some amazingly great books, Shootin’ Stars with the Authors & Bloggers, and Blasting a Giveaway with TWO (2) KINDLE FIRES loaded with the Co-Sponsored Authors’ book (s).

Cool Right!  Not only that, at each stop on the hop you have more chances to win more great prizes. So join in and let’s have some fun! Here’s my post now…

We’ve Come A Long Way, Baby!

I used to teach elementary school, every grade but Kindergarten. My favorite grade was fourth for one simple reason. I got to teach American History. For me teaching was all about the experience, so we didn’t just learn about the birth of our nation, we LIVED it.

To begin, I divided the class into Patriots and Loyalists. I was the governor appointed by the King and wrote many ridiculous laws that pissed off my constituents. Laws such as a pencil sharpening tax, a snack tax, a paper tax. Some I had to repeal. But I refused to repeal the chair stacking tax. Students had to pay a tax to get their chairs in the morning.

 Well, there was outrage and a boycott. (Think Boston Tea Party, although I hadn’t taught them about this yet.) Imagine this, if you will… Students refusing to take chairs and sitting on the floor all day. Some students spying on each other and telling me their plans. Some others “borrow” some “money” to pay their taxes. Still other students meeting secretly in corners of the room, writing a letter to the king complaining about how unfair the laws are and they are done with England. YES! Success!

   

They wrote their own Declaration of Independence! And THAT’S when I taught them about the American Revolution.

 

My students could really appreciate what our Founding Fathers and colonists risked to break away from England and form their own country. They marveled at the rag tag army Washington led and enjoyed learning how the Constitution came to be written and what it contained. 

  

At one point, they became Congress and learned how a bill became a law, creating their own and putting it through the process.

So, Happy Birthday, America! We’ve come a long way, baby!

   

In honor of our country’s birth, I’m giving away a signed paperback copy of Picture Perfect to one lucky person who:
1. subscribes to my website here and…
2. leaves me a comment here telling us what you do on Independence Day.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!
HUGS,
DEENA 

Independence Day, a Driver’s License, and Gray Hair

I knew this was coming. I’d only been hearing about it for about a year now. Yes, tomorrow is Independence Day, and I love the holiday and all it stands for, but this month, Eldest will be… driving! That kind of freedom I’m not sure I’m ready for.

She already has her driver’s permit to practice. She’s already taken the six-hour class. And now, I sit in front of the phone, staring at it, wondering when my brain and hand are going to speak to each other so I can call and schedule her drive time. Oh, my goodness! When did my six-year-old become old enough to drive a car?!

I’ve actually sat in the car with her already. She’s started it and driven to the entrance of our development. And then we do the switch-up for me to drive the rest of the way to wherever we’re going. I don’t know who’s more nervous about this whole endeavor, her or me.

Me, for obvious reasons: Oh my, God! I have to go out in real traffic with someone who knows nothing of driving a car? We’re gonna die!

Her, for obvious reasons: Oh my, God! I have to go out in real traffic with my mom and I know nothing about driving a car! We’re gonna die! 

The initial thrill and elation over receiving her permit has waned into a swell of under-enthusiasm. I can understand. This is the child that does not meet things head on. Nor does she dive into anything, rather she dabs her toe in tot est the waters. I know she can’t be that way for this next level of independence. She must greet it with gusto and confidence.

So, I sit here, ready to make that call. Ready to put my own confidence in a retired police officer for three hours, maybe more, in order to push my little bird out of the nest and onto our major roadways and highways. Roads where the posted speed limit is 65 and 75 miles per hour, but people usually go faster.

I just felt ten more gray hairs spring from my head. Really. Oh, dear Lord in heaven! I actually searched online for a Driver’s Prayer, fully thinking there wouldn’t be one. Well, I found a couple. There’s one for Christians and one for Jews, both pretty much say, God help me drive well and not kill anyone. And make sure no one kills me either.

AMEN!