All She Wanted Was
To Be A Real FReeper
In the Spotlight today is an amazing young lady that many of us first had contact with last year about this time. This is her story, as told by her FReeper dad, Carry Okie. Those of you who attended the FRIVA Convention last month might have had the privilege of meeting her in person, as well as her little sister, FReeper PowerBaby, who is eighteen months her junior.
NattieShea
At Freeva Las Vegas!
by Carry Okie
Thanks to Syncro and others who provided the FReeva photos!
She was so small when you first met her. Born 9-11, 1992. She had that spirit of wanting to belong to something larger than herself, wanting to do something to make a better world. She knew she was special, because it's hard not to know that when you've skipped three grade levels by the time you are six. With that, however, has come more a sense of responsibility than hauteur, something that the other kids recognized even in preschool.
It was her fifth birthday with fifteen kids at the table; NattieShea ran that party; gently keeping the others in line by handing them each one of her presents to open for her, in turn. In return however, they had to wait until she had read the card and made sure Mom had recorded the giver so that she could write the thank you notes.
The adults could only watch in disbelief.
At seven I had to pull her out of private school, because she was bored to tears and showing the stress of it. I was writing a book at the time and we had no idea how we were going to survive financially (still don't). It was hard at first, for both of us. She wasn't used to the flip side of school: total concentration upon her work and a daddy who consistently demanded nothing less than her best.
Celebrating the election of President Bush, Fresno, February(?) 2000.
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By the age of eight, she had completed her first year of high-school algebra and was factoring quadratics in her head.
This kid has led something of a charmed life. I sent her on a trip to New York as a reward for the hard work. She had a private backstage tour of the Metropolitan Opera on the shoulders of a conductor, front row seats for Fosse, Blue Man Group, and a closed door tour of the Met, and the highlight to her was the Statue of Liberty. But to her, that wasn't her big reward: She got to post her first (typed) term paper on FreeRepublic.
All she wanted was to be a real FReeper. On her first post, she wouldn't let me tell people her age until someone asked. She wanted to be judged on her own merits and know where she stood. You were confused, but most kind (thank you Askel5).
It was Seven stars for Aslan, a little paper about The Chronicles of Narnia.
From the conclusion:
It's very clear to me that C. S. Lewis wanted to make the Bible and the commandments clear to children because he loved them. Mr. Lewis built stories around them. They were stories he thought you, I, or anybody would love, learn, and remember. His books taught me some of the morals and about the structure of the Bible:
- If you make a mistake, you will be given a chance to fix it, but it is harder than doing the right thing in the first place.
- When you are separated from your partners, have faith in them.
- Don't be deceived by evil because it leads to slavery.
- If you do right and love God, you will receive your reward.
- If you do that, all your life, when you die you will go to heaven, and live with Aslan, forever.
NattieShea's sister works at her desk...
FReeper PowerBaby
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...while NattieShea works, well, wherever.
 Reading "The Life of Patrick Henry",
Mortar takes note (Dutch Shepherd).
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Our little school has taken on quite a character, if only because it seems simultaneously so normal and unique. School starts at 8:30, sharp. No excuses. The kids arise, dress for school, cook breakfast, clean up, arrive, get hugs, and ask what to do. They get assignments and do them. Most of them are self directed (while I work). If they have a question, I'll drop most anything to answer it (except for the phone). If I am busy they simply sit down and read. It's that simple.
Cooking Spaghetti for Mom.
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After school, they play, or (if Mom is running late) they cook dinner. You would have a hard time stopping them from doing that because they love to help. They get to feel like they are contributing to the household (I know, I wasn't that way as a kid either, but then, I went to public school and watched a lot of TV).
When I've done punishing them with school, they occasionally get to go to parties where they play with "normal kids." (Subversive, isn't it?)
You see, we live in the People's Repubelick of Santa Cruz County, California. We stick it out to drive the libberills crazy and because we like it here. To all the FReepers who stupidly write off California, well I have a bone to pick. There are decent, honest, hard working, and kind people here who don't deserve it. We will fight the beast on its own ground. We ain't leaving. We will defeat this beast on its home turf, where we know it best.
Yep. Our home school curriculum is subversive as hell. We even conduct clandestine PC survivalist training sessions.
Her political education in political economics is taking a serious turn to the right. She started a college-level economics text last year and is learning ever more about how liberals think. Last year's term paper concerned five books by Charles Dickens, An Angry Boy Who Changed the World
Here is the conclusion to that paper:
Dickens was so distracted with his anger over his childhood, that he couldn't see the benefits of the Industrial Revolution. Industry gave work to poor people so that they could provide children food and shelter. Technology made essential goods available to those who couldn't otherwise afford them. The migration of workers to the factories spurred business for remaining farmers. Industry created demand for interesting new skills. Technology created new opportunities for professionals to solve complex problems. The Industrial Revolution produced the wealth that, in time, improved living and working conditions for everyone. 25,26
Through his novels, Dickens’ subjective perception of the Industrial Revolution created a culture of hostility against industrial development and a habit of depending upon government to solve the problems by restricting business. That cultural bias has the capability to harm the poor and middle class workers whom Dickens was trying to help.
It took WAY too long, but she did OK.
We occasionally travel to promote THE BOOK. The kids get to witness the damage wrought by government environmentalism upon the West. To see the spreading desertification of the Great Basin as a consequence of grazing regulations, gives them a real appreciation for the food God puts on our table and a passion for the blessings of liberty.
Here is one little gem from the Rodeo/Chediski Fire:
We just completed a grueling tour of the Southwest, 16 days, 3500 miles, much of it camping out (to save money besides enjoying the scenery). There were 11 speeches. The kids took the money, handled the VISA orders, and were so durned cute that people couldn't resist. Many times I was asked if they were home educated, with the comment, "It is obvious." Here we are on the last leg (and I was well beyond mine).
So imagine how this kid felt when last year she woke up on her ninth birthday to this...
And you can only imagine what I would do to the wretched bastards who did it.
Her conclusion? Every night at thanksgiving she offers,
"I pray that America comes back to God."
Amen. ~ Carry Okie
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