Jun. 11, 2007 - My education is just beginning
He said to me this morning that he feels like he learned more in this one year of homeschooling than he ever did in his last 16 years of public school. Well I guess maybe that would be 11 because he is 17 years old. Anyway, I was encouraged to keep on keeping on with my younger boys.
Looks like I stepped off the face of the earth, wow! I haven't had time or thought to do this since last year. What a busy year it has been. Time for a facelift. Looking back .....
I thought that I would have blogged regularly but adding a high schooler to my mix this year was quite overwhelming. CLASS is A LOT OF WORK. ugh....I feel bad for all the tediousness that he went through but I feel good at the same time because his view of this last year is really positive.
We moved in December and I misplaced most of my 3rd grader's curriculum....sooo....I went to Sam's Club and found some workbooks. We focused on Math and Reading and Geography for most of the spring. I think though, that our major learning took place in our 
hearts this year. My 8 year old with some behavior issues is only a memory of the past. His character and willingness to learn has really jumped off. I realized that the less I try to control him, the more he learns self-control. Ah....refreshing the humility that comes with making that statement.
I realized that I am excited to be a pre-schooler as a 30 year old.
My 4 year old is gently coming to a realization of the importance of knowing how to read ON HIS OWN. I love it. I don't have to send him off and have someone else force that on him. It is a simple natural progression in his thought life. So here we are with a Rod and Staff preschool curriculum and a mother who is re-learning what true "learning" is all about. It is a deep desire within us to grow. It really has nothing to do with someone telling us what they think we ought to know . A, B, C's and 1,2,3's are simply stepping stones into .....ugh.....too deep for me.....ha!.............well....I have been deeply inspired by Just Call Me Jamin. I need to add her to my friends, she is fabulously out there!
My 2 year old is sweeter than I can even put into words. Even his rotteness is sweet. Ihave been enjoying these last 2 weeks just me and him in the morning while the other two have been at 2 different VBS's.
My journey as a mother has severely been enriched this past year. I am absolutely in love with my children. They are no longer a novelty of sorts and really I am so content with this "Calling" from God to be home with them in their education. I must say though that I am looking forward to being just "Mom" for the summer and not "enforcer of workbook completion". I endeavor to move beyond that this fall a bit as I realize the blessings of actually planning out a schoolyear. I know however that I am a very spontaneous and spacey person, so I am trying to simply plan out some units to throw in to our regular stuff.
Big Sigh....
My naivity as a senior in public high school is very apparent to me now. My education is just beginning.
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Sep. 6, 2006 - taking the plunge again
This year I will be homeschooling two out of my four boys (and a bit of "pre"school for my 4 year old). My stepson is 16 and has moved in with us and decided to homeschool through the rest of his high school years. So we will use CLASS with him and I am going to do a bit of experimenting this year with my 3rd grader. He hates writing and anything that seems like it is not just a game. This presents itself as a challenge for me to cause him to realize life is more than all games but still make things interesting and fun. I struggle with organization so that is my goal for myself this year. To fine some sort of organization tools that I can work with and keep up with. I don't want him to have any gaps in his education so I really need to find a good dayplanner or something.....something for daily record keeping. I don't like report cards though. But the Lord may change my mind about that one. My other goal is to start each day with our eyes fixed on Jesus. I did a google for some kind of daily homeschool devotional to do with your kids but to no avail as of yet. I look forward to having more normalcy around here....uh......what am I thinking! Ah well.....comments and any ideas would be greatly appreciated....Thanks
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Jul. 3, 2006 - Halfway through Summer
Shall I look at this half full or half ...nah! The negative thoughts can just stay at bay for another month and then hopefully my perspective will change. The cool air will help. We made it through our first year of homeschool. It was good. It was not always easy and we only made it through half of the AO Lifepacs for the second grade, but the experience was good, and the knowledge I gained was good. Somtimes I wonder if I didn't learn a lot more than he did this past year. I am enjoying this piece of raspberry pie and the lazy summer days right now. My oldest (step) son just moved in with us and is contemplating leaving the "social" realm of public high school and joining us at home this fall. So with my hands raised high and my butt in a wicker chair I give my sons to my Almighty Precious Savior once again. I have goals for this coming year that mostly involve organizational skills, but for now I will enjoy swinging my littlest one in the swing in the backyard and getting dirty with the others while washing the mangy cat in the kiddie pool. I look forward to broadening my horizons to many different types of curriculum this coming year. I am not so worried about where the money will come from for this because I know that my Provider has it all set up for us. Thanks for reading. May the days continue to be long and slow and the memories encaptured often for you.
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Mar. 19, 2006 - Even Though We Butt Heads
I was at a local homeschool fair/mini convention yesterday and I heard something that I needed to hear desperately. Sue Brage was giving the workshop entitled "What I thought I knew about Homeschooling, and What I know now" (my own paraphrase).......anyway.......at one point she said how a woman had come to her afraid to homeschool because she and her daughter were like oil and vinegar....or salt and vinegar (gosh I have a horrible memory).....anyway their personalities just did not mesh at all. Sue's response was that maybe she and her daughter were the perfect candidates for homeschooling because of exactly that. God intends for us to "love one another" above all else. When we are in the dregs with our kids and trying to figure out what just happened and how we could have done that better.....we are closest to the heart of God. So in that intensely intimate homeschool relationship we have with our children (butting heads)....Sue showed me that in that place we find God there. Refining us, transforming our hearts and minds, drawing us closer to our children and therefore closer to Him. She cited the verse Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
So in those harsh and difficult moments with my ds, I can find (if I seek) the perfect will of God.
note:
In case you are wondering more about Sue Brage and her ministry you can check out her website at http://www.homeschool-encourager.com/
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Feb. 17, 2006 - Cleaning the carpet...
was my main function as a mother today. Two out of the three of these boys contributed to that purpose. Sparing the details of their bodily functions, neither of them acted sick or fluey today after the initial incidents. I just hope my littlest one doesn't have a rough night of it. So we took the day off from the curricula and had a reading day. I still feel like I am pretty hardline about "doing school" every weekday. I worry some days if I am either too strict or not strict enough about the amount that is completed in the AO LifePacs. So many things (and hands) are tugging me in so many different directions at this time. Am I neglecting the little ones in leu of making sure J does at least two pages of math, lang. arts, ect...? I am also quite frustrated that I almost never get any time do read the things that I want to read. Selfish I know, but by the time they are all in bed I am so tired that all I really feel like doing is eating chocolate and having a cup of Sleepytime and crashing on the recliner (that I have stolen from dh). I love reading and J just whines every time I make him do it. Will someone candidly tell me what's wrong with this picture? Thank you in advance.
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Feb. 17, 2006 - Where are you in the spectrum of Grace?
Grace. That's what I want to think about for a moment this evening. I just recently posted a comment on another weblog in opposition to her "irritation" with people who are late to church. My feeling is that the doors of a church should ALWAYS be open to whoever will come, whenever. If that happens to be in the middle of the "music" part of the worship service then so be it. If you get there 30 minutes before the service ends, so be it. If you get there "on time" without fail every week do you need a cookie(or some "on-time-churchgoer-of-the-month" plaque for that accomplishment? I have been to churches who lock their doors and don't let anyone in or out once the service has started. I never went back. It reeks to me of more of a performance than a gathering together of the saints for the sole purpose of worship. So what do you think?
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Feb. 10, 2006 - Olympic Heart
What an odd opening ceremony for the Olympics. dh says it reminded him of Greek theatre, whatever that means. The only part I did like (weird though it was) was the "Human Heart" portrayal.....intensely beatiful and captivating. Our house is very much glued to the t.v. during the Olympics. None of us are extrememly athletic but we love to watch and "critique". The human body is truly an amazing phenomenon. Happy Olympic watching to you all.
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Feb. 3, 2006 - Chocolate.......Please help me!!!
Hopefully someone will find me here and give me some idea of how to break this addiction to that wonderful substance that seems to melt away all of my stress as it melts in my mouth. I recently joined a gym and I am attempting to find that healthy cycle of life that has eluded me for about two years now. Chocolate is my nemesis I am figuring out. Once the stuff touches my lips I am swept away in my thoughts of obtaining it again for the rest of the day. I am not kidding. I have tried just having a "tiny" bit....but it does not work. I only want more. Ok. I hate to obsess about anything but I really am quite frustrated. There must be a country or blues song about this somewhere. Ah well, please post a comment if you have any suggestions or can empathize with me in any way. Happy Friday night to you, thanks in advance for reading (and posting).
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Jan. 28, 2006 - Sitting on a Bag of Frozen Corn
I have a cold again. I think I broke my tailbone last week. The days just keep coming and going...and coming....and going.....I know this is just that old depression trying its hand again. I sat on a bag of frozen corn the other day. That seemed to help. The tailbone thing....not the depression....well maybe. Ok...that inspired me to go get the corn out of my freezer and stop whining. My Eli is almost weaned now. 13 months old. Some days I do my random head count (checking for noise - which is better than quiet)....anyway....while doing my head count for my 3 boys I begin to look around for the other one....but there is not another one....isnt that odd? My mom says she thinks that is prophetic that I will have another baby (hopefully a girl this time she recounts). Ah....my butt is getting numb. Can I be a good Christian woman and say that in a blog for all of the wandering blog lovers to discover? Now it (my butt) is actually becoming quite uncomfortable.
I joined a gym today. I am still wondering exactly why when I am so challenged on my rear end....well....actually....I was "challenged" in that area before I ever even fell off that flimsy black sled last Friday afternoon. That must be why. So I will swim for now. I like swimming. I really like it. Well...I have reached the end of my jabbering for this particular evening. I hope whoever reads this doesn't ever have to experience the arctic chill of pre-milled polenta at anytime in their life.
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Jan. 23, 2006 - Nickel Creek at E-Town
Boy that girl can fiddle.....I love it that Sara Watkins (and her brother Sean) of Nickel Creek were homeschooled....such aspirations I have for my boys of being fabulous musicians (hopefully a cellist among them).....I never really enjoyed any of the concerts I had been dragged to before I found Nickel Creek....and even though I am not as fond of their most recent release - I absolutely melted in anticipation of hearing the voices of their instruments (strings and vocal) in a live performance. If you have not heard of them...you will find a treat at http://www.nickelcreek.com/ just look for some samples of their stuff....well worth the hunt. I must also say that Chris Thile scooped up my heart during his dances with his mandolin. Funny how simply watching/living something like that can increase the size of your heart in measurable amounts.
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Jan. 23, 2006 - Hoo - Rayee !
I rememberd my password....well my email address changed recently and so I couldnt have my pw emailed to me because I needed to update it in my profile....anyway....it took me quite a few tries and I figured it out....yeah....back for more.....
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Dec. 6, 2005 - Here is another quote from Rich Mullins I found....profound
I think that of all the diseases in the world, the disease that all humankind suffers from, the disease that is most devastating to us is not AIDS, it's not gluttony, it's not cancer, it's not any of those things. It is the disease that comes about because we live in ignorance of the wealth of love that God has for us. Rich Mullins
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Dec. 6, 2005 - quotes from Rich Mullins
I never even knew Rich Mullins existed until after he died....and wow.....what a life he led....if you like these quotes check this link out http://pages.prodigy.net/dianamorris/mullfeat.htm
Quotes (by Rich Mullins)
- "Never forget what Jesus did for you. Never take lightly what it cost Him. And never assume that if it cost Him His very life, that it won't also cost you yours."
- "So go out and live real good and I promise you'll get beat up real bad. But, in a little while after you're dead, you'll be rotted away anyway. It's not gonna matter if you have a few scars. It will matter if you didn't live."
- "It's so funny being a Christian musician. It always scares me when people think so highly of Christian music, Contemporary Christian music especially. Because I kinda go, I know a lot of us, and we don't know jack about anything. Not that I don't want you to buy our records and come to our concerts. I sure do. But you should come for entertainment. If you really want spiritual nourishment, you should go to church...you should read the Scriptures."
- "We do not find happiness by being assertive. We don't find happiness by running over people because we see what we want and they are in the way of that happiness so we either abandon them or we smash them. The Scriptures don't teach us to be assertive. The Scriptures teach usand this is remarkablethe Scriptures teach us to be submissive. This is not a popular idea."
- "I had a prof one time... He said, 'Class, you will forget almost everything I will teach you in here, so please remember this: that God spoke to Balaam through his ass, and He has been speaking through asses ever since. So, if God should choose to speak through you, you need not think too highly of yourself. And, if on meeting someone, right away you recognize what they are, listen to them anyway'."
- "I think if we were given the Scriptures, it was not so that we could prove that we were right about everything. If we were given the Scriptures, it was to humble us into realizing that God is right, and the rest of us are just guessing."
- "Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in your beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken."
- "Bear in mind, children, that they listen to you because you are kidsnot because you are right. That's how our Father listens to us."
- "We never understand what we're praying, and God, in His mercy, does not answer our prayers according to our understanding, but according to His wisdom."
- "Yes, it's embarrassing to be born again, but imagine how embarrassing it must have been to be born the first time. At least this time you get to wear clothes!"
- "We are not saved because we're good. We're good because we're saved. Never forget what Jesus did for you."
- "If you've ever known the love of God, you know it's nothing but reckless and it's nothing but raging. Sometimes it hurts to be loved, and if it doesn't hurt it's probably not love, may be infatuation. I think a lot of American people are infatuated with God, but we don't really love Him, and they don't really let Him love them. Being loved by God is one of the most painful things in the world, it's also the only thing that can bring us salvation and it's like everything else that is really wonderful, there's a little bit of pain in it, little bit of hurt."
- "It's just that for so many people that I know, Christianity's this matter of ... it has everything to do with morals. Christianity is a religion about morals. And they will even talk about Jesus. And they will say kids need to know about Jesus so they won't smoke, drink, or dance, or go with girls that do, and all that kind of thing. And I kinda go, 'That's not why people need to know about Jesus. The only reasonthe only possible excuse for talking about Jesus is because we need a Savior.'"
- "I am a Christian, not because someone explained the nuts and bolts of Christianity to me, but because there were people willing to be nuts and bolts."
- "If you want a religion that makes sense, go somewhere else. But if you want a religion that makes life, choose Christianity."
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Nov. 22, 2005 - God....is....good....
Ah....the restful state of bliss after a chaotic few weeks of sickness for all of us. How sweet it is to be loved by Him. God is so good to me. We are settling into our curricula quite nicely. We had a hard time getting started back up after taking a week off because I could barely function. But here we are. God is good. Read it again slowly....God....is....good.
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Nov. 22, 2005 - Be Still
Be still and know that I am God.
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Nov. 1, 2005 - The Homeschool Janitor
I went downstairs this morning and found my "classroom" completely cleaned up. Vaccuumed, toys stacked neatly, desk cleared. I distinctly remember a huge wad of poster size paper and construction paper piled high on Judah's desk Friday afternoon. There was also the usual array of baby and toddler toys scattered to every corner of the room and the constant pile of laundry at the bottom of the stairs. Anyway, I have a wonderful husband. He just asked me what I thought of the new "janitor" he had hired (himself of course). 
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Oct. 16, 2005 - Lovely Loneliness and other Ramblings
Yes I love to be alone sometimes. Often times really. I love the quiet sounds. The hummings and tockings and whirrings of silence. Now complete "dead" silence is nice for a short while only. Too much of it and I start to feel like I should be "doing" something. I sometimes ache for quiet during the day. My Judah is a talker. His favorite thing to do when we go to the park is introduce himself to every adult there. I was afraid of adults when I was his age so this baffles me. I met a woman from my homeschool support group who says she was an adult lover when she was a child also. She says for her it was an attention getting mechanism. It seems, honestly, that Judah has the lionshare of my attention most days due to my current obsession with "making sure he is learning". Forwarning: Unschoolers please don't take offense to my honest attemt to understand your style. Here goes... Unschooling seems a bit irresponsible to (or should I say for) me. That is only because I know my natural tendency to be off in my own world. Monitoring an unschooled child's mental progress seems an impossibility to me. I have not done any research on this but I have a christian mom friend who chooses this for her to teenage daughters. I think maybe I will make a new entry on my exploration of different styles of homeschooling. Well the "silence" is lulling me to sleep. Thanks for listening.
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Oct. 5, 2005 - Where is God in all this?
Well I just wanted to write about my noticing a difference today.
I did not seek God this morning.
I had a rough day.
I tried to take a break from the LifePacs and do some "stained glass" autumn leaves as an art project this morning after letting Judah play in the neighbors leaves.
Well my project was "stupid" and I finally figured out that it was because I was helping the neighbor boy and my toddler more than I was helping him.
I think I would have saved my sore throat had I sought God this morning and in the midst of all the chaos with a prayer or something.
Tomorrow I will seek Him first. Lord willing.
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Sep. 30, 2005 - Definitions Super Hero
Main Entry: 1su·per 
Pronunciation: 'sό-p&r
Function: adjective
Etymology: super-
1 a -- used as a generalized term of approval super cook> b : of high grade or quality
2 : very large or powerful super atomic bomb>
3 : exhibiting the characteristics of its type to an extreme or excessive degree
Main Entry: he·ro
Pronunciation: 'hir-(")O, 'hE-(")rO
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural heroes
Etymology: Latin heros, from Greek hErOs
1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage
2 a : the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work b : the central figure in an event, period, or movement
3 plural usually heros : SUBMARINE 2
4 : an object of extreme admiration and devotion : IDOL
Clearly defined, the only manual I have that tells me exactly what I need to help my son accomplish these characteristics is the Bible. Thank you God and Mirriam Webster for the resources you have given me in my endeavor.
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Sep. 12, 2005 - Leaping Tall Buildings
Lord please be with me as a write this.
the curriculum came in a big box on the front porch this afternoon.
i was very excited.
he was not.
we had already had a fairly productive day.
Dick and Jane, Dinosaurs, bike riding, Chinese Tamagrams, and messy art.
so i mistakenly opened the box in the middle of my living room.
"oh man!, i don't want a curriculum, i don't want to do this," he says.
the money and the time involved enter my mind.
the anger monster roars behind the building of my calm exterior.
barely surfacing above the rooftops, i send him to his room quickly.
i call dad who once again soothes our son with his voice.
still boiling his words to remain excited despite the circumstances
give me the courage to move forward.
i love my husband.
i love my children.
yes, all of them.
maybe i didn't use my own two feet to jump the obstacle.
but the "lightening up" seemed to lift me right up over it.
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