Hurray!! We did it! The LEA visit was this morning and it was FAB! We always make a big deal of 'Miss Paula's visit. It is a major annual event in our home. The boys were racing me to the door to welcome her in! LOL! I don't think that dear lady has ever heard our doorbell.  As soon as she pulls up they all race to the door to be the first to say hi!

   For us it is a bit like our 'schools' parent's evening for the year. We get a chance to put together all we have done this year into displays and show off all the great work the boys have put in. We decorate the room with projects and pictures they have made. We have experiments out to show. We have a slide show presentation of our outings, projects, and get togethers with other homeschoolers.

   The boys each got to show off their reading skills to Miss Paula too! This was the first full year with Monkey being 'officially' home educated and he got to read one of his HOP readers to her - very proudly I might add! He got every word right - well done Monkey!! McGee chose a passage from his favourite book which is Heidi. He read the bit where Heidi meets Clara. He did stumble over just one or two words, but she was really impressed with his comprehension and inflection as he read! He read it with such feeling!! Whoo Hoo! Not bad for a child who just twelve months ago was a really relunctant reader, huh?

   She also commented on my more relaxed feeling in our homeschool. On one hand I'm much more organised and next year will be a bit more structured than in the past. On the other hand I'm far less worried about homeschooling. I have been tied in knots because McGee wasn't reading at 7 and Monkey didn't know all his letters at 5. Now I have had my theories proved right! By backing off of my relunctant reader and not 'forcing' the issue he is now devouring books left, right and center! My working in several different ways with my Kinetic learning Monkey meant he not only got the letters but is sailing through phonics work now and reading starting readers!

   I always believed and defended the 'later is better than early' approach. However, deep down I had those moments of wondering if I was 'blowing it' and they were going to end up as illiterate teenagers! LOL!  Now that it has proven to work, I'm much more relaxed about following my maternal instincts and God's leading. I can do what works best for my boys, no matter if it looks different to what is done in schools and by other home educators!

   We also talked alot about the national home ed scene. It is nice to get a 'professionals' take on some of the things that are going on. We had to laugh - alot! I wish I could clone her and that every home ed family in the country could have a 'Miss Paula home ed inspector'. She in turn said she wished that she could have more parents like me who actually 'do' school in an engaging fashion, and are pro-LEA involvment. There are so many who still see the LEA as the 'enemy'!  

   Anyway, that is done for another year and the boys did us proud! They answered all her interested questions about their work and projects. They remembered all the things they had done this year. They were excited and enthusiastic. She laughed about how 'unsocialised' these poor homeschoolers were! They were happily talking about Beavers, Cubs, mission trips, foster kids, church clubs, and homeschool get togethers! They were happy about 'orally reporting' their activities to an adult.

   We prayed this morning as a family that the time would go well and that it would be a testimony too! Boy did God answer prayer. (He has a neat habit of that doesn't He?)

   She even talked about spreading the word about Math U See amongst home educators!  Also about listing the UK blog on the resource sheet they give out to home schooling families! So this was a truely great morning all around. Daddy has a tradition of going out to dinner to celebrate after our LEA visit. So I'm excited too because I don't have to cook tonight!  

   Thanks for all the prayers and support!