Homeschool life

Our kids are enjoying the blessing of being a part of a homeschool enrichment program here in Colorado.  It is funded and run through one of the local public school systems. (= FREE!) They go to "school" one day a week and get a bunch of fun and amazing stuff that we couldn't (wouldn't?) do at home.  They also get skilled instruction from very credible and capable teachers - my favorite part!  (Did I ever mention that I'm a nurse by trade - not an educator?!)  In early December the school hosted a winter showcase and parents were encouraged to attend.  Below are some sweet pictures of the great projects they created over the fall semester.

D and his buddy at winter band concert

Art class creations

Cafeteria buddies

Technology class

Social studies project

Art class...

...and more art.

Art is her favorite!

And, of course, a cat.

Technology class - movie making

Learning to log in

School's in session

Choo choo!  All about the learning express!  Feeling fairly settled in after our move, today the kids and I began our official journey into 2nd and 5th grade.  We kept a bit of schooling going all summer to keep brain atrophy from setting in.  But today we took a swing at all 4 subjects for both kids. With this being our 5th year of homeschool, I’ve learned (the hard way) to keep expectations low and to-do lists lower.  I’m hopeful that several of the things we’ll be doing this year will lead to simplification and a more productive and peaceful year.  First, we’re sticking with our favorite math curriculum - Math-U-See.  Some how we lucked out that the same curriculum works well for both our kids - even though they’re of differing genders.  I’ve heard this is not always the case.  Second, I’ll be teaching them together in the subjects of science (as we did last year) and history.  With a three year spread between them and both of them reading well beyond their grade level, this works nicely for the two of them and is a huge time-saver for me. 

Lastly, we’re taking a new approach to language arts by switching to Shirley English, digital edition.   For as much as I looooove to read and write, I have also discovered that I looooooooath teaching language arts.  Loathe. It.  What we were using before (good stuff from Peacehill press…great curriculum, nothing inherently wrong with it) was making us want to pluck our eyelashes out, slash our wrists, and beat ourselves with chains.  Okay, maybe that’s a little over-dramatized.  But we were not loving life in the language arts arena.  I longed for a (free) tutor that would whisk my children away to pour into them the finer points of English and language arts.  But then I woke up.  Shirley English, digital edition, seems like the next best thing.  We’ll trial it out and I’ll let you know. :-)

This first day was full of fun and surprises.  Our son was able to articulate his long term goals for his life.  And they were hilarious.  To me.  Our daughter, bless her heart, had a rumbly tummy all day which made for some interesting sounds and smells.  And she still managed to ace her math test.  As we rounded the corner to close out our day, nearly at dinner time, I was reminded of what a privilege it is to stay at home and prepare my children for their place in the kingdom of God on earth.  

Here are a few other things we’re excited for this year:

Overdrive access through our local library district - so many titles to choose, books available in print and audiobook formats, for a variety of platforms!

Weekly Homeschool Academy - a public school district in our area offers a one-day-a-week program for homeschoolers to enrich and enhance what they’re already learning at home.  8:15am - 3:15pm…we’ll see if these 2 homeschoolers can hack it!

Zoo membership - with a zoo merely 20 minutes from our home, why not take advantage!  We’ll use these field trips to further our science curriculum for the year, Apologia’s Zoology 3 (land animals)

First Day...of the 3rd grade (and Kindergarten, too!)

We made it!  We survived day #1 of homeschooling with 2 students in our classroom.  The principal opened us in prayer this morning and we hit the school-ground runnin'! I'll admit that schooling 2 of them at home using different curriculum for each of them took my organization and planning skills to a new extreme level.  But I believe that we will get in a groove soon and we won't be working until 3:00 (as we did today).  Our li'l girl is the most eager learner I've ever seen - she's got enough learning eagerness for both of them!  Her curriculum is pre-planned and all set up for me to teach.  Phew!  Such a relief!  Li'l man's curriculum takes quite a bit more planning and plotting - but is also more flexible.  One of our goals this year is to help him grow into being a self-starter when it comes to learning.  For us, that means that he gets to make SOME decisions about what he does and when.  He likes to procrastinate :-) so hopefully using this method he will soon learn that the only person that inconveniences is himself.  Also, cursive is on the agenda - and he is excited about it!  Another goal is to have li'l girl reading by Christmas.  She complains LOUDLY that it isn't fair that brother can read and she can't! :-)

So thankful for this opportunity to make the best investment I can into my family by being at home during these years!  And also thankful for a husband who supports me and, in accordance with Proverbs 31:28, "her husband also blesses her and praises her".

2 cutest kids in class :-) (apparently they decided the dress code was varying shades of blue)

Recess!

 "ABCD" by li'l girl

A kingdom perspective

We homeschool.  Have I ever mentioned that? Yes?  Well, today was a typical Tuesday in our house. With school out of the way early in the day we were free to run errands in the afternoon.  And it was on the way home from those errands that something wonderful happened - a small miracle.


In recent weeks it has been my personal and public prayer for God to help me and our family stay mindful of His kingdom...the work He is faithfully doing in our hearts and in our land.  In fact this morning I had spent some precious moments with the Lord, in His presence, reading His word and asking Him again to help me be mindful.  My heart was in tune and my mind was alert.


But as we came to a stop at the red light just outside our gate, I felt the question rise in me again.  One of those questions I face almost daily.  Another homeless person? Everyday?  Always at least one standing outside our post gates...asking, begging for money, for mercy, for help.  It has become easy to grow calloused to them, for they are always there. And who knows if they are really homeless? - or scandals instead.  I have reasoned with myself that if I gave money to every one of them everyday, well, you know...


Today, though, my son didn't see him right away.  I had already noticed the man, unshaven, unkempt, with his sign held out for all to read.  I had already reasoned with my heart and conscience.  But as the light turned green and we rolled on, my little man caught sight of him.  And as a second grader, my boy can now read.  He read the man's position and his plea: "Homeless. Please help."  What came from his mouth was both poignant and pleading. "Mom, we should have given him some money."  I thought for a brief moment.  What should I say? Lord, don't let me sound jaded or closed off.  Help me show tenderness and grace. I responded, "Did you bring any of your money?" "No," he replied. "Next time, if you give him one of your dollars I'll pay you back when we get home." 


Now, to appreciate this it is helpful to understand the child who spoke those words.  He is a saver and a bit of a tightwad - unless it's someone else's money. :-) He can save for weeks on end in order to buy a certain toy he wants.  He's unwavering and doesn't allow temptations to throw him off his savings plan.  Who can blame him? - he works hard for his money.  But today, he was moved with compassion at the sight of a man asking for help.


It would have been easy to have said, "Okay, honey.  Next time that happens, I'll give him a dollar and you can pay me back."  But my heart has been set on looking for God's kingdom work - in the here and now.  "Next time" may be too late.  So I said to my son, "Do you want me to turn around? I have a dollar in my wallet." His reply made my heart smile, "Yes, Mom.  I prayed for wisdom this morning and I think God would want me to do this."  Not wanting to be outdone, I pulled out two dollars - one to match his. 


I'd been praying for eyes to see the kingdom at work, for opportunities where God would have me do His kingdom work.  And just outside the gates of this "kingdom" in which I live, I found an answer - a reply from the King.


We circled back around and exited the gate we'd just entered.  "Hand them to me, Mom, and roll down my window please.  I'll give them to him."  And so he did.  As the man approached the back window, he looked my son straight in the eyes and said, "Thank you.  May you be richly and abundantly blessed, young man." I couldn't have said it better myself.  A sweet conversation followed that teaching moment as we talked together of Solomon asking for wisdom, of passages from James, and of teachings from Jesus about the greater blessing being in the giving, rather than the receiving. 


And once again, the greatest lesson in our homeschool day came not from a textbook, but from Yahweh. :-)