Back To School

As we launch into a fresh school year  I am reminded of some of the things that I had forgotten over the summer.

 We've been homeschooling a little over three years now, and by no means am I an expert, but I have figured out a few little strategies that work for us. 

Before I started homeschooling I talked to all the homeschooling moms that I knew.  I picked their brains and asked them questions, and followed them around looking for tips and pointers.  This is some of the wisdom I gleaned.

Mom should get an early start.  Even if your official school day doesn't start till ten o'clock it helps so much if you are up and dressed and have a handle on your day before you expect your children to start school.  Take it from someone who has tried to do school in her pajamas--it's not conducive to good learning.

Plan ahead for lunch.  Even if you just make sure there are ingredients for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on hand.  If you are distracted by trying to figure out what to feed your children as they are finishing up their last subject before lunch it doesn't make you a very helpful teacher.

Relax.  I know this seems silly, but sometimes I panic over my children not remembering something they learned yesterday.  Teaching is like building a brick wall you lay a brick, and spread some mortar, and then you lay another brick........you get the idea.

Don't compare yourselves to other homeschooling mom's.  What works for you might look totally different than what works for someone else.  I have a good friend who home schools in the afternoon, and although that would never work at my house she is very successful.  ( This also applies to curriculum by the way.)

Plan for some easier days.  You might do this by working extra a couple days a week, or just by including some days off on your calender.  It always amazes me how much more I feel like working after we have had a fun day.

Begin every day with prayer.  This year we have been taking turns praying before we start our school day.  I've been amazed at the things my boys pray about--asking God to help them remember their addition facts, and to help them concentrate.  Every day goes better if it's covered in prayer!

Memories of The Good Old Days

I scoop his wet little body out of the bathtub and he giggles as he glimpses his face in the mirror behind me.  I look over my shoulder and feel a little shock of surprise as I see my own face next to his.  Where did those lines come from on my forehead?  Next to his sweet little baby face I look old.  Well, not old exactly.......I look like my mom. 

I'm not sure why it surprises me--except that in my mind I'm still a teenager.  I have a slim figure, and my hair is thick and dark, not thin and salt and pepper.  To tell you the truth I enjoy that mental image of myself better than the one that I see in the mirror. 

I had an endless supply of energy, and no responsibility.  Life was simple and carefree with no major complications other than what I was going to do that weekend.  Sometimes I think it would be fun to go back to those days of simplicity.

But then I remember--it wasn't really simple back then either.  I wasn't as comfortable as I am now.  I stressed over little things, and I worried about what people thought of me.  I didn't slip into prayer as easily as one thought to the next.  I tried to be someone cool instead of who I really was. 

My grandma used to tell me.  "This is the best time of your life."  At the time I thought she meant when I was young, but looking back now I think she meant now--the present.  In other words enjoy where you are now.  Don't live in the past and don't worry about the future.  Live today in the most alive way possible, and appreciate the present.

 Even if there are a few wrinkles and gray hairs.

Random Thoughts on a Tuesday

Pondering some questions..........

Why do I feel so tired when I just got back from a three day vacation?

Why does the first day of homeschooling make me so nervous when I've been doing this for three years?

Why did my littlest one pick today to wake up at 5:00am?

OK, enough questions.

 More than once this past weekend I looked in my rear view mirror, and felt a measure of shock at how FULL our van looks.  I know those of you with 8 children are laughing at me, but there was a time when I didn't know if we would have ANY children.  Telling a restaurant hostess that there are six in our party sounds surreal to me.  The other thing that shocks me is how easily we have slipped into this roll as parents of four instead of two.

 I didn't know we were that adaptable. :)

Homemade is Better

 

Today I'm canning tomato juice.  Last year I canned very little juice as we were living in a camper during the majority of the canning season. ( Long story that I'll tell some other time. )  Anyway, at the time I thought it would make little difference because tomato juice is fairly inexpensive in the store.  Little did I know how wrong I was.

We use tomato juice a number of different ways.  I use it to make homemade tomato soup, chili, spanish rice, and a number of different casseroles and we also enjoy drinking it chilled as a snack.  Sadly the tomato juice from the store tastes VERY different from the home canned variety.

I soon realized that my home version of tomato juice is really more like a V8 juice.  I put onions, green peppers, and some seasonings in my tomato juice.  The store variety has tomatoes, water, and salt listed as the ingredients.  Also it has a weird metallic taste to it that I can't identify, but do not enjoy.  We even tried the kind that comes in a plastic bottle, and it STILL tasted of metal.

Anyway, my conclusion is that the extra effort that it takes to can tomato juice is well worth it for our family. 

What do you can that can't be compared to "store bought?" 

Foster Parenting Is.......

We are nine weeks into our fostering journey, and what a ride it's been!  Please understand that I would love to post more details, but I want to respect the privacy of our foster children and their birth family, and also maintain a certain amount of privacy for our family. 

Over the last nine weeks I've made some observations about fostering.  If you are a veteran foster parent and are reading this please bear with me as I'm still "wet behind the ears."

Foster parenting is..........

loving little ones like they are here to stay--while knowing they may leave.

having your heart in your throat when you recognize your social workers number on caller ID.

living in limbo while waiting for the next court date.

sleepless nights for you and little ones after a difficult change in their case.

trying to explain to a 2 year old something you can barely wrap your mind around.

giving up a lot of extra activities because what the foster babies need is security and sameness.

sometimes feeling like your life is completely out of control.

having very little privacy due to the steady stream of people in your home.

totally worth it because there are little souls involved!!!!!

If you know someone who is fostering please encourage them.  Tell them you are praying for them.  Offer to cook a meal for them or clean their house.  It may not be apparent to the outside observer how exhausting the job is emotionally, and physically.  To those of you who have done this for years I applaud you.  God bless you for your faithfulness in a hard, but rewarding task!

Romantic or Practical

I received two gifts for my anniversary.

 

One romantic..............

 

 

and one practical.

I liked both of them!!

What type of gifts do you enjoy receiving?

Fourteen Years Ago

I was 18 he was 22.

I was scared, I think he was too.

I had no clue what the future would hold.

How hard it would be, or how wonderful.

We first met at a church youth rally.  My husband and his brother arrived late for the first service, and he noticed me from the back of the church.  He whispered to his brother that he was going to marry that girl, and when my husband says he is going to do something it generally happens.  This was no exception. 

After the church service a group of youth went to Pizza Hut.  When we arrived I was the last one to be seated and guess who was sitting across from me.  We started talking, and something just clicked.  I felt like I had known him all my life. 

I can't believe it's been fourteen years!!  In some ways it seems like yesterday. 

Can't wait to spend another fourteen years together!

(The figurine is the cake topper from our wedding cake.)