Whataweek! A reflection

The Two "Non-schoolers"

I remember on the Monday of the first week of teaching the children last year.  Chris walked in the door, I was all dressed in workout clothes. I quickly greeted him and headed out the door for a walk.  I needed to get away from the echo's of "MOMMY I NEED HELP" and "CAN YOU WIPE MY BOTTOM?"  I felt frazzled and had to pray to bring my self down from the intense feeling that I was not cut out for this.  The year got better, mostly because I slacked off and drank more... but never the less I rarely felt like I needed to run away. 
What a difference a year makes.  Hang on!  This first week was a smooth flow of  Virtues and Saints, Handwriting and Reading, History and Math, Science and Hands on fun.  Even the 4 year old has been integrated into our day and isn't on the fringe playing Legos or begging for attention.  The 19 month old sits with us and eats cereal or plays with/eats play dough, but she seems happy too. I believe it is because I am happy.  I made my own curriculum.  I prepared extensively during the last weeks of summer.  Our work is based in great works of literature and not in dry textbooks.  We work as a family.  I Love It. A HUGE help has been Teaching Textbooks  for math.  It is all on the computer and I just have to check the grades.
Last year I thought my favorite thing about homeschooling would be sleeping in and staying in pajamas all day.  Well, when I wear the clothes I slept in, all day, I feel like a hobo.

  This year (so far...) I get up at 6 and go to the gym.  I have prayer time.   I come home ready for my J.O.B.  The kids get up, eat breakfast, get dressed, and make their beds.  All of this tells our sleepy brains "Hey! Its time to get serious."

  I love to stay up late.  I mean, I feel deeply rebellious against bed time.  The natural consequence of going to bed late because you were watching Duck Dynasty, is,  if you get up early, you feel like crap.  (Well, you do if you are old like me.) So, as much as I really hate it.  I have to go to bed, before 11. So far so good... well except for last night, I went out with my friends who also homeschool their children.  There is nothing like being with a bunch of Catholic ladies, who are "in the same boat" as I am, while being served tequila.  So. Much. Fun. We were loud and My friend and I got a chance to evangelize to our waiter.

 

 

So with all that said.  I pray, that I can be consistent.  Like most weaklings, I can start things with the best of them, what is the merit in that?? But sticking with it long term is H-A-R-D for me! They are worth it-  Those little sweet souls that God gave Chris and I to guide.  So if you read this.  Pray for me.  

 



 

So Much

I have spent the better part of the last week "lesson planning"  I am enjoying it.  Maybe I just enjoy the perfectly valid excuse to be off by myself in quiet. I have a great reason to grab a snack, get the kids busy with something, and tuck myself into a corner with the computer along with lots of fun supplies, and lay out plans for the year.
I often marvel at how much God leads me around life.  I find myself smack dab in the center of His will for me without much effort.  (Lately, it as simple as saying yes to my husbands decisions) I will often look at a given situation and swear that it can't be what I want or need, but God leads and I follow and it ends up better than I could have imagined.  Homeschooling is one of these such situations.  I remember sitting with a friend when we lived in Houston and literally making fun of women who would be crazy enough to undertake such an endeavor.  (We currently are both homeschooling our children.)  In our house when your foolish behavior backfires on you, we say "See, God don't like Ugly" yes I realize how horrible the grammar is, but it is gratifying when a child is pointing and laughing at their sibling and in their distraction trips and falls to say it...God don't like ugly... well I pointed and laughed at homeschoolers and tripped and fell right into it!
We find ourselves at a cross roads when it comes to where we will attend Church.  We have had few lovely grace filled years going to an Eastern rite Catholic Church, which I fought tooth and nail when my husband suggested we visit. Being a part of that parish brought new friends, new perspective, and new life adventures.  In prayer. Chris and I have heard Our Lord calling us away from our little Church.  We have been attending an Anglican Use Catholic church.  (If you wonder what that is click here.) Again, I am being led and not very smoothly.  I doubt my husband and his wisdom, I look to my feelings for guidance rather than Gods whisper of a voice.  Not to say we will leave St. Basil's behind completely, I love the tradition so much that I couldn't stay away. Still though, its sad to move on but peaceful to know you are resting in the hands of the one who made you and knows you.