Week # 2

Thoughts:

I am so very thankful for all the time I had to prepare myself mentally for homeschooling and get a whole new mindset/paradigm for our days & learning & schooling.  God gave me 6 months because He knows me so well.  He knew I would want the time to prepare my heart, mind & lesson plans :)   I am so thankful for the 6 months of faith & courage infused into me through lots of encouragement & wisdom from new homeschoolers, veteran homeschoolers, non homeschooling loved ones, and some totally awesome books.   The Joy of Relationship Homeschooling: Bringing the One Anothers Home - by Karen Campbell was probably the most impactful to get my mind wrapped around what is most important - the relationships & the heart.  Closer relationships was a major "why" for me when I think about why I homeschool. 

When asked, "why did you decide to homeschool?"  My answer differs depending on who I am talking to and the day (?) haha.   I have an entire list of why it makes sense for us and I have a list of good reasons - some logical, some mommy instinct, some spiritual.  But basically, we homeschool because we were called to.   God will show us deeper each year exactly why He asked.   The list just gets longer and longer.  Yes, I believe I will homeschool for a long time. 

Because I've had so long to prepare and talk about this journey with others, it seems natural and easy most times to answer school questions with, "we homeschool" and talk about it with whomever.  But I still get real enjoyment having a laugh with God when I have those moments when I answer, "we homeschool" and then I think "wait, what? homeschool?  my kid doesn't go to school anymore? weird"  :)    I chuckle when that moment comes because it lasts so shortly, and then I regain focus & remember.  Yes, this is a great thing, we homeschool.   I haven't had any panic attack moments and I have no regrets at all.   I haven't had a moment yet when I thought, "this is way too hard.  we can't do this" - because I know it's not about me and what I think I can do.  I have had moments already where I think, "this is not easy, God I need you big time".  

Like I wrote about before, a lesson I am SO THANKFUL God has been working out in me is to keep my focus on the Lord and not to compare with others or try to get validation from others.  Although I struggled with this forever and in many areas STILL struggle hard - in homeschooling, I just don't.  I am very sure of the calling He gave me.   If my focus ever does shift to what others must think of us for homeschooling or if I try to see myself from other's perspectives and wonder what they must think --- right away all of my insecurities come to the forefront of my mind and then come the lies and fears.   But, I've grow, thank you God!   I  can very quickly now just turn my focus back to Him & those nasty lies go away as quickly as they pop up!    I am very aware of my imperfections and very aware that God chooses the weak for His purposes.  He can use ANYBODY and can do ANYTHING!!! :)  I am thankful that He has helped me keep my eyes locked on Him and finding my security & affirmation in His gentle hand that leads us.  

What we are up to: 

For our heart / mindset work this week we moved from Rule # 1 (Always Do Your Best) to Rule # 2 (Be Okay With Mistakes).  We have been focusing on how God loves us. no.matter.what!!  It's based on HIM not based on US!!!  And so - mistakes are okay.  His grace does cover us.  YES we try our best....and THEN we accept grace for mistakes.  

I have learned a lot this week.  The children are great teachers.  :)  

The girls came downstairs and said, "Mommy we are ready for school" :)   I let Raymond do pajamas last week but I am finding that math really does require all of his concentration and alertness. It's what we do first after our circle & Bible time so he has to put on clothes & get moving now before we start.  The girls can wear whatever :) 

The "Daddy song" aka Lecrae Song is another great one, "All I Need Is You" and we know it's true.   :)  High or low, thick or thin.  All I need is you!  We are practicing that a lot and praying for God's help when we are feeling stumped, low, frustrated.  

 Evelyn is simply still working on writing, letter sounds and scissor skills.  When she's had enough - I let her go play with Annabelle :) I really am not pushing her.  We read like crazy and most of her learning time is away from the table. 

Annabelle spends a lot of time snuggling on my lap :)  and then stealing my phone and taking selfies:  

When she isn't taking selfies, she sits at my feet and colors, does stickers, puzzles, white board drawings, and a multitude of busy book, games, manipulatives, whatever I can get my hands on she will try!! :) 

On to Raymond Rooks! 

He is so very smart and I rarely see him flinch or struggle with anything but we came across our first obstacle while we did Math.  On the front page it was all problems with multiple addendum or multiple steps. He really had no confidence and struggled with keeping track of where he was.  He is JUST LIKE ME!  He needs the visual & kinetic and looking at just boring old numbers (no I would never say that to him) is hard!  I get it!  It's soo hard to look at a sheet of numbers.  They all look way too similiar.  Can we go back and make numbers prettier?  Color coded?  

BUT I noticed on the back page - the problems were listed like these pictures below instead.  And he flew through this SO fast.  He didn't have to use his fingers.  He didn't have to write down any numbers to try to help him remember.  He just did it.  Wow.  What a difference!  

So, I guess I have to try to help him visualize numbers even if they are just boring old numbers.   But more than that, I think the confidence will come when he has the memorization of the facts down.  So we deviated from Abeka to give his swirling mind a break (yay I was so proud of myself for my first deviation of millions hehe)  and I let him make his own flash cards and he is drilling himself on all the common sums under 20.  We will get these facts down.  I am sure he knew these last year (???) and forgot over summer (???).   It will help his confidence so much and will help all the jumble brain. In this case, knowledge truly is power & confidence :) 

He also found this disgusting horrible game of snakes & ladders in a library book and so we played this and whatever number he rolled he had to add either 6,7,8 or 9 - whatever number we did that game - so he could work on multiple addendums and memorizing those facts!!!  This really helped the monotony of the morning math.  Thank you God for those ideas after I prayed for help when I saw his frustration!    

He breezes through spelling, english, grammar & handwriting.  Daddy B does most of the grammar english and handwriting - thankfully :).   He journals each afternoon. Different things each day - whatever comes to my mind that day.  A silly story, recap of visit with MomMom & Papa, a prayer or writing prompt.  We do history just by reading books and will do the rest of the history curriculum later on as it fits with our co op starting in October. 

His favorite subject is still definitely science.  I have to try to inspire/encourage him more in science.  It's only on our 'schedule' and curriculum for once a week or so --- but of course, science is everywhere.  I have to pray for open eyes to science that interests him that we can learn about together. 

Last week for science we did simple machines (we learned about ramps & lifting things and scales and weighing things and made our own - our creations weren't that successful lol).  This week we are learning about solid, liquid, gas -- a review from last year.  Today we learned more about Mommy's tea kettle & steam and how water can move from the kettle through the air back into water form when it hits a cool surface.  We made it "rain"!  Very cool!  God is amazing the way He has created all this "magic"!!!! :)  EVERYTHING around us is such a miracle!!  

Then we did an experiment to prove that you CAN trap air in a jar and transfer air from one jar to  another.  That was super cool too. 

Roxie got us this "CoreKnowledge" book - What Your 3rd Grader Needs to Know and I am pulling a lot of extras out of there. It's been great for music, art.   We studied a few different artists today and talked about shading, light & shadows.  Here was our first attempt at using shading in artwork.  :)  Joint effort. 

It was a great week!! :)  Just like life has always been - lots of great moments and lots of "opportunities" for correction & firm discipline & grace.   Lots of hard work & lots of play/treats. :)