This week was pretty "messy" as far as home life goes but the actual homeschooling part of our lives went well! We had lots of interruptions this week, some good & some bad, but one positive is that we are learning to just go with the flow of things we can't control. There's so much flexibility in our homeschooling schedule and I'm so thankful for that!
Rule # 4 - Be good listeners, do not interrupt.
Verse - Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak & slow to become angry James 1:19
We cut up pieces of paper - a different color for each of us - and when somebody was not quick to listen or he/she was too quick to anger or too quick to speak - then that person had to take out their color paper & write down which part of the verse they needed help on.
Mommy's color was taken out more than anybody's :( It was a rough week for me mentally. I am not sure why my mind/attitude were off. Overstimulated? Overwhelmed because of how cranky they were? Daddy Brandon has been basically non existent because of his school/work load. Or maybe it really is a personal thing going on with me..... I think I've let some things slip into my diet that shouldn't be there. When I felt so great over the summer and had such relief from symptoms, I drastically changed my diet and I'm thinking there is a very strong link between my diet & mind/mood swings. I feel some of my old symptoms returning and it causes me anxiety. May be time for a detox/fast.
Another reason this week was a bit rough was because we were all sick! Our first colds in a long time. This girl was a major bridezilla for the first half of the week:
And I KNOW my kiddos don't feel good when they look like this during the day:
And the house cleaning & meal planning were basically non existent - ah! This was our dinner scene one night. Rocking on the front porch with a piece of pizza.
But ...by the end of the week, things had turned!! We were back to snuggles:
And we took assessments in each subject and RR did excellent on all of them. So that was one encouraging glimmer of the week! I LOVE this Christianity Liberty Press CLASS Lesson Planner. It has seriously made any planning so easy. The curriculum is already planned out which makes it so easy anyway....but I basically write out in pencil what we are going to do each week by subject & day and then what we ACTUALLY do I write in pen over it. So then it helps with review, too. We have accomplished all I wanted to each week.... so far.... which I wasn't expecting. I count that as a miracle.
For some end of the week fun we did experiments with baking soda/vinegar & sugar/water to discuss dissolve/mix/chemical compound changes. I allowed this mess and I didn't even get upset at how messy it was!! :) We made nasty oobleck (I think it's called) - cornstarch & water - to talk about non-newtonian fluids/solids/liquids/gas :) RR loves science.
The girls have stopped asking to watch shows during school time so that's a great sign!! They are starting to understand the rhythm of the day and what they can do for desk work.
Evelyn has shown awesome improvement in scissor skills which is cool.
Just wanted to take a picture of how messy our desk looks most afternoons. I didn't even have the energy to fix it back. I can't stand a cluttered desk but.....whatever!!
And Friday afternoon adventures are quickly becoming a favorite part of homeschooling!! :) We went to the library and picked out another 25 books! (Reminder to self bring a bag next time you go to carry books home in) and enjoyed some treats downtown.
Mommy was quick to anger, quick to speak (words I didn't want to) and quite inconsiderate/interrupting this week and that is very discouraging. I really do not take lightly my sin and I fervently pray for God to help me be a good testimony to my children.
I really really do see every day that the Lord is the one who teaches my children. He orchestrates situations to teach them. He plans out their devotionals & Bible studies & school lessons perfectly for His purposes. It really is quite mind blowing, really. He is involved in every detail whether we feel it, see it, or not. The work of parenting His children is all HIS work, I am simply a tool He uses to fine tune & carve out the details of His masterpiece.
He asks ME to simply:
1) pray for my children constantly
2) do whatever I can to cause interactions between His heart & theirs (consistent reading of the Bible & devotionals with them.... praying with them.... talking about Him a lot.....looking for His heart every where in our day - nature, art, beauty, work, music, others)
and perhaps most importantly? 3) do not tarnish His work with my witness! They will follow my example more than my words.
I want them to know that we have the power to change and that He WILL change us. They know that I fervently love Jesus and so, I am their primary example of how people who love Jesus live....and I don't take that lightly.
I pray to be a shining example to them of living in His GRACE & MERCY that completely wipes away our sins.....but also living with a HUNGER for RIGHTEOUSNESS.
One thing I know I do right is repent, feel remorse, say I'm sorry, ask forgiveness and then pray a lot and ask God to help me. The kids see me praying with tears for God to help me on hard days and I know this witness is important.... as painful as it is to let them watch me struggle.
During one particularly ugly yell this week - I put them in the car and went back inside to turn my heart. When I got back to the car I was so upset & teary eyed and RR says, "it's okay Mommy. we love you".... Evelyn pipes in "we forgive you. we love you. mommy! mommy!" and Annabelle, "you will say you are sorry to us" :) Their hearts were so sweet. So gracious & ready to forgive. I am so thankful for that. Praise be to our Lord! I am so very imperfect but because He is perfect and He is El Shaddai and the Almighty and He can do ANYTHING!! and use anybody!!! :)
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