Well, another school year is upon us.  Didn't we just finish up last year??  What happened to June and July?  Yikes!  So many things undone at this point, including so many posts that I just never got around to writing.

One thing that will get revamped here shortly is our 2008-2009 read aloud wish list that you see to the right.  (And, for the record, we did read "The BFG.")  I did admit up front that it was an ambitious list, and that's definitely apparent given the quantity of books not stricken-through.  But it's good stuff nonetheless.  My approach for the coming year will be read-alouds that more readily correspond to our studies.  It's just too much to read good books for history, etc., AND for fun.  So stay tuned for that.

I have ordered from Rainbow Resource most of the books we need to get going.  I already have the kids' English for next year; I went with Rod & Staff for both kids.  And I have received my Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) program that DD'98 will do next year.

It sounds like I'm on the ball and ready to go, but let's examine what's NOT done.  I haven't really wrapped up last year's paperwork.  And then there's the reporting forms that need to get done so that our homeschooling complies with Ohio regulations.  I have received S's Iowa test scores, and J's assessment is being done on Sunday.  No longer can I put off moving forward because of waiting on scores or trying to schedule J's assessment; now it's all on me.

So am I ready?  Well, it depends on how it's defined (thus the blog title).  I'm ready in the sense that I know what curriculums we'll be using; I'm ready in that I've ordered all the necessary books to start; I'm ready in that I've bought enough supplies that we can start (paper, folders, etc.); I'm ready in the sense that this is my sixth year of homeschooling and feel more comfortable at it (in other words, I'm more comfortable with NOT being ready!!!).

But am I really ready?  More than any other year, my motivation is not ready.  My motivation is still stuck in June.  My ambition is still on summer vacation.  My giddy-up is still in the barn.

Am I concerned?  Well, a little, because our schooling obviously goes better when I'm thoroughly prepared.  And, in addition, I now have a mobile and very curious one-year old around.

Yet, I know that once we get going, the teaching juices will start to flow, we'll get in a routine, the excitement will return.  And I'm just so thankful that my time with the kids doesn't have to end because of putting them on a bus to go to school.  That thought in itself brings peace and helps me surmount any worries I might have about not being "ready."