My computer fell off the planet.  That is, I had no internet access for months other than brief stints at the library.  Then when I was back online, I lost my login info for this blog and so I basically abandoned it.  Until now.  I just recovered my login info, so I've decided to start 2008 with a determination to record "a day in the life" kind of stuff.

Since my last entry, I have had another baby, Daniel, who is now 4 months old, making Alan (the Wal-Mart diaper disaster baby) now 2.  My true homeschoolers are Jeff - 10, Jeremy - 11 and Heather - 14.  Throughout the years, I have jumped around from one style of teaching to another, starting out being very careful to do every page in the workbook and then forsaking the workbook approach (except for math) in favor of the Charlotte Mason method using narration.  Approaching another crossroads, I felt the need to get Heather somewhat standardized in preparation for college, so I started her last year (in math only) on Switched-On-Schoolhouse to see how working more independently would work out for her.  She is a year behind, according to the placement test, so unless she can catch up before graduation, I considered holding her back a year and then opting for dual-enrollment when she's in 11th grade so that she would finish earlier in spite of the setback. This year, in addition to math, I put her on SOS for Spanish, Language Arts and Social Studies (so much for Charlotte Mason), but she can't seem to keep up with the schedule I made for her to get through all those subjects in the course of this school year, so I took her back off the schedule and now she's just doing Spanish and math, and those at her own pace.  All other subjects are done as a family, through books.

We do Social Studies using the Bible and biographies, Science by reading about different kinds of animals and other natural phenomenon, and English by reading fiction (nonfiction falls under history or science), having informal spelling bees and doing some grammar and writing assignments from textbooks.  In addition, they also play musical instruments and as of this semester, PE will consist primarily of basketball (we're getting a hoop for the driveway), especially for Jeff, who is participating on a team through a church-sponsored Upward program.  Last but not least, Home Economics takes up a few hours each day in the form of cooking, cleaning and laundry.  This system looks good on paper, but our home is far from the well-oiled machine I keep fantasizing about, especially when crying babies, spills, misaligned naps, doctors' appointments, errands and phone calls have their way with us.

Even so, this is a high calling, right?  So I must do the best I can with what I have and look constantly to Jesus to make up the difference in every area of life.  And His grace is even more sufficient than the troubles of the day.  Amazing grace.  Amusing grace.  I am "Musing Grace."  Over and out until next week, when the structure of school once again restores order if not peace to our home.