Well, the boys lost both basketball games to the Durham homeschool teams this afternoon.  More accurately, we were smoked!  It seems to happen often, that after a game where they play great and work really hard, they have a let down, and don't play so hot! They looked a bit sluggish out there today, and the shooting was off.  Oh well.  They play again on Saturday, against Fayetteville. 

The National Honor Society meeting was interesting.  The speaker was from CFNC ~ College Foundation of North Carolina ~ an umbrella group that includes 3 different agencies.  She spoke on college financial aid, a subject close to our heart right now!!!   She didn't really give me any new information, however. We've already done this with one child, and know what a FAFSA is, and what Stafford Loans are.  

Submitting the FAFSA was an eye-opening experience the first time.  FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  You plug in the numbers from your tax return, and they send it back to you and all the schools you have applied to, telling you what your "Expected Family Contribution" is, based on parents' incomes.  Whoa!   When I looked at the number that came back, I seriously thought it was the amount they thought we could pay for 4 years of college. But nooooooooo.  It was for 1 year!   HA!  The number they sent back could have purchased a new car!  I have to space out purchasing new shoes for the kids... but somewhere the feds think we have some huge amount of money available for college tuition.  Go figure.  So needless to say, we pin our hopes on merit-based scholarships and grants instead of need-based, because apparently we are very wealthy!!  So why do I have plywood where a garage door should be?  ( something to do with a new driver...)  Or mismatched dining room chairs?  Or shoes with holes in them? 

The Homeschool Honor Society is doing a service project this month and next. They are collecting items to send to military personnel in Iraq. They chose 2 army units who were based here in NC before being deployed.  The teens have letters they are sending out to friends and family, asking them to contribute items as well. They want lots of letters, and also items like shampoo, deodorant, magazines, CDs, DVDs, drink mix, snack foods, etc.  The information comes from a website called AnySoldier.com.  They will get together next month and pack the items up to send overseas.  I heard that one box will be sent up to West Point, to a certain 1st year cadet.  Shhhhhhhh!

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