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I, of course, like every mother I know, think that my children are the best and the smartest children. My daughter is doing first grade work this year, and never has trouble with anything academically. She was able to read within a few weeks of my teaching her, she likes math and loves science and especially history. She is ver attentive and obedient. I am forever thankful to God for His leading me to make letter flash cards to start going through with her when she was only 2 1/2. By the time she was three she had them memorized "A says a" and so on. This has helped her and my immensely!! My son is 4, and he is also reading his sister's first grade books. We used the same cards with him. He is much harder to teach, and requires much repetition and a set schedule without distractions. He will look to me for approval after reading a word and lose his place. This week I have started self-control training with him, more so than I have in the past. I want him to understand that there is a time and a place for squirming and playing, but when he's studying is time to sit still. When he starts fidgeting, I say "When you feel like you want to move, make yourself sit very still" This has worked wonders this week with his school work. I'm also gradually increasing the time of work between breaks. My job is to help him learn to be a successful adult, and one that pleases God. I am also thankful to the Lord for opportunities that he has given for us to minister. Growing up, we were very isolated and didn't do much reaching out in the community. My desire for my children is that they realize the world is bigger than us, and that we should help and give in any way we can to others. In our area, there are many migrant workers- they come into the area for a time, when that work is finished, they move on. On a trip to town the other day, I noticed that there was a young Mexican family in the woods near our house, with a baby. She couldn't have been more than 3 or 4 months old. The mother was holding the baby, trying to work. My daughter turns to me and says "We should ask them if we can take care of their baby so they can work." It's in those moments that I feel like I must be doing something right. I was so moved by her thoughfulness. I told her if they were still there when we came home, we would go ask them- and guess what? They were. I ran in the house and found an English-Spanish interpretation site on the internet. If anything I wrote made sense, I will be shocked. I wrote that my house was right next to them and I would be happy to watch the baby while they worked. I gave the note to my daughter and drove them back to the woods. She and my son took the note ( I could see them) to the family. I saw the father reading it, smile, and then the mother brought the baby to the fence and handed her to me. After a short cell phone conversation with someone who interpreted for us, she let the baby go with me. It broke my heart. I know that they don't get paid much, and they were forced to take the baby with them every day. Raking pine straw is back-breaking work. I couldn't imagine having to do it with a baby, nor could I imagine handing my baby over to someone I'd never met. The lady smiled at me and said "thank you". The few times I spoke in English to her, she just smiled and nodded. I could tell she understood English about as well as I understand Spanish- which is ~none~!. We had the beautiful, fat little baby girl in our home for one day and then the next day. And then they were gone. We will probably never know the family's name or know where they are. But my children got to experience the joy that comes from helping and serving others. I'm thankful that my kids are home with me to learn lessons such as these. |
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I always enjoy reading how other families' homeschool days go, so I thought I'd write about ours. We are still new to everything, and since I grew up without routine and schedule, this is all new to me. But with the Lord's guiding, we are making changes. He is showing me areas of my life where I waste time and areas that I could utilize in more productive ways. This is one reason I have cut down on my computer time- I don't realize how long I am online sometimes! 6:30- Mom up, read, straighten my room, get dressed for the day 7:00- Kids up (usually on their own) 7:30- Breakfast 8:00- Clean Kitchen, entryway 8:30- Kids' chores 9:00- Vaccum, start laundry 9:30- Bible time 10:00- Reading, Writing 11:30- Recess 12:00- Small snack, history, science 1:00- Lunch 1:30- Straighten house, storytime 2:00- Naptime for little ones, quiet time for older children 2:30- Blogging, math, art for older children 3:00- Odd cleaning jobs 4:00- Free time for everyone 5:00- Start dinner 6:00- Daddy gets home 6:30- Dinner 7:00- Family time 8:00- Kids' baths & bedtime 8-10- Mom and Dad's time There are always days that we stray from the schedule for whatever reason, be it church activity, or a really nice day when we decide to do some work at the park, or go to the grocery store. I have always in my mind that my childrens' education must take priority over other things- but that they also need to learn life skills that aren't in any textbook. I know they are always learning... be it while helping with the laundry, getting groceries from the shelf, or cleaning after themselves. I ask God every day not to let any opportunity to teach slip by. I only have them for so long.
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I thought I'd post a pic of my angels... the most perfect children in the world...lol.
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I love the season that's beginning this week... the holidays. If I ask God to keep my heart thankful and positive, the way it should be, it is just a wonderful, fun time for our family. But this is the time of year I seem to fight with discontent and longing for what I don't have. My mom is 13 hours away now, and that's the biggest struggle for me. She always made the holidays, especially Christmas, a really special time in our home. My siblings are also scattered across the country, my brother is in Iraq with the army. Sometimes when I'm not focused on God's provision and love, I get really depressed. So I am determined that this year, with His help, every time I think something sad or start feeling sorry for myself, I will remind myself of one thing God has given me. When we made the move south, my relationship with my mom was just beginning to repair after years of instability. It broke my heart and I really had a bad attitude about the move for a while. I felt like my mom was being taken from me all over again. But there came a day when my husband and I both realized that the Lord was making His will plain and we both decided we were going to follow with our whole hearts. You know what God did? He replaced everything that was taken. He gave me a home, and a church family that loves and cares for us. And though nothing could replace my mother, he gave me a special lady in my life who treats me like her own, will do anything for me, loves my children, and fills that void just a little bit. I am so thankful for that. So this Thanksgiving morning, we will continue the traditions.. sausage balls for breakfast (my husband's family tradition) and the kids will be pilgrims and indians, and we will have turkey and stuffing. And I will be thankful that God knows what we need before we even ask. He is so good!
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Growing up, my parents did not get along. Somehow in my heart I'd always hoped that my marriage would be perfect harmony and love all the time. I knew I didn't want the kind of marriage my parents had. When I first got married, I had the influence of a wonderful Christian woman, unfortunately struggling in her marriage as well. I looked up to this woman greatly, and took many pieces of advice from her. I couldn't figure out why my marriage wasn't thriving, why we were disagreeing so much, why every situation just led to fights and frustration. Then I read an article by a lady that simply stated "your husband has to be the king in your home" It was a light bulb moment for me. I wish someone had told me that years ago... when we were newlyweds and I was still trying to be stubborn and argumentative, before I had been through 8 angry years. The article stated that marriage is a picture of Christ and His relationship to the church. As the "bride", would I be disrespectful to the king in deed or thought? Would I gladly do his bidding and seek to serve him better? These thoughts turned my marriage back from the lonely road it was headed down. I know some people my age who don't understand that my husband comes first, even before the children. They think I'm giving up my independence, or that I should be "taking breaks" away from my home. But the longer I live God's design for marriage, the more He confirms in my heart that I am on the path he has for me. Alone? Maybe without friends sometimes... but I have my husband, who is now the king in our home, and my family. You know, it's funny; since I started making a concious effort to please God and my husband (whether he is there or not) he has started looking at me with that little crooked I-like-you grin again. He's not stressed because he knows that if he calls and asks me to do something, I will do it right away, not just "if I get around to it". He knows that if he needs a minute of quiet, or notices something that bothers him, I won't get defensive about it, but change it. I tell our children often, "We are going to do this to please daddy, because that is the way he wants things to be." God's ways are certainly above our ways. I am thankful for his restoration, His love, and His placing the right influences in the way so I'll run into them. |
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So we're into our third month of official homeschooling. I say that the homeschooling began when they were born, but of course we didn't make it a formal thing until this school year. I can honestly say with all my heart that I thank God I am able to do this. I know He doesn't leave me to teach alone, and that He can fill in the cracks I leave if I just trust Him. The rewards are astounding. When we first started, we had our schedule made out, our plan on paper. As time went on, I realized with two babies in the house it just wasn't going to work all the time, and I'm not beating myself up about that. I do want them to have a set routine, but the timing isn't so perfect every day. My daughter is 6, in first grade, and my son is 4, in Kindergarten. We are using Abeka this year, but again, I'm finding that using different things is ok, too. We have a few other books, and some interesting sites I've found on the internet for projects. So far, my children seem to be enjoying the work and are learning so much. I am amazed at their progress in just a couple of months. Our family is bonded even closer than we were before, and I love seeing them discover something new. I stand in awe of my children sometimes. If I let myself think of all the things they will have to be taught in the coming years, I feel very overwhelmed. My prayer today is that God will help me just focus on what they need today and not worry about tomorrow. |