We are done testing!  It was a good experience all around.  I think the best thing I heard yesterday was my nearly 12 yo son's comment.  He asked if what he did today was a taste of what public school is like.  I said that yes, it's a little like what you did today.  He said, "Boy, am I lucky!"  As unbelievable as it sounds, our state government made my son realize how much he appreciated being schooled at home. 

Both boys did just fine.  Chad, my oldest, finished early on each section and they kept letting him out for a break.  He said he was glad he's been doing a lot of fraction work as it was on the math test.  This was Alec's first test and he didn't know what to expect.  It was funny - I was sitting in the car in the parking lot when suddenly a boy came running out of the building, heading straight for the swings.  It was Alec!  It was like, "Free at last!"  A few minutes later, he saw me and came over to the car.  I asked how it was going and he said he was having fun!  I drove back and forth, between the church where the testing was held and our home, keeping tabs on Carmen.  She was at home with my dh but he was sound asleep on the couch during a lot of the testing time.  She was just fine, playing in the room next to daddy sleeping.  I drove back and forth 4 times, between having lunch with the boys and whatever.  It's a good think we drive a hybrid and the church is close by.  I know it sounds excessive but that's just how it worked out.  When they were all done, Alec said it was a long day but he had a good time.  Chad's day went an hour later than Alec's, so Chad was really glad to be done.  I crashed in the big chair when we got home.  I spent 6 hours either driving or sitting in the car, reading, and it really wore me out - I guess I'm used to being more active than that.  It was a beautiful day out and I enjoyed the time alone with my book.  (It's a book about a writer and his wife who decided to live in the farthest south of Italy for a year, just to experience life there.  Must be nice!) 

What I didn't expect was the drama of watching these few homeschoolers who had to test today.  During their break times, they all came out onto the playground.  There was the 8th grader, with her cell phone glued to her ear the entire time.  There were the 10th graders, a boy and a girl, walking about in that awkward way that two young people do, when they obviously like each other.  There was the family with tons of tiny kids with the young mom who was having difficulty keeping track of them on the playground, they showed up at the lunch break.  Minutes after they arrived, one toddler got hurt somehow and was wailing.  Another was running around in just a diaper.  There was the mom, perfectly dressed and hair done just so.  Her 10th grade daughter was just the opposite but both of them were very sweet and seemed to have a close relationship.  Then there was the girl in Chad's testing group.  When we first got there, she and her family were also walking in.  She stared and stared at Chad.  I thought, "Yeah, I know what you're thinking, babe.  Not a chance!"  Every time I saw her, she was staring at Chad.  He's clueless (thank you, God).  Even on the playground, I saw her waiting around and finally walking over to where he was playing.  He ran off to do something else.  Do YOU remember what you were like at age 12?  I do.  And I am SO glad Chad doesn't have to deal with 12 yo girls in school every day! 

Thanks for your prayers.  God blessed our family yesterday and we are glad to be done with testing for another two years.  Thank you also for all the great comments about my middle child.  I spent some time talking with him alone today about some of these issues and he admits to wanting attention alone with me.  I said we could plan some time for just the two of us.  And at bedtime, I spent some extra time with him and let him read a story to me, at his request.  I need to refocus on being a mom - I've been out of balance for some time.  Need to remember my calling.

I saw a most unusual site yesterday when I was driving back home in the morning.  We live up the hill from a big bay.  It was extreme low tide and as I drove by, I saw some cars parked by the road.  This is a sign that something is worth watching so I pulled over and parked.  Out in the bay, walking on the muddy bottom were 3 deer!  They were WAY out there, there was a fishing boat not that far from where the deer were.  What were they thinking?!  I was bummed that I had no camera with me and no children to share this most unusual site with.  The sun was low, as it was about 10:15 am and the deer were silhouetted against the shimmering muddy ground.  I was hoping they would get back to shore before the tide came back in but it was hours before that happened so the deer were safe.  Amazing!  We've seen a lot of deer on our hill lately, one even jumped the fence into our yard a few days ago.  And we are not out in the country, these deer live in the forested areas that are in pockets in town all around where we live.  I guess they are getting more brave, which isn't a good thing usually.  I won't soon forget those three little deer.  I wonder what they found to eat out in the bay?