Today started off great!  I had set up a schedule for myself and posted it above my alarm clock which was set for 6:30. (Maybe “great” is too strong a word for waking that early when I am NOT a morning person!) I gave myself time to listen to the news and wake up a bit.  I did my devotions for homeschooling moms, then went down and woke up Belle.  I got ready and made her lunch.  We both had extra time so the morning wasn’t rushed.  I took first-day pictures of her in her new uniform.  She looks so adorable!  I’m so proud of her.  In case, I didn’t mention, my youngest daughter, who is 11, is attending an ACE school.  It is her first year so there are big changes in store for both my kids. 

     Anyway, I woke the other two kids before I left.  I thought I’d only be gone for half an hour.  I wanted to make sure Belle felt comfortable before I left her there all alone!  As soon as we walked in, one of the girls she had met back in May, came right up to us, and proceeded to show us the ropes.  She saved a seat for Belle in Opening Exercises.  I thought I would stay for that which is usually only 15 minutes.  But….the first day involved many procedures, changes, and instructions including a tour.  Before I knew it, I was leaving the school at 10:15….two hours from when I’d left the house!  Poor Tori! 

 
     But Belle had a fantastic day.  The kids at school were so friendly and included and talked to her like she’d always been there.  She felt right at home.  She loved the work and even said it felt more like camp than school.  Camp, of course, being fun and a reason to look forward to the next day! I’m so pleased and I’m praising the LORD for preparing her way.  I think this school will be the best decision we’ve made in her academic career.

     Once I got home, I set Hunter up with a movie, and I sat down to begin homeschooling Tori.  She was very down on herself and I tried encouraging her.  She looked very glum and unhappy.  Later when she was working, there was a lot of sighing going on!  I’m not sure if it was for her benefit or mine! LOL But she stopped after awhile and went right to work.  We started off with a “Get to know Tori” survey where I asked all kinds of questions about her favourite things. Then, I had her write a letter to herself about her expectations and feelings about the coming year.  I told her she could be as honest as she liked, she just wasn’t allowed to write “I hate school” a thousand times as she wanted.  I didn’t read her letter.  I gave her an envelope and it is sealed only to be read on the last day of school in June.  Thanks, Rosemarie, my very helpful cousin, for that idea!

     In regards to school work, we started the day with only with four subjects: Math, English, Social Studies (Geography), and Etymology (Spelling).  She got 20 pages done in total, which I was pleased with considering we got a late start and it’s the first day.  She is learning a whole new way of learning so it will take time to get into the swing of things.  Over the next three days, I will add her other three subjects: English Literature, Career Studies, and Health Science.  Next week, we’ll add regular Science.  She has a really heavy workload.  I’m feeling overwhelmed for her. I was pleasantly surprised at how hard Tori worked today.  There were times she was down on math but she persevered and even postponed silent reading to correct it and get it done.  She did great today!  I’m so proud of her.  Keep up the good work, Tori!!

     Later in the afternoon, she had silent reading for 45 minutes.  I gave her the choice of working on English Lit or reading a book of her choice.  She chose a book I bought for her at the homeschooling conference and book fair Ron and I attended last May.  It is a compilation of short stories about teens written by teens.  She seemed to enjoy it.  Silent choosingreading is only half an hour but she was doing so well with her school work that I gave her some extra time to read as a reward.  I’m sure she’ll roll her eyes at that statement!

    I didn’t start Hunter’s lessons today since things were squirrelly this morning.  I plan to get Tori going in the morning, then spend and hour or so with him doing various educational activities.  He was good today and played quietly, pretty much leaving Tori alone.  It is quite an adjustment for him having her home.  He kept asking when school would be done for Tori.  And several times he asked when we were going to somebody’s house.  Homeschooling is putting a definite restraint on our social lives.  I don’t think I’ll get to his lessons until next week.  Tomorrow, he has his appointment at the hospital to see the therapist and dietician.  Thursday, he will go to a friend’s with Tori.  Jamie has graciously agreed to take care of them for the day while I work one day a week at Belle’s school.  Fridays will be our day to run errands and get together with friends.  Tori will be joining a group of teens who get together every week for art, drama, music, and social times.  It is called the Friday Group and is run by a wonderful, giving Christian lady who has more creativity in her baby finger than I have in my whole body! 

     Besides running back and forth to school, and homeschooling a teenager, I went shopping, baked a cake, washed, dried, and put away three loads of laundry, emptied the dishwasher and reloaded it, swept and mopped the floor, and had two devotion times.  I am so content with what was accomplished today!  The day went better than I could have hoped for.  Thank you, LORD!!! 

     Even though I am the "teacher" now, I learned some things today too.  I know the LORD will be there for me every step of the way.  I read several encouraging passages of Scripture and ran across a devotion in my email box yesterday that was straight from the LORD!  Another awesome thing was that one of the verses my brother-in-law gave at prayer meeting last week, sort of became my homeschool motto.  Today, in my devotions, there was that exact same Scripture verse!  How cool is that?!?  I am also thanking the LORD for my awesome friend, Jamie, who has been praying like mad, supporting me, and sending me encouraging cards today….oh, and listening to my frantic rantings and raving doubts for months!  Jamie, you are a jewel!