Ever have a week escape you? I mean I HAD good intentions and plans and nothing seemed to work out the way I wanted. So, we had a week of 'Creative Homeschooling'.

Monday: "School day" - went as planned, we got all of our co-op homework done the week before and were able to focus on what *I* scheduled for them to do. It felt wonderful.

Tuesday: "Co-op Day" - we had a late start, had to get to co-op early for a presentation (well worth rescheduling my morning to see - Communicators For Christ did a skit for us) Andre' had to drop us off because his van was broken, we stayed to help clean up and rushed around town picking up Preston's band mates for band practice. Out of the house from 11am till 6pm. Then we had band practice - I love the boys coming here, I get to know his friends - but the same LOUD song for three hours over and over can be headache inducing! Thankfully it is just once a week. And having it elsewhere is not an option, because remember, I WANT to know these guys! Everyone was gone by 9pm and Preston and I spent the next hour or so looking at the PSAT sample questions.

Wednesday: "PSAT and Nature Day" - 8am we loaded up, dropped Andre' off at work (van still out), dropped Preston off to take the PSAT, dropped Lake off at Mom's Day Out. Rushed home to get some school work done. Just as they were getting in the flow, mostly done with their work and I had a minute to make lunch, Preston calls to say he is done. I throw together the rest of the sandwiches and go pick him up. Decide that it is useless to go home bc I will just have to turn back around to get Lake from MDO, so I accept an invitation to meet a friend at the park. Playing at the park and feeding the turtles counts for nature studies right? Leave the park and pick up Andre' from work, bring Lake home and drop off Preston at Youth Group. Arrive home only to freshen up and rush out to dear father-in-laws house to watch the debate and eat dinner. Home at last at 10pm.

Thursday: "Compassion and Science Day" - We spent the morning getting in our church clothes to attend the funeral of an uncle. He was a brain cancer survivor and lost a final battle with meningitis last week. We did not know him very well. The kids were very well behaved at the funeral and afterward we treated them to an afternoon at the Aquarium. Totally counts for science. We got finished at 4pm and rushed home (though with traffic you could hardly call it rushed, we did not get home till after 6) I freshened up again and left to lead our new homeschool moms small group. I was to teach on organization -ha - this week was a lesson on how your organization and plans fly out the window sometimes!

Friday: "Life Skills" - Otherwise known as running errands! Again we left home before 9am and did not get back till 4pm, hurridely began dinner, rushed out to get Andre' from work and just as we got home to eat, my precious brother called. He was ready to fix our van, all we had to do was buy the belt. What a great guy! We waited for them to finish with the repair and make sure everything was working properly then hopped back on the road to take Preston to a friends house 30 minutes away to spend the night, he wanted to help at the Shout Fest Concert and needed to be there at 7am Sat. Our friends generously invited him to sleep over and ride with them so we did not have to get up so early Saturday. After dropping him off we stopped for hot chocolate and benigets (french donuts) at Cafe du Monde and made it home shortly before 1am.

Saturday: "Reality Check" - I have been out of the house every day, and my house could tell! Laundry was piled as high as my waist and every room needed some attention. The kids were doing their chores - kind of noisly, but doing them! I began to rush and feel a bit overwhelmed at everything I needed to do. Especially since all I WANTED to do was to curl up on the couch with a good book! I sat down among the chaos with a glass of Pepsi and my bible, after reading a chapter or so, I realized I had NO idea what I had just read. Pushing the bible away, I began to call out to the Lord. I want to read your word today, I just have no idea where to go, what would YOU have me read. Our conversation looked like this:

"Proverbs"

me"Yeah, I like Proverbs, but where, oh what is today??"

"16"

"no today is not the 16th, what is today though?"

"16"

"but today is not..."

"16"

"ok I will read 16" Funny how I expect first time obedience from my kids yet do not practice it when the Lord is speaking to me.... not funny, sad.

Just what does Proverbs 16 say you wonder...among other wonderful things Proverbs 16:3 says "Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established." Really Jesus, I can give You this day and all I have set before me and You will establish my thoughts. These scatterbrained overwhelmed thoughts? Really. And He did. It is almost 9pm and since I "committed my works to Him" at 11am I have: almost caught up with the laundry; fed the kids lunch; dropped off my kids to play at the park with friends; brought Catherine to dance at church; went to Wal-Mart with Andre' and got the weekly groceries; picked up the kids; put away groceries; with Andre's help fixed sloppyjoes, potato soup, roast and browned ground meat- now I do not have to cook dinners this week - just heat n eat! The kids have been fed dinner, the kitchen is clean and we are working on the bath rotation as I type! Thank you Jesus for multiplying my time. I can go to bed peacefully knowing I have a clean home to wake up to in the morning.

I wrote out my week not only to help me understand where it went, but also to encourage you as you homeeducate your childre. We all have weeks like this one, thankfully not every week is this crazy, but through the busyness and schedule being chucked our children still learn - time management and flexibility come to mind as lessons studied this week. Remember to daily 'Commit your work to the Lord and He will establish your thoughts."

Have a blessed week.