It's Been a While

 I don't even know where to begin this one.  It's been a journey and such an honor to have been a part of my children's education for this long.  My oldest just graduated from High School and while I am still very much involved and invested in his well-being and educational success, I am no longer his teacher.  I am so grateful for the wonderful educators turned friends whom he has learned from.  I am thankful for the countless memories and opportunities we had as a hybrid homeschooling family.  Our homeschool adventures took us to another State, and we navigated the new expectations and routines together.  Homeschooling in Florida was short lived, but we were blessed with the opportunity for my kiddos to attend a private Christian school.  I see God's hand in the lives of my children.  I can say that with so much confidence.  As this season is over with my first born, I want to reflect and thank the Lord for the following memories.

*  Homeschool Fridays and the many adventures it brought.  From museum visits, to play dates, co-op learning, beach going, art making and science experiments.  We did them all!  

*  Attending field trips together and getting to know other families and kids and building life long friendships with them.

*  All the school dances, shopping for them and planning for them and the fun stories I got to hear. 

*  Football games.  I loved watching my son play. 

*  Award ceremonies, although at times lengthy, I always felt grateful and proud that I could attend and be present for him.  

*  School projects and having a messy kitchen table full of paint supplies, paper and scaled models of various things in different times in history. 

* Packing school lunches.  I actually do miss it.  I had many days when it was a despised task but now, I miss it with fondness.  

I still have one more to get through High-School, but as the College adventures begin for my first-born, I want to make sure that I stop long enough to look back and smile at all that has passed.  I truly believe we grow with our children and this next level will unlock so many more special and cherished memories.  I cannot wait to drop off my kid at college, hug his neck, pray for him and let God use him for His glory.  

I will always remember his little face on the first day of kindergarten.  I cried the entire day he was gone.  I have a feeling that history will repeat itself on the first day when I have to drop off my son at college.  I will hug him, look at his face, smile at how proud I am of him and probably cry the whole way home.  It's okay though, because I know that the Lord will direct his steps, the same way he always has and he will hold my hand, the same way he always has.  His every day grace will wrap us both up and we will one day also look back on this college season fondly.  

* Things are Different *

Things aren't quite the same around here.  I am no amateur to home-schooling but this is all quite so different.  I'm having to school during a pandemic and it's more of an emergency schooling situation than a regular home-school.  I have not had the opportunity to plan and pick my own lessons, let alone my own curriculum.  My children do not get to attend extra curricular classes or mingle with friends while doing and learning hobbies.  We are having to follow a very regimented assignment list.  Needless to say that this has not been a fun home-school experience.  I realize that I am lucky and while I am familiar with schooling this way, many are not.  I have a few mom friends who feel overwhelmed with the whole situation of schooling or choosing not to school at all.  

There are a few things I want my children to take away from this whole experience.  I want them to remember this "Pandemic" as a time that felt peaceful and calm.  I want them to remember the time at home and how safe they felt.  The creative ways we stayed connected and all the fort building that took place during quarantine.  

It has been so different than anything I've ever experienced.  While something very serious and very scary is happening in the world, we are comfortable, safe and happy in our home.  While part of me feels calm and loves being home, the other part of me wonders when this whole thing will be over and our life will return to "normal".  

My sweet kids continue to work hard and get their school work done.  I am happy to report that there is only one day left until we get two glorious weeks off for spring break.  While we may not get to go any place fun, we will be working on fun things around the house and perhaps even fixing up their bedrooms to make them look and feel new.  

I am trying to keep an attitude of gratitude daily.  I've been trying to write or think of at least three things a day that I can be thankful for.  I know that God is always working and this is no different.  I will look up and choose to see Him even in uncertainty.  I need to.  I am blessed by His Grace.   

Here are a few pictures of our "Groundhog" days.  Lately it's the same thing....different day type of vibe.  

Everyday that passes is one day closer to this whole situation being over. 

* Be Still *

We have all sort of come to a halt.  It's quite the pivotal moment in history.  I don't think there has been an event in my life-time that has quite shook us in an eerie way such as this quarantine.  I've lived through 9-11 and it was quite sobering to see our strong nation look so vulnerable.  In the weeks after the tragedies our nation rebuilt and bonded together like nothing I had experience before.  American flags flew wild and proud every place and in almost every home.  It felt like a moment to be proud of, we stood strong, we united and we rebuilt together.  This, it doesn't feel at all the same.  Isolation is used as one of the strongest forms of corporal punishment for criminals.  Social distancing is the word that keeps popping up daily.  We are told to stay home, isolate from social gatherings including our Church services.  While staying home isn't the problem, that's actually pretty easy for me.  Not being able to unite together at church, the kids not being able to see their peers in school or extra curricular activities has affected us in profound ways.  One, it has made us realize how privileged we truly are.  We have so much freedom in the coming and going of our home.  Two, it has made us realize that this situation will probably affect the children who struggle in school already.  life as we know it has changed and it all seem so big.  We have so many questions surrounding this pandemic.  Why is this disease different from the others that have caused harm and even death?  Why are we having to shut down schools for so long?  Is it really all related to the COVID-19 virus?  We may not have the answers to all of these questions.  In fact, we may never do.  The one thing I know is true is what God says in His word. 

In Ephesians 3:18 it say's "And I pray that you and all God's Holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love.  I pray that you can understand how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is."  I truly believe that this is the time God is using believers and His word to draw everyone back to Him.  My pastors wife said that God is "Rising up Faith" in this time.  We are called to "BE STILL".  There is beauty in the simplicity of being home.  We have the opportunity to draw near to God, instill a greater faith in our children and lead them to God.  It isn't an easy situation and it all feels surreal but let's use this time to grow our faith.  We can point others to the cross by how we react to this situation.  We can help to bring the joy and the calm that is much needed in an anxious heart.  

I am hopeful that this is all going to cause growth in our Churches, in our faith and in our spirits.  May God lead you and direct you.  May His every day grace be felt in your home daily.    

In the meantime, I am going to enjoy my treasures and the time I have to home-school them.  I want them to remember this time as family time well-spent.  

* Exploring *

Our current Home-study block has us working on all things S.T.E.M related.  I have one child who loves science and I have another child who loves math and engineering.  This last week we decided to take advantage of "Kids Free October" and check out the Birch Aquarium.   

We snatched up our baby cousin and he did not seem to mind.  The kids really all have so much fun together.  One of their highlights was being able to look at and touch real shark eggs.  The toddler is obsessed with "Baby Shark" and needless to say all things shark!  

All the kids loved the water zone so much.  They worked together to make a path for boat races.  

It was such a fun day, the weather was nice and the Aquarium was not crowded.  I'm so glad we ventured out and checked off Science from our Home-Study to do list.  

* A mommy and a Teacher *

Hey mama! It's almost teacher appreciation week! I'd like to think that all of us mom's are in many ways our child's first teacher. We are the ones who spend time carefully and slowly sounding out "mama" so our sweet baby can repeat and say their first big important word. We teach our children manners, faith, compassion, to be respectful and to be advocates for themselves.

As a home-schooling mama, I can appreciate the phrase "Teaching Tiny Humans is Exhausting." I have to find humor in the sometimes chaos that proceeds home-schooling. On a good day, I have planned and prepped all that we are going to be working on and everyone stays on task. Some days I seriously just wing it and hope for the best. Whether you home school your little's or send them off to school, YOU mama are always their number one teacher. I'd say the most important teacher they have! YOU will teach them those life skills and how to be good humans.

Mom teachers and school teachers, our jobs are important. What we teach matters. It's exhausting and rewarding all at the same time. Let's take some time to appreciate all the teachers in the life of our children, including ourselves mama's. How cute are these teacher gifts and travel mugs from The Mom Culture?

To all the teachers teaching in a classroom, to the mama's who home-school and to all the mama's who teach the ultimate life skills, we are in this together!

* The Artist Bundle *

This week we got to be a part of one of our favorite annual school activities, the student Art Gallery. Every year the students showcase a project that they made based on an artist that they studied.  This year my kiddos chose to research and learn about Charles Schulz.  I know that there must be some correlation between us recently getting Knott's Berry Farm passes and their artist choice.  Check out some of the wonderful art work displayed! 

The Peanuts gang seemed like a fun and simple subject to learn how to draw.  Although trickier than it looks, the kids did a great job on their pencil and pen drawings.  Here is a picture of how Sam's turned out 

We popped it in a frame and he even signed his name on the bottom right.  We all love the sarcastic humor of the Peanuts gang, so it seemed fitting for Sam to make a small cartoon with his favorite character.   This was the last big project and gallery for the school year and can I tell you a little secret?  This mama is super excited and counting down the days for summer break!   Until then, we count down the days left of school.   That's 20 more to be exact.  

Simple, Intentional & Meaningful Christmas

I always get a little bit overwhelmed with the madness of Christmas.  Not in my home, but it happens to me when I'm out and about.  It feels busy and materialistic.  I still don't know how the Christmas light people stay in business every year.  I mean how many lights could you possibly need for your home? don't they last a few years?  yet there are rows upon rows of just Christmas lights at the store every Christmas!  

People continue to buy more and more decorations each year.  Why? I love Christmas and I love decorating my home but I try to keep the decorations simple.  I want my decorations to become meaningful and traditional.  I can't change my decor each year, I want it to become classic and timeless for my family.  I want my family to one day look back at our quirky Christmas tree with the same old ornaments we have used for the last 13 years of our marriage.  I want the things in my home to be simple and ours.  I don't want to continue adding things and stuff just because. 

Gifts are so much fun to give but people get crazy! Am I alone on this? 30 presents under the tree for each child that you have? seems a bit excessive to me.  I know I sound super "judgy" right now but hear me out.  I love handmade gifts.  One of my favorite things about Christmas is that my mom usually makes us all a handmade gift.  I look forward to it.  It isn't in the store, there aren't 5,000 of those things being sold.  It is meaningful and it's valued more than any store bought item.  

What's even crazier is that people are out AFTER Christmas buying more "STUFF".  Oh my goodness, we a small family of 4 produce so much trash in one day! I don't know what I would do with more extra "STUFF" and things.  More to keep track of and clean up I guess.  

I love the idea of giving 2 gifts to each of my kids.  They end up with more because of family and friends, but really I hate the idea of giving my kids a bunch of presents that will no longer be fun or interesting a month from now.  I certainly have the Charlie Brown syndrome every Christmas. "They've gone commercial!"  I hope I don't sound like a Grinch.  (as much as I love him) 

I do still love Christmas and I try my best to slow it all down, keep it simple, intentional and meaningful at home each year.  After all,it is all about Jesus and knowing that he came to bring us HOPE for our future.  

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?  What are some things that can get you a bit overwhelmed during this season?  How do you keep the focus on Jesus?  I would love to hear from you.  

I will end this very long ramble with this adorable picture of the kids.  

I hope that your Christmas was a fun one!