31. October 2007 by Shannon.

Well!

I had the most lovely past two days. No… they weren’t all lovely (the moments that is) BUT… I discovered something wonderful and it has truly blessed me as a mom and as a homeschool mom. www.momtomomradioshow.com is ONE of the websites of one very special homeschool mom (well, her kids are almost done, so this is truly learning from the veterans!), Cindy Rushton. My apologies for those who have already discovered her cornucopia of audio files and inspirational articles. Cindy (who’s main website is www.cindyrushton.com) is simply a lovely person, very warm and bearing much fruit of the spirit in her life, which she shares freely with all the women who’s lives she touches. I encourage everyone of you moms out there to go see her site - go be blessed by her ministry. You’ll be so thankful you did, I promise!

I hope you have a wonderful day today. I had a learning day today. I can’t say we got much which resembles “school” done today, but well… I did get recharged and inspired and redirected and motivated and all kinds of other Very Important Things. So the day wasn’t a complete loss, right? And tomorrow is a new day… and I can’t wait to get started!

Be blessed!

Posted in Great Finds, General Homeschool | Print | No Comments »

24. October 2007 by Shannon.

Today was a bad day.

… till a few minutes ago. Let me tell you why.

I suck at math (oh, and before you tune this story out, this has very little to do with math) always have… but I’m forced to challenge my non-mathematical brain into grasping grade 6 math every day. I do *not* like this part of homeschooling. History, YES! Literature, YES! Reading, Writing, Grammar, Geography, Art, … EVEN SPELLING, YES!!!!! But Math, no.

SO, we were doing math… it wasn’t going well. I feel so stupid and imcompetent as a trudge around despretely trying to help Kenzi figure out some answer to some stupid math problem.. feeling like maybe I should reconsider this whole homeschooling thing after all. Well, we made it through (well, till Dad comes home and tell us we did it wrong.. LOL! Then it’s back to the kitchen table with us!). I was burnt out. It was about 10 in the morning and all I could think about was why bedtime was so far off.

Then we moved on to French. I am GOOD at french, conversationally… but written grammar, well… let’s just say I have to stop and think sometimes. But we managed to get through it with no real bumps or bruises. Then Kenzi was off looking for a book she’s misplaced and we’re supposed to be reading. The littles are just hanging out, making messes, playing loud (through this whole time, I might add). Kenzi finds her book (or one like it?) and starts reading. After about half an hour or so, she comes to me asking if she can make lunch for her and the littles. Of COURSE I say “yes!”. I decide to take the time to check my emails.

Fast forward half an hour. Kenzi comes to the door of the bedroom looking pale as a ghost. “Mom, I don’t feel well.” Okay… what’s wrong now? “I ate some of Greyson’s egg that I made him for lunch” - “but, Kenzi, you are ALLERGIC to eggs” - “I know, I think that’s why I feel sick. Do we have any benadryl?” - “no.”… so off goes Mom to the pharmacy to buy some allergy medicine… grrrrr’ing all the time over how kids do the dumbest things, and WHY is this kid at home anyhow, am I TRYING to make myself crazy?!?!

I get back home, she takes some medicine… half an hour to an hour later she’s feeling a bit better.

Now comes to “Reason” part. While I was out, I noticed the Metro store had some nice pumpkins for sale, cheap! So, I decided to get a pumpkin for them to gut and roast the seeds. We don’t do halloween, but fresh pumpkin seeds and the promise of making some nice pumpkin pie filling to can just sends shivers up my spine (literally!). How cozy, how warm…

So now it’s about 1:30 in the afternoon, there’s me doing dishes, the pumpkin is now on the floor of the livingroom, with Kenzi, Greyson and Chaeli digging around with their bare hands, pumpkin guts pretty much everywhere, sorting seeds and guts” into different containers. I was just about to … um… reprimand, remind, I don’t know, about all the pumpkin strings on my floor and how there is sticky stuff getting rather near my freshly folded laundry sitting in the basket nearby, when Greyson - sweet, wonderful Greys, up to his elbows in orange, stringy, sticky pumpkin guts - looks up adoringly at Kenzi and says, “I wuv you, Matenzie”. I shut my mouth. Kenzi replies, “you do?” “Yeth, I wuv you becauthe you are my betht big thithter” (I love you because you are my best big sister). I almost tear up. Then Chaeli, not to be outdone, pipes up, “I love you ME TOO, Kenzi!”. Now my eyes are stinging with tears.

THIS is my reason for homeschooling. All this happened in the peaceful quiet of the afternoon, before the schoolbusses started passing by dropping off this student or that student laden with bulging backpacks full of homework. It happened because Kenzi was home, IS home… experiencing life with her little siblings who get to spend time with her while they are at their best, not only late in the afternoon when the whole supper hour craziness is upon us.

Thank you, Lord, for leading me to homeschool McKenzie. Today was a lovely day.

Posted in Chaeli, Greyson, Kenzi, Bragging, General Homeschool | Print | 3 Comments »

19. October 2007 by Shannon.

Well. I thought I had a plan. I thought I knew what I was doing… or going to be doing. And again, I’ve been reminded that I am not in control, God is. His plan is a good plan. His plan is to bring me a hope and a future… so … why can’t I just have faith in that and let it be? Well, because I’m not perfect, I guess.

I need a global view of homeschooling. I need to learn to see the journey as a river… to determine my FINAL destination goal… my ideal… and then to accept that along the way I might have to get out and portage around some rapids, my canoe might spring a small leak… or a BIG one… but that all these things are part of the excitement of the journey. These are the wonderful memories I will be scrapbooking about when I’ve finished the journey. Why can’t I see them for what they are? All I see, or feel I see, is the next bend, the next obstacle… and find myself overwhelmed instead of excited at the possiblities of meeting that challenge. It makes me wonder how I’ve had any success at all in the years I’ve been homeschooling, and it makes me wonder at myself that I didn’t figure this out sooner.

It was in contemplating those “successful” homeschool friends of mine. What do their homeschools have that mine doesn’t??? I couldn’t quite place it, till it finally dawned on me. They are HOMESCHOOLERS… that is their journey, their way of life… their goal. My homeschool goals generally haven’t reached much past the end of June for any given year… and even at that, often it didn’t reach past getting through the month or week… maybe that was the difference. There was no other “option” for going to public school… it was “this is our life and we’ll work through whatever we come to together”.

Now I face a new homeschool journey. Greyson is just starting out in Kindergarten next year… so this is his “preschool” year. What is my destination? What is my route… do I truly see this as a life choice, not a school choice? I am praying for the wisdom that comes only from God, and for inspiration on what map to follow… there are just so many rivers to choose from and each of them bring us to a place of beauty, wonder and awe.

I sure hope my boat floats!

Posted in General Homeschool | Print | No Comments »