Update on this crazy home schooling thing :)

Hiya. :) I know I asked for prayers in an earlier post for my little home school, and as such I owe you all an update on how things are going. I am happy to report that, two weeks into the school year, we are doing really well. I am actually really loving it right now. I don't know how long that feeling will last (I have a way of being very swingy in moods and interests, but I am working on my self discipline and in being joyful, appreciative, and thankful in general, which seems to be helping) but right now I'm trying to soak it up.

Things are looking good for this year so far; my mom is now employed by the school where we have our children enrolled, and she will be leading music workshops and activities in my area, which means that we will be able to be plugged in to the larger home school community in which we have not, so far, been very active. This is meaningful because I've been somewhat concerned that my children do not have much interaction with non-sibling peers. LOL. It's also fantastic because my mother is probably the most talented and knowledgeable musician I know (and I know a few!), and she will be teaching my kids (although, to be fair, she has taught them piano lessons in the past and we hope to do that in the future, but we have not been very diligent about either lessons or practice thus far). :)

One very embarrassing thing did happen at the end of the first week of school. Somehow, I came to the realization that I was mentally behind by a full year on all of my kids. I am aware of their ages, but for some reason I thought my 8 year old was in year 3, my 7 year old in year 1, and my 5 year old in kindergarten. Some strange thought-stream led me to awaken to the fact that my 8 year old is actually in year 4, the year old is in year 2, and my 5 year old, who is nearly 6, is actually in year 1 and therefore needed to be enrolled this year! It doesn't really matter for the older two, because the work they are doing is at their own individual level and not based on an arbitrary grade level, but for my 5 year old it is a legal requirement that she be enrolled this year. I am thankful that I realized this a week into the school year and not any later down the track (like, when the gov finally caught on and sent me a cranky letter, for example)...but it made me feel some not-so-positive emotions about my parenting and educational skills! All is well now and sorted out, but boy did that throw me for a loop.

As a side note, our little tiny baby girl turned one last month! I am very happy to be blessed to have shared this year with her, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me a wee bit sad. It does all go by so quickly. She had a grand day, though, and she really is growing up, despite my best efforts. :)







Oh, happy birthday sweet baby girl! We're so happy that you are here with us. <3 <3 <3