My life as a....

(can't believe I'm actually doing this) HOMESCHOOLER.

Let me begin this entry by saying that I know I blog very passionately about things that not everyone agrees with; for example, the importance of being a stay at home mom. I will say that I believe our number one priority as mothers is to pray earnestly about our relationship with our Heavenly Father and how it spills over into the lives of our families. Well, when I prayed that way, God sent me home. No where in scripture will you find the verbateum statement "and mother thou shalt cleave unto your domestic dwelling and seek no other income." But we find many passages instructing us to be the teachers, caregivers, spiritual foundation builders, and molders of our homes. I know that some of you wonderful mothers who read my blog work, and some of you just returned to work these past weeks. Please don't ever take my blog as an indictment against what you do. I love you! I am praying for you! You are out there, in the mission field being salt and light. Go and shine! Let's all try as mothers to pray for each other that above all else, God guards our hearts and minds and enables us to give the very best to our families.

Now, where was I going with that? Oh, yes. Some of you might groan as you see me beginning to blog about homeschooling. Well, listen. I am a former public school teacher, daughter of a former public school teacher, grandaughter of a former public school teacher, and grand-daughter of a former public school superintendent. This was not a decision I made lightly! I am giving this my best effort for the next two years, knowing since Emily would still be at home, I am not losing any potential income by not sending Hannah to school.

Let me tell you in my short days as a homeschooler what I have seen.
1. It's easier than I thought. There is a lot of prep but the delivery is fun and easy.
2. My girls love it. Hannah asked on Saturday and Sunday if we could do school and then after having to wait until Monday said that lesson wasn't long enough.
3. I am always trying to keep them busy with something anyway, so it's actually easier to have some of our day scripted by a curriculum, knowing they are learning something to boot.
4. Emily is learning some 4 year old curriculum. It has amazed me what she has picked up from simply being in the room with us. Rarely does she opt for leaving the table to venture out on her own but chooses to stay.
5. We are studying the Bible chronologically and I wish I'd done that as a child! My children are beginning with a better foundation than I had.
6. Finally, my favorite reason. Homeschooling reminds me why I came home! For the children! See, I so often get confused. As I tell Daniel, sometimes I have to be reminded to stop and smell the kids. I act as though I came home to clean, came home to help other people, came home to serve more at church, came home to take up hobbies, etc. No! I came home to nurture the two people I was uniquely created to care for better than anyone else. When I start my day in the arms of my Father, reading his word, I find myself more able to return to Him all day long and walk faithfully. Likewise, if I follow that by beginning the girls' morning by pouring into them and interacting with them, voila! A more nurturing day follows. Otherwise, I forget it's okay for the house to be dirty if the kids are happy, or that it's okay for them to giggle until they get hiccups, be late to the grocery store because of a tickle fight, and take a little longer at the library so we can do the Elmo puzzle 3 times, etc.
That's just me.

Toddler Tuesdays/Zingers

So over the past week we have said some really funny things AND some things that cut Mommy to the bone!

Sunday leaving church, Hannah:
"Mommy, I smelled something stinky in Sunday School."
Me, "Oh, really?" Not suprised. Her sense of smell has become very strong lately and I have one that is crazy good so it comes with the territory.
Hannah: "I think it must have been Micah or Addie 'cuz they had their shoes off."
(All apologies to my friends).

Hannah, leaving camp yesterday:
"We had fun, Mommy."
Me: "Did you? What did you play?
Hannah: "We played playdough."
Me: "Really? I LOVE playdough! That sounds fun."
Hannah, sounding shocked: "You like to play playdough, Mommy? You should try playing it with us some time at the kitchen table."
Ouch. I usually use playdough as busy work while I cook or clean. That hurt.

Finally, Hannah before bedtime last night:
"Mommy I want to play this game." Indicates the crazy eights Dora game out of the box.
I sigh, look at the instructions. "No, Hannah, this one is too hard" thinking she could not understand the concept of an 8 being wild.
She sighs, "Wellll, maybe I will just have to play it with Daddy. He knows how to play it. So does big Hannah (our babysitter). Sorry you don't know how."
Ouch again. Needless to say we played and I won by the skin of my teeth. :)