For All of the Skeptics...

Come on...
You know who you are....
It felt like Christmas had come early...
I came home from the soccer game to find two huge boxes on our porch...
Guess what we got...
Our curriculum for next year has arrived!


I am super excited about it! I know that the girls are going to freak out when they see all of these new books. I am excited about the literature and history. I have decided not to use Shurley English. It is a great program - I just do not like it. I have found it to be unnecessarily complicated. I'm not being critical if that's what you use...I just do not care for it. I am using Rod & Staff instead. Nothing fancy- it's just straight forward and gets the job done.

Math:

Good 'ol Saxon

Did I say that I am SUPER excited about all of this?

Latin:



And of course - the Reading...I L.O.V.E. these guides:



And really quickly- History. I never knew that I liked history so much until I started teaching my kids. To be able to tell the story of what happened and then discuss the results that followed - it is a blast.



I know that it is hard to understand if you do not home school, however, I am so happy that I get to do this!

Holy Week

Holy Week (Latin: Hebdomas Sancta or Hebdomas Maior, "Greater Week"; Greek: Μεγάλη Εβδομάδα) in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter. It includes the religious holidays of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) and Good Friday, and lasts from Palm Sunday until, but not including, Easter Sunday -as Easter Sunday is the first day of the new season of The Great Fifty Days. It commemorates the last week of the earthly life of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

I know several of my family and friends are not Christians, however, for my family this is considered The Holiest Week. This is the week that we remember Christ suffering, reflect on the events that took place and ultimately rejoice in His conquering of Death.

Tomorrow is Sunday. Palm Sunday. According to the Gospels, before entering Jerusalem, Jesus was staying at Bethany and Bethphage, and the Gospel of John adds that he had dinner with Lazarus, and his sisters Mary and Martha. While there, Jesus sent two disciples to the village over against them, in order to retrieve a donkey that had been tied up but never been ridden, and to say, if questioned, that the donkey was needed by the Lord but would be returned. Jesus then rode the donkey into Jerusalem, with the Synoptics adding that the disciples had first put their cloaks on it, so as to make it more comfortable. The Gospels go on to recount how Jesus rode into Jerusalem, and how the people there lay down their cloaks in front of him, and also lay down small branches of trees. The people sang part of Psalm 118-..."Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father, David..."

After that is Wednesday. Holy Wednesday. In Western Christianity, the Wednesday before Easter is sometimes known as "Spy Wednesday",indicating that it is the day that Judas Iscariot first conspired with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus for thirty silver coins.

This event is described in the three Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-12, Luke 22:3-6.

The Sanhedrin was gathered together and it decided to kill Jesus. In the meantime, Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper. Here he was anointed on the head by Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, with very expensive ointment of spikenard. Some of the disciples were indignant about this; the oil could have been sold to support the poor. Judas went to the Sanhedrin and offered them his support in exchange for money. From this moment on Judas was looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Next is Thursday. Maundy Thursday. Maundy Thursday is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles.

Then comes Friday. Good Friday. According to the accounts in the Gospels, Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane by the Temple Guards through the guidance of his disciple, Judas Iscariot. Judas received money (30 pieces of silver) (Matthew 26:14-16) for betraying Jesus and told the guards that whomever he kisses is the one they are to arrest. Jesus is brought to the house of Annas, who is the father-in-law of the current high priest, Caiaphas. There he is interrogated with little result, and sent bound to Caiaphas the high priest, where the Sanhedrin had assembled (John 18:1-24). Conflicting testimony against Jesus is brought forth by many witnesses, to which Jesus answers nothing. Finally the high priest adjures Jesus to respond under solemn oath, saying "I adjure you, by the Living God, to tell us, are you the Anointed One, the Son of God?" Jesus testifies in the affirmative, "You have said it, and in time you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty, coming on the clouds of Heaven." The high priest condemns Jesus for blasphemy, and the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus concurs with a sentence of death (Matthew 26:57-66). Peter, waiting in the courtyard, also denies Jesus three times to bystanders while the interrogations were proceeding. Jesus already knew that Peter would deny him three times. In the morning, the whole assembly brings Jesus to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, under charges of subverting the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar, and making himself a king (Luke 23:1-2). Pilate authorizes the Jewish leaders to judge Jesus according to their own Law and execute sentencing; however, the Jewish leaders reply that they are not allowed by the Romans to carry out a sentence of death (John 18:31).
Pilate questions Jesus, and tells the assembly that there is no basis for sentencing. Upon learning that Jesus is from Galilee, Pilate refers the case to the ruler of Galilee, King Herod, who was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Herod questions Jesus but receives no answer; Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate tells the assembly that neither he nor Herod have found guilt in Jesus; Pilate resolves to have Jesus whipped and released (Luke 23:3-16).It was a custom during the feast of Passover for the Romans to release one prisoner as requested by the Jews. Pilate asks the crowd whom they would like to be released. Under the guidance of the chief priests, the crowd asks for Barabbas, who had been imprisoned for committing murder during an insurrection. Pilate asks what they would have him do with Jesus, and they demand, "Crucify him" (Mark 15:6-14). Pilate's wife had seen Jesus in a dream earlier that day; she forewarns Pilate to "have nothing to do with this righteous man" (Matthew 27:19). Pilate has Jesus flogged, then brings him out to the crowd to release him. The chief priests inform Pilate of a new charge, demanding Jesus be sentenced to death "because he claimed to be God's son." This possibility filled Pilate with fear, and he brought Jesus back inside the palace and demanded to know from where he came (John 19:1-9). Coming before the crowd one last time, Pilate declares Jesus innocent, washing his own hands in water to show he has no part in this condemnation. Nevertheless, Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified.(Matthew 27:24-26). The sentence written is "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." Jesus carries his cross to the site of execution (assisted by Simon of Cyrene), called the place of the Skull, or "Golgotha" in Hebrew and in Latin "Calvary". There he is crucified along with two criminals (John 19:17-22). Jesus agonizes on the cross for six hours. During his last 3 hours on the cross, from noon to 3pm, there is darkness over the whole land. With a loud cry, Jesus gives up his spirit. There is an earthquake, tombs break open, and the curtain in the Temple is torn from top to bottom. The centurion on guard at the site of crucifixion declares, "Truly this was God's Son!" (Matthew 27:45-54)
Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin and secret follower of Jesus, who had not consented to his condemnation, goes to Pilate to request the body of Jesus (Luke 23:50-52). Another secret follower of Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin named Nicodemus brought about a hundred pound weight mixture of spices and helped wrap the body of Christ (John 19:39-40). Pilate asks confirmation from the centurion whether Jesus is dead (Mark 15:44). A soldier pierced the side of Jesus with a lance causing blood and water to flow out (John 19:34), and the centurion informs Pilate that Jesus is dead (Mark 15:45).
Joseph of Arimathea takes the body of Jesus, wraps it in a clean linen shroud, and places it in his own new tomb that had been carved in the rock (Matthew 27:59-60) in a garden near the site of crucifixion. Nicodemus (John 3:1) also came bringing 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes, and places them in the linen with the body of Jesus, according to Jewish burial customs (John 19:39-40). They rolled a large rock over the entrance of the tomb (Matthew 27:60).

"Then they returned home and rested, because at sunset began Shabbat."(Luke 23:54-56)

Saturday is a solemn day. On Saturday we will meet with our family and church family to have a solemn meditation. We will gather for reading & reflection. We will pray and share a meal. I cannot even imagine that first Sabbath after the cross.

Then comes Sunday. Easter Sunday. The New Testament teaches that the resurrection of Jesus, which Easter celebrates, is a foundation of the Christian faith. The resurrection established Jesus as the powerful Son of God and is cited as proof that God will judge the world in righteousness. God has given Christians "a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead". Christians, through faith in the working of God are spiritually resurrected with Jesus so that they may walk in a new way of life.

Easter is linked to the Passover and Exodus from Egypt recorded in the Old Testament through the Last Supper and crucifixion that preceded the resurrection. According to the narratives of the New Testament, Jesus gave the Passover meal a new meaning, as he prepared himself and his disciples for his death in the upper room during the Last Supper. He identified the loaf of bread and cup of wine as symbolizing his body soon to be sacrificed and his blood soon to be shed.

Thanks be to God!

My New Favorite Song-by Miranda Lambert

The House That Built Me

I know they say you can’t go home again
I just had to come back one last time
Ma’am I know you don’t know me from Adam
But these handprints on the front steps are mine

Up those stairs in that little back bedroom
Is where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar
I bet you didn’t know under that live oak
My favorite dog is buried in the yard

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
This brokenness inside me might start healing
Out here it’s like I’m someone else
I thought that maybe I could find myself
If I could just come in I swear I’ll leave
Won’t take nothing but a memory
From the house that built me

Mama cut out pictures of houses for years
From Better Homes and Gardens magazine
Plans were drawn and concrete poured
Nail by nail and board by board
Daddy gave life to mama’s dream

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
This brokenness inside me might start healing
Out here it’s like I’m someone else
I thought that maybe I could find myself
If I could just come in I swear I’ll leave
Won’t take nothing but a memory
From the house that built me

You leave home and you move on and you do the best you can
I got lost in this old world and forgot who I am

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
This brokenness inside me might start healing
Out here it’s like I’m someone else
I thought that maybe I could find myself
If I could just come in I swear I’ll leave
Won’t take nothing but a memory
From the house that built me

Spring Brake

I am sitting at the foot of my bed on the love seat. I am sitting "criss-cross- applesauce" sideways leaning against a pile of laundry. I would have to have about 10 pillows to achieve the same level of comfort that I am experiencing now from "all that is unfinished". We have had a great week- all things considered. It would be a lie to say that it has been care-free and non-tumultuous. It has been a hard week, however, it was needed. The activity load, because it was Spring Break, was strenuous; as well as expensive - but the photographs are tangible memories of the activities that were so quick to end. The bird "cage" at the zoo was not quick- the girls could have stayed in there all day. I, however, do not share the same love for the canaries.

We did not go skiing, rock climbing or to the beach. We stayed home every night. the girls had a couple of friends sleep over. It wasn't until Thursday that I thought, "We should DO something." So about 10 a.m. we loaded up with a friend and her girls and took off. We had a great day at the zoo and got home around 6:30 that night. The girls were tired and their friends wound up staying the night here. The next morning my mom took my four to Chuck E. Cheese. We were there all day. It was actually really fun and I had a great time being there with my mom. Thus far, it is the highlight of Lucy Grace's life. She could barely sleep the night before. She loved it. They all had so much fun and wore themselves out running & playing games. Zoe threw a fit when we told her that it was time to leave. That's when I noticed that the manager was watching us.

I knew what was coming. He came closer to us. "What's wrong with her?" he asked. "Oh, she's just upset because it's time to go." I said. I moved away from him but he stayed close by me until we got to the light: the one that you put your arm under to make sure that someone's not leaving with the wrong family. I have only had this happen about two other times. I knew that he wanted to make sure that Zoe was mine and I am appreciative of that, however, I am not sure how i would've proven to him that she was mine other than with a family picture. Someone told me that they carry a copy of their child's birth certificate & adoption "something or another" with them just in case the police is called. Maybe I need to consider that- not sure. honestly, if I did that - it would probably wind up with lip prints or chewed gum on it. Zoe knows that our skin is different and she knows that I am her mom...and I'm pretty sure that she could take someone out.

Every night this week Greg has read with the girls -just like normal. We have eaten all of our evening meals together -just the same. We have all started out in our own beds and then somehow everyone ends up in ours -as usual. That's why i was shocked by Abby's statement this morning.
"Mom," she said. "We haven't got to spend very much time together this week."
Humph..."What?" I asked.
"You know, like 'together'" she said.
I must confess - I'm not sure exactly what she means. But what I think she means, and by how she responded to what I said, makes me believe that I am pretty close.
"So, you mean like sitting at the table talking & reading with each other? Like we do on school days?" I asked.
She smiled, shook her head and said, "Yep. I like that."
"Yep," I said smiling back. "Me too."

I am glad to get a brake from the break. I am glad to re-engage and to lose the carnival of activity again. Even though it was fun - I am....We are...home-bodies. Boring, coffee-drinking, snuggle-up, memory making home-bodies. And, from her statement to me- it seems that there is still a lot of "unfinished business" that I need to settle into with the girls. Sometimes I believe that I am accomplishing the same goal with the girls by "hauling" them everywhere, entertaining them with activities and getting them to the other people that they will "engage" with that day. But the truth is- I'm not.

While I am typing, I can smell the brisket that is cooking for lunch tomorrow. Our church eats a planned meal together every third Sunday after worship. I love this meal. Apart from all of the great food that everyone signs up to bring, we have such great conversation together -sitting across the table from one another, engaging, sharing food, laughing and listening. For some of these individuals- this might be the only meal that they share with another person all week. For all of us it is significant and shaping.

I believe, as a Christian, that our families are micro-cosms of the church. Should we not just be "making time for"- but rather centering our existence as a family "around" these times of worship and great conversations together; sitting across the table from one another, engaging, sharing food, laughing and listening to each other, being shaped by and shaping our family....as well as -inviting others to our table.

I pray that my days will not be a blur. I pray that I will keep a thoughtful, simple, harnessed view of how life is to be. As one writer says, "Teach me to order my days correctly that I might gain a heart of wisdom" - So be it.

"Don't ask me again. I mean it."

To say that we are "adjusting" to our old way of doing things would be accurate. Trying to be steady, consistent and normal takes more work than one might think. We have crap scattered everywhere...this is because we do not have a room that contains all of our necessary supplies that are needed constantly. Since I decided to go ahead and pull the girls out a month into the 2nd semester I needed to pull some curriculum from all corners of the earth to adequately complete the year. I had everything that I needed for 2nd grade but was slightly ill equipped for 4th grade. On the first day I was having lunch with a couple of pastor's wives, who also home-school, and I mentioned that I needed to go home and order a couple of things and one of the wives had the math book, workbook and teacher's book that I needed. I came home and realized that I already had the 4th grade reading book and reading workbook that I needed. Whew! I was so relieved because I didn't want to waste a lot of time with the U.S. Postal Service. So the next morning we started with the Math book and we began exactly where Abby left off the week before. We move on to Reading. She reads the lesson and moves on to the workbook. Here's the deal- I love to help my children...but don't take advantage of it. That's just the honest truth. I can tell when my child really needs help and when she is lingering...waiting for someone to tell her the answer or to do the work for her. So after about the third time of asking questions that had seemingly obvious answers to me I tell her, "Don't ask me again! I mean it! Take your time, read and write the answer." The next day we were at the table and I was helping her. I did feel like the answers were a little too difficult to "infer" from the material. So I had her move on to something else and I went online to chat with a "specialist". I ask Joel, the specialist, if I was missing something. I told him what book we were in and asked him about the previous book and asked if we might have "missed" something-some prior readings, entire books...etc? He assured me that we were fine and that we were probably in a "review" portion of the book, etc. So, I take the reader and scan it. "Man, This is asking questions that are not in this book." So I say, "Abby, here's the book it's asking you questions about...maybe this was part of the 3rd grade curriculum so just scan through the first chapter and see if we're on the right track." OK- before anyone starts to criticize me for this I was at my wit's end with this book. It had been a thorn in my side for two days...and it's good material...so I was just trying to get to the bottom of it. So she comes back and says, "Well, that helped. All of the answers were right there." What the heck?
The next morning we had to run an errand so Abby said "I'm going to take my book with me." No kidding, we are in the car and she starts in, "I can't do this. The answers are not in here!" I am so frustrated. Now, I know on a flat screen this seems ridiculous...but have you ever had a day when you wake up, get out of bed and step on a kid's wooden toy block? You go to get in the shower and there's no hot water. You get dressed, pour your coffee and you spill it on your white shirt? Then you should understand. There is a lot of emotion. When Abby starts whining, then Ellie starts whining. Who I must say has absolutely nothing to whine about. To this, and I'm a little embarrassed to to reveal this, I turn around and I'm sure they will totally mimic me and make fun of me for this one day, I say, "OH MY GOSH! It's not that hard. Do not ask me another question until you have read all of it. You are not going to be 'stupid girls'. You two are smart and you're not going to be lazy." There was steam coming out of my ears...I'm sure of it.
Greg comes home for lunch and I am quickly moving around the kitchen transferring a lot of information at once. "Have you called the company about the book?" he asked. "YES-I told you that I did!" I said with the tone of "Don't question me I'm not stupid!" He slowly looks up and says, "No, you said you chatted with them." OH.MY.AM.I.AN.IDIOT???? He leaves and goes back to work.
Later that afternoon after more "questions" I go to Abby and say, "Put the books on the shelf. I'll just order something different." We did this same material in 2nd grade so I am beside myself. I go and get the books, call my friend Christi, and say "Ok- I CANNOT figure this out."
No lie...I lay the books out in front of me and I HAD GIVEN HER: Reading Book Unit 1 & Reading Workbook Unit 2.
OH
MY
WORD!!!!!
That's like leaving something unplugged and thinking it's broken. When I told her she was totally cool but I felt like such an idiot. I texted Greg and of course it made his afternoon. The next morning Abby completed her lesson with ease. She laughed and said, "Finally! This makes sense."
I am such a 'stupid girl'.

So the truth is...

I have had no time to blog. Most people do not know this...but I love to write. In fact, I do it in my head all day. There is a constant commentary playing. Note that I said "commentary" and not "voices". I am constantly thinking of ways to write what is taking place in real time. I know that that is odd but I have done it for as long as I can remember. Maybe it is something I started doing to make sense of things around me...but I have no idea when it began or what set it into action. If I saw a ball roll into the street I would think something like, "The ball was carried down the street by the cool wind of the evening like a leaf resting on a calm stream." What the heck is wrong with me? I am just now coming to terms with my need for therapy.

As you know, I began homeschooling again mid-February. I have gone back and forth about how much to post concerning this decision, however, one writes about what one knows. On that note, here I go.

When I began homeschooling several years ago I was very nervous about my decision. I saw it as a choice that some made when other options seemed less promising. Most of my insecurities rested in what others thought about my decision. Most of my fears were grounded in the unknown. Can I do it? Can I do it right?

Thanks be to God- I am no longer in that place. I am convinced that we are where we should be. Since I am coming back to it- I no longer have the fear and I am free from the concern about what others think about our decision to do this. For those of you who have more than one child, remember your second birth compared to your first. Remember bringing your second, third or fourth child home from the hospital. With our first daughter we followed all of the rules. With our second, we weren't near as concerned about what "they" said we should do or how to do it. By the time our third was here - she was just along for the ride.

I have noticed some things this time around that have peaked my interest a little. Almost everyone who has entered into a discussion with me on homeschooling has approached it from the perspective of what we are taking away from our children versus what we are giving to them. The past several weeks we have been in the re-entry stage. We are learning to be home together again. I have had to apologize, ask them to forgive me & become more patient already. I have had to learn again how they learn. Knowing how they learn and having to teach an idea or concept to them changes our dynamic so much. We truly communicate. I must admit, I had to go back to Abby on Friday and ask her to forgive me because I was explaining something in a way that made perfect sense to me - but not to her. I was so angry that she wasn't understanding what I was saying. I stepped back, got some coffee, asked her to forgive me for my attitude and then we started over and she got it. See, even this process was good for us.

We begin at 9:00 every morning. We go to the table, talk, pray, read the bible (right now we are in Romans), go to YouTube and find a worship song that has lyrics (this past week we sang, Jesus Messiah by Chris Tomlin everyday). We take time for prayer request, confession of sins and prayer. After that both older girls start with math and then go on to their reading workbooks. Next they have grammar, writing & memorization work. Ellie is finishing up Little House in the Big Woods, which she was reading in school & Abby is reading Annie Oakley. We are reading out loud in the afternoon, The Magician's Nephew. They are not doing much more than this for the rest of this year. Of course Ellie is being tested on spelling and reading. Abby is doing a lot of reading and lots of narration/book reports. The fall will be a different story. We did decide to go with Veritas Press. We ordered their curriculum last month. I love the classical model. I'm a nerd. The history, Bible, Latin....I dig it.

If I were to sum up where I am now compared to where I was- I would say something like this: "The clumsy enthusiast groped along until one day she realized that her once fresh bruises were gone and felicity's sweet song was leading her still."