In the Trenches

I have a lot of random thoughts floating in my head, so I am going to try to pen some of them here. I feel like I am deep in the trenches of life, with a lot of countdowns going on. The kids have 49 days left of school, only 49 days until they have the freedom of summer! While we are trying to be diligent and focused, we have had a lot of interruptions. Next Thursday we are going to Nashville so the kids can compete across the region at Trevecca. Kayla will be competing in Piano and Guitar, Elijah will be competing in Ping-Pong and Bible Quizzing. While we are looking forward to this, we are also looking forward to it being over as well, it will be a lot of work on very little sleep, and once we are back, Matt is gone for a week for work. I have 37 "school" days until MY classes start back up. So I only have 37 days of freedom left (days with some free time in them). I am planning to take 5 classes this summer (yes, I know that is crazy!), but I want to be able to do more while I have to do less with the kids school. I am not sure how it is all going to work, I am just trusting that it is going to work. There will be a little bit of role reversal while the kids try their hand at making dinner, while I study, haha! Since I know that I will have very little free time over the summer, I am trying to plan the kids school for next year, now. Also crazy. I was all set to put them in Bob Jones Homeschool Online because it would make my life super easy. Less planning, less grading, and it would free me up to try and get my Master's done by the end of the year. However, I was speaking to a friend this weekend and she said she had never done Bob Jones because she doesn't "school at home," she homeschools. That was a reminder to me of WHY I homeschool as well. She was not judging, she was merely stating her reasons why she doesn't use that curriculum for her kids. So, I have been in a frenzy the past few days trying to figure out what exactly I am going to do with them for next year so I can jumpstart my planning and make the summer easier. Kayla said yesterday she wants to continue with Bob Jones Spanish, she will do Spanish 2 next year, she wants to continue with Teaching Textbooks for Math, she wants to continue her sewing and music, and she would like to do Astronomy for her Science. Anyone know a high school level Astronomy class? We are still deciding on the other subjects for her. Elijah is a little harder because he really doesn't want to do any "school." He would rather read and play, but who can blame him? Elijah was looking at Bob Jones curriculum with me yesterday and he thought the Earth and Space Science looked interesting, so he may do that next year. This kid HATES science, so if he picks that, that is what we will go with. I am trying to let them have a say in their education, because, hello it is about them, not me. One other thing I am sure I am going to add back in to their curriculum is Bible Study. I want them to have a strong faith, and KNOW how to study their Bible, not just read it. I dropped actual Bible study when they started doing Bible Quizzing, but I think it's important for them to learn more than one book of the Bible, so they will do both next year. Time is flying by and Kayla will be in 11th grade, it is so important the choices we make. I am trying to prepare her to be an adult and I want her to have all the skills she needs to be ready to go to college, if that is what she chooses, or simply know how to make a living for herself. One huge skill we are working on it diligence and time management. I have a while longer with Elijah, but I know it will be gone before I know it and I want them to be ready, whether I will be or not 😉

Anyway, I am trying to live by the principle, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17

I am truly thankful for the opportunity to homeschool my kids, I know it isn't for everyone, but we enjoy it. It is a lot of hard work, takes time, but in the end I know it is worth it. We will never get the time back and I am so incredibly thankful for the time I get with them. I am thankful for a husband who fully supports and encourages our homeschool venture. I am also thankful that he fully supports me getting my Master's degree. I am thankful for the "free" time that I have had/and continue to have this semester, and the opportunity it has given me to get things done/caught up, and to make memories with my lovely family. I am doing my best to use my time wisely and trying not to waste it. We only have so much time, we absolutely need to be making the most of it. How are you making the most of your time? Are you in a season with some free time, or the season where you wish you had more time? Regardless, life is short, we must live it well...as the song says! (Live it well by Switchfoot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov_lnXy7tkQ )