Courageous Joy

First Day of School

Quote of the Day:

Jamin - "Feels strange to be the oldest student at home this year!"

Jared - "Yeah, I remember being the youngest student and now there are 5 children younger than me."

Jamin - "Stacia, will probably never have five younger than her."

Mom - "You never know". ::smirk::

I have complained numerous times about the fact that ALL the groups I belong to put their activities in the 4th week of the month. WHY, do you think, did I decide to begin school during a 4th week???? I guess because I need to order things for next year and I can't think if the children aren't focused. LOL

The day began with Curves at 5:45. ARGH - will I ever get back into the routine of getting out of bed that early to work out??????

Michael and I took Cy out to breakfast. (See the post below). Cy went to base to get a new ID.

I ran home and started the older boys on their work. I talked with the younger ones.

Cy got home and we had a precious family circle - I am missing more and more the older ones who are not in school with us any longer, and I was glad Josiah was here one more morning.

Cy left for college. No, I didn't follow him to college for this photo....but I DID take first day of school photos. LOL He left a full HOUR early and barely made it to his first class. It took him 45 minutes to find a parking spot and he PAID for a parking permit!

I took the students of Meadowcreek Academy of Excellence (named for the creek that ran through our yard in ALASKA and not the dried up creek down here) out for our first field trip. These are my students. I really think Stacia is our mascot or chaos factor and not a student.

Jared wants me to tell on myself. I was taking the above photo and told the child in the front row, second from the left to SMILE and then realized it was the trash can! I AM going to make that appointment with the eye doctor - soon. ::snort:: They are in K, 3rd, 4th (took us a bit to figure those grades out this a.m. I told Nolan and Arielle to remember for the next time I ask what grade they are in ::snort::), 8th and 11th grades this year.

Zander's first lesson of Kindergarten is that he LIKES cones.

Stacia's first lesson of the year is that Dilly Bars MELT ::snort:: She just happened to lose the ice cream from the stick immediately after I took Zander's photo. She caught it in her hand. LOL

I dropped children off at home and ran to the base to get MY ID updated.

Michael and I caught lunch with Ch. T and Kimberly. Kimberly leaves to go home to Maryland tomorrow. She's been a wonderful Chaplain Candidate and we are really going to miss her.

I ran back home.

We worked on our history quilt. It's done - it's bigger than we imagined it would be. I should stitch it up. Today we simply tied the corners and it is fine. I couldn't quite wrap my mind around HOW to stitch it.

It was supposed to hang nicely in this hall - but it touches the ceiling and hangs low down the wall...ah well. The kids want to make another one for this year. They aren't so sure about lap books but that's a story for another day. I need to make up salt dough eventually too. My goal is for us to FINALLY, our second time through TOG, make a salt dough map. As Jared says, we've been trying this every year. Last year we did cookie dough maps.

I still need to order TOG and all it's books. Also some components for new courses Jamin wants to take. We have the basics and have begun.

Tonight was Mom's Night Out. I feel like I should stay IN and order school books. Stacia totally doused me with a cup of milk, earning me a second shower for the day. While in the shower, I decided I NEEDED a Mom's Night Out after all.

GUESS WHAT? I got to hold baby Elisha for a good portion of the evening. From the milling around time through the meeting time. Deja is our Mom's Night Coordinator. Good job tonight, friend, I enjoyed all the socializing after the meeting. Anyway, a couple of folks haven't seen me through the summer and knew I was pregnant in May. This led to some confusion and there is really no gracious way to tell someone that you aren't pregnant but this ISN'T your baby... I loved holding this new baby and wasn't ready to return him . What can I say? It was bittersweet....healing for my bruised heart. Deja solved the problem. Isn't she awesome? Do you see my second name tag? It says "Elisha - Deja's Baby". ::snort:: It was so sweet to hold him. His whole little tush fit into the palm of my hand. His kissable head is covered with adorable HAIR. Ah.....Thanks for the loan of your little man, Deja. It filled a longing.

Thus begins our 18th year of homeschooling. Some of you know that I've been exhausted and dreading the start of a new school year. I still am; sometimes you just need to put one foot in front of the other and start plodding. I wanted to wait until I was PREPARED to begin....but it does seem like the children are ready NOW; I may never get EVERYTHING prepared. I plan to spend this week tying up loose ends: history quilt, lapbooks, portfolios, freezer meals, moving books, ordering books, running to the library....plenty to do while we wait for new books to arrive. I wanted to order all the individual books I would need for TOG - but I need all four levels this year....so I won't be doing that. I'll be buying the multi-unit books and hopefully lit books, then supplementing heavily from the library again. I AM buying the high school level books, because Marcia makes wonderful choices and I don't have time to read all the library offers for this age.

I couldn't help comparing Zander and Cy's photos....both starting on significant ventures today; kindergarten and college. Really, in to time at all Zander will be entering college or some such thing. Michael and I've committed to stay engaged in parenting into our 60's. LOL I need to simply dig in.