A New Beginning

As I mentioned in my last post, things have been really, really busy around here.  This is one of the things that has kept us occupied.
We started school for the first time this year!
On Aug. 30, I started a new teaching position at the new local Catholic school, and my children are attending.
Big changes for our family!

In my heart, I am still a homeschooler, and I truly miss being with my children all day.  There has most definitely been a mourning period for me in giving up homeschooling.
But, this is where our lives have led us, and I am grateful for this opportunity.  I do love to teach, and I welcome this challenge.  I am thankful that I am in the same building with my children and can have contact with them throughout the day. Ethan is in my class and I see Annie and Sammy at lunch and recess.
I am also thankful for the dedicated and devout staff.  I am blessed to have colleagues such as these.
God has provided.
 (I think I need to ask Him to provide a bit more energy, though.  At the end of the day, I'm pooped!)

Signs of Readiness

My boys are sending me mixed messages, but thankfully, after 20 years of parenting, I am able to decipher their signals.

Yesterday, my 7 year old made the statement, "I want to do school." Using my keen mothering skills, I have decoded his subtly worded message. He really means, "I want to do school in September." It takes years of motherhood to achieve this level of intuitive understanding.

For instance, when both 10 and 7 year old boys picked up notebooks and pencils yesterday and began writing in their journals, I knew better than to jump to the conclusion that they are desiring some structure and stimulation. I'm not that naive! It's still summer for goodness sakes!!Still, they almost had me today when my 10 year old, after spending some quiet time on the computer, started pulling out pans, mirrors, paper and other items. He was trying to make a rainbow according to the instructions on the Magic School Bus website. Now, this is very tricky, but I know it was just subliminal suggestion causing him to do this. You see, I told him that we would be studying Magic School Bus books in our science curriculum this year, and that I had won a big lot of them on ebay last night. It's really not that he's excited and eager.

Really.

First day

Well, it wasn't a bad first day back "at school". Everyone was up early and got their chores done and appeared eager. At least, until the books came out. A meltdown occurred because the youngest brother, who desperately tries to keep up with his big brothers, felt that sounding out words was "too babyish". He just did NOT want to do that...and couldn't I just tell him the word? Well, no, I couldn't, nor could I calm him down...so into tears he went. Later, a brawl broke out between the older brothers (16 and 9) because older brother was "touching" younger brother on the head and face with his hockey stick...well, younger brother did not appreciate this annoyance, even though "it wasn't hurting him, Mom!" so he slugged older brother in the stomach, which led to older brother tossing younger brother on the floor, resulting in younger brother punching older brother in the face......lots of crying, yelling and commotion. What part of, "It is never OK to hit someone because you are angry or frustrated" don't they understand??? I mean really!!! This is unacceptable and they both know it. Anyway, after we resolved the brawl, it was lunch, recess and clean-up. In the end, everyone did Math, Reading, Religion and biggest brother even got science and keyboarding in. We took a good look at our new schedule and morning faith time, kind of got a feel for the new year and new schedule, so it was good. We'll add a little at a time until we are up to a full schedule in a couple of weeks. If we can avoid any further violence, I will be happy.
Oldest son had a soccer game. They won and he scored a goal. He got another assist, which we thought was a goal, but it bounced off a teammate's back and into the goal. I got pics of him celebrating, but not of the goal itself. Now it's off to bed so I can referee teach all over again tomorrow!

celebrating the goal that "almost was"

Bro-in-law after I made a wisecrack at him

Looks like a new dance step. The Midfielder's
Mambo????














A mean game of London Bridge















Celebrating the real thing this time!
Go Isaac!