The short answer is great! Don't get me wrong we have our days just like anyone else, but for the most part things are going really well. We just wrapped up our fall semester at our co-op. We did have to miss several weeks due to having Hannah in the middle of the semester, but the kids were able to jump right back in and made it in time for family night where J got to show off all he had been learning. One of his classes also performed a song about Noah's ark on stage. J has really been flourishing in homeschool. Being able to work with him one and one and being able to make sure he really understands all the concepts of what he needs to know is a major benefit of homeschooling.
F has been blowing me away with her preschool progress. She has obviously known her letters for some time now, but we've mostly been working on them individually. My big surprise was when she came to me a little while back and had started writing her name all on her own! I love how much of a sponge she is. There is so much she knows and has learned that I wish I could take credit for, but honestly she has learned a lot all on her own. Just absorbing everything she hears J and I talking about when we're doing his schooling.
S has been right along side her taking it all in as well. At the beginning of this school year I had no intention of doing any specific activities with S, but once she saw her brother and sister doing theirs she had to have some of her own. So in a pinch I made her several busy bags full of different learning activities. Honestly, I wish I could get her to sit in the floor and do them, but she insists on sitting at the table with the big kids :-)
We seem to be settling in with a routine with H (knock on wood) and she's been napping in the morning either in her swing or right next to us in her bouncy seat while we're doing school. She's not really interested in her crib, but as long as she's napping and we can get school done I'm happy! I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a day or two in there where I was actually holding her in my arms while teaching to keep her asleep. It could be that we're just boring her... I'm not real sure, haha.
The key to all of it though is prayer. I pray a lot, lol. I love when people say to me "I could never do that I don't have that much patience". HA!!!! If you really know me then you know I have little to no patience. God has patience though and that's where I get it from. It doesn't come from me, but through his amazing grace he gives me the patience I would never have without him.
I also have several tricks that help us along. I usually turn on classical music to play in the background, but this time of year it's been Christmas music. I also light a candle. The smell and the glow of the candle just transform the whole atmosphere of the schoolroom. I also learned a little trick from Courtney over at Women Living Well ministry to say a prayer of peace for the family every time the candle catches my eye. It really does help me and the kids love having a candle lit.
It's not likely that I'll get to write another blog post in the next week so I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas. I hope you get the chance to slow down, enjoy time with your family, and remember the real meaning of this holiday.
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