(you guessed it...google images)

Our schedule has really been coming together around here...and I LOVE it!! Remember my purchase of the book "Managers of their Home" I'll do another post about that and our new schedule soon...(promise). But for now, here's one thing it reminded me, one thing I've struggled with ever since committing to school my children at home...

that I am here to SCHOOL MY CHILDREN AT HOME.

hmm...what?

Didn't I already say that?

yeah well I'm a little slow apparently. I needed the reminder.

(I'm sure I'm alone in this...so just feel sorry for me and tilt your head and nod a bit with a solemn look on your face and a bit of a furrowed brow when you think of me)

Going from a stay at home Mommy of 2 kids in public school to a home educator I've realized was a bigger leap then I thought it would be.

And I'm not talking about the teaching part (this time). I'm talking about the realization that basically.....

I work....

I have a job (granted I think it's the greatest job on earth).

Last year I would go for coffee with friends, baby sit for friends, run errands, volunteer, etc etc during the school day...professing "what a blessing it is that I am at home" or I would find myself saying "just call we are at home pretty much every day"

sounds good.....

except that I wasn't changing my life to reflect the change in our home. So we would spend a ton of time rushing to catch up...which meant Mommy wasn't always a delightfully fun teacher - or Mommy - to be around. I was still trying to do all the things I'd done when the kids were in Public school and then do school.

This summer I did a lot of thinking of what I wanted this school year to look like...how I wanted it to look, and how I needed to change my mindset so that I could accomplish everything I wanted to....and my kids not hate me for it. I had to have my own little vocabulary lesson....

"N-O spells......"

Boundaries

I recently spoke to another homeschool Mom who has had the same problem. Her husband finally made a sign for her front door "please do not disturb between the hours of.......& ....... school is in session" and she turned her ringer off on her phone.

I generally don't answer the phone during lessons....BUT sometimes when the kids are finishing up a worksheet or something I have been known to answer it since they are occupied...then they finish and I'm still on the phone an hour later.....and then we're behind and pushing it or we don't get done what we'd planned because the kids get distracted because I wasn't engaged.

I learned in this book, I'm not the only one.

But I have to set boundaries...for my sanity and for the benefit of my children and the health of my home.

but the problem is my friends don't all realize that...you see, to the world outside these 4 walls i'm still seen as a 'stay at home Mom' so I still get calls to get together with friends, do this or that. you know the call "hey would you mind taking on...." ....and I HATE and I mean HATE to turn them down....

but if I say yes you know what it means??

it means my kids are not in school.

hmm....I'm pretty sure those with kids in public school wouldn't think it was okay to let their kids skip school so the Mommy could enjoy a cup of delicious coffee (caramel machiato please) and fabulous company.

errrrr.....that doesn't really work.

So friends (not speaking to one in-particular AT ALL). I'm so sorry, but I hope you will understand, that although my insurance package and retirement might not look the same as a public school teacher...I still have a responsibility to my students to clock in to work and teach them.....(don't worry I've factored some 'me' time into our new schedule...I am not deprived.)

Truly I Love My life and thank God each and every day that I have the privilege of educating my children at home. It's a great job - I love going to work every day

(okay ALMOST every day)

An Assault on My Senses

Have I told you about my sister in law? I have two wonderful sister in laws. Truly I'm blessed. One of which lived in China for quite a few years.

Back when she first went she would send the most amazing emails home that would have us laughing and crying. Then a computer savvy friend of hers set up something like a blog...before blogging was cool and there were all these free sites. So she would keep us all informed of her adventures through her site. She has such a gift for story telling. It helps she's an English/Literature teacher, but truly she's gifted. We all kept telling her she needed to publish her writings. Our friends and family would say the same thing when we would send them the link. I mean the stories are just great!! And she finally did....and it's AWESOME!!

I happened to just go on Amazon tonight looking at it for some reason and saw that they only have 5 copies left. It is hilarious and enjoyable!! It is a great read. Yes, yes I'm completely and totally biased. I will admit (I find her amazing!). However, my friends that have read it are not, they think it's great too!! It's a great read on the cultural differences encountered when traveling!! It's a great book for those the enjoy travel, but also those that just dream about it...so heat up a cup of tea and set back and enjoy!!

If Amazon runs out, you can also order from Barnes and Noble and virtualbookworm.com

Remember the pitcher I mentioned here. Well this weekend while visiting with my cousins and sister over some yummy homemade ice cream after my GrandMother's funeral, come to find out we all had fond memories of the pitcher in her fridge. Funny how one simple thing can mean so much to you and leave a big memory!! It wasn't some huge expensive gift, big event...it was what was always in the fridge at my Granny and GrandPa's house in Old Hickory, TN (LOVE That place!!). it was a sure thing. you could depend on it being there after a game of tag with cousins, or shooting bb guns, or playing with the neighbor's granddaughters.

You KNEW that the pitcher would be there full of ice cold water to sip on.

Well come to find out the pitcher that is one of those precious memories for me, one of my cousin has at his home

(don't you think he should give it to me?? I mean I even blogged about it for goodness sakes).

My sister and I had no idea. We'd assumed it had been dumped or donated LONG ago.

Isn't it funny though that all of us would have taken that pitcher as a precious family heirloom and treasured it as a precious connection to our grandparents?

I'd love to know how much my Grandparents paid for that pitcher I'm certain it wasn't much, and I'm sure another could be found and purchased easily....but it would not mean the same or be as treasured.

I love that simple things create such long-lasting memories.

I think there is a lesson in that....and a hope

(oh and the picture was my 'sweet' cousin's way of rubbing it in...ha ha....he posted it on facebook. The pitcher is continuing to create memories as we all pretend squabble over it's rightful owner, who will it be willed to next, etc etc)

This craze over the President's speech to school children makes me sad. Just the statuses on facebook alone have shocked me...then there's the news....UGH!

I think it's great for a president to encourage our school children. I'm glad that President Reagan started the practice of talking to our school children. What? A republican has done it too!? YES and guess what so did Bush. And Democrats freaked about it...now Republican's are freaking over Obama doing it.

Sad I think.

Is Obama my favorite president. Nope. Did I love and adore and agree with all Bush did. Nope.

But my question is this....when is the last time you GENUINELY prayed for President Obama?

I Timothy 2:1-2

¹I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— ²for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

I wonder when is the last time you gave thanks to God for our President? Whether it be Bush or Obama.

I'll be honest I'm horrid at remembering such things. But I need to do better. I need to show my children a better example of praying for the authorities. I don't want them to grow up negative and with 'dooms day' attitudes when someone they didn't vote for gets elected. I want them to know that no matter what comes in their lives they have a faithful God who will be there to hear their prayers.

Is that the message I'm sending??

I you haven't watched it, I encourage you to. I will be showing it to my children today.

WHAT? A Mommy who lives in the south, Christian conservative, that homeschools and doesn't have to show them the 'dreaded speech' that so many kept their kids out of school so they wouldn't have to watch it -

is showing it to her kids BY CHOICE?! YES I AM!

And we will be following the video with a prayer for PRESIDENT Obama and our country and our country's children! And we will be sure to include a prayer of thanks that Obama took the time to encourage the children in this country. So many do not have supportive parents who take a genuine interest in their children's education. As a foster parent and from volunteering a ton in my kids public school when they were there I know that to be true. So I don't think having a president whether republican or democrat...black or white...encourging children to stay in school is a bad thing at all. Was his speech changed because of the public's reaction. Probably...and I'll be thankful for that too, because I think this was a great speech!

sigh....

(not my photo...found it on google images but I can't remember where - sorry!!)

God and Butterflies....

My Granny loved both.

I love my Granny.

After 101 (January would have been 102) years my Granny's earthly body (I like how my Mother referred to her body as her 'earthly costume') finally decided yesterday it was ready for her to move on to the eternal one! I'm SO happy for her. She wanted this. When we celebrated her 101st b'day with her she said with a chuckle "I've been trying to stop having these" and at Christmas with a mention of Santa Claus she said "well, I thought he died years ago!"

My Granny was quiet and humble. Hysterical and sarcastic. She held on to her humor til just the last few weeks. My sister reminds me of her sometimes....

it makes me smile since they have the same name.

But my Granny could make me laugh....hard! (so can my sister)

My Granny loved my Grandpa. IMMENSELY!

He's been gone since I was in 6th grade.

(Is it odd that I still tear up thinking about that dreaded phone call?)

A large part of the pain of losing him was knowing they would be apart.

Her love for him serves as a precious example to me even still.

she LOVED him. Truly and wholly and absolutely LOVED him!

My Granny (and us) lost my Aunt the first year I was married.... I lived the closest at the time so I was the first to 'get to her' when we got the news my Aunt had completed her time on this earth. I got a ticket trying to get there to be with Granny.

My Granny used to always have a bag of Creme Drops waiting on her kitchen table when we arrived. I never ate them anywhere else or hardly ever have seen them but if ever I see a bag of them anywhere I think so fondly of my times at Granny and Grandpa's (but shhh...I don't really like them)!

She always had chocolate milk in the fridge too (What a TREAT!)...and the coolest water pitcher ever. I loved drinking water at her house!

I was with my Granny the morning of Sept 11, 2001. John Mark and I spent the night with her the night before....we had a wonderful night, popping popcorn and chatting about the past. It was truly a great night!

My Granny adored her son, (my Daddy).

Truly adored him.

Peace was brought to her by just his voice...sometimes just the mention of his name.

He has been an incredible son...INCREDIBLE.

My Granny. Made Me Smile. Loved her Family.

Loved God, and Loved butterflies.

I LOVE MY GRANNY!

I love that my Granny is happy!