homeschooling. facts on where i'm at.

fact 1: i attended a home school convention this past weekend. not just any convention though, but a grand scale, humungo, come and be amazed confused by all the curriculum choices convention. after dragging my poor friend around to practically every booth (twice), i came to a decision on most every subject for next year. i am reasonably certain that i will not ruin my boy's academic quests.

 fact 2: my eldest boy steps into the throws of high school next year. *gasp*..inward head talking.."this is the real deal. credit hours, huge too-big text books, and algebra. lots of algebra. i can do this, right?"

fact 3: high school text books do not have pretty pictures in them, and that makes it look boring to me. i am wondering whether my boys will have the same reaction.

fact 4: in years prior, when new curriculum was brought into the house, it would quickly be scoured over. i would begin reading them, brainstorming, new lesson plans and ideas brimming forth. my notebook would be chock full of great supplemental ideas... ideas to engage my boys in the learning process. this year, i carried the books in, and they are exactly.where.i.put.them almost a week ago. i just keep looking at the pile of thick books, wondering if we'll really be able to get through all of them...(and some are still on order, arriving in the mail soon).

fact 5: looking at the pile of books, i realized that there is a nice layer of dust surrounding them. it is still that way.

fact 6: fact 5 made me realize just how quickly dust builds up in this very active home. i will rest easier knowing that it isn't entirely laziness and distraction that causes layers of dust to form. (who am i kidding? i rested just fine before..dust or no dust.)

fact 7: if it is not already obvious to you, homeschooling my boys through high school is a little intimidating to me. however, i am certain that we can, and will, conquer it. but only with God's help. this time, next year, i hope to look back at these feelings of trepidation and smile..if not full-out laugh. for we will have come out on the other side of freshman year, victorious.

a rant on coldness.

today began frigid and frost covered. not at all what we expect from this time in May. the chilled air prompted such odd stirrings.. longings for pumpkin spiced breads, jewel toned trees, hot chocolate, blankets and cozy time by the fireplace. so peculiar to instead spend the evening at the baseball field.. in winter coats.  i found it interesting.. what a measured people we are. how surrounding circumstances can change our outlook and something as basic as the weather turns us upside down.

 maybe it is just me...

i talked with a dear friend this morning, who happens to live in a much warmer climate.. she was headed to the beach. grrrrr.... i have to admit.. while truly happy for her, a little large part of me felt a sting of envy. if immediate transport was available, i would have been there with her, in a heart beat. i cannot help but wonder if some day God would have me and my family live in a warm.. no, hot, climate.. i can dream..

please, all you locals reading this... don't go getting all weird on me. there are no plans in place to leave. and, i have no desire to leave you, specifically, our church. i simply enjoy warmth. perhaps i am old before my time, part of me longing to be a Florida snow bird. or maybe i will coin a new name.. something like Central American monarch...? ( i don't know.. just thinking of something beside a bird that migrates. ) my longing for heat is also not helped by the fact that my husband leaves for Nicaragua in less than a week. oh, continuous warmth, please visit us Marylanders!

wondering if the predicted weather for tomorrow will hold true.. a high of 84 sounds glorious, and just may keep me from booking the next plane ticket to anywhere south.

blissfully boring

this time of the year is upon me again... time that i spend fewer and fewer moments behind the computer. the beautiful outdoors calls and blog entries fall few and far between.

this corner, albeit neglected, is not forgotten. and there is certainly plenty to share. though mostly, it is just every day stuff. stories of playing catch up with school following weeks of illness, rushing outside to play in picture perfect spring weather..and, oh, baseball season is in full force. so, there are practices and games, and never a shortage of grass and dirt stains to rid out of pants, along with a never-ending laundry pile mountain.

all happenings are wonderful, and quite the welcome change from our winter full of sickness. sunshine, fresh spring breezes, crack of bat and ball, flowers and warmth... they all ushered in a season of health and reminded us tomorrow's hold new mercies.

along with gorgeous weather, the month of April brought birthdays upon us. all within eight days, myself and my two oldest all turn one year older.

these two boys of mine...suddenly young men before me. i check on them at night, shocked time and again that their feet reach the ends of their beds. standing, staring eye to eye with one and looking up at the other. they are miraculous. and the awestruck knowledge of blessing i had at their birth carries right through today. it is a privilege to be their Mom.

basically, that wraps up the lack-of-words month of April and start of May. sure, we have had smatterings of appointments and gatherings with friends. special one-on-one times with our boys and life lessons tugging our hearts. but all in all, it's just been a normal month. perhaps it has been boring to tell, or read for that matter. but i will take it, for it has been blissfully boring.