Today is St. Valentine's day.

Lots of folks are being mushy and gooey and oh-so sweet about their life, their love, their kids, their faith. I think that is all well and good, even excellent. I just don't have it in me today. I am not really sure why I am so out of it.  I am having trouble engaging my brain. Today is good. I am Loved. The Admiral got me an amazing bouquet of flowers. I LOVE Tulips and these red ones mixed with deep purple iris made my day! I just don't feel all romance-y. ( I know - not a word.) I feel normal. We are doing school.

Here is something we are learning today. I thought it fit.

"Valentine of Rome (d. 269) A Christian priest in Rome, Valentine was known for assisting Christians persecuted under Claudius II. After being caught marrying Christian couples and helping Christians escape the persecution Valentine was arrested and imprisoned. Although Emperor Claudius originally like Valentine, he was condemned to death when he tried to convert the emperor. Valentine was beaten with stones, clubbed and finally, beheaded on February 14, 269. In the year 496, February 14 was named as a day of celebration in Valentine's honor. He later became the patron saint of engaged couples, beekeepers, happy marriages, lovers, travelers, young people, and greetings."

( Taken from "Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals (p. 145 by Shane Claiborne) ( Thank you Brother Will for posting this on FB)

Homeschooling is a challenge.  I knew it would be.  There are days my "want to" is missing.  There are moments were I am void of grace and patience.  Lately even when I am on top of things one or the other of my girls has serious focus issues.  This makes me completely insane.   It should NOT take two hours to do two pages of math or to copy ten words three times. Drink of water, stare into space, wander around, do a problem, and repeat.  I do not get it.  Sigh.

Focus is a precious commodity. My job is to teach them the self discipline to focus and do a job well. I get so frustrated. Why? Because my focus is blurry as well. I have just as much trouble zeroing in and getting the job done. I am sure this is not a problem for anyone else. I am the only one, right? That is what satan wants me to think. He wants me to throw up my hands and give up. I won't do it!  I know I am not alone. I know that focus is a skill we have to learn. I know that God is graceful with me no matter what. I am working on becoming the woman He wants me to be. I will be thankful for every day and work to give my precious ones grace when focus eludes them.

Lunch was chocolate chip, heart shaped pancakes because I could and we all needed some grace. Yummy!












 Lord, keep me each day; continue, please, to bestow your amazing grace, that my wretchedness would change into dancing. Thank you for the opportunity to help my children hone their focus.








All pictures are Property of Whisper to the wind 2012.

Homeschooling Thoughts

The adventure of homeschooling has been a blast. I am so glad that we decided to school our girls at home. Here are my top ten reasons for loving homeschooling

#10. Choice of subject material. I control what we learn and if we want to learn about wolves... we can. My girls have lots of interests beyond the three "R"s. This allows us the privilege of going deeper when their interest flares.

#9. Getting along. I was concerned about sibling bickering and Mama being totally unable cope. However that hasn't been an issue. I am amazed. We have some bickering but nothing I cannot handle. I believe that the girls get along better now than they ever did when they were in a traditional school. My theory on this is that they get the best part of each other's day. They play and carry on in the morning when they are fresh. We do school. Then about the time we are all sick of each other it is time for independent work. Has anyone else experienced this? Before when they did a whole day of school and came home they were tired cranky, and no mood to be gentle with sister. This is one of the biggest positives I have observed.

#8. Fun Field trips. So far this school year we have visited the 18th century twice. We have gone to Science Central ( A children's science center in our town.) Taken zoo expeditions. Traveled to KY to visit my sister. While there we went to the Lexington Explorium, Camp Nelson - Civil War Supply depot and training station for the union, and High Bridge KY  where the railway crosses the Kentucky River 700 + feet in the air. On the way home we stopped at the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton Ohio! All these adventure are learning and growing school days. Loving this.

#7. Baking, Cooking, & Cleaning all include lessons. Working school into life is so great! My girls are learning to do laundry, cook, and knit.

#6. Sewing! I am teaching the girls to sew. It is so exciting to watch them create.

#5. Creativity. This journey is challenging me to meet my girls were they are and that means exercising my own creativity to solve the problems of making them understand new concepts like the 9 times table. What an adventure!

#4. Sports... Well this is not in full swing yet. But we are working on it. We have started soccer through the Y. We are also looking some other athletic outlets. This was something we never made time for before. Swimming is next :) !

#3. Contentedness. Prior to embarking on our homeschooling adventure I was sort of all over the place. Taking on this project or that one, generally over committing myself to lots of things. As our fall progressed I began to resent the things I had committed to that pulled me away from my kids. I spent some long prayerful nights and let some things go. Things that were dear to me, it was hard, very hard and yet... Amazement! I am loving my life. I love schooling my girls.

#2. Flexibility! Occasionally the Admiral and I both end up on worship team at the same time. This is no longer a problem because the girls can just go with us and sleep a little later the next day. Also when something comes up during the week that needs doing we can do them and fit school around these extra jobs. I do try to maintain a schedule for our schoolwork. But I am thankful for the flexibility when I need it.

#1. Sleeping In. Enough said. ;)


This is my shot at a top ten tuesday. Check out ohamanda she does one every week! http://ohamanda.com/2012/02/06/seo-how-i-write-a-blog-post-part-5-top-ten-tuesday-style/

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