Thoughts on Homeschooling: End of Year 3

yes, we are still here. The sun is out and I think it might hit 50 degrees today. The small lakes are still frozen, much to the dismay of our local fishermen I imagine. Four inches down, the ground is frozen solid. The grass is green though. That is encouraging.

Rachel and Madelynn are on summer break and we are working on finishing up second grade for Josh. Only a couple more weeks!  I've also spent some time reorganizing and planning for next year. I'll have a kindergartener, a first grader and a third grader. Yikes! But God is good and I am trusting Him to work it all out. He has been so gracious with me as I've switched math curriculums in the middle of the school year and changed my mind on a few other things. I'm learning simplicity is best. Though I tend to forget that. I have a tendency to overdo things and buy/plan too many things. You can imagine the results- a fried mother and some tired kids.
But I'm loving the new math curriculum, reading out loud to the kids from "living" books, and saying 'no' to the homeschool marketing industry. I've learned to take advantage of used curriculum, let my unrealistic expectations simmer down, and enjoy my children: answering their questions and giving them opportunities to ask more. It's taken me awhile to get here and I still have lots of growing left to do. But homeschooling is an adventure and you can't plan out every detail of an adventure now can you?

Goals From Another Life

I (Renee) found an old journal of mine from about eleven years ago. At that time I was single, living at home, and saving up money to be involved with YWAM.

I had to chuckle when I came across a couple of lists in this journal. I remember writing the lists and thinking how determined I was to accomplish every single one. I guess it goes to me, that God's ways are higher than mine. And I am so grateful.

So I thought it would be fun to share them with you so we can laugh at them together.

The first list is Ten Things I Want to do Before I Die

1. Skydiving
2. Hair past my waist
3. To travel the world in a bus and preach the Good News
4. Climb a mountain
5. Sail the seven seas and be shipwrecked at least once
6. Do a triathlon
7. Fly a helicopter
8. Scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
9. Fluent in Spanish
10. Complete a Bible school

I think I've only done about two out of the ten things listed there. And I'm not sure I want to do most of them anymore anyway. Funny how people change. :)

The next list is titled: "Someday I'm Going to do That!"  Sometimes I'm not sure what I was thinking... anyway here it is:

Drive a truck with more than six wheels
Go to Alaska
Visit the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota
Take up tambourines and dance with the joyful (Jer. 31:4)
Plant a vineyard
Build a treehouse
Roast a pig with apple in its mouth
Jump a train
Hitchhike
Own a ranch/bison farm
Play bagpipes on top of cliff - Amazing Grace
Become a beekeeper
Own an orchard
Find a moose
Cut a chicken's head off and watch it run around
Roll down a hill in a refrigerator (with a helmet)
Train ministry - play harmonica
Live out First century church
Become a martyr for Christ
Go tour a cheese factory
Go tour a brewery
Ride a horse
Eat locusts and honey
Eat escargot

Well, there you have it ladies and gents. My list of things to do someday. I wonder what my kids would say if we had snails for supper.

So...does anyone have an empty fridge I could borrow?