Four Years In?!

So...apparently I am not cut out to be a blogger.  Until today, I had effectively forgotten that this little corner of the webosphere existed and upon recollection it doesn't get much better...I'm staring at the blank white page and wondering why I ever thought I had anything interesting to say?!

  I must have had a purpose- maybe for the kids to see our homeschool journey? As we have yet to get what I would consider a really good year in (4 years later!) I'm a little on the fence about that - would hate for someone out there to think I have my homeschool mama crap together but...it's possible that we have had a few good days somewhere....here it is- 4 years in pictures!

We made it two weeks!

I am beyond excited to report that we have officially made it two weeks into our home school year and I haven't scrapped any subjects yet! As of this time last year, I was huddled in the back of my closet behind my favorite heels sucking my thumb, convinced that I had made the most monstrous mistake of my life! We had also dropped more subjects from our school schedule than I will admit here and were desperately attempting to climb the mountain of the 4 R's...I know it's 3...but really - religion has to be our first "R" around here - it's the only reason it hasn't all gone to pot ;-)

Bubby

Peaches

Obey

Birdy

Weird Animals Totally Catholic VBS

Having emerged from a 24 hour zombie-like state, I can honestly say that volunteering this year for our Parish VBS was the most exhausting and crazy week I've had in a long time! I have led small groups in previous years...but this was truly a trial by fire! Regardless of my inability to move, I am so blessed to have been a part of it!

After overseeing the washing of a ton of little kid fee, my day trips as a Samaritan Woman by the well, a bystander at the foot of our Lord's Cross and searching for my friend Ananias - I can honestly say that I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

God's grace showed through each one of the 250+  children who came through my classroom each day -even the ones who threatened to pinch me if I dared to stick them with leprosy again!

Humility

Fun Days ...where have you gone ?!?!?

So it has become increasingly apparent that the Lord called me to this homeschooling journey (about 10 years too late -what can I say, I'm dense) to teach me, not my children.  What did I need to learn you ask? Well the list is exhaustive I'm sure, however I've narrowed this year's lesson down to humility.

When I finally made the decision to homeschool, I was filled the certainty that I could do this...even though that meant schooling a 10th grader, 5th grader and 3rd grader along with running after my 2 year old whirlwind.  I read and amassed copious files and books, free curriculum; more stuff than I would ever be able to keep track of and I wanted to use it all! I saw other folks - not college educated as I was, not having graduated Magna Cum Laude, successfully homeschooling so that meant I could definitely do it, right?

Um. No. We have used 1/1000th of the resources I accumulated. Ok, that's a slight exaggeration, but there you have it.  We are barely scraping through with the 3 R's.  And that wonderful, dreamlike mix of a Catholic Classical/Charlotte Mason education I envisioned is in tatters...I guess it's true that "pride goeth before the fall."

So humility it is.  Along with a calendar that says April 23rd and wayyyyy more that 1/2 our curriculum left to cover.  Sigh, we're going to get there yet though.  I'll either wear out my knees in prayer or become the sole supporter of the local wine distributor....but one way or the other we're going to get there! 

Pray for me...I'm going to need it =)