School Daze

Here we go again!  Every year looks a little different, and this year looks more different than any other so far.  With the oldest graduated from high school and on to University, and the youngest in second grade, we've crested the add-a-student-every-couple-of-years peak, and are coming down the other side.

Which is a strange feeling in itself.

                       But it's a good strange.
Most of the time this year is just the three younger kids at home with me.  So we re-organized the school room to make it a more workable space, and a more pleasant space to spend time in.  Because we do spend quite a bit of time here.

Apparently, we do school in pajamas frequently enough that I didn't even notice until I posted this photo.

I have a place of my own to work, or umm, sit and make sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to be doing.

We even have a place to sit and read in the school room this year without retiring to the couch.  

Rachel is at home part-time this year, doing History, Chemistry, Bible and Literature with me, and  I'm really happy to be able to continue reading and discussing ideas with her at home.  (Chemistry, on the other hand, I could live without). The rest of the time, she is at Freeport High School taking Art, Math and an AP Literature class.  She is really enjoying the classes there and doing well.  So far, she's received comments from her teachers along the lines of  "I'm very impressed with your writing", and "I like the way you do these equations".  

 I think she's even given homework help to some friends in classes that she hasn't taken there.

My only regret thus far is that I didn't take a picture of her "first day".  So, I'll have to include one from last summer.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that not only is she smart, she's gorgeous too.

Things feel a little slower paced this year, and that's a good thing.  It's been good to feel less rushed through the day.  It gives me some sanity time to keep up with the necessary parts of life, and also to play a little, with things like making soap, for instance.  See?  Chemistry can be fun too.

Well, it's been nearly two weeks now since we made the trip to take our oldest to University.  I won't deny that it was hard to drive away with only 4 kids in the back of the Suburban.
Somehow, four seems a much smaller number now that we're counting backwards than it did when we were counting up...
It's quite a journey--this parenting, homeschooling life of ours.  I think I've learned more from these kids than I've managed to teach them.  The younger ones might someday thank their older brother for being at the front of the line while I learned lessons in patience.  But somehow, he came out the other end expressing gratitude for having been homeschooled.

Not only surviving, but thriving...and maybe that's how this grace thing works.