Homeschooling Journal - 10/19

 

In my life this week...

I have been happy to find that despite all of our busyness during the last two weeks with the fundraisers we have been helping out with,  my house never completely fell apart!   I still need to dig in and do some laundry, but other than that, I feel like I've stayed on top of things...which is good, because the newbie has had a terrible cough and is cutting teeth as well.  This has made for several long and sleepless nights and not a whole lot of energy to spare during the day!  I will be very thankful when he is feeling better again!

In our homeschool this week...

I have let the two kindergarteners have a break this week.  Although, the house stayed put together during the last two weeks, the homeschooling....not so much.  We were able to accomplish a little, but I wanted to catch up this week with the older two.  We have also not done any of our extras such as art, poetry, sign language and discussion topics.  The two older ones have enjoyed more one on one time with me in school, but we are all looking forward to getting back into our full routine next week. 

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

We have actually been quite thrilled just to stay at home this week.  We do have Grandma and Grandpa coming over to spend the evening with us in just a couple of hours.  They live close by during the summer but head south when the cold arrives.  We'll miss them lots when they leave next week!

My favorite thing this week was...

hearing Mr. A read from his Bible during quiet time!!!  I almost had to grab a kleenex! It reminded me that, many years ago, the one and only reason any parent ever had for teaching his children to read was so that they could read the "Good Book."  To know that my little man can do that fills me with so much joy!

Things I'm working on...

I am trying to focus for the next little while on remembering to die to myself.  There are many things I do every day that I would really rather not do.  I do them anyway, but many times, my heart is selfish and focused on what I would rather be doing.  I am going to work on serving my family in particular with a servant's heart - trying my best to remember that everything I do is an opportunity to bring glory to God and not to myself.

I'm cooking...

For the first time this fall season, I am preparing my vegetable soup for tonight's supper.  I love fixing this soup in hugeamongous batches and then freezing it.  It is actually one of those very few meals that I can prepare without a recipe.  I always throw in a little of this spice, a little of that spice, a little of this vegetable and that one until I reach yummy perfection! :)  I think I might also try a pecan pie soon, but I need to find some pecans first!

I'm grateful for...

This week, I am grateful for many things!  I'm grateful for my health that I so often take for granted.  I'm grateful for my nice home!  I was just telling the Mr. last night how much I love my living room with its cozy look. I am grateful for my older kiddos who help me out so much with the younger kiddos.  I am grateful for the way God continues to work in my heart - changing things little by little.  I am grateful for the new desires He has given the Mr. and me as we travel together through life.  I am grateful for this fall season and for the Mr. allowing me to decorate the front porch with straw bales and pumpkins even though no one ever drives by our little place!  My list could go on and on because God has given me far more than I deserve.  Great is His faithfulness to little me! 

I'm praying for...

This week I am praying for more consistency in my prayer life!  The more I observe others parenting, the more convinced I am that the most important and useful tool I have as a mom is that of prayer.  I am praying that God will grow my desire to pray and that I will be more self-disciplined in this area.  I am also praying that I will find a method...rythym...flow...not really sure what to call it...that will help me be consistent and organized so that I can enjoy my prayer time more.  I'd love to hear what you use to help you in your prayer life!

We've had a few more link-ups over at Joyful Mom Mondays.  Please take the time to read and encourage other moms as well as share your own ideas.  Next Mondays link-up will be about organization.  Does organization make you a more Joyful Mom?  I'd love to hear how!

That's our week here!  It's been a blessed one, and I'm thankful for each new day and each new experience God blesses me with!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  I'm off to clean some bathrooms and carve some pumpkins...two separate occasions, I promise....although I'm fairly certain the kids would think it completely awesome to carve pumpkins in the bathtub! :)