Winding up the year

As we get ready to wind down this our 3rd year of home schooling, I am amazed at all the we are all learning. This includes me as well. I haven't just learned or relearned the academic things, but things about me and things about the kids.

I have learned that I need to not sweat the small stuff quite so much. That part of that process is letting natural consequences fall into place and watch everyone learn the life lessons. I still have issues with remembering this and following through with it, but I think it is getting better, maybe. I'm sure I'll have to continue to work on it. I've learned that I have got to stick to a schedule for me. If I follow it, I'll get my Bible reading in, workout in and seem to get more work done. The days I don't have a list or schedule of things I seem to wonder around. Yet, even in knowing this I still must remember to be flexible and open to things not happening like I plan them and go with the flow, following the path that the Lord has lead me down for the day. I am noticing things that I need to make sure that the kids know how to do; cleaning, maintenance, finances(not too much), cooking. I need to teach them and then let them do it; learning to let it go if they know what to do, expecting them to do it like they've been taught. I've learned that time goes so very fast with the kids home. I've got 5 years, 4 as Austin reminds me since it is the end of the year, before they are both gone and in college. I have got to remember to have fun with them while they are here, grounding them in their faith and in knowing that home is always where they can turn to. I have one summer left with Austin home before he joins the summer work force to enjoy my "little guy", who absolutely isn't so little anymore.

A1, my little girl, has grown up so very fast. She has learned to do better with her time management. She has more to learn, but improvement has been made and she is excited to try something new to help with it. She has grown in her relationship with the Lord and letting Him make decisions in her life. She has shown persistence, discipline, courage and lots of heart in fighting for her possible spot on the varsity team for volleyball this year. She has literally paid for it not just with her money for the extra club team practice this last year, but also in blood, sweat and tears with the pain of the dislocated knee and rehab done in order to get back to being able to tryout doing all movements. She has learned that age is just a number doing her service project with the women's sewing circle at church where she is the youngest girl there. Most are older than even her grandmothers, yet she she such a fun time with them and loves each one. The feeling is totally reciprocated. She is still my girl, not tomboy, for sure. Her highlight so far this month was her day shopping at Michigan City with her cousin and my Mom. They both spent all that they took. She had a list of what she wanted and truly found some great bargains. She was so excited the night I broke out the nail polish for my toes for the summer. She suggested this purple or blue; I declined for red and she thought that was fine too. Most of the time my jewelry gets put back, the pink necklace and earrings though are usually found upstairs on her vanity if they aren't on her person.

A2, my "little guy", has grown both physically and matured in his walk with the Lord too. He is far from little, being the 2nd biggest person in the family, only surpassed by his Dad, my "big guy". He loves being taller than his sister and does like to reminder her that he is taller. Soon, Andy will have extra shoes as right now the guys wear the same size shoe. I am so amazed that my "little guy" is not so little anymore. I tell him he will always be my "little guy" no matter how big he gets. He is still so in to his flying and wanting to do missions flying. Free reading will find him with his nose in some sort of book on aviation and/or drawing and calculating things for planes he has drawn. He is following his dreams by going to a camp this summer for missions aviation. He has gotten a special waiver to go because he is just one year too young. His interest, reading and ability to focus on all things aviation allowed the waiver to be given. He is learning from his Dad all about Authentic Manhood. He is getting better about rejecting passivity & accepting responsibility. These are the two that I can encourage. It is amazing that when I ask for something to be done or if something has been done, with just a reminder of these two phrases the response that I get. He has applied himself to his quizzing studies more this year and has seen the benefits from the extra time applied to this study.

As you can see, we have all learned a lot of different things. Together we are having fun, for the most part, in this learning journey. Some of the harder lessons are hard, but we are learning to lean on each other more, including the kids going to each other. I'm excited as we wind up the year and look forward to the next year to see all that we will get to learn.