sunshine...

i want to open my mouth and not have frustration be it's primary voice.

actually, let's just mute it all together.

i want to drink in the beauty of my life like big ol gulps of lemonade on a hundred degree day.

and not have to pee it all out in 2 minutes.

just let  soak in good,

absorbing.

i want to walk a dusty road, in the half light sunshine, smelling the black berries on the intruding vines, hearing the crickets,

and not just Knowing,

but feeling that this is indeed the day the Lord made.

with a plan and a purpose and ,gosh darn it, joy for my little family.

i want to breath it in.

wrap it around me.

 a linen dress,

blowing across my ankles, my flip flops flopping in rhythmic tune with those crickets.

my hair blowing across my shoulders,

an  exceptional moment of femininity that i marvel in.

i want to lay on the hammock just past the orchard,

my husband at my side,

navigating the sometimes crazy balancing act that defines hammocks and marriage, and dwell in that perfect place of stability and safety.

then chase my kids.

through the field,

play hide and seek in the trees and finally collapse down on to my grandma's old turquoise quilt just as twilight sets in and read them Horton Hears a Who,

once more stumbling through that ending all choked up as the final little voice joins in.

when Horton's mission is complete,

mine will be so too, as each one of my kids close their eyes on another day,

where mommy was a mommy.

not a cleaner,

not a chef,

not a harried, stressed, i-can't-right-now stranger.

i want to live without regrets.

possibly the most difficult of missions.

i want to feel the sunshine in my soul,

see it in my children's. then feel it touch upon my skin.

so drown out my voice and make it a sweet, parched breaking blessing to those around me.

let me be the linen, wrapping gently around.

not too stifling, just enough covering to let breathe.

let me be the aroma, of fresh fruit in full blossom..

an old quilt, a fun game, a truth told kindly story.

arms that fold up a child, way past mama's lap stages but we'll make her fit anyhow...

and the gymnast capable of stilling a swaying hammock.

let me be these things Lord,

and please bring the Sunshine.

God Bless,

Mandy

Adventure to Homeschooling Part 4: The Tentative 'Plan'...

eta:  the boy in red is my '5th' child cashikins. also my cousin.

so,

most of the questions i am being asked are concerning our personal plan of action.

i hesitate to write this, because i have nothing set in stone.

and as soon as i set something in stone i'm sure God will turn it into an etch-a-sketch and dilly dally with those 'plans'.

we all know nothing works out quite how we expect it to.

yes, i am planning on homeschooling ALL the kids.

it should be interesting.

i am currently accepting all donations of coffee/babysitting/and any extra brain cells you are willing to part with.  prayer donations are the absolute best, but are not tax right offable (just go with my made up words...my kids will excel in English-HA!).

yes, for those that missed it, we will be starting this Fall,

and we will be following the basic school calendar

(minus the million inservice days...though i'm sure i'll have my own

(and shouldn't they be called out of service days, not inservice?))

they'll learn loads of grammar too : D

i am still not 100 % sure on curriculum,

though i will share what i am leaning towards...

math: math-u-see

i plan on kind of 'starting over' with math, reteaching them the building blocks and foundations.

Language Arts:  Character Quality Language Arts (or CQLA)

History:

this is where i am struggling the most...

to me the Mystery of History seems fabulous,

but if i choose this i also have to incorporate a separate science and geography curriculum.

My other option is My Father's World, which incorporates all 3.

the first year just doesn't appeal to me personally as much...

but it's not about me gosh darn it.

The History/Sciences/Geography will be taught all together.

Each child will have work based according to their age of course,

but it will be taught all together.

math and L.A. will of course be taught separately.

and if i have any volunteers to come take over the math i will pay you sufficiently in sweets.

pinkie promise.

(if you've never had a child in public school you are probably in the dark as to how much weight those pinkie promises hold)

My 'plan' right now, is to try and knock out the heavy curriculum on Mon-Thurs,

leaving Fri open for filed trips/science experiments/ days off etc.

in other words,

this is the bribe i am using to get my oldest to actually do his wok when i say.

on a more serious note,

i really would appreciate prayer.

i have my eyes wide open going into this.

it's not going to be easy.

my oldest monkey NEEDS to have his strong will and disrespectful spirit nipped NOW.

i want to hault this before he is any older.

it takes more strength and wisdom than i have.

My daughter is also a very sllloooowwww learner.

selfishly, it bugs me.

i know that's not nice, i'm just keepin it real.

i need patience with her to let her learn at her own pace.

i am not going to be on here, telling you all how fabulous each and every day home with my kids is going to be.

am i expecting to create stronger bonds with my children and enjoy them more?

YES!!!! AMEN!!!!

i look forward to reading on a blanket at the park, blowing up volcanoes together, playing games.

but i also promise to truthful in this journey.

if i go to bed crying at night (which i probably will in those first few months)

i plan on sharing that too.

my house will be messy.

i'll get less 'done'.

i may add some wrinkles and gray hair.

but i will be honest about it all.

thanks for reading about our journey...

Adventure to Homeschooling Announcement

Adventure to Homeschooling Part 1 :Why

Adventure to Homeschooling Part 2: more Whys

Adventure to Homeschooling Part 3: Concerns

God Bless,

Mandy

Glorious Day...

listen to this...

and have a glorious Easter.

God Bless,

Mandy