A House Built on the Rock- Day 3 (Vol 1, Unit 1, Chapter 1 Weaver)

We covered a new Bible lesson today from the book of Matthew, the parable of the house built on a rock and the house built on sand. 

Looking up Matthew 7. There are so many reasons why I love this picture.

After reading the parable, I gave them an illustration to better remember and understand the story.  Last night I glued a paper house to a cement block to represent the foundation on rock. We didn't have a bag of play sand, so Brooke scooped up some dirt for me to represent the less firm foundation.

Blowing over the house on "sand".

Trying to blow over the house on a rock. 

We discussed why both physical and spiritual foundations are so important, and then changed the topic over to the layers of the earth. I gave them three different colors of modeling clay, and they shaped each layer. Yellow for the earth's core, red for the mantle, and blue for the crust.

Model earths!

We then sliced each model earth in half with my cake level.

She was in awe. Too cute.

Lydia cut her earth model into about ten different pieces.

Is he handsome or what?

Meticulous.

This is her last day as a six year old. Craziness.

Some of today's notes.

We ended the day with a trip to the local library. We came home with several armloads of books, including two about Martin Luther King Jr. I wanted to honor the 50th anniversary of his great speech, so we read about his life and the legacy he left behind.The girls are in the school room writing about his life and speech in their creative writing journals as I finish up this blog post. 

Another great day under wraps. I'm still working on finding the right schedule. Last night I had a list of assignments for the girls to work on until I was ready to start teaching. Brooke and Madeline have been early birds lately, so they were able to work on their math, spelling, and penmanship while I was busy getting ready for the day. Isaac gets his reading lessons in the evening, because that's when he usually had them before school started. His math gets fit in whenever he's ready to sit still for a few minutes. He's constantly on the move and I'm trying not to be bothered by it. He soaks it all in though- I think he's not listening to me at all, and then all of a sudden he yells out an answer. Funny how that works. I'm really trying to stay flexible. It's all brand new territory- but we must be in a honeymoon period, because I still have the happy feelings nonstop.So far we're taking it in one day at a time.

Babylonian Soil: Day 2 (Vol 1, Unit 1, Chapter 1 Weaver)

Today was science day!

 I like to write out the objectives on the chalkboard so that the kids know the plan, and so that I can be reminded of what we need to accomplish. 

We quickly reviewed the Tower of Babel and Sumerian culture, then learned about the city of Babylon. I'm such a nerd- I'm having way too much fun teaching them ancient history. We learned about Babylonian rulers including Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar. Hammurabi wrote down barbaric laws called the Code of Hammurabi. One of them mandated that a surgeon's hand be cut off if his patient died. Much later in Babylonian history came along King Nebuchadnezzar, the same king in the book of Daniel. He built the beautiful blue Gate of Ishtar, and rebuilt the seven level ziggurat that's believed to be the same temple as in Genesis 11. We watched a YouTube video that showed a recreation of the huge wall and gate.

After history, it was time for our science walk. They each had a bucket and shovel, and we went out to collect soil samples.

Isaac was so proud that he picked out his own outfit. I was proud for him, and also glad we are homeschooling so that I didn't have to make him change.

With our samples in hand, we talked about what soil is made of, and what defines each type of soil. We also discussed the three categories of rock. Last week we went to dinner hosted by friends of ours from church. He's a geologist with a private rock and mineral collection that would take your breath away. It was like being inside of a museum. He gave a little lesson to the kids that night, which made today's lesson so much easier.

Observing the different soil samples with a magnifying glass, and then classifying them.

Writing their observations in their science journals.

Meanwhile in the next room... She is so quiet during homeschool. She's in and out of the school room at her leisure, so who knows what all she's absorbing. I bought her Horizons curriculum for three year olds, but she's not interested in the worksheets, and I'm not pushing it.

His favorite part of the day- being told he has to play with dirt. Ha!

After classifying the types of soil, we made a posterboard.

Tacky glue fun.

She didn't want to stop gluing things.

Finished product.

We conducted an experiment using sediments in a jar of water. The girls each came up with an hypothesis of what types of soil would sink first and last. They then recorded the results after observing the experiment. 

Conclusions: 1. My kids love our new school. 2. I am a nerd who loves history and science, and I am so ready to do it all again tomorrow!

Introduction to Our School Room and First Day!

It's finally here! After a full year of planning, researching curriculum, picking out items for the school room, and lots and lots of prayer, today is our official first day. No more talking about it, we are finally doing it! One of the best parts is having our very own one-room school house. 

I wanted the school room to not only be functional, but also to make me smile when I walked by. It's visible from pretty much every corner of the first floor, and I tried to have it blend in style with the rest of the house. We just finished planning and decorating last week, and I love it! I don't have confidence in my decorating skills, so I'm uber excited with the results- I'm in love with this room!

I love our light from Ballard Designs. The room was too dark before, and so we needed to replace the old one. Might as well make sure it's pretty! The vintage-inspired banner was a free download from the Handmade Home blog. It's one of my favorites in the room. What other alphabet banner has high heels for letter H? I strung twine across the wall and attached each letter with a small clothes pin. The rug is from Home Goods. The teacher desk was handed down to us years ago after we were first married- it's solid wood and gorgeous. The vintage desks were from a local private school. They are just too perfect!

We wanted a Bible verse theme for our school. I thought this proverb was perfect. The sign came from Sawdust City LLC. I was able to customize the color of the sign and lettering.

I wanted to be able to change out the theme with each unit. The bulletin strips will let me do that pretty easily.

Bookshelf and storage wall. We are going to outgrow this bookshelf by Christmas. Considering I'm out of wall space in here, I don't know exactly how we'll handle that.

The chalkboard was made out of a mirror frame. We have a dresser from Bill's grandmother, and the mirror used to be attached to it. We removed the mirror from the frame, had a piece of particle board cut to fit from Home Depot, and painted it with magnet primer and chalkboard paint. 

I chose Weaver curriculum from Alpha Omega Publications. It's a unit based curriculum that uses a daily Bible theme as a foundation for each day's studies. The family learns the same basic concepts, with individual assignments and activities geared toward each grade level. It seems to fit our family with the multiple ages and attention spans. The nice thing about the curriculum is that it was relatively inexpensive, and if it doesn't work out after all, we can switch without throwing a lot of money away. There aren't any textbooks, and I have to do a lot of lesson planning, including searching out books to borrow or buy for each unit. The good thing is that I love both learning and teaching, so this shouldn't be too big of a problem. At times I do wonder if I should have just bought boxed curriculum because it seems a lot easier, but overall I think I picked a good fit for us. Time will tell!

 A school bus from Home Goods. I just thought it was cute.

I had to prime the chalkboard. It was so perfect and jet black, it was painful to mess it up!

Our first day! They were super duper excited, and couldn't wait to start.

She was so happy! She sat here for about two minutes, then she was done. Off to play in the next room. She's three.

My second grader! 

My tall third grader! 

First day of kindergarten! Too cool to smile.

Lydia ran up to be included. She loves her big sister.

Cheese for PreK 3!

 She loves school. She reads literally nonstop. Makes me so happy.

Oh- wait- is that a smile?

My kids' teacher!

Picture with mommy.

 The first day's lesson was based on Genesis 11, the Tower of Babel. We covered the Bible story, early Sumerian culture, ziggurats, and map skills. Isaac was interested for the first 15 minutes, then quietly did math worksheets while I finished teaching the girls. We then broke off for their activities. Brooke and Madeline went outside to draw maps of our block, and Isaac drew a map of his bedroom.

I heart ABCMouse.com. Worth every penny so far.

Some of our lesson notes. They also had Wisdom Words (creative writing for Brooke and Madeline, and speech practice for Isaac) penmanship (writing practice using that week's Bible verse), and spelling. They start Switched On Schoolhouse Spanish curriculum next week. Math (we chose Singapore Math curriculum) will fit into this afternoon sometime- eventually when I know how much math to expect from them each day, it will be incorporated into regular school time. For now I've set it up more like traditional homework. I'm not rushing into a set schedule just yet.

 It was a great first day! We packed a ton of learning into a few short hours. I know it will be a lot of work, and not every day will go so smoothly, but I am looking forward to a great year!

Submission Prayer

*I wrote this last night and had Bill proofread it, but then chickened out from posting it. Openly admitting faults in Christian life is not easy, especially when it seems everyone else has it all together. But then this morning's church sermon was on being authentic and genuine- not acting like a phony. So, yeah...here it is. Being a Christian is not about being perfect, but about repentance and God's grace when we do fail. His forgiveness never runs out.*

Last week I sat in a meeting for new homeschooling moms. In three hours, we'd covered the state's laws and available homeschool organizations. All dry material, but I was still so excited as I drove back home. Even getting stuck in wet grass while trying to leave, and needing the hostess's husband to get the car out by shoving boards under the tires (only me, seriously!!) didn't change my mood. I was over the moon with joy. So much joy, that it spilled right out of my eyes and down my cheeks, into my lap. I started laughing because it was so ridiculous, but I can't even find words to explain how grateful and thankful I am to be in this place. I once thought this day would never come. I had all but given up my dream, and now, in just a few short hours, our family starts the first day of homeschool, just two feet from my kitchen.

Four years ago, I begged Bill to agree to homeschooling. I just couldn't let go, couldn't hand my child over to the public school system. I don't know that any mother grieved the anticipation of their child going off to kindergarten more than me. I would cry just driving by the school. It felt so unnatural to send her away to school every day and into the care of strangers. I wanted to protect her, shelter her from the world. I wanted to maintain control.

When Bill first said no, I took it as a prompt to just keep asking. We'd always agreed on major decisions during the six years of our marriage, so this was actually new to me. The Bible says that wives are to submit to their husbands, which, ok- yeah, it's in the Bible, He said it, so I agreed to it in front of our family and friends- but thankfully I had a husband who always agreed with me anyway. Submission never really became an issue to deal with. Until now. A major crossroad, and for the first time, he was disagreeing with me, saying absolutely, unequivocally no way were we homeschooling. I wish I could say I handled it with grace and understanding. Or not, because lessons aren't learned without failing sometimes. And wow, I failed big time.

The next three years were a roller coaster ride between climbing trust for the public school decision, and back down again to bitterness- at either Bill, or God, or both. Then I'd repent, and the ride would continue up and down, cycling over and over again.  I was slowly learning what it means to *cough* submit. (Truth be told, the word itself made me want to throw up. I LOVE my husband, and he is the best man in the world to me- but it had nothing to do with him. I just don't like to be told what to do, plain and simple. I have my own mind that works pretty well, and who is anybody to tell me what to do with it?) There would be months at a time when I was in accord with my husband and his decision. Even my reasons to homeschool no longer came from my need to control and protect. I was learning to fully trust my children into God's care, regardless of where they went to school. I still wanted to homeschool, but now for reasons that stemmed from an overall different philosophy on education, apart from what the public system provided. Submission in the interim seemed doable, until something at school happened and walls of resentment built back up.

It all came to a head one year ago, last September. Madeline had been unfairly treated (in my eyes) at school, and I was furious. Shaking mama bear mad. I didn't even try to hold back my biting words. If we had been homeschooling, none of this would have happened. Once again, it was Bill's fault, and it was God's fault for not leading Bill to the decision I wanted. I boarded an airplane the next day to Birmingham, Alabama for a Dot Mom conference, still angry. I was excited to see my best friend Amy, but I couldn't be completely happy, knowing I was hurting my husband. And I was too prideful to change it.

But it's hard to stay in pride and sin while at a two day Bible study event. Halfway through the conference- miserable, sad, and sick of being inside my own skin- I had an honest discussion with God. I was giving it up. He knew my heart. He knew how much I wanted to homeschool. A deep, burning desire. But for whatever reason, He was telling Bill no. Bill had told me at one point that he wanted nothing more than to say yes to me and make me happy- but his Lord was telling him that no matter how mad it made me, the answer was no. So in obedience to God, Bill didn't give it to me. He'd rather be right with God even if it meant living with an angry wife. The guilt washed over that I had made him choose between the two. I was done. I repented to God, and I gave it all up. For real this time. It was a wave of relief and sadness, giving up a dream that had meant so much. But God has a plan to give good and perfect gifts, and if this wasn't good or perfect, then I didn't want it anymore.

Home from the conference, sitting on the couch and kids asleep in bed, Bill told me that while I was out of town, he felt God clearly leading him toward homeschooling. I couldn't believe what I was hearing- I don't even remember the rest of the conversation. I just kept repeating, "Are you serious? Don't play with me! Don't tell me this and then take it away later!" I was laughing and smiling and couldn't even contain my joy. A dead dream resurrected.

There have been so many life experiences in the past few years that broke and molded me. This was one of those hard winding roads that I wouldn't change. If Bill had agreed to homeschooling four years ago, I would have gone forward for all the wrong reasons, and our marriage would not have stretched and grown the way it has. I would have homeschooled for the sole purposes of shelter and control. I wouldn't have learned what it means to trust God's protection, even after my five year old daughter was shoved and punched in the face by another student. I wouldn't have experienced the pure peace of knowing that He's in control, and allow her to walk back into the school the next morning. Letting go and letting God. I wouldn't have learned what true submission feels like. That it isn't suppressing my own spirit, but instead is a beautiful picture of God the Father and God the Son, of Christ and His bride. That when I allow my husband to lead us, a huge burden is lifted off of my shoulders. My husband takes into account my opinions and feelings, and then turning to God, takes us in the direction He is leading. I have a husband with such a fear of the Lord in him, that he endured years of my on-and-off resentment creeping up in little everyday things, both of us knowing it was the bigger issue of me not getting my way. That is a God-fearing husband! And I am so blessed to call him mine.

Monday morning we begin homeschooling. In God's perfect timing, and under my husband's leading. Joy.

Extending my Comfort Zones

Last September at Lifeway's Dot Mom conference, Amy and I walked into a breakout session led by a loud and funny speaker named Jen Hatmaker, and expecting- well, honestly not much. Especially nothing that would turn our lives upside down.

 Jen asked if we were raising our children to say no to drugs, hang out with Christian Awana friends, and not say the F word. (All well and good by the way. I abhor drug use, love Awana, and definitely don't want my kids to use the F word.) But if one day my kids heard Jesus call them to a Third World country away from my safety net, would they be pulled to tell Him no, because their mom would just freak out?  Well, considering the current parenting path I was on, I felt really uncomfortable answering that question.

There is a whole world out there waiting to know Jesus' love in a tangible way. I had to ask myself where I spent more of my time: angry about politics and Supreme Court rulings, or out there demonstrating the love of Christ to people on the other side of my conservative agenda. When was the last time I looked beyond my church walls to find someone in need of Jesus' message on the cross? How can I show my children the way to live like Jesus if I don't even know how to start a conversation with a homeless person? Ouch.

Spending more of my time in the Gospels, I hear Jesus pleading, commanding, demanding that I love the least of these. That I love my neighbor as myself. Maybe I've assumed I could slide by and only reach those that didn't make me feel uncomfortable. It's easy to serve sweet, clean people in the middle of my path. It's another thing to go out of my way, search out those in need, and not know if they will even be nice to me or appreciate it. But then, like a smack in the face, the Holy Spirit told me- It's not about what I want to do within my comfort zone. Waiting for people in need to show up in my Sunday School class isn't cutting it. Using the excuse that I'm a shy, busy mom of four isn't a reason. I have no excuses, and I will give an account one day of what I did with my life. He's called me to so much more while on this earth. Because if I really love Him- and oh Jesus how I LOVE You- then I will humbly show it in increasing obedience.

Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" Then Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 22:36-40