Year Three

The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him. For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command. Psalm 33:6-9

Today was our first day of our third year homeschooling. It was a good day. So much has changed since we first started. And so much has stayed exactly the same. I caught a glimpse of what I suppose homeschooling will look like when the kids mature several years and tried to keep the daydreaming at bay. And I found myself remembering how hard it was that first year with Charlie on my hip the entire day, thankful and fearful that he desires to be more independent.

Now about Charlie:

It soon became quite obvious that Charlie needs to spend more time with his father. He did great until it was time for him to play and for me to work individually with the girls, then things got a little sticky—and loud—and wet—and sandy (don’t ask). So dear old dad and I have agreed that I’ll handle the three girls, if he can please, please, please find something to do with that boy. You know, man stuff, “like hunting, having wars, driving cars, cleaning fish.”

And our schedule:

Not convinced that we can consistently get everything accomplished in the time frame allotted, I struggle to find balance and find myself, throughout the morning, oscillating between: 1) allowing a little extra time when the kids are really enjoying something; 2) remembering that lessons are meant to be short and varied; 3) feeling slightly panicked that we’ll fall hopelessly behind; and 4) reminding myself that the notion of “falling behind” for a homeschooler is a very fluid concept.

I get overwhelmed when I consider all of the lessons and topics we have yet to cover and the short number of hours in the day. For example, Makenna is ready to learn typing and wants to learn some basic desktop publishing skills. Then, this fall when Maya turns 6, there will be more need for me to divide my read-aloud time between Maya and Maddie until Maddie can complete her readings independently which is, as of yet, at an unspecified future date (by the end of this year, I hope). I haven’t mentioned that the scheduled literature and history readings get a bit longer as the year rolls on. It’s hard not to get weighed down thinking of it all and how full our day already is. After all I am only one, and their needs are many.

So for now I’ll focus on building habits with the current schedule, trusting that we will improve enough with time and maturity to add in one thing, each in its turn, until we’ve checked off the list. I look for ways to sneak in little bites of school when no one is looking (a poem at lunch, read-alouds at bedtime, books on CD in the car). Nevertheless, I know that there will always be something else we’ll want to do, new needs that come with the uncertainty of raising children, and a little boy yet to come of school age.

I will cling again to my God, who is so big He breathes out stars, and must shake His head in wonderment at my bouts of faithlessness. I will not stand at the edge of the Promised Land with a complaining and doubt-filled heart. The God who has called me is faithful.