My Daycare House

My house has changed now that it's also a business. You can see here what we've been doing. My girls appreciate that we're doing more art projects now. 

I just heard today that a new baby sibling will be born in December, whom I will be watching! How blessed is that? The whole SIDS thing terrifies me, but I love babies and I'll try to get past that fear as a daycare provider. The five-year-old sister starts kindergarten August 31, and then I'll have just the 3-year-old brother until their new sibling arrives.

Weekly Homeschool and Life Wrap-up 5/15

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Giving Thanks This Week

~ Stomach virus only lasted one day

~ Mary mastered two more vowel digraphs for All About Reading

~ Weather nice for planting

~ Our new devotional book came and Mary already incorporated the first lesson into her day

~ Nice nurses at the hospital for Beth's infusion

~ Peter explaining Heaven to the neighbor boy he's been witnessing to (9-year-old boy thought heaven was a person)

~ Peter faithfully praying that the neighbor boy will grow in Christ and ask more questions

~ Curriculum sold fast to pay for this year's portfolio review and a Compassion child's birthday

~ Mary tries to read her Bible, but it is a full, NIV Bible, and she is in tears quickly because the reading level is just too high. I looked for a beginning reader's Bible she can read herself, and after researching, I found two. One I bought new, and the other used. They're not full Bibles, but they will work to help her get into the habit of a personal devotional time (we do a lot of family devotions, and I will read the full verses to her too, from the stories these books select)

buy here and see sample pages ($11.99)

This one has easier words than the above.
buy here and see sample pages ($12.99)

~ I tend to over commit myself at church. I was going to go to a meeting Wednesday evening about helping next year in AWANA. However, I got a stomach bug, which hardly ever happens to me, about three hours before the meeting. I already planned to help in this churches' nursery once a month, so the AWANA on top of that would have been too much. God made it clear, I think, that I was about to overextend myself. Hint taken. I believe every mom (or dad) who uses children's ministry should help in some way--10% of the people at most churches do 90% of the work, which is all wrong and unhealthy. But doing my part doesn't mean that as a homeschooling mom with special-needs children, I need to get involved weekly.

Activities this week

Origami, always a favorite with Paul and Mary, was a fine pursuit on a rainy day this week.

Ducks and ducklings

Peter teaching Mary science...here, an experiment

Beth made this contraption as an airplane for her stuffed animals.

Paul continues with his computer programming classes on Khan Academy. Here he created a picture with a moving car, using commands. It's all Greek to me but he loves the challenge. 

Beth sketching birds from online images, because they just wouldn't stay still long enough at our bird feeders.

Planting time

Marigolds (Peter and the neighbor boy he is witnessing to)

Zinnias by the fence, two types of marigolds, morning glories (Mary and Paul)

and radishes and basil (Beth)

More planting will happen this weekend and next with Daddy (tomatoes, yellow squash, sweet banana peppers)

I don't know what else Peter has planned, but there is quite a bit more going in.

Here's my mess as I prepared to sell Sonlight Core F, which went fast

Since we bought the bread maker a few months ago, we've experimented with pizza crusts. Here's a whole wheat and all-purpose flour blend. I use the machine to mix and knead it for about 10 minutes, then I let it rise in a warm oven (about 180 degrees) for one hour. We started out prebaking it for five minutes after rolling it out in the pan, but this last time we didn't do that and it came out better. I still have not mastered the stretching it out, and it is still hard to get a circle or rectangle, but we love homemade pizza!

Paul found a sauce recipe and we just use, so far, lean Italian turkey sausage and mozzarella cheese for toppings. This weekend (we make it every Sunday) I will try a veggie pizza too, which just three of the six of us will enjoy. The others like just meat and cheese.

Middle Grades News (Sonlight Core H, World History, Part 2)

Paul and Peter are still reading Out of Many Waters (shared last week)

I preread the next reader, Stowaway, the day I was in bed with the stomach virus. It is outstanding!

Overview: It is known that in the summer of 1768, Captain James Cook sailed from England on H.M.S Endeavour, beginning a three-year voyage around the world on a secret mission to discover an unknown continent at the bottom of the globe. What is less known is that a boy by the name of Nicholas Young was a stowaway on that ship. Newbery winner Karen Hesse re-creates Cook's momentous voyage through the eyes of this remarkable boy, creating a fictional journal filled with fierce hurricanes, warring natives, and disease, as Nick discovers new lands, incredible creatures, and lifelong friends.

My Thoughts: I think the boys will really enjoy it. Just to give you an idea of how good it was, let me just say that it has 304 pages and I read it from 5 PM to 1 AM. I know...not a good idea to stay up late when one is sick, but I couldn't help myself and my stomach felt all hollow and yucky, so I wouldn't have fallen asleep well anyway.

This book is primarily about a young boy maturing over the three years he's at sea, from ages 11 to 14. Prior to that he was apprenticed to a butcher, who beat him mercilessly. He has scars from it, in fact, about which he remains mum when questioned. Prior to his time with the butcher, he'd run away from boarding school, where he was also beat, so his father, disappointed in him, boarded him with the butcher (giving up on his son's education). Two brothers pleased the father, doing well at school. Nick, the main character, changes from wanting to run away from his problems, to being prepared to take them on with honesty and courage. He also develops a yearning for knowledge, due to the many science observations some gentlemen engaged in on the ship, drawing from sea creatures and floral and fauna. This book is outstanding for all young boys (and girls, too, for that matter).

I've found that a majority of inspiring books for young people are primarily about a female lead. This one presents a nice change from that pattern. It's hard to develop our boys into great leaders without enough role models in modern history and in literature. Jesus is our primary teacher in how to behave, but boys can benefit from other role models as well.

The boy works extremely hard on the ship, which is a good message to all the young men these days who waste so much time with electronic games. I think these games are proving to be the downfall of many a young man, and young fathers too. We all do well to just. say. no. Young people have done well without these games for centuries, and I think historical fiction proves that to young men. Historically, children had much more responsibility and created their own fun in their spare time, which was often just on Sundays.

K and Second Grade News

I had Mary just review this week, reading over a few All About Reading Level 3 stories and going over her phonogram and word cards, to master several new sounds she had trouble with. Next week, we can move forward.

Mary tells me that journal writing is her favorite subject. Like her sister, she has dyslexia, but her strengths are different from Beth's. Dyslexics are good at spatial relationships, and rotating 3-dimensional objects in space, and for seeing patterns and relationships that many of us don't see. Beth is good at all this, but Mary has a different strength known in dyslexics--narrative. Many bestselling and established authors have dyslexia, and Mary has long had this strength, being the best of my children at narrating stories and events.

Paul has a much milder dyslexia, but he has both Mary's and Beth's strengths. Researchers are finding that they can spot dyslexics as much by their strengths, as by their reading, spelling, and penmanship deficits. Even when they grow to read well, they still typically read slowly, and their spelling is usually below average, with sloppy handwriting being common as well (but not universal, as they are still unique individuals).

Both girls still have difficulty writing, and recognizing the difference between, 6 and 9, and b and d. However, they're doing better at writing 7 and 3 correctly. They still don't, when seeing a 31 and 13, or 24 and 42, name it correctly right away. Two-digit numbers may always be a challenge. Even adult dyslexics indicate that telling the difference is not automatic for them.

The general concepts of math don't seem to be a problem, but these aspects slow us down and frustrate them considerably. They do well when I illustrate two-digit numbers with unifix cubes, but that doesn't translate yet into reading them correctly.

Library Books We Enjoyed

My New Granny 

by Elisabeth Steinkellner published 2012

Overview  Fini’s granny has changed. Before, she would comment on Fini’s strange hair styles, help her feed the ducks in the park, had traveled all over the world, and was an amazing cook. Now, Fini’s granny admires wacky hairdos, eats the bread crumbs meant for the ducks in the park, and does not travel or cook anymore. Eventually, Granny has to come live with Fini and her family because she needs to be watched, almost like a little child. She needs help dressing and washing, falls asleep underneath the kitchen table, and has a woman named Agatha that comes to care for her, like a babysitter. Fini is unsure of what to think of this “new” granny—she looks the same but she certainly acts like a completely different person.
My New Granny is a heartwarming and important story about a grandparent who is suffering from dementia and how a grandchild can learn to accept this change in personality in a loved one. With an estimated 5.4 million people affected by Alzheimer’s in the United States, this is an essential resource for many children who may have a grandparent suffering from this disease. Elisabeth Steinkellner’s text captures the thought process of children while Michael Roher’s simple yet evocative illustrations paint a realistic picture of how to cope with dementia in a family.

Draw What You See: The life and art of Benny Andrews

by Kathleen Benson, published February, 2015

Overview: Benny Andrews loved to draw. He drew his nine brothers and sisters, and his parents. He drew the red earth of the fields where they all worked, the hot sun that beat down, and the rows and rows of crops. As Benny hauled buckets of water, he made pictures in his head. And he dreamed of a better life—something beyond the segregation, the backbreaking labor, and the limited opportunities of his world. Benny’s dreams took him far from the rural Georgia of his childhood. He became one of the most important African American painters of the twentieth century, and he opened doors for other artists of color. His story will inspire budding young artists to work hard and follow their dreams.

Sleeping Cinderella and Other Princess Mix-ups

by Stephanie Clarkson, published February, 2015

Overview: Princesses Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Rapunzel swap fairy tales with one another in this hilariously clever new classic!

Once upon a time, four fairy tale misses,
tired of dwarves, witches, princes, and kisses,
so bored and fed up, or just ready to flop,
upped and left home for a fairy tale swap.

What happens when Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Rapunzel get so fed up with their fairy tales that they decide to switch places with one another? Hilarity ensues in this clever, rhyming story about whether the grass really is greener at someone else's castle.

Author Stephanie Clarkson crafts an incredibly witty manuscript, with rhymes that shine and predicaments that will make little girls everywhere laugh out loud, as illustrator Brigette Barrager brings these beautiful princesses to life with her rich, warm colors and charming retro-girl style!

The Alphabet War: A Story About Dyslexia

By Diane Burton Robb, published 2004

Overview: School Library Journal Review: K-Gr 4-Adam starts school, and although he loves stories, he can't seem to get the words to make sense. Over the next few years, he slowly despairs of ever learning to read. Instead, he imagines that he is being held captive by an evil king who torments him with vowels. His parents hire tutors to help, but it isn't until a specialist comes in at the beginning of third grade and diagnoses him as dyslexic that things start to look up. For Adam, it has become a much bigger problem than just learning how to read-he must also find the self-confidence that years of failure have robbed from him. His new teacher helps him see that reading will always be hard for him, but that it is possible. The pastel illustrations adequately convey Adam's emotions. Although the text often tells rather than shows the boy's plight, the subject matter is handled with respect for his feelings at every stage of the process, and does not oversimplify or sugarcoat the difficulties of dyslexia.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Maryland School for the Deaf, Columbia Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

My Thoughts: A valuable book, but since it was written in 2004, there is little about the strengths dyslexics have--that it is a gift, and not just a learning disability. This is more about the struggles than the triumphs, but it will still be appreciated by all dyslexic children.

John Muir Wrestles a Waterfall

by Julie Danneberg, published March, 2015

Overview: School Library Journal Review - Gr 3–5—This attractive picture book retells naturalist and writer John Muir's climb up a steep trail behind a waterfall along Yosemite Falls in April 1871. Danneberg includes information about Muir's love of the outdoors, his house in Yosemite (where he slept in a hammock that hung over an indoor spring), and his exploration of the park's natural setting. Lucid descriptions and the use of the present tense make the story immediate and relevant. Hogan's expressive renderings of the explorer's face are the highlight of this book, depicting the excitement and awe that Muir experienced standing beneath the falls. Many pages include supplemental information about the man and his love of nature. Quotations used in the text are cited, along with suggested readings and pertinent websites. VERDICT This is a solid work, ideal for those looking to add to collections or units on environmental studies, geography, writing, or biography and sure to inspire further interest in Muir.—Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with Illinois Eastern Community Colls., Mt. Carmel

How was your week, friends? Thank you for reading here and have a blessed weekend!

Weekly Homeschool & Life Wrap-up 4/3

I'm starting this week's wrap-up with gratitude. Most of all, I'm so very thankful that He is Risen, and he calls me his daughter. Thank you, Jesus!

I think it was Ann Voskamp who coined the phrase "hard hallelujah". It means giving thanks for something that has added pain or discomfort to our lives. In offering these affairs up with our joyful hallelujahs, we in a sense put them at the foot of the cross, to both be healed and bring glory to God.

It's also a discipline, an obedience, because God commands us in Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Some hard hallelujahs:

~ This picture, taken yesterday, represents the weather and the morning mood around here for some. I had considerable difficulty getting through Mary's reading lesson because of this gray sky and the 40% chance of thunder and lightening. I was kind, but after reminding her of the Lord's goodness and faithfulness, and pointing out all the blessings we enjoy from the rain, I firmly told her she couldn't stop doing her schoolwork every time the sky looked gray--which in Ohio is frequently, although it ain't exactly England. The saying around Northeast Ohio is that if you don't like the weather, wait an hour. It changes frequently.

~ Paul has been having somewhat frequent skin infections, despite daily showers and my use of ointment on cuts. He cut his lip outside two days ago and today it has signs of infection. Because of the frequency of his infections--all of which clear up with a prescription ointment and frequent bandage changes--in the back of my mind I can't shake the thought of diabetes type 1, which is auto-immune. While it is rare for a second child/sibling is get the same autoimmune disease, it is less rare for a sibling to get a different autoimmune disease. If you have the marker in your genes for autoimmunity--and my kids obviously do, or have the potential to, considering their sister's autoimmune arthritis--then you could at some point in life develop one of the many autoimmune disorders.

Type 1 diabetes is not a hereditary disease like type 2, but genes play a part in autoimmune disorders, as they did in Beth's juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. I have two aunts and at least one cousin with autoimmune disorders. It is thought that the genetic potential, along with acquiring a virus to trigger the autoimmune response in your cells, are what precede the development of autoimmune diseases.

Moreover, it's common that your relatives may have a different autoimmune disorder than you end up with. One aunt may have MS, another aunt fibromyalgia, and then you could get type 1 diabetes, or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, for example. And it's common that autoimmune disorders come in twos in a single person.

It isn't just your typical cold virus that triggers the autoimmune response, but more the pain-in-the-arse viruses, like coxsackievirus B, cytomegalovirus, adenovirus, rubella, and mumps.

Paul's BMI is only a 15, so he's at the border for being underweight--barely reaching the fifth percentile for BMI, although he's eating well. He's also more thirsty than my other children, and needs to snack more frequently. This disease develops slowly, but when all of a certain cell has been destroyed in the body, the symptoms seem to come on abruptly, giving the illusion that the onset was sudden.

This has been on my mind for several months, and it's time to schedule a physical for him and just ask for the simple blood glucose test to put these thoughts to rest. None of my other children have dealt with infected cuts or wounds or mosquito bites. and none of the others have had trouble gaining weight to keep up with their heights, except for a period of low weight for Beth, because of her disease. She is now at a healthy weight.

So, the knot in my stomach formed with Mary's tears and Paul's issue, and my mind wandered to the long, long, spring, summer and early fall we would experience if Mary's storm anxiety doesn't improve, and if Paul gets more skin infections.

The Lord reminded me...if you find your children's behavior stressful, wait an hour. It changes frequently.

And yes, it did. We got through Mary's reading lesson and she perked up and calmed down. I find, though, that my stress level doesn't calm down as soon as their moods do. There is a lingering effect that exhausts me, which is my problem to give to the Lord. The answer almost always is to count my blessings.

Easy Hallelujahs

~ Beautiful kids growing in the Lord

~ The Risen Lord to celebrate and give thanks for

~ Peter began a new OCD medicine earlier this week, and it began giving him relief within two days...Praise the Lord. Could be the placebo effect; I'll know more soon. The Prozac had stopped working after nearly three years, and so he now uses Zoloft, as recommended by the International OCD Foundation. It works on the serotonin balance so the brain's anxiety response calms down, and the patient can work on the therapy techniques being taught. Without medicine, many sufferers find the thoughts and the anxiety they cause are just so strong, they can't employ therapy techniques.

~ I encouraged Mary to go outside and face her storm anxiety (it was just lightly raining). She promptly found a frog to befriend, which cheered her up considerably and reminded her that God loves her and delights in blessing her. She was rewarded for facing her fears.

~ The bread baking is going well and is blessing my family.

~ Beth was supposed to have her eye surgery yesterday, but the cold she caught required a postponement. I list this as a blessing because I had prayed that the doctor would be at his absolute best on the morning of her surgery, which probably wasn't going to be the case and God knew that.

~ Paul loves Kahn Academy and is proving he's quite the self-directed learner. He's the best kind of student for unschooling, which I think works best with kids who don't need to be systematically taught. It isn't really Mom's philosophy which should dictate homeschooling methods, but more the kids' individual learning profiles. Paul has basically taught himself for years (using Sonlight and library books) and in doing so he's been able to work a couple years ahead of his grade level. That would never work for others in this house, though this week, because the kids were sick, I let them concentrate mostly on their interests and their library picks, since the usual stuff is harder to get through when you're a bit under the weather.

~ I love being with my kids, despite the difficult issues.

~ Peter is working very hard in planning his garden, and I've noticed that his ability to plan, organize and prioritize are being sharpened by the process. Gardeners are either planting or planning, all year long. It is detailed work, Peter is finding.

Update on bread making:

The instant yeast, also known as bread machine yeast, has yielded great loaves for us this week. I continue to bake one loaf a day, using the bread machine on just the dough cycle, which mixes it, kneads it, and lets it rise once. I then punch it down, get the air out, and shape it, put it in a sandwich loaf pan, and let it rise another 45 minutes to an hour. It then bakes 26 to 30 minutes, depending on the flour. White albino whole wheat takes 26 minutes, but regular whole wheat needs 30 minutes.

Halfway through the week I switched from albino white whole wheat to regular whole wheat, and found that the dough was stickier and needed another two T flour, and that the baking time increased by 4 minutes too. 

I am learning not to over rise the bread. It is supposed to be one inch over the pan measured at the highest point of the loaf. You are supposed to use your finger, from the tip to the first knuckle. The above picture is just about right, maybe a tad over, but the picture below is definitely over-risen, as you can tell by that stretched look. 

This was the best loaf and quite delicious. Once this week the bread had a hole in it, kind of like a cave. I learned that this can occur if you don't punch out all the air holes after the first rise. It's a good idea to use a rolling pin to go over it before shaping it.

I also learned that my water should be between 95 to 115 degrees for the best results (I started using a thermometer). If some of your ingredients are kept in the fridge, then the higher end water temp is better. The final dough product temperature is important, to ensure the yeast will work and you'll get the rise you need. I keep the flax seed, the vital wheat gluten, and the yeast in the fridge (as specified on the packages), so the warmer water ensures my final dough product is warm enough.

Last weekend the kids woke up to their Easter buckets. For the first time, they got socks and underwear, colored pencils and pads, and less candy. We give the buckets a week early so as not to associate Easter too much with bunnies and eggs and presents. We'll color eggs today, however, because the weather is the best for an outside hunt this afternoon.

We did do reading lessons this week. Mary learned about the uses of /aw/ and /au/, and the boys are reviewing the same thing in spelling. The yellow cards are the phonogram cards, and on the back is what the children need to memorize about the sound. For example, the back of this card states that /aw/ may be used at the end of English words (or in the middle). /Au/, in contrast, can't be used at the end of words because English words cannot end in a "u"

Peter did a lot of baking these last two weeks. Here are his cheese/whole wheat crackers. They were too rich and most of the kids couldn't eat them, but it was a valient effort. He also tried rolls but they didn't rise properly. He will try those again soon. Paul made pumpkin muffins, which all enjoyed.

Peter used his time to spot read several library books about Ohio gardening. He keeps notes about each type of plant and is keeping a calendar to help him remember when to plant which seeds. It has taken him time to become this organized, and I am very proud of him. This is where project learning really benefits kids. They learn to solve problems and prioritize and organize, and pace themselves as well. The goal is highly motivating for him, so he's working through the executive function issues caused by his ADHD.

I am finding that if I give them days to pursue their interests, or just enjoy their library picks, then we actually save money on curriculum because our curriculum will then last longer than a year, and the delight directed learning days help round out their education and their skills. The switch from curriculum days to library material days, or delight-learning days, does not seem to bother them because I keep a structure in place. Without that structure, things fall apart quickly around here.

Paul is determined to study each president of the United States, and the politics surrounding their presidencies, and on library days he goes full throttle with this. Often, too, he does it after school or on weekends. He studies geography too, using various library resources.

Paul and both my girls wanted me to buy them more fabric, put I'd already spent my limit on school supplies, so when I went through the spring and summer clothes this week, I gave them some pieces to work with that weren't good looking enough to give away, but still plenty nice for sewing. They were absolutely thrilled and Mary said, "This is the best day ever!" Mary and Paul taught Beth to use a needle without poking herself, so she can do simple things now. Paul helps her cut the fabric. She makes stuffed dolls and now, between the three of them, I can't keep cotton balls in the house.

It warms my heart to see them relaxing and working together this way, while I'm off washing and drying their clothes and making their meals and their daily bread. Paul is such a blessing to me and he loves the interaction with his siblings.

Peter does very little sewing and prefers his gardening passion, and more recently too, composting.

Threading a needle.

That's our week, with its numerous joys and its low points as well, emotionally and physically. Life is beautiful, full, and if you don't like it one hour, wait an hour. Things will look brighter, thanks to our Heavenly Father, who is full of grace and loves blessing us!

Happy Easter!

Desires Fulfilled...In God's Timing

For a long time I've mourned the absence of a creative domestic mentor in my life. My own mother never had any interest in sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting, canning, baking, or cooking from scratch. On my own, during the last three and a half years, I've learned to cook from scratch, bake from scratch, and even make pies, but pie crusts and yeast still intimidate me. Sometimes I manage a bread loaf or some cinnamon rolls that come out beautifully, and other times the yeast confounds me. Or a child plays with the yeasty loaf after I’ve patiently let it rise, and suddenly it’s flat again. Bread dough is not Playdoh, I reprimanded them.

In my home there are no made-by-me quilts, Afghans, dresses, scarves, or sweaters. Some women have no interest in these things, but to me they’re as much a draw as the four seasons were when I was growing up in California.

I guess I just long for the old-fashioned, early 20th century life, sans the skinning of squirrels and deer, and the scarlet fever and polio.

The Lord knows the desires of our hearts, and even when we don’t make a campaign of prayer over a desire, he still comes through to delight us. I’ve prayed some for a domestic mentor, but not consistently and not as fervently as I pray for other things. But still, the longing was there, and God knew it.

This last Saturday a friend from church came over for dinner with her two daughters. They taught us to knit, and promised to also show us crochet, quilting, needlepoint, and sewing. We had the best time!

My friend’s husband died of a massive heart attack 8 years ago at the age of 54, leaving her with triplets who all have disabilities, including one daughter who is profoundly mentally disabled, being 20 years old and functioning like a 3-year-old child. The triplets were born at 28 weeks gestation, and the more disabled one, Laura, weighed a little over a pound. Sadly, she had a stroke, which can happen to the smallest-weight babies. The doctors told my friend that she and her husband should “pull the plug” on Laura because she would never be able to walk or talk.

Being Christians and parents who tried for 12 years to have children (3 miscarriages), they told the doctors they would take what God gives, and Laura did walk and talk by three years old.

She is still serviced by the local high school’s special education department, despite turning 21 years old soon, but she doesn’t know how to read. My daughter Beth brought a library book and sat next to Laura, asking her to please read it. The look on Laura’s face broke my heart. She seems like a happy young lady, don’t get me wrong, but I wonder if she wishes she could read?

Lastly, this family is rather poor, living in a trailer. They are forgotten by the world, but dearly loved by our Holy God.

What’s so wonderful to me is that my new friend needed a friend, as much as I needed someone who could teach me and my children (yes, even the boys want to learn) how to knit and create beautiful things.

She needed more than a friend, actually. She needed another whole family to fellowship with, laugh with, and share burdens with.  She needed a family who also has little money, so as not to embarrass her with invitations and outings she can’t afford, or with great stylish outfits, compared to her simple, worn, thrifted clothes. Someone who would make a wholesome meal and say: come as you are and gather at our table. (My friend is not a cook and appreciates someone serving her a homemade meal).

My son Peter, who has the more severe OCD compared to Paul, has often lamented that no one understands him…and yet my friend? She has OCD; she understands.

The less disabled of the daughters is going to a two-year college to become a vet tech. She has some cerebral palsy (but I certainly didn’t detect it), and a learning disability that affects her comprehension. She will take six years to finish a two-year program, because she can’t handle a full college load. Still, she is earning all A’s, two classes at a time.

Peter struggles with dysgraphia and it will do him good to have a friend who understands that you can be smart, but need more time than others, and that’s okay…it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

The Body of Christ: sometimes it’s a disappointment, isn’t it? Sometimes there is just no one there who understands or has time, or who will refrain from judgment.

Sometimes it can seem like even God isn’t there, and this is the time for real faith. This is the time to remember that to the Lord, a thousand years is as a day.

2 Peter 3:8-9 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

In God’s timing, we are filled. Praise Him!

Homeschool and Mother's Journal, June 7

In my life this week:
Life always has surprises for us, yes? A pleasurable weekend hike left my husband with a mosquito bite-turned-into-an-abscess. The pesky mosquito penetrated a benign cyst in the area, wreaking havoc and generating medical bills and much pain. With no insurance we can only go to clinics, so it was a nurse practitioner who did the minor surgery, necessitating four visits so far. Yikes! We're also spending a small fortune on gauze and tape and ointment, with no end in sight.

But God is good. We have the clinics, at least.

This is a small blog but lo and behold, I got an e-mail offering a $25 gift card if I would insert one sentence about a certain product (with link) into a relevant post. After the medical bills it looked enticing, but I just couldn't respond. This blog reflects my heart and my heart isn't for sale. I don't begrudge those who use blogging to generate income and perks--it's a job like any other job--but I could never bring myself to do it here.

I don't believe my Lord--who didn't want his Father's house turned into a marketplace--would ever make it necessary here, on a personal journal. More than anything, my journal records the nudgings and whispers of the Holy Spirit unto my heart and that is sacred to me and to Him.

Last week I pontificated about a minor drought here in Northeast Ohio, and this week we have a flooded garden; the heavens wouldn't stop dripping.

On the bright side, tomorrow promises good hiking weather, after which we'll cover all mosquito bites with ointment and bandaids for a time, because y'all, I've learned my lesson. A mosquito's bite is bacteria's delight.

In our homeschool this week:
We dove into half days this week, after which we'll break in August for 6 weeks. The children had a good year and we could certainly stop, but too much free time is as dangerous as too little, and momentum is important.

Since I don't need their help on the farm (I wish we had a farm) continuing to read, write, do arithmetic and listen to stories for a few hours a day seems like the best option...and a good excuse to keep them out of the sun from 11:00 to 2:00. Two of mine would play outside from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM if I'd let them.

First I want to share our favorite picture books from the week.



There are so many beautiful picture books packed with learning and grace, that we scarcely need buy lower-elementary curriculum at all. One such book comes recommended by Honey for a Child's Heart, and tells the story of a  pioneer woman, lonely and heartsick out on the prairie, longing for friends, family and flowers. A Packet of Seeds by Deborah Hopkinson is a heartwarming story about a woman's broken heart and her young daughter's desire to see her mother smile again.

"I knew Momma wouldn't ask Pa to leave this new land...but I wondered if I'd ever see her smile again."

Woven between the skilled, poignant words is the story of all pioneer women and the incredible hardships they endured as our country expanded...a book every mother and daughter should discuss and enjoy together. The lovely Momma in the story must practice submission when her husband suggests moving west; she does so with grace, though she's heartbroken.

And the boys in your home? They can learn empathy for a wife from this lovely tale; don't leave them out of the reading. While it's labeled for ages 4 to 8, I think the depth is there for this to be a wonderful learning experience for kids up to age 14.

Picture books that teach history are rarely just for little ones. Who doesn't enjoy pictures to go along with deep story? I loved the art work in this book too, painted by Bethanne Andersen. Beautiful!

Have a blueberry lover in your home? Why not check out Blueberries for Sal, which is a tale as charming as they come for little ones, by Robert McCloskey (also recommended in Honey for a Child's Heart).

You'll find this suspenseful, surprising, and delightful. Afterward I recommend hands-on math games with blueberries or a suitable substitute. Grab a pale and do addition and subtraction as berries are manipulated to and fro. Visit a blueberry farm for picking and make something delightful with these nutritious berries, discussing the healthful antioxidants and other vitamins.

And don't forget all the preparation animals go through to prepare for winter, much as Sal's mother plans to can her blueberries for winter nutrition, and bear's mother explains why her little bear must fatten up for the long winter nap. Can your child brainstorm other animals who must prepare...like squirrels and chipmunks?

Been raining in your state? How about a walk down rainbow lane with A Rainbow of my Own, by Don Freeman. This classic tale lends itself to science experimenting with prisms, and to tissue paper or watercolor rainbow art. Or even to torn construction paper rainbows, not to mention a splashy walk in the summer rain.

11-year-old Peter is enchanted this week by The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E. L. Konigsburg., winner of a Newberry Medal. Full of humor and originality, this book both teaches and delights.



My Paul is reading Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes, set in the 1770's, a book recommended by Sonlight American History, Part One.



Technically, for the 2012-13 school year we're doing American History, Part Two, but we didn't buy the whole set of Sonlight books last year, and since I had a little extra curriculum money this year we purchased (used of course) the remainder of American History, Part One, Johnny Tremain included. We'll go back and read the best of what we missed this summer, and my girls, when they're ready, will have the whole set ready to go.

The following excerpt is from a wonderful study guide for Johnny Tremain, found at the Glencoe Literature Library:

In Johnny Tremain, readers share not only a historical journey but also Johnny’s personal journey of growth and discovery. When planning the novel, Forbes was determined “to give Johnny room enough to change and grow.” She also wanted “an obstacle [for] Johnny . . .to face from the beginning to the end of the book. . . . This obstacle was to have psychological significance.” At the beginning of the novel, Johnny is an arrogant and impulsive boy, but then life knocks him around quite a bit. He runs into some bad luck and also creates some problems for himself with his excessive pride. He has to face his problems and try to figure out who he is and what matters to him. When the dramatic events of the American Revolution involve Johnny, he must decide what ideas and beliefs are worth fighting for.

Even if you don't homeschool, I highly recommend this story as a family read-aloud, or as required reading for your upper-elementary or middle-school children. Sonlight recommends it as a read-aloud, but instead I'm reading it alongside my boys, to both challenge them and make sure the depth sinks in.

The boys are also busy building Lego Creations amidst the heavy rain we're having. They're playing with magnets, caring for the snapping turtle we're observing, learning new chores, and settling with Mom what "half-day school" means.

We continue to enjoy Writing With Ease, Level 4, by Susan Wise Bauer. So much more learning is packed into this resource than just writing instruction. All the selections Susan chose for us to use in dictation and narration are from a classic perspective. My boys learned so much about Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance, just from their dictation and narration exercises! And there's much more to come. I'm so grateful for this resource, which is self-contained, thorough, organized, and well thought out.



Helpful Homeschooling Advice to Share:
I highly recommend starting with Morning Meeting, right after breakfast, which entails prayer, a Bible reading, and discussing the day's agenda and expectations. I've found this really sets the right tone for the day and makes all of us stay on track better. I have check-off sheets on the walls, but I still need to go over the expectations each day so the children won't forget their chores or other responsibilities. I have one son who hopes I'll forget the check-off sheets, and sometimes, without morning meeting, I do!

This goes without saying, but it works best to let the little ones leave the meeting earlier than the older ones.

Places We're Going and People We're Seeing:
We went to a movement, craft, and literature class at the library for my two girls, ages 4 and 6. And this Sunday afternoon we're visiting a pig farm with some friends so Peter can take pictures for a library photo contest. Promises to be fun and educational for all! Weather permitting, we'll do another family hike this weekend.

My Favorite Thing This Week:
My favorite thing is nearly always the same--reading to my kids! It relaxes and bonds us so well. And I'll have to add in the family walks this week as well.

My Kids' Favorite Thing:
Sometimes I know the answer to this question without asking them, but this week I had to ask:

Paul - That Mommy didn't have any headaches, family walks.
Peter - Storytime, family walks
Mary and Beth - Loving my Mommy, family walks.

I'm so glad I asked! :)

Things I'm Working On:
You know how the master bedroom seems to collect all the clutter, especially when you're cleaning for guests and short on time? We don't have a garage or basement so we're more challenged in this area. So this week I organized, decluttered, dusted and shined up the master bedroom. It's modestly beautiful, at last!

I told a neighborhood girl she can use our Teaching Textbooks math DVD-ROM to improve her math grades, but I don't know if she'll actually come (her motivation is low). Nevertheless, the room is ready for her, no longer a distracting disgrace. The computer in there is the only quiet place to listen to the lecture on the DVD-ROM.

 It would be a miracle if our 11-year-old friend earns a high-school diploma, I'm afraid. She's at risk for so many things, but none of it's too big for God...I'm thankful for that!

I'm back to regular walking and I love our neighborhood this time of year. So many pretty flowers and neat yards. Always a delight to stroll here, either alone or with the whole family.

I'm Cooking:
Dinner so far this week: french toast and cheesy eggs; crockpot whole chicken; chicken noodle soup; tacos; bowtie pasta; grilled chicken.

Our grill needed a part but thanks to Amazon's quick service we're back in business tonight.

I'm Grateful For:
Time with my children, fewer and fewer headaches, low-cost clinics for the uninsured, sweet kids, green lawns, walking, flowers, family dinners, a like-new master bedroom, that God always provides, that every day is meant for learning and growing closer to Him

I'm Praying For:
Family, husband, kids, friends, country, church, neighborhood, Compassion kids, my own heart to cling to Him for sustenance

Photo, Link, or Quote to Share:

How about a poem attesting to the delight children are to our hearts and lives, found here?

No Children!
Edgar Guest 

No children in the house to play--
It must be hard to live that way!
I wonder what the people do
When night comes on and the work is through,
With no glad little folks to shout,
No eager feet to race about,
No youthful tongues to chatter on
About the joy that's been and gone?
The house might be a castle fine,
But what a lonely place to dine!

No children in the house at all,
No fingermarks upon the wall,
No corner where the toys are piled--
Sure indication of a child.
No little lips to breathe the prayer
That God shall keep you in His care,
No glad caress and welcome sweet
When night returns you to your street;
No little lips a kiss to give--
Oh, what a lonely way to live!

No children in the house! I fear
We could not stand it half a year.
What would we talk about at night,
Plan for and work with all our might,
Hold common dreams about and find
True union of heart and mind,
If we two had no greater care
Than what we both should eat and wear?
We never knew love's brightest flame
Until the day the baby came.

And now we could not get along
Without their laughter and their song.
Joy is not bottled on a shelf,
It cannot feed upon itself,
And even love, if it shall wear,
Must find its happiness in care;
Dull we'd become of mind and speech
Had we no little ones to teach.
No children in the house to play!
Oh, we could never live that way!

Have a blessed week friends! If you read all the way to the bottom, I owe you thanks. :)