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Friday, March 15, 2013
Revelations of "Home"
I haven't done the normal question-answering weekly wrap-up in a while. I felt led to revert to this good-ole journal format this week. The one I use to do back when it was first put out there by Sue and is now still maintained by iHomeschool Network. I remember how fun it is to read other answers to these questions, I thought I would chime in with mine... perhaps it will better answer the questions I get, "How do you homeschool while on outreach/traveling?"
In my life this week…
Well, we finally came out with a BIG announcement... one of those Joshua moments were you just put it out there in front of everyone and trust God to stop the sun in the sky! Yup, we finally shared (after a week of prayer) that we feel our time in Phoenix coming to a close soon. We feel God saying that by the end of April we will be gone.
Where to next? It looks like it may be Billings, MT. What's in Billings? God is and beyond that... I have no clue... but knowing He is there is all I need to know! We will likely be there long-term... like; get a house, take our stuff out of storage, watch the kids finish growing up kind of long term! It was a tough step at first. But through prayer, each day I grow more excited at the prospect of a stationary home again. All the other details (so far) are in my "God Answers" post at Group 412.
In our homeschool this week…
We actually had a semi-normal (for us anyway) week of learning. Even with office work, volunteer work, and a first thing in the morning walk to the grocery store thrown in. It has been in the 90s and the kids have snuck out of school early to play in the water... which is fine with this momma... when else will they be able to say they did that IN MARCH!!! Not where we come from!
Otherwise, everyone has been up and ready on-time (truly a feat for us!), we have had great Bible Studies... though our Bible overview hasn't gone much beyond the times of judges! My greatest excitement this week came in that Brenden is FINALLY getting his math! It took 5 years... but fractions are finally clicking! I didn't do anything drastically different... God just opened the door in his mind. Teaching a dyslexic can be a challenge, but it is so rewarding to see learning click into place!
Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…
When traveling (or any setting) I am seeing this year the extreme importance of some underlying level of committed time to progressive learning. Especially with high-schoolers (when this stage is critical to college entry). Ashley's Algebra course has not been as consistent and as a result, she finds the class challenging at times... not because it is Algebra but because it is sometimes a week or more between lessons when we make big shifts. Retaining information for tests and repeat performance is difficult at times. My advice? If your child has to work hard at a given subject, make that subject Priority 1 and be sure to set time aside at least 4 days of the week to review, discuss, and work through... even if for only 10 minutes.
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
Saturday I am planning a small walk-about. We have not had access to a car while in Phoenix. My husband and I have attended meetings (and me, knitting!) and seen some of the area but the kids have only ventured out of our .5 mile radius once! Normally we walk to the store down the street and back. Tomorrow we are going to return library materials and then take a path less-traveled to try and see some of the buttes in the area as well as other neighborhoods. Yes... I will bring the camera!!
My favorite thing this week was…
My husband hand-washed the towels! Saves some laundry quarters and lugging around for me! Watching the kids play outside was wonderful too. They haven't had a lot of that here.
My kiddos favorite thing this week was…
I am certain they would say the water play!
Things I’m working on…
Bloomy thoughts and a book on forgiveness. Also, trying to wrap up some reading projects and ministry work manuals/templates so when we pull out we leave the ministries here with the tools they need to keep on- keepin' on! I am trying to organize the shelves in my "room" in the RV as well. Small spaces are NOT easier to maintain... they just show the clutter faster!!! Especially when it is FIVE people in a 26 foot RV!
These pictures were taken after our last clean-up day... it can look nice for about 5 minutes... then the kids walk in!
I’m cooking…
My own recipe for Ranch Pasta salad as well as a jello cake for Sunday's church potluck! Made home-made chocolate candy this afternoon with a GIANT brick of chocolate that was given to us by the food bank we help at! Peanut Butter cups, Almond Joys, and a Twix type mix but without the caramel. You could be bummed I don't have pictures or you can be glad the lack of pictures means no temptation!
I’m grateful for…
The peace of God and the book of 2 Timothy 3-4 this week... all worked together to guide my heart in peaceful surrender to the changes ahead.
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it....
I’m praying for…
Not Billings but about the same color I remember it being!
A love for Billings and the people there as well as an understanding of the vision my husband has. I fully trust God's guidance in him (because I prayed God would give him the vision on our next trek... and He did!) but it is hard to help with decisions when I don't see it clearly along with him... so I am asking God for that.
I rewarded my kids this week by…
Allowing extra computer time (Brenden finished ANOTHER book this week... that is 2 books in 2 weeks... huge for a Dyslexic!!)
Something I am ogling or have my eye on…
A HOME! And I signed up with Pinterest this week... so my eyes are all over the place now! It is addictive!
A photo, video, link, or quote to share (silly, serious or both!)…
A picture....
Came out of meeting with Director and the kids had been busy with hubby's keyboard!!
... and a song which has helped us while being on the road:
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