Spring-Field Trip-Break

While schools were breaking for a week in spring, I thought that the halls of “Jordan Homeschool” would stay open and the lights would continue to burn bright right on through the month of April as the kids have been steadily working hard without a break since December.

But, everyone needs a break now and then, right?

As soon as I made a mental decision to take a deliberate break from our regular school schedule, I just felt a relief that my whole inner being was yearning for but wouldn’t totally give into because of my overachieveism (I know this isn’t a word, but it’s a true condition that I have). While I strived really hard to take an official spring break where you don’t…. learn.....I scheduled a week of field trips.

Am I a geek or what? What’s wrong with me? By the end of the week, after venturing to several local museums, my husband asked me, “Can the kids do something f-u-n for their spring break?”

Fun? Are museums not, fun?

 

We did end up doing something f-u-n on our last day, that did not include any deliberate learning. We ventured to a family favorite park (They did have a little marine museum and mini petting zoo. I forced the kids to read every plant and animal informative sign. I'm kidding. Only a little.)

Looking back on our spring-field-trip-break, I have to say that the highlight of our week was simply the time that we were able to spend together as a family. If you're a regular reader of this blog and you're tired of reading of the many perks of homeschooling, here comes another one of those moments. I could go on and on about my love affair with homeschooling. Did you ever have parents that embarrased you as a kid everytime they snuggled in public? Just showing off all sorts of PDA (public displays of affection)?

Grab the barf bag. Its about to get mushy.

I'm a very reflective person. As I reflect on our t-i-m-e this past week...

T is for Together. One of my love languages is quality time, so I get a real high from quality time with my family. I loved just the simpleness of my kids laughter in the park as their Dad tossed a softball and the way my girls get all giddy from actually making contact with the bat. In a society where brighter, fancier, and bigger is better, its nice when less is more and simpler is sweet. 

 

 

I is for Irreplaceable. While the time that we get to spend together can never be irreplaced, neither can my kids. If you told me some years ago that one day I'd be at home 24/7 with my kids, I would've laughed at the thought of my inability to withstand my kids for that long day after day. Over the years, as I've pondered the reality that tomorrow is not promised and every moment with my children is a gift, I find my heart soaking up every moment that I get with them now.

They really aren't so bad you know. One of my prayers is to raise my kids to be the sort of kids (and, grown adults one day) that you actually "like" to be around.

M is for Meaningful Moments. I just love pictures. One day my husband will have pity on the pictures that I take with my camera phone and maybe he'll feel sorry enough to break down and get me one of those fancy, smancy big 'ol cameras that everyone seems to have now with the gigantic scopes that take magazine quality pictures. I'll say it again, I just love pictures and I try real hard to not allow this blog to turn into a photo journal. Pictures say so much and while they capture memorable moments, there's nothing like living the moments in true, vivid, color. The memories that that we've been able to create thus far in our homeschool journey has really maxed out my memory bank. Crazy, isn't it? And, its just our first year. Its been one beautiful memory after another.

 

 

And, lastly E is for Eternity. Isn't that what this life is all about? You didn't think that THIS is the end of the story did you?
 

In the grand scheme of things, if we were to step out of what we knew to be “time” into God’s realm of time, this life that we’re living is only a brief moment. If we were to try and view our life from God's perspective, this life is so short. Tomorrow is not promised to us, so we must cherish every moment that we have, impacting our children with the gospel not just by our words but in our actions as well.

 

May the time that we have with our children impact them for Christ, for an eternity. 

Transformations

The caterpillars finally emerged from their Chrysalis and became beautiful butterflies! The girls were eager to let them go so we picked a sunny day, climbed in our boots, and found just the perfect spot at our property to let them go.  
 

 
 They were a little apprehensive at first to leave what they knew to be their comfortable home (the butterflies that is, not the kids). With a little prodding from the girls that included shaking, tapping against the side of the net, and yelling, "fly, fly", one by one they flew out.
 

 
The first one made a clear break for the woods, but the ones that followed decided to try out their new habitat by lounging on some nearby sticks. If you play "Where's Waldo-Butterfly", you can see the orange and black colors on his wings.
 

 Just as God transformed the caterpillars into butterflies, He's transforming what used to be a simple, wooded lot into woods that will soon be inhabited. Since we purchased the property, the land has been primarily used for hunting. It was odd at first to imagine someone actually living in these woods. As the excavators have been making a path that will shape up into our driveway, we've been able to envision what it will be like to drive "home" into these woods, being encircled by pine trees.
 
 

 
 One of my favorite shows to watch is "Little House on the Prairie". In the pilot episodes, the family settles in the middle of nowhere and they build their home in the wide open prairie. I was reminded of the adventures of the Ingalls Family from the show as I sat back and watched my little family mark off the four corners of where the house will be located using wooden posts and a few markers.
  

 

Transformation in the Big Woods

A New Man

There’s this guy that I know and he’s sort of stolen my heart. You wouldn’t think he’s my type. Short, chunky, and he has minor drooling problem. I think he’ll grow out of it though. He’s always stealing my attention with his bright eyes and can give just the right look that melts my heart.

I lose count when I try to think of the number of Moms that expressed to me the unique bond they share with their son. It’s one of those things that is very hard to put into words. It’s like trying to describe seeing your first Hawaiian sunset or your first massage. The sun doesn’t just set in Hawaii. It sort of melts into the ocean in a cascade of colors while being blanketed with an aroma of plumeria flowers and citrus. A massage just isn’t like rubbing on a muscle relaxer. It’s like stepping into a time machine that transports every muscle in your body to a place where little oompa loopa men run on your muscles like a treading machine. Those descriptions don’t even express those experiences well, but I tried. 

It’s the same with becoming a mother of a son. There is this second man now in this road trip called life (my husband taking shot gun) that has grabbed my heart by both valves and is squeezing more love out of me. While you think that with each child you exert just about all the love you can muster up, you DO create more love with each child. It comes in the birth packaging with the love handles, arm flaps, and thigh jelly.

As kids grow older it’s a shame how their sinful nature rears its ugly head and all the Heavenly-sweetness that they were wrapped in wears off. Until it does wear off, I’m going to drink in as much mushy, gushy, new sweet baby smellin’, fat cheeks & neck rolls, and bedtime snuggling that I can.