Thoughts on Homeschool and This Season Mixed With A Few Photos

Hi!  Welcome to the "new blog look"!  It was time for a change and I have all these fantastic pictures to work with from our photo shoot with my friend Jaime so it was really fun to switch it up.

More of the pictures in a minute but first, a few thoughts if you don't mind...

This week was packed with finishing up school, a visit from Amber (our supervising teacher),  a *few* shopping trips to get Christmas gifts, enjoying the KCS Christmas concert and a couple other fun events.  I am thankful for a few weeks to rest, hang out and celebrate with our family.

I have to be honest, homeschooling is much more difficult than I had anticipated.  Completing the schoolwork is just a tiny piece of the puzzle that makes up a successful home school.  Juggling the home life and the school life, dealing with attitudes, looking at the strengths, the weaknesses, the character growth of each child and addressing each of those while managing the others' needs AND having 3 meals and a few snacks on the table, it's just a lot to fit in.

We are driving less.

We are rushing less.

I didn't have to bring 3 fruit platters to 3 Christmas parties today. 

I didn't have to cringe at the amount of junk my kids were allowed to eat.

We didn't change out of our jammies until well after 9am.

There are a lot of perks to our new circumstances for sure and I am so thankful.

When I look at the big picture I see an opportunity to embrace this life that we have been blessed with; the big family, the God who loves us and has a purpose for each one of our children. I have an opportunity to turn the rat-race induced auto pilot off and dig deep: invest in their precious hearts, their keen and curious minds... to make sure that HIS words are written on their hearts and that they feel secure in who they are in HIM. 

Wow!  What a big task but so worth it!

How can I not give these sweet kiddos my very best?  

They will be grown before I know it.

THIS is the time.

This is my season!

If I begin to lose heart or start to sound whiny, can you please just link me back to this post so I can have a friendly reminder of which direction the ship is supposed to be sailing? 

Ya? K, 

Thanks!

Now, on to the photos!!

 5 girls = one serious collection of nail polish, an abundance of PINK, GLITTER and DRAMA!

The three M's.

 Sister-girls

 I look at these 4 girls, each created completely unique regardless of their similar upbringing.  They have the same two parents, many of the same experiences, yet they have been fearfully and wonderfully made to be individually perfect just as they are.  What a miracle!

I pray this Christmas is an opportunity for you to love the people in your life, to find meaning in the lights, the carols, the original and most significant gift that we could have ever received, Christ Jesus, sent to earth to save YOU and ME!