Homeschool Day Part Deux

We've enrolled Audrey in a classical Christian program that has her learning at school 2 days a week and at home 2 days a week. The teacher at school introduces new concepts and sends with the students an assignment sheet and work to be done at home. The first day at home, last Wednesday, was a challenge. It took us both some time to adjust. A few things that helped me today were:

1. Hot yoga (as Matt and I lovingly call it because of the purposefully warm room) at 9:45 a.m. The "intention" I focused on during the class was Galatians 5:22 - 23 and 2:20. Fruits of the spirit, dying to self and the life of Christ living in me. This really, really helped.

2. I abandoned my nazi-homeschool-teacher ways. I think I was expecting too much. The poor girl was begging to play outside every few minutes. I've lightened up and have taken more breaks between "subjects."

3. I did more positive reinforcement in the verbal form. It's amazing how much words of affirmation give her the confidence to keep trying!

Of course, as it is obvious from the list above, most of the problem had to do with me. Surprise, surprise. But, at least it's the easiest thing to fix!

Until next time...


L is for Lion!

Kindergarten

Note: blogger is struggling to upload my pictures...so I'll try again later...here's what I have for now!



Today was the big day. Audrey is officially in Kindergarten. She did so well! Reid and I walked with her to her classroom. Because we're usually right on time (not a second too early nor a second too late...a compromise resulting from marriage...a refining process for me), she was the next to the last child in her seat. The few seats left were near the front. Aha! Being right on time proved to be fortuitous. Audrey needs to sit up front. Much like her father, she is easily distracted. Kisses were received and given. We said good-bye and I walked away watching Audrey open her supply box and take out her pencils.

*sniff* *sniff*

After surviving an enormous carpool line, I received Audrey into our car. She was ecstatic. Her first words were...

A: "Okay. My NOT favorite part of school was when the ants got me."

(She always knows my first question is: what was your favorite part?)

Later, after more coaxing and questions, she told me this after talking about a movie they watched about animals because recess was cancelled due to rain (got that?):

A: "They had polar bears there. One was named Icey."

me: "Really? That's a great name for a polar bear because they live where it's cold and icey. Was the polar bear on the video?"

A: "No. They had it in this cage. They asked the kids, 'is there anyone here who has never been to this school before who would like to name the polar bear?' and I raised my hand and said 'me, me!' and they said, 'okay,' and I told them to name the polar bear Icey."

me: "That's awesome."

Then, I thought to myself. Audrey has been telling a bunch of creative stories. For example, she showed a friend of ours a picture that I had drawn of Sponge Bob and his friends. She told this friend that she drew them. When asked if she really did, she said, "yes, at art class." 1. Audrey never drew the pictures. 2. Audrey does not go to art class. I thought about how to correct this and haven't concluded anything yet. Her dad made up stories all the time when he was young and now look how his historic storytelling has reflected the glory of God. Hmm.

me (continued after a very long pause and with earnest): "Audrey, did that really happen?"

A: "No!" (giggling) "I was just kidding! Can I have a friend come over and play?" (see previous post)

Oh my.


Matt's initial reaction to his baby girl going to school.


Silly Daddy.

Bobby Pins and Such

Tomorrow I will have loads of blogworthy bits but since I'm confined to our living room couch thanks to a pesky bug, I'm compelled to blog about not-so-blogworthy bits.

As I was removing clothes from our washer and placing them in the dryer (sidenote: my mom taught me to shake out the clothes before putting them in the dryer to reduce wrinkles in the final product...does everyone do this?), I found a bobby pin sitting at the bottom of the wash basin. The thought hit me: I am obsessed with bobby pins. I wear them almost every day. They're great, really. I can use them to dress my hair up, dress it down, keep it out of my face for working out or try some creative hair assembly. Yay for bobby pins.



That got me thinking to other things with which I am obsessed:


Diet Dr. Pepper (used to be Dr. Pepper but I'm closer to 30 and can't just eat and drink whatever I want whenever I want)


Bloglines (thanks to Lindsey Brittain)

The Olympics

The Big K

And I don't mean the super K-Mart.

Audrey will be entering Kindergarten this Tuesday. We had her orientation this past week and "meet the teacher" yesterday.

I just can't believe it.

Yes, I'm excited. She is going to have so much fun. She is the epitome of a people person. Even as a baby, she was never content sitting on the floor playing with a toy by herself. She wanted human interaction. Still today she begs for friends to come over or to invite herself over to our neighbor's house (they have a sweet 8-year-old daughter and a pool...heaven for Audrey). It doesn't matter if she just came from a birthday party with all of her friends. She wants non-stop interpersonal communication and relation.

Enter, Kindergarten.

For 2 days a week, she will have all the human interaction she can stand. And, she'll have a place to legitimately set up science experiments (if you've listened to my husband's recent sermons, you know what I'm talking about) and have more answers to her why's, how's, who's and what's.

I'll be posting pictures of her first day of school soon. I'm sure going to miss that girl on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The Hypocrite's Web

I read this entry from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotional. (I found it online here, if you're looking for something like this.)

"They weave the spider's web."
--Isaiah 59:5

See the spider's web, and behold in it a most suggestive picture of the hypocrite's religion. It is meant to catch his prey: the spider fattens himself on flies, and the Pharisee has his reward. Foolish persons are easily entrapped by the loud professions of pretenders, and even the more judicious cannot always escape. Philip baptized Simon Magus, whose guileful declaration of faith was so soon exploded by the stern rebuke of Peter. Custom, reputation, praise, advancement, and other flies, are the small game which hypocrites take in their nets. A spider's web is a marvel of skill: look at it and admire the cunning hunter's wiles. Is not a deceiver's religion equally wonderful? How does he make so barefaced a lie appear to be a truth? How can he make his tinsel answer so well the purpose of gold? A spider's web comes all from the creature's own bowels. The bee gathers her wax from flowers, the spider sucks no flowers, and yet she spins out her material to any length. Even so hypocrites find their trust and hope within themselves; their anchor was forged on their own anvil, and their cable twisted by their own hands. They lay their own foundation, and hew out the pillars of their own house, disdaining to be debtors to the sovereign grace of God. But a spider's web is very frail. It is curiously wrought, but not enduringly manufactured. It is no match for the servant's broom, or the traveller's staff. The hypocrite needs no battery of Armstrongs to blow his hope to pieces, a mere puff of wind will do it. Hypocritical cobwebs will soon come down when the besom of destruction begins its purifying work. Which reminds us of one more thought, viz., that such cobwebs are not to be endured in the Lord's house: He will see to it that they and those who spin them shall be destroyed for ever. O my soul, be thou resting on something better than a spider's web. Be the Lord Jesus thine eternal hiding-place.

Before I realized how much of a hypocrite I can be, I would have read this and thought of people like David Koresh or one of the many prosperity gospel proponents. But this morning, I was struck with how many cobwebs I have found in my own heart. Their construction have not been conscious and overt but rather inherent and subtle. Their presence can be summed up in Spurgeon's sentence: hypocrites find their trust and hope within themselves. Guilty. But, I am so glad I have a Father who will not let His house be filled with cobwebs. He faithfully and sovereignly appoints a servant's broom or traveller's staff to rid His people of such false hope and false worship. He has done so in me. And, I pray, He continues to do His purifying work in me. May Jesus and Jesus only be my eternal hiding-place.

New 'do

...for my blog. LOVE my old header (a sweet friend made it for me and it is fabulous) but wanted a change for a bit. I'll probably whip out the old one when spring gets here. Thought this family pic looked more fall-ish. And I am grasping for fall right now. Though, I will say, this 89/90-degree weather is a welcome respite!

More autumn inspiration...

(the pictures are not mine...just found them online!)


Ahh...school books, new clothes, freshly sharpened pencils.


Fiery leaves! I only wish DFW looked like this!


Pumpkins! (Obviously.)


Thanksgiving...which brings me to...

...being thankful in whatever season I find myself in. Meteorologically speaking or spiritually speaking. Though we're in the "dog days of summer" physically, spiritually I feel as though Spring is peeking her sunny head out from behind Winter's drapes. I'm so glad she's come to join me.

All of my life,
In every season,
You are still God
And I have a reason to sing.

from Desert Song by B. Fraser

Nothing

I don't have much about which to post. Just thought I'd say hi.

Hi.

After being on vacation for a while, I realized I like being home (sometimes) and on a schedule (sometimes). I like waking up in the morning and having a cup of coffee (or two). Does anyone else have coffee pretty much every morning? I like going to the gym and actually sweating because I worked hard. Making lunch. Reading books with the kids. Setting up an art project for Audrey to finish. Helping Audrey get her chores done (new thing at our house...we'll see how it goes!). Making dinner. Cleaning up after dinner (with the help of Audrey...she actually washed dishes with me!). Taking baths. Reading bedtime stories. Tucking in. Spending childless time with Matt.

Love it.

Okay. Bye for now.