Speaking of homeschool

This year is very different. I am truly amazed at how things have changed. Even though this is our 4th year, to me it's seems like this is our first.

I've been rattling it around in my brain, pondering the ways that I've changed, that ways that my family has changed and broke down the last 4 years of our homeschool lives.

Year one:
Noah was in Kindergarten. He wasn't allowed to be officially registered, since you must be 6 years of age or older. This was my "test" year. I followed all the legal rules by keeping records, logs and writing out my philosophy. My goal at that time was to get the hang of it all. Learn the system, familiarize myself with how it works and teach myself a system for our home. For me, at that time, I was stretching myself with organization, discipline and routine. I struggled, but also impressed myself by proving to myself that I CAN do this.

Year two:
Noah officially in grade one. In the actual system was a bit intimidating. Caleb was 8, Noah was 6, Isaiah was 4 and Faith was 6 months old. I look back on that year and wish I could have been more structured. I was SOOO busy with all 4! When I think of that year, I think of how tired I was. I was learning alot of new things personally. That was the year that I lost all the weight. Having a baby crawling around made it hard to stay structured, but I also personally struggled with staying disciplined and following through in my tasks.

Last year:
Where do I begin??????????????
We started off strong. I knew that with Noah being in the second grade, Isaiah in kindergarten, I needed to once again take it up a few notches. My goals for last year when it first started was to stay focused, not burn out and stay disciplined. To take everything that much more seriously, to stretch myself that much more, to do that much more in every area. I wanted to excel. I wanted to finish with a bang. Of course, in the middle of October, Caleb got very sick and by the end, he had passed away.,... I still can't believe it sometimes. All our sanity as we knew it went out the window. By the new year, I was able to gather up some courage to give it one last shot before our little Elishah was to be born. Knowing that I was due the beginning of March, I hoped to cover another big chuck of our school. When the whole year was said and done, was had "official school" from September to middle of October and January to end of February.
Of course, I know that we did much more than "official school" in that year as a family. It was tough. And without God, we wouldn't be here right now!

This year:
I am so optimistic. I love the materials, I love our schedule, I love my kids. They are doing so well! This year also started with a storm when my mom was admitted to hospital with a heart condition. It has got me thinking on a whole new level. It takes endurance and vision to stay the path. When my mom was laying in her hospital bed, there were moments that we thought we would actually loose her.......But my kids were always on the back of my mind. I believe that God is speaking to me through all of this as it relates to our homeschool. I have no regrets about last year and our school. I did the best that I could with what I had. But you can never predict tragedy. Our lives will be full of storms. I've realized that no matter what is thrown at me, my kids are still depending on me. As a homeschool mom, I need to pick my battles. (I guess this would go for anyone, no matter what you do) I can find many reasons to "put off school". To drive someone here or there. To help this person or that person....But this is my job. I may not get paid in a form of a cheque, but this is my job. I take lunch breaks like everyone else. I may not even answer my phone.
Maybe this is a "duh" for others, but something that is really upfront for me. I need to keep going, purposing to do what God has called me to do. I pray that God will give me HIS strength to pick my battles, and stay on track all year long!!