What we've been doing ~ March - April 2017

Wow, what a couple of full months we have been living! Remember when Christ said that we may have life, and have it to the full? (John 10:10)  Was this what He was talking about? There have been so many blessings, and a couple of challenges along the way that I just wanted to sit for a minute and share what's on my heart.

Mama, God has this thing called life all figured out! Stop stressing out if you don't understand how it is all supposed to work because He has a plan for you to follow. Just ask Him what it is! Could I have imagined all the things that have happened therapist few weeks? Maybe, but probably not. I think He lets us set a few plans just so He can blow us out of the water by how He fulfills them!

March started off with Arlene attending the annual meeting go the local fiber arts group, SWIFT. They are the lovely ladies who have encouraged her on her way to better spinning and weaving. Her fiber arts mentor Sue is a big part of the group and has invited Arlene along the past few years. They are all looking forward to the Midwest Weavers Conference in June.

The next week we had a 4-H meeting, lunch with dear friends, and went on a tour of a maple syrup farm. They had the same issue we did, that Spring came so early that the maple tapping season was shorter this year. Still, we learned a lot more than were previously knew about how commercial operations work, and we found a lovely, not too far away location to purchase additional syrup from.

The third week of March I'm still wondering how Arlene got any of her coursework done as it seems we were always on the go. A legislative meeting, an awards party at Conner Prairie, 4-H Ag Days, and a trip to her friend Susan's fiber shop. Life seems to be like that these days, every other week goes from slightly busy to a whirlwind! Good thing Arlene is good at making dinner so I don't always have to be home from work in time to make it.

Later in March Arlene spent a day at the Indiana Association of Home Educators' convention helping Susan Marlow with her Circle C Ranch booth. Mrs. Marlow os one of those gems that I am glad has come into Arlene's life for the good influences, and the fun! Training for the opening of the outdoor season at Conner Prairie finished off Arlene's month and I think somewhere in there I even slept-LOL!

April seems to be shaping up as just as much of an adventure as last month was. Kurt and I had a volunteer training at Conner Prairie while Arlene worked out on the grounds. The next week Arlene spent a day as a page for our State Representative at the Statehouse on Indianapolis. That was followed by a 4-H meeting and a family trip to Eagle Creek park for birdwatching. This was also the week that Spring arrived in full force.

Later in April we attended another Legislative meeting, had friends over to visit, attended a Strawberry Social and went to Fiber Fest in Greencastle. A whole day of wool, yarn, and fun! Another fun blessing for April? I got an email from Panera that I had been selected to receive a free bagel every day this month. Um- yes! So we've been planning out routes to events around a stop at nearby Panera stores.

Easter arrived, and I was so thankful that we had been watching the Drive Thru History® - 'The Gospels" series as I felt like even through the midst of our full life that my heart was prepared to celebrate Christ's redemptive work on the cross.

Since then? Arlene went to the dentist, Emily registered for her college classes for fall, and we had our bathroom redone. Whew!

Whenever someone says "it must be nice to stay home and homeschool" I just smile and nod. Yes, it is nice, but it is not what you think. :)

Schoolwork wise? Lots of it! Arlene is doing a variety of project through Art Achieve, we've been reading quite a few books, including the newest release form Lamplighter, and she is working away in her math and biology. Sometimes Spring can be challenging when the warm weather calls us outside, so we try to focus on getting the basics done early and enjoying the afternoons in the fresh air as often as possible.

Work? Yup, I'm still there three days most weeks. It's not a bore, but rather a chance to share the love Christ with those around me. It gives me a lot of time to pray for my family and friends, and frankly, it keeps me in shape. God is using it for His glory, and for my good as He conforms me to the image of Christ. (Romans 8:28-30)

Besides all of this? I'm trying to learn to touch-type. It is a skill I've known I need for a while, but have finally set aside some time to work on learning. I'm finding it difficult, partially because I'm older and memorization take longer, and partially because I have such long fingers. If you're ever seen my fingers, you'll know what I'm talking about. It is difficult to hold them curved at the correct angle so that I can reach all the keys at the same time. But I plan to persevere! I guess I'm a glutton for difficulty because I've just started reviewing First Form Latin form Memoria Press. I tried to learn some basic Latin a few years ago when the girls were in a Classical Conversations class, but it started too fast and too in-dpeth for me to retain it. I want to learn some Latin to help my brain pick out derivatives, and to challenge myself to form some new mental pathways. I may never get far, but I am going to work at it.

What have I learned form all of this? God is bigger than any struggles we may face. He uses those trials to prove to us how true the faith He has given us is. He proves Himself faithful. And He proves that He loves us by all the wonderful opportunities He gives us for joy and fellowship! If we are lacking in joy, it is because we are not taking the joy He offers and making it our own. If we are lacking in fellowship it is because we are not willing to set aside our selfish desires to see what He has planned for the Body of Christ. I would much rather live a joyful, God-Centered life than a sorrowful world-centered one!

Take time today to recognize the blessings God has bestowed upon you this past month. Ask Him for direction for your future, and hang on for the wild adventure!


Linking up with Homeschool Highlights and The Homeschool Post's Weekly Blog and Tell

Why You Need a Solid Homeschool Community

After yesterday's post about keeping records, I thought you could maybe use a little more encouragement about day to day life while homeschooling high school. So today, I'll be sharing about having a homeschool community and fellowship.

Don't try to do this alone.  Do not try to live your life, raise children, or home educate alone. We were designed to be in communities. God created us with a need for fellowship - with Him, and with others. Whether your community is just a handful of friends, or as vast as the Atlantic Ocean, you really do need to have others to lean on for support while homeschooling.

Let's start at the beginning shall we? Emily was 4 years old, Arlene was 2, and we were thinking about what we might do once Emily got old enough for Kindergarten. While we know we wanted to homeschool her, both Kurt and I had attended public school, we were big on zeal, and short on ideas! I went to another mom from our church, and asked her if I could come over sometime and she could share a little about what she did for homeschooling with her girls. Of course Ginger was happy to have us over, and as her girls were playing with our girls, she shared about what methods and materials she used with their daughters. The most valuable advice she gave me was: start small, and don't buy everything you see at the homeschool convention. She recommended I look at a book, which has since become my all time favorite home education resource: A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola. 

Fast forward a dozen years or so...I still repeat those wise words that Ginger shared with me whenever God prompts me to share with a younger mom, or when they ask for advice. Start small. If we want to stay focused upon our children, and not let the tasks of choosing and balancing curriculum overwhelm us, we need to start small. 

Now in high school, we still think small. I do not want our girls to have to miss out on some wonderful learning opportunity... like a field trip to the observatory or the Indianapolis Museum of Art because I chose a curriculum that was too time consuming, where requirements overwhelm relationships. As Emily neared graduation, I went through piece by piece and looked to see if there were gaps that were necessary to fill, or if they could be learned later. Talking with other moms in our local homeschool community has given me such great insight into what really needs covered in high school, and what can be skipped. It also gave me help in planning her transcript!

One thing that cannot be skipped during the high school years is fellowship, for our teens or ourselves! It has worked well for our girls to have friends from three distinctly different areas: friends from church, whether they homeschool or not, friends outside of our local church who also homeschool, and friends outside of the homeschool community. This ebb and flow of friends gives them a lot of opportunities for fellowship and fun. Of course, as parents, we hope their closest friends will come from those who share our faith in Jesus Christ, but we know it is important to have a variety of casual friends whom they can interact and talk with. Make it a point to have your home be one of the safe places for your High Schoolers to hang out with their friends! Have a game night or a bonfire, or just gather up a car's worth of teenagers and take them to the park.

Along the way, parents will also find they need fellowship. As a homeschooling mama, I have found my closest friends are other homeschooling moms because we can more easily share our struggles and joys. But more importantly, I need my closest friends to share my faith in Christ. That is the sweetest fellowship. When you know that your friends are praying for you during the week, those struggles with a defiant teen or even a stopped up drain don't seem so bad.

If you are struggling to find a homeschool community, may I offer some advice: be gracious! There is a place for your family out there, but you may need to tread lightly through the options until you find it. The group closest to home  might not share your values, or it might meet every week on your husband's day off, making it a poor choice overall. The homeschooling group in the next town over might only offer field trips, while you are looking for a co-op. But if that farther away group is where your children find friends, make the effort to attend those field trips, and change your personal outlook about joining a co-op this year. 

There are plethora of online homeschool communities to join, and while they can be a lifeline, I want to encourage you to also find local people who homeschool to encourage you! Locals can let you look through their old curriculum and give you honest answers about what worked and what was a struggle. Local friends bring you over a meal when your husband breaks his leg, or you've been sick. A local homeschool community stays abreast of the laws and requirements for your state, as well as giving children many opportunities you might struggle to provide on your own. 

If you're a working and homeschooling mama like me, you might even be blessed by a local friend who wants to teach a class to high schoolers that would free you up for more time at home with whatever your child needs help with this year. 

It can be hard to find a community of other home educating families, and harder still to make choices with our time to get together. Yet, as I look back, we all have so many fond memories of doing things, going places, and being a part of our local homeschool community. I am so glad we made the effort to be a part of our local home education community!

Stop back by tomorrow for some more of our series An Honest Look at High School. Until then, click on the links below and see what everyone else is sharing today!

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Teen Fellowship Opportunities ~ Game Night

What do your teens do for fellowship?

Seriously, have you thought about providing some down time for them and their friends? How do you provide fun in a safe environment? How do you get to know your children's friends? Do they feel comfortable in your home?

Opportunities to spend time with their friends abound for younger children, yet we often need to be intentional about providing time for our teenagers to “just chill” with their friends. Whether or not your teens attend a youth group or participate in sports, they may need you to help them schedule fellowship with and for their friends. Sometimes they're so busy with school, volunteering, and jobs, they struggle to find time for true fellowship.

One great option that friends of ours started a while back was Game Night. In the Fall and Winter it can be difficult for our girls and their friends to get together at the park, or do other outdoor activities, so families take turn hosting Game Night. It is a great opportunity for teens to get some fellowship. I’ve also heard its quite fun! If noise level is an indicator ~ last Friday was fabulous! :)

Kurt and I know it is important for our girls to have time with their friends. We know Emily and Arlene have some great friends, and we were happy to host Game Night this past weekend. The group of friends for Game Night varies some based upon who is hosting, and how much room they have to fit in all those teens and young twenties. We have two daughters, but last Friday we had 18 - that’s right - EIGHTEEN lively and loud teens and twenties in our home! The guidelines are simple: pick a date, check with your parents, and tell your friends. Our group has a 13 and up age requirement…the oldest are usually around 23-24, but there is no up limit, just depends on who you want to invite. 

Other families have invited more people, but we’re realistic in that our home can only hold about 20-25 people at a time if they actually want to sit down. Preparation is simple: clean up the house, buy some paper plates, napkins, and a box or two of plastic forks. Every family that attends bring some sort of snack (or drink.)

Fun, food, and fellowship.

We have plenty of board games at our house, but often the teens will bring their favorites with them when they come. With our group of teens you can be pretty sure that  there will be an euchre game or two . . . or perhaps three break out sometime during the night! 

Kurt and I retreated upstairs when it was time for game night. The parents are always available if a need should arise, but the teens run their own show. We do check in sometime during the night . . . usually to raid the snack table!!!

I want to give kudos to the other parents of the girls’ friends. We set a timeframe for 6-10 p.m. I’ll be honest, I love their friends, but I didn’t want to stay up until 11 p.m. At 10:10 p.m. Arlene came upstairs to let us know that Game Night was over and their friends had all gone home. When Kurt and I came downstairs, the only evidence of the 16 extra kids was a full trash can in the kitchen. They had cleaned up after themselves and put all the furniture back before they left.

Moms and Dads, let us encourage you to host a Game Night for your teens and their friends. It doesn’t matter if its just your family and one or two other friends, or if you invite three dozen teenagers to come over. What matters is providing the time and space for teens to fellowship! If you get the word out now, there is still time to plan for a New Year’s Eve Game Night!

Be sure to follow us on Pinterest or Facebook, we’ll be sharing other ideas for teen fellowship next month!