Learning

We just finished our second week of school this year.  We get asked often what grade the kids are in.  We pause and explain.  T1 is in third grade age wise, but is doing fourth grade work.  Actually, he's doing sixth grade spelling and reading and is between fourth and fifth grade math.  T2 is in first grade according to her age, but she is doing second grade work and reading at a third grade level.  Being a homeschooler, I always feel the need to justify that my kids are learning and that we don't sit at home and play all day.

That said, we do play, A LOT!  Somehow, yesterday, we got school done in two and a half hours, for both kids.  While the kids did their chores (ahem, more learning!), I hopped on the Wii Fit, my attempt at exercising with four children.  The kids love to watch and cheer Mommy on.  

T1 was very impressed my unlocking an expert course for the cycling exercise.  Since I needed to do a little more working out, I decided to let him see what it looked like.   Usually, each course is about ten minutes.  After twenty minutes, I was tired and ready to quit and announced that I was going to quit and make some lunch.  The kids let me know they were hungry but wanted me to keep going.  I told them I was tired and ready to be done, and then their sweet little hearts shone!  T2 said "Mommy, you can do it!  Don't give up, even when it's hard!".  T1 kept encouraging me the whole time with little comments like "You're doing great!", "I'm proud of you", and "Way to go, only X more flags to go".  T3 started dancing and yelling "Go, Mama, Go Mama".  Their little hearts were so encouraging and patient!

Don't mind the sweaty, panting mama that logged in over 40 minutes on that one exercise.   I walked away feeling great for working out so long, but even better that my kids were unselfish with their time, encouraging with their words, and proud in their hearts for someone else's work.

When I first started homeschooling, I felt the need to check everything off the recommended list for work to be done.  Every page must be completed, every book on the suggested reading list read, every hands on activity accomplished, and every single day done exactly as it should be (regardless of what kind of day anyone was having).  Now, we go through our year with hearts ready to learn.  We slow down on things that interest us, complete our coursework, read more books, and play more together.  There will be days when school will be called off for fun or crazy days, and there will be snow days that we will still school.  The best part of all is that even when we are not sitting down with our books, our kids are still learning...knowledge, life skills and character.

When I first started homeschooling, I wasn't sure about it.  I felt like it's what God wanted, but not what I thought would work for everyone.  I didn't know the first thing about teaching.  Good thing He doesn't need my perfect self to tell him that it's not a good idea to work his plan.

God doesn't call people who are qualified, but He calls people who are willing and then He qualifies them.  Somebody remind me of that when I start to stress again....

Sweet Moments

What a blessing today was.  Beautiful weather, friends and family!

We did school, cleaned the house, left for two showings, and met up with friends at the park.  T1 & T2 climbed in the trees with their friends.  They are so adventurous, and T2 is particularly fearless.  I wish I had taken my camera with me to catch some shots of how high they were.  T3 was sleepy from a short nap, but he had so much fun.  T4 was trying to eat every leaf, along with her little buddy.  She is so close to standing, before I know it she'll be walking!

My kids are so precious!  If I could just focus on that when they're being crazy, too!

T3 is so in to Cars; possibly a little too much.  Good luck having a conversation without that boy revving his engine!  He told us in the grocery store that he had a broken tire.  He then pointed to a boo boo on his big toe.  Before bed, he grabbed my face and looked me in the eyes.  He asked, "And you sleep with me Mama?"  Time to be planning another family sleepover. 

T1 enjoyed the dinner I made tonight and told me what an awesome mom I was.  He told me I was funny, tender like him, that I do anything for them, and I am a good cook.  He let me know how good dinner was.  "I'm as happy as an old man in a trailer park with his shirt off and his fly undone."  Seriously?? 

T2 is such a sweetheart.  Today she was extremely sad when we read that Christopher Columbus was brokenhearted after having been arrested and sent back to Spain.  The sympathetic look on her face melted my heart.

These moments are going by so fast!  I love taking the time to slow down and enjoy them.  Praying tomorrow will be just as sweet.

So, here it is...finally

I've thought about it several times, I've even started it once.  I've read hundreds of others. I'm finally doing it.  I always wondered who would want to read anything I would write or be interested in another average life.

Maybe this will allow my failing memory a chance to record the firsts in life, cherished memories, answered prayers, and a means of keeping friends and family up to date.  Maybe it will encourage some other average person's life.  Perhaps, it will just make someone laugh or me laugh, looking back on it all.


We'll see how often it gets updated, but I'm hoping it will be a lot.  After all it's the sweet life of Six Sweet Stephens.