Call in the Cavalry

It's hard to believe it's already been a week.  At this moment, seven days ago, I was recovery from knee surgery.  I didn't have a particular injury but rather a nagging dull knee pain that seemed to creep up every time I tried to do something remotely physical. It started in my twenties when I went hiking for a full day and then progressed into my thirties flaring up only when I pushed it hard.  By the time I was in my forties I noticed it came on more frequently and seemed to occur even after moderate to light use.  I tried physical therapy which helped greatly with the day to day stuff, but the following year when we went skiing it was back again.  After watching a bus load of senior citizens take in a full day of skiing while I sat on the sidelines reading a book, I decided that it might be time to try a more permanent solution. So last week my surgeon performed a lateral release and cleaned up the area under my right knee cap. My knees won't ever be perfect, but hopefully between the surgery and more physical therapy at least one of them should be in better shape.

Taking a homeschooling mom of three out of commission for potentially a couple days if not an entire week seemed like an impossible mission. My kids are old enough to fend for themselves but they're not at driving age yet so I knew we'd need help.  My husband is excellent with domestic duties but he was on call and could potentially be out of the picture at a moment's notice. So what's a busy mom to do? Send in the cavalry grandparents!

My parents arrived Sunday afternoon just in time to go over the schedule and other details.  After surgery on Monday they were there to check in on me as I drifted in and out of sleep.

Friends provided by Kat.

Dennis took the kids to the beach so the house was really quiet.  I know they don't think they did much, but having them in the house those first few hours was very comforting. The next few days I was up and around with very limited mobility and still a somewhat sleepy temperament. My parents facilitated the kids' studies and Dennis drove me to and from appointments.  In the afternoons, my dad took the kids out to various fun activities leaving my mom and I to catch up on movies.  I couldn't be more appreciative for the help they provided for me and my family during this time of recovery.  

On the day they left I was sad to see them go. Dennis also left on a trip so I was once again alone with the kids. I was able to drive and could now get around the house pretty easily. The difficultly came not with the usual house activities but rather the mental stamina required to be around kids all day.  Don't get me wrong, my kids are great, it's just that when you are alone with them you are fielding every request, concern, question, conversation, argument, explanation, etc.  It can be exhausting to be the only adult in the room handling everything from each kid.  So when my folks say, "We didn't really do that much," they are failing to realize that just their very presences in the room was a huge blessing.  I can't thank them enough for their support, love, encouragement, and most definitely their time in our home.  It really made all the difference!

Testing... one, two, three

I don't think testing is ever really a positive experience - or should I say "enjoyable" experience - for the one being tested.  Sure if you know the material really well or maybe if you score above average you might be able to look at it as a positive experience but it is doubtful that most will look forward to it much less 'enjoy' it. However, it is a necessary evil... at least so I'm told.

Next week child one, two, and three will spend a week enduring the Iowa Assessment of Basics Skills standardize test.  Why this particular one? I don't have a good reason other than it's NOT the FCAT's (Florida's standardize test which does not have a good reputation in our state).  I know there are other similar tests out there but this one seems to be well respected by the homeschool community and it is also the only one being offered at this time.  Two reasons good enough for me. 

Why test? I've been asking myself this very question especially in light of a difficult two weeks preparing for it.  Generally speaking, I don't like the idea of standardize tests for many reasons most of which are obvious to those who oppose them. One of my favorite quotes goes something like, "You can't judge October apples in June."  In some ways, taking this kind of test in 4th, 7th and 8th grade seems exactly like that.  My kids are not done learning what they need to know, so why test them now?  As homeschoolers, we are definitely NOT doing things the way they are in public school so I'm fighting my own self on whether it has any value to see how they stack up against other kids their age.  Even more of a curiosity to me is whether any of them have a particular talent in one area or another which we have not picked up upon yet.

I'm guessing some subjects, like math for my older two, will reflect fairly accurately how much they have learned and remembered over the years. For my youngest it will be less accurate because we have not covered some of the math that I know other 4th graders may have already learned. Social Studies and Science will mean almost nothing as clearly these can be taught in any order.  Language Arts will be interesting because even if they have been taught to the student, it takes a while for all the rules to be internalized and truly become part of the person's body of knowledge. Reading and Spelling are anyone's guess. We all know that getting A's on spelling tests does not always translate into being a good speller just as people who love to read aren't always good at reading comprehension. 

Even though I'm expecting somewhat flawed results, I'm still going to have them take the test for the same reason we do anything that we do as homeschoolers....for the experience of it.  Sitting in a desk for more minutes than you'd prefer, feeling a little pressure, having to recall information, having to solve problems, bubbling in answers, checking and re-checking your work... these are all things they will encounter at other times during their life.  Whether it be a driver's license exam, the SAT's, a pilot's license, or maybe a hair dresser's exam... they all have one thing in common - a test.  No one becomes "certified" without taking a test.  For that reason, I have no doubt that this will be a worthwhile event. It might not rank up there with their latest visit to SeaWorld, but I know it's part of their education experience that will hopefully serve them well in the years ahead.

Where did March go?

Did I really do this again? Did I really go another month without posting?  I think it's been a little under a month but clearly I've written nothing about March and it's already April. Impossible.  My excuse this time?  And I actually have one...  my computer got a virus the week before spring break and then with family visiting over spring break, there was little or no time to write. Anyone buying that?  Well that's my story.

March was a month of appointments. As I glanced through my planner I see that we practically spent more time at doctor, dentist, orthodontist, etc. offices than at home.  This is something I never realized would be a major part of parenting and life in general and we're not even a sick family!  I had no idea how much of my time would be devoted to waiting rooms.  I could never have guessed how many $35 co-pays I'd shell out.  Never before have I become so acquainted with the concept of "deductibles".   Most of our visits were standard well check-ups, braces adjustments, and vision therapy, but two of them were somewhat important.  I had a brief arthritis flare up in January which could have meant trouble, but thankfully all my blood work was just fine.  Then I had my knees re-evaluated and we've made the decision to get some minor surgery on my right one. That of course will bring more appointments and more co-pays in April. Oh joy. I really don't know how families with two working parents and kids in school ever find the time to fit in their appointments.  I supposed that's why I usually have no trouble getting morning ones. Thank goodness for homeschooling!

The other highlight in March was spring break followed by Easter Sunday.  This year the Nesbitt family came down to visit the parents and the cousins.  We had such a nice time together at my in-laws house. It was so fun in fact that we made a spontaneous decision to sleep over for the night.  I'm glad we did because it allowed more time to visit.  The second half of spring break was at our house.  The kids played around the yard while the grown-ups sat poolside catching up.  The weather could have been a little warmer, but all things considered it was really quite pleasant. 

Easter Sunday was a little anti-climatic as the Nesbitt's had left on Friday.  With no family around and Dennis having to work in the afternoon, there seemed no reason to make a big meal. As a matter of fact, since our week was filled with so much other stuff, I found it really hard to focus on the true meaning of Easter.  Our church service was very nice though and as always, by the time it was over I found my heart back in the right place.

 

 

And now we're into April.  More on that next week... I hope.

Where did February go?

Back in September when I decided to have the kids write a weekly blog about their homeschool experiences, it occurred to me that while the idea was nice in theory, it would probably be difficult to maintain over the whole year. I figured that at least one or two of the kids would slack off and we might realistically go months without a blog.  I did not however predict that it would be me that would be the slacker in question.  Today I picked up my computer to check out my blog and I can see that a whole month has past since my last post. Whoops! How did that happen?

February was not a dull month around our house so perhaps that might serve as my official excuse for not writing sooner.  Each week I've been on the kids about writing, editing, and posting their entries. Since I serve as their final editor and photo-supplier, I can not claim that the Blogger website has been off my radar.  Quite the opposite is true; I'm on here all the time.  My only failure has been not taking the time to visit my own page. So in light of this... I am back.

February always begins with Dennis and me celebrating our anniversary.  This year we celebrated 15 years of marriage. The week seemed a little hectic, so we choose to celebrate at home with a private meal in our bedroom. Emily helped style the event and even took care of our wardrobe.  It was a lovely evening.

 
A week later was of course Valentine's Day.  I usually try to get something nice for each of the kids.  This year Kat got two stuffed animals which she is writing a full-length story about.  Stay tuned.  Emily got an pinkish purple orchid, and James got a venus fly-trap plant.  Or course everyone got plenty of chocolate too. 

The following week we used up a Groupon I had purchased a few months before for a motor boat rental.  We picked up our rental boat in Melbourne and headed down towards Palm Bay for some fishing. Everything went very smoothly minus forgetting our bait which we had to drive back for and the fact that we didn't catch anything at all. Other than those two things, it was a lot of fun.

The next day we headed back to the water but this time for a little surfing.  Well, that's what Dennis did. The kids thought the water was much too cold.  Truthfully it was very cold. The only one who didn't see to mind too much was Katherine. She of course got a surf lesson from her father. Emily and James stood around having no fun and wanted to be anywhere but there.  I manned the camera from a beach chair wearing a sweatshirt and draping a towel over my legs to stay warm.

The last week in February was reserved for skiing in Utah.  The kids and I hadn't been skiing in three years so we were all really looking forward to it. Emily and James were a little shaky on the first run down but quickly resumed semi-pro status.  I felt a little shaky myself but also regained confidence quickly. My main concern was my knees which held up nicely for the first day or two. By the third day I notice a lot of discomfort in my right knee and decide not to ski the fourth day. Thankfully this did not interfer with my ability to go shopping. Dennis, who had already been skiing at least once this year and a few times the year before looked more like a pro than ever.  I'm not sure whether to rejoice or be bitter at his newly gained skillfulness.  The trip in all was absolutely fabulous minus the difficulty with non-rev travel home which these days is almost a given.

 
You may have noticed that there was no mention of Kat on this vacation. This is because Kat hasn't decided whether or not skiing is really something she wants to do.  She's tried skiing a few times in IL when she was much younger but has never been on a trip out West with us. In the past she's always choose to spend a week in Florida with her grandparents.  Now that we live in Florida, we thought she'd might like to go with us, but in the end she choose to stay to home.  After hearing about the fun things they did while we were gone, I can see why she'd rather stay with them. 

 
So February really was busy with so many good things to see, do, and celebrate.  I can see now why I got a little behind.  I'm glad I took some time to write a few things about each event.  Everyday is a gift from God, and I'm enjoying unwrapping each and every one of them!

Trip Down Memory Lane

My youngest daughter's 10th birthday wish this year was to see her old friends and the neighborhood where she grew up (for at least the first 7 years).  Her siblings wouldn't be left behind but their father is still not ready to go back. "Too many memories," he says.  Since I was the one who really wanted to move away from Chicago in the first place, I didn't feel the emotional conflict as my husband does or the longing to see it again as my kids do.  I did feel however that it was important for me to make peace with the place where I spent some of the most important memories of my life yet somehow grew to detest over the years.

My first impression when the airplane broke out of the clouds was how monotone and depressing the general area looked.  No snow. No grass. No colors.  "Winter," I said under my breath, "I remember." My next impressions were far more mixed. The decor of Midway airport... how many times had we walked by the gates? Nuts on Clark... a good memory. Stepping out into the cold... a bad memory. Driving on I-55 with traffic... a bad memory. Portillo's for lunch... lots of good memories. And so the trip went. Every store, every restaurant, every road... all full of memories.  Probably most fun for me was hearing what the kids did and did not remember with Emily as the oldest remembering far more than her brother and sister.

The hardest thing for me to see was my in-law's old house and our old house.  So many conversations, celebrations, holiday's, and meals took place in those homes. I must admit a part of me wanted to go back to the way it was.  I wanted to walk in and see things exactly as I remembered them. You can go back to the structures and look at them, but without the people they are just buildings. I was happy to remember all the good times yet sad they are in the past and things will never again be as they were.  I spent my thirties in those homes, added a daughter to our family, and raised three kids during some of the hardest yet most joyful times of parenting. 

Catching up with old friends and neighbors remains the highlight of the trip. My dear friend Kathy and I chatted as if we were never apart. The kids got to see their old friends and they too seemed to fall right back into their friendships as if they had never left. This of course made me happy at first but then upon thinking about it, it made me sad that I was the one who insisted we move away.  They would never have left their friends if it wasn't for me.

Sunday morning arrived and brought with it what Chicago is most famous for.... bitter weather.  Due to an unfortunate food poisoning incident I had had the night before, we were unable to attend church that morning or the roller skating party Kat was so looking forward to that afternoon.  There would be no more eating out at favorite restaurants or drives by familiar places like the cousins' old house in Wheaton.  We were all physically and emotionally exhausted from lack of sleep and fear that it might be the stomach flu after all.  (Thankfully it was not and no one else got sick.)   We did manage a small birthday party for Kat later that evening and then tearfully said goodbye to those around us.  On the way back to the hotel I stopped to get gas. The temperature outside was 17 degrees which felt like 2 degrees with windchill. As I stood outside waiting for the tank to fill I uttered, "Geez it's so cold, how does anyone live here?"  And with that I remembered at least one of the reasons I'm happy not to live in Chicago anymore.

Our trip down memory lane was a good one.  I thought it was important for our kids to have some perspective. I didn't want them to idealize the place where they grew up any more than I wanted them to dislike it.  I wanted them to see it with more mature eyes noticing both the good and the bad. Of course that puts them in the position of liking some things better there and some things better here.  I grew up in the same house through my childhood and still return to it when visiting my parents.  In some ways I feel sorry for my kids that they will never have that kind of experience. On the other hand, they will have their own kind of experience that I hope they will grow to appreciate over the years. Who knows, maybe one day they will be glad they spent their teen years in Florida. Only time will tell. But one thing's for sure, time will keep marching on no matter where we live.  

Christmas... Alegbra???

Since my last post confessed that we made our kids do some algebra on Thanksgiving, I'm sure it's no surprise to you that we made them do math on Christmas too.  Could we be so heartless and cruel? Before you pass judgement... read on.

Christmas 2011 was a bit of a struggle for me. I have to admit between decorating and cleaning the house, shopping/wrapping/hiding gifts, shopping and preparing food, and playing hostess to both sets of parents, it was a bit too much for me. Piled on top of that was this underlying theme that the kids were focusing more and more on the gifts which they were about to receive and very little time pondering the reason for the season. Ugh!

Christmas 2012 was different. The kids gave me their Christmas lists in November and were not allowed to talk about what they wanted (or expected) to receive for the whole month of December. This cracked down on the 'self-focused' attitude and turned it into 'others-focused' as they worked on gifts for other people.  I also purchased many things online this year and didn't have to worry about hiding everything because my youngest is now in on the Santa secret.  I chose to serve fewer different kinds of food on Christmas Eve requiring far less shopping and planning on my part.  And finally, we had one set of parents here for the actual holiday while we celebrated with the other after the holiday.  Things were simpler all the way around.  Now it was time to add in some fun!

I knew the kids were expecting one particular "big-ticket" item. I knew they would be able to figure out the package just on size alone, and even if I put it in a different sized box, they still would know they have one more present coming. Fooling my son James is next to impossible so it had to be something he'd never expect.  What if I send them on a treasure hunt for their last present.... and I left clues in hidden places... and to find the next clue they would have to figure something out.... wait I know... how about algebra!  Wicked homeschooling mama that I am, I set up the clues so each child would have to answer a question based on the lessons we had recently studied.  Algebra, chemistry, history, spelling...  it was all there. 

After a wonderful Christmas Eve service and a fantastic (although reduced) spread of food, we headed into the living room to open presents. As expected, James knew where every present - that had his name on it - was located.  We started with some small gifts, then gifts for grandparents, then parents, and then back to kids again until all the presents under the tree were opened. All that was left was a card for each of the kids hidden in the tree.  I didn't know until after Christmas, but this is when James was sweating it out. No more presents under the tree and only a card left which he assumed had something to do with the trampoline we had already told them they were getting from their grandparents.  Instead, a cryptic note was inside the card sending the kids to different locations to get the next clue.  Once the next clue was retrieved the real fun began.

Kat was the first to break down. I gave her what I thought was an easy math question [How do you find the area of a rectangle?] but for some reason she was so thrown by it that her brain shut down and she began to cry. "I don't know!", she whimpered disgusted by the thought of doing 'school' on Christmas.  With some help she moved on. Emily struggled as well but only because I hid her question in a slightly different place than I told her to check. My bad. James was already onto clue 3 or 4. I had to slow him down so the others could catch up. Then the algebra question showed up.  "We don't really have to do this?" inquired Emily with a scrunched-up disgusted look on her face.  Meanwhile James was already at the counter hard at work finishing the problem quickly only to find out that he came up with the wrong answer.  Those pesky integers!  So there they both sat, on Christmas Eve, working hard on an algebra problem. Kat on the other hand was catching up as she got all the right answers to her history and spelling questions. Surprisingly all three kids finished at the same time and were in the living room searching for that one package missing under the tree. I think James got there first, unwrapping the parcel and shouting with glee. Then Emily found hers with matched elation. And finally Kat, who struggled the most in the end, finally found her prize.  I think all three were beyond overjoyed and not just because of the item itself. Something that seemed lost, maybe forgotten and perhaps hopeless, was now found and right there in their hands to enjoy. 

I've thought about this Christmas a lot. I thought about how I had bought my children's presents a month before Christmas.  They were getting exactly what they asked for; however I couldn't tell them that... yet. The time had not come. Asking me all month for the same thing would have been difficult to hear knowing they would receive it eventually. It made me wonder what God thinks of me when I ask Him over and over for the same thing. I know He hears me the first time. I know I am loved deeply and He has good plans for me. Am I like that child who must make their wishes incessantly known?  And what if I don't see that item under the tree? Do I doubt that it exists or do I trust that all will be provided in due time?  What a gracious and patient God we have!   I think about how much I love my children. I think about how - in my small flawed human way - I'm working in their lives for their good in ways they may not even understand for years to come.  I can't help but think of how God works in my life each and every day for His good purpose. I can't help but get excited - as a child on Christmas - knowing He has shopped, wrapped, and hidden gifts for me along the way. And most importantly, he has already purchased the biggest gift of all - eternity with Him - through His son Jesus. And that is the reason why I think every day should feel just like Christmas, even if it does happen to include a little algebra along the way.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

  
  

Thanksgiving...Algebra??

We had the blessing of being able to drive just a few short hours over to my folks house for Thanksgiving. Given that we homeschool and that my husband's a pilot, we don't always hold the most typical schedule - especially on holidays.  This Thanksgiving Dennis was on call so we really weren't sure how the holiday would play out.  We hedged our bets and arrived a few days early just in case we'd have to have the big meal on a Wednesday.  All this shuffling of the schedule naturally affected our homeschooling days as well.  I suppose we could have taken the whole week off, but to those of you teaching math to non-math gifted kids, you know how easy it is to lose momentum once the train is rolling.  With this in mind, here's how the week went.

Tuesday was a travel day and upon arrival, a fishing day too.

Hoping to catch "The Big One".

  On Wednesday we found out Dennis would most likely not be working so we pushed the big meal to Thursday. Wednesday was a day for indoor surfing. 

Kat tries out boogie boarding on indoor wave.

Thursday morning was a great time to head out to the St. Pete Times Turkey Trot.  The kids ran (and we walked) the 1 mile Gobbler. 

When we got home my mom put the turkey in the oven.  Dinner was scheduled for 4pm and it was now about 11am.  What to do for 5 hours?  Let's see... how about... algebra!  "What?" exclaimed Emily and James in disgust and protest.  "You want us to do school on Thanksgiving?" I know it may seem harsh to some people, but the truth is, we homeschool so we can teach and learn when it is convenient for us.  We take days off when others have to go to school. Why should we not do school on days when others have off?  This did not go over well with the kids, but once we got the math problems on the table and started working, they resigned themselves to this form of torture.  Actually, all we wanted to do was a little review so they wouldn't be so lost when we got back into the swing of things.  It was meant to be helpful, not punishment.  Emily and Kat got their work done fairly quickly, but this time it was James who need a little extra review.  Although it took longer than expect (and there may have been a few tears)  truth is it was time well spent.  Persevering through things we don't want to do - like math - when we don't really want to do them - is one of life's great lessons. 

If we want to our kids to think and act 'outside of the box', then we really have to take them 'outside of the box'.  This time it meant algebra on Thanksgiving. Next time it will be something different. Who knows, maybe I'll have them write their blog on Christmas Day.  Humm.. now that's an idea!