Parent-Teacher Conferences

Joel has been doing his Parent-Teacher conferences this week at the high school he teaches at. He has had a different schedule each day that has confused the children when they come down and Daddy is still here. "Is it church today?" they ask. "Does Daddy have off school today?" I never realized how used to our routine they are. Even Daddy being home at 7:30 throws them off.
An update on the little students at Madison Christian School, and their teacher:

• We have finished the Gospel of John. We are reading Genesis now. Had an interesting disscussion recently regarding the Nephilum (chapter 6). I didn't have all the answers at all and had to fall back on, "when we get to heaven God may chose to show us exactly what He was talking about here."
• We have learned (mostly) "Just a Closer Walk with Thee", "Standing on the Promises", "What a Day that Will Be" and reviewed some of our old favorite hymns.
• The books of the Old Testament are memorized by all the children from Benny to Nate and Eli and Asher can say over half of them. Asher is adorable saying these. He loves Dueteronomy and shouts it really loudly :)
• Only about every other day's circle time ends in a discipline session. That's progress.
• Nate is doing an outstanding job. He completes all his school work independently including the new lessons. I only sit with him once or twice a week to review and check over things. I am so glad that he can do this. It is a huge blessing to me.
• Jeremiah is about 60 percent independent. He recently has come upon some math that he cannot seem to get. He has been working very hard (most days) with mom and dad too, to master long division and two digit multiplication. Jeremiah's reading is improving alot also.
• Rachael is another very independent student. I try to make sure I go over all new material with her (and Jeremiah) and sit to listen to oral reading several times a week. She is an advanced reader. She is finishing up the entire "Little House" series
• Benny. Struggling in phonics land with his not always so patient teacher. Why is english so confusing? Our lession yesterday? Words ending in "ve" can have a long vowel sound, a short sound or the shwa sound. How is that for confusing to a six year old? Our words included "love", "gave" and "have". Patience, patience, patience.
• Asher and Eli are doing great at blanket time. Better than I thought they would. They stay on their respective blankets for about two hours! They have a snack during that time and get to play with toys, but I think they are showing a lot of self control. We try to do preschool with both of them together a few mornings a week. Asher loves to make lines! He will draw them on the bigger kids' papers and say, "Here Nate, I made you some lines." I guess he thinks Nate needs to practice tracing straight, curvy, and loopy lines like Elijah does.
• Luke- our little school mascot. Tried cereal for the first time the other day. I had six other children eagerly watching. He is one adored baby. But he isn't very condusive to actually getting a lot accomplished in the school house. He makes the teacher very sleepy so that staying awake to listen to phonics lessons, and stories read aloud can be extremely trying. But did I say already how adorable he is???

So that is a little summary of our school house. Now lest you read this and think, "wow" let me tell you how just plain hard it has been. There is at least one day a week that finds me in tears at the end of the night. Tears of exhaustion. Tears of sinful frustration and anxiety. With words coming out of my mouth like, "I don't know how I can keep on doing this.", "I can't seem to get it all done, there is NOT enough time to teach them all, and do the other household tasks." "I am failing them." "The little ones are neglected", "Our dinners stink" "The house is a mess". And my kind, patient husband reassures me that the kids are learning. Things are going ok, the little ones are happy and learning to obey. We have dinner every night. The house is actually pretty spotless, especially considering 9 people live here.

And that we are called to do this. This is God's plan for my life right now. There is not a plan B, "I could just put them all in school" option for us. We feel homeschooling is what God wants for our family. We see, and know the many benefits from academics, to family relationships, to growth in Christ. It is good for all of us. Not just the kids, but me. Maybe especially me. Causing me to die daily to self, to trust in Jesus (trusting as the moments fly, trusting as the days go by...) and pray for more grace. More grace.

"As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good." II Thessalonians 3:13

"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens. Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a hight priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14

And this little quote that I read on my friend Susanna's blog recently, it is from the Valley of Vision, which is a book of puritan prayers. " Every new duty calls for more grace than I now possess, but not more than is found in thee, the divine Treasury in whom all fullness dwells. To thee I repair for grace upon grace until every void made by sin be replenished and I am filled with all thy fullness."

So-overall I am pleased with the progress our children have made this first quarter. I am hopeful that God will work in me and through me in this little family that He has entrusted to my care. And that each day, I would look to Him for my strength and not try to do it on my own. I am weak, so very weak. But He is strong. And gracious towards this homeschooling mommy. Thank you Jesus.

"He is able, more than able to handle what concerns me today, He is able more than able to handle any thing that comes my way.

He is able, more than able to do much more than I could ever dream. He is able, more than able to make me what He wants me to be. "