Tuesday, June 17

My heart overflows with the gift of school at home.  Where else can you do school in a hammock or on your mom's lap?  

My children were so diligent yesterday (and excited!) as they began a new school year.  They tackled new subjects and piano practice and snack time with gusto. 

Much has changed since we began schooling at home eleven years ago so that my three little ones could spend some time with their Daddy, who kept a crazy school and work schedule.  Now a beautiful young lady learns Algebra 2 at her desk while a handsome guy with dimples pores over the biology book at the dining room table.  

They are so independent, and we have some great conversations about life and learning together as the time for them to be under my roof gets shorter and shorter. 

Katherine is delighted to be a first grader!  And I love her enthusiasm, the highs and lows of following the Boxcar children in our read-aloud, and reminding her to check her math problems to see if they are addition or subtraction BEFORE she does them. 

Olivia's grin lit up the day, as she launched into Sonlight's studies of the Eastern Hemisphere yesterday.  I think this will be a great year for her!  How I love watching all of them, following their progress, rejoicing with them (and weeping sometimes, too).  By the end of the day, I'm drained, but it's because I'm pouring myself into my treasures. 

One of my favorite history stories is in "A Child's History of the World".  Here's an excerpt that sums up the way I feel about the gifts of children that God has loaned to me:

One day a very rich Roman woman was visiting Cornelia and showing off all her rings and necklaces and other ornaments, of which she had a great many and was very proud.  When she had shown off all she had, she asked to see Cornelia's jewels.  Cornelia called to her two boys, who were playing outside, and when they came in to their mother she put her arms around them and said:  "These are my jewels."