That's Right, I Speak Superhero...And I'm Not Afraid to Use It

Last week, when it was time to start schoolwork for the day, Jack was running around our basement/homeschool room with Tinker Toys stuck in the wrists of his shirts and growling. Now, he's a boy and he's five so I wasn't all that shocked. Actually, I've encountered worse creations from the mind of this imaginative and surprisingly mechanical little man. Claws and growling isn't so bad.

Me: Ok, Jack, time for schoolwork.

Jack: I'm Wolverine! (Hop, skip (in a manly, superhero way), leap, growl and strike a menacing pose).

And just in case you don't have superhero fans in your home here's Wolverine:

photo credit

Me: Well, even Wolverine needs to learn how to read. How else could he learn all the X-Men rules? And he can't track down Magneto if he can't read the street signs.

Jack: (deep sigh, that clearly communicates my total failure to convince him that superheroes are both tough and literate). Mommy, I'm not really Wolverine. I'm just pretending.

Me: Oh, well then you definitely have to learn to read since you don't have that whole superhero thing to fall back on.

I'm Potentially the Worst Mother in the World

*Potentially* That's important. It's not like there's been a vote or anything. And I don't think you actually win a prize if you get officially voted the worst mother in the world. It's more of an honorary title...like an honorary doctorate...or a rap sheet...whatever.

So here are the circumstances of my impending descent into worst motherhood-dom. *Potentially* Ella is reading "Old Yeller." Did you just suck in a deep breathe and say something like "ooooohhhh noooooo." Yeah, I know. It might be bad.

See, we're studying the post-civil war era in American History and one of the books in her curriculum is "Old Yeller." Also known as the evil-book-where-the-dog-gets-shot. I went back and forth for days about whether or not to let her read the book. Ella loves dogs. And when I say loves, I mean LOVES. She can name a ridiculous number of dog breeds and correctly identify them. She stages dog shows with her stuffed animals. It's adorable. And it's all about to come crashing down on her. Worst. Mother. Ever. *Potentially*

I finally decided to let her read the book because it's a classic, it has a great portrayal of American life in that time and its a good challenging read for her. Of course when I told Major Dad what she was reading he gave me a look that was part horror and part "I'm going to laugh at you when she flips out." And to make matters worse, the stupid cover of the stupid book has a picture of a big ol' fluffy yellow dog smiling a big doggy smile with no idea that he's about to die.

So now here I am...counting down the days until she hits chapter 15. And there's Ella, blissfully devouring what she calls "the best book ever!"

Worst mother in the world. *Potentially*

Homeschool Lies Debunked

Last night a friend of mine shared this video...and I loved it! In fact, I loved it so much I decided to dedicate an entire blog post to it. And I'm sure it's just a happy accident that I happened to find a video to share on a day when I had no idea what I was going to write about. What a coincidence. Ahem.

Anyway the video is funny and encouraging and awesome all at the same time. And as for the last homeschool myth...our family is totally guilty.

Intrigued?



Thanks to Messy Mondays!

Presenting (drum roll).....Our Curriculum

By popular demand (ok, two people asked me) here's the post that reveals all my homeschool secrets. Well, not my secrets so much as the curriculum that we're using this semester. But honestly, I give a lot of credit for the success of our homeschool adventure to the curriculum we use. God gets the glory first, my children next and these books third.

I've done some trial and error in the past year to find the right fit for Ella. Some curriculum didn't make it past the first two lessons. But that's part of what makes homeschooling amazing. You can change what doesn't work as soon as you know it doesn't work.

So, here's what Ella's doing this semester:

Bible: Bob Jones Grade 3

Language: Easy Grammar 3, Daily Grams Grade 3, Horizons Spelling 3. Love the Easy Grammar series & Daily Grams. The spelling is a little on the easy side for Ella but she likes the colorful pages and the activities.

Math: Horizons Math 3. Love it! Seriously, it is awesome...but just so you know, it is spiral (which works great for Ella).

Science: Apologia Exploring Creation with Zoology 3, Land Animals of the 6th Day. Great series. The notebooking is at times a little hard for Ella, but the text is fabulous.

Penmanship: Horizons 3. I like that the copywork uses Scripture passages.

Spanish: Switched on Schoolhouse Elementary Spanish. Ella loves being able to work on her own on the computer. She seems to be picking up a lot of vocabulary but there are some of the on-going story elements that bore her.

History: Sonlight Core 3 Intro to American History. This also covers Ella's reading...she has to read everyday and she really likes the books. I have loved this curriculum and we'll be doing it again next year.

Fun stuff: Lifepac Drawing Basics with Thomas Kinkade. It's pretty good. The dvds are very helpful but I think we'll be doing something different for art next year.

And Jack...well, Jack is a little less structured. He's doing pre-k work and these are the best resources I'm using with him:

Leapfrog dvds. He loves them and I'm convinced he learned all his letter sounds from the "Letter Factory."

Teaching Tiles: Math Readiness Center. This one is a little hard to explain. It involves matching, pattern recognition and counting. It has a card with pictures on it and Jack uses the corresponding tiles to either match the card, fill in the pattern or show how many somethings are in the picture.

Backyard Bugs Counters. Don't laugh, he loves to sort, count and stack these little rubber bugs.

Number Puzzle, Board & Pegs. He likes to assemble everything (which he mastered really quickly) and then stack them all like building blocks.

Books. Lots and lots of books. I think if I read Hunches in Bunches one more time...oh, who am I kidding if Jack wants me to read it, I'll read it.

And the best things...a white board and markers. He loves to write his letters, copy simple words and do very basic math. Ella likes to play teacher and give him work assignments.

I have the Hooked on Phonics series, but I haven't cracked the code on how to use it in a way that works for Jack yet. We used the flashcards until he learned all his letter names and sounds, but the books and the transition to reading haven't appealed to him yet.

Later this week (cause I hope you'll come back) I'll share some of my avoid-paying-full-price secrets.

"Gonna Get my Independence On"

Ok, here's my new favorite homeschool resource. Liberty's Kids. Seriously, have you seen it? It's a PBS show that was canceled, syndicated out and then canceled again. We get it through Netflix and my kids love it. Like, crazy love it. I mean they hear the theme song and come running like I said it was raining candy. Toys are dropped, all fighting ceases and they sit enraptured for an entire episode and then beg to watch another one.

And I'll admit it, I like it too. It's entertaining and chock full of educational goodness. Although it took some doing for me to get on board with listening to Sylvester Stallone as the voice of Paul Revere. "Yo, Adrienne the British is comin'!" (Ok, that wasn't actually in the show...but it's funny, right?)

So if you haven't seen it, here's the surprisingly catchy theme song complete with Aaron Carter rapping "Gonna get my independence on...red, white & blue don't give up, you represent America!" Don't blame me if your foot starts tapping. But it's ok, I won't tell.

My Homeschool-aversary

Well, will you look at that...it's been a year! A year of trying and changing curriculum, a year of being mommy, teacher and principal. A year of fervent, and sometimes desperate, prayer. Yes, friends a year of homeschooling. And I made it! Are you as shocked as I am? :)

See, here's the thing...when we decided to start homeschooling I was terrified. Not just "really-tall-roller-coaster" scared. I was "staring-out-the-open-door-of-a-plane" scared. I knew it was the right decision, but I was worried, anxious & generally freaking out. It wasn't only the academic part of it, though I was a bit concerned that I might actually make my children dumber instead of smarter.

No, my main source of panic was the fact that my kids would be with me all...the...time. Now I love my children. And I love spending time with them. But sometimes I need a big, heapin' dose of quiet or my occasionally questionable sanity stops being questionable and flies right out the window.

This time last year I had quite a few people look at me like I was nuts. Even I thought I was nuts. "Homeschool?" they'd say. But here we are, a year later. Still homeschooling and already planning next year's curriculum. Both my children survived and are officially, as documented by an objective third party test giver person, smarter. And I am absolutely amazed at what happens when you decide to trust God completely and jump in with both feet knowing that He will catch you.

If God brings you to it, He will lead you through it.

So, what's the traditional one year homeschool-aversary gift? Ummmm...chocolate, of course.

I'm a Boring Mom

I know, you were thinking that my un-updated blog meant that I had packed up and left for Tahiti. Alas, not this time. Just a few computer glitches and frustrations (nothing a sledgehammer couldn't fix). But, here I am. No swimsuit, no tropical beach, just my picky laptop and a Double Chocolate Chip Cookie. Add a crushing realization about myself to the mix and it's been an interesting day.

Here's what I figured out on this grey and drizzly day...I'm no fun. Yep, that's me, a non-fun Mom. And I feel bad for my kids. Especially when they're homeschooled and it's cold and rainy outside and they're trapped indoors with a mother who's idea of big fun is listening to classical music and reading a book. Which apparently is not fun when you're 7 and even less fun when you're 3.

Here's the thing, I don't come up with creative uses for macaroni, pipe cleaners and glitter. I don't invent games involving pillows and Matchbox cars and I don't know how to make cool shadow puppets. I'm not completely hopeless. I can build an awesome campsite out of Lincoln Logs and Legos and I can make a mean bead bracelet. But today, I was feeling pretty boring.

None of my curriculum books have a chapter devoted to rainy day fun. I need a homeschool guide that tells you what to do when your kids finish all of their school work by lunch time and my creativity tank is empty.

It Must Be Going Well

So this whole homeschooling adventure must be going pretty well since I'm already thinking about curriculum for next year. When we started homeschooling in January, the hubby and I said that we were making the commitment for one semester and then we'd re-evaluate. Of course we really said that so I wouldn't completely freak out about the idea of homeschooling for the next 15 years. It's much easier for my brain to comprehend 6 months with an escape hatch rather than 15 years.

But this past weekend I caught myself looking at 3rd grade curriculum for Ella and pre-K work for Jack. Suddenly it dawned on me that homeschooling next year was just a given in my mind. And I didn't freak out, I was really happy about it. Somehow in the midst of flashcards and timelines and making candles, I sold myself on homeschooling. I stopped telling myself "we're trying it" or "we'll see how it goes" or "they can always go back to school" and started thinking about what to do next year.

I know...wow, right? Don't get me wrong, it's still hard work and there are times when I'm convinced that if I have to listen to Ella and Jack fight with each other for another minute I may completely lose my mind. But when I'm on the brink of mommy insanity I've stopped hearing my inner critic say "this homeschooling is too hard" and instead I hear a much calmer voice saying, "time for the kids to go outside."

I'm still open to the kids going back to school someday. And, here's my honest side again, there are days when I would really like to drop them off at school and do the grocery shopping all by myself. But for right now, I think we're good right here.

The Look

Ok fellow homeschoolers, I'm officially in the club. That's right I have just been formally inducted into the elite group of homeschoolers being judged by complete strangers. And the crowd goes wild!

Today I took Ella up to a new ice rink for her skating lesson. The roof of her old rink collapsed (stupid snow) so until they rebuild we are driving even further north to skate at another rink. And right now I'm pretty sure my parents are laughing hysterically as they remember all the driving they had to do when I was skating...usually before the sun was up. Yep, payback is...well payback.

Anywhooo, this rink is in the middle of a county recreation center so there were a ton of people there doing all sorts of recreational type things. In the course of watching Ella and chasing Jack, I ended up mentioning to someone that we homeschool. It was such a passing conversation that I can't even remember how or why the topic came up. But I do remember...The Look.

Yep, you know the one I'm talking about. The Look that manages to convey in a split second a mad mix of judgment ranging from "wow, I could never do that" through "is she a religious wacko" all the way down to "you're crazy." That's right. The Look.

And you know what? I felt oddly self-satisfied to be on the receiving end of The Look. It was kind of like making a public declaration of our homeschooling decision. Like jumping on the table Norma Rae style with a big sign that says "Yes, I Homeschool." In that brief moment of the raised eyebrows, wrinkled forehead and stunned pause I was labeled, categorized and grouped. I got the homeschool scarlet letter. The Look.

And you know what? I kinda like it.

When Independence Backfires

I posted a while back about creating a weekly work card for Ella so she could have some control over her schoolwork. We've been using the work card system for about a month now and it has been great for Ella. Until today.

We had a couple of extra curricular activities come up this week and Ella's 7 year old time management skills were not prepared for the change in schedule. First, we put her skating lesson back on the schedule. New rink, same coach. So that knocked out a couple of hours on Thursday. Then we had a belated Valentine's Day party for homeschoolers on Friday. And that knocked out a few more hours. The result...two math lessons and a reading assignment on a sunshine-y Saturday. And one very annoyed 7 year old.

In all fairness I did remind her repeatedly throughout the week about the out of the house fun days. And she kept saying, "I know, Mommy. It's ok." And I did tell her that if she didn't get all of her work done by Friday she would have to do it on Saturday. There's no schoolwork allowed on Sunday. And once again she said, "I know, Mommy. It's ok." But she just kept doing the bare minimum of work each day.

So now it's Saturday, and Ella is sitting at her desk working on her math problems and looking just a little pitiful as she glances longingly out the french doors at the sun shining on the snow in the backyard.

Maybe I should feel bad...let me think about it. Searching my merciless mommy soul...nope, don't feel bad at all. I think she'll be working really hard next week.

Yo-Yo Mama*

Here's how I spent my morning:

"First you have to add the ones column, Ella." (cross to the other side of the room to check on Jack)

"Jack, see if you can put all the red beads together." (go back to Ella's desk)

"Good job, Ella. Now don't forget to add the ten you carried." (walk back to Jack)

"Good Jack, now put all the yellow beads together." (trip over a block and hop back to Ella's desk)

"Ok, Ella don't forget to label your answer." (race over to the laundry room to put the wet clothes in the dryer)

"Jack, don't throw the beads." (stoop down to collect the beads. Jack takes the opportunity to run over to Ella's desk)

"Ella, sit down and concentrate." (still collecting beads)

"Jack, don't climb in Ella's chair." (get Jack out of the chair and realize he needs a diaper change)

Then Ella says, "Mommy, is it snack time?"

And the whole time I had this mental image of me as a Mommy yo-yo bouncing between the kids. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a bit draining. On the one hand I feel great that I am spending so much time with them and that I can be there to give them so much personal attention. Then on the other hand I feel like I spent the whole morning short changing them because I had to keep saying, "just a minute, let me go help your brother/sister."

How is it that I can be a stay-at-home mom and a homeschooler and still feel at times like there isn't enough of me to go around? And who's this crazy perfectionist living in my head that keeps telling me I'm not doing it right? And how do I kick her out?

*Note: yes, that title is a classical music reference and a desperate attempt to prove to myself that my brain hasn't been completely melted by the musical stylings of The Wiggles and Sesame Street.

Homeschool Legality Reality

Granted I am in no position to start offering advice on homeschooling or to provide much meaningful guidance for anyone out in cyberspace who may be considering homeschooling and has stumbled across this blog. And if that's you...welcome! Bookmark me, follow me, Google me...it all makes me feel loved.

Anyway, inexperience and rookie status aside, I though I'd post some helpful information I have learned about the legalities of homeschooling. See, the government has an interest in making sure we have well educated and intelligent children who will one day grow up and lead our nation in a well educated and intelligent way. (Resisting sarcastic one liners...biting my tongue...ok, all better) So in most states, in order to homeschool your children you have to meet a few legal requirements.

The law varies from state to state. The best resource I found for researching the current state of the law is the Homeschool Legal Defense Association. They break down the current laws by state and do a great job of translating legal speak into regular English. You can find their site at www.hslda.org

What's interesting is how the laws vary from state to state. Some states don't require anything at all. Not even a "see ya" letter from the parents. Other states are so strict that you have to submit test scores, a portfolio of your student's work and you may have to have your curriculum approved by the school board.

Now being a nomadic military family, the differences in state laws is of keen interest to me. The bottom line is know the law for your state and remember that if you move the law might be different in your new state.

The Great Book Debate

I feel the need to write about something other than the endless snow that is threatening to totally bury our house and turn us into mole people who have to tunnel our way back to the surface. Seriously, I'm really thinking that I should have brought the snow shovel into the living room, just in case.

So, in an effort to ignore the fact that I currently reside in an igloo, I decided to involve all of you in an ongoing debate my hubby and I are having. Real books vs. digital books. Granted this isn't quite to the level of a Pepsi vs. Coke or a toilet paper over vs. under debate (and there is only one right answer to both of the above examples) but it's being hotly contested in our home.

Here's how it started, I would like to get a student encyclopedia for the kids. And Britannica recently released their new 2010 edition. I think we should get the old fashioned print edition. But hubby thinks we should get the computer version. His point, and its a valid one, is that this is a computer age and the kids need to learn to be computer literate early on. Plus the cd version is cheaper, takes up less space and won't make the movers sigh and roll their eyes if we ever move again.

My point is that I want the kids to also know how to look things up in actual books. Not just typing in a few letters and having the computer do all the work. I want them to figure out how to spell fungus or emu or Kilimanjaro and how to find it in a reference book. Plus, I confess, I like books. Ok, I love books. I like to be able to hold a book in my hand and mark it all up. I like to see it on my bookshelf and know that it's there.

So the debate rages on. Of course with hubby in a different country at the moment, it's kind of long distance debate...which I'm pretty sure gives me the advantage.

What If I Don't Have All The Answers?

So far in our homeschooling adventure I'm feeling pretty smart. I've been able to explain addition, subtraction, grammar and phonics without having to resort to Google...yet. I haven't had to stop and look up an answer...yet. I don't need the answer keys in the back of the books...yet. But I know the day is coming, and approaching fast, when Ella is going to ask me a question and my brain is going to go completely blank. I'm pretty sure it will involve the semi-colon, but it may come sooner than that.

I choose to believe that when that moment comes I will have the humility and the good humor to be able to say, "that's a great question. I don't know the answer, let's go look it up."

This weekend in the middle of a blizzard I was confronted by the sudden realization, and accompanying panic, of not knowing the answer. There weren't any complex weather related questions asked, but as I watched the snow fall and fall, I was gripped by massive anxiety. I had no idea what to do in two feet of snow. My husband is a little busy in a war zone at the moment so it was just me and the kids and "Snowmaggedon" as the storm has been named and I was in charge. Me, a Southern California girl who doesn't like to be cold.

I looked at my sweet children, the weight of knowing that I was responsible for their safety settling heavily on my shoulders...and driving me straight to the good chocolate on the top shelf. I knew that I didn't know what to do. But Ella and Jack didn't know it. They were completely unfazed by the storm, totally at peace and anxious to get outside and play. They looked at me and figured that if Mommy wasn't scared then they didn't need to be either.

So here's what I learned...I won't always know the answer. But it's my reaction to not knowing that my kids will remember. Besides, there's always Google.

Scientific Proof That I'm Right

Once again the schools are closed today due to snow. And once again the merciless mommy is making her kids do schoolwork. And I think I'll be able to get away with it until Ella is old enough to talk on the phone with her friends and figure out that when it snows this much they don't have to do anything school related. Then I might be in trouble. But until then...bwaahahahaha!!

Many thanks to those of you who asked if Ella finished her work card or if she had to pull a math marathon. She did a great job and finished everything by Friday afternoon. And I mean early afternoon, not "4:59 and 59 seconds still counts as afternoon" afternoon.

One of our last adventures of the week was our first science experiment. We're using Apologia's Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day for her science text so we're learning all about birds and critters with wings which, unfortunately for me, also includes insects and other creepy crawly things that have mastered flight. Ick. Anyway, our first experiment was to make two different gliders out of cardboard and straws and see which wing design was more aerodynamic.

Ella loved this and couldn't wait to test fly her gliders. First she had to fill out an experiment worksheet where she had to write her hypothesis. She guessed that the narrow glider would fly further because most planes have long narrow wings. I peeked ahead in the text so I knew that the long narrow wing is more aerodynamic, but I was more than a little worried about whether our backyard experiment would work out that way. Ella would have to toss both gliders the exact same way to accurately measure which one went further. I'll admit it, I was pondering ways to rig the experiment if necessary. Now I'm not proud of skewing scientific research for the greater good (*cough* United Nations), but I was willing to to toss the gliders myself with a little extra oomph on the narrow one if it came to that.

But dear friends, never fear, my integrity is still intact. It turns out that the laws of science can't be thwarted, not even by an enthusiastic 7 year old. The narrow wing glider won hands down. And when we sat down to complete Ella's worksheet and I asked her what her conclusion was she said, "That I was right!"

Light Bulb Moments

There are many things I've decided that I like about homeschooling. I like that our mornings are less rushed. No more breakfast in the car as we drive frantically to school. No more late night runs to Michael's to grab pipe cleaners or clay for a project due the next day. No more cleaning mashed up peanut butter sandwich leftovers in the lunchbox. All good things. But I've decided that my very favorite part of homeschooling are the light bulb moments. Those moments when suddenly everything clicks in Ella's mind and she understands something new. That's the best.

Earlier this week we were studying the Exodus and while I was reading the Bible passage describing the Passover, Ella suddenly stopped and said, "Oh Mommy! It's Passover...like Pass Over. You know, the angel passed over the houses of the Israelites." For a 7 year old, that was a big moment of religious insight...it was a high wattage light bulb moment. Kind of like when she got the concept of carrying numbers in addition. Another big, bright light.

Those moments are invigorating and encouraging and joyful. And that's just me. I'm sure Ella's a fan too.

I've struggled this past month with not having a benchmark to measure Ella's progress against...how do I know she's learning enough? Is she keeping up with her grade level? Is she falling behind? Am I teaching the right things? But then suddenly that light bulb will flip on and for one brief moment I can see clearly that we're both doing just fine.

Happy Friday!

Best Thing Ever #1

Ok, yes I knew something hideous was going to hit today after the surprising success of yesterday's school-the-go adventure. But knowing it was coming didn't make it any easier to deal with the train wreck of whining and complaining that hit me right in the face this morning.

Soooo, instead of dwelling on my pulsing whine-grane headache and continuing to ponder the possibility that my children really have hatched a devious plot to drive me crazy with their ultra-sonic whine weapons, I am going to grab a handful of dark chocolate M&Ms and launch a new tradition here at my humble homeschool blog. My Best Thing Ever feature. Catchy huh? I figure since I'm learning as I go, I'd share the purchases, freebies or handmade goodies that are really helping me. See, I'm all about the greater good...even when I'm just typing so I can stay in total denial of the kid chaos threatening to erupt at any moment. Hmmmm...too much information?

Anyway, moving right along, here's the first installment. My first Best Thing Ever is...drum roll please...a white board. Ok, that's kind of a let down I'm sure. You were probably expecting something a little flashier, a little cooler, but let me tell you our white board has been a life saver. Best Thing Ever! For some reason understood only by children and grown men with short attention spans, lessons are much more interesting when done on a white board. Sure you can do the same thing with pencil and paper, and use the exact same words, but it's just better when written on a white board with colored pens.

So there you go, it's not pretty and it's not expensive (Praise the Lord!), but it's my first whole hearted homeschool recommendation. Other than chocolate...that's just a given.

School On The Go

I have a funny feeling that today is just the first of many mobile schoolhouse days. I had to take my mini-van...yes, I have a mini-van. I used to drive a Camaro and now I have a mom-mobile. But it's totally tricked out (she says in a vainly trying to sound young & hip voice). I'm so old.

Anyway, this morning I had to take my sweet ride (complete with empty My Little Pony fruit chews wrappers and crushed Goldfish crackers permanently ground into the carpet fibers) to the mechanic to get the front brakes worked on. I was anticipating a few hours in the waiting room (and I was not disappointed) so I waltzed into the office looking like I was ready to set up camp. Purse, diaper bag, Ella's backpack, Jack's backpack, snack bag, bottled water, jackets...we were ready to make ourselves right at home.

And of course 30 seconds after I handed my keys to the mechanic who could have crushed my immediate financial future to bits, I was handing Ella her math book. And she was great about it. She curled up on the sofa and did her lesson. Jack was even really good coloring and playing with dinosaurs. Ella got through an entire math lesson and half of her reading book before she starting grumbling. By that time we only had 15 minutes or so before the van...I mean the sweet ride....was ready.

So our first school-on-the-go adventure was a success. I only forgot one thing, the number chart, and Ella managed without it. Gotta say, I'm feeling pretty good. Of course that probably means tomorrow is going to be a whole other kind of adventure. What can I say...I'm Irish. Our luck works that way.

You Just Never Know

Today I took the kids to the ice rink for Ella's skating lesson. Aha! Another benefit to homeschooling...the rink is empty! No demolition derby of young ones wobbling around on skates. Anyway, I bumped into a mom that I met once before a few weeks ago. She's another military wife who homeschools her two kids. We met the first time when the hubby and I were still debating whether or not to start homeschooling.

The first time we met she mentioned that she homeschooled and assumed that I did too. We were actually in the rink during normal school hours so it was a fair guess. When I told her we were thinking about it but that I was still on the fence, she asked me what was holding me back. As we talked about it, she brought up a few points about homeschooling that I hadn't considered. And coming from another military wife, her words stuck with me and were even a part of the discussions that hubby and I had.

Anyway, when I saw her today I said hello and called her by name. She was floored that I actually remembered her name. I can't help it, I'm good with names. Not good with cars, computers or chaos but names I remember. I didn't put her on the spot and tell her what an impact her words had on me and our decision to homeschool. How's that for pressure from a relative stranger? "Hey, remember a few weeks ago when you said that thing? Well, we totally changed our lives and possibly our children's future and it's all because of you. So if it all goes south and ends in disaster we're going to blame you." Yeah, I decided against that conversation.

But it did get me thinking. We really have no way of knowing the impact our words and our attitudes can have on someone else. If she had been all negative or bummed out about homeschooling, I might have carried that memory into our decision making process and gone another way. I'm not saying we can't be honest when we're having bad days, but you just never know what's going on in another person's head. Maybe someone you meet is on the verge of making a big decision. Maybe that passing conversation is more than just small talk. And maybe, just maybe God has put you in that place at that time for a specific reason.

Hmmmm....

Holiday? What Holiday?

Don't yell at me, I'm only kidding. I know it's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. A day set aside to honor the life and work of a great man who truly understood justice, courage and walking out his Christian faith. His legacy is one that should never be ignored or taken for granted. But I'm still making the kids do schoolwork. If I had thought ahead I would have planned a history lesson on Dr. King for today. But I didn't. Sorry Dr. King.

See, I know it's a holiday. I'm not ignorant...I'm just mean. And I'm oddly ok with that.

Here's how I justify my mean Mommy-ness. I'm trying to get Ella caught up in her math. When we started homeschooling she was already behind in math so I started her at the beginning of a second grade curriculum. And being the slightly goal-oriented woman that I am (cough) I want her to be ready to start third grade math in the fall. So I'm taking every opportunity we have to work on math.

The good news is that she's really doing well. Things that she told me she was having trouble with in school, she's starting to understand. Today we were working on addition with carrying and when I asked her if she had done it before she said "Yes, I'm just not good at it." But by the end of the lesson she was carrying like pack mule...or a bellhop...or a celebrity's underpaid assistant. Pick a metaphor, she was carrying like a champ.

And on this day when we remember one man who was willing to stand up and speak out, I thought of this Scripture:

"In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people. He will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate" Isaiah 28:5-6