Random Thoughts

-My azaleas are finally blooming! And they're beautiful, if asymetrical due to the fact that a couple of bushes died a few years ago. A(5), pictured above with the prolific blooms, was hesitant to smile the day I took the pic. Just before snapping the photo, I had released our eight-legged friend into the woods next to the azaleas.

-Spring has sprung! It's finally warm enough in the daytime for popsicles and sprinklers and caterpillars. I found some BPA-free plastic popsicle molds on amazon - by Tovolo. We've had fun filling them with diluted 100% juice and with smoothies. I should've bought a second set - may yet do that...

-We spent most of spring break hanging out around home. I needed that kind of break soooo badly! But we wanted to do something fun for the kiddos - something frugal and doable on a weekend. So we went camping in the North Georgia mountains. Of course, the above-average, summer-like temps disappeared the day before we left, and we had freezing temps overnight! It was a long, cold night. We had great adventures during the daytime, though. Including a visit to a section of the Appalachian Trail that runs through Georgia. A personal favorite memory for me.

-This has been a hard school year. I mean hard. I love teaching and I love homeschooling. But it doesn't happen in a vacuum. There is a husband to love & care for. There is a home to keep. There are the myriad needs small children (and teenage children) have, out side of just being educated. For most of this school year, I've lived at a point near burnout. I'm not afraid of hard work. I'm certainly not a quitter. But I think a wise person can recognize when they need a little help. My dh and I have always believed that homeschooling is a wonderful educational choice, but not the only one. We feel led to at least pursue a more traditional school setting for M (11-rising 6th grade) and A (5-rising 1st grade) for next year.

There is a wonderful, small classical Christian school nearby that I never thought we could afford, but have always been interested in. God, in his Providence, has allowed us to have several conversations with folks involved there that indicate we may be able to get enough financial aid to make it work. We feel led at this time to at least pursue it.

The older two boys, rising 10th & 8th grades, will continue to go to their one-day tutorial, as well as take online math classes and biology at a local co-op. So I'll technically still be homescholing them. But I'll primarily be overseeing their work, and be relieved of the burden of planning, teaching, and grading - which can be so time-consuming!

These decisions will mean more time in the car, and more money. But they will also relieve a great deal of the burden that is weighing me down so heavily right now and making it very hard for me to have joy in 'doing the next thing.' I don't know, at this point, if all these things will actually work out - we're praying the Lord will either clearly open or clearly close the doors. But I know that I'm overwhelmed and spread too thin - not doing any of my jobs very well. And dh and I feel peace about applying, putting the feelers out, and seeing what the Lord can do.

-School may be rough, but life is good and we are very blessed. Our daughter, M (11), was born with a rare blood disorder and has been transfusion-dependent her entire life. I've never blogged about it because it's just one part of hers - and our family's - life, and we don't want to make too big a fuss about it. But it is a serious disease, and once a month, when she goes for blood, we are reminded of how thankful we are. For blood donors, good doctors, technology, and most of all for the Lord's mercy in preserving her to us. But lately we've had amazing news -- she has not needed blood since January 8th! I don't know what's going on inside her body, but I thank the Lord and give him all the glory! When she was a tiny baby, struggling for her life in the NICU, we chose Eph 3:20-21 as a special verse for her. We are humbled as we see God still do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. We don't know yet if this is remission, or just a long, merciful break. But we'll take it and rejoice!

-Needed to hear THIS today!