We started our third year of Homeschooling a little bit earlier this year, on August 11th, and it has been our best start yet! This year, I have three sweet students officially enrolled in Sky Mountain Charter School while one last preschooler attends the same school down the street that Cole and Cora attended with Mrs. Duron. It's going to be a great year!
This year, John and sat down at the desks in our classroom the night before the first day, and wrote letters to each of our kids. We spoke into their lives, truth we knew about them, and promises we know God will be faithful to carry out in their lives as their creator.
We started the morning with a "big" breakfast…even John got o be there since he hadn't quite started school yet.
These pictures were taken with our iPad, so not the best quality but I hope you can see the joy that really was present that day. And honestly…it's not easy to interrupt the rhythm of summer which is here, there and everywhere, and turn that same space into one that has a consistent schedule that involves school work! So these smiles are priceless.
My Kindergartener! She was SO excited to start school! Last year, she would BEG to have school time with me like the boys. This year, I start every school day with her while the boys get their independent work done. SO far she LOVES to read and write the most. She even keeps her own journal that is precious. I'll keep it forever. Or maybe she will!
Now this guy is hilarious. He is ALWAYS honest. Its a great quality, except when you're on the receiving end of it, its not always easy to hear! He told me multiple times leading up to our first day that he did NOT want to start school. Thankfully, he softened up quickly, and Cole's work ethic is unmatched when he gets his mind set on finishing his assignments!!! He inspires me daily in the way he takes tasks that used to be hard for him, and works at them until growth emerges. I love this boy.
Since both boys have summer birthdays, I started them a year later than they could have…not that it matters much at all when you homeschool, but it explains the grade level on their boards. We use the grade level curriculum that matches their academic levels, not their grade or age.
Oh, my Ryder. This is his third year as my student and he makes me LOVE homeschooling. He's kind of a DREAM student. He works hard, doesn't complain, is imaginative, has great conversations with me about books he's reading, he continues where I leave off in teaching his siblings when I have to leave the room and he regularly tells me how much he likes homeschooling! What more can you ask for! I'm so proud of the boy he's becoming.
So this is my sweet little crew this year! Rylee is there most of the time too when she's not at preschool. The first 8 weeks have been the best homeschooling weeks we've had yet. Not that it's always smooth or easy, but we feel like we've found the rhythm that works best for our family, which is one of the reasons why we felt called to homeschool in the first place. Following the way the Spirit leads. The challenge is now, having courage to leave the plan on the page when he calls us another way for the day. I'm hopeful to grow more in this way as God entrusts me with these lives and His mission. I'm praying the two collide in the most peaceful way possible as our days unfold...
