Our Week in Review

Did you know that the Alamo and the events depicted in Les Miserables took place during the same year?

Yep, they did.  1832.  We studied both of them and for Friday night movie night we introduced Little Man to the wonders of the 2012 Les Mis movie (we had him cover his eyes for two scenes).  His siblings had all seen it previously and go around singing the songs quite frequently, so Little Man could sing along with almost all of them even though he was seeing the movie for the very first time.  We are big Les Mis fans here, so it was a delight to share that with our youngest.

Do you have a favorite Les Mis song?

I am so in love with home schooling!  God has been renewing my home schooling joy this year, and I am so, so thankful.  There are always new things to learn, and it is such a delight to learn together with my children.  I am doubly thankful that after 17 years God is giving me fresh excitement for the task of teaching my children at home.

When looking at the big picture we are definitely in the home stretch.  Only 5 more years after this one and Little Man will graduate.  I know these next 5 years will fly by.  So my focus has shifted from active teaching to facilitating and cheerleading as my children take on the responsibility of learning for themselves.  Our days (and my priorities) have changed so much over these past 17 years.  It's kindof surreal and awesome and humbling to reflect on this journey we embarked on 17 years ago, and see God's faithfulness to us in so many ways.  He is good!

Little Man, checking his math with dad one evening.

And me, on a college planning lunch date with son L.  We had a very productive time, gaining clarity on a direction to pursue, if not a specific college yet.  I love him so!  He wants to be effective for God's Kingdom, and I love that about him.

We also got to attend another wonderful wedding this past week.  I love weddings!  They are such a beautiful picture of God's love for us (which of course is what God's Word says they should be!).  When I am at a wedding I spend as much time looking at old married couples in the audience as I do at the young couple up front.  Young love is beautiful and exciting and sweet, but old love is deep and rich and has gone through intense heat to make it more pure.  Older couples who have lived out their vows through "richer or poorer" and "in sickness and in health" inspire, challenge, and bless me.  I am thankful this beautiful young couple has such good examples of marriage to pattern theirs after!

In other news, son C's winter soccer season has begun.  This is not indoor soccer, which is played on a smaller field and you can hit the ball off the walls.  This is outdoor field sized soccer which happens to be played inside a big dome.  His select team is playing winter soccer for the next 4-5 months, until the outdoor fields are ready to be played on again in the spring.  So....in some ways it will be a long winter. ;)  This is a new team for son C, and he has lots of new things to adjust to.  But he is excited because this is a dream of his, and I just want to support him any way I can ("facilitate and cheerlead", remember?).

One day this week I looked out the kitchen window, and there in the back yard were Little Man and 18 year old college man (son G) choreographing a light saber battle with two lit up light sabers.  I just stood at the window and watched them for a long time.  It was something that probably wouldn't have happened if we weren't home schooling (and hence Little Man being home during the day around son G's college schedule).  It made my mama's heart very full and so, so thankful.  We are rejoicing that son G has TWO part time jobs now!!!  He had experienced quite a few closed doors of employment before these two opened, and we are (again) thankful!  So very much to be thankful for.....

What are you thankful for this week?