Friday, September 30, 2011

The Bullfrogs

Ryan has entered into a new stage of life. We enrolled him with Parks and Rec soccer. He has become a Bullfrog!
I'm quite positive that Peter didn't start playing soccer until he was 6. Ryan is most certainly that 5 year old player who is mostly excited about seeing his friends on the field and getting to use his "mad face" when he's going after the ball. He's had a good time and feels quite proud of his uniform. He's had his time on the field chasing balls, kicking them toward the wrong goal, falling down on the field when somebody else gets tripped and getting some great exercise.
I think I remember now why we waited until Peter turned 6 to start organized sports!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

A hard goodbye; a cherished friendship

I have put off writing this for two days. My eyes have been brimming with tears for those days so I tried to not think about it. Denial. The tears are emerging as I remember our goodbye hug. Neither she nor I could hardly speak but in my silence I hope she heard me tell her that it has been an amazing 5 years. Heather was my first friend in this new land - this new life - this new place.I met Heather at story time about 3 months after moving to Roxboro. I was lonely, homesick and ready to make new friends. I prayed that morning for God to give me a sign and the boldness to initiate a friendship. The sign was a common paci and the friendship came easily.
Heather and her family also just moved to Roxboro a few months before from Colorado. She had a son Peter's age, a daughter Emma's age and a baby Ryan's age. The kids are all just weeks apart in their birthdays even Heather and I are ten days apart in age.
Over the last five years, we have spent countless hours together, shared birthday parties, play dates at the park, trashed each others houses, been on field trips together, drank lots of coffee, had meals together, cried and laughed together, had a fourth child and watched as Roxboro became each others home.
The kids can hardly remember any other time in their lives other than their time in Roxboro. They can't remember any friends from before the Weigands. They have grown up together. They've been like family to each other. They know each others likes and dislikes.
The time has come for the Weigands to move back to Colorado. It's the right thing for their family to do but it's hard to say goodbye. It was hard to see their van drive away. It was hard to look at my kids and explain how very far away Colorado is from here. It was hard to answer the enevidable question honestly and say, " I have no idea when we'll see them again.". I'm thankful that I didn't hide my tears from them because we have all been touched by their friendship. I want my kids to know that I need friends just like they do. I want them to remember the Weigands and remember that God gave us a tangible gift by placing us together 5 years ago in a little library in a little town with a little green paci.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

a new approach

So our family has already logged oh about 20 or so days of school in for this year. Somehow, it still feels like I haven't gotten into my grove yet. We are trying things a little differently this year. It still blows my mind that I've been at this home educating thing for 5 years now. Before my very eyes Peter has become a 4th grader, Emma a 2nd grader, Ryan a kindergartener and Nathan an adorable 2 year old. Needless to say on days that we have fulfilling, productive learning days, the house is a whirlwind of books, toys, learning tools and stuff by the end of it. By Thursday, the end of school week, it's really bad! This year Peter is doing a lot of independent work. I am capitalizing on his love for reading and trying to put before him as many books as I can find. He's enthralled with the American Revolution right now. So there lies the topic for the majority of his reading.
Emma has chosen to study sea animals. So we are discovering and learning about some very amazing and breath taking animals that God has created for us that unfortunately we will only experience through the written work. Have you ever seen a picture of a blue-ringed octopus? It's my new favorite sea creature. It's beautiful, small, and deadly.
In the midst of all this, we have Ryan who is emerging as a kinetic learner. He is happy when he has something to "play" with. I have come to realize and am fine admitting that his alphabet recognition skills are a little behind the others. With five years of experience, I have finally learned that before I know it, he will be reading up a storm like his older siblings and all things will be OK.

I have yet to pull out my well thought out schedule from last year. The planning notebooks books of last year are empty. My lesson planning notebook of this year, is loosely detailed. We are on to yet another season of life. It's not where I'm comfortable; it's not well planned out in the long term. But I think it might work for now or at least until there's another shift in seasons!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Fresh Air

It was Saturday morning and I felt the need to get out of Roxboro, get a little bit of fresh air and exercise. So the kids and I headed across state line into Danville, VA. We have been to the Dan Daniel State park a few times before so I knew this was just where we needed to go. The kids brought their new scooters and Nathan brought his bike. I knew enough to know that Nathan and his bike would only last but so long so I brought the stroller as well!