Summer Break.

Last year we ended our school year 2 weeks into May and it was a peaceful ending.  This year we ended it a few days ago by myself being frazzled and loudly proclaiming, 'Schools over because I can't get to anything!'

Its cool, its how I envisioned my peaceful state of motherhood, calmly and lovingly telling each child how they've grown this last year, and what beautiful things I see them accomplishing in their future, a celebratory ice cream, and cleaning the classroom out.

A back thrown out, sinus infection, multiple things on the calendar at the end of May {3 weekly chiropractor appointments, camping, Os birthday, helping a friend with a graduation party, mending a relationship, and a puppy coming to us in 4 days} just created too many items to squeeze in our History Semester Test. We did finish all of our other subjects, meaning we said we will stop at the end of the next lesson.  Finish the book?  You get outta here with THAT crazy. Honey child, please.

We are entering our 5th year of homeschooling, the most asked question is "Are you going to continue through high school?", as in, "When is this crazy going to stop?"...and each summer I ask the kids, Whats working?  Whats not?  What are your passions?  That way, we have a focus and intent on what we want to do.  If I dreaded being a stay at home mom, would I do it well?  No.  And lets be honest, anything we love doing still needs a break.

Break = stepping away and gaining perspective.  Finding other ways to connect with other passions.  When I do errands alone for a few hours, I miss the faces that were difficult to be around previously.  When we step away from books, routines, timelines, deadlines, and have freedom of time, we crave our routines by August and look forward to getting back to the table where we dive in and discuss.

I see a new trend this year on IG, especially with the Wild + Free movement, about schooling through the year, no breaks or only doing math, reading, writing through the summer.  Lots of blogs, posts, and blurbs on different summer routines, or the outlines of what kids have to do before they get electronics.  And we have done all of that.  I have come up with my own summer reading plan with incentives besides what the library is doing.

I just want to say to the Moms who see those and feel like they should do it too, look at your kids.  Do they want to do that?  If so, go get 'em tiger.  In fact, play Eye of the Tiger when you are prepping your summer work, that song makes you feel like you are Sylvester Stallone running those steps, kicking A and taking names. However, if you see a haze over your kids' eyes, and you yourself cannot muster one more lesson, don't.  That simple.  Close the books.  Walk away.  Lay out some ground rules for summer - only so much tv and then look at the list we made of things to do when you are bored.  OR, watch tv all day, stay out of my face.  I of course did not come up with the latter, that would be rude.  For the Mammas who need some perspective and passion built back up, make YOUR list of what feeds you and journal what comes to your mind as you are gathering nuggets of ideas, because don't they flow so much more when we aren't so focused?  Our eyes are looking up and out, instead of down and narrow.  We observe and contemplate more when we are relaxed and able to receive information.

This year, we have VBS, 2 weeks of Church Camp and 2 Camping trips planned, some unplanned ones will pop up, and we have a puppy to train.  I want a well trained dog.  I still have a 4 year old boy we are training.  As in my husband walked in the door 2 days ago as I was talking to O, 'Remember, we don't pee in the yard with guest over?  And we never pee in the front yard where our neighbors can see you.'  To which John revealed, 'Yeah, I pulled in and he was backing up to Cassidy {he kindly chose our daughter's friend for this duty} with a full moon so she could pull his pants up...' and I just buried my face in my hands....this was just after I noticed my 3 layered cake was sticking to the pan...what do you do? Don't give up.  My cakes kind a fell apart, I was able to throw them all together with frosting which is like glue, prayed, and it all turned out.  Will O remember not to pee in front of people or in our front yard?  Only time will tell on that one.

This is also the first year I am missing both the CHOIS convention and the curriculum sale.  I need a lot of perspective this year, and hearing more ways to teach or looking at 143 ways to teach writing will not help me, and I am thankful God revealed that in me. And I will only find it by sorting out my feelings and giving them to God, who not only wants to know my heart, but help me get there, and the only way I am going to find rest, is in Him.  I will find peace and comfort when I lay out my wants to Him and He can show me His path, but if I am still teaching, prepping, and training puppy and boy, I am going to be too full to accept anything He has for me.

I prayed this morning for all students and teachers to get much rest this summer, and I surrendered my hands, feet, heart, and mind to Him so I can do His work daily and for my eyes and ears to be open to see Him, hear Him and receive all the nuggets He has for me.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”