First Day of School 2014-2015 OR How it Really Went

Here they are!  The first day of school pictures.

Felicity- The unruly and disruptive pre-schooler

Veronica- The ever-so-eager-for-it-to-be-her-turn Kindergartner

Aidan- The didn't-believe-me-when-I-said-I'd-use-the-ridiculous-picture 7th Grader

Emma- The growing-up-before-my-very-eyes 6th Grader

Gianna- The I-hope-I-get-this-right-what-will-happen-if-I'm-wrong, uh, 3/4 Grader

Marciana- The I-can't-believe-they-let-me-play-with-this-getting-into-everything toddler

My Station.  Please note the spreadsheet on the top.  It reads "Class Schedule-Sacred Heart Homeschool-2014".  It was drafted *after* the first day of school.

A bonus picture of the baby who is not feeling well.  I'm gonna say it's teeth, but either way, I promise I'm not just letting her take swigs of the Tylenol or actually eat (for long) the beads.

We did it!  We started school yesterday.  I wish I had a picture of my perfect classroom, and my perfect lesson plans, along with my perfect smiling face.  Let's be real here.  That doesn't exist.  Ask me how I know.  I'm a little ashamed to say that the night before school I was found whimpering to my husband about how hard this was going to be.  Did he realize I have 4 school-aged kids and two littles who find delight in making everything absolutely impossible?  

Was I setting myself up for failure?  Perhaps.  

The first day went as I expected.  Not as planned.  It was as hard as I thought it was going to be.  The night before was a mostly sleepless one, I wasn't really sure what subject I should start with and I hadn't gotten a chance to make any of those "busy boxes" that were going to make teaching with little ones around a dream.  I was frustrated and I was weary.  I sent out a couple of texts to two mommas who know me and know just what I was going through.  I got encouragement back along with a phone call from my husband saying we could talk about ways to make things easier (that didn't include locking children in closets) when we got the kids to bed that night.  

So we continued today.  I had a great "plan" and things didn't really go as planned, but that was okay.  We kept moving along.  We'll do it again tomorrow, and the day after that.  I might even make it a couple of weeks before I sneak out of the house and try to flag down the school bus as it flies past my house in the early morning light.  

I do believe that, for us, this is what we're called to do.  Our family is meant to remain a unit and learn together and go about our days in our home.  Knowing that, I know that God will give me the graces to keep going.  That doesn't mean that it will look perfect, but it will mean that it will be beautiful!

*I've never done "grades" for my kids.  We've always just done whatever comes "next".  But, after years and years of that approach the kids are enrolled in a program that requires you to pick a grade.  Everyone, but Emma, are in his/her "age-appropriate" (whatever that means) grade for the year.

Silence

Sorry for the complete silence lately. I promise I have a good reason. It may or may not be the fact that my computer is thousands of miles away from me at the moment. 

In the meantime, here's a picture of the growing-up-too-quickly baby.

As you can see, she's "so big!"

This WonderFUL(L) Life

Wow, the weather is beautiful!  Summer up here in the north sure is a treat.  I'm not even going to complain about the mosquitoes lest I sound ungrateful for the sun and the warmth.  

This past week has been a mixture of processing some of the content of the homeschooling conference, feeding this crew, and keeping up with the sweetest baby in the world (I challenge you!!!) since she has decided that she is going to crawl (or if she's in a hurry "army-crawl").

So, about that conference.  I've gone in the past and really enjoyed it.  Because our summer is so full this year I talked myself out of going several times, but in the end decided to go for it.  I'm so glad I did.  I was able to stay with my friend, Margaret (whom I met at the conference a few years ago!).  Emma and Margaret's sweet Felicity (and the rest of her awesome crew) hung out for the weekend while we visited, checked out the vendors and listened to some great speakers.  The blogger's gathering was Friday night and we split the time between the used book sale and chatting with fellow bloggers.

I got to see my friend Heidi which was super fun, even though my friend, Meredith, who introduced us wasn't able to be there (insert sad face).  It was great seeing other friends too, but they don't have blogs so I can't be all fancy and link to them.

Lacy was one of the speakers and came to the bloggers gathering!  Super fun!  I was also able to catch one of her talks on Saturday and was really encouraged and inspired.  Her topic was "Keeping the Littles Busy".  When my house consisted of only or mostly "littles" I was great at providing simple, but fun activities. I'm afraid to admit that now that I have an older core of kids my tendency is to tell the little kids to "go play" while we are doing schoolwork.  Not exactly the way I want our home to be.  

But look, I'm already reformed:

A Pentecost craft that I stole from Lacy.  You should seriously check out her site.  Not only is she adorable and fun, but she has some excellent ideas!

So, to review.  Next year I hope to have more of the above and less of this:

No children were harmed in the taking of this picture.

I'm going to have a bit of time on my hands this summer so I plan to gather some materials and create some easy yet hopefully engaging activities for my littles and medium-sized girl(s). 

Speaking of engaging activities.  What do northern children do on a warm summer day?  They create a water park of their very own.  

And now, the most exciting idea that I've recently come across! Teaching from a state of rest!  Say what?  Sarah's book, "Teaching from Rest" has truly revolutionized the way I (hope to) approach our home/school.  I'm working on a whole post about it, and I can't wait to work out these ideas in this space.  I've done a quick read of the book because I intended to get a post up before the release date, oops.  That allows me more time to really dive in and dig out all of the gems that Sarah gives us.  Get the book!  Read it!  You'll thank me (or more likely, Sarah) later.  

I hope you're enjoying your summer.  I know we are.

A Great Day

Today is a great day.  It's not a perfect day.  Not a day without frustration or challenges.  Nonetheless, it is a great day!

This morning we were able to go to the Thanksgiving Mass of the freshly (as of yesterday) ordained Fr.David!  This 26-year-old young man has blessed our diocese and the Church with his "yes" to God's call.  It was a precious sight as he celebrated Mass with over a dozen newly ordained men alongside him.

I couldn't help but to smile to myself as I observed that Fr.David does, just a little bit, look like a boy playing dress-up in priestly vestments.  He is solid in his faith, and he exudes a sincere joy that can only be from the Lord.  We've been so blessed to get to know him these past 7 years since moving to Wisconsin.  I have no doubt that God has great plans for him as He does for all of us.

Not the newly-ordained, but these two men new each other from seminary.  The Italian on the left is our dear friend and pastor Fr.Andrew! Turns out that this was the only picture I took of the ordination/reception.  

This weekend was full, full, full.  I'm still processing it all.  I was able to travel down to the Cities with Emma and Marci and enjoy a great day and a half with great friends at the Catholic Homeschooling Conference.

In the next few days I hope to write down what's in my head and on my heart.  For now, it's re-entry time.  It didn't take long for me to come down from my cloud to the reality of life with 6 kids and a husband who all have very real, and oftentimes immediate needs.

I'll be back soon!  (I promise this time.  I was reminded by a friend at the conference that I sorta just left you hanging after that last post.  Sorry!!!!!  Felicity is doing fine.  Still running some tests, but she's healthy right now and that's a huge blessing.)

Easter Week

Happy Easter!  

 Coloring Easter Eggs is serious business.  

What a blessing to get to know our seminarians.  These godly young men are the future of our diocese and we love getting to spend time with them.  

"You mean I get to go to a Mass that starts 30 minutes after my bedtime?  No way!!!!!" 

Here we are, all ready to head out to the Easter Vigil Mass! 

A bonus picture of the baby, because…she's the baby, and those arms…do you see those arms?

We had a great Holy Week and Easter celebration.  That stress that I mentioned in my last post?  Still there, but I'm feeling at peace with it.  You see, our sweet Felicity has been undergoing many, many, many tests to see if there's a reason she gets so sick, so often.  We have a big appointment this coming Monday (please pray).  Some potentially scary stuff, but I am feeling much better about it.  I'm confident that God's got this.  

The ground is almost fully exposed.  I'm hesitant to even say it, but I think we have some grass!  This winter was killer.  

Many blessings to you all this Easter Season!  My Easter celebrating is going to have to end before the liturgical season does or I'm not going to be able to fit into the spring/summer clothes that I just pulled out of storage.  Let me assure you, I've celebrated plenty.  We have plenty to celebrate!  He is Risen!!!  Alleluia!!!!

Spring is Here!

Made ya look!  Spring isn't here silly.  It came for a couple of days, took one look at all the snow we have and went back south.  It stayed long enough to fool the chickens.  It must be a "bird thing" because we have a lot of birds at our feeder these days.  Unfortunately, the bird feeder is also attracting flying squirrels (ew, ew, ew) so it will need to come down.  We need to take it down anyway because the bears, or as people around here say, "the bear", are waking up and I have a feeling they will be hungrier and crankier than most years.

While we wait for spring to arrive (and stay or preferably turn into summer, but we won't hold our breath) we've been keeping plenty busy.  One word...cheeks!  Delicious.  Scrumptious.  Should be illegal to have cheeks that yummy!  Countless hours are spent loving all over this soft and squishy baby.

And since we are completely running out of things to do, we decided to chop some hair.  Actually, ever since Emma donated her hair last spring these two have been growing theirs out to do the same thing.

This week we are working hard to prepare our home and most importantly our hearts for Easter.  Lent isn't over yet, but will be soon.  Just like I was ready for Lent to begin (I can't believe that's the last post I wrote...I honestly was not giving up blogging for Lent), I'm ready for it to end.  We have a couple of stressful things going on right now (more later, I promise, I won't just leave it like that forever), and I'm clinging to the hope and the promise that comes with Easter.

Hold the phone- It's Lent Already?

Penance?  Sacrifice?  Fasting? Abstinence? Almsgiving? What?!?!

My family has been through some trials recently.  Nothing major. Okay, an almost-week-long hospital stay with a sweet little one with pneumonia and a grandma with a broken hip/leg could probably count as major.  What about the baby with an ear infection and a 12-year-old with an allergic reaction to an antibiotic?  Probably not too major.  A snow storm and a dead chicken?  Minor.

We've had trials before.  Three Mardi Gras ago our family endured one of the most challenging, faith testing, scary times.  It was the night before Ash Wednesday when Felicity silently came into our lives. Everything around me was busy, but she was silent.  Not crying, not breathing, on her way out of this world.

The date of Mardi Gras changes every year, but I always remember, maybe too clearly still, everything I was feeling as the day went on.

Felicity Perpetua was baptized on Ash Wednesday.  Our amazing priest could hear the concern in Brett's voice and came right to the hospital after Mass that morning.  He's relayed to us just how accommodating the nursing staff was that day.  It is not unusual for a baby to be baptized in the NICU. However, to have the certificate filled out, the water ready, the witnesses on standby.  They were all too prepared.

Three years of this girl.  She is, to date, the most challenging (in every way) child we've ever had.  She has a demanding presence.  And yet, what an absolute miracle she is.  She'll throw a fit, and I'll think to myself, "At least she's here to throw this fit."

Lent was picked for us that year.  I've said before that I haven't prayed that much in my entire life.  God and I have had this understanding...from now on?  I pick my Lent.

So we begin.  I'm welcoming Lent with open arms.  I'm in need of a transformation.  I'm ready for the sacrifice it will involve.  I've learned from years past that I need to write down "my list" and then pick about 3 items that really need work.

If I can pray for you this Lent, please let me know.  Pray for me?

P.S.  The picture of Sweet Cheeks is just because there are not enough cute baby pictures in all the world.