Running With Spears

Homeschoolish Things I Love!

Totally realistic picture of doing school on the computer! ;) — Totally realistic picture of doing school on the computer! Not killing Zombies. Really. 😉

So…I’m sitting here finishing up the last of my preparations for school (a.k.a. ordering stuff off Amazon), and I wanted to share a couple all time favorite school type things. Please notice my extreme eloquentness today, I know I’m awesome. 😉

First up is Adapted Mind. It’s an online math and reading program, and I LOVE it! I used the whole kit and kaboodle last year for Artist and it was super great. This year to start with I’m doing just the math part; I love that you can pay for each separately.

There are so many things I love about it. I’m just going to address the math part here, because that’s my favorite. (As in, favorite thing that Adapted Mind takes care of for me, not my favorite subject.) 🙂

For starters, it measures your kid’s current math skills and tailors the lessons to their individual needs. This alone makes it so worth it for me!

But it also takes on the job of telling your kid when she gets one wrong, so you as the parent aren’t the bad guy. And it tells them when they get a single one wrong, so they never again have the frustration of doing an entire page incorrectly before you check it.

It’s a beautiful program. I mean almost up there with coffee!!! No they’re not paying me to say this. They have no clue who I am and would probably be rather mortified by this hastily written post/love note! 😉

Anyway…sorry for the gushing. I just have one more homeschoolish love to share.

If you have a kid who struggles with reading, or just want to introduce reading skills to a preschooler in a fun way, check out the Reading Raven app!

The app even makes them cuddle lovingly all day. ;) — The app even makes them cuddle lovingly all day. They totally didn’t start fighting 2 seconds later. 😉

You would never guess it now given Artist’s current LOVE of reading, (She woke me up this morning, brought me coffee, a granola bar, and milk, and begged us to read Felicity together…be still my heart), but in Kinder she struggled with reading.

I’m talking total melt downs over trying to sound out a new word. Holding her in big bear hugs while we played sight word games so she could stay calm. It was not pretty. During summer break between K and 1st Grade something clicked and all on her own she started reading and loving it!

But during the middle of what has come to be known as the dark year 😉 the one readingish thing she enjoyed was playing Reading Raven on my phone.

Something about the way it presented things really worked for her, and she read words with it, and enjoyed it, and felt more confident. It was practically a miracle worker! If Artist was Helen Keller, this app would have been her Anne Sullivan. 😉

Wasting Water?

My friends…this has been on my heart since last night. I will be the first to admit that I know very little about ALS or the bucket challenge that’s been going around.

But I’ve seen lots of people get on board and sacrifice a little of their time and comfort to accept the challenge, post a video of themselves getting drenched by a bucket of ice water, and tag others to keep the momentum going.

I’ve read some criticism that people should stop pouring buckets of water and just donate, but apparently the challenge is actually working incredibly well, and I know many people are doing both. I just read that donations have reached $22.9 million!!! Wow!

But I’ve also seen quite a bit of pushback saying that people shouldn’t be wasting water when there are so many in the world without clean water. To those who feel this way…I hear you.

I’ve been to Africa and seen kids drinking dirty water. It’s heartbreaking! You guys, I saw sweet girls around the ages of my own daughters walking for miles to fill their buckets with grey, dingy water. I wholeheartedly agree that people not having clean water is awful.

But here’s the thing. I don’t see how NOT throwing a bucket of water on your head is going to help anyone get clean water.

If you are passionate about clean water, by all means do something! Start a campaign of your own! Donate money to World Hope International or another organization helping to provide clean water. Pray about it. Tell all your friends. Get creative and just do something, anything, to make a difference.

Can I just suggest one thing, though? Don’t bash the thing that someone else is doing.

My Bible reading this morning with IF:Equip was in Galatians 2, and one of the points made in the discussion was, “They supported each other in one another’s calling.”

I would just so love to see us all do that. To be encouragers. I’m talking to myself, here, too. I completely understand wanting everyone to get on board whatever it is that we are passionate about.

But friends, my sisters in Christ, wouldn’t it be so incredible if each of us did what we could to make earth look a little more like Heaven, and embraced each other along the way, enthusiastically supporting one another.

So even though ALS isn’t something that’s even been on my radar to care about, if someone tags me and asks me to support those who are passionate about this by keeping the momentum going, I will. 🙂

Going Off The Deep End…

So we’re gearing up to start our third year of homeschooling.

As in past years, I plan to not use one set curriculum but rather an eclectic mix of a bit of this, a bit of that…and a lot of unschooling.

Schedules drive me crazy; I need to go with the flow. Flexibility, the room to be creative and spontaneous and relaxed, is vital for me! Not to mention that organization is admittedly not a strong suit of mine. 😉

I tried an organized, scheduled homeschooling plan for all of one day…our very first day. Boo’s reaction that day pretty much sums up the experience.

But while homeschool has always been a little crazy and messy, so far I’ve made sure Artist at least ends the year pretty much having mastered the most necessary elements of that grade level.

See, despite the fact that I was homeschooled myself and for the most part loved it, I’ve always said I’ll just homeschool that year and play things by ear after that.

But…when people ask about homeschool, I always tell them one of the best things about it is the flexibility to cater to each child’s strengths and weaknesses. I’ve finally decided to actually to embrace that this year, and as such I wouldn’t be surprised if Artist ends the year not able to be classified into a single grade level.

A lot of what we’re doing this year (other than some geography because let’s be honest, it’s embarrassing when my kids ask loudly in public, “What’s MEXICO?”) is based off what Artist said her dream school would be.

Tons of hands on science. Oodles of historical fiction books. Art lessons. Piano lessons (not taught by me). Sewing lessons (don’t worry, I’m getting books on the subject, not just passing along my lack of sewing skills). And so forth and so on. Yes I know those were not complete sentences. Please don’t grammar-nazi me. 😉

We may change how we’re going about school a dozen times (or more) before next summer. I have no delusions that it will all be fun, or easy, or pretty. But for right now, when I told Artist I was actually going to do the things she asked for, she grinned and said, “Thanks for making school awesome!”

Oh my goodness!!! That attitude is just ALL THE THINGS!

If I have to choose between keeping my security blanket of thinking I could pretty easily stop homeschooling at any time, and Artist thinking school is awesome, that’s an easy decision. Besides, if you’re going to dive in, isn’t the deep end the best place to do it? 😀

Unglamorous Realness

I recently heard someone talking about about what we share on Facebook and Instagram vs. what our lives really look like. I know we can all be at least a little guilty of sharing only the best stuff.

I don’t think we’re (usually) trying to look better than we really are. I think it’s mostly that those social media outlets are a lot like a highlight reel. We post the things we want to remember, the joys we want our friends to be able to celebrate with us, the things that make us laugh, and yes, occasionally our frustrations and disappointments (but we’d better watch out, because there are some who will rake us over the coals for sharing those…but that’s another post entirely).

I cherish the highlights!

Man those ~~once in a blue moon~~ days where we play board games all morning, get snowcones (complete with fantastically blue tongues), eat lunch at Starbucks and spend the rest of the day at the beach are AWESOME! I hope I always remember them!

But let me be honest for a second. Around here….for every “highlight” day there’s a day or two, or twenty, where Smiles is teething and attached to my boob non-stop, so the highlight of the day is when she’s actually asleep in my arms; or my house is an utter disaster because we had ants in our pantry and had to pull everything out of it, then my computer crashed and had to be re-built…right after the one and only time I’ve ever had cleaners come and make my house all sparkly for me. Hypothetically. :p

A majority of my real life is very mundane and not pretty.

I bribe the older girls by letting them watch Netflix in the morning when they get up if they’ll be quiet and not wake me and Smiles!

Breakfast is often poptarts, and lunch is frequently microwave macaroni and cheese. Sometimes, if Smiles is asleep in my lap and I’m editing pictures or writing and Artist asks what they can have for a snack, I tell her, “Anything you can find!”I say this knowing full well that popsicles and jelly beans are both things she’s capable of finding.

As entertainment, Artist and Boo like to color all over themselves with markers. Smiles prefers to pull everything out of my desk drawers.

Tonight, Misteris brought home Taco Bell for dinner…for the second night in a row.

Now I’m ~~hiding in the computer room~~ nursing Smiles while the other girls are having giant melt downs over being required to make their beds, and Misteris and I just placed bets on whether or not they’re cleaning their room like we told them to.

We’re the best parents ever. 😉

That said…I’ll still mostly post the good stuff on Facebook; personally, I want to focus on the good. But next time I see the Joneses post about the ~~pretentious~~ fabulous homemade organic meal they served their family while picnicking at a pristine park with their perfectly dressed kids, I’ll remember that I’m only seeing a teeny-tiny glimpse of their real, everyday life. 😀

Unquiet

So a couple weeks ago I blogged about introversion and you guys were just the best! The way you came around me and said “Yeah, me too.” Or, “You know what, I get what you’re saying, but you don’t see yourself the way I see you…I’ve seen God use you. Yes…you.” Wow. Just wow!

My friend Shelby said, “There’s a huge difference between stepping out of your comfort zone because God asked you to and doing so because it’s what you think you’re ‘supposed to do’. I’m not saying God will never ask you to be uncomfortable but he made you…well…you! And I’m pretty sure he doesn’t expect you to engage the visitors at your church – that’s why he sent the other folks, don’t you see?!?!? He has other jobs for you.”

Whoa! That comment was just, all the things! 😉 She went on to remind me that God has allowed me to bless people with photography, and I had a bit of a light-bulb moment.

Photography sessions are actually NOT comfortable for me. Every.Single.Time I get all kinds of nervous. But it’s not like the dread of thinking, “I should probably make myself do this thing that I have no desire to do but I’ve been told it’s the type of thing I’m supposed to, and people will probably think I’m all the bad things if I don’t.”

Photography sessions for me are a good nervous. There’s excitement there. Sometimes there’s terror…just being honest. But I also look forward to them. And afterwards I’m like, YES, that was awesome!

Now forgive my long-windedness, but I’m not done yet.

That Sunday…the one after I blogged and you heard me and encouraged me…I practically bawled at the end of church.

See, our pastor got up on stage that morning and dispelled all the myths that women are Biblically less…undesired, incapable, background characters, and commanded to be quiet and not teach or have any authority.

My sisters…if you have ever read I Timothy 2:11-13 and felt confused, angry, held back etc. I urge you to listen to the sermon: What Does The Word Say…About Women In Ministry.

In his message, Pastor Dwight shared the names of a few women in the Bible who each served in the unique way God called her to.

I spent a little time looking into the legacy of each of these women…among other things:

Deborah was a judge.

Huldah was a prophetess.

Phoebe was a servant of the church and helper of many.

Junia was an apostle.

Priscilla was a wife and together with her husband taught God’s word.

Eunice was Timothy’s mother and passed down her sincere faith to her child.

Girls…this is so beautiful to me! We can serve quietly, there’s no shame in not being that bubbly person who everyone knows and loves…but when there’s something inside of us that we can’t keep quiet about, we can be unquiet…and when we are called to raise our voices, we don’t have to sound like anyone else. We don’t have to write an inspirational book with flowy words and tweetable phrases. We don’t have to get up on stage and knock the socks off every single person listening with our amazing stage presence. We don’t have to write songs, or start a non-profit organization, or host parties…

…that’s why he sent the other folks, don’t you see?!?!? He has other jobs for you.

I can blog, and take pictures, and raise my kids, and write a young adult fantasy fiction novel about friendship and sacrifice and strength (oh yeah…I haven’t mentioned it yet…but I’ve been working on that). 🙂

I can pray and wrestle and seek out the calling that God has for me. And whatever it looks like, that’s ok.

I know this post has gotten super long…but let me leave you with one last thing. Here are bits and pieces of the prayer at the end of the message…where God met me and in my spirit I knew, this is for me.

…quit ducking your head, quit hiding your gifts, stop quieting your voice, because you are called and you are invited, and you are gifted, and we need you…

“Ladies, you are fearfully and wonderfully made…you are equal…so quit ducking your head, quit hiding your gifts, stop quieting your voice, because you are called and you are invited, and you are gifted, and we need you…the kingdom of God is better with your voice and with your hands, with your experience and with your stories…be fearless, don’t be afraid to be powerful, lead if that’s what God has asked you to do…wherever God has called you, step right into the middle of it, because you, too, have been commissioned for the work of the Gospel…let’s turn the world upside down.”