Ahhh back to school time.
For us there is no scrambling to clothes sales looking for bargains.† There are no new tennis shoes for P.E.† There are no mad dashes to make sure every little item is crossed off a 40 item ìSchool Listî.†† There is no hunt for backpacks or lunch boxes.† There is no stocking up on food for lunches.† There is no wondering if you will like your new teacher. †There is no wondering how you will like your new classmates. †There is no going to bed earlier each day to make sure you can get up at 6:30.
ButÖthere is excitement.† Excitement over the entire year stretched before us to discover new things, learn things that stimulate our brains, read marvelous stories.† Excitement over new crayons, colored pencils, notebooks, pencils, clay, art pads, and more.† New books just waiting to be opened and pored over.† Excitement for field trips not yet taken, picnics just waiting for us, meandering walks in the woods, new places to explore, videos to watch, nature to watch unfold and change before our very eyes, laughter to be laughed, plays to rehearsed, wonderful volunteering to do, amazing friends to spend time with, notebooks to fill with stories, new math concepts to figure out, plants and animals to learn about, our Bible to explore in more depth, the entire Middle Ages to read and learn about [we CANíT wait!!], conversations to be had, fall leaves to crunch on, snow to watch quietly falling, cocoa to drink, Shakespeare plays to read, meals to prepare, marshmallows to roast over fires, dogs to walk and play with, †time for snuggling, time for giggles in the dark, reading in bed with a flashlight, watching the night stars, bike rides with the wind blowing our hair back, picking beautiful leaves from the ground, discover new secret places and so much more.
This summer has taught me one thing, time is so fleeting.† Kei is growing up so fast.† It wonít be long before she is no longer under my roof.† I must cherish these moments; hold on tight, squeeze them until they almost canít breathe.† Stop and smell and taste and feel and see and hear everything.
Bring on 2011-2012. A marvelous adventure is just waiting for us.† Are you ready?
Homeschooling Rocks!
Karen
“Life is either a great adventure or nothing”~Helen Keller
I love the Helen Keller quote. Yes, life is fleeting and short. I am so glad to be on this whole journey!
I’m in the stage of trying to let go as my oldest heads off to his first year of college. Time does go by so fast. I remember when he turned 5, and I had a crisis of sorts because he was no longer a baby.
Karen, I am in a quandary about the great comment you left on my latest blog post…for some reason, it seems to have gone through the Blogger commenting system, instead of Disqus (which does seem to be working). Your comment is in my email, but not posted on our blog! It’s very odd!
Anyway, we’re on SOTW 4 because we’ve been reading through them, or listening on audio, more quickly. We’re reading more side info on time periods that particularly interest the girls, but we’re not using it as a whole curriculum. It’s more of an overview for us.
Thanks for the book suggestion! I am going to look that one up 🙂
I love your energy in this post, Karen. I love how much you love homeschooling, and how much it fits you and Kei. It makes me happy to read, and SO excited for you. I’m looking forward to all the adventures you’ll get up to this year!
Yes, time is fleeting, but what’s so beautiful is you take note, every day just how beautiful every second is. And so you capture your time together with Kei. Each precious moment stored in glass jars all around you, contentedly glowing. Just lovely.
ps in answer to your question (and thank you, sweet friend, for asking), we’ve had 5 nights of happy sleeping so far! Precious, fine moments here, too! 🙂
I agree with Sparklee. That picture is priceless. This is an interesting time of year. I will once again do our supply list on a letter that I mail home to each girl but this year it is harder to come up with things we need. Good markers, a new sketchbook…..but the beauty of learning all the time is that we never have to stock up, we just replace as we use. Oh…I did think of something. With all the out and about-ing we will be doing we need really good lunch boxes. They will be excited about that!
I love your posts Karen. You always make me remember why we choose this.
I agree, great post! I am excited right along with you 🙂 You reminded me of so many wonderful things to come…I love fall and winter!
You are so right about the time going by fast. Sometimes I wish it would slow down!
Ahh Not Back to School… I remember that fondly. And you’re right… the time just ZIPS by. I don’t regret one moment of homeschooling, but I regret not taking the time to enjoy it more… not realizing that it wouldn’t last forever.
Happy NBTS for you and Kei.
I know you’ll both learn a lot this year.
What a great post! And I love your photo of reading in the grass while the bus drives by!
Thanks for stopping by my blog–I’m looking forward to reading about your homeschooling adventures this year!