Practical Application

December 18, 2013

10:48 PM

Have you noticed any big changes in Jay's overall personality since you began homeschooling?

Several, to say the least. He's developed so many strengths over these last few months. It really blows my mind when I compare him to how he was a year ago. His speech, writing, concentration, interaction, and analyzing skills have skyrocketed! In one of my previous blogs I discussed his sessions with his speech pathologist. His vocabulary has picked up. He can hold extended conversations and express thoughts, ideas, and dreams in detail. His speech pathologist is helping him to apply the correct pronunciation of certain letters he previously had a rough time with in everyday conversation.

Jay is also able to work more independently. At the beginning of the school year, I had to go through each section with him. Now, I can teach the lesson and go tend to one of my chores knowing that he'll complete his assignments. I have to call out to him to finish his work every 10 minutes, but it's a work in progress. *Lol* He still has a hard time dealing with distractions, but honestly, everyone does. I like to give him a chance to burn off some energy by turning up the music, singing until our lungs give out, and dancing until we've formed blisters. We have so much fun doing that! It's a great mood-booster and it reminds Jay that learning at home will always be relaxed. It's good for me, too, because I find that I'm on the edge a lot more. Madison is walking now and getting into E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!! It's incredibly stressful, because the challenge of homeschooling a school-aged child while taking care of a baby/toddler rears its head.

Speaking of challenges, Stephan and I are now dealing with Jay showing off his a-word. Yep. You guess right. His attitude. This has nothing to do with homeschooling. This is just apart of parenting experiences. Period. Because this is something new to us as parents, we're trying out different methods of...I dunno. Dealing with it, I guess. We find that good, old fashioned punishment is the best, so far. Jay is all about his electronics and gadgets, so those are the first to go. When those go, he usually straightens up quickly. We always give him the opportunity to earn back what he's lost. He's quick to apologize and admit when he's at fault. He shows remorse for a wrongful act. We have discussions about why a specific action was wrong and what the bible says about it. It's two-fold, though. There are times in which Stephan and I are wrong. We have to humble ourselves, admit that we're wrong, and apologize to Jay. For example, I can get loud and yell at him for something so minute. I overreact-a lot. So, I will apologize to him and explain why I was wrong. I don't want him to grow up felling like he doesn't have a voice, an opinion, or that he's always going to be wrong because he's young and inexperienced.

Jay is just such a laid-back guy. He enjoys complex ideas and process, like computer coding, for example. Last week code.org had an event going on for anyone who wanted to participate. Basically, they teach you an hour of code. It's really fun! I did it. Stephan did it. Even our six-year-old did it! My first grader understands the concept of computer coding! I didn't learn that until I was in the 10th grade! Like Daddy Stephan, Jay enjoys gaming- Playstation 4 games, computer games, LeapPad games, you name it. At the same time, Jay is still a child at heart. He is imaginative and can transform any given item into some grand in his mind. He's really special. We're so proud of how far he's come thus far.

Thanks be to the Lord for all the wonderful things He's done!

Lose Yourself To Dance!

November 26, 2013

1:02 PM

Y'all better be busy studying!

NOPE! We're taking a break right now! Take one with us!

KEEP CALM 

AND

LOSE YOURSELF!!!

60 Days In...

November 25, 2013

10:11am

It's been a little while since you last posted. How are things going? 

Let me begin by apologizing to my readers. I haven't posted for about two weeks. I'm in the middle of typing up a big post about the financial opportunities (or inopportunities) for homeschoolers; ya know: tax breaks, scholarships, etc. Little did I realize, my research would be extensive. I have to go back to grade-school and recall MLA and APA formats and stuff just to ensure I cite all of my sources. Sheesh! Prayfully, I'll have that up within the next week. It's a LOT of information to share, but I think it'll be worth it.

So, Jay and I have been at this homeschooling stuff for nearly three months. We're at the point where we've fully integrated lessons into our everyday home lives. We're learning to utilize our time wisely and how to turn everything into a learning experience. Now that Jay is attending speech therapy on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we are able to get out more and interact with others. Speaking of speech therapy, Jay is doing very well. His speech language teacher is a very nice young lady (I say that like I'm 20 years older than her. Lol She's young, though.) She seems to have a passion for helping children. Jay has learned so much and we can already detect a difference in his speech already! That's more than I can say about the two years of in-school therapy that Jay received during pre-k and kindergarten! The center is privately-run, independent of the local school district. They offer all kinds of services to special-needs children. One aspect that I really enjoy is how all the children interact so well together. No child is above another. Everyone interacts with each other, regardless of race, creed, color, or disability. It's refreshing for me, because Jay was always a friendly boy. Because of his speech impediment, lots of children would tease him whenever he'd try to have a conversation with them. Witnessing these special needs children is such an incredibly blessing, because I get to see love and kindness in its purest form. I tell ya, if you struggle with the second Commandment, just look at children. Children, though are born sinners that you don't have to teach them to misbehave, understand love without all of the complicated mess adults tend to bring in. There's so much to learn from those little people if adults would just shut up for once and stop acting like we know everything.

More and more, Jay is becoming an incredibly verbose child. He is very opinionated and has a lot to contribute to a conversation. We also noticed that he will not tolerate yelling or arguing. Stephan and I, like any other married couple, have our disagreements and heated debates. We try our hardest not to have these discussions in front of the children. But, typical of a child, Jay's ears perk up and zero in on adult business. If he doesn't like the tone of voice that we are using, he'll interject and say something like "God doesn't like arguing!" or "Mommy/Daddy, be nice to Daddy/Mommy!" As "cute" as that may be, the boy needs to understand his place as a child. We'll let him know that we are having an adult conversation that does not include him, but we'll also tell him that we love each other very much and only want the best for the household. I'm very big on children remaining in their place. Any adult contented topics are off-limits in the Berry house when it comes to the kids. We don't mind having intellectual conversations with Jay (and, trust me, the boy displays a keener intellect than most adults I know.) But, there are boundaries. Too many adults allow for their children to cross those boundaries. I was not raised that way, nor are my children being raised that way.

We do assert of level of frankness with Jay. For example, body parts. There's no "wee wee" or "pee pee" or whatever childish name adults come up with to try to shield their children from whatever. We identify genitalia as they should be. We teach them about sexual abuse (in a way a six-year-old can understand). If a situation ever occur where they were abused by an adult (Lord forbid!) or witnessed another child being abused, they will know that it is a bad thing, it's not their fault, and they must tell Mommy and Daddy immediately! We talk about bullying, cheating, lying, stealing, you name it. We talk about how all of these things are dishonoring to God and how important it is to be honest and to do the right thing in accordance to what the Word of God says. We can't afford to shield our kids from what this world is about. But, don't worry. We are not just teaching them about all the bad stuff. We teach them about how hard work pays off, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and so many other wonderful things about God's blessings. Jay seems to be picking it up really well. Stephan and I are learning a lot, too, along the way. Sometimes, I get ahead of myself and try to deliver too much information to Jay, which leads to him becoming overwhelmed. Sometimes, I don't tell him enough, which frustrates me when my expectations are not met. Sometimes, what I do tell him is not appropriate, and my dear husband is always there to hold me accountable.

As this journey continues, God is revealing so much to me about this role He has me in. It gets scary at times, because I think I'm failing. Yet, He always has a way of reassuring me. He forgives me for my mistakes and places me back on the path He has designed for me. What a wonderful God. :-)

Dad teaching Jay about the components of a standard desktop PC,

Homemade snickerdoodle cookies. Just because I felt like it.

Turkey Jerky and Mommy.

The Rights and Entitlements of a Homeschooled Child

November 4, 2013

2:14pm

What kinds of special services are available for homeschooled children?

Anyone who knows my eldest child knows that he likes to talk. The kid can and will carry a conversation on with anyone given the opportunity. The problem is that Jay has a very prominent lisp that makes it very difficult to understand what he is saying. He comes by it honestly. Yeth, I had a lipth when I wath younger, thoo. If you listen to me speak long enough, you'll hear it come out. 

Turk had speech therapy lessons he attended in Pre-K and in kindergarten. Stephan and I would have bi-quarterly meetings with the special education staff at his school to discuss his progress and plans/goals to reach by the next meeting. When we made the decision to homeschool, we informed the staff at the very last meeting we had with them. Of course, some of them seemed uncomfortable with the idea (or even offended) of withdrawing Jay to teach him at home. When I asked about continuing services, I received all kinds of ambiguous responses from the staff. One side said that the state of Texas only gives services to students enrolled under the local public school district, and the other side said that the homeschoolers are still entitled to receive those services. Needless to say, nobody knew what they were talking about, let alone the laws regarding home-education. 

I received a phone call from the special education coordinator at the very beginning of the summer saying that Jay was still eligible to receive speech services and that she would contact me at the end of the summer to make those arrangements. Well, that phone call never came. I suppose I shouldn't have been upset, considering all of the students enrolled in the Killeen Independent School District who needs those services. They get first dibs, right? Through my research, I've seen many parents struggle with having the local school system provide services to their homeschooled children. Much of the time, the school system will say that there is "no educational need". What a cop-out. Laziness and attitudes over the fact that...OK. Calm down, Nesh. Most parents on these forums I've been reading have to go through private therapy centers and duke it out with their insurance to cover the fees. It's a crazy hassle, but it's worth it.

As of today, Stephan and I were successful in getting Jay back into receiving speech services on a regular basis. We had to get a referral through his pediatrician and wait for a phone call from the therapy center, but it's all done! Jay will be resuming speech therapy every Tuesday and Thursday for a half-hour session, and we were successful in doing this with no complications! Praise God! 

As much as I may think it, I can't do everything. I'm not a licensed speech pathologist, nor am I good at particular subjects. But, as long as there is someone who is, I will seek them out and solicit their services on behalf of my children. One day, I'd like to bring this to the attention of the state (whichever one we're living in) board of education. All students, whether public, private, or home-educated, should have equal rights to all special services, as well as resources and tutoring options. I don't believe in preferential treatment, because all of these kids are apart of the same future America. There are enough issues facing kids and their education today. 

Dude...

We have got to do better.

Need To Vent? Take A Spelling Test!

November 1, 2012

9:53am

Excuse me, but did you say a spelling...er...test?

Yes. I. Did. Jay took a spelling test today. He gets one every Friday for the words of the week. Well, the kid was driving me nuts, as usual. So, as I was reading the words out loud for him to write, I used them in sentences that formed a story, of sorts. I'll type it exactly how I said it.

"You. You. You and your sister are driving me insane! You. You.

Tube. Tube. I want to stuff the two of you in a tube, and ship you off to Abu Dhabi. Tube. Tube.

Cute. Cute. You think you're cute, but you're really not. Cute. Cute.

Use. Use. You two just use me up, Bill Withers style. Use. Use.

Blue. Blue. It's no wonder why I scream and shout until I am  blue in the face. Blue. Blue.

Box. Box. I might just stuff myself in a box, and mail myself off to Abu Dhabi. Box. Box.

Fox. Fox. Sometimes, I just want to run, run, run away from you two like a fox. Fox. Fox.

Ax. Ax. I need to grab an ax and chop some wood out back to relieve some of this stress. Ax. Ax.

X-ray. X-ray. You two need an X-ray, because I think you both lost your minds. X-ray. X-ray.

Fix. Fix. I really wish I could fix you, but I think it's my attitude that needs fixing. Fix. Fix.

Love. Love. Because after all is said and done, I really do love you guys. Love. Love.

Your. Your. You're my babies, and I'm your mommy. Your. Your."

By the time I reached the tenth word, I began to feel better. Please feel free to use this method. Not only is it a reliever, your kids will learn some words at the same time. *Lol*

I'm a sick person. You don't have to tell me...

Homeschooling Is My State-Regulated Right? Wait...What?!

October 30, 2013

1:32pm

How do the homeschooling laws differ across state lines? 

Living in Texas is not as bad as it may seem. Then again, I don't consider where I live to be "real" Texas. I live in a melting pot of a town, mixed with people from as far away as the Philippines. Texas homeschooling laws are very simple and straightforward. It has three basic rules: Instruct your child(ren) in whichever manner you desire. Use physical books (none of this e-business). Teach them reading, spelling, grammar, math, and good citizenship. (http://thsc.org/homeschooling-in-texas/state-requirements/) Pretty straightforward, right? I think so! We really hit the homeschooling jackpot when we moved down here and we didn't even know it! There aren't any formal record-keeping agencies or requirements for record-keeping, at least not until high-school level. Basically, if your child reaches 17 years old and he/she is on a sixth grade level, that's on YOU. 

Homeschooling down here is a BIG deal (makes sense. Everything down here is BIG). They have their own homeschooling coalition down here (www.thsc.org). There's also a Christian homeschooling group based in Austin (https://www.homeschool-life.com/tx/cheact/‎ ). We haven't joined with either group, because official membership cost money. Besides, the plan is to move back to Maryland when Stephan is done with his contract. That being said...

I looked up the laws regarding homeschooling in the state of Maryland. I must say, for it to be such a progressive state, I am less than impressed. Observe:

"A parent/guardian may instruct a child at home under the supervision of the local school system or through correspondence courses under the supervision of a nonpublic school.  A nonpublic school may be a school/institution that offers an educational program operated by a bona fide church organization or a school/institution that has a certificate of approval from the Maryland State Board of Education."

Under the supervision of the local school system? Are you kidding me?! For all that, I might as well re-enroll Jay into public school! The whole purpose of taking him out was to pull him from underneath the oppressive (yeah, I said it) and misguided government-regulated teachings of public school! I suppose some states have laws like this to ensure that all children receive the educational curriculum and resources they are entitled to, but c'mon. My child is MY responsibility and how I choose to educate him is MY right. Some people may not agree and think those laws are helping. To each his own. As for THIS mom, I will teach Jay and Madison what I want them to learn. No. I will teach them what the Lord COMMANDS me to teach. 

Maryland, my sweet Old Line State-

I grew up in you. I attended your schools. I still hace your state license. But, right now you're killing me. Your high taxes, progressive stance in "modern day marriage", and rules about homeschooling are turning me off. You have the bomb crabs though. And four seasons. And cities, suburbs, and country backwoods within a 10 mile radius. So, I'll be back. But, I won't be happy about it!

My Sore Spot

October 29, 2013
4:27pm

What sore spot? Are you hurt?

Here are some fun pictures from today.

My First Vlog!

October 25, 2013

11:43pm

Your first video log! Whatchu got to say?

In Other News...

October 24, 2013

2:01pm

You mentioned having other goals and ventures in one of your previous posts. Care to talk about them?

One of my biggest regrets is not finishing school when I had the chance. I tried going back a couple times after that, but I can't say that I accomplished too much toward obtaining my degree. I started off attending Hampton University on a music scholarship right after high school. A year later, I dropped out. I enrolled at The Art Institute of Washington a few months after Jay was born and took a couple of online classes. By then, I was living in Raleigh as a newly singled mom, working full time, and raising an infant. With so much on my plate, I could barely finish a semester. 

I decided to take some time off to focus on my son and work. It was a tough choice, but it was the right one. At twenty-one, married (but separated), and mother of one, I was far from being a traditional student. A couple of years after moving back to Maryland, I enrolled in the College of Southern Maryland in late Summer, 2010. I put forth my very best effort into the 32 credits I earned from there; halfway toward an Associate's Degree. Stephan and I had just gotten married August, 2011, and I finished up my last semester at CSM that Fall. I took another year off in 2012 to focus on my pregnancy with Madison. I haven't been back since. 

 The more I think about it and I look around at my life now, I can't help but to feel like I'm not missing out on too much. When I went off to school the first few times, my focus was to graduate and obtain a decent job to provide for my son. If and when I go back to school at this point in my life, it is more so to fulfill a personal goal. Life now is so different. It's almost like the Lord re-purposed everything, even though I know this was all apart of his plan for me. I am just thankful that He placed me back on the right track.

I had a conversation with someone the other day. We talked about what I'd do whenever we move back to Maryland. I guess the expectation is that I'll go back to work to help pay for bills. I wouldn't have a problem with going back to work if I knew that there was someone who is trusted and available to homeschool and babysit Jay and Madison. Stephan and I are dead-set on our decision to homeschool. The plan is to homeschool until they graduate. So, what then? One of my main goals throughout this journey is to inspire young parents to take charge of their children's education. It doesn't mean they have to make the decision we're making for our kids to homeschool. I want to inspire and help them understand that they can be their children's primary teachers, public school educated or otherwise. My mom was and is probably my greatest teacher. A full-time government career-driven woman, married and raising five children, she still made being Mommy a priority. She would taken us to museums, serve as our girl scout troop leader, and involved in band parent association. She did so much. I will always be grateful for that. I learned so much about being a woman from her. When I got married and became a mother, all of those caretaker traits that she possess manifested in me. Even though I learned basic math and reading skills in school, she taught me how to use those skills in the real world. She taught me how to interact with people. My father was just as monumental in my education. Daddy, being very logical and straight-to-the-point, taught me the art of quick and logical thinking. I get about 75% of my sense of humor and creativity from that guy, too. I model much of my parenting from what I've seen him do with me and my sisters. Dad worked full-time for the Metropolitan Police Department (How cool is that, honestly?). He put in some serious man-hours to provide for us.

My point in saying all of this is that in spite of whatever personal and profession obligations and goals my parents had, they ensured that their children to loved, nurtured, and educated. They raised five children. Four of us graduated college, and three of those college grads hold Masters' degrees. ALL of us are doing well. Praise God for His grace, mercy, and many blessings!

I don't ever want to hear a parent say that they are too busy for their children. Adults get so wrapped up in money, money, money, that we neglect what's really important: these babies. Everything is about money. And why? To pay bills? No. To put food on the table? No. Stuff. We want stuff. American society teaches that we have to claw and dig our way to the top in order to get what we want. Honestly, there isn't anything wrong with that if that's what you value. But, we mustn't take our focus off of our next generation of lawyers, doctors, politicians, entertainers, athletes, etc.

Anesha, where are you going with all of this? Glad you ask. I think I'd like to become a home-education advocate. Not homeschooling, per se, but just encouraging parents to educate their children themselves. There's so much we can do with our kids. They deserve our best. But, I have no idea where I'd even begin with that. I supposed this blog is a start. If I can inspire just one person, then I'd be happy.

Our masterpiece from Arts & Crafts Thursday :-)

Ladies and Gentlemen, Enthusiasm Has Left the Building...

October 15, 2013

5:38pm

What has changed in the course of a month?

It's not that we're (or I'm) being lazy. It's just that now that we have a steady rhythm going, we found that not everything needs to go exactly according to schedule.  Here's a reminder of what the schedule is:

Time		Activity
700		Wake-up
		Brush teeth
		Make bed
		Get dressed
730		Eat breakfast
745		Morning prayer/preparations
800		Warm-Up (Journal Entry)
815		Phonics & Reading
910		Break
915		Spelling and Vocabulary
1010		Break
1015		Math
1130		Lunch
1200		Outside Activity
1230		Come in/wash hands
1235		Penmanship
1255		Health (M/W)/Baking (T)/Arts & Crafts (Th)/Bible Story Hour (F)
1345		Snack
1355		Afternoon prayer/Clean-up
1410		Chores

From 7am to 2pm. Full day right? Well, now that we understand how the assignments flow and what we need to accomplish everyday, we can pretty much end our day by lunchtime. Awesomeness, right? We found that most of the lessons don't need the allotted time. We also don't need the frequent breaks. I scheduled them thinking that Jay would need that time to recharge his mind. At first he did, but he works so hard at all of his assignments, that he barely even notices the time (usually, he'll try to stick to the schedule). He's pretty good at voicing whether or not he needs a break. Most of the time, he just wants some music on, so I'll crank up Daft Punk's latest album Random Access Memories. Their music gets you moving! Anyone who's been a fan of theirs for at least the past ten years know good and well that they breathe so much life into an dreary, ho-hum day. So, that's what we do. 

Before you make any assumptions about us rushing through the work, let me be the first to tell you that Jay has learned so much! He's retaining so much information; much more than I thought he would. I love how the assignment books will revisit past lessons to keep the students' mind fresh. Good stuff going on in the Berry Household. Praise God!

Update: Jay baked a pizza today for his baking lesson. He made the dough, cooked the sausage, etc. His future wife is going to love him. *Lol*

Pictures From the Past Week

October 12, 2013

12:50am

The kids being themselves.

Finally got Madison's hair into some little bows!

Sunday after-church picnic at the duck pond.

Jay laid this out for me to cook. How sweeeet. Lol

Yes. This actually happened!

Maintaining Balance

October 7, 2013

11:03pm

You've been so involved in Jay's homeschooling over the last month. How do you maintain balance in other areas of your life?

It's tough. I admit it. Stephan and I had a long discussion prior to finalizing the decision to homeschool. We discussed our marriage, finances, how it affects Madison, and my personal goals. We also discussed having time to ourselves which is a big thing for us. I'll explain each of these areas.

Marriage- It's mind-blowing all the hundreds of reasons why people file for divorce-adultery, finances, disinterest, and so on. Children can be added to that list. Sometimes parents place more attention on their children than they do their own spouses. Pretty soon, one spouse begins to feel neglected and we all know where those feelings can lead to. Stephan and I consider ourselves a rock-solid couple, but we are fully aware that we're capable of falling into traps set up by the enemy. We are always in prayer, together and separately. I am always praying for him, his safety when he goes out everyday, his health, and our marriage. We tell one another that we love each other everyday and I always greet him with a smile when he comes home. Sounds foofy doesn't it? Well, I don't care. It works. I love him. Most importantly, I love God. Ephesians 5 tells wives to revere their husbands as they do the Lord. And that's what I do, ladies and gentlemen. I try to honor the Lord in everything I do. Marriage included.

Finances- Yeah, sometimes it blows not having enough money to buy myself a new purse or some cute earrings whenever I want. Stephan is a hardcore gamer, so he wants to be able to purchase all the latest games. We are a one-income military family, so a lot of that's out. But, by the grace of the Lord we get by. In spite of what many people think, unless you're an E-7, or higher, you're scratching for pennies. OK. That was a bit over-the-top. But, a lot of military families struggle just like everyone else. We seek out WIC benefits to ensure our children are receiving the proper nutrition. We grab cans from food pantries on post or out in town. Sometimes, if the situation is dire, we tap into the state's food stamp program.

Stephan and I were blessed. Extremely blessed. We have regular bills, such as cell phones, internet services, groceries, car note, insurance, etc. We also have other debt we both individually brought into the marriage. At first, our prayer was to have more money. The Lord gaveth and the Lord tooketh away. So, we learned to budget the money Stephan was bringing in. We came up with strategies to make our money stretch and to make sure every bill was getting paid on time. For example, I like to get gas from H-E-B (the major grocery chain in Texas), so we budget $100 every two weeks for gas only. I load the money onto an H-E-B gift card and will use that! Two perks of doing that are a) there are no pending $1 transactions reflected on my bank account if I use my debit card and b) H-E-B has perks for customers who use gift cards at their gas stations: you save 4 cents on every gallon! Win! Also, I'm a cook. A BIG cook. In addition to wanting my family to eat healthier, I started fixing just about everything homemade. I keep all kinds of ingredients in the pantry for whatever I need it for. It saves from having to spend money over and over on the same product. You know, I may have to blog about money-saving tips at a later date. *Lol*

Madison- We didn't have too many concerns about her. There's five and a half years between our children, so we are able to give Jay all the focus and attention he needs without slighting Mad, and vice versa. When she becomes school-aged, then she'll be homeschooled, too. By then, Jay will be 10 (Boo Hoo!!!!) and will be able to do more independent study, while I focus on her Kindergarten curriculum.

My Personal Goals- I'm a wife. A mom. A teacher. And a student of the Lord's word. I LOVE what I do! But, I do have goals of my own. One day, I'd love to go back to obtain my undergrad degree. I had the chance many times before, but the time has come and gone. It'll be back later, but now, I have other focuses. I'd also love to have a small catering business one day, just to have a couple of dollars in my pocket. Now that I think about it, I wouldn't mind taking a couple of non-credit financing courses. I don't care for numbers, but I do like coming up with different strategies for money-saving or money-investing. I'm no financing expert, but I'd like to help out low-income families in some way. I'd also like to volunteer with the USO. OK. I'm type-rambling, but I do have things I'd like to do. My time to do them will come. Right now, I receive joy and fulfillment from the blessings that are my husband and children!

Time for Ourselves- If I don't have time for myself to study the Lord's word and pray everyday, then EVERYTHING gets thrown off. I'm grumpy, irritable, and nothing seems to flow right. Stephan knows that I need that time to myself to ease my mind and decompress after a long day. Usually, once I've finished studying, Steph has long gone to sleep, and I open up the Netflix app on my phone to watch reruns of Scrubs or Psych (two of my favorite shows), play a game, or see who's doing what on Facebook. If I'm able to get a good book in, then that's always great. I also get great stress-relief when I'm cooking. Doing food prep gives me great focus on things other than all the goes on day in and day out. Peeling potatoes, dicing onions, sifting flour-all great ways. You know how some people sing best in the shower? Well, I sing my very best in the kitchen! *Lol*

So far, our challenges have remained pretty consistent. But, it shows that I need God every single day. You'd think we'd learn to manage these challenges, but we can't. We rely on Him everyday to get by. He balances me out.

4 Weeks In. We're Still Standing.

September 29, 2013

10:51pm

Way to go! You've completed a whole month! How have you changed? What have you learned?

Well, now! You'da thought we completed the entire first year! I kind of feel like I did. I can't believe we completed a month! There were so many high points, and almost as many lows. But, I'm learning so much about myself and my son. One of the greatest lessons I'm learning is patience. One of Jay's scriptures from his Penmanship lesson a few weeks ago was Galatians 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." What wonderful news that is! I tell you, dear reader, it is so easy to pray to the Lord to ask Him for all of those wonderful things, but once you realize that He's already given it to you through the Holy Spirit, it makes you want to slap your forehead because of all the times you know you should've utilized those gifts. God literally gives us control of so much. It's really just up to us to ask Him how to use these gifts. Throughout this month, I've been asking Him every single day to help me. He's been with me every step of the way!

I've been dealing with some challenges; some new, and some I pretty much figured would come. Jay has an attitude! MY Jay! I never knew he had it in him. Needless to say, I was prepared for the first backlash. The boy has mouth...like his mama. Yeah, yeah, I know. But, there's a definitive line that Stephan and I had to draw, because Jay has crossed the respect boundaries a few times, and he paid dearly for it by getting (in the words of my California brother-in-law) molly-whopped. What's funny is that he only starts acting up when my mom is around. She's been here for a couple of weeks. We've had a blast with her and my mom-in-law. Good times. But, because of all the time Jay spent with her when we used to live with her, he looks at her like another mother, and not so much a grandmother. I don't mind it, really. I just am working hard to help Jay understand that I am his mother and what I say goes. It's been like that since we moved out of her house February, 2012. I guess in many ways I have myself to blame for not fully asserting myself as the CMO- Chief Mother Officer. When Jay was younger, I treated him more like a little brother than anything. I suppose I am really blessed, though. Jay is a really good kid. Stephan and I don't had any major problems out of him. He does what he's told, says "Excuse me", "Please", and "Thank you", respects other adults, and cleans up after himself (that's a bonus). He is truly eager to learn, try new things, creative, innovative, funny, and and possesses an insatiable desire to learn more about Jesus. Thank you, Lord.

So, there's that. Dealing with his new attitude. I'm also behind on my studying. I've been trying to keep up on my biblical studies every night, but it's been so difficult. I've started getting up with Stephan at 5:15am just to read a few chapters to start my day. Then, I'll try to read a few more after Jay's lessons. I've been doing all of this extra reading to try to catch up to the present date in my study journey. I'm still behind. It's been really tough, but I'm not giving up. I'm just going to keep on plugging at it. As long as I'm digesting The Word everyday, then I'm ok. 

There isn't too much more to say. God has been wonderful. Jay has learned so much. I've learned even more about him, myself, and the Lord. I'm eager to find out more over these next several months!

 Jay baked a homemade cheesecake for his baking lesson last Tuesday. 

 The finished product. Jay's first cheesecake. This looks better than the first one I ever made! 

Arts & Crafts Thursday. We put together a puzzle of the United States, courtesy of my Baltimore sister. This kid knows his geography! 

Way to go, pal! 

Having his science lesson with Daddy.

Distractions! Distractions! All Around!

September 19, 2013

11:18am

Still having trouble focusing, eh?

Yeah, but Jay has a lot going on around him at the moment. My mother and mother-in-law flew into town the other day. While we are beyond thrilled to have them here visiting, it creates an additional challenge for Jay when it comes to focusing. Yesterday, Jay spent an hour and a half on an assignment that I only allotted 55 minutes for, and he still didn't finish. I told him that he owes me time Saturday morning, seeing as I don't like for him to move onto another lesson without mastering the previous lesson. I've been trying to be lenient on him, considering my mother is his favorite person in the world and all he wants to do is be around her. I'll work straight through the planned lessons so he can spend the majority of the day with his grandmothers. He just wastes sooo muuuuch tiiiime! 

The Lord has given us all that we, as believers, need to get through this life by way of the Holy Spirit, so I'm well equipped with patience. It's just been though, because I've had to practice some serious patience with him. So many times, I just want to punch him in the head, because he's staring off somewhere and not focusing on his work. But, thank the Lord for restraint! And, get this. Jay catches attitudes with me! If you ever met my kid, you'll see that he will get upset, frustrated, and sad, but he's not typically smart-mouthed. I had to correct his little tail a few times since my mom has been here. He's gets big in the britches whenever he's around her, so I'll say in my most sinister voice, low enough for only him to hear, that Gwa-Gwa will have to return home sooner or later. Try me if you want to, homie! Muahahahahahahahaaaaaa!

I'm trying to maintain my composure. It's incredibly difficult. Children truly do feel that they know it all and that they can do it all. So, when an adult tries to help them correct their obvious mistakes, they want to get upset with the adult! It's been like that for the past several days. I want to give up so bad, but how would the Lord be glorified in my giving up? I'm so thankful to have Him to lean on and to draw my strength from, because I can't do this on my own. Nothing in this life is ever meant to do on our own. If it was, then Jesus wouldn't have had the need to die for us! 

Keep pressing forward.

Look what I found next to Jay's foot!!! My mom killed it. I was too petrified. *Lol*

When in doubt, don't doubt!

September 16, 2013

3:17pm

How much confidence do you have in your son?

More today than I did last week, that's for sure. Last week was full of highs and lows-mostly lows. Jay's focused was way off and my patience was wearing thin. It seemed like Jay wasn't getting anything I was teaching. I keep forgetting that six-year-olds still have short attention spans. I was talking to Stephan last night about this week's lessons. Jay had a math test today, and I was expressing serious doubt as to whether he could complete it own his own and answer every question correctly. Please don't mistake my doubts for lack of confidence in my child. OK, so there was a little lack of confidence, but it was coming from a place where I know of Jay's strengths and areas of opportunity. Focus is a HUGE area of opportunity for Jay. Welp, long story short, the little guy proved me wrong:

I had every intention of going over each section one at a time with Jay. But, once he got started, he kept on going without me! I guess as parents, we overlook all the wonderful things about our kids, because we're so busy looking at their imperfections. What an unfair thing to do, especially considering that the Heavenly Father overlooks His children's imperfections and forgives us of all the sickening things we do. Christ had the confidence that His people WILL prosper and overcome sin through Him. That's why he left us with the Holy Spirit! 

I know better, now. Jay makes mistakes. But, given an opportunity to give his all, I know he'll provide A+ results every time.

Real Parents Have More Than One Child

September 10, 2013

12:06pm

How do you handle having a baby while homeschooling a school-aged child?

Who knows? *Lol* I remember when Jay was little. We had, one day, came in from grocery shopping. He was about two years old and we were living in Maryland with my mom. Like all two year olds, he was active and into everything. I left him in the living room to put away all the groceries in the adjoining kitchen. Well, dummy me, I accidentally left a bag that had toothpaste in the living room. Jay had found that bag, opened up the toothpaste, and created his masterpiece right on my mother's carpet! I detected the faint smell of Colgatey-minty freshness and walked into the living room to see my child covered from head to toe in toothpaste.

Now, let's analyze this Bill Cosby-style. 

Tell 'em, Bill. Fortunately, my children are spaced out in age. They are 5 1/2 years apart. I can tell who did what according to the damage something has sustained. Madison is the Godzilla between the two. Jay tries to be a bit more subtle in his destruction. A small piece of something will be missing or broken off, and we don't realize it until much later, making it difficult to discipline that kid, because he doesn't even remember it happening! Every now and then, we do get the "Maddy did it!". So, Stephan and I will look at her and she's just grinning away. It's not NOT to smile back, so we end up punishing both children. *Lol* We're so mean. And it's fun. :-D 

I have to keep Madison busy while I'm teaching, though. When I get up in the morning, I get her up, too, so she'll be sleep by the time we get to the second lesson of the day. When she's up, she's terrorizing everything. I can't put her in her pack 'in' play, because she'll start fussing. So, I just have to let her crawl around on the floor. That's not so bad until shes knocking over the easel holding the dry-erase board. Like I said. Terrorize. Thankfully, I've become a pretty decent multitasker since having another child, so everyday I'm getting better at juggling teaching Jay and entertaining Madison. 

Anyway, back to our lessons. Penmanship next, and baking last. Here's something for you, moms and dads. When you are having a hard time finding a quick and tasty snack for the kiddies, corn dog muffins are a win every time. Just use a box of Jiffy cornbread mix. Prepare as instructed. Divide the batter into a well-greased muffin pan, and drop cut up pieces of uncooked hot dogs in each section. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, let cool, and enjoy!