Mom Remembers

More than in years past, I have been feeling very keenly the need to gird up my loins and take courage this Michaelmas.  Starting with the official onset of homeschool, I have been feeling intimidated by my own life choices and uncertain about my abilities.  Or, perhaps more accurately, I have been feeling weary of the work and wary of the knowledge that there is only more to come. It's not just the 18+ years of homeschooling ahead that I need to face with courage.  It is also the impending winter and cabin fever, the rest of this pregnancy, the addition of child #4, and the necessary but uncertain relocation of our family.  And so this season, I have been personally edified more than usual by the stories of courage, endurance, and divine assistance that I tell my children.  They have led me to acknowledge my weariness without abandoning my cause.  They have inspired me to lengthen my stride in preparation for the future.  And they have given me hope...

My first week of homeschooling has been surprisingly draining. Before the big first day, I felt mostly excitement.  My research was done and my choices were made.  My plans were in place and I was confident in them.  My son was eager and ready to learn. I thought that homeschooling would be either a) a blast or b) not that different from normal life. It was both of those things.  But it was neither. That makes no sense and yet it is true.  My first week homeschooling was both fun and terrifying.  And while it was not that different from normal parenting, I felt  different and not in entirely positive ways.  All of a sudden, I felt afraid.  Afraid of falling short, of messing up, of unforeseeable complications and very real impending complications, of missing things, of going too fast or too slow, of getting bored, of being isolated, of everything . And while I have plenty of good coping mechanisms for dealing with these issues, they...

I am pregnant with another boy !  I was surprised by how much this surprised me.  My mom only had three boys so, although I always wanted lots of boys, I really expected this one to be a girl. He's not! So, without further ado, here is my list of four reasons why four boys are better than three. 1. There's a sense of balance about four.  Everyone has a buddy!  Plus, the four of them can be a kick-butt team.  Think of all the awesome foursomes: the four Ninja Turtles, the four gospels, the four hobbits, the four horsemen of the apocalypse, the four skillful brothers , the four Hogwarts houses, the three Musketeers (who are actually four), the four Ghostbusters, and the four archangels.  In a great foursome, each person has unique and necessary skills that aid in the accomplishment of the groups goals.  I hope that my four boys can be that kind of team. 2. The symbolic aspect of four suggests completion as it is a representation of all earthly th...

I think that this has been the most anticipated birthday in the history of the Duede family.  Carl has been dreaming and talking and planning for his 5th birthday all summer long.  He was relatively gracious about my many amendments to his grandiose schemes and I think that he had a pretty good day in the end.  I take it as a good sign that he prays almost daily: "Thank you that I am five." This is what we did to celebrate: 1. First thing in the morning, he opened a couple of presents.  There was new chalk from his dad and a new bike from Grandma Berg.  (I was very grateful to finally  get that bike out of my storage unit where it has been hiding for the past two months.)  Carl got up on the bike and whizzed along the driveway.  He told me, "I could ride this bike all day!"  Then I taught him how to use his new bike lock, which has a word combination.  He promptly taught Soren to do it for him and I'm not sure he has unlatched it him...

SOREN:  I have finally figured out what parents are. SCOTT:  Is this the kind of thing that is going to get you sent to your room? SOREN:  No.  They are what I don't like.  So when I grow up I'm going to have no wife and no kids ... and I will end this madness!

SOREN:  Guess why the Jews lived in Judea?  Because they were Jews . CARL:  Yeah.  Their last name is "- Ew " so they live in J ew dea. SCOTT:  Well, the two things are not unrelated.

1. He is generally cheerful and is generous with his good cheer. 2. He talks candidly about his anger, sorrow, and frustration. 3. He loves to read.  His favorite books are manga but I can occasionally catch him caught up in a good chapter book. 4. He has a wild and wonderful imagination. 5. He is excited about homeschooling and first grade. 6. He bonds readily to other adult authorities.  He loves his primary teachers and his swim teacher. 7. He has a beautiful, innocent faith in God's love. 8. He stands up for himself in increasingly positive ways. 9. He is enthusiastic about life and learning. 10. He helps me a lot.  (That is, when I can grab enough of his attention to make a request.) 11. When we go grocery shopping, he can fetch items from the next aisle over. 12. He can also fetch Sven when he toddles down the driveway. 13. He can assemble the ingredients when I am trying a new recipe. 14. He can execute all the different stages of the laundry chore: ...