Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Life on the rez....

There are many things that have changed in my life since moving out here to the reservation.....what I wear, what I eat, how I speak, etc. My personality has even changed (I shudder when I think of how loud and obnoxious I was when I first started working out here, 19 years ago).

As I sat in our prayer meeting yesterday morning, I realized something else has changed since I moved here.....my prayer requests. Twenty years ago I would have never thought I would be praying about things like sheep who are sick, a safe day branding cattle, for medicine men and for rain.
I was reminded of this change as we sat around as a staff and shared prayer requests.....
*safety while out cutting wood for the elderly and for Navajo churches
*yet another drunk driving accident
*elderly mom, that she will be safe this winter (still hauls her own wood and uses an out house)
*same elderly mom having visions/dreams of a medicine man that keeps visiting her at night
*missionaries who are struggling to be away from family members who are sick
*the struggle of teaching the concept of "sin" to Native people (they don't understand it because they are taught they are born with a 'neutral' spirit)...the concept of sin is not in their tradition.
*Shalako season in Zuni (google it)....and the persecution the youth experience because of this festival. Some of the kids are being groomed to be leaders in this festival....they are persecuted for NOT wanting to participate, and are often forced to perform and be involved.

These are just a few of the things that are on the hearts of the missionaries here and a few things that are going on to hinder the Word of God coming to the Native people.

If you think about it, please pray for one or two of these this week.....

Monday, November 7, 2011

Starting a fresh week of school this week.....and staying at home to do it (instead of going to the craft shop, where we usually go) because we are expecting a few inches of snow today....a good day to just stay inside.

Still not having great success in the area of school, but almost getting too tired to care. Just going to move through it and get what we can done each day.

On the agenda this week is the usual math, English (which Abigail is WAY behind in), reading, phonics and handwriting (for Marissa), history and science. We have a couple science experiments coming up....we finally grew some bread mold and are working on some algae and will study them under the microscope. The kids also have a paper due on how we see Christ throughout the Old Testament due this Thursday. That will take up a good chunk of time. They also have to come up with science experiments for Co-op (Peter's is due this Thursday, the girls are due next week).

I will be out of town next week so I am leaving a skeleton schedule for Dad to do with the kiddos. Not going to worry about what gets done and what doesn't.....I'll fix it all when I get back. We are supposed to take that following week off because of Thanksgiving, but not sure if that will happen....may just work all the way through it.

Going to try and not focus on all that is not getting done, but on all the opportunities the Lord gives me. I work full-time outside of schooling and I need to give that some focus, too. I am slowly distancing myself from ministry because of schooling....I need to re-evaluate and follow the Lord and the work He has given me.

Friday, November 4, 2011

I'm a little bit of a funk these days.....schooling still goes on, but my heart is not in it. We still review spelling words, grow mold for science experiments, and take apart and put fractions back together again.....but I know I'm just going through the motions. I can't get it all done each day, so I live in a constant state of failure and discouragement in this area of my life. That can wear you down.

But In know this is what the Lord wants me to do, so I am going to continue on....trusting that I am walking down the path He has led me on.

Despite my lack of enthusiasm, we are getting some school done.

I won't highlight everything since I have not been here for about a month....but we are moving through it and everyone is doing fairly well, although each child has their own specific struggles. But I have stepped back some (and I use that word loosely) and let them kinda figure out some of their school on their own. I don't feel settled in my mind about it, but at least it is relieving some of the pressure off of me for a few days.....room to breathe. My niece, who seems to struggle the most, has not cried in 2 days....that's a record for the past month or so. Therefore, "I" haven't cried in the past 2 days.

I head up the local Home School Co-op and I think it has been a success....the kids have really seemed to enjoy it. Three of mine have to write a paper for next week and I'm a little worried for them....it's a 2 page paper on how we see God move through the Old Testament....kinda reminds me of my college days! But I'm sure they will do fine and hopefully they will learn something from it.

We have been busy outside of home schooling so that has put a little strain on us, but hopefully things will start to settle down some. The camp schedule is lighter the next couple of weeks so that will help a little.....although the list of things to do outside of serving groups that come is long and continually growing....it will never get done.....but we must do the tasks laid before us and not grow weary in doing good.

Although it's only Friday pm, I am sitting here preparing for next week....and as I write out each child's schedule and plan their lessons, I am saying a prayer for them (and myself) that we will honor the Lord with our efforts and strive to serve Him and others with each task given to us.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Friday, October 14, 2011

Well, my goal was to blog here every week about my home school accomplishments....but I haven't really had any in the past 2 weeks so I've avoided it. Both weeks have pretty much been epic failures.....guess that's life.

So, if I only hit the highlights (far and few between) they would be:
the butterflies (from our science experiment) finally came out of their cocoons...and of course they did it while we were in town all week so we technically missed it....but they are out and fluttering around their 'house'

our home school co-op officially started and it seemed to go well....all the kids left smiling so that is a good sign

That's about it.....hoping next week will be better.
Heard from some other home school moms that I'm doing it all wrong, so I'm going to try to find some free time this weekend and re-evaluate everything....should be fun.

It's been a hard couple of weeks.....
couple of tragedies, some personal failures, and lots of 'pondering'.....

I'm sure next week will be better

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Home School Weekly

This week we were on a 1/2 day schedule.....I needed it....lots of outside stress along with the stress of homeschooling led to that decision. It was really nice and I would LOVE to keep that schedule, but just not possible. But I did get some rest and got lots of stuff on my huge "to do" list done, therefore my stress level is lower....praise the Lord! Even though we only schooled 3 hours a day, we still got quite a bit done. We took no breaks during those 3 hours and worked hard. So hopefully I am not too far behind because of it.

MATH:
Peter and Hannah took a test and did well.....YEAH!!!! There are starting a new unit more measures and how to add and subtract them. And I'm pretty sure you hardly EVER use a bushel and a peck in daily life! Abby is reviewing prime numbers and factors....she still struggles on word problems, but so did I so I can have sympathy. Marissa is still working on adding and subtracting, but we've moved to 3 digit numbers. I have not worked enough with flash card with her so that is on the schedule for this coming week. She is doing well with counting money :)

ENGLI
SH: We did not do much with English this week....lack of time and just got pushed aside. But we will get back on it this week.

READING: Marissa is doing a "little" better....it still takes us almost an hour to do 1 lesson, but I don't feel like poking my eyes out half way through now. I have to sit with her while she reads to help her with words and to ask her questions to make sure she knows what she is reading. But overall, there is a little improvement in the reading area. Abby did much better this week in reading....I went over the questions with her and she did better....made a 100 on her workbook section!

SPELLING: Marissa had a review so she had 60 words to study....she only missed 4 which was really good. Peter actually did really well, too (he struggles with spelling)....I find that the more 'study' time I give him and more review time, he does much better. Hannah did well....and Abby has to take hers on Monday.

PHONICS and HANDWRITING: This is mostly Marissa's subject, although the others do handwriting a couple times a week. Peter SHOULD do it more because his is terrible! Marissa still struggles with phonics but I am going to focus more on "teaching" it and doing every step in the teacher's manual. I do see a little improvement in this area, too. I"m not 'counting to 10" as often :)

SCIENCE: Abby is still studying the structure of a cell.....she did a great drawing of one....she is definitely my artistic one! She is taking her time with the study questions now and doing much better. Marissa did no history or science this week, but I have much planned for her this coming week so hopefully she will have fun with it. She really struggles with remembering what she read...therefore answering the questions at the end of each chapter is rough. The twins are still on arthropods....and loving it! Our caterpillars are starting to form their cocoons which is exciting. They just studied the section on caterpillars, moths, and butterflies. I find it all pretty fascinating :0 The exciting part of the week was our trip to the zoo, aquarium and botanical gardens. I was need to see them remember some of the things they had learned, even from years past. They remembered that a giraffe has 7 bones in their neck, just like us.....that a rhinos horn is made out of hair, and all 4 stages of the butterflies life.....it was a great field trip and we a new homeschool family joined us so they made new friends. It was a long day, but well worth it!

HISTORY:
Abby is still taking a tour of Asia...interesting stuff. ANd she will start working on her speech this week. The twins will be doing the same, except their speeches are on First Americans. In Peter's book on Squanto, he found a recipe for cornbread...something that they possibly had on the first 'thanksgiving'....he loved making it and loved eating it even more!

And then there are all the "extra" stuff the kids do....soccer still takes up quite a bit of time....although they cant' attend awana right now because of soccer, they are still working on their books......they take a class at the library every week (they just finished up a 3 week course on how to use the library, and now they will start on a science experiment series).....the girls are still taking knitting lessons and Abby is almost done with her scarf and they both just finished up their heart-shaped wash cloths; next they will be starting on their hats.....and our Bible Quiz season is just starting up so we are studying for that. They are studying I Peter this time.

Overall, I guess we got quite a bit done this week....so hopefully, since we will be back to a full schedule this coming week, we should get TWICE as much done! RIIIIIIIGHT!!! :)

You can check out the other field trip pics on my facebook.....:)


Monday, September 26, 2011

I"m late posting my Home School Weekly....but at least I"m here.....so overwhelmed, it almost didn't happen :)
Better late than never....

Math:
Abby is finishing up her chapter on Units of Measure...got a test coming up :) We'll see how much 'sunk in'!
Peter and Hannah are starting a unit on measures also...they are reviewing the "ruler"....measuring lines down to the 1/16th...my eyes struggle to see that!
Marissa is still moving through addition and subtraction....trying to help her NOT use her hands when subtracting....not sure how to even do that....

English:
Abby...we are still at a little bit of a stand still as we work on diagramming....the lessons coming up all have diagramming with them so we are just backing up and getting it right.
Twins....more diagramming here, too....along with sentence "math" (figuring out if a sentence is compound or simple). Peter is struggling,but we are going slow.
Marissa....working more with "answering" questions in the form of sentences....and doing some word order things. She is getting it all, but struggles to remember to begin and end a sentence properly...ugh!!!!

Spelling:
Abby and the twins just finished a "review" lesson where they had 100 words to study....everyone passed the test :)
Marissa is just starting her review lesson, but she does pretty well with spelling so it should be ok.

Phonics/Reading:
Marissa is the only one doing phonics and it's still the biggest struggle (this and the reading lessons)....but I had a former home school mom work with her on Thursday and she agreed that Marissa does not know her short and long vowels...but then told me that public schools aren't all teaching that as much any more...more word recognition type reading....so we are pretty much starting from scratch with blends and vowels....but we are moving slow through that and she is catching on to some of it.
Abby is still doing poorly in reading, despite the fact she is a great reader....but after grading her last few lessons, I'm realizing it IS her just being lazy. I had her go back and re-do a couple lessons and she did perfect....so we made a deal that from now on she will take her time and do it right....or else fail and do it over again next year (she does NOT want to repeat it)...so hopefully from here on out things will be better.
Peter still struggles with the reading comp, but I am trying to just sit close to him and help him work it out....today went better :)

History:
Abby is still studying Asia, with emphasis on China (her favorite). She will slowly start working on a 'research' type paper on China or some aspect of it.
The twins are still working on First Americans...they both read 2 books on ones in particular (Peter, Squanto....Hannah Pocahontas)....Hannah is LOVING it!!! And surprisingly, Peter is really enjoying reading about Squanto. They will start working on their speeches next week.
Marissa hasn't read a new chapter this past week....we just keep reviewing what we have learned....need to make progress in this area.

Science:
Abby is working on the "cell"....she will be drawing and labeling one this week.
The twins are still on arthropods.....they love it! They have gone through crustaceans, arachnids, and insects so far. We are now the proud owners of 3 crayfish....I wanted to give them an up close and personal look at crustaceans....I still can't really touch them! Too close to the spider family!! We did do a science experiment from the previous unit....had to do with water pressure...the kids loved it!! It basically taught about the scientific method and how to perform an experiment....they got it :)
Marissa worked more on seeds, wildflowers and weeds.....she continues to add to her seed collection and really enjoys that.

This week, due to some stress I'm having, we are on a 'half day' schedule. We are doing school from 10am - 1pm....taking the mornings to work on some cleaning projects and the 'extras' in our schedule (piano, knitting, awana, etc)....and I'm not allowing for much homework. I am doing school for about 8 hours a day and it's wearing me out. I'm taking this week to 'revamp' my schedule and seeing what works best.
Praying that I can figure this out.....

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

I JUST posted that I didn't want to waste any school days...and what did I do today? yep...wasted a perfectly good day.

I let the kids sleep in late because they have been so tired, cranky and whiny....but the day never really got started. Part of it is having hubby home all the time...he doesn't always SEE the big picture of schooling...so in his attempt to help out, he started all the kids on a cleaning project this am that lasted at least an hour. So I worked while he supervised their cleaning efforts, but by the time they were done, I was waist deep in my project. By the time I was done, the kids were scattered...but I did manage to reign them in and get a couple hours of school done....but not without some struggling. Then hubby, again in attempts to help, decided today was a good day to do the science project I'd asked him to help with last week. I truly am grateful for him to do these type of things and the kids had a blast....that's all that should really matter, right :) Just bad timing....

My list of things 'to do' is taller than me.....(well, if I typed it out in really large font)....but you get the idea!

But as I look around my living room....2 kids are playing with Littlest Pet Shop, one is making thank you cards, and the other is practicing magic tricks, I have to remember that I am blessed....my home is filled with noise, laughter, singing (although slightly off key)....my living room is covered with scrap paper (the card making one) but I have a home that's safe and warm.....I have soccer stuff piled in the laundry room, but I also have 4 healthy, happy, athletic kids.....God is good, even when I have to look a little harder and a little deeper to see it....the fact remains, that He is good...all the time.

Monday, September 19, 2011

It cracks me up that my last post here was the first week of camp.....that says a lot about how the summer went....BUSY! But really, I did start another blog for the camp season

www.brokenarrowbibleranch.blogspot.com

I updated there all summer :)

So I am going to 'attempt' to start blogging here again....
to be honest, I don't have much to say these days except to let you know how schooling is going, since that is pretty much all I do with my days right now. All day, every day......
I am not even really able to do much ministry right now because of it (and soccer)....a busy time in my life, but one that will hopefully pay off one day....*key word, hopefully

So I am going to try to start doing the weekly homeschool updates again....it helps to see it all written out....makes me feel like I actually accomplished something, especially those weeks when I feel like the exact opposite!

We actually started the 3rd week of August, but we had done a few things before that. Since a lot of the math was review, we started that beforehand...so we are officially in our 5th week of school and for the most part, we are on schedule to be halfway done by Christmas. Trying to not take too many unscheduled days off this year. Sometimes I can't help it with the camp schedule being so 'unplanned' but it is my PLAN to stay focused and aggressive about the school schedule.

ABBY:
Math....For the most part we are still in a review: we did all the basics and now we have moved into reviewing units of measure and working with them mentally. She does not love math, but is pushing through it...grades aren't that great.
English....Again, some review, but some new stuff added. She is not grasping a lot of the concepts: predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives, noun of direct address, adverb clauses, etc....and on top of that, the diagramming is killing her. I love to diagram but she does not, so it makes it hard. I am looking up extra work for her online to help.
Spelling....She has very challenging words, but is doing fairly well with it....it's not so much a struggle for her.
Reading....I'm surprised that she is not doing as well in this area....she LOVES to read and spends hours a week doing it, but she just does not do that well with doing the work that goes along with it....just not putting the thought in that's needed to do it right. The grades she is making in this subject is not reflective of her true level of reading, which is disappointing.
History....one of my favorites...not sure how much she enjoys it! Again, she understands it,but does not do well on the study questions at the end of the chapter so therefore her grade is not all that great. She covered maps/globes in the first chapter (I had no idea how expensive globes were! wow!), she studied Europe in the second chapter and now she is studying Asia...THAT has her attention because she LOVES China. I checked out extra books at the library so she could do more research on it....I will have her write a report on some aspect of it in the next couple of weeks. I read all the chapters each kid does so I feel like all I do is read history and science...I have more homework than they do!
Science....She studied the "orderliness" of God's world in the first chapter...she loved doing the project where she had to go outside and find examples of "order" in nature....she found many plants and then cut out pictures of animals that exemplify God's order in the world. She also did a project where she had to make a pendulum...Dad helped her with that one. She is now beginning to study cells (I like this part!) so we bought a microscope and are ready to study the tiny details of God's world.

PETER AND HANNAH:
Math....Like Abby, they are beginning with reviewing a lot of last year's work. Right now they are just finishing up studying fractions....they both did well, but most of the problems Peter missed was because he didn't reduce all the way correctly....just in a hurry, I think.
English.....mostly review...they too are doing some diagramming but it's pretty basic. There seems to be more work on paragraphs which is a struggle for both of them, esp Peter. His spelling is pretty weak and he still does not grasp sentence structure. Hannah struggles with thought flow....guess it will click, one day...
Spelling....They both are doing ok in this area...Peter struggles a little more than Hannah though. They work together a lot, quizzing each other and working on the assignments together.
Reading....HELP!!!! Again, Hannah does a little better, but they both are not very strong in reading comprehension. Reading outloud helps,but I still have to work through the questions with them. But this is the first time with this curriculum and it's a little intense....I am hoping to slowly get them doing it on their own...
History....they seem to really enjoy this subject. Their first Unit was on the US and Canada...they enjoyed tracing and labeling the maps....both did well on their tests. Now they are beginning their study on First Americans and in addition to their assigned school work, I have books for them from the library. Peter will study Squanto and Hannah will study Pocahantas....I am reading all the books first (3 each) so hopefully I will be knowledgeable on each figure, too. They will probably have to do a speech on their character.
Science...their first Unit was on science as an overview.....different branches of science, the scientific method, etc. Now they are starting their study of anthropods...they LOVE that kind of stuff! We are still doing some experiments from the last unit, too.

MARISSA:
She is my niece who is living with us for the year... I am still figuring out what she knows and doesn't know, since I didn't actually school her last year (she was public school).
Math....she seems to be doing ok with this. She is using her fingers less and less and improving on her speed drills. She did not know how to count any money when she started but now she is doing pretty well with dimes, nickles and pennies. She is doing 3 digit addition (not carrying though).
English....she seems to have a good idea on what a sentence is and the different kinds. That is pretty much all the lessons have covered so far.
Handwriting....she has been taught to write some letters/numbers incorrectly but is working to correct that. Otherwise she does pretty well with her penmenship.
Phonics and Reading.....this is where a lot of the crying happens. The curriculum is too hard for her, I'm pretty sure. She does not read very well and didn't know the difference between a long and short vowel...and for some reason, can't grasp it. So it doesn't matter how many times I explain the 'rules' to her, she just can't get it....but we are praying that it will just "click" soon. The daily reading lesson takes over an hour if I sit down and help her...if I don't, it can take well over 2 hours. I"m kinda at a loss here....
History and Science....She cannot read the lessons in these subjects so I do most of that for her, although I do have her read parts of it....but the comprehension (no matter which way we do it) is very low. The questions are too hard for her to do alone. In History she is studying different types of "land" (hill country, plains, mountains, etc) and mostly covering the land of Canada. In Science she has already studied the seasons (brand new concept to her) and now we are looking at seeds, weeds and wildflowers. We have collected several types of seeds and will be working on finding some of the wildflowers she is studying. She enjoys the hands on type stuff!
Spelling....she does really well in this subject, but she just can't read and understand the directions in the lessons on her own. Good speller :)

I know that was a lot...I'm sure most of you didn't even make it to this paragraph! But that is the last MONTH in a nutshell...from now on, it will just be a 'week' in review!
Both Abby and Hannah are still taking piano lessons and knitting lessons. They are finishing up scarves from last year and they have both already done a heart shaped potholder. They will be starting their hat and mittens in the next couple of weeks.
All the kids are involved in soccer and it consumes a lot of our time...but they love it and we want to try and give them a few of the opportunities in town.
Abby is also taking art lessons...she is working with water colors now and will be entering a piece in the upcoming art show...she is excited.

We are starting up our home school group for the year.....we have a lot planned. I am on the leadership committee, along with 2 other women and we are working well together to offer many different activities for our local home schoolers.

Pray as we move through this week....one day at a time!

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Well, the first week of camp is officially over....and we all survived!
Most of us were running on pure adrenaline, excitement, or nervousness (for the new ones!). Either way, the staff started strong and finished the same way. I know there were MANY campers that made decisions for Christ.....it was a fruitful week!

The week started off with our Monday afternoon carnival.....it keeps the campers busy their first few hours after arriving. The activities ranged from jump rope, darts, bb guns, and their favorite....the dunk tank! Then, after a brief orientation and a yummy spaghetti dinner, we all played Red Light, Green Light and then a massive game of hide and go seek!!! It was a great start to the week.
Tuesday was our first 'full' day of camp....and with that came the first of our morning chapels, activity classes and afternoon free times. We also enjoyed a 50 person pillow fight and then a water fight that included the whole camp....over 150 people!!! The water wasn't that cold but the wind made it MUCH colder to stand around soaking wet!
Wednesday and Thursday had more of the same and also included a picnic out in the woods, a HUGE tug of war contest (which the girls won both times), a 100 person game of Simon Says, Mission Impossible, Skit Night and a late night campfire.
Friday came and we wrapped up things with a rocket launch, a fun Awards Chapel, a flash mob and root beer floats. And more importantly, every child left with the knowledge of who God is, what He has done for us and how very much He loves us. Many made decisions to accept this beautiful gift of love this week.....what a wonderful sight to see!

But even with all the tears of joy shed over watching these little ones give their life to Christ, there were some tears of sorrow mixed in.
On Thursday night, after we finished off our skit night with some powerful presentations of the Gospel, many, MANY campers stayed afterwards to talk with their counselors about how to receive Christ. As usual, I was standing in the back, available if anyone needed help, and getting slightly choked up with the scene unfolding in front of me. It's always a wonderful thing to witness and makes it all worth it.
But as I was standing there, Steve came up and shared some terrible news....one of our staff member's sister had just committed suicide. She lived in CA, had struggled with depression for quite some time and the saddest part of all.....she did not know the Lord. My heart was instantly broken and I was overcome with a great sadness.....sadness for my dear friend who had just lost a loved one, but also sadness for the fact that she had just entered an eternity without accepting this free gift of salvation we had just seen presented in skits and given in detail by these hard working counselors sitting in front of me.
This sadness followed me the rest of the evening and all the way to campfire.....that's when it hit me especially hard. As I heard camper after camper stand up and announce they had given their life to Christ that week....some just hours before....about the same time this other person had taken their life.....I could not get the feeling of loss and sadness out of my head. Here I should be rejoicing with each and every camper that stood and announced their profession, but all I could think about was the one that had rejected it and now faces an eternity full of fire, burning and torment. It all reminded me for the small little parable, tucked away in the gospels about the shepherd who went looking for that one lost sheep.....leaving the others, knowing they were safe, to go and look for the one that had strayed. That sheep consumed His thoughts.....
I think I finally understood it....the burden for the lost.....the consuming grief that comes with the reality that some will walk away from the Truth. Even if 99 campers came to know the Lord and now have assurance of their eternity with Jesus, the one that got away will always be in the back of my mind.

Now don't get me wrong, I definitely rejoice that we had such a fruitful and productive week....that kids are now going home to their difficult situations with a new measure of hope and confidence.....it is an amazing thing to be a part of. But help us never to be satisfied with a "profitable" number....help us always to feel that heavy burden for the lost....and to never 'relax' in our position as ministers of the Gospel. Although I am sure I will feel that heavy grief of loss again someday, I pray that I will work tirelessly to NOT experience it! Lord, give me strength, endurance and perseverance in this ministry you have place me in.....and continue to burden my heart for the lost....have mercy on us all.....

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Well, summer is officially here!
I know this because camp has officially begun....for me at least!
Although there are no campers here yet, the camp is slowly filling up with staff and our week of training has started. Several of the "new" staff came in yesterday...making the long trip across the country by plane. It is so neat to see their enthusiasm and excitement. They are excited about everything....from picking out their rooms, to meeting the other staff, to exploring the camp. And it's contagious....I love it.
But I've been working here long enough to know that often, that excitement and energy is short lived. Although the we all love the work and the ministry, eventually, exhaustion and fatigue set in...and excitement is replaced with tiredness. It's inevitable....it's part of the ministry.
As I look around at all the smiling faces, I wonder....which ones will still be smiling at the end of the summer....which ones will walk away more fulfulled and more mature in their faith....which ones will struggle and find themselves in a place of disappointment. I wish I could see ahead and help them....I wish I could prevent any moments of struggle or heartache. Yet I know that it's all part of the plan. God's plan for this summer is bigger than just the campers....than just the camp schedule. It's so much more detailed than that. He has each of our lives, our emotions, our hearts in His hands. And He knows exactly what each of us need.....that's over 1000 lives He is intricately handling all summer. With that in mind, the upcoming struggles and the hard times that some of these kids (and maybe even myself) will walk through are for the best. Although I wish we could all walk away from this summer encouraged, enlightened and closer to God, I know that He has our best interest in mind and knows us more intimately than anyone else.

So, with that said, I am just as excited for this summer....and I'm going to enjoy all these smiling faces for now! And I'm going to embark on the journey with the rest of those who have giveb their summer to the Lord.....
....let it begin!

PS...If you want to follow all that the Lord si doing this summer, you can follow on www.brokenarrowbibleranch.blogspot.com

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Back to reality

For the past week I have been pretty much disconnected from the real world. My family and I spent a great week away from "work", just relaxing and spending time with each other. We were blessed to be able to stay with a dear missionary friend who has build a house so that people like us (tired missionaries) can come and stay for free. We had plenty of room, she cooked breakfast for us every morning and and encouraged us daily. It was great and I loved having no tv and little to no access to the internet (I had to check every other day because of work...blah!).

It was BEAUTIFUL in Phoenix and we spent a lot of time at pools, waterparks, etc. The kids had a blast! We spent some time with my dear bestest camp friend, Lois and her family and that is always an encouragement....she just "gets" me and I can just relax around her. And her generosity towards me and my family is such a blessing. I can't wait for camp to start and I'll be able to be 'encouraged' by her friendship every day!

As we made our way back to Vanderwagen, NM, we noticed the weather changing.....it got colder and colder the further east we drove. When we woke up this morning (our first morning back), we were greeted with 4 inches of snow covering our desert land.....what a drastic change! Not only was the weather a shock and a change, my "relaxed" attitude quickly changed to overwhelmed because of the stack of mail that awaited me, the phone messages, the emails and my messy house that all cried for my attention. It makes me almost forget my time away, surrounded by my relaxed family, laughing and vegging. BUT, I am determined to remember those days fondly and rejoice in them, AND do the same with the days that surround me now....although they look MUCH different, they are still worthy of rejoicing in....'for THIS is the day that the Lord has made....". I am trying to retrain my brain into finding the joy in the busy days too....in the middle of the "loudness".....when I'm surrounded by people and projects that demand my attention.....when I'm tired. Each day is a gift from God and I am trying to cultivate a better attitude of thankfulness.....starting today :)

So as I have a few minutes alone in my house, I am going to turn on some praise music, roll up my sleeves and get busy on my "to do" list.....rejoicing all the way...... :)

Friday, May 6, 2011

My Last Home School Weekly

Well, we are winding up with school....finally!

I am not going to post anymore weekly wrap-ups because basically we are only doing math and english at this point. I hope to be done with both of those in the next couple of weeks. We will for sure be done by the 18th, no matter what. At that point I have to give my full attention to getting the last minute projects done here at camp.

It has been a pretty productive past 2 weeks though....
We are flying through math, averaging about 2 lessons at least a day. Most of it is review or just really easy stuff. We are doing about the same in english.....Abby will not finish her book but I'm ok with that. We are starting a new curriculum for her in that subject next year so I'm good with where we are. We will be doing review in both subjects and then final exams. YAY!!!!

Last week we did do one last field trip....
My kids studied bees in co-op and so we took a trip to a local bee farm. The kids LOVED it! It was so neat to see them put what they had learned together with the real thing. I learned lots too.
It's been a pretty good year for our home school group, tiny as it is. We have had several field trips, 2 successful co-ops and quite a few "fun" days (swimming, bowling, hiking, etc). We are looking forward to just as much fun next year.

We have a light summer curriculum. I can do almost next to nothing school-wise in the summer, but we are going to just do a couple things a week....a math sheet every now and then, along with a few grammar work sheets...nothing heavy. But they will read quite a bit this summer. I have already ordered my curriculum for next year so I will go through that and have them go ahead and start some of the 'extra' reading. And I have a whole list of literature I want them to start on. They have a 'reading/rest' time every day so that will be a definite.

It's been a long year. The second half was much more difficult than the first. My camp schedule keeps me so busy...I really struggle to keep up with school on top of it. But I keep reminding myself that for us, this is the choice we have made and I am praying that in the end, it will all be worth it.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

I couldn't sleep last night......
I have so much on my heart and mind that I just could not find the 'peace' to fall asleep. It made for a very long, hard night.....and by morning, I was struggling to be the cheerful "everybody wake up, it's a brand new day" kind of mom that I usually try to be. So my hubby graciously offered to take the kids to gymnastics and the library for me (our usual Wed schedule). He told me to get some sleep, if I needed it. But as I have the house to myself and some soft Jim Brickman playing through the speakers in the house, I feel like if I get things accomplished, it will actually make me feel more rested (mentally, at least).....the sleep will come later...I'll get caught up.

So my first task this morning was not a pleasant one....but it had to be done.

Last night, I was driving home and saw 2 ladies on the side of the road, trying to get a ride. Now don't get me wrong....I hardly ever give rides to people, but since it was 2 older ladies and I didn't have my kids with me, I decided to do it. As I stopped, a man came out of the store and joined them. Turns out it was one of their sons and he needed a ride too. They were all VERY drunk (not unusual out here) but I decided to go ahead....they were too drunk to do anything anyways. They were very grateful for the ride and kept going on and on about how appreciative they were....in their very slurred speech.
One thing that really stuck out to me was the terrible odor that was coming from them. Apparently, one of them had gone to the bathroom in their pants and the stench almost made me gag. It was the longest 5 miles I've ever driven.
When I dropped them off and started heading home, I realized the smell was still there. I rode home with my windows down the last mile home, in hopes it would help. It didn't. I got home and immediately sprayed some lysol on the seats to try and at least cover it up. When I went out an hour later to get something out of the van, the smell was still there.....on closer inspection, all THREE of them must have messed their pants because there were 3 stains where they had once sat....I was not happy.
So I set about trying to clean it....I used some laundry stain remover....used some carpet cleaner....and LOTS of lysol. When I went out this morning, it was still over powering! So now, with a quiet house to enjoy for a couple of hours, I have spent a great deal of it out there scrubbing (using laundry detergent this time and a scrub brush....and febreeze!!). I noticed as I scrubbed, my bowl of water with the detergent in it was getting nasty.....I changed it several times....this was a gross job. And it reminded me.....

...sin is not pretty. Sin is gross. And it always leaves traces of itself on everything it touches. And sometimes we will be able to remove those traces of it....of course in God's eyes, when we confess our sins, He faithfully forgives and makes us clean. But in our lives, we still may have those traces, the slight scent of sin that lingers....for days....months....even years. Sin is not pretty......it's gross.

This 'clean up' job is a reminder that my sin affects not just me, but other people.....it can leave behind a foul smell. When I get angry at my children, that bitter taste of the words linger.....when I allow discouragement to run rampant, the unpleasant smell can just cling to me and follow me around for days.....when I forsake my time with the Lord, then everything I set my hands and mind to do that day can be tainted with pride, judgemental attitudes, selfishness, etc. My sin affects those around me.

As I have spent time in my van this morning, scrubbing out the stains and the smell, I have been trying to pray for those 3 'smelly' people that rode in my van for just a short time. They shared their hearts with me, they shared their pain, they shared their loss.....they begged me to remember them in my prayers.....I promised I would do that. And I am, as I try and restore my van to it's original condition....I pray that they will not leave the 'stench' of sin in anyone else's life....that someday, their lives will turn into a beautiful offering to God....a fragrant offering to the Savior. I pray the same for my life....that today, in all its peace and quiet (except for good ole Jim Brickman in the background) that my life will be a sweet smelling offering to the Lord.

Pray for Judy, Joanne, and Ernest today.....
and for all the other hurting Native people who live within just a couple miles of me.....the hurt is great, the pain is deep and the loss is unmeasurable.

Friday, April 22, 2011

It's another weary Friday for me.

We have had 2 weeks of work teams (praise the Lord for the HUGE amount of work they did!!!), but I am tired after having non-stop work going on during that time. AND trying to get some school done. This last team was over 70 people so that was a lot of mouths to feed....it was many, many hours in the kitchen.
But the camp is once again quiet, 2 houses have new roofs (mine included), lots of things have been painted and cleaned, hobart got a makeover, and the beginning stages of completely priming and repainting the lodge has begun. Those teams come in like whirlwinds and do so much work....then leave as quickly as they came. I have seen many things accomplished this week.....some people worked on the big, noticable projects, like the roofs or the painting....while it was encouraging to see those who worked quietly, on less noticeable projects, like cleaning out our pantry and walk in...or wiping out ALL the shelves in the kitchen (and there are alot of shelves!).....some people even cut out THOUSANDS of snack shop certificates for us to use this summer! What a blessing to have these groups come in and give up their vacations and spring breaks just to help us out. Some were professionals and many were just high schoolers....but all did their best to be a support and encouragement to not only the staff that live here all year, but to the summer staff and campers that will be flooding our gates in the next few weeks. We really could not do it without their willingness to come and serve in this way.

Thank you!!!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

HOME SCHOOL WEEKLY

A pretty decent week....despite the broken thumb (Abby), the work team, and home school outings.

MATH:
Again, we made up time in this subject....several days we did 2 lessons....even got one done on Wednesday (crazy busy day in town). Almost got a whole chapter done with the twins (10 lessons).....so we'll start this coming week with a test and then keep plowing through. Abby is almost done with percents (yay!). And we have added speed drills back to hers as well.

ENGLISH/GRAMMAR:
Alamo paper DONE!!!! Moving back into more 'grammar' type stuff (Abby). Didn't quite hit my goal with this subject but we'll just keep pushing along. Now that we are done with "paper writing" it should move faster. She also is working on the "tan book" with is more grammar and literature. We may continue with that book through the summer. I like it as a supplement to her other english/grammar. The twins also made up good time in English....again, didn't hit my goal with them but this past week we did double up almost every day. The upcoming few lessons are mostly repeat stuff so hopefully we will move quickly. I really want to finish up this subject for the year...I mean really finish the book. English and Math are the 2 subjects I really try to finish each year...not sure why.....

SPELLING:
Abby finished her words for the week and made a 96 on the test. The twins got everything done except the test.....we'll get that done first thing Monday morning then start a new week. It was just a review week for them (a review of several weeks worth of words)....i anticipate they will do ok on it.

VOCAB and HANDWRITING:
Abby is the only one doing vocabulary right now and doing about 2 chapters a week. I'm not testing her on that, just allowing her to work through the lessons. The twins are doing the handwriting and they really enjoy it. I think they are probably behind in their cursive writing....I need to start making them write more in cursive. Peter struggles with just print....not sure if I should push the issue.

SCIENCE:
Not even really sure if I'm going to start a new subject in science.....we only have about 1 month less. We have been watching some "Life" episodes. Sometimes I have them write papers on what they watch, but I haven't this time.
HISTORY:
I really had intentions of continuing in our study (from before co-op) of US geography. We are doing a study called "Man in the Map". We will definitely pick it up this week. We should be able to get it done in a month.

EXTRA STUFF:
Abby still can't take part in piano lessons, but she is able to play somewhat (just can't use her left thumb!). Hannah is going above and beyond what her teacher asks of her. She said that Hannah could possibly catch up with Abby even pretty soon.
In the area of knitting, Abby finished her first official wash cloth (the previous ones were just practice, no trim, etc)....this one is nice. And although she didn't officially finish it because her teacher had to do the last 2 rows (broken thumb, remember?), she did a great job and is ready to give it away as a gift. Hannah should finish hers this week. Not sure what their next project will be. They will continue to work on their scarves.
They have written several letters this week....I like them to try and work on that every now and then. They enjoy it, so that is a good thing!
We havent' done much baking this week because of Abby's injury, but we should be able to get a couple things done this week.

We did get together with our home school group and went bowling. It was a great afternoon....except for Abby :( Even Wes was able to get away and join in the fun. We also all got together at the library again this week. The kids are still going through the book Bridge to Tarebithia. We'll be getting together again this week for a field trip.

We have another work team in this week (about 70...so the cooking and cleaning is alot more intense) so please pray that I can still focus here at home AND still try and minister to the team and get to know them....along with the other ministries going on. Pray for my kids too....we are doing lots of extra work (longer hours)...just pray I can encourage them and love on them while being an efficient teacher.

I hope all you other home school moms are getting lots done in these last couple of months...press on!!!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Enough

God is really all we need....He is "enough". That is a truth that is said many times in our christian circles....I've even said it several times myself. But I'm not sure if I always believe that, or even live according to that truth....

Last night I drove, like I do every week, an hour out to Ft Wingate. It's a boarding school for navajo kids, and a couple other ladies and I teach Bible lessons there. Usually, when we arrive, the first little girl to see us coming starts spreading the word that we are there and by the time we get to the meeting room, everyone is buzzing and excited that it's time for another "church" time (well, most of them, anyways). This week we arrived as usual at 6pm and were greeted by an empty, very quiet meeting room. There was not a girl in sight, on the whole wing. They had gone on a 'field day' to a local park. No one had bothered to call us, no one had given thought to our plans to come out and spend time with the girls. It was discouraging, to say the least.
Well, as Ruth and Ann headed downstairs to teach the little boys (who ALSO were on that same field trip, they soon found out!) I headed over to the older girls, glad that my drive out there was not going to be a total waste. As I rounded the corner I could hear the talking and laughing coming from their meeting room. I was glad to hear they weren't gone for the afternoon as well. So as I started my teaching and began to share my heart with these girls, it soon became apparent that they had very little interest in what I was saying. Now that in itself is nothing new, but I knew the dorm parent had really come down on them about how they treat visitors and for the past couple of weeks, they had at least sat quietly and 'pretended' to be interested. But this week, it was back to reality. As I shared the final lesson in my study of Proverbs 6 and the seven things that God detests, the girls mocked the Scripture, talked openly amongst themselves, made faces, and overall seemed annoyed that I was even there. When I tried to encourage them about my next week's lesson on the death and resurrection of the Savior, they only replied, "ok, cool, now leave". When I let them know that I was praying for them as they finished up their school year, again the reply was 'thanks, now bye'. My closing prayer was the shortest ever as I could hardly hold back the tears. I wasn't sad they had rejected me, although that's not the best feeling in the world....I have a pretty tough skin when it comes to teen agers. But my heart just suddenly became so tired and weary that I thought I would just completely fall apart in exhaustion.
I left as quickly as I could and waited til I was in the sanctuary of my van before I finally let myself cry. As I pulled out of the parking lot, a song came on.....Enough, by Barlow Girls. I like that song ok....never thought much about it....but as I pulled out onto the lonely 2 lane road headed back to the interstate, I was struck by the words...simple and true...."all of You, is more than enough for me..." I almost laughed at the simplicity of it and my response to those girls....I was getting all upset about what response I thought I "needed" from those girls....but really, I had everything I needed in my Savior. And although, in that moment it was hard to have my needs met in an 'intangible' way (I wanted to call someone and just sit and cry for a long time!), I just allowed myself to really grasp that truth and rest in it.....it was much easier than I thought it would be.
I still cried most of the way home, but there was a peace that was there now.....a peace that passes all understanding.

My times at Ft Wingate will still not be "fun" as long as the girls continue with that attitude....but I'm praying I can leave with a better attitude each week, knowing that I truly have all I need, and that's 'enough'.

ENOUGH (by Barlow Girl)

All of You is more than enough for
All of me for every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You
Is more than enough

You are my supply
My breath of life
Still more awesome than I know
You are my reward
Worth living for
Still more awesome than I know

You're my sacrifice of greatest price
Still more awesome than I know
You're my coming King You're everything
Still more awesome than I know

Monday, April 11, 2011

HOME SCHOOL WEEKLY

Well, I'm late again....but this time with a slightly better reason. Yesterday, in the middle of our quiet afternoon of rest, Abby came running in screaming about her thumb....I took one look at it and knew it was broken.....(broken stuff makes me queasy). Long story short, after a trip to the er, it was confirmed that she broke (shattered is a better word) her thumb and the Mlekodaj kids have experienced their first real ER trip. I've called for a follow up appointment with the orthopedic, but we won't get in til early next week. They will decide if they will re-cast it or just put a light splint on it. Praying all that will go well.
After a fitful night's sleep, we are up and attempting school (not Abby....she is well "medicated" and veggin'!). So, here's our accomplishments from last week.

MATH
Again, we made up time in this subject, often doing 2 lessons a day. But there was at least one day we didn't do any so I'm not sure if we made real progress or not! Either way, we made good efforts and are moving along. Even as I type this, the twins are doing 2 lessons (the first was just a review of dividing by larger numbers, so we just talked through that one)....I love the feeling of "catching up"!!! Abby also is making good progress....we can't often do more than one lesson with her because she is learning new stuff every day and usually has more work. But we have done it a few times and she is conquering percents very well! Everyone took tests recently and scored well....(sigh of relief!).

GRAMMAR/ENGLISH:
I don't feel like this subject got as much attention as I would have liked. There were 2 days we didn't get to it at all...but then there was at least one day we doubled up. Again, not necessarily moving 'ahead' but not falling further behind either. Abby's paper on the Alamo was put on hold while she finished up two papers for co-op. She will finish that up once she is able to do school again. She really just has to correct her rough draft and get the final one typed out. She is almost done with her 'review' grammar book (something she just works on every now and then to stay on top of stuff she previously learned). I have a goal to get through 2 chapters this week (that would take doubling up every day) so I doubt that will happen with the broken thumb incident. But we'll see. Some stuff we may be able to just talk through. It's mostly about writing papers right now. Thankfully, it was her left hand that was hurt and she is right handed. So once we are over most of the 'pain' we can get busy again.
I also have a goal to be done with a unit in the twins book too...but again, gotta double up this week. It's all pretty easy right now so I feel like we can do that. It's nice because if they get the hang of it, great, and we keep moving.....but if someone is struggling, then we can just slow down again and take our time until understanding sinks in.

SPELLING:
Everyone did really well on their spelling tests last week. Abby already started her new list and the twins will start one today. Peter really struggles still (possible dyslexia) but the more time I spend with him, the better. I still have plans, before the public schools get out for the summer, to get him tested for dyslexia.

HISTORY/SCIENCE:
Co-op.....
For the past few weeks they have received most of their history and science at co-op. They have studied New Mexico History for history and Bees for Science. Last week was our last week of co-op (praise the Lord!) and they finished well. They each had to write a biography on a famous New Mexican explorer and then for science they had to write a paper on bees (i think i wrote more in detail about that last post). They finished them all, read them out loud for the whole co-op group and now it's over! They also, for NM history made a replica of a covered wagon....very cute! Also, the adobe bricks they made in week 2....they brought those back to class and then dropped them outside to see if they would break, thus determining if they were solid enough to build houses with. Peter and Hannah's broke on impact, but Abby's stayed together :)
I am already putting together the possible classes for our Fall Co-op semester....it will be here before I know it!!

READING:
Everyone is still in the same books, but should be wrapping them us this week. I am almost caught up with Abby in the Bronze Bow and I am loving it! When they finish up, they will write book reports on them.

EXTRA STUFF:
Piano.....Going really well for Hannah...she will play the offeratory on Easter Sunday. Abby, unfortunately will put her piano career on hold until the thumb is healed.
Knitting.....same thing. It's going really well, and Abby will have to stop for a while. She is literally about 2 rows away from finishing the washcloth she is making for a gift. Once she is better she will start another one and also continue on her scarf. Hannah is about 1 lesson away from finishing hers...and she too will continue on her scarf and a practice washcloth she is working on. They will both attempt to make an additional scarf to help a friend with a project to give out scarves and hats to the homeless this Christmas. I will help them with that project and hopefully between the 3 of us, we can get a few made by then.
They are all still very involved in awana, gymnastics and Bible study. I can't remember if I posted it last time, but they are finished with Bible Quizzing for the year. They came in 1st all but once. We will have an awards banquet next month to recognize their hard work. We studied the book of John and I am so impressed with how much they learned....and I learned lots too! Great experience!

I had high hopes to start this week off well (early). There is a workteam here and we were going to eat breakfast at the lodge each morning (7:30) and then start school right away. But with the long day yesterday and the not so restful night's sleep, the day started late. But so far, we are moving along. I even used my lesson plan notebook for the first time in months! I have all the lessons written out and scheduled for the week. We will PERSEVERE!!!!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Home School Weekly

I didn't do a 'wrap-up' last week because it was so busy....so I don't want to miss it again. I'll try to re-cap the past 2 weeks as briefly as I can.

MATH:
We made great progress in math (more so with the twins). On more than one day we did double lessons. It's a little harder with Abby because her lessons are a little more intense and longer. But we are moving along. I have set up goals in all the subjects, to reach a certain place by April 15th....I'm praying we can accomplish that.
Everyone has completed a math test (2 for the twins) and is doing well. Abby is starting a new chapter and it will cover percents. The twins are wrapping up a chapter on adding and subtracting fractions.

SPELLING:
We finally got some spelling done! Abby did a whole week, test, and has started another lesson. She has always done really well in spelling...praying it stays that way:)
The twins will take a test on Monday. Peter struggles a little more than Hannah, but with some extra attention he can do well. This week's words are hard for Peter....."interrupt, underneath, elevator, neighbor, etc..."we just have to take it slow, and sometimes we have to test twice (and combine the scores).

ENGLISH/GRAMMAR:
Abby is continuing her lessons on writing a research paper. She completed her rough draft (her paper is on the Alamo) and will type it out on Monday.
The twins are making good progress in their English.....some days we do 2 lessons....the ones that are easier and somewhat 'review'. They are working on different types of verbs right now, and will continue that topic for the next couple of weeks. I want to be done with this Unit by April 15th....doable, but with much focus and determination!

VOCABULARY:
Abby hasn't done any work in her vocab book the past couple of weeks....it's not something we do every week. But she did finish up her Explode the Code book and ended up with a 95/A on the whole book. The twins are moving through their Explode the Code book.....probably just a couple more weeks in that. Then we'll be through for the year.

READING:
Abby is still reading The Bronze Bow......she is about 1/2 through it, doing some vocabulary from that and answering discussion questions on the book. Peter is reading a Boxcar Children book....that's about his level. Hannah is still reading Little House on the Prairie.

HISTORY/SCIENCE
Co-op:
Right now, they are getting their history and science at Co-op. In New Mexico History they are learning about the Santa Fe trail and the explorers involved in that. They are doing a biography on a famous explorer and it is due on Thursday. They will just be starting that paper on Monday so we will have to really focus on that this coming week. Two weeks ago they had a "spanish" day....they got to dress up in spanish attire and they made homemade tortillas with all the trimmings. It was a fun day for them :)
For science they are studying bees at co-op. The kids LOVE this class! They have really enjoyed making their lapbooks and telling me all about what they have learned. They have even been 'bee hunting' here at the camp and love to get up close and personal with them (now that they know which ones will sting and which ones won't). They are also writing a paper in this class. Abby is writing hers on the different kinds of bees (queen, worker and drone), Peter is writing his on the Queen Bee and all her duties, and Hannah is writing hers on the life cycle of a honey bee. All they have left to do is type them out.
It's really time consuming for the twins to write research papers....they haven't studied how to do that in detail yet so I have to walk them through most of it. I helped them with their outlines but they are responsible for actually writing out the paragraphs. It's tempting to help them more, but I need to let them do that. They DO know how to write paragraphs so I just need to let them work it out.
We only have one more week of co-op so we will go back to doing history and science at home. We will pick back up in American History but I don't know what we will do for science. We only have about 6 more weeks of school so it needs to just be a short study.

HANDWRITING:
I've started doing handwriting with the twins again.....something I have neglected since Christmas.

BIBLE QUIZZING:
We just finished up our last tournament for the year. We studied the whole book of John this year and they have learned lots....me too!! They won every tournament except one. This weekend they scored more points than they ever have. Abby really did a great job and really stepped up and was actually competitive. The twins are the youngest in the whole program, but they manage to answer a couple.

Extra Stuff:
Awana.....Peter just finished one of his books. He is very excited about that.
Piano......The girls are doing really well. Hannah is working on "Were You There".....hoping it will be ready in time for Easter and she can play at church. Abby is really loving the "fast" songs. She loves to memorize those and play them over and over :)
Gymnastics......They all really enjoy it and are showing improvement. Peter has only been involved in it for a few months but he is doing really well.
Home Ec........The girls are involved in a 7 year course.....although Hannah technically shouldn't start until 6th grade (she is in 4th), I am letting her start in some of the areas. She and Abby are both doing the knitting and doing well. Still working on their scarves and also working on nice washcloths for a birthday gift. Abby may finish hers up on her next lesson....Hannah probably has 2 more lessons. In the area of cooking, I am only letting Abby do the actual required cooking for the course. Hannah wants to cook so I am letting her do more "box" recipes right now. But Abby is really enjoying the cooking part of it. This week she made whole wheat tortillas, fruit kabobs with strawberry dip, and banana bread. She did all the list making, shopping and preparing for each recipe. She also (outside the course) made some peanut butter cookies. She just loves to bake.....not sure where she gets it! Hannah made a lemon cake with lemon icing, and Peter found a recipe for Honey Bee Cookies and made a batch for the Bees co-op class....big hit!
PE.....Abby is the only one involved in the homeschool pe class. They are doing floor hockey right now, but in a couple weeks I heard they will be doing frisbee golf....a favorite out here at the camp!! :)

So that's a 2 week wrap up....again, it doesn't feel like much but I have to take what I can get and keep moving forward. Makes me want to get some school done TODAY....on a SUNDAY! But I will try to control my urge and wait until tomorrow :) Today we will attempt to rest.....tomorrow will be here soon enough! :)

Friday, March 25, 2011

A Day of Rest

Most would say that Sunday is our official day of rest....unless you are a pastor or youth leader. And for us, we really do try and protect our Sundays as much as possible. We go to church, sometimes grab a quick lunch and then head home to hide in our house the rest of the day. My kids aren't allowed to invite any other kids in on that day (they have the other 6 days a week to flood through my house!) and we tell our kids to give everyone their space as well. It's just a time we can count on being home and together. I like it! And occasionally, we even get a nap in there!

But this week, I took today off....a random Friday....the last day of the week. It's because we have had teams at the camp for the past 2 weeks. Don't get me wrong, I love it when you can hear the sound of bulldozers, chainsaws, hammering, etc....it means progress and the getting of so many things done! Things that would take our small staff months to do, these work teams get done in a matter of days....Praise the Lord!
And although everyone is busy and up to their knees in work, we still make the time to sit and chat, swap stories, and share ministries (the ups AND the downs).

But as sweet and productive as those times are, they are still tiring and make a body weary. Therefore, I am resting today. It wasn't necessarily planned, but as I started to move around this morning, my body started to tell me, in little ways, that I was tired. My legs were a little stiff, my back ached a little, and my mind seemed in a fog.
Now, for those of you that know me, you know that I do not "rest" well. So at first, I ignored those little signs of fatigue and was just going to push through, but after a while I decided just to sit down for a few minutes. I gave the kids a little break from school and I just sat....didn't turn the tv on, didn't get on the computer....just sat. That was when I realized I was truly tired, and I couldn't get up if I wanted to. I finally gave in and just decided just rest.....and rest....and rest. For the rest of the day, I have "worked" at resting. I couldn't let school altogether, but I did cut it way back and did it from the confines of my big comfy chair. My house needed much cleaning, but my kids chipped in and I just got up a couple times to do a few things. I've done a little computer work, but kept it to a minimal. Although my mind is swimming with things I need to do, I have resigned to just make a list and work on it starting tomorrow.
All this may seem silly and trivial, but like I said, I am just not good at coming to a complete stop and just resting. But I know enough about the Scripture to realize that even Jesus took times of rest. Now He didn't necessarily do it by deciding not to clean his house or by turning off the tv...but He did find time to get away from the ministry "needs" around Him. On more than one occasion He removed Himself from the crowds and found time to be alone with His Heavenly Father. Apparently, it's good for the soul :)

Even though I will have twice as much to do tomorrow, today has been good. My body had rested, my mind has rested, even my spirit has rested. And I've actually enjoyed it. I might have to try it again sometime! :)

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Home School Weekly

Well, this week was pretty much a flop in the area of school.
We had a work team here all week and I spent most of my time in the lodge kitchen. Although on more than one occasion I did bring the kids up there with me to do school, but it was hard to give them the attention they needed. The neat thing was, there were several "home school" moms on this team and more than once I looked over to see one of them helping my oldest with her math. That was encouraging.....wish they could have helped every day!!!

Unfortunately, I was on my own the rest of the week and the battle between schooling and my work schedule began....and my work schedule ended up winning. But the school work will eventually get done, right? One day at a time, giving it to the Lord on a daily basis.....

We have another work team in this week, but my kitchen schedule is lighter (I worked lots last week because we had one cook down sick, another out of town early in the week, and another back east attending a funeral)....this week i only have to work a couple times.

Math:
We actually did pretty well in this subject. The twins started off with a math test and then ended up finishing 6 lessons for the week...that was encouraging. Abby did one lesson a day so I guess I should be happy with that. Abby is working on metric measurements....I let her in on the secret that she will hardly use them in her adult life....she was happy about that!

Reading:
I said I was going to choose the books for the twins this time, but in my busyness, I only got half of that done. Peter chose another Box Car book, but I gave Hannah the Little House on the Prairie book. Abby is still reading the Bronze Bow.....I am behind her in the reading....I need to catch up!
Peter finished his book report on his last book, and both Hannah and Abby have their rough drafts done....slow progress.

English/Grammar:
The twins finished up a unit in their English (they are using Rod and Staff) and are ready to take a test on Monday. Abby continues on in her English (Bob Jones) and she is working on how to write a research paper. She has had some experience in this, but I haven't given detail to siting her information. She will work on that more this week. I went through her book the other night and realized she will not finish it this year. It's hard for me to be "ok" with that, but I'm going to try! :) She can even finish it up next year, slowly, along with her new curriculum. She is also working in through the 'tan' book, Learning Language Arts Through Literature. Again, she will not finish the book this year, but something that can be worked on next year.

History/Science:
We didn't do much in this subject this week. This is one area where my work schedule won over the school schedule. But they are getting the history through co-op this month.....just wanting to give them a little more than that. Again, this week will hopefully have more opportunities here.

Spelling:
Didn't even touch this subject !!!

Extra Activities:
The girls are continuing in their knitting (over halfway done with their wash clothes and moving right along with their scarves). They are also doing well in their piano, hopefully the opportunity to play at church will happen this month.
They are also making baby blankets for the newborns at the Indian Hospital. They have really enjoyed this project.
We missed AWANA this week, but they still worked hard on their sections. They should have several to get signed off on this coming week.

Co-op:
We have to get started on the papers that are due in both their classes. They have one on bees, and they also have one on an explorer (I think that's the topic) for their New Mexico History class. We are halfway through the semester....so far, so good!

Like I said, it was not a very productive week, but I have to remind myself that I work a full time job AND home school....I need to just pace myself and do what I can.

Plans for this week:
To obviously do better in all subjects.....to finish Peter's research paper......to get some "PE" in this week (the kids want to do some running).....to do 3 more baby blankets.....to read the next two chapters for Bible Quizzing and work on the memory verses.
I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with all that needs to be done in school and in my ministries....along with camp projects. One thing at a time, right?