Here We Are (Again)

How long have we been doing this now?!!!  

This will be our fifteenth year!  

These snapshots are from our recent first day of book work.  I don't say "first day of school because we've been cranking through school all summer long - 

4-H animal projects, 

event planning and preparation,

research projects, 

sewing projects, 

homestead management, 

public speaking, 

physical education,

public relations, 

nature study...

there is so much school that happens all summer long!

But, here we are again, settling into the regular, everyday book work routine for the year.  

Blossom1 and Blossom2 are independent.  Blossom1 is in her final year at Nelson University. Blossom2 is hoping to finish a business degree by the time of her high school graduation next year.  For the two of them, I really am only called in for assistance in sorting out difficult IT problems, troubles with textbook orders and such details as that.  As you know, we communicate often about school demands and scheduling.  I am humbly grateful for their level of independence when it comes to their assignments, weekly schedule, and study habits.  It took a lot of training over the years to get to this place.

Blossom3 is in ninth grade now.  She grew so much last year when I greatly intensified her course load.  I was so pleased when she rose to the challenge.  Knowing where she was developmentally and academically, the Rugged Mountain Man and I felt like we could do that.  

This year, in science, she is doing a Botany course with a curriculum I've never used before.  Since she loves plants and art, I felt this was a really good fit for her.  Because of the wide variety of botanical material that is covered, it's almost like a career exploration course for her!  I realize that this isn't par for the usual high school course, but understanding our daughter, her gifts and talents, and where she may be headed, this seemed like a solid high school decision.  Only time will tell, but I am growing as much as they are in that it is sometimes hard for me to veer away from "what I've always done."

Sixth grade for our baby Blossom4!  Wow!  As far as her attention span and academic perseverance, the past two years have shown some serious growth.  I sure am glad because that can be a frustrating phase when your child draws school out to last til 9:30 at night.  I am looking forward to her unique interests surfacing in the coming years.  She's happy and creative and fun and uncomplicated.  I am looking for ways to isolate and magnify her interests.  Beyond that, my goal is to continue to facilitate a simple and wholesome childhood for her each day.  If that means craft scraps scattered around, so be it.  If that means disappearing into a nook with Nancy Drew, so be it.  

After the last 15 first days of school over the years, my outlook is more measured.  The year is not decided in the first day or the first week even.  

Largely, it will be determined by how much I, and resultingly, THEY, soldier on day after day after day.  Each day, we will adjust.  

We will shoot for our routine.  

We will do it when it's hard.  

We will do it when it's fun.  

We'll skip it in lieu of something that I think will work better for the day.  

We will do it again when it's hard.

And we will go to bed with a deep breath of gratitude or a prayer for help on our lips, 

and we'll get up the next day and give it another shot... 

again and again and again.  

Day by day, a beautiful education is being crafted.

Dominique