officially swamped

Sep 11, 2010

I have reached that stage of my life when I am completely and totally swamped and trying not to drown. The needs and wants of my children are large and while I know homeschooling can be done completely in your own home, I am also aware of the benefits of sometimes reaching out to outside sources for portions of their educations.

Miss Blythe is blossoming in her study habits and her desires to learn. This year she is taking Seminary, Spanish – Level 1 (two days a week), Sewing, Shakespeare, Foundations of Liberty (a logic, study skills, and discover who you are and what your mission is class), and Beginning Guitar. She is also part of a youth colloquium group, takes gymnastics from me, is hoping to get back in violin lessons soon, and wants to take a social dance class. She has classes outside of my home every day of the week and when she is at home she is reading or writing. She is having a wonderful time and is stretching herself in amazing ways. I am so proud of her and where she is headed. I am hoping she figures out a way to fit in some sewing, drawing, and crocheting time at home since I know her creative spirit can’t last long without those things.

This doesn’t include her church responsibilities, her babysitting jobs, and her time with friends. She is one busy girlie!

Keziah is taking a “Learning and Loving It” or “LaLi” class where they are studying all sorts of stuff – art, history, and science. She is also taking sewing, Math Alive! (from moi), “Love of Music & Composers”, and is in a Children’s Choir. She is also in a colloquium group and is thanking her lucky stars to be able to do Liberty Girls again. She is nearly dying without violin lessons and can’t wait till we can start taking lessons again.

Fisher is taking a music class and he and Annesley both attend my weekly “Story Station” where I read books for an hour each week to all the children who have siblings taking classes.

I long for the days when Keziah was a toddler and would play all day while Blythe and I read for hours and hours. Somehow I thought I was busy then…now I know what busy is. Busy is having to get in my car on a daily basis and transport children to myriads of activities (let’s take yesterday as an example…I took Blythe to Spanish, came home, went and picked her up 90 minutes later, helped Blythe make lunch, fed everyone, took Keziah to Activity Days, picked her up an hour later, ran to the copy shop, came home, got the kitchen cleaned up and ready for dinner, ate, cleaned up, cleaned the suburban out, packed it for gymnastics today, did our Family Read Aloud time, and collapsed into bed.) I am driving up and down my road many times each day and I don’t like it one bit. I much prefer just snuggling up on the couch and reading with my little ones. But children grow up and have different needs and I am trying my best to meet them while also guarding our home time.

It is quite the balancing act.