2013 in Review

Previously I had written a review of our year.  It wasn't pretty.  If you have followed, you know it was a challenging year!  SO, you won't be reading that post.  Instead I decided to focus on some positives.  And then come up with a few goals for next year.  I have almost all of our curriculum for next year, and have received the packet from the school district.  Next I will write up my IHIP and we will start in August!

I learned this year about truly individualized my kids schooling.  My big boys are as different as night/day and cold/hot.  Yet they are extremely competitive.  It has been a challenge to encourage my boys to embrace the strengths even if they are different than their siblings.  We have worked on memorizing Psalm 139:13-17 to understand that God made each one of us special, and in His own image. 

My big lesson, never judge someone else situation until you spend a time in their shoes.  I had always said, "I will never do this. My kids will never do that."  It all goes out the window when you spend some time in that struggle.  I have learned to show grace rather than judge.  I have learned that sometimes you need to scream for help. 

This year I focused way to much on academics and very little on the hearts of my children.  I was driven for them to learn much so that I could proudly show off their knowledge to squish the doubt of naysayers.  Sadly, I didn't focus much at all on my children's journey with Jesus.  This year I will spend more time helping, especially my big boys, them fall more in love with Jesus.  To learn about the character of our Almighty God.  It will be what we focus on first before academics.  It pains me to admit this but we didn't start every day with prayer.  This year, I want to start everyday with prayer! Focused prayer time. 

This upcoming year we will be using A Beka for math/phonics, AIG God's Design for science, Story of the World Vol. 2 for history, and we will be enrolling the older three kids in Friday school.  There they will participate in their respective classes for art/music/PE. 

We spent the last week camping at a wonderful christian campground.  I prayed that God would get me excited for the upcoming school year, and He did just that!  While I am apprehensive still, I can't wait to get started in August!