The Top of the Mountain

I remember a few years ago making a chart with rows of the names of my children and columns listing out upcoming school years.  On each year's column, I would write the grade each child would be in on their row. Each year, another child was added to our "school" as the older ones advanced a grade.  I remember thinking something like, "Wow!  In the 2013-2014 school year, I will have 11 children in school!"  At that thought, I decided I didn't want to think about that!  :-)  It was quite a while off at that point anyways.

And now I'm here.  This year, I have the most "students" in school that I will ever have at one time.  Timothy and Elijah are both in their final year of high school, so while we'll start Samuel in Kindergarten next year, my two big "boys" will be through with what we began 13 years ago.

And young mothers out there (not that I'm old )....the days are sometimes long, but the years are soooo short.  I can still remember teaching Timothy to read.  I remember opening that very first box of school books and soaking in the new book smell, feeling the clean, crisp pages, and my heart and mind full of dreams, ideas, and excitement in anticipation of teaching my boy.

I remember his first little desk, taking him for walks outside to find leaves to press and study, collecting bugs with him in jars, and teaching him to draw a fish.  

And I remember each year thinking, "How will I teach one more?  I hardly have an extra minute of time to my day as it is!"  

And then knowing that I just needed to do what my Lord wants me to do.  Ask Him each day for His wisdom and grace.  Rely on His strength.  Love, obey and enjoy the man He gave me.  Love, teach, train, and enjoy each precious child he gave us each day.  Be faithful.  Don't worry about tomorrow.  Be thankful for all His blessings.  Be quick to say sorry when wrong. Be thankful for His mercy.  And give God the glory in everything.

And I LOVE this year! We have good days (when everyone seems to work well, sweet attitudes, getting through our schedule well etc...) and days that make me extra thankful for the good days (days when children are grumpy, mommy is grumpy, the rabbits are grumpy and  nothing seems to be going right).  

But now that my oldest 2 are almost "done", I can look back.  The months we spent on the road, the years trying to learn Spanish and learn a different culture, the year spent living in a travel trailer, the times I felt we were just trying to survive each day....all those times I just didn't know and felt like I wasn't doing enough.  I look back and see how ALL those times...good and hard...each day....the Lord in His grace has used to make and mold us.  I see 2 young men who stand taller than I, know things that I never learned, have gifts and talents the Lord has given them that they are developing for His glory, and I still have all my hair (and only a couple gray pieces :) ) and have children who are teaching me things. 

I'm still far from being done with our home school years.  Samuel will turn 5 this year and Rebekah is still only 14.  Next year and for a few after that, I'll still have 10 "students".  But this "big year" that I worried about so long ago has been good year.

The Lord has been so good and I have truly learned that today and every day is the day the Lord has made and it is one in which to rejoice and be glad.  I continue to learn to trust the Lord will all my heart and lean not unto my own understanding.  I've learned that as I lean on Him and ask Him, He will direct my every path.  And I keep learning patience.  I think that's a life long lesson!

Our daily schedule is a tool that has 

been a big help in keeping things in order, helping us accomplish what we need to each day and keeping my priorities in order.  It has helped me not follow my "whims" or feelings but rather to use the time the Lord has given me as best as I can.

I know many people hear the word "schedule" and think things such as bondage, lack of freedom, overwhelming, failure, or just plain no, no, no!!  

But for me, it has given peace, order, freedom, and that sweet feeling when your head hits the pillow at night knowing that you had a productive day.

Do we follow this exactly to the T every day?  Nope, never.  Maybe someday we will.  But that's okay.  Like I said, it is a tool....a guide.  Do I feel like I've failed when half the day's schedule doesn't go as planned?  No....normally half a day of doing something planned is more productive than a whole day of being unplanned.  

Are there times I decide to not do something or change something?  All the time.  But what I don't want to do is decide to do things only when/if I feel like it.  If I did, I may never listen to Eliseo read or start dinner on time or get up when my alarm goes off. But yes, we are flexible.  Neighbors visit, Daddy needs Mommy's help, children get sick, the electric company is outside offering rides up higher than the power lines, and sometimes I know a child just needs some extra rest or some one on one time with Mommy.  But  when I pray and ask the Lord what I need to do and He directs me, planning it out/writing it down helps me stick to it!
I first began using a schedule like this when I was pregnant with Josiah and had 6 other children ages 6 and under.  My mom bought me the book Managers of Their Homes by Steve and Teri Maxwell for my birthday that year.  That has been one well used gift!!

When I first made this year's schedule, Timothy laughed as he read the bottom of the final page.  Sunday is church (therefore we don't follow our school schedule), Tuesday night Daniel and I go on a date (I LOVE dating my hubby!!!), Wednesday night we have church, Thursday night the oldest 3 have Bible Studies/Soul winning in town and sometimes I take the other kids and go soul winning with Daniel, Friday we usually finish school by lunch (it's mainly a test day) and work on projects as a family either at home or at church, and Saturday (since it isn't a school day and therefore not a "schedule" day) is dedicated to ministry (bus routes, youth service, preparing for church on Sunday) and cleaning the house/shopping for groceries.

Timothy said, "Good, Mom!  So you made a schedule for Monday only!"  ha, ha, ha!  When something extra comes during the day (which on the mission field, that is EVERY DAY), we just adjust.  We may not get in 5 piano practices a week, but since my goal for my children isn't that they be concert pianists but that they are able use their musical abilities for the Lord, 2 or 3 practices is better than none and gives them many opportunities to use what they learn.

 My older ones help teach my younger ones.  My children have learned to work and learn independently since obviously mommy can't be sitting down all day working one on one with any of them.  They still all want to eat and have clean socks and never complain at fresh baked cookies, so I'm not teaching "school" all day long.  But I'm always teaching.  That's what mothers do.  Whether they think they are teaching or not, they always are.  Our words, deeds, attitudes, and even our expressions teach constantly.  That is why I need the Lord soooo much each day!

 Each week, I make up a week's assignment sheet for each child.  It tells them what we need to do each day in each subject.  Much of it they can do on their own.  The younger ones need much more help as they are still learning to read well.  That's when my older ones help double/triple my one on one teaching time as they help listen to reading, help teach new phonics rules and special sounds, do flashcards and games for review, and answer questions/give directions.  

I try to spend a bit of time each day one on one teaching new material and giving help/instruction where needed.  The older ones help me with grading (my LEAST favorite part of school!) and the rule is that nobody gets free time until all your assignments for the day are complete.  

So this year I have two 12th graders who were just babies yesterday, a bubbly 8th grader, a growing up much too fast 7th grader, two amazing 6th graders, two inquisitive 4th graders, a  sweet, bright 3rd grader, a very, very, very, very bouncy, smiley, talkative, has a story to tell every 3 seconds 1st grader (I won't mention who that is but his initials are N.E.H.E.M.I.A.H.), a very proud loves to do school Kindergartener, and a 4 year old Samuel who NEVER lets us forget he's around! :)

This is the best year ever!  

And now I'm off to mop my floors :)