Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Prayers Answered! Viruses, Earthquakes and Storms. Oh My!

Well, after over 16 months of unemployment and 11 months of under-employment, God has answered our prayers for a permanent position for my husband.  This position had us move from Minnesota (Twin cities area) to Northern Virginia.  I am so very thankful that my husband is employed in a position that utilizes his experience and challenges him and he is pleased to have.  I am enjoying the new digs, but I am sorely missing old friends.....

Withing two weeks of our arrival in Virginia, we had a wonderful virus which caused pink eye, ear infections, and colorful throat maladies in various family members; we had an earthquake (two years of living in California and I never felt anything like the 5.9 we had last week), and Hurricane Irene decided to blow our way (luckily, almost no real damage in our area.  A few trees down, tons of branches and a few blown over patio sets were all the casualties we were hit with.  Much better for us than New Jersey or Vermont...)

We weathered these things in addition to the daily duties and responsibilities of having 4 children and a husband, planning for the school year (yes, I totally procrastinated this time!), and getting the house unpacked and organized.  Oh, did I mention my car died?  The only car we have in which the entire family will fit....  That's the one!

Thanks and praise be to God (and my wonderful husband, really) for helping me get through things as they come.  Seriously.  If I had to handle all of these things on my own, by now I'd be a blathering idiot curled up in fetal position in a dark corner somewhere.....

Now it is time for me to make sure all my ducks are in a row for this school year.  (I only have about 100 books left to shelve and one room to unpack and organize - the ever dreaded 'storage area' with all my scrapbooking and sewing stuff.... No problem.)  It looks like this year might be the calmest since my first year.  No pregnancies, no bedrest, no nursing babies (at least, it SEEMS as though that's not going to happen any time in the near future :) Maybe.... Anyway.  The biggest thing for me is getting God involved in the planning.  Making sure all my ducks are in a row means making sure He is at the helm of this homeschool ship. 

I found a beautiful Novena for Homeschool Mothers.  I am thinking this will help me to make sure I am beginning the year with the proper perspective......  

As of right now, we are looking at some intense studies on Ancient Greece and Rome, along with our Latin, Math and Reading.  Science will be Nature Study this year and we are taking Logic, Church Latin, Music Theory and Art Projects online.  Catechism and Bible History... I am thinking that since this is the 150th Anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, we are going to focus on that for our US History.....  And, the most important subject of all - the 'keeping busy' of the 2 and 3 year olds.....  It should be a fun year :)

Blessings!