Minivans Are Hot | First Day of School

First Day of School: Homeschool Edition

Our beachside elementary school officially opened its doors yesterday. Children with a deep need for routine made beginning a week earlier than planned a necessity. And so, with a great deal of excitement mingled with even greater nervous energy, we began our first day of school.

I got out of bed, my feet hitting the cold tile floor and my stomach flipped upside down. Getting dressed, I seriously entertained the idea of packing the kids up and driving to Tampa to enroll them in school. I looked in the mirror at the wide, scared eyes staring back. What if I fail? What if I irrevocably screw them up for life? What if damage our relationship with one another? What if…

And then I stopped. Took a deep breath. Prayed.

What if this is the best thing that ever happened to our family? What if I choose to rest in the now and what has clearly been laid out before us? What if it’s fun?!

And that was it. I walked out of the bathroom and down the hall and began an adventure I never thought I’d take. And dare I say…we had fun.

Preapring to begin our day.

Walking to school. Really, we just made a huge circle and came back home.

There's something for everyone to do. Although my guess is Landon asked me roughly 462 times if he could please play the Ds.

: The letter ‘F’ was on the docket for the first day.

: Snack time was combined with recess.

: Recess was at the park.

: Picnic lunch on the floor in a pillow fort.

: Landon gets hold of the camera while I’m not looking and takes 56 pictures of my backside.

: Math, Geography, History and Literature are covered.

: We covered Russian as well.

: At the end of the day, we made our walk back home.

Whew…

Today we get to do it all over again.

I think I’m excited.

This I Pray

With first grade in full swing, I’ve found myself impressed this year more than ever to be bathing my children in prayer. This is something that I’ve always known was important, but if I’m being honest I’d confess that I haven’t been faithful in daily lifting them up. But for some reason, this year, I can’t really brush aside or ignore the need to send my son out under the protection of God who is able to keep Sloan in ways that I cannot.

I pray that Sloan is a light among his peers. I pray that he is a bold leader. I pray that he is an encourager to others and a helper to his teacher.

I pray that Sloan has fun. I pray that he laughs often, learns much and finds joy in each and every day.

I pray that Sloan will be strong in the Lord and that he will be filled with wisdom as he grows into a young man of stature.

I pray that waking up in the morning gets less painful every day.

I pray that his relationship with his brother and sister doesn’t suffer despite the fact that he will be absent seven hours a day. In fact, I hope that the separation makes them appreciate each other more.