I felt a little rushed and I didn't get quite as many pictures of all four kids looking in the same direction and smiling at the same time as I would have liked. But let's be real, I could have probably taken 200 more pictures and I still wouldn't have anymore eyes looking at the camera, right?
Although, it really doesn't matter which direction these sweet faces are looking, they are still my favorite!
This year has been full of change and new experiences for our family. The "big boys" or "brothers", as Scarlett now calls them, have been playing for the Tennessee Soccer Club out of Nashville. It has been a big commitment, but I have seen so much growth and hard work from both of them. The part that took the most adjustment for me was getting use to the boys being gone a couple of evenings a week. It has forced me to except that they are moving into a new phase of their childhood. Over the years they will spend more and more time out of our home doing actives and being with their peers.
In additions to soccer, we have jumped back into a Classical Conversation community this year. As much as putting one more thing into our week overwhelmed me, I knew it was what we needed to do. I am grateful I did not ignore those promptings because this community has been an answer to so many prayers! The Lord has never left me alone in our homeschool journey. Every
time I feel like I don't know the next step, someone or something is placed in my path to make it possible for me to continue. When I step back and reflect our experience, I can say without a doubt, that would never have gotten to this place without my Savior. My favorite part of the CC curriculum is that everything is connected and everything is connected to Him, because it really is.
With Jake being in upper elementary school, he and I need direction on what to do next so he can continue to be challenged and develop in his eduction. The Essentials program has been amazing for his writing development and for his understanding of grammar and language. I am blown away by how much we learn in just two hours once a week. I am asking myself constantly, "What the heck did I learn in school because I didn't learn any of this!" The first few weeks overwhelmed Jake (and me) a bit, but he is sticking with it, and I can see things coming together for him. This was the answer to helping Jake bring his writing skills up to match his voracious reading.
Classical Conversations has also been exactly what James needs too. When I tutored the 4/5 year olds 3 years ago, Jamie was a able to join my class even though he was only 3 when we started. Back then, he refused to do the weekly presentations. Getting up and speaking in front of people has always made him uncomfortable. He has never even given a primary talk, although he now does violin concerts without complaint. This year he is like a different kid. His teacher had to push him a little on the first week, but now, he is comfortable and confident when it is his turn each week. I actually think he looks forward to it. Two weeks ago, he even offered to give another boy's talk for him in primary because the boy had a sore throat. It is so amazing to see your children overcome something that was once such a challenge. I hope he can remember that hard things don't stay hard when you keep practicing and pushing yourself.
Then there is my Scarlett girl... With only a few more weeks until her forth birthday, I find myself reflecting oh her growth often. There is a wildness in this one, a fire that burns deep with in her soul. She can be so challenging because she feels intensely. You see it when she paints. At three, she already paints with drama. Bright, dark, and bold colors fill the paper with interesting textures and unique brush strokes. I can't help but watch her as she works, feeling like I am getting a glimpse into her soul, all the while wondering how she decides what her next move will be. But I don't know if she really decides, I think it may just be a feeling. But even with all her drama and her artistic nature, she also craves order and structure. She decided she was ready for "school" before I was quite ready to add her into the mix. So after a couple months of dragging my feet, her school drawers are now filled with kindergarten workbooks and she is happily working her way through them. I thought we would do another year of more hands on montisorri jobs, but she really wanted something more "traditional". So now she is writing her letters and numbers, learning to solve basic addition problems, and I think it is time to pull out our Hooked on Phonics. She is incredibly bright and while she wouldn't start kindergarten until the fall of 2019 it is obvious she is ready now. But I am being careful not too push and to let her take the lead in her learning. Watch out world, because when this girl sets her mind to something there is no stopping her!
And then our Jonah Bear! He just lights up our lives and none of us could imagine our family with out him. He is usually mellow but he has a goofy side that reminds us very much of Jamie at this age. Out of all our babies, Jonah is by far the best about car rides, but he has a limit and when he hits that point there is no about of snacks or Elmo that can quiet his frustrated cries. This can lead to some very long car rides back to our house in the middle of the country. (Did I mention that this usually mellow boy also has a stubborn streak?) This boy is obsessed with balls, especially soccer balls, and he constantly wants to play pass with his Daddy. I am reminded so much of Jacob at his age because I swear they both learned to walk just so they could kick a soccer ball easier. His timing and coordination is amazing for someone so young. We tease the older boys that Jonah is far better at getting his daily touches in (well, he really is). He has impressed quite a few soccer dads with his skills while we hang out on the side lines of Jake and Jamie's soccer games and he may have left several toddlers in tears after running up and dribbling their balls away. 😬 As for us, we are as obsessed with him as he is with soccer! You are growing up too fast, but we are enjoying every minute.
