Furby

You'd think I'd listen to my own advice, wouldn't you?  Yeah, well, it appears you'd be wrong.  I didn't notice it wasn't working until my son was in tears and I was ready to scream.  Once emotions cooled, I realized that the beauty of homeschooling is that I DON'T HAVE TO pound my triangular child into a square hole.  I need to find a curriculum that works for him, not the other way around.

See, Jack is my special ed student.  He's a bright boy, and very affectionate, sweet and fun.  But he's speech delayed, and he's a horrible speller, partly because he's not a strong reader.  At. All.

Most of the kids went to school, either public or private, for kindergarten.  Jack did not, because I knew he would not have passed the entrance exam for our private school (I know, I know; don't get me started) and I could not bear to send my baby to public school.  I just felt like he wasn't ready yet. I think we did him a disservice by keeping him home.

So much of parenting is guesswork.  We make the best choices we can, based on what we know, how we feel, and outside influences.  I'd read over and over that little boys just aren't ready to sit still and read at 5 years old.  And yet, he's almost 9 now.  Not reading at 8 is different than not reading at 5.  I feel like I've failed him somehow.

All these thoughts and feelings were swirling around my head when I decided to implement some changes in our homeschool.  I decided to switch Jack from Aleks math to A Beka math.  I also realized that although I read aloud to the kids a LOT with our curriculum, Jack doesn't have any sort of reading program this year.  :major headsmack:  HOW did I not notice this??

Oh, he's doing the The Complete Book of Animals as his animal science this year, but because the reading level is 2nd-3rd grade, and he's not quite there yet, we've gotten in the habit of me reading the material TO him.

I started looking online at reading curriculum, and then I stopped myself.  Our school room has EIGHT bookcases in it.  Surely, one could find something appropriate for an emerging reader in this very room!  I went through our impressive stack of readers and sorted them by level.  And Jack and I have been plowing through the Level One books each day since then.

I'm seeing progress.  Tonight's Biscuit book only required a few helps, and many pages required no help at all.  I've also noticed that listening to him read each day helps me to correct his pronunciation.  So far, we haven't had any tears with the new math book he started on Tuesday.  Things are looking better.

I'm glad that homeschooling allows me the chance to see where he's struggling and address it, as opposed to him being swept along with the rest of the class in a traditional school.

If you could pray for me?  I'm starting to write down ideas for next school year.  Obviously nothing set in stone yet, as the dynamics will be very different around here.  But I would ask that you pray God will guide our family as we make choices about who will go to school, where they will go, and what materials we will use here at home next year.  With Annaliese graduating high school, Hannah graduating kindergarten, and Katie's arrival, it's hard to foresee what will work best for everyone.  Thank you.



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LID and Katie picture

This week's picture is not a particularly great shot.  This is one of the photos we received with her referral, and I have no idea when it was taken.

Waiting parents tend to analyze all the background details in their child's photos.  You make observations and inferences.

I look at this picture, and I'm happy to see TOYS.  We didn't see toys when we visited Hannah's orphanage.  I wonder how much of this is due to Half The Sky working at Katie's orphanage.  I've read that kids at orphanages where Half The Sky has programs are usually more on track developmentally and have fewer sensory issues.

Particularly in light of some bad things coming out about one facility in another part of China, I am glad to see that she is in a good place.  Our agency was at Katie's orphanage in May, and I trust them.

Speaking of our agency, I was informed on Wednesday that our dosser was logged in on 1/15!  We have our LID, so now we move on to waiting for our LOA, which is Letter Of Approval, after China has reviewed all our documents.  We may or may not hear when our dossier is out of translation.  Please pray for quick and accurate translation, and a speedy LOA.  The time for this step ranges anywhere from 11 to 90 days right now, with no rhyme or reason as to why some take longer than others.  Hannah's LOA came at 35 days, so I'm trying to not think about it until that point.

The one plus about not hearing about our LID until a week after it happens is that we get a little "boost" at the beginning of our LOA wait.  Instead of starting from day 1, we started from day 8.  I made this ticker for Katie's page so it's easy to see how long we've been waiting.  See, PAPs (prospective adoptive parents) have a tendency to obsess a little.  So it's not uncommon for people to share, "We got LOA today!  Day 27!" and then everyone who is still waiting at less than 27 days thinks, "Hey, that's early!  Ours could come soon!" and everyone who's waited longer than 27 days thinks, "Man!  Why can't they process these things in the order they're received?  Oh well, that's one more file out of the way."

While we wait for the next steps, we're saving and fundraising for the next fees.  In addition to travel costs, we make a final payment of 1,904 to our agency prior to travel.  We have applied for a grant to cover a portion of this, so please pray that we will be selected as a grant recipient.  We just got a $19 check from our Just Love Coffee page.  Coffee might make a good gift for your Valentine, don't you think?  :)

I'm anxiously awaiting Chinese New Year so we can send a package to Katie and hopefully receive new pictures in return!  I want to see that my girl is still doing okay.  I hope they're letting her hair grow.  

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Valentine sewing and Martin Luther King Jr Day playing

Sweet sisters!  

I'm so proud of myself.  I found this fabric in the sewing room when I was looking for something else (which I never did find, lol), and thought, "I should make the girls Valentine shirts!"

And I actually did it!

They were finished a whole month before Valentine's Day, but I just had them wear them to get a picture on Monday.  

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was "holiday routine" for us.  

That's a term borrowed from the firehouse.  

It was also a beautiful sunny day.  

(yes, my child is riding his bike down the stairs, why do you ask?)

It was also a beautiful sunny day. 

(even the couch potato-iest of us came out to enjoy it)

We've missed those days lately.  

We had a cold snap that left the windshield coated in ice every morning when we left to take the teens to school.

So it was nice to see the sun again.    

And it was nice to play with the neighbor kids, too.

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The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

Since I'm in my 15th year of homeschooling, I tend to think I've seen/heard/read most of what's out there.  After being asked to review The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, I've realized there is always something new to learn.  Insight and encouragement abound in this 120 page publication.

Even the cover brings new ideas to mind!  The January issue of The Old Schoolhouse shows a picture of an old schoolhouse on the front, and inside asks it's readers to submit photos of other old schoolhouses.  Well, we happen to have one right here in town!  I think a field trip with cameras is in order soon.  I recently tried to give the kids a photo essay project and they weren't able to complete it on their own.  Maybe we should start smaller and go shoot the schoolhouse and then compare photos on the computer and discuss light, perspective, etc.  See what I mean?  All this, from a little cover explanation.

The articles contained were quite varied.  It seemed there was a little bit of every area of curriculum addressed, although math and drama were heavily represented in this issue.  Also included were brief comparisons of several different math programs, articles on art, drama, foreign languages, math, the Constitution, transportation, and so on.  In addition, there were articles on many other things such as homeschooling expenses, family stories, and Christian life.  There was something written about every phase of homeschooling, from preschool to high school.

The article on the cost of homeschooling was a timely one for me, as just last week, I started listing all the materials I want to use next year, and researching costs for each.  There are times when I wish we could do this enrichment or get that bonus game/fun hands on learning item, but this article reminded me that the amount you spend on homeschooling does not equate to the quality of the results.

Another thing I appreciated was being encouraged in my Christian walk.  One quote I particularly took to heart was "If you're not ready to forgive someone, bake them a cake."  --meaning, do it whether you want to or not.  So many times I'm driven by my feelings, and I need to just obey.  Easier said than done!

The advertisements were interesting and relevant.  I found myself clicking a couple of them out of curiosity.  I found companies I had never heard of.

One of the pieces was about planes and flight.  Eli happens to be obsessed with aircraft these days, so I picked up a couple ideas for him to research from that.

I'm grateful for the chance to participate with the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  I feel the time I spent reading The Old Schoolhouse Magazine was worthwhile, and left me refreshed as a homeschooling mom.  For those who prefer a print version, the annual print issue is available here:  http://schoolhouseteachers.com/print-issue/

Since The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is not only FREE, but also available as a FREE app at www.TOSApps.com, I encourage every homeschool family to check out this publication and see if it inspires you, too.  



Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

Homeschool Weekly Wrap Up - Saudi Arabia

Jack worked with Daddy on some engineering skills this week, as they made the latest installment (for our family, anyway) in the LEGO Creator series of buildings.

Brianna and Hannah sorting a bucket of beads.

Pipe cleaners and letter beads is a great way to do spelling words.

Note to self:  It's hard to photograph something over a bright window!

This is our Around The World bulletin board set.  We've been adding characters as we learn about the different countries.  I looked on Amazon, but I think they've updated it to a slightly different one now.  We've had this set for years.  I did an around the world unit study with Zachary, Annaliese, Josiah, and Samuel when they were little.

This week we started Saudi Arabia.

The perfect time for Eli to present his Germany project, right?

In his defense, he was waiting for Josiah to help him with part of it, and that just happened recently.

The kids also played Mancala from our Kenya weeks a few extra times this week.

We've had the game for ages, but since it's an African game, I had them pull it out and play.  It's always fun to see their renewed interest in an old favorite.  

A new country means research, 

passports,

and flags.

Flags are a favorite around here.

I've recently been thinking that we need a set of Unit Blocks for Hannah and Katie to play with.

But after Eli made this sword-high tower, and played with these blocks for a couple days straight, I realized:

1) I underestimated who would use a nice set of blocks around here

and

2) maybe we can make do with the blocks we have, at least for now

Single-origin chocolate from Ecuador.

Chocolate is a great motivator for learning, who knew?

Brianna has been the driving force behind getting the boys to do their packets so they can eat the next bar.  

She managed to get them through TWO countries this week.  

I guess I'll be printing up the next few packets for them over the weekend!

Personally, I think we're venturing into the "tastes like dirt" realm of dark chocolate at 70, but the kids are still impressed with it.  Tanzania, the last country at the bottom of the box, is 73, so we'll see if they like that one or not.  

My big boy will be going "wheels up" soon on his 3rd overseas deployment.

I'm not worried, per se, but I would appreciate your prayers for him as he adjusts to new surroundings.  I'm excited that he gets to see a new country this time.  And I'm hopeful that communication home will be a little better from there than when he was in the Middle East.

Since the teens are off on Monday, and Hannah is still off-track, we are taking Monday as a holiday, too.  We did part of Monday's work today, since we were done with this week.  I love the freedom of setting our own schedule in homeschooling!

Have a lovely 3 day weekend!

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A Thread Unbroken

I had the opportunity to review A Thread Unbroken, by Kay Bratt.  I have read Kay's memoir, Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage, and I was interested to see how her writing crossed over to fiction.  Wow.  She's got it.

Without giving the plot away, this is a story of courage and loyalty.  You root for the good guys and are angry at the injustices of the world.  The reading level was fairly basic, and I was thinking this might be a story my 12 year old daughter would enjoy reading (the main characters are just a little older than her), until I got to one graphic scene, which changed my mind about that.

As someone who has been to China, I appreciated the sprinkling of Mandarin phrases throughout the book.  Kay understands Chinese culture from having lived in China for more than 4 years, and makes it accessible to the rest of us in her descriptive and empathetic writing.  Still, one can't help but be horrified at one of the sad issues revealed within this book's pages.  It's a good reminder that our version of normal is not the reality for millions of people around the world.

A Thread Unbroken was a quick read that took me 3 days to complete.  This would be a perfect book to take on the plane for an adoption trip.  It is a "happily ever after" book in the end, although you spend the middle of the book wondering how on earth it will all work out well.

For more about the author, click here.

For more Heroines With Heart book reviews, check out these other blogs:  

Weekly Katie pic and adoption non-update

Still waiting to hear a Log In Date or LID.  I am learning to celebrate the little things.  Like our DTC packet arriving from our agency.  Words like "YOUR TRIP TO CHINA" leap off the page at me and make me smile.  And knowing that every day we're one day closer to Katie helps, too.

We have been so blessed to have others come along side us in the financial aspect of our journey. When I get discouraged to see our RR account balance not changing, God uses people who give in other ways to remind me that He's got this. We've recently been given gifts from 4 different people, that have really encouraged me.  If you feel led to give, THANK YOU!

Also, please remember that we are the January family at Worthy of the Prize.  If you purchase a wristband or a necklace from CAP CREATIONS, our family receives a portion.  And if you do any shopping at Amazon.com, please use our LINK.  We get a little kickback from that, too.  Thanks!

Based on hair length, I think this is the most recent picture of Katie we currently have.  I'm happy to see her sitting outside in the grass.  Hannah acted like she'd never been exposed to grass the first time I sat her on it at the park.  I'm anxious to see if they let her hair continue to grow, or if they've cut it by the time we get updated pictures (hopefully next month).  

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Do you like to take pictures of your children?

What a neat opportunity!  

Would you like to learn how to take better pictures of your kids?  

Do you want to understand your camera better?  

Please check out this WORKSHOP offered by Nicole of Nicole Renee Newborns.

If you book a workshop using our family code:  BLESSED, we receive a donation toward our adoption fees.  

If you have friends who like to take pictures of their kids, PLEASE share this with them!  

Thank you!

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More Sewing

I've found myself in the sewing room more often lately. This is, my friends, A Good Thing. There is something so satisfying about creating something with my own hands. Being able to look at something and say, "I made this." Doing something that doesn't immediately get UN-done by all the other people who live here with me.

It's not that I'm making anything particularly amazing, either. Mostly, I've been making simple peasant tops for Katie. But it's nice to be able to MAKE her clothes instead of having to buy everything when every penny to spare needs to be going toward the adoption costs.

I made the top to go with the shorts that I bought on clearance.

It makes me feel good to be USING UP some of the embarrassing amount of fabric stash I have in the sewing room. Honestly, I wish I could sew about half of it up. The sewing room would function so much better without as much STUFF in it.

Remember how I mentioned that Hannah's prosthetic leg chews up her pants? Her prosthetist actually said the jeans she had on last time we were there were the worst he'd seen. Now, every mother likes their kid to excel, but she'd only worn them 4 times! It was that bad. Seriously, clothing issues has been the biggest "difficulty" of Hannah's special need on a day to day basis. And clothing issues are doable. Not fun, kind of frustrating sometimes, but totally doable.

At any rate, I decided to turn the pants into shorts and put them away until summer.

And I also decided to use one of the cut off legs to make Wawa (Hannah's doll) a skirt. See, there are some parts of adoptive parenting that are Different. You have to think about their origin as you make choices about how to parent them. Other times, it's exactly the same. And when my big girls were about to be displaced from the Throne of Babyhood by a younger sibling, we played up DOLLS and babies a lot. Granted, Annaliese was 2 and Brianna only 18 months when they had to surrender their crowns, but Hannah's family age is 2 years, so it still seems appropriate to me.

Hannah's birthday comes about a month before we'll be going to China for Katie. I'm planning to give her a doll cradle and make her some doll clothes, blankets, etc. so she can practice mothering, too. Brianna has made a doll sized pillow already.

So Wawa and her other babies will periodically disappear into the sewing room for fittings and by the time her birthday comes, I hope to have a nice little pile of sewn things for her/them.

Portable comfort blankies/security objects.

Unlike "real" Taggies, these are flannel on one side and Minkee on the other side.

I was planning to put them into my Your Adopt Shop to sell, but I'm having technical difficulties with the shop right now.  Email me at grtlyblesd@aol.com if you're interested in purchasing a snuggle blankie or other custom sewing.

One nice benefit of spending more time in the sewing room is that it gives me something relaxing and enjoyable to DO while I'm waiting. I find if I spend too much time online, I get caught up in the "when is the next step going to happen?" frenzy and stress myself out. If I can focus instead on making cute clothes for the little ones, I'll be more pleasant to be around, we'll save money, and the wait will not seem so horrible after all.




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Linking to a Valentine giveaway

A couple months ago, a blog I follow gave away a t-shirt to the first person to identify the messy substance on a cute picture of their son.

I saw it and thought, "That looks like cream cheese."  Turns out, it was.  I'm now the proud owner of a lovely pink "Got love? Adopt" shirt.

They're doing another giveaway for Valentine's day.  And they have lots of cute stuff in their Got Love? shop.  Check it out here:  http://minus1project.blogspot.com/2013/01/st-valentine-give-away.html




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