back again, weirdness, and what I cling to

We are back. This time for 4 whole days...woohoo!

Despite a rather rainy and chilly week, we still managed to have a lot of fun with my family at the beach last week...

Football with my brothers was the game of choice for the week.

I love these guys. 

A side benefit of living away from family is truly appreciating the times when we are together.

I'll have more pictures, one of these days when things slow down. 

That day is coming, right?!

I think then I'll finally feel like we are really back in America, not just on a fun furlough visit.

Maybe?

This life we are living right now is just...weird. I don't mean that in a complaining way, more in a I'm just stating a fact way. Our life is weird right now. Haiti feels like a dream. This life feels like a vacation. Nothing feels normal because nothing is normal.

So much is still unknown. Still temporary.

I have to choose each and every day (and sometimes multiple times a day) to cling to what I do know...

His faithfulness,

His sovereignty,

His provision,

and His presence,

traveling fools

We finished up a wonderful family filled week with our Via family and today we head off to spend some time reconnecting with my family. Then we are "home" for a few days then head to NC to help out with a missions banquet. After that I am back in VA for 2 weeks then I head to Uganda for a few weeks to help out some missionary friends.

Whew...

I feel as though this entire last year has been one big pack and unpack, re-pack and unpack.

Rinse and repeat.

I've become the master packer and know exactly just what to bring/leave out depending on where we will be and the number of days and access to laundry facilities. My kids are great travelers, sleep well wherever we land, and take it all in stride.

I was the one who always struggled with traveling, with being out of routine...but this year has changed me. I am much much more flexible and even enjoy the nomadic life we've done. I will always be a "home-maker" and find such deep fulfillment in making my home my own, but my home is now wherever my family is.

Wherever that may be.

swiftly fly the years: Ezra James turns seven

Yes, he has made it to seven!

We have managed to keep him alive one more year.

A year in a third world country, no less =)

As much as I make jest of his quirkiness...I love this kid to death. To stinkin' freakin' death!

He is funny, smart, strong, sensitive, and all those "things" that make him more maintenance to parent are things that I know will make him an amazing adult. (Or a sociopath...but we have high hopes.)

I've been doing some reading on the changes that happen in a 7 year olds brain and it is fascinating stuff people, fascinating. What is even more amazing to me is that I can see these changes happening in Ezra right before my eyes...his ability to process and engage in complex logical thinking and planning.

TRANSLATION = He has gotten really good at arguing.

He is also asking questions now that really require me to think...like really think.
Like "hmmm...I've never thought of that before so lets go do some research on that" kinda questions. Or "lets check with your Daddy on that one" kinda questions.
Or "just go watch some cartoons and pick your nose" kinda questions.

Of all our kiddo's he was the one most excited to return to America and he has embraced life back as an American with open arms. He just wants to do it all, all the time, with all his people.

Oh, Ezra...you exhaust me, try me, make me laugh, shock me, and wow me. Sometimes all within a few minutes. But more than anything...I love you. I love being your Momma. And I really like you too.

Happy Birthday Ezra James!

photojournal: first field trip (Mill Mountain)

Monarch Way Academy has added to our staff by the hiring of a new activities director, aka: Daddy. 

Sidenote: Does this mean I can now claim that I get to sleep with the activities director?!

He is in charge of planning all major field trips for the year. 

Since we are in a "new" city we started off by a visit to the most prominent landmarks of Roanoke, the Mill Mountain Star and Discovery center...

As an added bonus, they have a great natural playground which all the kids loved.

We managed to find a new friend while climbing on the rocks. He was kinda cute, for a snake.

Quite the photogenic bunch...or not.

And this one pretty much sums up my crew, ha!

thursday thoughts (He's home!)

We head out this afternoon for our annual Via family vacation.

Perfect timing too, because guess who gets to come with us...

Yep, he's home! 

He's home! 

And one more time to express how happy we are...HE'S HOME!

A week together away with minimal cell and internet service after our month separation is just what is needed. God's timing is always perfect.

I'm a month ahead of him in processing through all these Haiti and repatriating into America emotions, so I'll either be able to help him through them or just want to rush him though them =)

Either way, we now get to do it together. And my heart is happy.

Happy Thursday everyone!

the country life (and a near death experience)

They were all smiles for the picture, but about 20 minutes later were screaming for their lives as the wagon flipped over as they traveled down the steep incline to the lake and they thought they were going to be dragged to their death.

Um, I mean...they were all smiles for the entire afternoon and we never allow them to do anything remotely dangerous. Right...

Side note: Is is just me or do they look so grown up in this picture?

Back in the Saddle Again (and my newest homeschool book recommendations)

Monarch Way Academy is back in session and I am so very excited about this 2014-2015 school year. Especially after the struggle of last years school year...maybe one day I'll elaborate?

This is our 3rd year of "official" school and I am finally feeling really confident in choosing curriculum and knowing what is going to work for our family.

I have recently read some great books that have re-energized and re-motivated me in my homeschool efforts:

Beyond Survival: A Guide to Abundant Life Homeschooling by Diana Waring



Once I got past the terribly cheesy covered wagon cover art, then this book has given me new eyes and new hope in which I view this great privilege I have to educate my children. I especially enjoyed the chapters on the different learning styles and learning modalities. Its a great mix of personal stories, resource recommendations, and inspiration.

Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry by Katrina Kenison



Man, I needed this book. Because I am with my children all.the.stinking.time, and especially coming off this season of not having Jeremiah around I  tend to get caught up in all that needs to get done and forget to cherish these fleeting moments with my kids. This book did that for me. I think I'll keep it handy for those times when I need to be reminded of how great is this unique calling of motherhood in this time and in this place.

They Way They Learn by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias



As I am making a huge effort to figure out what I can do to help Eli learn I have been knee deep in learning style research. I like the humor in this book, the simple explanations of the 4 different styles and the information on the 7 different intelligences.Very informational while not being boring.

Below is the jist of what my homeschool planning looks like while I'm attempting to create an overview of the year for us:

Each child has a workbook for Math and English, but our science, history, and geography is all unit studies incorporating reading biographies, field trips, and projects/experiments. I have found this gives us the structure to make sure that we don't miss any foundational requirements while allowing the flexibility for individualizing our days for each of my very different children. Oh yeah, and the fact that we are technically nomads right now and our life can and will change makes staying flexible a necessity!

We pick an artist/composer/author of the month to study and read about as well, and this year we have added a person of the month...scientist, president, bible character, etc.

Beyond that we have 1 goal for every school day...read something every day and write something every day. Each child has their own school journal and they have to make some kind of entry in it every day...whether its a picture, a story, a sentence (I hate writing in this book.)...but there has to be something!



We are two weeks in and so far everyone is loving it. I'm sure there will be some tweaking and changes as the year goes on, but right now I am completely overwhelmed in the best possible way with all the resources at my fingertips. We don't even know how good we have it here in America in regards to all the helps and resources and information available to us. I am not taking it for granted.

Of course, the zooble gets some "cool" time in as well.

thursday thoughts

It's been funny, the little ways you can tell my children have lived in Haiti for a year...

For instance, they aren't used to napkins at the table, because 1) napkins were expensive and you didn't waste them or use them unless absolutely necessary and 2) the fans would just blow them off the table anyways.

Also, their reactions to us being at a stoplight for any length of time might be disconcerting if you didn't know their frame of reference. "Mom, why are we stopped? or Mom, why aren't you just going?" ring out every time.

Anytime Zoe hears a difference in an electrical appliance, i.e. the washing machine finishes its cycle, the ac cycles off, etc., she gives a little growl of frustration and announces "powers off!"



I ordered these little photo magnets made out of all our instagram pictures of our last year and have them all over our fridge...I love the constant reminder of seeing our Haiti family.

I forgot how quickly fall comes to Virginia, as opposed to the North Carolina falls that don't really show up till November. Geesh, the nights here are already getting cold! I think we are in for quite a shock to our system this winter.

We officially started up our Monarch Way Academy 2014-2015 school year this week and it is off to a great start.

 I do wonder if I can call it an official start without a picture of my kids holding an adorable chalkboard sign with their grades on it?

(Sorry, sometimes Jeremiah's sarcastic-ness leaks over to me. But I'm never sardonic.)

I decided to do a "soft start" for this month and we are only doing our main Math, English, and Reading subjects and will start all our other subjects in October. I've never done this before but I can see tremendous benefits to it for all of us. First, it eases us back into more of a schedule vs. an abrupt start. I don't know any child (or adult really!) that loves abrupt starts. Second, it takes away any pressure I feel to not "get behind" in those major areas. It also allows for me to do any tweaking where I see the kids need it, or to add in any new areas of study that they bring up they are interested in.

I always sit down with the kids when I begin my planning of the school year and ask them what they would like to learn about. I believe it serves us both well to integrate what has to be taught within the parameters of what they want to know. This year, however, they were really short winded in creating that list, I think because we had just stepped off a plane into a new world. Doing this soft start will allow me time to plan in their interests as their brains get back into school mode.

Last years schooling in Haiti was...really, really challenging. I am so very excited to have a better school year this time around.

And finally, for old times sake, I found these pictures of our first week of school way back in 2010. They were just babies then...

Happy Thursday!

Labor Day 2014

Last week I went up to my moms and of course, had a blast. At the end of the week I was able to leave the kids in their capable hands and have a weekend getaway with my bff from way back when DC talk was cool and fanny packs were all the rage.

We've come a long ways and always pick up right where we left off. I love this girl and having an entire weekend with her and her family and friends was just what my soul needed.

Of course, my kids missed me terribly and pined away for me all weekend...