I guess the easy way to decide when to graduate a kid is by checking what the requirements for the local school system are and seeing if you've done it. Also I have kind of thought of what I had when I graduated as well. But my goals and school's goals are not necessarily the same. And I'm not sure I could mark off my goals and say "There, now we've done it." I tell my kids that they should always be learning, always be doing something. Some moms when I told them S. was thinking she wanted to go ahead and graduate kind of had a "Well, too bad." kind of answer to it. And if I thought she was just trying to get out of work, I probably would feel that way too. (And truth to tell, it would be no heartbreak to her to quit science and math.) But if she were to graduate I would expect her to fill her time with other useful things like more concentrating on learning to manage the house, helping teach the younger kids, cooking, gardening, learning the bookkeeping for Rand, and she would still take her piano and voice lessons. That's a bit to keep her busy. And she always reads anything I toss her way. She can't keep her nose out of a book.

Another thought I had was just to assign her every book I could think of that I wanted her to read in the next couple years and let her be done when she was done. If it took her a year, fine, if not, fine too.

I guess it doesn't really matter because she decided she didn't want to. She was afraid she would look like she was trying to jump the gun or something. But I think I will see if I can come up with that book list anyway. It's good for me to think about.

OK, I lied yesterday. I did go out. I went to the bookstore. Just wanted to get that off my chest. I got oldest daughter a book because she is sick. She read it all in one afternoon. I asked her if she enjoyed it, and she said "Yeah, it was the first book I ever read that took place in modern day." Well I had to laugh at that, though I also had to point out that that wasn't true, she has read Madeleine L'Engle. But that was all I could think of. I guess we are a little historic in our reading. Seems safer that way.

She approached me a few weeks ago about graduating next year. Since then she decided she didn't want to, but it does get me to thinking. When do we call it "done"? When do I look at her and say, "OK, now you have a highschool level education."? She is way ahead of where I was in things like history and literature and music. (Not that that is saying much. I don't consider myself the gauge.) And soon she will be where I graduated in math and science. I want her to learn Quickbooks because DH wants her to take over the secretarial aspects of his business. When we started homeschooling I had all these visions of brilliant tri-lingual, harp playing and who knows what else type kids that were going to come out of our family. Well, it didn't turn out that way, and my vision has changed over the years. Now I am very happy with my sweet, godly young woman.

Anybody have any thoughts? I think ya'all are out working in the garden. :)

Today I am going to stay home all day. I am not going to set foot out of our yard!

John and Johanna's wedding was just lovely, as expected. For those of you who don't know them, Johanna is the oldest daughter of the Forsters-that is the Doorpost people. Johanna is about as sweet as a girl can possibly be. One that you think "My, if my daughters could grow up half that well!" She has been a blessing to our family, helping me after Joseph was born and carrying babies about the church and just being sweet so that all my little ones love her. Of course everybody loves them both and they were surrounded by lots and lots of well wishers at the wedding.

But we had an extra special blessing to give as my youngest daughter threw up all over the dance floor. Hah. Now they will be sure to never forget us! (Ugh, it would be us.) So we made hasty arrangements for oldest daughter to get a ride home with another family (It would have been a tragedy for her to have to leave a dance early.) I thought maybe it was too much chocolate and a little too rowdy dancing at the "Margery Hoy" (the Forsters always do country contra type dances-which is what we prefer as well.) but now some of the others are a bit droopy, so I guess it was a bug.

Now there is nothing major coming up and I'm so glad. There is a weekly group we get together with to listen to some Vision Forum tapes (Entrepreneurial Bootcamp series.) and softball games. But other than that things will settle down for a while. (I hope.)

So today for the first time in what feels like forever, I am not going anywhere. I am going to clean house, water the garden, work on the little boys' phonics, maybe bake some bread. I am going to enjoy every second of it too. :)

Well, when you're feeling blue, there's nothing to distract one like old Doctor Who reruns. And we have been watching them aplenty, thanks to a free trial month with netflicks. They have tons of The Doctor available for immediate download. So thorough has been our immersion that I constantly go around with the wierd psychedelic theme song rattling around in my head. Kind of changes your perspective on the world. At any moment an evil Dalek may jump out at me!

No wait! Now I find I am not the only one with Doctor Who on the brain. Here I find a crocheter (Is that a word?) of Daleks.

3621http://shigella.livejournal.com/519884.html?view=3621068068

Is that not just a hoot?

I know some-OK, most of you-are uninitiated to the wierd world of Doctor Who. I never heard of him until I married my ever sci-fi loving hubby. But really, you've gotta try one. And to get the real full effect, you gotta get one with Tom Baker. (He was also Puddleglum in the BBC's version of the Silver Chair, and the best thing about it too.)

We also like Peter Davison, who was also Tristan for the James Herriot series.

Once you watch a few, you will never have the same perspective on bubblewrap.

(And it would be fun if more people knew what on earth I was talking about....)

Call it a field trip into 60's British pop culture.

Death to Daleks!!

(I promise to take the music off in a day or two. Just wanted you to get the full effect.)

There's a situation at my house that I can't get off my mind. I feel like I bungled my whole way through. It didn't turn out like I hoped, I feel like we made some people dear to us sad, and it gnaws at me all day long. Going over what I should have done here and there, wondering what so-and-so will do, going all the possible outcomes and at better moments, praying for everyone involved. Actually, I've been praying a lot. I take myself up by the scruff of the neck and say "Get your mind off this. Get back to business. Stop worrying and fussing." And I do for a while but then I find myself sinking back into it. It's making me nuts.

Either God is God, or He isn't.
Either He has a plan for everyone involved or He doesn't.
Either He will work all things together for good for all or He won't.
Either He is sovereign even over my stupid mistakes or He isn't.

I have hung my life on the hooks that God is God. That He does care. That He is sovereign. That He is the way to conquer sin and foolishness and that He is always good, even when I don't understand. I believe He is smiling, not frowning. That He cares about our tears and sighs. That the path He sets before us may not be easy, but it will be for our best. And I must take those I love best and commit them to this same loving care.

Well, I guess I'm getting all moved in here..

I moved over here to blogger because I cannot for the life of me get out of my old homeschoolblogger blog account-thus I can't start a new one. No matter if I use a whole new user name and email, it still takes me to my old blog account, which I even deleted..It is the wierdest thing. (I did log out, and I deleted the cookies on my computer too.) Well, it looks like it is actually easier to edit the template here anyway, so I'll give this one a go.

We were at our churches family camp all last week. Very tiring in a lot of ways, but fun. The kids had a blast, as always. Peter Leithart was the guest speaker. He spoke twice a day on prayer. That was a great highlight. I feel very blessed with the quality of pastors we get at our church. Also the topic was right in line with a Spurgeon book I brought to read called Spurgeon on Prayer and Spiritual Warfare. I've been thinking a lot about this lately, especially intecessory prayer...

I'll try to get some pictures posted tomorrow. Say hi if you stop by, OK? I'm wondering if I'll be lonely out here for a while!