All in a Days Joy

It was an emotional day. Tornadoes swept across the country including two in our area. The boys and I watched and waited to see if we should head to the basement. Praise the Lord, we did not have to. Finally, I could get my shower and then we headed out for our day's activities. After a false start, we ended up at my sister's house. We had such a wonderful time of fellowship with her and she seemed to really enjoy the goofiness of my guys. We finally headed back home for a lovely evening. While I was busy creating a yummy dinner, the boys were busy creating a game with their legos and dice. It sounded pretty complicated and they were having a blast. So nice that they can create fun without screen time.

Now I am enjoying a quiet night and reflecting on how great it is to be a homeschooling mom who can change plans on a dime and enjoy each and every moment with my boys. Yes there are times when I feel overwhelmed by the responsibility and yet even in those times, I am amazed at the joy that comes out of even a simple day.

Homeschooling is a Lifestyle

I was sitting here thinking about how different my life is now that I chose to homeschool. As I think about how my days flow and my relationship with my boys, I realized that homeschooling is a lifestyle. We take our time through the day, we have our devotions, we homeschool, we go to the library, we go to the park, we enjoy each other and all the time I am able to build a business. My boys still have time for boy scouts, church youth group, sports activities and play dates. Their only gripe is how sad they feel for all the kids who have to be in school all day and then do homework. They have so little time for play.

I am grateful all the time for our new life and wish we started it sooner. When I find myself regretting ever putting the kids in school, I am reminded how I would not appreciate our life now had I not known what it was like before. When the boys were in school, the stress in our home was unbelievable. Homework was a nightmare. Getting to any after school activity was a daunting task if I wanted to feed my family and get it all done.

Would I go back? I don't plan on it. My hope is to homeschool them through high school. In fact my youngest son, who still is a snuggle bunny, wants to be homeschooled through college. Okay I am a realist, that is not part of my plan, but I love that it is part of his. My point, I am enjoying where I am, being present is the most important part. My boys have a better mom and hence we are a better family.

December - A Time for Reflection

One of the things I look to do at the end of each year is review what the year has been about and see if I can find what I have learned. Usually there are many lessons, the question is have I learned anything. I have been particularly reflective this year. Then I looked at my planning calendar which I used to plan out my business year and saw the theme which said: "Change: Embrace change and recognize that life is in constant motion. When boundaries are seen as opportunities, the world becomes a limitless place." For the record, no one was cited for that quote on my calendar.

I suddenly realized that this year my theme has been Embrace Change. My office moved, my son was diagnosed with major food allergies which required a whole new way of eating, we decided to homeschool our boys and my business focus is in transition to accommodate our new lifestyle. I have to admit there have been times during this year where I have felt paralyzed by the enormity of the changes. Any one change is enough to add stress, yet I had many major changes.

So what have I learned, hmm. I have learned

• it is okay to grieve what was,
• it is okay feel afraid,
• it is okay to ask for help,
• it is okay to fall apart for a little while,
• it is okay to take your time to heal,
• it is okay to take your time to work through the changes, and
• I don't have to have all the answers today. I make one decision at a time and then I look for the next right thing to do.

It has been an interesting journey, and one I could not have done without the help of my family, friends, coaches, business associates and most of all my God who has given me strength and a peace that surpasses all understanding during a time when I needed some peace. Here is a great quote that helps keep me on track when change hits me in the face. I hope it encourages you.

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Maria Robinson

You Can Feel It In The Air

I woke up this morning to the reality that it is December 1st! This is not bad news, just a fact. I felt it in the air that is brisk and filled with energy. I felt as my boys are starting to catch the excitement of the media that Christmas is around the corner. There is something different about this year though, we are homeschooling.

I think what I like best about that is the flexibility of our schedule. We work hard but on our terms. We are getting ready to study the Westward Bound expansion which includes the Alamo and the Gold Rush. Tom and David cannot wait. There are lots of exciting stories to read and facts to learn. We are also preparing for the holidays which includes a new chapter, making our own Christmas presents. We fill our days with reading, playing and sharing.

I think my favorite gift this year is the opportunity to work my boys. I love them, and they really love being homeschooled. I hope your holidays are a blessed as mine. May your days be filled with peace and may you never forget the reason for the season.

How to make God Laugh . . .

Tell him your plan! Yes, this has been the year I have realized that I need to truly understand what it means to surrender. It took a very difficult summer with lots of doctor visits, lab work and major medical expenses to realize that God has a different plan for me and my family. At first I fought the plan, spent time in denial. Then I realized it was time and I gave into it. An amazing thing happened. As I truly started to let go and give in to God's leading for my life. The peace that surpasses all understanding was released in me. Also, people have fallen upon my path to help me down this new road. I feel content, energized even though I am completely out of my comfort zone.
It reminds me of a song where there main chorus is Life is Hard, But God is good. So true! Today I am grateful for learning to trust and to try to work on my ability to surrender and be obedient. I know it will take time, but I am in it for the long haul so I am just enjoying the ride.

Don't forget about me!

Today I had an ah ha moment. I have them a lot, but this felt a little different. I have been on overdrive lately working on many fronts. All toward a common goal, improving our lives as a family. Tonight I took time out of my busy schedule to have dinner with some friends. It was a nice dinner and we sat and talked for hours. It was amazing. I suddenly realized that I need to do that more often. My husband is great at this. He is very busy and yet faithfully he meets a friend of his for dinner two times a month. He calls it his night out with the boys. It is something he really looks forward to. Today I understand why. I will be putting something like this on my planner from now own.

Did I fall off the planet???

As you can see it's been a long time since I posted. I have to admit, I had a dry spell. I make no excuses, I was just plain old overwhelmed by life and let it get me down. In that state my creativity was non-existent. My whole house was sick for two months. Then there were the holidays and I was still trying to keep the business running while the kids were on their extended break from school. Then school re-started but the sickness did not leave. We have had this flu, ear infection, upper respiratory infection and many other renditions of it for two months. My husband is still recovering from pneumonia. What's my point? Well, life happens.

This week I feel like I woke up and realized I have been letting outside circumstances dictate my future. No more! Today I commit to staying focused. I commit to creating an editorial schedule so I can blog on a weekly basis. I commit to living each day with the purpose of helping fulfill my dreams and purpose in life. Thank you for the reminder God. I will be true to you and I will be true to me.

Grandparents Rock

Today was grandparents day at my boys' school. This is an event that generates a great deal of excitement. In fact, the air was absolutely palpable. You could almost feel electricity. As I walked the halls and waited for my crew to do their rounds, I was able to hear all the exclamations of how wonderful the school is and how great the kids are doing. I found myself filled with pride. To be honest, I am not sure why. After all I am just a parent. I don't work there. And yet I felt a sense of ownership of this pride. And then it hit me, I felt a sense of community, a sense of belonging. For me the warmth of the school, the community is what I as a parent enjoy so much. Yes, my boys being safe and having a great education is critical. That being said, knowing that I am part of something bigger than myself, something that will help to shape our children's lives for generations to come, although on a small level, is pretty awesome. I am glad that I can participate even in small ways at the school.

So my lesson for today, even if its just a few moments, participate. My boys smiles knowing I was there helping serve food to grandparents and taking pictures to capture those moments was something I will cherish for a long time. It was a small sacrifice of a few hours for a lifetime of memories. When my boys are older and have children of their own, I hope it is those moments that will stand out.

Was it only one week?

Last week felt like a lifetime. I know it was me, and I accept that as my truth. My boys started camp today. It is interesting what a difference a week can make. I was very busy today, with lots of appointments, I drove quite a distance between appointments, dropped and picked up boys and equipment, just to name a few of my many tasks for the day. And yet today, I felt calm, cool and collected. I don't believe I raised my voice much today. Even with my youngest melting down as I dropped him off to a new camp with unfamiliar settings. It was great.

What have I learned about myself? I always ask myself, "self, what have I learned about me?" Today I learned that I have to accept who I am. I am a mom of two exuberant boys. I am a business owner. I love being a mom who loves being a business owner. I feel most complete when I get to exercise all of me. The mom muscles as well as the business muscles. When I don't get to do both, I am not as happy.

I also learned that I have another side of me I need to nurture. It is the "me" part of me. I have found that I don't take time to take care of me. I know when that happens because I find myself saying things like "When is someone going to take care of me?" So I am on a path to find a way to take care of me on a more regular basis.

Lastly, I learned that I have a wife muscle that I had put on the back burner. This weekend I had time to spend quality time with my husband. I realized that is very important. So in my exercise program, I need to add that to my list.

Hm, this seems like a lot. I have faith because I have a strong spiritual muscle. So I will pray and seek guidance on how to create a plan that takes all of my muscles into account.

Wish me luck -- this is cool.

Spring has Sprung

I am sitting at my computer next to the window which is open. I can feel a gentle breeze and smell the freshness of the cool evening. We just came home from a great baseball game. My boys love baseball, which is great because so do I. I find myself content in this place. Yes, there are challenges; and yet, in the quietness of this moment, they are but a grain of sand on the beach. For I am blessed with opportunities and abundance. As I breathe deeply, I meditate on my blessings.