Fifteen

Fifteen is my magic number today.

We only have fifteen days of school remaining!  

I am counting down, as are my kids, until the final day.  We have enjoyed this oasis of time together, but I finally understand how every school teacher in America feels right about now.  Summer can't come quick enough.  Will I embark on the home-schooling journey again next year?  Still in prayer for now.  But I would do this year over and over again to have the relationship I now have with my kids. 

"Fifteen, fifteen you're our man... If you can't do it fourteen can!"   

(And so on and so forth until we reach none!) 

(The look I receive when I sing 'my' version of a song.)

Home-Schooling 101

We are entering another milestone in our venture at home-schooling this year.  The kids will be taking their state tests on Friday.  Yes, I did say state tests for home-schooling.  The program I chose to use is K12, but it is not the private purchase program, it is the public school program at home through the state you reside in.

The curriculum is sent to us and we are required to follow all state laws concerning time spent in the classroom (i.e. dinner table), with some flexibility on what time of day and what days you take off.  Naturally, we can not take off whenever we want, but we do have the freedom to make the work up on a weekend or double up on a particular subject for a few days.  

To make a long story short, we have to travel six hours to the mandated testing site.  Therefore, we are leaving the night before and staying in a hotel.  The kids are delighted by this due to the hotel having an indoor swimming pool.  My children are part 'tadpole' and consequently need large amounts of swimming opportunities. 

I am grateful for the pool, since my kids will undoubtedly sleep better after wearing off a few hours of nervous energy.  I, of course, will sleep fitfully worrying about getting to the school testing site on time the following morning.  I'm typically not a 'morning person'.  My preference is to sleep in and stay up late.  This is probably the reason we start school at 8:45am (me still in my pj's most days) instead of the standard 8:00am.

So, another chapter will close in this venture Friday.  We will then (im)patiently wait for the final day of school (May 21st).  When the bell will ring (momma shouting hallelujah) and the kids will sigh with relief.  For we will have survived 'home-schooling 101'. 

What Matters

Our doorbell rang unexpectedly again on Sunday morning.  Baby Girl came running into our bedroom crying out, "Dad your friend is here!"  Hubs and I exchanged puzzled looks.  We were unsure what 'friend' would be on our doorstep so early in the morning.  Then Studly chimed in, "Dad, it's Jerry."  

I have to admit I was kind of surprised.  I did not know what to expect from him, but my hope was that he would return if he was in need.  

Hubs met him at the front door with sleep still in his eyes.  He smiled and greeted him warmly.  Jerry asked if there was any work he could do?  Hubs told him we needed to hold off mowing the lawn for a few more days, but that we would gladly pay him to mow it on Wednesday.  He then asked Jerry if he needed anything to eat?  I made him a sack lunch and he walked away.  

As I laid in bed Tuesday night mulling over different ideas, my agenda of things to do this week and next, my hopes for the summer, and the loads of laundry I had completed the day before (I was still patting myself on the back for having completed that monumental task) I wondered for a moment if Jerry would be at our door the next morning.  I then mentally scanned my cupboards wondering what meal I could provide for him.


Nine a.m. the next morning our doorbell rang.  Jerry was here to mow our lawn and was curious if we had any extra gas because the lawnmower he had borrowed was almost empty.  (Our lawnmower is broken and hubs has been unable to repair it.)  Our gas can was in dire need of filling.  


I hopped in the car to remedy the gas situation while Jerry got started. 


 As I was leaving the gas station my stomach growled.  Luckily my favorite fast food breakfast restaurant was in view.  I ordered sausage egg and cheese biscuits for Jerry and I and headed toward home.  


My husband took the sandwich and a RC Cola I had purchased to Jerry.  When Hubs came in he commented that he got the impression that Jerry wasn't sure how to mow a lawn 'properly'.   We shared a smile that meant it didn't matter to us.   What mattered was Jerry.  


When the work was complete Jerry rang the doorbell again.  I stepped out on the front porch to hand Jerry a fresh bottle of water, a snack for the road and the agreed upon payment for his work.  He smiled at me and proudly stated that he thought the backyard looked 'worlds better' than it had before he set to work on it.  I have to agree.