Orientation Day

Yesterday, Sept. 8th was our first day of school. I used it as an orientation day. Last year we got Emily and it was the first time I had ever homeschooled having a baby. I feel like we didn't get done as much as we should. There were other issues besides having a baby. So I spent yesterday laying the groundwork down. I told them new rules, old rules, revived rules. I went over what I expect from them. I spent about 10-15 minutes with each child to come up with goals for the year and then to pray.

The day sounds all nice but it also included me crying 3 separate times. I don't know why I was so emotional yesterday. The first time I started crying my mother had called to wish us a happy first day of school and to let me know that she would be praying for me. That did it for me. I started crying. I think it was more of a release than anything because I had spent the weekend trying to get the house in order to make life easier and I had felt pretty overwhelmed the whole weekend.

The other 2 times I cried I was talking with the kids (I did excuse myself from the room when my eyes started to well up). I have spent so much time praying, getting ready, picking out curriculum and wanting to get the school year off on the right foot that when one of my darling children was argumentative throughout the whole orientation I felt like I didn't want to play anymore. It was like running into a brick wall.

I had to walk away from them and pray. I actually stood in the schoolroom (the kids were upstairs at the kitchen table) praying to God that I was too tired and I didn't feel like having to be the mom right at that time. My eyes then looked around the schoolroom and fixed upon a picture that my swap sister last month sent me. She sent me a beautiful framed picture of an eagle gliding with our school scripture. I then told God that is what I needed.....strength.



I would love to say that the rest of the day was perfect....reality is, it wasn't. But that is okay. I don't know about you but one of the reasons I homeschool is to work on character with my children. The child that gave me a hard time realized (on their own) that they were wrong and asked me for forgiveness. This child is at the age that it should be no big surprise that they are testing the rules and thinking their way is better.

So I am off now to start the first day of academics. I am feeling good. I feel like I can do it.