My Mom visits

I was blessed to have my Mom come up for a visit before her piano teaching schedule begins next week. She drove up on Friday night just in time for my Zumba class at the Y. We spent most of our days close to home, playing games with the kids. She helped me with schooling the girls on Monday and Tuesday - Kelsey was able to get some undivided attention from Grandma.
I always think it is funny how much my mom is amazed at what I do. To me, it is just a part of my every day life. It is part of all the experiences that I've ever had mixed together to make ME. She wonders how I learned to draw, how could I know the steps to teach Zumba, and so forth. Mom it was you! You gave me all these opportunities in life. I was able to do so many things growing up from dance lessons, art lessons, girl scouts, soccer, babysitting, helping teach at church, piano and music, being around other grown-ups where I learned to play cards and games - and so many more experiences that I could go on and on. You and dad gave me such a wonderful childhood. Thank you for working so hard so that I could do all those things.
Sometimes I contemplate whether it is better to do one thing really well - like a sport or playing a particular instrument. Some people focus all their energy into one activity, to become the best at it. I never really did this. I don't know if it was because I am too easily distracted or too much of a perfectionist to finish anything. But I must say - I'm glad I have a variety of things that I can do. I may not be the best piano player but I have the ability to play and also have the ability to get out on a sports field and time to enjoy other activities.
What philosophy do you have on this for your children? Do you put them on the track to learn one skill or talent really well or do you skip around from thing to thing. I guess with mine I have wanted them to have some kind of physical activity they do well, whether it is a sport or something like dance and then I want them to have a musical skill too. So far we have relied on my piano teaching. But I am finding with four children this might be an impossible expense and schedule to keep up with in time. But I long for them to have these experiences. I consider them to be my favorite memories of childhood and the influences that made me who I am today.
I encourage you to post your comments on the subject if you'd like.

Depression

Fighting off the feeling of depression seems to have become a yearly ritual I am dealing with at the close of summer. It has also been the time that after moving expenses and things begin to settle in a new home, the financial strain is felt. We have moved from one location to another for the past three summers in a row. Summer of 2008 we moved from TN to NC, then summer of 2009 we moved from the apartment to a house in Statesville, then this summer (2010) we moved from NC to IN. Let's just say that I am hoping we will stay in one place a little longer this time.
For the last two weeks I have been working around the clock. Unfortunately the positions of being a home maker and homeschool teacher don't pay. John has been working hard with the kick off of a new school year in the school picture business. We have both been preoccupied with our own responsibilities. The girls have been very diligent and have bounced right back into a schedule but I have struggled with missing my homeschool mom friends.
I don't want to have to look for new opportunities for the girls. You know - finding a new soccer team for them to play on, or finding a new dance studio, new classes or enrichment activities - new people, new routines. It has just made me sad. My heart starts to ache for the people we have left behind. With our current financial situation it doesn't look like we are going to be able to afford for the girls do any of these activities this semester anyways - which made my depression even worse. Funny right - you'd think I'd be happy that life was easier - all we have to do is stay home. But instead it has made me feel even lonelier.
I am searching for reasons why God has us here. I know it is all a part of His plan but wonder why it has to hurt so bad in the process. I feel like I've already had to deal with this once in my life and dont' want to do it again. I wonder why anyone would want to be my friend. These are the thoughts that I fight off each day. So if for no other reason, it at least feels better at the moment to write it down and release it. You can please pray for contentment for me.

Back into the swing of things

We started our school year this week. Seems strange to be starting school when it so extremely hot outside but then again it gives us a good reason to be inside. All the pools here are already closed for the season since public schools started this week as well. It's uncomfortable to be outside so I figured getting us back into the routine of things would be best.
The girls have done well with their school work this week. I think there is always a little thrill in it at the beginning - even for me. We have enjoyed science the most this week. Something I have really never put much effort into before but found an easy to use curriculum and we are having fun with the activities and discussions. I don't have all of their curriculum ordered yet. We are still lacking two subjects, but starting out with five this week has been a good reentry into our schedule.
The most difficult task for this school year will be finding enough things for Clara Bea to do while I am instructing. Her attention span is short and she is loud. It seems like the entire downstairs level of our house is completely torn up after the few hours of morning instruction. Clara Bea has unloaded every toy, pot or pan, tupperware dishes, paper, crayons, books from shelves, and so forth that she can get her little hands on. I had actually added the chore of "cleaning up after Clara Bea" to our list, not realizing what a big task it was going to be. I think it will be the dreaded chore on the list now.
We have also dealt with some behavior issues this week. After the girls have spent time away from home it seems like we always go through a period of re-entry. The good news is that it seems to get better with age. Anna has shown strides of maturity. However again it has fallen on the youngest - mostly with temper tantrums and crying to be held.
I am excited about our school year here. We are hoping to find new friends and relationships here as we pursue activities around town. Prayers are appreciated!

Running

I have decided to pursue a fitness goal of mine that I've had for a while now. I have registered myself for a half marathon race here in Evansville on 10-10-10. In order to prepare for this I have started training for the race by running on the weekends. My dear husband has also agreed to run with me. (I kind of talked him into this- he doesn't like to run.) We have both been taking a boot camp class at the YMCA over the summer. It is a great conditioning class. But I also needed to work on my endurance for the long runs. So I marked in my calender how many miles we have to run each weekend adding a mile each week. Today we ran 6 miles. Neither of us have run this far before. I did the six miles in 57:20. Yes, I'm bragging on myself a little. I'm just really excited about this and realize that I owe all my strength to my Lord and Savior. To God be the glory!