Song, Sunshine, and Stories: June 2019

Hello everyone! My blog probably feels like I've fallen off the face of the planet. Since getting a new job and starting a business at the same time four months ago, my free time suddenly disappeared. When I have to choose between clean clothes to wear or journaling, my poor blog gets the ax every time.

What a lot of exciting events have happened since I last wrote in February. Probably the biggest changes have been the purchase of our first home, and the aforementioned job which included--agggggh!--putting our precious girls in day care, which is something I thought I would never ever do. So far God has blessed the decision, and we have made lots of new friends and new connections in the community and learned SO many new things.

Back in January I was done with my custodial job. I was at the end of my rope, physically and emotionally exhausted from never getting enough sleep, and felt I couldn't bear one more evening away from TJ and the girls. Just when I thought my sanity would snap completely, my dear friend Tiffany informed me of an opening for an assistant teacher at the church daycare/preschool where she worked. I obtained an interview with the director and was hired on the spot.

I never imagined in my whole life that I could love a job like this. I feel like every day I am making a difference in the lives of the precious children in my community, and at the same time learning how to teach and help my own children grow and mature. It forces me to my knees in prayer, and it challenges and grows me in ways I never dreamed a job could do!

One of the homeschooling philosophies I absorbed growing up (I don't remember ever being taught this directly, it was mostly from observation) was that parents are the ONLY adults who should ever teach or influence their own children. Everything a child learns needs to be through the filter of their discerning parents, and no other adult should ever interfere. I've been learning how false that premise is and how exhausting and overwhelming a task it is that no parent should ever have to bear alone. Especially mothers--we are usually the ones who stay home with the kids and do the majority of the teaching--need help and support. While unfortunately I can't stay home full time with our children yet, I have been grateful and wholly surprised at the quality of the teaching they are receiving at the day care, and how everything they learn is only reinforcing what we are already teaching them at home. And I am right there, within ear shot, and able to deal with issues as they come up (Lizzy bites her friends sometimes, and her mama can deal with it immediately instead of the teachers). Mamas, we are allowed to have help. We NEED help. I intend to humbly ask for and receive help wherever I can, whether it be home school groups or support groups or even school itself if necessary. While the children might be most important when it comes to education, a sane, happy, not-overwhelmed-mama is a close second!

Another of the myriad lessons I am absorbing through this experience is the extreme value and helpfulness of a good curriculum. I was homeschooled under what was termed the "Discipleship Method." Jesus didn't use a curriculum, it was argued, He showed His disciples the way by how he lived. While this is true, as the saying is "more is caught than taught", it does not negate the importance of a good curriculum as well. Dude, I have pregnancy brain constantly. I can't possibly remember in an organized fashion what to teach and when. An organized method of teaching and keeping track of what was learned and what needs to be reinforced in creative ways is invaluable, and a tool not to be despised. I totally get the "don't stress it mama, if they don't understand now then they'll catch on when they're ready." That's true, and it's impossible to fit a triangular child through a round hole. It's not about cookie cutter children, or making a child feel badly because they don't get it. (By the way, if the child doesn't understand then they either aren't ready or the teaching method needs to change.) It's simple organization of information in such a way that it can be taught at the appropriate times and in the appropriate way. This is probably obvious to most people, but to me it's a revelation. I don't need to panic, or feel ashamed of myself, or worry about gaps. I'm again, ALLOWED TO HAVE HELP.

One of my favorite parts of my job is all the time I get to have off. It's funny how you can love a job so much but love the breaks even more. It's because my heart will always and forever be home with my family! I love having a relatively clean house again. I love seeing the dishes washed and the counter clean. I love cuddling and reading to my girls and taking them to the park (our local water park is open, yay!) I love watching them jump on the trampoline, and marvel at our lush garden they helped to plant. It's a beautiful world and I love watching my sweet little girls enjoy it and learn every day. It's going to be a glorious summer!