A Moment Cherished: .Week One Recap.

This is mainly for my own memory keepsake, but perhaps if you homeschool or are interested in homeschooling this will be interesting to you. I really hope to keep this up every week. I have always been faithful about taking photos throughout the school year, but I would really love to try to journal my way through it this year.

We finished our first week of first grade. The week was good, busy, exhausting, and fulfilling. First grade is a lot more intense than kindergarten was. I still try to take a gentle approach, but Cadi is a sponge and I want to take advantage of this period right now. So I push, and she takes it very well, and seems to really enjoy it. Jim keeps saying that Cadi will love and thrive in Classical Conversations (which start next Monday) because she loves to be challenged. I think he is right.

I am still struggling to juggle the boys while Cadi and I do school. My limits were tested this week, and it was only Christ in me that I was able to give grace and patience. I fell into bed every night as exhausted as if I had taught a full classroom of children. I am still trying to creatively brainstorm for my little boys. I have just been begging God each morning to give me creativity.

We have found a really good rhythm for our days. I wake before anyone else in the family and sneak downstairs to spend some quiet time with God in His word and in earnest prayer. I am studying the fruit of the Spirit right now, and God is really impressing upon my heart how to truly live in the Spirit and how to let the Spirit live through me. I was left breathless some mornings understanding this privilege I have been given to be used as a vessel by GOD.

In the quiet of morning, I prepare breakfast, coffee, set the table, and laid out our Bible lesson (which Daddy teaches at breakfast), then I wake the children and Jim, and we all enjoy a slow, thoughtful time over breakfast each morning. This worked beautifully. Not too much of a change from last year - just refined a bit. Jim then gets ready for work and leaves, and Cadi begins her chore pack (which I can explain in a future post if there is interest. This is her second year using it, and I love it!), I dress the boys, and then I begin my morning chores while the boys play. Cadi finishes her chorepack and then does a half hour of independent reading. She has to read one chapter from a chapter book and then she can read picture books. I noticed the boys joined her looking at books several days last week, and I love that. If I finish my chores than I grab a book and read as well. I think it is really important for my children to see Jim and I reading.

We then start our school day starting with Math then moving on to Phonics, Reading, Grammar, Spelling, History/Science/Health (depending on the day), Handwriting, and once Classical Conversations starts we will also set aside a time to review our memory work for that.

We are busy and move right along. The morning flies by, and I am hoping to be done by lunch everyday. This week we had a few days where we did school after lunch until 2:00, but I do not think that will be the norm. Our day ends with our family gathered together again and Jim sharing from the Word.

So far my favorite parts of our curriculum is the spelling and history that we chose. It is so much fun to watch Cadi grasp spelling in fun ways without having to drill words at all. And the history is taught in such a beautiful story form - I actually learned a ton this week right along with Cadi! I am amazed at the progress that Cadi has made since last year - her attention span has increased, her fine motor skills have developed more, her understanding has soared, her reading skills leave me speechless.

There were hard parts to my week, but God's strength was evident in my weakness. As tomorrow begins our second week I am so thankful for this journey God has us on, and I count it such a privilege to be able to teach my daughter at home this year.