After a wonderfully busy (and very crazy) summer full of travel and moving it was a relief to fall back into our normal with the beginning of the school year. Every child cheered this morning when I started organizing the day’s work on the kitchen table. I practically had to push them out of the room to play for a minute while I got their assignments ready.
I worried that I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on school with all the unfinished business around me, but starting our day with school brought a surprising calmness to all of us. It feels right to spend the morning learning and the afternoon working. I considered postponing our start date until September, but after looking at the calendar I wasn’t willing to give up the padding in our schedule that results from an early start date. I like being able to spend a beautiful day at the park in the Fall without worrying about getting behind in academics. Even more, I love ending in the Spring and enjoying museums, parks, and the zoo while they aren’t crowded and the weather is still cool.
Our new house has a dedicated school room; however it is still buried in boxes. I am still trying to figure out shelving and desks as well, so school will be at the kitchen table and den couch for a while.
Miriam is in 3rd grade. She is most excited about learning to type this year; she didn’t miss any keys during her introductory lesson. I gave her a 200 page book, saying that she could decide her own reading schedule as long as she was halfway through the book by Friday. In true Miriam style, she read the entire book today! And, during quiet time she filled a page with latin vocabulary and translations.
Rebekah is in 2nd grade. The last two years reading/phonics, math and handwriting were the only required subjects. This year, she begins reading comprehension, grammar, spelling, a bible workbook, writing, and geography while also being required, rather than encouraged, to join in history and science. Today she was diligent even when her written work took longer than her older sisters. Amazingly, she remembered the steps to borrowing with 2 digit numbers in math and was halfway through her worksheet before I came to ‘teach’ her math lesson.
Michael is a kindergartener this year. He quickly completed his phonics, math and handwriting then pleaded to complete more pages. 
Peyton loves being in preschool. She completed many cutting pages during school time today. 
Emily was happy to sit in her high chair and color during our table time today, though she does not like for me to cuddle on the couch with her siblings during read aloud time.
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