Mommy Blogger Jess C. – First Day of School

Tuesday was the first day of school for us.  I home school my children and I always start the day after Labor Day.  Just seems to be the first official day of fall, in my mind at least.

So on Monday after a long day at the lake and grilling I cried.  I do every year.  I cry in fear and feeling overwhelmed.  It’s been a ritual for me for many years.  All my fears just blow up in my face the night before we start.  And as usual my husband has to remind me of how much I want to do this, how hard I searched out the right books to help us, how much prayer I have done and how much I need to trust God in this moment.

And then Tuesday comes.  We get out all the new books and decide how many lessons need to be done weekly in order to stay ahead.  And we look over our new shiny books with such excitement.  Oh the wonders we will learn this year.  Our youngest will be reading by Christmas, such an exciting time for him.  Our second is now completely caught up with school this year and will move forward as a second grader.  Our fifth grader will learn such in depth math formulas, so much to learn.  Our seventh grader will really grasp the concept of independent learning and will move forward in leaps and bounds.  Our eighth grader will be pushed so much this year, he has struggled at times but this year growth will occur.  And our junior, well, she will now be moving forward on her future, she will be learning skills that will go with her when she is all grown up.

As for me, well, I will lose my sanity at least once a week, but I will also find joys in the simple moments.  Like when we were at the lake the other day and my 5 yr old starts explaining to random people the life cycle of a frog, from memory.  I will enjoy all the extra moments I get with my children.  When we have to travel I will enjoy being able to take them along with us.  This month alone we plan on going to a traditional Indian Feast on Native American Land and will visit the state capital and the ocean in South Texas.

So here goes another year.  May my children learn much and may this mother still have brain cells left at the end of the year.