The Negotiator is the proud parent of three beautiful butterfly's! We ordered some caterpillars from our science curriculum a couple weeks ago and they have been sitting in a little clear plastic cup on the counter. We watched as they grew bigger and bigger and then hung from the ceiling and made a cocoon. The kids find this highly fascinating. We also bought a little cardboard house for them and shortly after we transferred the extremely smelly cocoons, the butterfly emerged. I'm sure the neighbors could hear their shouts of glee and excitement. They look at them almost on the hour and Negotiator feeds them watermelon. Moose informs me that we cannot touch their wings or they will not be able to fly, but the sparkle in his eye speaks of his true desire to reach in a test it. Or rip their wings off. It was a great science project - but I'm very happy to get them out of my kitchen now! I think we'll release them in the next day or two. And then get rid of our pea plants too. Maybe I'll see the counter again.
The end of the school year is approaching. Well for most homeschoolers. I had the brilliant idea to keep more of a year 'round approach so as not to have to spend a month on review before the next level. But now, I wish I had planned for a long summer break. Anyway, my fellow homeschool mothers at church are looking into next year's curriculum and that sense of overwhelm and indecision is at my back again. This year I'm thinking of mixing it up. I'm going to buy sections of a couple different programs and customize my own. This of course means more work for me. Right now I like the language arts of Sonlight, the history,geography and science of My Father's World and Math-U-See. Sonlight has served us well this year, especially all the rich literature my 5 year old has been introduced to and writing habits, but I love the way MFW centers everything around the bible and has great projects and activities that bring history to life. I've met third graders at church who used this and can identify right away where text books contradict the bible and then know how to investigate. These kids know the scripture way better then I do even. I just can't even imagine how much easier my life would be today had I been taught that way. And then the math I'm using is great so why change it? We've already completed almost 2 yrs of curriculum. Negotiator is a little math whiz.
I'm so happy we decided to homeschool. I could never send them to public school knowing what I know now. Sergeant, who was skeptical at first, has now said we will do this as long as possible. I'm not sure how we'll handle high school but he won't even let me think of quitting before that. Even on our harder days, its way better then the alternative. At the beginning of the year I was so nervous and worried that I wouldn't do it right, but God has shown me such blessing. What was I so worried about? No one else loves them or knows them like I do so they won't care to get it right as much as I do either. As the end of the year is approaching I am excited about continuing and much more confident. It is by far the hardest yet most rewarding thing I've ever done. And I never would have done it had we stayed in WI. God 'moves' me in so many ways.
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