Another school year has wrapped up. In this house we will never again see Gr. 2 through our child's eyes. It's always bittersweet isn't it. Gr. 4 and Gr. 2 were, over-all, fantastic years for our girls....M, especially, had many giant leaps forward just in her love of the game called school. Her teacher was exactly what she needed to gain back that enthusiasm. She finally saw what hard work could accomplish.
I think the absolute best moment of the school year for me was a couple of weeks ago she came bounding to the car with a paper waiving in her hand and a sweet smile of victory in her eyes. She hopped in to the car and said, "MOM! I got 100% on my test!" There are a few things about that which are amazing. First off, M has fought and fought and fought me since Kindergarten on studying for anything or even doing homework. It has been painful. It took many more hours than it should have to get the studying done and then not always with good results on in marks. It was discouraging and frustrating...maddening even. Second, I hadn't even known anything about this test. I usually start her studying for a test a couple of weeks before it will occur so that all the info is absorbed. It's 2 weeks of struggle. Each test takes hours of my time and hers. So...I ALWAYS know when tests are. I plan my life around them!
I must say it was a moment of profound relief for me, that 100% mark. It told me we are getting places! We'll make it. It gave me hope in this area that I have stressed and struggled and been at a loss in for 5 years...two of which were homeschool school years. The biggest relief was when I asked her if she had studied? She nodded her head proudly and said, "Yep! I've been studying every night for the last week!" That's my girl! It may seem very silly to derive such enjoyment and joy from something so simple but it told me much about my girl. But it brought tears to my eyes. I am thankful to be heading out of this season with this dear daughter.
Gr. 2 was a struggle for my wee girl. Over Spring Break is when I realized how stressed out she was over school. She was a completely different child...happy, carefree, a smile on her face, her belly laugh ringing out. As we headed closer and closer to going back to school the quieter she got. That bothered me. I want my children to love learning. To have it as a life-long pursuit you need to love it! I want to them to love learning. I want them to be students of life. They gotta love learning. It distresses me to see that dimming. It distressed me to see her isolating herself. My little joy bubble and I had many lengthy conversations this year surrounding learning, about friendships...she had many bumps along the way in that category this year...and that we love her. I know she ended up alright, all around, but when your kids are upset it always upsets the mama bear. Her Daddy and her had many long conversations at tuck-in time, as well. I am most pleased that it's summer time for my wee one. She needed a break.
I have been very VERY blessed these last 2 months, or so, with a friend coming in most every day and helping me learn our new accounting software and helping me with in-putting ALL of 2012 in to it. WOW! What an amazing gift that has been to me. We are just on the tail-end of finishing up 2012 and about ready to send it off to the accountant. THAT will be a massive accomplishment. MASSIVE! No one has seen me much over that time because I've been at my desk workin' like a crazy woman. It's an accomplishment AND I feel a little nutty. haha
The girls are at Horse Camp this week! They are loving every single second. They came home yesterday bursting at the seams with all sorts of things to tell us about what they had learned to do with horses. I loved hearing all about it.
We are so thankful to be fully immersed in our community. It's so nice to once again have our entire lives be in our community. This morning Shaun got to go and be a part of a surprise for a friend before work. Can't do that if your community is not where you live. We go to the grocery store and more often than not see someone we know. We drive around town and see someone driving along and wave...or race...either one. ;) It's really really nice. We even have a doctor and a dentist who are both 5 minutes away.
The business is humming along. We are trying to learn to balance personal and business...it's a non-stop challenge. You think you've got it licked...and something comes along that reminds you that you are delusional! So we keep learning and growing and changing. In other words...we keep on doing life :D.
I hope your summer is restful and rejuvenating.
I think the absolute best moment of the school year for me was a couple of weeks ago she came bounding to the car with a paper waiving in her hand and a sweet smile of victory in her eyes. She hopped in to the car and said, "MOM! I got 100% on my test!" There are a few things about that which are amazing. First off, M has fought and fought and fought me since Kindergarten on studying for anything or even doing homework. It has been painful. It took many more hours than it should have to get the studying done and then not always with good results on in marks. It was discouraging and frustrating...maddening even. Second, I hadn't even known anything about this test. I usually start her studying for a test a couple of weeks before it will occur so that all the info is absorbed. It's 2 weeks of struggle. Each test takes hours of my time and hers. So...I ALWAYS know when tests are. I plan my life around them!
I must say it was a moment of profound relief for me, that 100% mark. It told me we are getting places! We'll make it. It gave me hope in this area that I have stressed and struggled and been at a loss in for 5 years...two of which were homeschool school years. The biggest relief was when I asked her if she had studied? She nodded her head proudly and said, "Yep! I've been studying every night for the last week!" That's my girl! It may seem very silly to derive such enjoyment and joy from something so simple but it told me much about my girl. But it brought tears to my eyes. I am thankful to be heading out of this season with this dear daughter.
Gr. 2 was a struggle for my wee girl. Over Spring Break is when I realized how stressed out she was over school. She was a completely different child...happy, carefree, a smile on her face, her belly laugh ringing out. As we headed closer and closer to going back to school the quieter she got. That bothered me. I want my children to love learning. To have it as a life-long pursuit you need to love it! I want to them to love learning. I want them to be students of life. They gotta love learning. It distresses me to see that dimming. It distressed me to see her isolating herself. My little joy bubble and I had many lengthy conversations this year surrounding learning, about friendships...she had many bumps along the way in that category this year...and that we love her. I know she ended up alright, all around, but when your kids are upset it always upsets the mama bear. Her Daddy and her had many long conversations at tuck-in time, as well. I am most pleased that it's summer time for my wee one. She needed a break.
I have been very VERY blessed these last 2 months, or so, with a friend coming in most every day and helping me learn our new accounting software and helping me with in-putting ALL of 2012 in to it. WOW! What an amazing gift that has been to me. We are just on the tail-end of finishing up 2012 and about ready to send it off to the accountant. THAT will be a massive accomplishment. MASSIVE! No one has seen me much over that time because I've been at my desk workin' like a crazy woman. It's an accomplishment AND I feel a little nutty. haha
The girls are at Horse Camp this week! They are loving every single second. They came home yesterday bursting at the seams with all sorts of things to tell us about what they had learned to do with horses. I loved hearing all about it.
We are so thankful to be fully immersed in our community. It's so nice to once again have our entire lives be in our community. This morning Shaun got to go and be a part of a surprise for a friend before work. Can't do that if your community is not where you live. We go to the grocery store and more often than not see someone we know. We drive around town and see someone driving along and wave...or race...either one. ;) It's really really nice. We even have a doctor and a dentist who are both 5 minutes away.
The business is humming along. We are trying to learn to balance personal and business...it's a non-stop challenge. You think you've got it licked...and something comes along that reminds you that you are delusional! So we keep learning and growing and changing. In other words...we keep on doing life :D.
I hope your summer is restful and rejuvenating.
