Homeschool or Not to Homeschool?

I have been preparing all summer to school my three youngest girls at home. We did well on Tuesday, our official start day. However, my face froze up (I'm guessing from stress) and my 2 1/2 year old grandson wasn't real keen on the idea of keeping quiet during school (I was taking his playmates away.)

A few of the girls came with me to pick up their older sibs from school, and well the enticement of friends, fun, and so-called freedom won over. We enrolled them the next day. Except.....the classes were now full and my second grader needed to go back into the first grade class. One of my girls was repeating first grade anyways, but in many ways she does better than the one who was promoted to second grade. My girls were not happy campers.

A few days went by and by Friday two of the girls withdrew from school. Two second graders sitting in with first graders was NOT going to cut it in their book. Then the third grader (the one who really needs to NOT be in a group setting) wanted to withdraw also. This week they're all three home.

We received permission from our church to use a classroom during the day so we could have somewhere quiet to go. Except two mornings a week BSF is there, which means we shouldn't be.

I'm tired. Do I REALLY want to do this all year long? I've done this for twenty-five years now. These girls put a different spin on it though. All three are high-maintenance and low tolerance for each other which are two reasons I did want to keep them home this year. The bonding. Between them. Between us for the third grader. She is absolutely a different child when she is not in a group. I thought about this yesterday and it could be that the classroom setting takes her back to her time in the orphanage, and there was where she was criticized and had to look out for her self.

We're trudging through our A Beka readers, our Saxon Math, our Rod & Staff spelling books, and loving our Blessed Heritage history.

 

 

May Happenings

There has been so much going on here that it seems as though I'm going from event to event or preparing for the next event. I'll actually start at the last two weeks of May to catch up.

Joe's high school volleyball season had come to an end so we attended his volleyball banquet at an Italian restaurant. The coaches put together the photo collage and the team managers (high school girls) gave each of the boys a pink crown with their names painted on the front. Joe won a total of three awards that night which we were very blessed to see he did so well.

Joe had a soccer tournament in San Bernadino. I think we went two of the three days, but that was a month ago so who knows. I know we went on Saturday and didn't go on Sunday, not sure about Monday. We didn't go on Sunday because of the dinner at the Ethiopian church. San Bernadino is about two hours or so from us. That Saturday we only took Sarah and the baby. She needed a break from Little Man so he stayed home with his aunts and uncles for the day.

We have connected with an Ethiopian church here in the San Diego area. Marantha Ethiopian Evangelical Church is renting space from another church and would like to have a building of their own. They held a fundraising dinner where the church members as well as the adoptive families of Ethiopian children were invited to attend. They served delicious Ethiopian food as well as some pasta dishes, which was a blessing for some in my family who don't care for the Ethiopian food. Most of us LOVE Ethiopian food, but what can I say other than some of the men/boys are picky eaters.

The girls wore their Ethiopian dresses to our regular church, which all the older people loved, and then they fit in at the Ethiopian church because the ladies were dressed in their dresses also.

Since Monday the 27th was Memorial Day Steve and I went to the cemetery to honor my uncle who had died in the Vietnam War. My grandparents are buried on each side of him. We placed flowers in the vases and made mental notes that we need to come back and spruce things up like cleaning the granite headstone and gluing one of the vases down.

Even though the girls are in school I like to be involved as much as possible. I was asked if I could go on a field trip to the Space Theater/Science Center. My three youngest went and we had a great time learning and playing. http://www.rhfleet.org/

The next night Addis and some of the high school girls did a Spa Night fundraiser for camp and a mission trip. I signed up for the works. Got a manicure and a pedicure, a massage, and a facial. The girls each made about $50 which we're very grateful for since the camp runs about $500 and Addis wouldn't be able to go if we had to for the whole thing. There are monthly rummage sales, they can get work for people, and there are other fundraisers for the kids to help raise the funds. My boys have done yard work, move a mattress, helped someone run their kayak business. If it's something they can do then they work for their way to camp.

May ended with the piano students from school going to see The Wizard of Oz put on by Christian Youth Theater. The show was excellent. The kids who performed did an outstanding job. We rode the bus about an hour each way. On the way there we stopped at a park and had an early, early lunch. It was a fun, fun day, exhausting, but fun.

Art Show

The woman's club where we live had an art show. The local schools submitted art projects from their students. My girls didn't win anything, but they had fun visiting the show to see their art projects. Adah was in the local paper. A reporter happened to be at the show when dad and Adah went to get an early peek. Unfortunately it was closed, but a reporter was coming out of the building. She wanted to interview Adah and get her spin on event. I was mortified when I found out that her picture had been taken that night and would be in a newspaper. Her hair was a mess! She had been at school all week, it was Friday night and we had been at a soccer game. All that plus me as a mom equaled what is called-"White mom hair." I will try and scan the article when I get to my other computer. Until then enjoy these little gems.

Shades of People

 
I found this book at the thrift store last week so I HAD to snatch it. The first two pages: "Have you noticed that people come in many different shades? Not colors exactly, but shades."

My girls consider me peach and they call themselves brown. My youngest wants to be peach in the worst way, but I tell her I would love to be a lovely brown like she is. I explain to her how most peach people lay out in the sun so they can get browner.

We were at our Ethiopian church a few years ago and the children's teacher explained to the children that we are not black and white. She held up examples and asked if she were as dark as black, and if I was as white as the white paper she held up. They responded no and that is where they got the brown and peach idea.

Keep your eyes open for little gems like this book. They're great to show your kids that people come in all shades and can look very different from one another, but w're all people!

This is an Editorial Review that was on Amazon. Shades of People

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1—This book is filled with wonderful photographs of happy, smiling, inquisitive, trusting, and adorable children—all with varying skin tones, hair colors and textures, and facial features. "Have you noticed that people come in many different shades?" is the opening sentence, accompanied by framed head shots of youngsters. It is followed on the next page by, "Not colors, exactly, but shades." The text is minimal, with approximately 3 to 10 words per page. The last page features a large photograph of eight little hands of varying shades. The message is clear and to the point: "Our skin is just our covering, like wrapping paper. And, you can't tell what someone is like from the color of their skin." A good introduction to racial and ethnic diversity.—Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH END

What's been going on over here?

I know you're dying to know what we've been doing in the past few months since I've posted.

We had four birthdays in the family.

 

Our youngest two girls have been in our family for five years now, we brought them home August 2007.

We celebrated our 32nd year of marriage. The picture was taken two years ago on our 30th anniversary.

Nine kids started school away from home. That was a first! One is back home using Switched On Schoolhouse and he seems to love it. Two of our boys are a charter school and attend only two days a week. So it's on me to help them with their middle school work when they don't understand it. Some days we're at the table A.L.L. D.A.Y. and others they need no help at all.  For some reason I only got pics of the girls. Bad mom.

We're letting our hearts heal after not bringing home our Little Miss A from Ethiopia. It's surreal because she would be in our home now, and yet she isn't.

We've started counseling for our newest to make sure that there isn't something we're supposed to be doing. We're on track and came in with a RAD diagnosis. The last diagnosis was Adjustment Disorder with Disturbance of Conduct. (same thing?)

I watch my 14 month old grandson every day, and sometimes my two year old granddaughter is here as well.

I'm attending BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) once a week.

I had my annual endocrinology appt and am still cancer-free. I had thyroid cancer back in 2005 and had my thyroid and some lymph nodes removed.

I'm still couponing when I have time. (when would that be?)

We're all in AWANA and we the parents are Jr. High Leaders.

I'm planning/organizing the Fall Festival for church.

I'm throwing my daughter a baby shower for her baby girl. She's due in December with her second baby, first girl.

 

Giving a listening ear to other adoptive parents when they need to vent or giving advice when asked.

Shopping at the thrift store when I can get an hour or so to myself.

Wearing chip clips in my hair and having it announced on the radio with my full name none-the-less.....

I found this doll which reminded me of Adah. Of course, I had to buy it.

Took two of my boys to a Shakespeare play which was a first for all three of us.

Had entirely too many frozen chocolate yogurts with granola.

Enjoyed the beach and the sand.

Yelled too much at my kids. Tried to balance it out with an equal amount of hugs and kisses.

Two sons went to Mexico, and one went to Alaska.

I'm hoping this season will slow down a bit, but with eleven people in the house and many more coming and going, I don't think so.

From my house to yours,

Vikki

Care Package!

Even though we haven't been able to bring our little one home from Ethiopia yet we do send her a care package every now and then. This is what a traveling family took over for us. We received a really cute picture of her with the sunglasses on. Under the bunny ears is a little PINK car. I totally HAD to buy that when I saw it. 

Through the years we've sent over many care packages. From our first two adoptions of babies in 2007 to our adoption of older sisters in 2008 to now. I know they enjoy receiving things even though they're not quite sure what to do with it!

I've always used a gallon sized zip-lock bag and I STUFF it as full as I can with little things I think that aged child might enjoy. In this care package because she is preschool age I sent the glasses, some board books, a necklace, bracelets, bunny ears, a car, a dress, socks, and some chapstick. It's always fun to get a picture of them opening their gifts. Enjoy little one!

Christmas Eve

The day started bright and early here in sunny So Cal. Em and the girls went out to the playground to get some energy off. I sent Addis outside to take some pictures.

The day went really well. We were all getting to know one another. I purposefully would pull Em to me every hour and give her kisses upon which she would squeal to get away but really wanted more. At one point she wanted off so I let her off, she took two or three steps, turned around and said, "Okay, just one more." She LOVED all the attention and affection she was getting. Daddy was giving her kisses and whisker rubs which she said she detested but then again wanted more. So funny.

Christmas Eve night we walked through Starlight Circle and looked at Christmas lights. It was a little difficult trying to keep three little girls on the sidewalk and not in people's yards where they were stepping on wires and such but we were able to contain the masses.

It was overwhelming for her to come into such a new situation right at Christmas but I believe it was perfect.

Christmas Eve Steve and I spent the night wrapping and getting the stockings stuffed. It was a very exciting and overwhelming day for all to say the least.