First Day of School

Somehow, despite how much we all love summer vacation, we find ourselves getting excited about getting back into the routine of school. We all love new school supplies. We all love the smell of new books. We love learning, some/most of the time, depending on the moment and the student. And, we all love the fact that there are only 179 days of school left before we can enjoy our next summer vacation.


Bethany starts the daily commute, driving to barbering school.

Obviously, the most excited student in my Gifted and Talented program was Rebekah. It was her first day of first grade. She was SO excited the night before, she didn't think she'd be able to sleep. She finally fell asleep and was up and ready to go early in the morning. A student I don't have to pull out of bed? Could it be?

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This is only her second outfit of the day. I think it was a record. Her main objection to public school? Having the wear the same outfit ALL day. The horrors of it all.

Jon is excited to be in Algebra, even though he is in the 8th grade. We did Pre-Algebra last year, skipping the 7th grade book. After three months, I discovered it was COLLEGE Pre-Algebra. I purchased it from a used book store and it was in the area with 8th grade textbooks. OOPS! But, he did really well, so we just kept going.

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Despite holding his pencil incorrectly, he works diligently on most of his homework, unless it requires cutting and pasting.

After doing school all day, Beka still didn't get enough. Wanting to utilize her new school desks, a $30 find on Craig's List yesterday, she invited Avery and Norah over to play school.

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Avery was a little confused about home-schooling. He had to clarify that during the day I taught Rebekah and she wasn't the teacher.

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Norah was a little confused and thought they were pretending they were desks.

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When it was time for recess, Beka had a little learning to do. It was her turn to be confused when Avery, an experienced pre-school student, told her that they had to walk in a line on the way outside.

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They dumped out the pattern blocks, the tangrams, screamed, giggled and chased each other around the house, then had another recess.

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Even pretend school went well.

After praying for me often during the day, my honey showed up with 9 red roses and 9 pink roses - two for each month that school is going to go well. He's walking in faith.

For our evening culinary adventure, Jon made homemade pizza. He compiled the shopping list, picked out the items he needed at the grocery store, then prepared the pizza, a salad, drinks and a chocolate chip coffee cake for desert. It was amazing! He didn't use my pizza recipe - mine is a phone number. He just created. It was amazing, or did I say that already?

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You're right, there's no picture of Grace. She did school in her room all day and I forgot all about her pic until the day was gone.

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Last week, I found another letter dated 8-8-95 from another older, wiser woman, Susan, and her encouragement was SO timely I wanted to include it for my first day of school blog.

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"Today's Choice Gleaning calendar really challenged my heart. Isaac Watts quotes:

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'I'll purge my family around,

and make the wicked flee;

So shall my house be ever found,

a dwelling fit for Thee.'

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David says in Psalm 101:2, "I will walk within my house with a perfect heart."

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How often in our homes we let our guards down, instead of controlling the environment and having it to be an atmosphere of love and quietness. As the world gets more and more wicked, praise God we still live in a country where we can shut out the hostility and be at peace in our homes. How I desire to enjoy my home and the responsibilities within the home that God has entrusted me with!

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As the school year approaches once again, I pray that we wouldn't clutter our lives with busyness, but rather be diligent to accomplish an uncluttered lifestyle - more of Christ, less of "fun and games" busyness. Balance summarizes it, I guess!"

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As we all face another school year with our children, may we apply Susan's advice to our hearts and homes: may we enjoy our homes and responsibilities and have MORE OF CHRIST.