Let me just start by saying how much I miss y’all!  I have wanted to do some blogging and visit your blogs but time has just not permitted such doings.  I miss catching up with y’all and finding out what is going on in your lives.  I miss writing.  Hopefully one day very soon I will be able to return more frequently to blogging.

We are finishing up approximately our 8th week of school in a whirlwind of activities and events.  Fall break is next week and we are looking forward to a much needed break.  Although it will be busy, taking a break from the school work will make next week a little more relaxing.

School has gone well for the most part.  We are still struggling with a general dislike of school work and the bad attitude that goes a long with that.  However I will say there has been some improvement.  He is now seeing after 8 weeks of my “sticking to it” with disciplinary actions towards bad attitudes that he can’t get away with a bad attitude towards school.  I will also say that it is not as frequent either which has been so nice because that bad attitude can so easily affect me.

He is working harder and moving right along.  He really enjoys multiplication and Division which has  made Math more enjoyable for him.  He loves language, science and Bible so those subjects seem to be easy for him.

We have been so busy with extra curricular activities but had many wonderful learning opportunities.  I really have to bite my tongue when someone tries to sway me in the argument of homeschoolers lack of socialization.  We stay so busy and he always has interaction with other children his age.  Well, that is for another post.

He has been playing soccer which is almost over.  He LOVES to run so this sport is right up his alley.   He doesn’t have as much “down time” so he hasn’t gotten quite as discouraged as he did in baseball. He is also involved in Scouts where he is a Bear and Royal Rangers through church.  There are some similarities in both groups but Royal Rangers puts more focus on Bible learning which I like.

Our family has been regularly attending a new church (new for us) and we LOVE it!  It has been so exciting what the Lord is doing in each of us and to wait to see where He is leading us.   We have been helping out at a food distribution warehouse that is partnered with our church.  What a blessing that has been!  I have to admit, this is a new area of service for me and Riley.  A new area of growth as well.  I am learning to see people through Jesus’ eyes and not my own.  It has been so humbling and such a blessing to increase my prayer time to include these people that are in such need in many ways.

We had an incredible field trip opportunity last week that really was top notch.  We visited a local museum where a woman was portraying Harriet Tubman.  She did an incredible job and really helped us to experience Mrs Tubman’s life through her.  What an incredible witness Mrs. Tubman had in such turbulent times, and she never quit, she knew God was right  by her side and would carry her to freedom.  This also came on the heels of reading an awesome series by Michael Phillips, “American Dreams”.  Centered in Virginia before the Civil War and going to the end of the war.  About a Christian man’s desire to live his life as God would have him live on a slave plantation in the South.  And how he was very successful and blessed because he obeyed what God asked him to do and dealt with the persecution from his peers.  It don’t want to give too much away just incase you decide to read it.  Very informative and eye opening.

We are now on the eve of demolishing (only partially) our kitchen.  A contractor is coming tomorrow morning to help us tear out a partial wall and move some cabinets.  We have wanted to do this for a long time now so we are so thankful it is happening.  I have spent the day cooking a couple of different things so our food will be prepared and I won’t have to cook it but just warm it up.  I’ve also been unloading cabinets and clearing counter tops.  I look forward to the end result but since we are doing most if not all the work ourselves it might be a while…:-)

Well, I need to move on to something else to finish on my list of things to do today.  I hope ya’ll have a blessed day and fall break!  Till next time.