Fall 2012 Homeschooling.... or what???

This is where I used to homeschool. Pretty, isn't it? Cheery, relaxing, although I must admit, there were a heck of a lot more books on the shelves and the bench when we were actively schooling. This year I really thought that I had it under control - I had a terrific schedule all written up (complete with points to be earned). I had our special books for my dyslexic daughter all organized and ready. I had the most amazing chore chart EVER. Seriously - It was a rotating 4 week chart that covered everything THIS was the year I was finally going to succeed - clean house PLUS wonderfully educated children!

Someone once told me that if you want to make God smile, try making some plans. So I actually wasn't totally taken aback when we cleaned up a tiny bit of stuff behind a cabinet in the bathroom and it made me cough uncontrollably. After all, I have suffered from various health issues and allergies for years. It did not completely surprise me when I had to sleep in the living room that night because the house was making me cough. And when the doctor said - your allergies are so severe - you need to live in a new home and oh by the way you need to get rid of everything you have because that's how bad your allergies are, well, somehow I was able to take that in stride (well, mostly - I had a cry-a-thon in the shower until the hot water ran out, but then I was ready to walk forward). So now I am sitting in a little 900 square foot apartment that we are sharing with my mom. I had to sell our school books, so now we each have a little plastic container with a couple of books. I sleep on a couch overlooking my dear sweet husband curled up in a sleeping bag on the floor. We fold up our beds every morning and voila! Bedroom is now the living room! My kids sleep on air mattresses in the study - they have to stack them every morning so that my mother can get to her closets. This place is older too, so we cough and feel terrible most days - school has taken a backseat to just trying to make it through the day. And the next day. Sometimes we just lie on the deck. When it gets too bad, we take a walk. I am so sensitized that I cannot even read library books to my kids, so we make good use of our kindle.

Yet we are happy, so happy. We have each other, our pets, 4 containers with a few new clothes for each of us. God has (and still is) separating us from the cares of the world. We don't have stuff to weigh us down now - all we own could fit in my small car. We have a place to stay, even if we are allergic to it. My husband is a builder, so he will build us a house - a special house for our special needs - when we sell our old house. And our old house and things do not bother anyone except me, the molting canary, so we have been able to sell and give away everything - it has given us all a lot of joy to see others enjoying what was once ours. At this point in my life, I've been though enough that this - this is ok. I just feel held, beloved, cared for and .... happy!

I have no idea what tomorrow will bring. I do not know what homeschool will end up looking like this year. But Someone else does, and that is enough. More than enough. My cup is full. In fact, it runneth over. I hope that some of my joy can spill over into the lives of others.....







The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeith me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.


Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.


Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.


Psalm 23