provision

An hour ago I left Jacob at preschool for the first time ever.  He was a little hesitant, but handled it beautifully.  I think I'm more upset by the whole evolution than he is.  I know this is good for him, but still. He's my baby boy.... by my side every morning for the last 4 1/2 years, so this is a big change for both of us.

This preschool is just one of the many ways God has provided for us lately.  After Jacob's diagnosis, it was recommend  to us that he would benefit from preschool.  Along with the therapies that he is/will be receiving, being around kids his age in a social environment will help him learn the social skills/behaviors that he needs.  While I agree with that, actually finding a preschool presented itself as a whole different challenge.

While he needs to by around "typical" children, he is not "typical", therefore requires a bit of extra time, attention and re-directing.  Understandably, this is more than the average preschool teacher is able to do, while managing an entire class of 4 years olds.    We looked at a couple of different preschools but all the ones we considered were either unwilling to take on the added responsibility of an ASD kid, or willing to take him on as long as he wasn't too different.... didn't require too much time and attention.

** Let me insert here that I don't at all blame these preschools for this.  They are not equipped for special needs kids and asking them to take this on would be unfair to them and to Jacob.

Well, God provided.  As He always has.  Through a variety of providential meetings and conversations, we came upon a preschool that is run by 2 ABA therapists out of their home.  It is a class of 5 children with 2 full time teachers, both of whom are trained in working with kids with autism.  The preschool is specifically set up to teach typical children and kids with ASD together, purposefully engaging them with one another so that the ASD kids can learn from the typical children.  Really.  How perfect is that? I'd never even heard of such a thing.

It gets better.  Our insurance approved Jacob to receive all his ABA therapy from his preschool teacher!  So, 2 days a week he will be at "preschool"....learning from other children and being taught by 2 ABA certified teachers.  And 3 days a week, a friendly, familiar face will be is therapist.

All of this is taking place less than 10 minutes from our house, with hours that fit perfectly with the girls school times.  Can you tell that I am more than a little bit thankful for all of this?  

I so love this little boy and am so proud of him.  I can't believe he's old enough for preschool  And.....as I type this, I am watching my littlest boy play quietly next to me with Legos.  So, now I'm off to get some much needed one on one time with this little guy.  A morning with only one child at home?  What to do?  The possibilities are endless.  :)

school days

Fall is finally almost here and the school days are beginning.  Only this year, our 3 oldest are going to school-school, not homeschool.  Although they are technically still homeschoolers.  Let me explain.

I'll start with this.  I love homeschooling.  I have a heart for it.  I think it is a wonderful thing, and I have met so many beautiful homeschooling families.  In my perfect world, I would homeschool a house full of little ones. (I would also live on a farm in the midwest, knit sweaters,  and grind my own flaxseed.... but that's a conversation for another day.)

I can honestly say that I enjoyed our time homeschooling last year.  I could go into a litany of reasons why, but I'll just suffice it to say it was just what our family needed.

This year, our plan was to homeschool again.  However, I was staring down the barrel of teaching a 3rd grader, a 2nd grader, a Kindergartner, a preschooler and chasing one amazingly active toddler.  It would be fair to say that I've been more than a little overwhelmed at that thought. On top of that, a couple of our children have a few special needs that require some extra time and attention in teaching and in life in general.

With a heart as open as possible, we have prayed for God's leading in this trepidatious area of how to best educate our kids.  I do very much believe that their education is ultimately our responsibility.  Education is far more, I think, than academics but is discipleship.

Once we got here in June, we had a friend recommend to us a great church here that her family attended. (Again... thanks, Jen!) She mentioned that the church was affiliated with a school that was a homeschool/private school hybrid type thing.  We decided to visit the church and check out the school.  And both were just what we were hoping for.

The jest of it is that the kids are still technically homeschoolers.  However, they attend "school" everyday, but only until 12:30.  It is a very, very small school and classical in it's approach.  I've never really studied the classical method of education, but from what I'm learning about it, it seems excellent. The children are taught a very rigorous classical curriculum which is entirely Bible based.  The teachers are mostly teachers who have also been homeschoolers and are very passionate about their faith and the importance of discipleship in education.

It is a fun, very close-knit school that really teaches the whole child.  Not only are they taught reading, math and history, but they are also taught respect and discipline.  They are taught the importance of properly greeting adults and looking them in the eye.  Yes ma'am  and yes sir are a must.  Boys are taught to always hold doors open and the idea of (gasp) "ladies first".  These things would seems terribly out of place in many traditional schools these days, but honestly it makes the school such a wonderful, peaceful place to be.  And the kids LOVE that. They are treated with respect and learn to treat others with respect.

What I love is that while I know they are getting an excellent education of the mind, I know the teachers care about their heart as well. I also love that I have them home and homework completed by around 1:00 everyday.  That pleases my homeschooling heart.... knowing that I still have so much of the day with my kids to just be with them, as they walk by the way.  And not being responsible for 100% of the teaching? I feel like I can breathe again.  And the boys are loving this arrangement, too.  They get prime mommy time every morning to just play and be boys! I love that I'm finally getting extra time with my littlest ones.  

This school has been such a blessing to us in so many ways.  Private school times 5 children really wasn't an option.  But because this school is "part time", we're able to send 3 kids for the price of one at a typical private school. And as far as class size and individual attention?Wonderful.  Claire has 4 kids total in her Kindergarten class.  I have more kids than that in my house!

Obviously, no situation is perfect.  We're still working out the kinks of our daily schedule...primarily Nathan's nap schedule.   And the intensity of the studies is going to take a little getting used to (Hannah and I are already learning Latin!).  And I know I'm going to sorely miss keeping my kiddos at home come cold and flu season. But all in all, a blessing it has been.  We had no idea when we moved here that God would meet our needs like this... a loving Christian school that provides such a great ministry to homeschoolers, less than 10 minutes from our house.

We're excited for the school year.  Hopeful and thankful and loving seeing the kids so enjoying where they are.  Oh, and one more perk.... uniforms? Not picking out clothes everyday for 3 girls?  Priceless.

And this little girl.... 5 years old.  Off to school for the first time.  She was nervous at first, but kept a kiss in her hand and did just fine.  Now, social butterfly that she is, can't wait to go to school everyday.  

And on her second day of school? Lost her first tooth.  Where does the time go?

Have a happy and blessed school year!

we call this school

When we first started homeschooling this year, I wasn't really sure what to expect.  I had a curriculum to work through, lessons to teach and books to read.  While we still do all of those things, I have also come to appreciate having the flexibility of being at home.  After all, if I'm only going to teach exactly like a school would teach them, then why not just send them to school, right?  Since we're not limited to a classroom setting and we have to be flexible anyway, why not just make it fun?

Fortunately, the little people at my house are very creative and are always coming up with fun things to entertain themselves.  I just try to add a little educational value and bam!  School!

After I came home from the grocery store last week, the kiddos quickly unloaded the groceries onto the floor.  They were at first hunting for the good stuff, but then decided to use the groceries as towers and such.

So, since we had food all the over the floor anyway, I gave them a box of play money and some coins and we made a "store".  They took turns buying groceries and being the cashier.  Good math practice and more fun than worksheets.


After the "store" closed, they used the groceries to make a train for their stuffed animals.  To a passerby, it may look like chaos.  And they would be right!  But don't worry, we cleaned it up later.

The next morning, we got to watch a squirrel right outside our back door.  A certain mommy (who will remain nameless) had set the garbage outside the door rather than braving the cold to walk it 10 feet to the garbage can.  So this little guy was living large out there.  It was fun to watch him up close.

And, so as not to let my laziness be wasted, we made this into an educational event, too!  The kids all piled around and drew the squirrel and wrote all their observations about him.    Science.  Handwriting. Critical thinking.  Bam!  Bam!  Bam!  Isn't school great?

Lest you be worried, we do real school as well.  And although I do have occasional moments of panic, overall I think they are doing okay.  

But the best days are the ones when we can just learn from what's around us.  And we are both learning tons this year.

Summertime...

The girls got off the school bus for the last time this year on Friday... summer is officially here! The kids are excited and I'm in full planning mode, finding ways to entertain and stimulate 5 little minds during the long days of summer. Our move is coming up in July, so that will definitely break things up a bit. But until then, I'm trying to add a little more structure to our days so as to do some teaching and training along with our playing and resting. We're starting our first weekend of the summer off with a fun weekend with Bumpa and Grandma here.  

We took a trip to the local Farmer's Market this morning...one of my favorite places in summer. I love the colors and smells; the kids love the treats and throwing rocks in the nearby pond. They always have a local artist playing live music and beautiful flowers for sale everywhere. Here's a few fun pictures from our morning.

The Kindy 500

In the spirit of the Indy 500 which is (as you might imagine) wildly popular up here, the girls' school annually holds the "Kindy 500".  And it is adorable.  It is a big wheel race for the Kindergarten classes and the whole school turns out to cheer them on.  Hannah participated last year and this year it was Gracie's turn.  She was on the gray team, and when it was her turn  in the relay she put the pedal to the medal (or the feet to the pedals, as the case may be).  We were all there to cheer her on, and she very much enjoyed her moment to shine.

Heading out for the big race.  They even took a "parade lap" and a "victory lap".

Sweet Grace...leading the pack!