A Year in the Life of a Homeschooling Family: Day 32

Yesterday I was having a Charlotte day, in that Charlotte was taking up the majority of my thinking time. I want these posts to be honest, rather than painting a picture perfect homeschooling family. Because, homeschooling rocks. I mean, it really rocks. But that doesn’t mean it is always easy. It is not. However, it is always worth it. I am so proud of the adults my three older children are becoming. I am very blessed to have extremely close, open relationships with each child, and I completely believe this is down to the homeschooling. Love it!

Today, I will share a couple of photos from yesterday, such as Gary looking rather spiffing in a suit and tie, just back from a meeting at work:

I don’t see him in a suit very often, and my heart flutters just a little to see him looking so smart and gorgeous!

The littles put a show on about Joseph’s life:

And the note I found on my pillow from my littlest:

It was a lovely morning today, and I was feeling very content with my lot in life. The littles whizzed through their work books:

Thomas did some music producing:

And then did a workout in the shed:

Made lunch and then left for college:

Once the littles had finished their work books, I read some history about Joseph and Ancient Egypt, before declaring that today we were going to crush our own grapes and make our own grape juice and all with our own feet! The littles were ecstatic. Lillie reminiscent. And Charlotte, well she started retching on the spot!

And the juice? Well, it was there. Abigail and Becca loved it, and made me try some. It didn’t taste of feet, so there’s that. It wouldn’t be something I’d choose to drink, especially with Charlotte retching in the background, and Thomas gleefully asking if it tasted a bit cheesy!

In fact, Abigail loved the whole process so much she wanted to record it in her diary, complete with a splat sample of the juice 🙂

I have such weird children!

Charlotte began the day well, working hard at her Latin, thoroughly enjoying the fact she was finding it so easy:

I went out to lunch with my mum, only to return to her tearful, in pain and feeling sick…terrified the ME had reared its ugly head. We all took her in hand! En mass we are quite a family to be reckoned with, and within minutes the little ones were making her hot water bottles to put on her tummy and Lillie went to the local shops to pick up a treat and some Lucozade for her:

Meanwhile, I frog-marched her upstairs to her bedroom which had been altered for just such a day as this. Within minutes she was changed into pyjamas, surrounded by blankets and pillows, feet up, sun streaming through the window, medicated and last but not least soothed by the hot water bottles:

I advised her to leave her Latin and just do her reading, which she naturally finds relaxing. Half an hour later, and she was feeling relaxed, happy and, if not out of pain then at least reassured that it wasn’t the ME coming back. As she finished off Ovid’s Metamorphosis she called down excitedly to me that she was catching up and felt goooood! Yay!

For the past few months, Lillie has been my right-hand man. When I am being spread too thinly to go around she steps into my shoes. If I am needed with Charlotte, she makes sure the little ones have all they need. She is also highly motivated at the moment with regards to her school work and is always squeezing in ‘just a little bit more!’

Over the past few weeks, Lil has been learning sign language. We can’t afford to send her to lessons so she has been learning from YouTube videos. Since January she has been learning one worship song per week. I had the privilege of standing next to her in church this week. This is unusual because most Sundays Lillie looks after a young disabled boy and is in a room off the main service room. This Sunday, he was unwell at home and so Lillie was in the service. Gary and Charlotte were leading worship together. Out of the corner of my eyes I could see Lillie, tentatively at first, signing each worship song. By the end, I had tears streaming down my eyes. It was like watching a beautiful worshipful dance to Jesus. Now Lillie has danced before, but this was infinitely more beautiful and really touched something inside me. My girl, the quieter, less confident, less sure of herself twin, just shone. She has such a heart for God, for worship and for helping anyone in need. She is always surrounded by little children who seem to flock to her. Lillie makes me so proud to be her mummy. Here she is today, signing to Broken Vessels and Set on Fire:

I wish I knew how to video, but I don’t so you’ll just have to imagine the music and singing at the same time. Absolutely beautiful. I love you so much baby xx