Here's The News

 In an effort to keep everyone in the loop so to speak, here are some updates on changes in our lives at the moment.

And without going into the very long stories of how they all transpired, just allow me to say, Hubby and I spent much of the Spring and the ENTIRE Summer wondering and praying about what this fall would look like for our family.

We even thought we had made some decisions a few times, and then something else would come to light or another factor would present itself and he and I would come back to the discussion table, and the PRO/CON lists and consider other options.

As of today... here is the news.

Hubby will be teaching 5th grade this coming year at a school very near our home.

  Tracey will be attending 1st grade at the same school.

Our Twins will be attending half day preschool at the same school.

Lee Lee and Hunter will be home with me full time.

I will be working part-time providing distance learning services to my students.

While with the turmoil and uncertainty of the world right now, I don't know that I can say we are thrilled or overjoyed with the plan... I can say given ALL the factors, and the uncertainty of COVID, Hubby and I feel about as good as we possibly could given the information we have.

Tracey and the twins are INCREDIBLY excited to be attending the same school, the school where Daddy teaches, AND a school so close to our house.

Maybe you remember, all our children have been attending school an hour away from where we live.  We loved their years at those schools and we still strongly value the Montessori education they were receiving... times have changed, and now other priorities have become factors and everyone will be switching schools.

Hubby has taught elementary school before but is has been a number of years, so this year will look different for all of us, but we know God has opened these doors for a reason, and we really are thrilled with the school they all will be.

We also feel, perhaps foolishly, like we are limiting our exposure with COVID a little by having everyone in the same building and my providing distance instruction.  Last year, Hubby was in one district an hour away, Tracey was in one school an hour away, the twins and Lee Lee were in another school an hour away, I was serving students across three districts, and Hunter was looked after by a friend of ours about 20 minutes away.

Even though Hubby, Tracey, Howard, and Caroline will still have some exposure to peers and colleagues and the germs they carry, it will be on a much smaller scale than we were exposed last school year.

Thank you for your prayers as we all prepare for these changes and prepare for a safe and healthy year.

The Lesson of Time

I learned a very valuable lesson at a young age.

When I was in 5th grade, we gave a friend of the family a ride home from church choir practice.  She was in 8th grade at the time and during the car ride home, my mom and she made small talk.  She told my mom about a big research project she was working on and how it was an 8th grade requirement.  I remember my eyes getting wider and wider as she talked about the 10-12 different references she needed to compile and how if you didn't pass this research paper, you didn't pass 8th grade.  I remember thinking, as a wise old 5th grader, that I better go to a different middle school because there was no way I could write that kind of paper.  I would never pass 8th grade if I had to do that kind of research paper.

Three years passed, and I attended the same middle school as the family friend... and sure enough, the middle of 8th grade brought THE DREADED Research Paper Assignment.  As soon as the assignment was presented, I remembered it from the car ride home 3 years prior.  I breathed a sigh of relief because I was ready to tackle this paper.

The three years in 5th, 6th, and 7th grade had prepared me for this kind of assignment.  This was still a new challenge, but the 8th grade teachers offered plenty of support and I was going to be just fine.  As an 8th grader, I acknowledged that I did not have the skills in 5th grade to successfully complete this task, but when the time came that the paper was assigned, in 8th grade, I was up to the challenge.

At the ripe age of 14, I realized that many tasks will seem overwhelming when I hear about them because I am not ready for them yet.  Many challenges seem insurmountable when they are viewed from afar; however, when the time comes to face the challenge, I will have the skills necessary to tackle it.

As a freshman in high school, I was overwhelmed when Seniors discussed college plans.  When this happened, I took a deep breath and remembered the lesson of the research paper.  When the time came to apply and attend college, I would be ready.
As an underclassman in college, I would see the big impressive thesis projects that Seniors completed.  Instead of being overwhelmed, I would take a deep breath and trust that when the time came for me to begin that Sr Thesis Project, I would be ready.

Somehow it was very natural to trust that my teachers would prepare me during those high school and collegiate years and make me equipped for my Sr. tasks.  Why does it come less naturally then to trust that when the Lord places new tasks, paths and challenges before me, that He will have equipped me for what lies ahead?

What happened to my deep breath and my trust that when I the assignment came, I would be ready?

Lord, please help me trust Your preparation and Your timing.  When the assignment is given, You will have me ready for the task.  The task may be challenging, but You will not send me out unprepared.