Thursday, September 3, 2009

School is going ... okay

Well, we are in Week 3 of our school year, and things are going .... okay.
We are still easing into our full schedule. Jason won't start Latin & Science with the Bartons for 2 more weeks. Piano starts next week. Amanda's Spanish class was supposed to start yesterday, but the teacher has the flu so had to postpone until next week ( it only meets once a week ). I am planning to teach Art again, but haven't figured out a good day and time for that yet. I still need to order an SAT Prep program for Amanda.

I have been struggling all summer with the new Tapestry of Grace digital format. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but not having all the pages printed and in a binder is VERY frustrating! It takes a LONG time to print off the pages I need each week, and inevitably there are pages that I find out later that I really should have printed but didn't. I can't just grab the binder and run - and I can't sit and read off the computer. I need to be able to underline and highlight and flip back and forth. One of my options is to pay extra for a printed copy. But we run out of paycheck before we run out of month pretty regularly now, and I just haven't been able to justify ANOTHER big chunk of money after paying for the curriculum already. I already have had to pick and choose from the book list, and have had one of the books I bought used literally fall apart in my hands as I was trying to read it aloud to Jason.... it is now literally a pile of loose pages. That really wasn't worth the $5 I spent on it. A couple of other books that I KNOW I bought have disappeared, and it is driving me nuts trying to find them...and they were supposed to have been read this week and next. grrrrrr I also haven't been able to look ahead and really plan out the writing and literature for my Rhetoric Co-op class like I want to... oh, my head is just swimming.

Being president of my homeschool support group again has added another whole level of busyness to my week. I spend a lot of time answering questions, going to meetings, and trying to coordinate activities and recruit helpers. The other leaders in the group are wonderful and do a lot of work as well.... this is just a busy time of year.

Sooooo, I am feeling overwhelmed and underprepared. And guess what? My time with the Lord has suffered, and that could very well account for a lot of the stress I'm feeling. I DO KNOW BETTER. So friends, hold me accountable. I can't pour out of an empty bucket.

Time for bed. I need to get up and have some time with my Bible and a cup of tea in the morning.



2 comments:

Theresa said...

Praying for you here in southern Michigan.

We're starting with TOG 1 this year. I have the print edition, and after reading your struggles I'm glad I didn't go with the DE. I think I would be inclined to print off the entire week, 3-hole punch it, and work from that.

Looking forward to continuing to read how the year goes for you.

{{{HUGS}}}

Faye Creech said...

Beth - just saw this. I will be praying that things are going smoother and I know that many, many people are blessed by your dedication and hard work - your family most of all but also many friends and many, many "newbies". Hang in there, force out that time for prayer and Bible and know that you are in a season that will soon pass. Thanks for always being such a great friend to so many of us and such a great role model for many Moms! Love to you and yours!
-F