What Am I Doing?

My friend is writing a book.
I am helping her.
I know nothing about writing a book.

What am I doing? 

Basically, I am her editor/proofreader right now. She is writing a testimony of the amazing miracles God has performed in the life of her family over the past 10 years, to which I have had a "front row seat", so to speak.  She wrote the first draft, and now I am going through it and not only correcting grammar and phrasing mistakes, but also cleaning it up, taking out parts, rewriting sections, etc.

I'm feeling a bit over my head, but my friend called today and said she and her whole family were really excited by the changes I made in the Introduction and first chapter. So I'm feeling that at least I'm going in the right direction with it.  Whew.
There is a bit of a time crunch to get this done as soon as possible and to the publisher so that she can have it ready for a conference she is speaking at in a couple of months.
Gulp!

I will fill in more details later, but if you happen to think of it, I'd appreciate your prayers.

From the Recliner

I keep coming here and thinking that I really need to update the blog, and wonder what I should write about, but I just haven't had the energy or motivation to come up with anything wonderful... or meaningful.... or even interesting.  Well, I've had a few ideas that might have been.. but just couldn't get them written down.  So....

I've spent most of the last week in the recliner chair in my living room.  Recuperating from knee surgery for a torn miniscus. It is slightly depressing that it wasn't an injury, per se, but a "getting older, wear-and-tear" type of thing.  Over the past year or maybe two, I've had pain in my left knee that started as being occasional and slightly irritating, to being more and more frequent and more and more severe, to the point of being somewhat debilitating.  Finally, a couple of visits to the orthopedist, an x-ray, and an MRI got us to the diagnosis of arthritis and a torn miniscus. So a week ago last Friday, I went in for arthroscopic out-patient surgery. Not a big deal.  I went in at 8:30am to prep, was taken back to the OR at 11:00am, and was home by 4:00 pm. 
My wonderful friends have been bringing meals for my family, and Amanda has taken Jason to his classes/practices all week.  So I took my pain meds and sat in the recliner with my leg up most of the week, getting up occasionally to hobble around on crutches, and after a few days, to venture out without them.  Still some soreness, stiffness....  I go back to the doc for my post-surgery follow-up appointment tomorrow, and hopefully will set up some times to meet with the physical therapists to get this leg on the road to strength and flexibility again!

thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you to everyone who prayed, brought a meal, sent a note, or just stayed out of my hair last week!    :-)

As I've been sitting in my recliner, I've taken the opportunity to read a book for pleasure - usually I read for a purpose, for information, for preparation for something.  But this time I read The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.  I saw the movie a few weeks ago with my daughter and some friends.  Great movie! Wonderful book!


Yesterday afternoon we mourned with some dear friends who lost their baby boy at 6 months gestation.  He was child number 6,  son number 3, grandchild number 12.  His parents and siblings were so excited as the date of his arrival was getting closer, and preparations were underway ... the crib came down from the attic, other baby items were being recollected from various friends and family, anticipation over having a baby in the house again after 4 years was building.  Every single life -  even when a breath has not yet been taken - is precious and so full of expectation and possiblity.  There was a small memorial service at the funeral home, and friends and family joined together in sorrow, but also in hope and a shared assurance that this child was in heaven and there will someday be a reunion with those who live him so much in the here and now.

Summer Reading List for Homeschool Parents

Summer is a great time to get in some reading, either while the kids are at camp or visiting grandma or while the family is on vacation.   Instead of grabbing a romance novel or the latest political thriller, why not consider some titles that will challenge you to be a better parent or spouse, or help shape and define your homeschooling philosophy or Biblical worldview?

Here are some great books that I have enjoyed reading and that have impacted me in those areas! Feel free to add your favorites in the comment section. 

The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child's Heart for Eternity  by Sally Clarkson

I love all of Sally Clarkson's writing, and this one really speak's to a mother's heart and to building a loving relationship with our children. 

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp

This book speaks to getting to the heart of your child when it comes to discipline, not just dealing with a certain behavior. You might not agree with everything he has to say, but you will  definitely find lots of good, sensible advice on raising children who obey out of love and conviction rather than out of fear or manipulation.

Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens  by Paul David Tripp

Raising teens doesn't have to be scary! Rather than another buddy or an unbending drill sargeant, teens need a mentor, guide, and loving authority figure to help them navigate the challenges of growing up.

I Kissed Dating Goodbye:  A New Attitude Towards Romance and Relationships  by Joshua Harris

If your kids are still little, read this book now and start thinking about how you will talk about romance with your children. Even elementary children get asked, "Do you have a boyfriend?" If you have middle school or high school ages kids, read this book and then have your kids read it too.  Whether or not you follow Mr. Harris's recommendations, he will give you a lot to think about!

Raising Real Men: Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys  by Hal and Melanie Young

If you have boys, this is a must-read!  Our society is very confused about raising boys, and it is refreshing to read the Young's solid, biblical, and common-sense approach!

Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto

Former NY city and state teacher of the year holds no punches in his critique of the public education system and its agenda to stamp out passion, creativity and individuality in favor of group-think. This is a book everyone should read!

How Now Shall We Live?  by Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey

A worldview is the set of underlying beliefs and assumptions through which we view every aspect of life. Being a Christian doesn't automatically mean you hold a biblical or Christian worldview. This important book addresses the building of a biblical worldview and how to engage a post-modern culture that has rejected most everything associated with that way of thinking.

The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

Dr. Chapman, who has worked as a marriage counselor for 30 years, identifies 5 "love languages" which fill our "love tank" - Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service and Physical Touch.   I found his writing to be humorous and his examples spot-on!  Reading this helped me to understand my husband better.  It would be most helpful for both husband and wife to read it. :-)

Curriculum Choices

This fall we will start our 16th year of homeschooling.  I have generally considered myself an eclectic relaxed homeschooler, leaning toward Charlotte Mason and Classical ideas and at times incorporating Unit Studies into our school plans.

In those early years, I used Miquon Math , Greenleaf Press, LLATL, BJU Press, the library, and Ruth Beechick methods.

Over the years, as my children and I changed and grew and as new children were added to the family, many, many other homeschool materials found a home on my bookshelves...


Saxon math, Easy Grammar, Considering God's Creation,  
  


 Apologia science, KONOS, Prairie Primer, Beautiful Feet history guides, Progeny Press literature guides, Writing Strands, Wordsmith, Explode the Code, Five in a Row.

Editor in Chief, Journey Through Grammar Land, Jacobs Algebra, Chalkdust, Video Text, Diana Waring history, Heart of Wisdom, Simply Grammar, PowerGlide, Rosetta Stone, Spelling Power, Teaching Textbooks, AO Lifepacs,


Latina Christiana, Write Shop, Horizons Math, Winston Grammar, Artistic Pursuits, and now Tapestry of Grace. 

Why so many? My husband asks that question too. 

• First of all, there isn't a perfect curriculum out there and  if you just find it, you have won!  Each child has different needs, different strengths and weaknesses, and one of the beauties of homeschooling is the ability to individualize.  So evaluating what is working in your school and what is not is a yearly ( and sometimes more frequent ) job.  What worked well for one child might not work for the next. And what worked in elementary years might be the wrong choice for upper grades.
• The big picture is to provide a rich educational environment for our children, not just a stack of books. Teaching to our child's strengths and building up their areas of weakness requires a variety of approaches, materials, and experiences!  
• Children might not be working "on grade level" across the board.  
• Curriculum is a great tool, and sometimes more than one tool is needed for a job. You as a teacher control the curriculum, and not the other way around. So sometimes I use a bit of this, and supplement it with some of that.
•  I also have to admit to being a bit of a  "curriculum junkie", and I love the variety of approaches and materials available to us as homeschoolers.  I hate choosing one thing off a restaurant menu, and love a good salad bar! 

So there you go.   It is overwhelming at first, but after a while choosing curriculum becomes a great adventure!  My trusted guides in the early years were Mary Pride and Cathy Duffy, who wrote curriculum review guides that I read from cover to cover.  Today the internet abounds with homeschool curriculum reviews, some of which I've linked to in this post. Just remember that because our families are unique, what works for one family might not work for you. There are also lots and lots of used curriculum message boards and local used book fairs and used book stores where you can sell what you no longer need... so be fearless!  If you make a mistake, someone else will be happy to take it off your hands as they fill their curriculum toolbox.

Pajama School

I stumbled upon a blog this morning written by a homeschool graduate who has also written a book titled "Pajama School: Stories from the Life of a Homeschool Graduate". As someone who has a passion for homeschooling and who is also the mother of a couple of homeschool graduates, I was intrigued, and happily read Chapter One of the book, which was included free on the blog through the link in the sidebar, and then browsed through several posts on her blog. I found Ms. Wickham's writing to be delightful, and her insights and experiences encouraging and refreshing, and I plan to order the book for my "library" - I think I have room on the floor next to the pile of books next to the bookcases in the living room... or maybe the dining room... or maybe the hallway. Whatever! I'll find a spot, or maybe I'll just read it and pass it along to one of my fellow homeschool bookaholics.