The end of July means that school for us is just around the corner, and while I can't say I'm excited persay, I am eagerly anticipating it and looking forward to a new year of learning with my kids.
Once the last school year ended in May, I was quite wound up with the stress of the school year plus various health issues that hit us all between September and May. I declared that I would have a summer sabbatical. I thought of college professors and pastors who take sabbaticals, and they aren't taking an extended vacation. The purpose is to rest, renew, and grow in their careers at their pace. So that is what I decided I would do! The last two summers had major home renovations (2020 = basement, 2021 = kitchen). This summer there was none of that. We took advantage of our summer and have been in and out since the beginning of June! We made our way south to the Gulf Coast and then north to Minnesota with Chicago 2x to see my family tossed in there too. What joy. I leisurely read tremendous books to help me grow in my craft as a classical educator (Mortimer Adler: The Paideia Way of Classical Education, Climbing Parnassus, and The Conversation) and as a believer (Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted, Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations).
Part time homeschool will start August 8th because the boys are back to CC on August 15th and they have to prepare at home first. We'll start full time homeschool on the 16th and Hannah's CC classes begin August 22. We miss our community and seeing friends every week!
I have been thinking a lot of my sister and brother-in-law due very very soon with twin boys, and I've loved hearing about her organizing and making meals ahead of time to stash in the freezer, and getting the nursery ready. It's a sweet (and crazy/frantic) time of nesting. She is getting her home just right so when birth happens, she can come into her nest and everything is ready to go.
And with that, I realized that every year at this time I go nesting mode too: finding little projects here and there to get my home just right so when the new school year is born, my nest is just-so as well. I will not give birth to a child, but as a family we will birth a new year or learning, growing in virtue and academics, and ultimately, being sanctified and refined. Like a pregnant woman with intense needs to have weird things "ready," last week I stripped the caulk from our master bathroom shower because it was getting too mildewy. At first I wondered why clean caulk was necessary for school, but a shower is often my sanctuary and therapy session, so I think it counts. Today's job was giving the dining room floor a thorough cleaning. Our school home-base is in that room, so that one at least makes sense. I think my last mini project might be repainting the door to the screen porch and maybe even adding new hardware to it for a slightly updated look. Not school related at all, but I am a big believer that if our goal in education is to impart the good, the true, and the beautiful, my home should reflect that too. And it'll be easy.
I'll be back soon with a post on our next year of homeschooling!
Comments
Post a Comment