Random Thoughts on Valentine's Day and Homeschooling

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If any of you spend any time on Facebook, then you know how interesting certain days can be.  Game days, or when somebody famous dies, or holidays.  Today (Valentine's Day) is no different.  Multiple pictures and posts and links that represent how the day is turning out for folks.  Some post pictures of whatever gift(s) they have received, other show their kids' cute outfits or crafts, and some post YouTube videos that highlight their current thoughts on love.  The winner on my news feed is Bon Jovi's 'You Give Love a Bad Name'.  Yes, some of my friends have issues.  :)

If we aren't careful, it is easy to fall into the comparison trap, especially for those of us who homeschool and most likely live on one very stretched salary.  Sure, if we 'worked', then maybe we could afford that...whatever.  Pretty wrapped present.  Flowers.  Night out.  Cutely coordinated kids and the professional photograph to prove it.  And the list could go on forever.  If this is your reality today and you have been feeling in a funk, I just want to remind you that what you do is important.  Your sacrifices are important, and even if no one else acknowledges that today, I want to officially do it here.

However, you may be closer to the other end of the spectrum today.  You have that whole sacrifice thing down pat.  You know that stuff doesn't matter, and that love should be celebrated all year, not just on some commercially prescribed day.  But, maybe, just maybe, that knowledge has taken the form of judgment and superiority.  Some of us homeschoolers are so good at that, aren't we?  You know that internal dialogue I am talking about:

--Well, I could have new clothes, too, if I wasn't so dedicated to meeting the spiritual needs of my family.

--What a waste of money on that date night meal.  At least I care enough to cook from scratch.  I even make my own bread from the wheat that I grinded after I harvested it from the greenhouse the 5 year old made last summer out of recycled post-it notes that we got for free after I learned extreme couponing from the 3 Somali kids we adopted last year...

--I can't believe that momma let her girl out of the house in a dress that low-cut.  Forget the fact that she is going to be alone, unchaperoned at the middle school dance.  Since when did THOSE come into fashion.  A middle school dance?  Are you kidding me?  She is just setting that girl up to get pregnant before she enters high school.  I bet they don't even have parental blocks on their TVs.  (I have to admit--this is the conversation that I have on a continuing basis whenever I see those Facebook photo posts).

Or, maybe you are just somewhere in the middle.  You have been much more involved in just surviving this day than in giving Valentine's Day a second thought.  Whatever this day represents for you, I just want to remind you that what you do matters.  You matter.  Your family matters.  Even the ones that can't spell or read or remember to pick out their clothes or put the toilet seat down.

My favorite Facebook post of the day

And one more thing, two Valentine's Day videos from the Skit Guys.  Enjoy.

Check the Box

Killer Marriage Tips 

Posted by: C. Miley

I Promise, They Don't Bite

Last week was the first official co-op interest meeting for the 2012-2013 school year (can you believe it is already time to start planning for that?).  There are MANY great classes on the agenda, and I am excited to see how the offerings turn out for my boys.  I have one kid in elementary, one in middle school, and one in high school, so I will benefit in many ways from the involvement and sacrifice that so many of you that will be making in order to assist next year.

One of the areas that was highlighted as needing additional assistance is with the teenagers, high school in particular.  It was mentioned that night, but bears repeating again--this group of ReACHE students is phenomenal.  I have been around teenagers in a ministry capacity for years, and none hold a candle to these that are involved right now.  And to be honest, until I had a kid this age, I really didn't think about getting involved in any capacity with this age group, because I had enough on my plate with my younger ones.  But, as Kim Lepone pointed out so well at the meeting, we all have a story, and a history, and a faith that needs to be shared, and it just might be that your time and place to begin doing that is through co-ops next year.  There are many opportunities, including one-time only classes.  Just think about it...these are some of the amazing kiddos you could be encouraged by (taken during a recent dissection class in my garage--this month's specimen--a clam):

A little apprehensive, but good sports nonetheless

Abby enjoys the dissections a little too much.  She named her clam Gertrude.

This was the closest Callie got to that clam.

Such concentration

Poor, poor clam

 Posted by: C.Miley