A World without walls
everyday life while homeschooling overseas
Last month we had some major issues with our internet. I'm pretty sure I mentioned that once or twice (or more) in my last post or two. During that time, I felt so frustrated with the slowness of the internet, that I just didn't do any blogging at all. It wasn't worth the frustration. A few weeks ago, our new router finally got here, and our internet has been working like a charm. Unfortunately, I've gotten out of the habit of writing! I think of blog posts in my head every day, but by the end of the day, when I have a few minutes to write, I'm so exhausted I can't imagine trying to type anything at all! :/
Sadly, I've missed a month of my life! And what a month it's been. I've always found that when I'm SUPER busy and have so much to do and so much to tell about, I don't have the time to tell about it. And yet, when I have nothing going on, and nothing to tell about, I have oodles of time to write all the boring details. Ah well. Such is life. So, I may be able to do some 'back blogging' and add in some things we've done with some pictures on my camera, but I've always found it's just better to start where you are and go from there. Otherwise it's too overwhelming, and you just don't do it at all. Life never stands still for us. We actually took a 'spring break' this week. I suppose I should call it 'winter break', since many schools with long winters take a week off in Feb for just that, but it's really quite spring-y here, so we called it Spring Break. It was sort of an impromptu break, actually. Sunday was President's Day, so Devin had the day off (don't even remember what we did...so sad...), and Monday was just really difficult, school-wise. I was tired, the kids weren't paying any attention, it was just a difficult day all around. Then came Monday night. Now, I've been thinking a lot about changing my house around. I LOVE to rearrange things, I love change. I've felt very strongly for more than a month now, that it was time to change the kids' room. Josh is almost as tall as me. Claire is turning more into a young lady every day. They need their own rooms. But I kept telling myself that there were too many things wrong with that. First off, bedtime is so easy with all the kids together. Then if I changed them, I wouldn't have a reading/class room anymore, or a playroom. I'd have to get alarm clocks and fans and all sorts of things. Finally, Monday night, it came to a head. The feeling was SOO strong, I just couldn't ignore it anymore. So, we had a family council. We talked about what would need to happen and if anyone was game for that. It was unanimous that we make the change, so we started right then and there! We took the top bunks off the beds and moved them into the other rooms. Then we began the 'fun' part of rearranging EVERYTHING. Here's the funny part: Now that I have the big kids in their own rooms, and I no longer have a classroom or playroom, our house seems bigger. Weird, I know. But now the little boys' room is also the playroom, since 90% of the toys in the playroom were theirs to begin with. Claire has her toys in her room, and finally has room to spread out and make it her own (she was slowly taking over the bedroom anyway). Josh has all of his electronics and inventions and STUFF in his room instead of all over the house, which clears up a ton of space! Who knew?!? Bedtime is actually easier--We all read scriptures and have family prayer together in a central location, then Devin reads to the little boys in their room while I read to Josh and Claire in Claire's room, then all the kids can listen to whatever radio drama/book on tape they want or they can read, or whatever they'd like as they PUT THEMSELVES TO BED. Oh my. It's wonderful and marvelous. I'm SO glad that I didn't listen to my 'rational' brain and wait until our next post to make this change. It's glorious! I was thinking today and wondering why I hadn't done this before. Why I had put everyone in the same room. I think most of my problem was the fact that I was really trying to live at the same standard we had in Finland. Our house there was wonderful, yes, but it's not this one. I can't treat it in the same way. We have less than half the house we had there. It just isn't going to be the same, and that's ok. Another part of my problem was the fact that I felt like I had to have a classroom for school. I don't. As a matter of fact, without a classroom, we have better school time together. Funny, I know. We just do better without that. I'm happy to have learned this. I'm grateful for the time I had my kid together. Taking them apart like this feels like I'm finally accepting the fact that my kids are growing up--which is hard for me--but it's a step in the right direction for all of us. So, our Spring Break this week was spent doing some serious organizing. If I can find my 'before pics', maybe I'll do some before and after photos of our house now! :)
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Who Am I?
As a Stay At Home Mom of 4 wonderful children, I have the amazing opportunity not only to home school them, but to do so in many different places! I am married to the most amazingly wonderful (and handsome) man in the whole world! Together, we seek out, every day, that Joy in the Journey that makes life exciting! Archives
November 2020
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Emily's books
by Dan Brown
I like that the plot twists and turns a lot...and it makes you think. However, I don't appreciate Dan Brown's endings in his books. I find the endings incongruent with the rest of his stories--why make it a romance for the last chapter...
by Shannon Hale
I loved this book. I'm a sucker for fairy tales/fantasy. This was so well written! I can't wait to read all the rest of her books!
by Shannon Hale
I'm reading this one again. I liked it the first time I read it. I'm still liking it for the second time around. I like all of Shannon Hales' books.
**Still lots of fun the second time around! I do like this book for a comfortable...
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