We just returned from seven glorious days on the Emerald Coast. I didn't want to come home. I wasn't ready to face the crazy schedule that comes with being a homeschool and special needs mama. I didn't want to feel the stress. I wanted to stay in our happy place. The beach is where our family goes to breath. It's the place where Jackson is his happiest. This trip was much needed after a hard summer. It was the perfect week. We made memories, we relaxed and we recharged. Jackson told me he Continue Reading
A Little Bit About Our {Home} School…
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. (Zechariah 4:10a) That's the verse I've chosen for our first full year of homeschool. It seems only fitting. It's a good reminder that small steps and slow progress really do count. A few minutes of math here, a few minutes of reading there. Oral spelling tests in the car. Listening to audio books during our commute to speech therapy twice a week. It's all adding up to an education. A week ago, as I Continue Reading
The Hardest Part of Special Needs Homeschooling
Last week we had Jackson's MAP testing with Epic Charter School - a computerized test that determine where he's at academically before we start a new school year. It was a complete disaster. We didn't even finish. I should have known it would be a disaster when Jackson woke up at 3 a.m. and never went back to sleep. I sat and watched him intentionally choose the wrong answers to questions I knew he could answer correctly. His anxiety was so high and he was so tired. He was doing whatever he Continue Reading
First Day of {Home} School Traditions
I'm a big fan of traditions. I love holidays and special occasions and want to make special days memorable. In my opinion, the first day of school is a pretty special day. At least it always was for me growing up. As a kid, the first day of school meant a special outfit and a new backpack filled with school supplies. There was always the obligatory first day of school photo and most years I can remember my mom putting a note in my lunchbox. I still remember the yellow satchel I carried on Continue Reading
This {Home} School Year…
Today we officially start our first full year of homeschool. It's his first day of first grade and my second, first day of first grade! I'm not going to lie, I feel very uncertain about my ability to be his teacher. Yesterday as I made preparations, I cried. I feel so unqualified for this job. This is definitely going to be a one- day-at-a-time journey. I've been thinking a lot about what I want our homeschool year to look like. I'm excited and nervous to kick off 1st grade with Jackson. Continue Reading