ILLUSTRATED SPELLING TESTS

This is from last year, a spelling test I saved because it represents most of the ones Devon has done over the years. I love it. 

WHAT THE BIG BOYS HAVE BEEN UP TO LATELY

Devon's party - Devon had a few friends join him at Burlingham Park to celebrate his birthday. Here are all the kids, little Ws and Devon's friends, striking a pose in the playground.

Then he and his friends sat around eating candy while he opened gifts.

My dad posted a whole bunch of pictures of the party, which you can see here.

Flag football - Silas found out about a free flag football camp and wanted to attend. The only glitch was that he had to have a sports physical, which insurance doesn't cover and we didn't have cash to pay for. However, someone had given him money for outdoor school when he was in public school back in the fall and told him he could spend it on something else when he withdrew. He'd held onto that money since November and used it to pay for a sports physical in May. Just another random way God's provided for our needs and the fluff of life. Silas spent four afternoons running around with a bunch of other kids and had a great time. I got there early for a BBQ one afternoon and was able to watch him in action for a bit.

School concert - Devon's school had a concert in early June and it was fun to see his class perform. He, on the other hand, didn't think it was fun to find a camera aimed at him.

Oh, that picture cracks me up!

He got to drum with some of his friends for one of the songs, even though you can't see the drum in this picture, which he did think was fun.

Lawnmower - You all know that mowing the lawn is my all-time favorite household responsibility and the the only time I let anyone else do it is when I'm about eight months pregnant and hurt too much after the fact to make it be worthwhile. However ... you may want to sit down for this ... I let Silas mow the lawn recently. He was thrilled and I handled it like a mature adult, praising him for the nice job he did. Proud of me?

DEVON'S HOME!

I can't believe this school year is done! It's been totally different than any other school year for our family and even the planned changes didn't always go as planned, but it's been a good year. As excited as I am to have all my kids home this summer, I'm also really glad we sent some of them out in the fall. It was the right thing to do at that point in time.

Today was Devon's last day at the local charter school he's been attending all year and the other night he wrote out thank you notes to all the teachers and staff that he regularly interacted with. I loved reading those nine notes! Seeing what things stood out to him about each person was fun and I'm glad they'll each know what Devon appreciated about them.

I shared the letter I sent to the staff at Silas' school when he left at the end of November and now I want to share the one I sent to several people at Devon's school last weekend. Why? Because I think it's important to acknowledge the things that teachers and staff do well. Whether you've had nothing but positive experiences with public school, openly and regularly criticize public schools, or fall somewhere in the middle and believe all school choices have some pros and cons, the fact remains that there are countless men and women working hard, day in and day out, to educate children. Their efforts should not go unrecognized.

To (some of) the staff of WAA –

This school year is coming to an end and I want to thank each of you for making it a good year for Devon.

Our approach to school choices is “one kid and one year at a time” and until this year that meant our kids were exclusively homeschooled.  However, the 2012-13 school year was really hard for our family on multiple levels and we needed to change things up a bit. As we considered options for Devon, we knew that we’d only send him out if he could attend a small school. We applied to WAA in the spring, then sat back and waited to see what would happen. It was about a week into August when we got the phone call saying he’d been accepted and the next ten months have been exactly what our family needed.  

XXXX – I’m glad you stepped up to the plate for taking over the library next year. I've enjoyed working with you during the transition and I think you will do a great job from here on out. I’ll definitely be back to help in the fall!

XXXX - Devon always looked forward to PE, a chance to get some wiggles out and play some games. The times you awarded him Star Student of the Day were a big deal to him. I’m sure that being a traveling PE teacher, with neither a gym nor supply closet, is frustrating at times, but you do the job well.

XXXX – You are in multiple places over the course of a day, but you always have a smile on your face when I see you. I appreciate your cheerfulness.

XXXX –The fact that you do your job in a crowded room with mismatched computers and miniature chairs does not go unnoticed.  I appreciate your efforts to raise money for improvements and to do your best with the resources you have available right now.

XXXX – You are a miracle worker! If I remember correctly, Devon missed every single word on his placement test, though he told me as we walked out to the car that he thought he got all but one right. That was the one area that I was failing him academically last year and now, thanks to lots of time with you, he aces every spelling test. I'm sure parents and students in Florida will find you as wonderful as I do!

XXXX – From your cheery acceptance phone call, to the helpful visit at the office a few days later that helped me solidify our decision to send Devon to WAA, to the countless times I've seen you since then, you've had words of praise for students who are doing well, words of gratitude for staff and volunteers who are working hard, respectful words of correction to students who need to adjust their behavior, and a smile on your face.  Your duties exceed those of the average principal and I’m thankful for the hard work you put into your job.

XXXX & XXXX – As Devon’s mom, I appreciate the years you two have put into creating a library for WAA.  We’re at the public library all the time, but Devon enjoyed having another place to get books.  As an individual, I’m so glad you put out a request for volunteers back in the fall. I've loved getting to know the two of you as we've spent so many hours working, chatting, and laughing together in the library over the course of the year. Ninety-One will be lucky to get you next year.

XXXX – Devon was pretty happy about getting to play a drum for the spring concert! Thanks so much for the time you put into teaching music to the students.

XXXX – I know I wrote to you after Devon finished speech, but I want to thank you again for helping him to speak intelligibly. We love hearing the “R” sound around here these days!

XXXX – I appreciate the help you gave Devon with writing at the beginning of the year, but I've also appreciated the work you've done with other students. There were several times over the course of the year that I’d overhear you while I was working in the library and you do a great job of maintaining order, praising accomplishments, and correcting misbehavior.

XXXX – You just happened to be power washing and painting at school the day we came to visit during summer vacation, which meant Devon got to spend some time with you while I visited with XXXX.  From then until now, I've been grateful that you are the teacher Devon had this year.  You've always had very specific things to praise him for at the end of each quarter, at conferences, and when he was awarded male Student of the Quarter. You also address negative things when they come up and do so in a firm, but calm and polite, manner. Your relaxed demeanor and high expectations are a great combination. I'm glad that our paths crossed during your time at WAA and I'm sure that parents at your next school will feel the same way.

We've signed our intent to return to WAA next year, as we want to keep our options open, but we honestly don’t know what we’ll be doing in the fall yet.  A big factor in that decision is if and where Tim gets a job for next school year.  I’m glad we live in a time and place where so many options are available to families as they educate their children and, regardless of how next year looks for our family, I’m very thankful for the role you all played in Devon’s education this year. Sending him to WAA for the 2013-14 school year was definitely the right choice for this particular season of our lives!

Sincerely,

Bethany Weathersby

FAQ & SOME BIG NEWS FROM SILAS

* Are you going to homeschool everyone next year? Are you sending kids out for school again? What's your school plan for next year? 

The short answer is that I don't know yet. Naomi will definitely stay home. Silas will probably stay home. I'm undecided on what to do with Devon. Sending him out this year was definitely the right choice and it's been a good year. His school is K-5, which means he could stay one more year. We've signed our intent to return in order to keep our options open.

Sometimes I think this year has been great and we should have him stay for the last year he's eligible to be there. Sometimes I think this year has been great and we should have everyone back home next year. As with any choice, there are pros and cons no matter what we choose. The good news is that we have plenty of time to decide. If we keep him home, then we already have all the curriculum we need and his spot will quickly be filled by someone on the wait list. If we send him out for another year, then his spot is being held and he'll be under the direction of great educators for nine months.

* Are you going to have more kids? Are you done having kids? How many kids do you guys want or plan on having?

There's been a recent surge of people asking about the number of little Ws. I'm not sure why, other than maybe because Teebs is moving out of toddler-ness and into little kid-ness. I'm not offended by them, but those are questions I'll never ask anyone and my answer is usually that time will tell or that I'm not currently pregnant. If any little W joins our family through any method at any point in the future, then you'll know as soon as we do. I take other people's secrets to the grave, but I don't keep little Ws a secret for any length of time.

* Any news on the job front? Does Tim have any job prospects? Has Tim had any interviews? No news, in this situation, means no news. I'm an open book about the job hunt, so I promise that if there is anything to tell, then you'll hear about it. And the moment he gets a job I'll proclaim the news so loudly you'll probably be able to hear me at your own home ... with the doors closed ... and the music blasting ... and earplugs in ... while a train goes by. Not that I'll be excited or anything.  Meanwhile, I'm so thankful for everyone who has helped us in practical ways, encouraged us when it feels overwhelmingly hopeless, and let us know about job possibilities we may not have been aware of over the last two years.

Thus concludes the answers to questions I've been asked a lot in the last couple of months.

In other news, Silas has a big announcement that you can read about at Simply Silas.

SPEECH THERAPY VIDEOS

I mentioned back in September that Devon was going to be starting speech therapy for the third time. He was released from therapy mid-March with definite improvement. I made a video series of his progress for us, as well as for his therapist, teacher, and principal, but I figured I'd also share it here.

#1 - This movie was made on 9/19/13 while he had a habit appliance in his mouth and before he started speech therapy.

#2 - This movie was made on 9/23/13, which was after the habit appliance had been removed and before speech therapy started.

#3 - This movie was made on 4/27/14, which was 6 1/2 weeks after he was released from speech therapy.

He's not quite at 100%, but neither I nor the other Ws have to ask him to repeat things or tell him he's unintelligible anymore, both of which we used to do multiple times a day. Any remaining problems are primarily due to the fact that he talks fast (no clue where he got that trait from) and not because he doesn't know how to speak properly. That means he was able to stop therapy and just needs to slow down and enunciate more clearly from time to time.

I'm so thankful that there are people in the world who have more help to offer than the completely useless "slow down and enunciate" that I was suggesting to a child who didn't know how to enunciate. I'm thankful for speech therapists. I'm thankful for schools that offer help to kids with a wide variety of struggles. I'm thankful that Devon is better understood by people he talks to now than he was for his whole life up to this point.

TEN ON TUESDAY - 4/22/14

The little Ws - If you're a parent, then do you ever have those moments when your kids seem suddenly older? That happened to me recently. Teebs is seeming less like a toddler and more like a little kid. Naomi says things and asks questions that prove she's no longer a little kid ... just a kid.  Devon is about to hit double digits and only has one year left before middle school. Silas is about to enter his last pre-teen year and has so much freedom now. Time flies!

Nice view - I was sitting in a corner of our living room recently, curled up in a chair with a kid, and realized how much I loved what I saw. The whole house isn't always this tidy and not every room is all color coordinated like this one, but the bright blue and green, crisp white, wood, natural light, plants inside, trees out the window (can't really see them in the glare of the picture), evidence of the little Ws, things that remind me of friends ... I love it. There was a camera within reach, so I quickly snapped a picture. A little moment of ordinary life that makes me smile.

New-ish friends - Last school year we started attending a local homeschool group, but this year we've become even more involved. It's been fun getting to know the other moms better this year. We have varied personalities, beliefs, and circumstances, but that's part of what makes me enjoy their friendship. I'm thankful for the chance to laugh with and encourage each other. Neat ladies!

Skyble study - Beep and I have a weekly Bible study via Skype that recently morphed into an ongoing e-mail/Skype study. We started off with a particular study, ditched it about halfway through, went through the book of Matthew, and are now reading The Complete Green Letters, written by Miles J. Stanford. Excellent book! If you're looking for something that will make you look less at yourself and more at Jesus, that will get you grounded in some Biblical truths, then read this one.

Gift - Earlier this month Connie gave a few people some dishcloths that she had made. I love handmade dishcloths, these colors are perfect, and I think this pattern with the edging on these is neat.

Sonlight code - A lot of people are making school decisions for next year right now. If you plan on ordering from Sonlight and if you'll be a first time customer and if your order will be for $50.00 or more, then this link will give you a $5.00 discount. In the interest of full disclosure, that link is for their referral program and any qualifying purchase made through the link will give me points that turn into money off of my own orders. I'd actually forgotten about the referral program until a month or two ago. That's when I realized I had about $70.00 sitting there and I was able to buy a year's worth of math for Silas for $.71...  a savings of about 99%.  Such a blessing that turned out to be! If you already have a Sonlight account and plan on ordering from them again, then be sure to share your own referral code. Every little bit helps when it comes to saving money!

Zaycon - Speaking of referral programs, I signed up for a Zaycon account after the chicken fairy blessed us with a bunch of poultry in the fall. That chicken was so much better than the frozen breasts I usually buy that I figured I would start ordering from them once we were off food stamps. That time recently came to pass, so I figured I should share my referral link.  Zaycon has events all over the country and sells all kinds of things - various chicken, milk, sausage, honey, steak, salmon, ribs, strawberries, peaches, and more. They sell in bulk, so split an order with a friend or two if you don't have the space or desire to freeze a bunch of food. If you order through this link right here, then I'll get a little bit of credit when you pick up your order. As with Sonlight, if you are a Zaycon customer, then pass your referral link along to people!

Milestone video - Grumps, which is what we call my dad's dad, recently posted his first video on Youtube. He lives on a houseboat in California and frequently e-mails pictures of sunsets he can see from his home, but he decided to make a movie of his surroundings one morning and share it with the world. I love that he's still having fun with technology as he comes close to his 90th birthday!

Nice weather - I love the weather this time of year! It's a perfect mix of warm sunshine and cool rain.  Last week I was able to sit on the front porch in the evening and bask in the sun as I corrected math.  Bliss!

I also planted a bunch of seeds two Saturdays ago and have seen a few sprouts peeking through the dirt in the last few days.

Worthy cause - Devon's technology teacher currently teaches class with seven different types of computers, many of which are missing keys. Devon and his classmates sit through technology class in mismatched chairs, about half of which are not tall enough for the tables they all sit at. Needless to say, it would make life much easier if all the computers were the same and the students could all sit high enough to reach the keyboard comfortably. If that sounds like something you'd like to help with, then please visit their Go Fund Me page and donate whatever amount you are able.

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WHO IS HE?

Devon and his classmates have spent the last couple months working on a project where they had to choose a famous person, then write a paper and do a speech about them.  The speeches were presented all day on Wednesday, with each of the other classes at school and parents coming at set times throughout the day. They called it Wax Museum and all the desk were facing out in a circle with the students standing on the inside of the circle, like they were made of wax.  Guests would press a paper "start button" on their desk, which would make the students start giving their speeches.  We went around the whole circle and listened to each kid's speech.  They all did such a great job!

Anyway, back to Devon.  He chose someone with crazy hair. And a crazy mustache. Who spent a lot of time thinking.

And who eventually got too hot and started shedding layers as the day progressed. And went from serious to smiling.

Albert Einstein.

If only we'd had him stick out his tongue in the last picture!

TEN ON TUESDAY - 3/11/14

Baseball - One endcap kid gave the other endcap kid their first baseball lesson. It looked a lot like a golf lesson, but that's beside the point. How cute is this?

Cool Book - We got Big Book of Brain Games: 1,000 PlayThinks of Art, Mathematics & Science for Devon at Christmas and it's awesome!  The book is divided into chapters by subject, but each puzzle is also rated by difficulty so that you can focus on the level that you desire, answers and an index of difficulty in the back, and a code for each puzzle that tells you what you'll need to solve it (mind, pencil, etc.). I think everyone except Teebs has enjoyed some puzzles from this book.

Family Night Out - Devon attends one of six Arthur Academy schools and every year the schools provide a free evening at OMSI for students and their families.  We went last night and had a great time. We would have had gnarly traffic if we'd headed that direction on time, so we left home an hour early and used a gift card we'd received at Christmas to treat ourselves to a dinner out at Subway.  Here we are at dinner, just doing our part to keep Portland weird.

Handwashing Dishes - Remember how I told you last year that I'd finally started using our dishwasher? Well, I stopped.  We've been back to handwashing for a while now, probably a couple of months.  The dishwasher just didn't do as good of a job at getting dishes clean and I rearranged the kitchen counters in such a way that I don't have to have dishes piled up on the counter.

Panhandler - There is a panhandler who is almost always at a particular location in our town and one of the little Ws had been wanting to provide Christmas gifts or do something else for them.  Then the little W discovered the person lives across the street from us.  With their well-fed dog and their steady supply of cigarettes. And the little W lost some sympathy and gained some cynicism.

That can be a tricky thing to deal with as an adult, but even trickier to parent a child through.  It's important to me that our kids be eager and cheerful givers.  It's important to me that our kids have a heart to help those in need, some of which are panhandlers.  It's important to me that they not judge a person solely on what they can see, as circumstances can be better, worse, or just more complicated than they appear to others.

At the same time, I want them to have discernment to know what needs are legitimate and wisdom to know how they should help. Any giver can be taken advantage of or deceived, so I never want them to become hardened toward or judgmental of people who have (or appear to have) taken advantage of others' generosity.  I just want them to have their hearts in the right place and their actions to match up with their heart.

Picasa - You can find lots of pictures of our life on our Picasa page, which is also linked in the blog sidebar.

Science Bowl - Silas was part of the weekly Science Bowl meetings when he was in public school and he wanted to support his friends at the annual Science Bowl in January, so I took him and Devon to University of Portland to watch. We spent all day there, watching his friends compete in the morning, playing frisbee and visiting with them (and the other adults who were there) during breaks, and doing some activities with the group on the afternoon.  It was their first year competing and they didn't place, but they improved so much over the course of the day.  Those kids get asked some hard questions!

Talent Show - Devon's school had a talent show in January, the first one they've ever had, and we went to watch. I think my favorite was the group of kids who taped glow sticks to their bodies in the shape of stick figures, then had the gym lights turned off while they did a dance routine.  So fun!

Tool Time - One of the slats in our fence broke and was falling down, so Devon fixed it for us.

Valentine's Day - Our homeschool group had a Valentine's Day party, so I helped Silas and Naomi create some things for it.  Naomi and I made cards by tracing a heart-shaped cookie cutter on pictures of food from a magazine, cutting the hearts out and gluing them on construction paper, then writing "LOVE" on them. Silas and I baked and decorated a whole bunch of heart-shaped sugar cookies.

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DEVON IS A TOP STUDENT

We got a phone call from Devon's principal on Saturday letting us know that he was the 4th grade boy student of the quarter and inviting us to a celebratory dinner at Los Cabos, which was being given by the school for the families of all the students who won awards.  The dinner was on Wednesday night and Devon's teacher, Kevin Walker, presented him with his certificate, sharing some of the things he values in Devon.  It was great to see his achievements, both academic and non-academic, publicly acknowledged.  Here he is with his certificate and teacher.

Devon has really enjoyed his first venture out of homeschooling and we're thankful it's been such a positive experience for him.  We're proud of his hard work!

HE'S HOME

We made a decision yesterday to allow Silas to come back home for school and withdrew him from public school today.  He spent yesterday afternoon typing and printing multiple copies of a letter for all of his teachers and his principal, then writing a note by hand to each of them individually, thanking them for the specific things he appreciated about them.  We stopped by the school today and he was able to deliver almost all of them personally, which was awesome.

Today he's done math, lots and lots of music (he found some videos online a few days ago to teach himself how to play Carol of the Bells as a surprise for someone), and wrote a letter to someone about doing some volunteer work.  He'll read and write something before he he hits the sack tonight, so I think it was a pretty good first day for such a last minute decision.

As a parent, it was really neat to read both the mass letter and personal notes he wrote to the staff members of the school.  I love watching the little Ws grow up, see what they value in other people, and watch them express their gratitude toward those who have made their lives better.  I also love the fact that his public school experience was such a positive one.

I sent a mass e-mail to several school employees this afternoon and will just copy it here, minus faculty names, because it sums up, in my typical wordy way, how I feel.

To (some of) the staff of NMMS and the NMSD office –

As you probably know by now, Silas has chosen, with our blessing, to return to homeschooling and withdrew from NMMS this morning.  

Our approach to school choices is “one kid and one year at a time” and until this year that meant our kids have been exclusively homeschooled.  Silas, however, has always wanted to experience a traditional classroom setting.  That was understandable, partly because he's an extrovert who likes to try new things and partly because he has a public school teacher for a dad.  

The timing seemed right to send him out for a public school experience this year.  If he thrived and loved it, then we'd have him stay put.  If it was a negative experience or if he simply didn't think the pros outweighed the cons, then we'd pull him out at the end of the year.  However, in mid-November he said that he'd like to be done with public school at the end of the term.  

I was a bit torn.  On one hand, his time at NMMS has been a positive one and it didn't seem logical to pull him out before the end of the year. He's made new friends, enjoys and respects his teachers, and has had opportunities to do and learn things he hadn't experienced at home.  Additionally, it's important to us that our kids finish what they start and I wasn't sure if quitting mid-year was the best choice.  

On the other hand, he had put a lot of thought into the situation, had a realistic view of the pros and cons of both school options, could articulate the things he would gain and lose by changing things right now, and had come up with possible solutions to areas of homeschooling that we would need to change from last year.  He is not a person who gives up easily or who bounces from one thing to the next, so quitting mid-year would not be the reflection of a character flaw in this situation.  And, depending on how you look at it, he's not quitting.  He'll still be receiving an education, but will simply be changing the location of where that happens. 

Evidently our plan to evaluate things one year and one kid at a time turned into one term and one kid at a time.  Over the weekend Tim and I agreed to let him come back home, explaining that if he ever chooses to go back to public school in the future, then mid-year changes will not be an option because he will know exactly what to expect from both home and public school choices.  

I share all of this with you for two reasons.  

First, he really appreciates all of you and I want you to know that his decision is not a reflection on anything you've done.  In fact, I think all would be perfect in his world if he could homeschool and have you all just come to our home for periodic visits or lessons.  For him, it came down to a good choice and a better choice.  I love the analogy that he came up with yesterday morning, which he alluded to in the note he gave to many of you.  He said it's like having two chocolate chip cookies.  You could eat either one and be happy, but you're always going to want the one with the most chocolate chips.  He believes there are more chocolate chips, so to speak, at home right now.  

Second, I really appreciate all of you and want you to know that I have nothing but positive things to say about the time Silas has spent at NMMS.  As we pulled away from the school this morning, it was me, not Silas, who was all emotional, even though I’m thrilled to have him home again.  Why?  Because I’m so grateful that my child was surrounded by such an amazing group of people for the last three months. 

XXXX – Silas wasn’t able to be in your Lego robotics class for very long, but that was his favorite class for the first two weeks of school.  That little taste of computer programming appealed to him and now he’s finding ways to do more of it.

XXXX – Silas really appreciated the way you managed your class and he learned a lot while he was there.  He writes more now than he used to and I frequently hear, “XXXX says ...,” when he’s trying to figure out how to word something. 

XXXX – From registration to conferences to a quick chat as we left the campus today, you have always been encouraging and had a big smile on your face.  I appreciate that.

XXXX – You were the first non-parent teacher that Silas ever had and the first NMMS teacher of his that I met.  The warm welcome you gave him when we walked into your class on the first day of school was the perfect start to his time at NMMS.  He enjoyed you and your class so much.

XXXX – You have always been so kind and helpful when I’ve had questions or need things taken care of.  You are, in many ways, the face of NMMS and you do the job incredibly well.

XXXX – Silas loves all things physical, so PE was one of his favorite parts of the day.  He would often come home and enthusiastically show us the things you’d taught him, including some wrestling moves on yours truly. 

XXXX – Whether I was interacting with you about ODS or Silas, you have always been gracious and helpful.  You have an ability to be efficient and clearly focused on the task at hand, while not appearing to be dismissive or uncaring.  That balance is perfect for a principal.

XXXX – We registered Silas the week before classes started and things were hopping in the front office, but you were smiling and friendly to every person who came to your desk.  The same thing happened when I came in to pick up a box of See’s bars for Silas several weeks later and again when we withdrew him today. 

XXXX – You were the first person from the NMSD that I interacted with and you’ve always been so kind.  It started with my call to find out if it was possible to transfer in and pointing me in the right direction.  Then it was asking for our transfer request to get signed the minute it was sent over, as time was running short, and calling me right away to say it had been approved.  Today it was making sure the decision to withdraw wasn’t because of any problem in how Silas had been treated, validating the thought that has been put into the decisions to both put him in public school and take him out of it, and letting us know about the district’s online option.  I’m thankful for you.

XXXX – Silas came to your class a couple weeks after school started and he came home so frustrated one afternoon because he didn’t understand the project everyone was in the middle of doing.  The next day, after asking for some help, he was on track and appreciative of the way you explain things.

XXXX – Silas came to you a couple weeks into the school year and said he needed a more challenging math class.  You immediately contacted me for previous achievement test results, gave him some extra work to do so that he wouldn’t be bored, and had him in a more suitable class within a day or two.  I appreciate you working to make sure he was where he needed to be. 

XXXX - Silas hadn’t anticipated being in your class and started two weeks late, but he absolutely loved it and you.  He was thrilled to have a solo part at the school concert and his interest in playing the piano has been renewed, which means I’m hearing lots of piano practice at my house these days.

XXXX -  You were willing to meet with us in August when we were trying to decide if we should send Silas to public school and, if so, whether we wanted to stay at a local Woodburn school or transfer to NMMS.  The time you spent with us was really helpful. 

This got way longer than I intended, but it was really important to me that you all know how much we appreciate the work you are doing.  As a homeschooling mom and the wife of a public school teacher, I know how encouraging it is when people acknowledge and praise the work you are doing with the kids in your life.  I’m incredibly grateful that we live in a time and place with so many options available to families as they choose how to educate their children.  I’m also very grateful that all of you played a part in educating Silas.  Thank you!

Sincerely,

Bethany Weathersby

I MAY BE HOMESCHOOLING TWO KIDS ON MONDAY

Less than two weeks ago I said that one of our boys said they'd like to finish this school year in public school, but that they'd want to come home next year.  A couple of days later he said he was leaning toward coming home even sooner.  A day later, the last day of school before Thanksgiving break, he said he didn't want to go back to public school at all.

I said we'd talk about it over the break, partly because I wanted to wait until he'd gone to his conference that was scheduled for last Monday (conferences are mostly student led and I didn't know if his feelings would change if he saw a summary of his school experience in black and white), and then we'd make a decision.  Every day he has become more confident that he doesn't want to go back.  We had a lengthy discussion about the pros and cons of both staying in school for the duration of the year and of coming home now.  We also discussed the problems of last year and how we would do things differently if he came home now (or next year, for that matter).

The boy is Silas.  Nothing bad has happened, he has a list of things he loves about public school, his teachers and administrators have been great to work with, he's made lots of friends, and it's been a positive experience ... but he wants to homeschool again.  

Classes start in less than 36 hours and we need to make a decision.  No, we don't have to decide by then, but we have to make a decision at some point and there's no sense in dawdling.

On one hand I would love to have him home, think a new way of doing things at home would work well, believe his time at public school was a good experience on multiple levels, but don't see any point in keeping him there if he'd rather not be and we have another option available to us.  

On the other hand I believe there is a lot of value in sticking something out to the finish, especially since there's nothing horrible going on that would make us withdraw him without question.  And, if I'm going to be totally honest, I think it's really awkward to do a bunch of fundraisers for outdoor school, then bail on the school altogether.  I know outdoor school isn't a reason to stay in public school, but still ... that just seems ... I don't know ... unethical or something.  

So, yeah.  Big decisions looming.  As always, schooling choices aren't lifetime commitments and I'm so glad we put Silas and Devon in public school this year.  It was the right choice, no doubt about it.  But now we need to do some more deciding.  I'm not stressed about it, we simply need to choose one or the other.  

Maybe I'll flip a coin.  

SCHOOLING CHOICES AND HOW WE FEEL RIGHT NOW

Silas and Devon are still in public school.  Their first terms have already ended or will end this week and it continues to be a positive experience overall.  They're learning some new things, refining skills they learned at home, making friends, and enjoying their teachers.  Sure, there are negatives, but that's true of every choice, and I'm still confident that sending them out was the best decision for our family for this year.

The big boys and I always have an ongoing conversation about school choices - the things we like, things we don't like, and what our ideal school situation would be.  Our kids don't have the final say, but their opinions are big factors in our decisions, especially as they get older.  Both Silas and Devon are content right now, but one has recently said that if the decision was totally up to them and if they had to decide right now what to do next year, then they'd come home.  They do, however, want to stay put for the remainder of this year.  The other says one day that they would stay where they are, then says on another day that they would come home.  Both boys have conditions about coming home.  

Incidentally, I have spent the last couple weeks really wanting to bring them home, something I hadn't told them when they shared their thoughts about next year.  However, as much as I want to bring them home, I know that there would have to be some big changes in the way we do things if that were to happen next year.  In other words, the boys aren't the only ones with conditions about coming home.  

I love the idea of homeschooling and I love many of the ways it played out for us, but the overall reality of it was not working for our family anymore.  Last year was horrid on multiple levels for our family, some of which were rooted in homeschooling, and I'm not willing to intentionally subject us to that life again.  Of course, there were other things contributing to the struggles of last year that had absolutely nothing to do with education at all, some of which are better, others that will be better by next school year, and some that we have little control over.  So I only want to bring them the big boys home if we can do it in a way that works for all of us as individuals and for our family as a whole.  I want to bring them home for successful homeschooling, not for constant failure, tension, and discouragement.  So we'll see what happens. 

I've written down the things that I would need for homeschooling to work for me again and I'm going to have the big boys do the same thing.  I'm going to start figuring out now if it's possible to accomplish the things on my list for next year, then we'll look at the boys' lists and I'll get some input from Naomi.  It may be that we all realize keeping Silas and Devon out is still the best option, or that bringing one home and keeping the other out would work well, or that we all want everyone to come back home and just homeschool differently than before.  I have no idea.  I just know that we can never go back to the old way of doing things.  It worked for a long time, but seasons change.  We're at a point where we can't simply choose homeschool or public school.  Instead we have to choose between "homeschooling according to this flexible plan that we all invested time and energy into figuring out and believe will be our best option for successful education and a happy home" and public school.  

One year ago I knew with total confidence that I would not homeschool everyone this year and I had complete peace about that decision.  This year is different.  I'm not sure what next year will look like.  As always, I believe every schooling choice has inherent pros and cons.  I also believe some pros and cons are subjective, depending greatly on the kid, family, school, and season of life.  Regardless of how things play out and what schooling choices we make for next year, I continue to be thankful that we live in a time and place with so many options available to us.  

So, we'll keep taking it one year and one kid at a time, pray for wisdom, do our research, and then make the decision we believe is best.  

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to the fact Thanksgiving and conferences mean that all my kids will be home next week!

TEN ON TUESDAY - 10/29/13

Farewell - Our favorite librarian is retiring and invited us to a reception in her honor.  We're excited for her as she starts a new season of life, but we're going to miss her a lot!

Marshmallow Gun War - It suddenly occurred to me a couple weeks ago that we didn't have a single marshmallow gun war this summer.  I think that's the first time that's happened in five years.  Oops.

Facial hair - Devon is sporting a mustache.  He seems a little young, but I guess it's time to buy him a razor.

People magazine & Brookings connections - We were at the orthodontist's office for a quick visit several weeks ago and I picked up a People magazine.  I noticed there was an article about Bethany Hamilton getting married and, having read her book and watched the movie about her, I flipped pages to see the pictures.  It mentioned the name of the boutique where she had her dress made and the name was familiar.  I came home, hopped online, and discovered it's owned by the sister of a guy I graduated from high school with and whose parents went to the same church as our family.  I don't know her at all, but it was still a small world moment.

Books - Silas and Devon are each hooked on a book series.  Silas is reading Pseudonymous Bosch and Devon's reading Harry Potter.  This is the view I often have of them.

October - I think October may be my favorite month.  The days are warm.  The nights are cool.  The sun shines more often than not.  The grass is green. The leaves are brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow.

Getting older - Teebs has aged about 60 years.  Or he got in the flour bin when no one was looking.  No, that couldn't be it.  He wouldn't do something he's been told repeatedly not to do, so it must be that he suddenly got a lot older.

Bowling - Devon's school recently had a family fun night at the bowling alley.  Tim was at work, but the little Ws and I went out for a couple hours of free entertainment.  Devon beat the sibs, I beat Devon, we ended up sharing a lane with people from our church that I'd never met, and we were all given a red vine by someone who bought a bunch.  Fun time!

Rosemary - The parking lot where we pick Devon from school has some edible landscaping and he rubs his hands on a rosemary plant every day as he gets into the car.  It makes the car smell so good!

Yummy snack - The chicken fairy included this little treat in their gift to us a few weeks ago.  Oh my!  They are delicious!

TEN ON TUESDAY - 9/24/13

I always have a blog draft going that's a list of things I want to write about, many of which are totally random and not really worthy of an entire post.  Today a friend posted a similar list and called it "Ten on Tuesday".  I like alliteration, so I'm copying her.

Bruiser - Teebs hit two milestones within a couple days of each other.  His first goose egg and his first finger smashed in a door.  The boy is not a fan of having ice packs applied to his injured body.  Not at all.  But he's sure snuggly after the fact!

Organizing - I've started purging my file cabinet recently.  It's a job I knew needed to be done, but I didn't realize how overdue it was until I found paperwork from my first midwife.  Paperwork that's twelve years old.  Ay yi yi!  Needless to say, lots of stuff is going in the recycling bin and a whole lot of paper is getting quartered for our scratch paper stash.

Work - I am pretty stressed about Tim's unemployment and lack of an income.  I know I make a habit of regularly posting the blessings in our life on Facebook, but I'm having a hard time.  I'm just weary.  Those posts are my feeble attempt at not wallowing in self-pity and negativity.  It is what it is, we're doing the best we can in this moment, and our needs have been met over and over and over again.  Plus, we've also been repeatedly blessed with the fluff of life.  You'd think I'd have a little more faith that things will work out by now, but I'm just as human as everyone else and struggle with the emotions that are normal for our situation.

That being said, in case you missed it on Facebook last night, Tim got called about a subbing job for today.  All day.  In a regular classroom.  I'm very grateful for a full day of work at a regular wage!!  We do financial updates once a week (Money Monday, because I like alliteration) and I was really discouraged last night.  Ending yesterday with an offer to work today was a huge blessing!  His boss at the after school program is super understanding and wants him to take better paying work whenever it comes along.  So he took the sub job and his boss at the after school program will cover the first part of his shift, as he'll be wrapping up his sub job, and he'll come for the second part.  It's a huge blessing that they are so understanding of his situation and supportive of his efforts to get work!

Earning "cool mom" points - The bigs were playing on the trampoline together on Saturday night, so I decided to just ignore the clock and let them stay out late.  I love listening to them enjoying each other's company!  Lots of laughter that night as they jumped, played games, and did tricks ... in the rain ... in the dark.  They were soaking wet and I knew they'd be cold when they came in, so I wanted to have a fun way for them to warm up.  I remembered some hot chocolate packets someone had given us, so I heated up some milk and served hot chocolate once they had put on dry clothes.  Ending the evening with the family, minus Teebs, sitting around the table together, chatting, and sipping warm drinks was perfect.

Volunteering - If our kids were going to attend brick and mortar school this year, then one of my non-negotiables was that I was involved in their schools in some way.  That could be a little tricky with two kids still at home, but I knew we'd find a way.  Last week I walked away from a meeting at Silas' school on a committee that's overseeing fundraisers for outdoor school and as a co-planner for one of the fundraisers.  Yesterday I walked away from a meeting at Devon's school with plans to help out in the library.  I'm excited!

Fashion show - Silas attended junior high camp over the summer.  He came back saying how awesome the Bible studies were and how much fun they had.  Other people came back telling me about his performance in a fashion show that happened one night.  I think duct tape was the one thing each team had to use.  Maybe foil.  All I know for sure is that he was covered in bubble wrap, foil, and duct tape as he busted a move down the catwalk and that everyone loved it.  I thought it was funny and, as a mom, was happy to see him give credit to his team (which could be heard in another video that has since disappeared from the internet).

Granny - She's almost 90, I haven't seen her in 2 1/2 years, and she's too far away for me to ever see again.  I hate that.

Cooking - I love having kids in the kitchen!  Teebs has recently helped make granola, Naomi and I teamed up to roll meatballs for the freezer, and Devon made some of my favorite pancakes.  

Friendship - I have an ongoing conversation with some friends on Facebook.  Today I noticed that there are well over 15,000 posts in that discussion.  I'm thankful for friends who share the little details of the daily grind, the big decisions, the nerve-wracking situations, and the exciting milestones.  Friends who give advice, help brainstorm, make each other laugh, share different perspectives, encourage and support each other, agree to disagree on some things and are on the exact same page with other things.  Those 15,000 messages and the people involved in that conversation are a huge blessing to me, but so are so many other friends who do those same things.  I'm really thankful for the people, from casual acquaintances to close friends, that are in my life.  

Speech therapy - Devon did a few months of speech therapy back in kindergarten, but hasn't done any since then.  He was in a odd situation because he had so many sounds he struggled with that his evaluation scores showed that he was more than qualified for therapy.  However, many of the sounds had a later age for mastery and by that criteria he didn't qualify.  The therapist in Beaverton decided to work with him, so they had about three months together.  Then we moved and the therapist in Wilsonville met with him a couple times, then decided to wait and see if he grew into the sounds he struggled with.  Both responses to his situation were totally reasonable, but it's now 3 1/2 years later and he's still struggling.  Today he's starting therapy again and are really looking forward to it!  We have a blog post up our sleeve for whenever he finishes therapy, but you'll just have to be patient and wait for it.