Monday Meme: "Can You Pass Me a Paper Bag, Please?"

Since I started officially homeschooling about 9 years ago, I have brought four additional babies home from the hospital.  There is another one making his or her debut in the family right smack in the middle of fall “term” (mid-October) this year.  I must say, dear Heavenly Father Whose Timing is Always Right, that that is a really, REALLY tough time (in my mind) for a homeschooling mom to bring home a new baby.  You need to get started in August vs. September so everyone will be in the school “groove”; you really don’t want to do ANYTHING during that time because you’re exhausted just fixing breakfast and there’s just 6 weeks left till birth; then you need that recovery time after baby comes – let’s just say four weeks for giggles – and that puts you SMACK in the holiday season.  Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas cookies and parties, the desire to keep the regular traditions up for your sweet children; although, now you realize you’ve just set yourself up for failure come St. Nicholas Day and you have no gold coins.

Yes, I realize all of this is self-induced stress.  Yes, I realize I need to pare down in some – no, many – ways.  At least I am thinking of this now, on this side of the new babe.  In fact, I’m thinking of it so much, that I’m having a hard time breathing sometimes.  You know what’s it’s like with lots of children in the house – no time to think for more than 20 seconds before someone needs you for something.

And then…

‘Tis the season for school planning.

Don’t you sometimes just want someone to come in and tell you NOT that “everything’s going to be ok”, but that they know exactly what you need to do for each child for each day???  Since my Fairy Homeschooling Mother hasn’t come calling for the past four babes, I’m getting the feeling that it is up to me.  And God, of course.  And all those other saints ahead of me who have overcome what they considered bad timing and circumstances that seem impossible to overcome.

I give thanks for the post last week by Ma Karen showing how she’s going to use her “morning basket” (that doesn’t have to happen in the actual morning).  It’s given me ideas to ponder as I lead my 8th, 6th, 4th, 2nd, & K children on this road of education this upcoming year.  I give thanks for my experience with babies and homeschooling.  It’s not going to look like what ANYONE (official) thinks school should look like, but it’s going to be ours and the kids are going to love on their new little sibling.  I KNOW I shouted so much after Baby #6, whom was also born in October, because I just didn’t feel I was getting anything done.  Having that experience will hopefully give me balance in my expectations.

I keep reading posts on Facebook from younger mamas with fewer children, but still are under the same stresses with new babies and toddlers and homeschooling their 1st and 3rd grader.  I know exactly how they feel, but I feel like such a hypocrite giving them any advice.  I feel like I barely have it “figured out” even on my eighth!!  Isn’t that crazy??

One thing I have learned, though, He always…ALWAYS…ALWAYS provides.  On the other side of the troubles are Light and Joy and a child who is suddenly so grown up.  You have a hard time understanding that on baby #1 or #2 or #3 or #4.  But it is Truth.

But did I mention part of our homeschooling journey is sending my oldest off to 9th grade at our local public high school??  And that he starts in less than a month??

PASS THAT PAPER BAG!!!!