In my life this week… there was heartache and joy, in roughly equal measures. I bounce back and forth from feeling wholly inadequate to this task of parenting and homeschooling to feeling gratitude to the Lord of all parents and children for the opportunity.

In our homeschool this week… we did math (Saxon) and language lessons, read history, began reading aloud The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, went to co-op on Friday, and re-grouped after a week of spring break.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… We watched a few of the videos in R.C. Sproul’s Old Testament survey series, From Dust to Glory. I like these videos very much. Karate Kid performed a minor role in the play, As You Like It at Selah Arts (located at our church). Some of the family are gone this afternoon to see the final performance of this Shakespearean classic. It’s not my favorite of Shakespeare’s plays, too absurdly unlikely, but it does have a few of my favorite lines in it:

And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.

I can suck melancholy out of a song as a weasel sucks eggs.

O, wonderful, wonderful, and most wonderful wonderful!
and yet again wonderful, and after that out of all whooping.

Down on your knees,
And thank Heaven, fasting, for a good man’s love.

Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but NOT for love.

My favorite thing this week was… stories, as usual: the book I’m reading about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Phantom Tollbooth, seeing my youngest reading Ramona and her Mother, seeing the movie The King’s Speech with Engineer Husband, living our own story.

What’s working/not working for us…
Not working:
Trust issues with one of my urchins.
Too busy a schedule, too much driving around.
Working:
Return to read aloud time.
Sitting down to do math with my nine year old, Z-baby. She still needs me nearby for support and encouragement. I’d better slow myself down and enjoy that together-time while I still can.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have… I want to simplify and enjoy more, but at the same time I want to have it all, not miss out on a single good book or learning experience or beautiful thought. It’s difficult to find any kind of balance between gulping life passionately and focusing on the small, seemingly insignificant things that make all that passion worthwhile.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…
Large Family Mothering: Homeschooling less is more links and lists This blogger’s perspective on curriculum necessities and the true purpose of education is refreshing and encouraging. And according to the heading, she has fifteen children.

The Homeschool Chick is hostess for the weekly Homeschool Mother’s Journal.