End of an Era

It's been awhile since I've been on here, I think.
:)
Vaughan has graduated from high school with his 
accelerated diploma and
Magna cum laude. 
He is the first member of the NSBHS chapter of the National Technical Honor Society, 
Vaughan has also worked 20-24 hours a week at Chick-fil-A, 
been an amazing husband and dad.


It seems like yesterday we stared home schooling.
We lived in Oklahoma then,
later we homeschooled in New Hampshire 
and finally finished the 8th grade here in Florida.
Vaughan stepped foot for the first time ever in a public school his 9th grade year. I remember it like yesterday.
We all loaded into the car that morning and drove in the car pool line to drop him at the front door.
We rarely used that front entrance again and he spent his last 2 years driving himself to school.


Then he graduated.


Somewhere along the line he received enough credits, even managed to take some college classes along the way and landed himself right smack in the middle of a high school graduation ceremony.
Shouldn't he still be little?
I'm not sure we even took the training wheels off his bike?
He just can't be old enough,
but he is
and the graduation ceremony was great!
I loved it, much different than the small high school I attended.


Now that that era of our life is over, we step blindly into this next one.
I try not to wonder too much what it will hold,
afterall this last era looks nothing like I thought it would.


"...for we walk by faith, not by sight-"
2 Corinthians 5:7

Text to the Boys

Just a quick note.

The boys went back to school today, Vaughan is a senior and Justin a sophomore- where has the time gone?

I wonder if a school year will ever go by when I will think I've done the right thing- whether it be home school or public school I find myself doubting my decision- every year.

It seems like no matter how much prayer and prep goes into my children I always doubt myself. I am still in awe that I am a parent.

I guess living with me, in my head I know what a mess I am.

In the end I just want the best for my kids. I don't want them to make the same mistakes I made- heck I really don't want them to make mistakes at all.

But they have and they will.

And really when it comes down to it, I know that it has been through my mistakes that I have learned.

That each mess up pushes me to rely on my Savior Jesus Christ.

Perhaps that's why I screw up a lot, to be reminded that Jesus is all I need.

Perhaps that's why I doubt my parenting ability, to eventually come around to the knowledge that Jesus is all they need.

So to my sons on their first day of the 2011-2012 school year I say to you

"May you see Jesus in those around you,

may you look for opportunity to BE Jesus to the world near you

and most of all may you hear and obey that still small voice of the Holy Spirit in you."

Of course you both know these words because I texted them to you today,

then again maybe you didn't even read the text because I didn't hear back from either one of you; but perhaps when you're 40 you'll decide to read this crazy blog that you've spent the last 6 years of your lives trying to avoid.

All this to say I lift up my dreams, expectations and aspirations of my children to You of Lord, the Creator of Heaven and Earth- they are Your children and I thank You for the opportunity to spend these few short years with them.

First Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school.
It also marks the first Fall since 1997 that I haven't home schooled! When I really first felt a call on my life to home school my children I was 16 years old. I wasn't even dating Steve at the time but I knew God had called me to home school my children, and I knew I would home school them through the 8th grade.
So that's what I did. I home schooled.
When we began we lived in Oklahoma, then we moved to New Hampshire and finally Florida; when we began we knew 1 other home school family, then 2, then three,now it seems every other person I know either is or has home schooled.
These past 13 years have stretched me beyond where I wanted to stretch and grown me in ways I probably don't even realize. The coolest thing about home schooling has been the time I have had with my children.

High school.

Public school.

Day one went well, both boys seemed happy with their teachers, their classes and they made it home safe and sound, not that I fear for their safety, God has those boys and I trust Him with them and have since the days of their birth. As far as I know they were safe from mean kids and neither one sparked up in the bathroom.

As another year starts I already know it will end in the blink of an eye, 2 shakes of a lambs tail and it'll all be over.

I will sit on my porch with Steve one day and we'll wonder where it all went; until then I am enjoying my days off with no children to clean up after, no lunches and snacks to make, no books to teach from, no papers to correct. I am reluctantly, excitingly, nervously welcoming this new chapter in my life.

Now what to do for the next 7 hours?

Hands-On Engineering

Vaughan had a project to work on for his engineering class. From what I could tell he had to create something that was useful for something, that his project would be triggered by someone elses different project/invention. Don't you just love the description from teenage boys?
Vaughan decided he wanted to make a guillotine that would cut cheese.

It started as a 2 bladed guillotine but the final project only has one blade.

Such a sharp idea!

First Day of School 2009 Edition

Ok, so our second first day of public school is here.
I woke up early and got breakfast on the table for Vaughan, which is easy cause he like a bowl of cereal for breakfast each morning.
Then, with less production as last year, we stepped out front for pictures, hopped in the van and drove to school.
Wow! They have grown so much. Branden is starting 11th grade and Vaughan 10th.

After a 10 minute wait in the car pool line they were gone. I was threatened that if I took pics they'd take my camera away.

So I did what any good mother of teenagers would do, I turned off my flash as took pictures anyway; no matter how big they get, I'm still the boss!

Then,

I drove away and began to cry.

Does the crying after the first day ever end?

If I had to guess I'd say for me, no.

Each step they take is one step closer to being gone, I just don't know it I will ever get over that.

So 10th and 11th grade are underway.

sigh - deep breath

It's gonna be a good year!

-Michelle

My Kid Rocks!

I know we all think that but I actually know it to be true!

When I started homeschooling I took quite a bit of slack. I even had things said to me that were mean and quite frankly had nothing to do with home schooling.

Then when I put my oldest in public high school full-time I took some slack there too. Again some pretty rude things were said to me, again many that were not school related at all.

Fortunately I keep those people far away from me , but if they were around I'd have to restrain my tongue from saying something very rude as I threw this in their faces!

That's straight-A's 1st quarter and 2nd quarter!

Those are 1's in conduct- everyone loves this kid, well expect the 1 kid who wants to beat him up; but he's always had that, since he was little 99.9% of the people who meet him love him and the other 1% not only don't like him but are always asking to fight him. The "02" are absent days from him leaving early on mid-term days.

So as you can see- my kid rocks!!

For those of you that don't now about my home schooling practices I don't give out grades- you do the work, you understand the concept and we move on. If I had to give out grades it'd be A's around the horn here too! I take that back his handwriting would get less than an A because he can just be sloppy in that area- part of being artsy I guess, the alphabet "reigns in his creativity"- what? Just write your letter correctly so we can read what you are saying!

-Michelle

It Took Me a Long While to Solve It, Wanna Try?

Having homeschooled my oldest son from kindergarten through 8th grade you can imagine what a change it was when he shipped off to public school each and every morning this fall.

Since I still homeschool my youngest and I still am in the local homeschool circles, I find the questions about our decision to be a reoccurring event.

To keep it basic we have always felt as though the boys would go to public high school; just as we felt called to home school, we also felt called to not homeschool high school. It's been our personal decision and we have not regretted it. OK, so I wish he were still home with me every day but I also wish he were still 2 years old and snuggly in my lap.

I thought I post one of the coolest things he's gotten to experience at public school. It comes from the engineering department. The above picture is a puzzle block he designed and then built.

Pretty cool isn't it.

My son's a genius.
-Michelle

It Was A Nice Halloween

First report card ever!

We are so proud!

Above class list

World History

Biology

Recreation

Intro to Engineering and Design

Intro to Information Technology

Geometry

English

all A's

He's getting a cell phone for his job well done, although he'll have to pay the monthly add on fee of $10.

And to think my sceptics said he'd have a hard time adjusting from home school to public.

Do you reward your kids for good grades or do you think you will? If so how?

Michelle <><

Open House

I just got back from my first open house!
I was so excited all day. I told everyone at work and at the bank that we had open house tonight.

Vaughan lead Steve , Justin and I around the high school like he was in some sort of race or something. We went up and down, around and back down.
History, PE, Geometry, English, Biology...

Vaughan's rules were simple:
I was not allowed to take my camera
and
extended family was not allowed. Originally I thought this post would be named "My Big Fat Greek Family Goes to School"- really Yiayia, Papou and more were wanting to go.

It was neat to meet Vaughan's teachers and see his school.
I'm excited for him and had a neat surprise when in his Intro to Engineering class I saw two other home schooling families!
We ran into so many people we knew- it was like old home day.
I am so excited for him and these new experiences he's getting.
My baby's growing up.
~Michelle

Yesterday vs. Today

Yesterday was a bad day.
If it could have gone wrong- it did.
Washer not spinning, dryer not drying, lost data at work (and you know it was important stuff that took hours), home school child not home schooling, DVD not working and a friend over to watch something on it, dog sick and throwing up every 5 minutes. After a long morning and afternoon of this craziness I stepped outside to relax- stepped in some animals "mess", came in to do dishes- sink clogged. It continued throughout the evening and ended with me getting locked in my car, don't ask how that happens it just does in our ghetto-fabulous vehicles!

So I was in bed by 9pm.

I like a new day because it's a fresh start.
A clean slate.
A new day to write new adventures on.

Like today in the parent drop-off line at school I found my favorite part of the drop-off: being at a stand still due to student drivers.

Yep, when I'm stopped in the line of cars I know somewhere ahead of me a mother in walking from the passenger side to the driver's side as her new student driver peels him/herself away from the steering wheel before heading into school. It allows me more time with my son and puts a smile on my face to see the transfer take place.

I'll be there come December 1st.

How abut you what's your favorite part of dropping your student off at school?

~Michelle

Hole in Our Day, A Plan that May Work and God's Truth

Yesterday was weird.
Good, but weird.

I'll start with the weird and I'll keep it brief. Weird because I've spent the last 14 yrs 9 mo with Vaughan and now he is gone for 10 hours a day. Justin missed him too, he's been his whole life with the kid.
Vaughan didn't think of us once.
All above facts are true, each party admits to it!

FLASHBACK 8 Years!



On to the good: Justin and I had a great day of home school; besides him getting a little giggly in the afternoon he did great. I've seen so much growth in him these last few years it's amazing to think he's the same kid! It's true when they say boys mature slower than girls and for some boys it's even slower than the "norm". That's been J and that's why I've loved home schooling: he's been able to take his time growing up. Meanwhile I'm happy we do school at a table and sitting up straight!

So our first day went well. I've put his schedule in an Excel worksheet. I'm thinking it'll work great and he can't lose it! When he finishes an assignment he can check it off by highlighting the cell any color he wants; when I am done checking over each assignment I put a slash through it! Lord willing this will solve both our problems and allow for easy schedule changes!

Of course it's the TreeHouse SchoolHouse way to not be fully prepared so we still don't have all our curriculum yet- I'm borrowing SOS 7th grade Lang Arts and Science from my neighbor!

It was Sunday night that I decided I should throw something together for the Monday start, so here's what I came up with:

7h Grade age 12 y 6mo
1. Bible: personal devotion
2. 8am- Guitar: 30 minutes practice OUT OF BOOK!~notice only subject with a time and let's face it we're flexible with the time
3. Math Saxon Algebra 1/2 (Pre-Alg.) with D.I.V.E.
4. Reading Comprehension- 8th grade series we'll work through
5. History- US History, we'll work through book adding events to our timeline, although J wants to learn about the Vietnam War so we'll take a break next month and cover that.
6. PE: karate

That covers my main Bible-reading-writing-arithmetic goal for each day. Now today's the first day of us on my fall work schedule, add in Steve's MIA for the evenings this week and that leaves me running and picking up kids on top of a meeting for our high school workers tonight!

In my prayer book this morning I prayed for patience, from me and for me from God. Cool how God gives us what we need before we need it. 2 Peter 3:9

Now to actually go about my day I have to stop blogging...
LovePeace
~Michelle

They Can Go 2 School in the Rain- We Did

Darn it!

I waited 14 freakin' years to send this kid away to public school and they cancel it again for tomorrow.


See. I told you public school was bad.
~Michelle

PS photo was the "welcome home from school" photo- doesn't he look thrilled!

PSS notice the "little brother" peaking his head out the door

Seriously, I Remember High School Like Yesterday...

...and now my oldest is there.

First day of school went good.
Vaughan knew someone in every one of his classes. He knew them from different places; scouts, youth group, football.

He found all his classes although he said he didn't think he had time to make it to his locker between them.

Now he has 2 days off- thanks Tropical Storm Fay.

First beni of public school: we called them snow days, you'll call them hurricane days.

We realized the size of one of the buildings at Vaughan's school was larger than the entire middle/high school his parents attended.

I also bought school supplies today. That experience has changed a lot.
I no longer purchase crayons and markers. This year it was notebooks and pens/pencils.

So the frst day was good. Cross Country after school went good.
No homework.
No books.
These will come later, until now I try to forget that I have a child in high school.
~Michelle

First Day Of School 2008 Edition

you’ll be happy to know my camera is somewhat fixed so this very important post will include photos.

So my world has been rocked, and in that rocking somehow, someway, my oldest fell out of my daily world and right into the hallways of the local high school.

After 10 years of homeschooling (preschool-8th) this was like a BIG deal!

We had a great time this morning. Steve and I woke first and then I woke the boys up. After breakfast, French toast and sausage, we sat around talking like usual. We told stories and messed with each other. Fluff was around and exhausted by 7am.


Hanging out sharing stories and laughing.

Highlight story of the morning dealt with advice Vaughan got from his uncle yesterday. The advice started with, "Vaughan high school is like prison, you gotta get in a fight the first day."

Yes, he is "that" uncle, the one eveyone has. The boys love him and of course he's back inthe country just in time to give my child allthe crazy advice he needs before entering high school.

We also messed with him and joked about taking pictures; we even went as far as to tell him his grandparents were meeting him for pictures at the school. Now if you know Vaughan he’s a cool, relaxed kid; but about 2 minutes after the grandparent/picture comment he said, “I can’t believe my grandparents are showing up at the school.”

Steve and I got a good laugh from that one.

Let the photo taking begin...

The photos, oh the photos.

I'm looking rather short.

I have no words for this one.

Freshman.


The car ride.

I was told I had to drive so I wouldn't jump out to give him a hug goodbye. I was also told the above photo of just Vaughan was the last one I was allowed to take.

What?

Did they think I wouldn't snap this one? I had to. How could I resist.

The line of cars waiting to get on campus.

The backseat will be radically different.

The drop off went smooth and quick. I didn't even get teary eyed. We saw more kids we knew than at a reunion and Vaughan's best friend drove in right behind us.

It's done. He's gone. A t least for 10 hours today, and tomorrow and Wednesday...

It's about now I'm asking myself what have I done?

jk

I have a peace. I miss him but it's been 14 years in the making. He'll do good. He won't miss us.

So there it is the first day of school- ever!!! for my baby.

Now J and I have a week before our homeschool starts- our "last week of freedom" as he puts it.

So far we've eatten, cleaned the bathrooms, played guitar and are going grocery/hurricane shopping.

Good time

~Michelle