Just another school day...

It's never "just" another school day at our house. i am so thankful for the laughter, curiousity, creativity and confusion that my children throw into our daily schooling. Life would be so boring without being a part of watching them as they grow and learn each day. i am so thankful for the opportunity to homeschool them. But as I read again in Isaiah today, I am even more thankful that my children "are taught by the Lord." This so makes the daunting task of teaching them not seem so big. It is so good to know that even when I am about to pull my hair out because someone just can't "get" their times tables down, or someone just can't seem to write ANY lowercase letters, or has forgotten everything they seemed to know yesterday..that God knows each of these children, all thier strengths and weaknesses-better than I ever could. I am so thankful that he is at work in my children's lives, instructing them, helping them along the way, working out all the little "kinks" that sometimes seem like such a big deal to me. But really, who cares if he writes in all caps or if she doesn't have all the times tables down just yet. God has called our family to this journey, and he will equip us every step of the way.

That being said, We had one of "those' days the other day...not a bad day, just a day where I wondered, are they getting any of this/

We usually start our schoolday with Bible, but on this particular day, the kids asked if we could do "English From the Roots up" first-our greek and latin root word study. I was excited that the kids were all asking to do it, so I decided to let them play a game. I gathered up all their root word cards and told them to line up side by side in the kitchen. With each correct answer they would get to take a step forward, and the first one to the couch would be the winner.
I gave them the rules: I would call out a root word and they had to raise their hand to answer and I would call on the first one with their hand raised. The girls would have to spell the root, tell me what it meant and the.n put it in a word and tell me what that word meant. Noah would have to tell me what the root meant and give me a word with the root in it.

They were off to a good start, all hands went up when I said "phobos" Mackenzie correctly spelled it, defined it and yelled out "bibliophobia-the fear of books!!!" then it went downhill-no one could remember anything except phobos! Everyword I called out was returned with a blank stare, and if I asked them to use other roots in a word, they all added "phobia" to their root. for example for "photo," meaning light, they gave me "photophobia", which one of them then said was a "fear of photographs." I realized quickly our study skills needed improvment! Noah was so determined to win, but the girls hands always went up first, or he simply did not know the answer. Finally, wnen I said the root "syn", Noah waved his hand wildly in the air and jumped up and down. When I called his name he excitedly yelled out, "Something God doesn't like for you to do!!!!" He was wrong, but how could I not let him take a step for that one? I explained that the word we were talking about was "syn," meaning with. Then I asked if someone could give me a word with "syn" and just as quickly as before Noah threw up his hand and shouted-"Cinnamon!!!" the girls insisted I let him take another step. When Mackenzie finally won, she asked what do I get for a prize? I said, you get to study your root words!!!"

Afterwards, we sat down to for Bible. We have been reading through Exodus, and memorizing the ten commandments, after the ten commandments had been given, I continued to read through the different rules and regulations that God gave to the Israelites. the kids were cracking up as I read some of them, but really amazed at how specific they were. Things like,
"A person must be put to death if they hit a pregnant woman" or "If you are aware that you have a mean ox, and it gores someone, you must be put to death..." Anyway after reading and discussion, I asked the kids to call out the ten commandments, starting with the number.
After our failed root word game, I was very happy when they all called the commandments out in turn, but something happened after we got to ten, and they just got plain silly. Noah said, "eleven...never hit a pregnant woman!" Without missing a beat, Mae said, "twelve...don't let your mean ox hurt your neighbor!" I was laughing and glad they were remembering what they read. Then Mackenzie called out, "Thirteen...Don't ring your neighbors doorbell in your underwear!!"
I was laughing so hard I almost fell of the couch. Noah added the final "extra" commandment, shouting out, "Fourteen....Don't pee in your neighbors bushes!!!" The room got silent and my eyes got big as I looked at him. "What?" he answered innocently, "That's not really a commandment, and Uncle John (his dad's brother AND our neighbor) doesn't mind....."
Okay, so now if you ask my children to recite the commandments, don't be surprised if they finish with, "oh yeah, and number eleven, NEVER pee in your neighbor's bushes. (even if it is your uncle!)"
And so goes another day....And I am always thankful that our house if nothing else, is filled with joy and laughter!