The Nursery

This morning I did something I haven't done in over 4 years. ...I worked in the church nursery. They came desperately looking for volunteers during Sunday School (or whatever we call it these days) What a great morning, rocking, singing and talking to the under 1 set and the biggest plus...I didn't have to change a single diaper. I loved holding those sweet smelling babies. Just another step back into the old normal.

Another year of Homeschooling

This week began another chapter in our lives. Emily began High School. It is hard to believe she has gotten so old. I don't feel old enough to have a child in high school. For now she will be at home until we get settled somewhere. We didn't want to enroll her somewhere only to uproot her mid semester when we move on. She agreed whole heartily and would like to wait until her Sophomore year to go off to school. She is excited about going to some of her cousin Laura's High School's Football games.

The kids are taking some of their tougher academic courses online this year. We did a little of that last year and it was a great experience. The classes are rigorous and they have to develop some form of self discipline since I don't know everything that was taught and all due dates. An important thing to learn as a homeschooler. One of the classes Em is taking this year is Biology. 4 times during the upcoming year, some place in our home will turn into a dissection lab! Fun or Yuck?? Maybe a little of both. She will get to dissect a worm, a frog, a perch, and a crayfish. Maybe we should limit guests during that time. I remember the smell from my high school days. Eww.

Will is looking forward to a Computer Programing Robotics course. It uses a robotic educational Lego set and the Terrapin computer language. He should do well with that and have a blast doing it. While Emily always dreads the start of school, he was excited for school to begin again.

I didn't take a picture of the first day of school this year. I always do that when the kids go off to school, but rarely when they homeschool. I should really try to do that. By the way, I always get this question; in case you are wondering, the Gilmers do not school in their pjs. (OK well at least the kids don't. Sometimes their teacher shows up in hers)

The Job Hunt

If you could move almost anywhere in the US where would you move? I'm serious. I need to know. We are facing this dilemma. There are family practice jobs almost everywhere, but what's the right job and where's the right home? How do you pick a place when where you really want to live is 9000 miles away. School at Faith Academy has begun this week and through Facebook it has been hard to watch Emily's class mates begin their first year of high school while we sit in a holding pattern. For now, we wait for direction and continue the job hunt. This year we will be homeschooling once again. Who knows what the next school year will bring. I think I'll take a break from all this thinking and go hang out by the pool with my sister-in-law while the kids swim with their cousins. The end of summer is rapidly approaching. It's a tough life being a stay at home mom, but someone has to do it!

By the way, Will says the picture in the blog below of the boy at camp who looks like he is sleeping is not him. He had a fabulous time and can't wait to go back next year. He won a trophy for Horseback. He loves horses now and wants to begin riding somewhere. Here's a shot of him carrying a homemade raft for some kind of competition.And another of him with a Djembe (African drum). This was one of his favorite skills at camp and he now taps and drums on everything.

A verse for the path we are on:

Isaiah 42:16

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,

along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;

I will turn the darkness into light before them

and make the rough places smooth.

These are the things I will do;

I will not forsake them.