Do you wanna be a Rockstar?

When the music comes on Christopher Robin and I just kick back and enjoy the show.

Winnie and Eeyore "Break It Down!"

Strike a Pose

And this is the shy one...

Tigger, not to be outdone, pulls out the SPARKLY microphone!

Just another day at the Hundred Acre Wood.

Going Where God Wants Me To Go

We got kicked out of the home school coop last night! Before it even started. Originally, Eeyore-Roo had been signed up for this group when we were going to home school her and so I also had Winnie and Tigger signed up for preschool. What no one mentioned was that they do not allow children younger than Kindergarten age to join unless they have an older sibling who has joined. So, when we pulled Eeyore-Roo out to go to public school, that meant that Winnie and Tigger could no longer attend the coop either. I was incredibly disheartened. It felt like one of those times when as a teenager you get kicked out of the popular club because you don't have the right haircut or something. It did NOT feel good!

However, after shedding a few tears (thankfully, only a few, not a waterfall full) of frustration over all of the wasted time planning this year and over Winnie's dissappointment when she finds out she won't get to go to this preschool, I prayed. I asked God to give me perspective, show me His way, and to forgive my outburst. I instantly felt a calm come over me. My situation didn't change, but I did feel better about it.

I'm still not sure what, if anything, we are going to do about Winnie and preschool. Christopher Robin and I are discussing it. It is, after all, only preschool. But in the mind of the preschooler it's their whole life, so I want to be sensitive to that. Another good thing that came out of being kicked off the varsity squad of homeschoolers is that it has forced me to consider whether or not I can still be a homeschooling mom with a child in public school. I've tied a lot of my identity up into that little label "Homeschooler" and it may take me a bit to figure out what I am if I'm not a homeschooling mom. I know many families that have each of their children in various forms of education: public, private, web academy, charter schools, homeschool. There are a lot of options out there which gives families today the opportunity to choose the best educational experience for each child. It's awesome! So, I will be praying and seeking God's direction in order to stay in His will and do what's best for our family.

As a result of not doing the coop on Thursday mornings though, I now get to participate in my women's bible study on Thursdays! Yay!!!! That was the one thing that I was sad about missing when I signed up for the coop, so now I don't have to miss it. I treasure my time with these wonderful women and the children. Thank you God!

Feast or Famine and other random thoughts...

In the past week we've done at least a months worth of things. I'm pooped! We all are. Yawnnnnn.... Do you know how that feels. It's like feast or famine for us. Either we are really bored, no activity, getting in each other's way, or there's too much to do and it all needs to be done yesterday. Thankfully, God knows when we need a rest and grants us that at just the right time. Until then, it's pedal to the metal full speed ahead!

Tigger and Winnie have grown and changed so much this summer. Tigger, our youngest, is a light and a "tension breaker" for all of us. Everyone who meets her walks away happier and lighter than they were a few minutes before. She's hilarious, engaging, open, friendly, and basically just the coolest kid ever! She has all of the confidence and charisma of her older sisters combined (and they have a ton of charisma and confidence). Winnie, our middle daughter, has also grown in confidence this year. She is our more shy and quiet one, if you can even call her that. By most people's standards, she's not quiet or shy, however, by our standards, she is the quietest and most sensitive of the bunch. She still stays close to mom and dad, but is learning to speak her mind and stand up for herself around kids her own age. She is very tender-hearted and cares deeply about others.

I love that 3-4 year old age. They are very concerned about boo-boos and doctors and taking care of themselves and others. Winnie and her friends are forever doctoring each other's "owee's" and checking ears', noses and throats, applying compresses and listening to heart beats. At any given time you can find on our front lawn or a neighbor's lawn a triage center set up with 4 year olds sprawled all over it waiting to be "healed".

At our recent neighborhood end of year bbq the children were all out playing together well past their normal bedtimes, and loving it. There was music playing and our neighbors had strung white lights up in the trees over the top of the street. It was quite pretty and warm out and everyone was having a really good time visiting and catching up on the summer's events. If your neighborhood doesn't do something like this I strongly recommend organizing one. It is so much fun and not too much effort. Anyway...One little 2 1/2 year old boy (whom we know well and is friends with Tigger) came up to Tigger and said, "Do you wanna dance?" Tigger said, "Yeaaaaahhhh!" and the two of them started dancing to the music. They were holding hands and jumping and having the best time! Look out mom and dad, time to bring the chaperone's in!
Oh, they grow up so fast!