The End is Near!

I can't believe it!  Tomorrow is April 15th.  It's nearly the end of the month, which means May is coming, which means that the end of the school year is just a few more weeks away.  In a way, I feel like I should be rushing the boys to finish up this or that but I'm really not that worried about it.  Last year we finished the school year at the end of April because we were just ready for a break.  This year, I have no idea when we will finish but we're not ready yet either. 

We're still studying Knights and we want to do a unit on Birds and also the Water Cycle before we call it a year.  I'd like Elijah to finish his reading curriculum but if he doesn't, we'll continue it next school year.  Who says he has to finish it this school year anyways?  I do have a few more math lessons that I would like him to get through so we will be working on that but again, if we don't make it through them, it doesn't matter. 

We don't have to finish everything this year.  We have taken our time learning this year and have really learned a lot.  We've enjoyed most of the year and we enjoy taking our time as we learn new things.  This year has been a year of many lessons for us and many of the things that we have learned have been real-life things and could never be found in a book.  The boys are becoming much more independent and are learning to take responsibility for their chores.  They are learning to work on school work without me standing over them.  We've worked on many heart issues that have affected our relationships with each other as well as our behavior.  We've learned to open our home and hearts to others that are in need, both through family/friends that have stayed with us for long periods of time and now through foster care.  These are things that will carry my boys way farther than anything they ever read in a textbook.  These are lessons in hospitality, manners, love and respect.  These are the things that will keep our family close through the years and will have a lasting place in the boys' memories. 

As we look to the end of the school year, I won't be looking for curriculum for next year.  I won't be talking with friends (okay, maybe I will listen with interest) and deciding to change directions for next year.  I will be making a list of the things that I need in order to continue school just the way we have been doing it.  I will need to get the next math manual and purchase the materials needed for the first month or two (then I will order as we go).  I will need to have the next Explode the Code books ready for the boys as they are ready for them.  I will need to get Elijah the BJU Reading 2 curriculum to continue working on comprehension skills.   I know what works for us and though it can be tempting to try the things that work well for our friends, I have to stay strong and trust my instincts as Elijah and Levi's mom.  These are little boys.  I'm a boy mom.  We are different and that's okay.  We know what works for us and we will stick to it.  We are blessed to live in the United States where we have the freedom to homeschool and even more blessed to live in Louisiana where we have the freedom to homeschool our own way.  Most of all, I am blessed to have a husband that not only supports me but also encourages me to do things our own way.  This is our trail, our journey.  It isn't an easy one and it isn't anything found in any book.  It's what works best for us!!!!