It was a great year. We realized a lofelong dream to have a home of our own. We found a community where we can use our gifts to serve others. We are growing and changing as a family unit and as individuals. I am excited to see what 2015 will bring in all those things!
Happy New Year to all our family and friends!
May 2015 be filled with personal growth, dreams realized, and strong community for each and every one of you.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Not Dead Yet
We have a quiet life. We like our quiet life. I thought we were pretty busy. Now that I see the wheel that some of the other women I work with run every day, I am doubly thankful for our quiet life.
I am plenty exhausted just making sure that we all have breakfast in tummies, lunches in bags, and are safely on various methods of transportation to the four schools we head out to each day. There is a certain sense of nostalgia being acquired to my memories of our six years all going to the same school at the same time every day. It was a lot simpler.
However, the Sprouts are weathering the transition well.
Fi is starting to feel successful at school again (her standard or success is a little higher than mine) after a few months at the beginning of the year feeling that she had lots of gaps that left her struggling in class. Interestingly, in talking to her teachers they didn't have those concerns about her progress. Perfectionism is both genetic and environmentally learned. She also has made a small group of core friends who she hangs out with each day between classes and at lunch. She shares stories about creating newscasts together using their ipads/phones and the chats they have about books they love (several Harry Potter fans).
Jo doesn't stress too much about academics. He does find tests hard, and has started to study before he has one in the past month. He is using Fi as a model of how to succeed in his schoolwork. His big delight is his best buddy who goes to his school, lives down the road, and rides the same bus every day. The joy he takes in having a bff to be completely boy with is palpable. They are helping me teach Astrid to pull the kicksled. This has been a somewhat hilarious process. The serious training with her happens when the boys are at school. We test the training with the boys. A friend who loves to run, play games, and shoot Nerf guns makes him very happy.
LK has his hands full to overflowing with work-school and school-work. He spends his days commuting to GN, teaching and commuting home. He is thankful for a good group to commute with. They make the long drive enjoyable. He spends his evenings doing homework for his teacher certification. I joke about being a school-widow this year. Ironic as I am the one who has been completely absorbed in my career for so many years. I am learning to appreciate what he has lived with. We are holding on to the hope that he will emerge with his Ontario Teaching Certificate at the end while this challenging time passes.
I am learning all sorts of things about the two local school boards and their various schools. I have been able to visit such a wide variety of classrooms as a substitute teacher. While keeping my schedule straight can be a challenge (thank the Lord for the calendar in my phone to keep me going to the correct school each day) I am enjoying this growth process. I was blessed to be offered a part-time LTO (Long Term Occasional) at the end of September. This meant half days at one location and a steady income until Feb. 13. This has made the stress of leaving a full-time teaching position with lots of seniority and jumping into daily supply teaching much easier.
On the home front we are learning the rhythms of being home owners. We have our first well adventure (no water for a day), and have found the rhythm of heating with wood. We all are deeply thankful for a retreat from the world that is cosy, safe, and welcoming at the end of each day.
Our four-legged family member turned two this year. My understanding was that she would begin to slow down now. That understanding is incorrect. She lives to run fast. That is a perfect fit for summer bikejoring, which she and I both really enjoy. The transition to running with a kicksled isn't quite as smooth as I anticipated. When she doesn't get enough running time she is kind enough to let me know by eating my boots. Not my ugly cheap rubber boots, either. So, I am learning lots about how to engage an energetic creature. The payback is 150% unconditional love all the time and more adoration that one human being can absorb. Now to get the whole family to share the benefits...
I am plenty exhausted just making sure that we all have breakfast in tummies, lunches in bags, and are safely on various methods of transportation to the four schools we head out to each day. There is a certain sense of nostalgia being acquired to my memories of our six years all going to the same school at the same time every day. It was a lot simpler.
However, the Sprouts are weathering the transition well.
Fi is starting to feel successful at school again (her standard or success is a little higher than mine) after a few months at the beginning of the year feeling that she had lots of gaps that left her struggling in class. Interestingly, in talking to her teachers they didn't have those concerns about her progress. Perfectionism is both genetic and environmentally learned. She also has made a small group of core friends who she hangs out with each day between classes and at lunch. She shares stories about creating newscasts together using their ipads/phones and the chats they have about books they love (several Harry Potter fans).
Jo doesn't stress too much about academics. He does find tests hard, and has started to study before he has one in the past month. He is using Fi as a model of how to succeed in his schoolwork. His big delight is his best buddy who goes to his school, lives down the road, and rides the same bus every day. The joy he takes in having a bff to be completely boy with is palpable. They are helping me teach Astrid to pull the kicksled. This has been a somewhat hilarious process. The serious training with her happens when the boys are at school. We test the training with the boys. A friend who loves to run, play games, and shoot Nerf guns makes him very happy.
LK has his hands full to overflowing with work-school and school-work. He spends his days commuting to GN, teaching and commuting home. He is thankful for a good group to commute with. They make the long drive enjoyable. He spends his evenings doing homework for his teacher certification. I joke about being a school-widow this year. Ironic as I am the one who has been completely absorbed in my career for so many years. I am learning to appreciate what he has lived with. We are holding on to the hope that he will emerge with his Ontario Teaching Certificate at the end while this challenging time passes.
I am learning all sorts of things about the two local school boards and their various schools. I have been able to visit such a wide variety of classrooms as a substitute teacher. While keeping my schedule straight can be a challenge (thank the Lord for the calendar in my phone to keep me going to the correct school each day) I am enjoying this growth process. I was blessed to be offered a part-time LTO (Long Term Occasional) at the end of September. This meant half days at one location and a steady income until Feb. 13. This has made the stress of leaving a full-time teaching position with lots of seniority and jumping into daily supply teaching much easier.
On the home front we are learning the rhythms of being home owners. We have our first well adventure (no water for a day), and have found the rhythm of heating with wood. We all are deeply thankful for a retreat from the world that is cosy, safe, and welcoming at the end of each day.
Our four-legged family member turned two this year. My understanding was that she would begin to slow down now. That understanding is incorrect. She lives to run fast. That is a perfect fit for summer bikejoring, which she and I both really enjoy. The transition to running with a kicksled isn't quite as smooth as I anticipated. When she doesn't get enough running time she is kind enough to let me know by eating my boots. Not my ugly cheap rubber boots, either. So, I am learning lots about how to engage an energetic creature. The payback is 150% unconditional love all the time and more adoration that one human being can absorb. Now to get the whole family to share the benefits...
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