Thankful Tuesday

1. When I first announced that I would be starting a Bible study during the homeschool gym class, I didn't get much of a response. In the first week I heard back from just one mom, but as of last week there are now six of us who are signed up for the study. Three of us already paid for our book. I am grateful! We are going to be studying 2 Timothy using Beth Moore's study entitled "Entrusted." This session of gym classes lasts 10 weeks, but our study only lasts 6 weeks. We're starting the Bible study next Friday, and we're taking off one week when I plan to take the kids to Gettysburg on a Friday. I haven't done a Beth Moore study in awhile. I'm looking forward to it! Also, I'm hoping to get to know the moms better and possibly make at least one friend whom I might talk to or get together with outside of the study. This means we are not finishing the BSF study this year.

2. The homeschool gym class resumed last Friday. The kids really enjoy it, and I was able to get some work done during their class. Nadia's art class also resumed. Unfortunately the same can't be said for the homeschool art class. I guess I should have kept Ian in the 5th grade art class with Nadia. Hindsight is 20/20 as they say!

3. My interview on tv is over. As I watched myself on the 5pm WNEP news yesterday it seemed like when I blinked my eyes were closed for a really long time. They also posted a brief article about it on their website - https://wnep.com/2019/01/07/book-donations-benefit-elementary-school-plagued-by-mold/. The video clip was about 90 seconds long, but I had to be at the school for 50 minutes while they took various pictures and such and waited for them to interview me. I wasn't predicting it to take that long. Shows how little I know about making the evening news.

4. A neighbor watched the kids for 75 minutes while I was doing the interview. I offered to pay her, but she declined, which was very kind of her. Two of our neighbors are stay-at-home moms. Since Paul is in Baltimore this week, I am not sure what I would have done without a neighbor coming to my rescue. Oliver was hoping that her eldest daughter would be there, but she's in Kindergarten this year.

5. On Sunday our pastor started a ten week sermon series on I and II Timothy, which seems like perfect timing since we also will be studying II Timothy in our Bible study.

6. My body has adjusted to waking up sometime between 6-7 instead of by 5:30am. I actually have slept as late as 7:15 upon occasion. Usually Oliver and/or Ian climb in bed with  me sometime between 6:45-7:15. I've been going to bed around 9pm, which means I've been sleeping for 9-10 hours each night. Hopefully in time I won't need quite that much sleep so can stay up a little later and enjoy time for things like leisure reading or learning more about photography.

7. I am making good progress toward my preparations for the spring semester. I have written my three syllabi, finished setting up the learning management system for one course, created the sign-up sheets for both classes, revised a couple of PowerPoint presentations, and made a couple of new quizzes and polls on Kahoot and Quizizz. I have 13 more days (including today) to finish my preparations.

8. Paul had a safe trip to Baltimore on Monday. He'll be down there until Friday night. December 11 was the last day I was on campus or visited a student teacher. From December 12 through January 11, he will have gone to work 29 of the last 31 days. He had off on December 16 (a Sunday) and December 25. Most of the other days he also worked longer hours than usual (with the exception of December 24). He has gone in for work as early as 3am. I'm not crazy about the timing of the annual show in terms of how it limits our ability to celebrate Christmas, New Year's, and Paul's birthday with Paul, but the upside is that it takes place during my 5+ week break at the university. I think he will be staying home from work on Saturday so that he can see the kids' first basketball games of the season.

9. I did the Life of Fred (first book only) with Nadia several years ago. Someone gave me the 2nd and 3rd books last year. I decided this spring we'd do the first four books of Life of Fred together in addition to their other math textbooks. The boys are enjoying the humorous stories and illustrations! Also, as for their keyboarding skills I decided to try a different program. Nadia and Ian are now using Typing.com (which is free). We had been alternating between Spanish and keyboarding throughout the week, but I decided for the next at least couple of months to just focus on typing. It's such a useful skill these days.

10. Right now our bedtime routine begins with a devotional that shares the history of a hymn. We read that at the piano because then we sing all the verses of that hymn (however many verses are included in the book). Then after they brush their teeth, put on their pajamas, and use the bathroom, we read a bedtime math story (and they each solve one problem). Lastly we read two devotionals from a book about the names of God, and then we pray together. After reading many different Bible story books over the years, I'm enjoying the change of pace by studying the names of God.

11. We've continued to make extra payments on the principal of the loan from my retirement account. It will be exciting when it's totally paid off. The end is already in sight!!

12.  I love that my day usually begins with hugs, kisses, and cuddling. All three kids really enjoy physical affection, but the boys have a very strong desire for it. If I had to guess I'd say that "physical touch" is the primary love language for both of my boys. As someone who also loves hugs, I am very grateful!