Where Does Time Go?

Only 4 more weeks to the end of term (where DID that year go?) and today was supposed to be an 'intake day' for Jake at his secondary school, but he did not go, as we have now decided he is not going, for more reasons than just that we are moving away. Instead I gave him a day at home with us. There was only one other little girl in his year not going to this intake day, so they were given permission by the head to have the day off :-) SO, today was the start of tomorrow and we had a great day! I think it was made better by the fact the Thursday is our non-book day, so Jake felt like he was almost getting a day off!

We started the day out by finishing off Geography - we always seem to run out of time on a Wednesday (that'll need tweaking next year) and so it carries over. Today we were talking about how the sun influences the weather and what actually makes weather in the first place. Jake was interested, despite having missed half the book to date, and felt he learnt something. Then, whilst the middle two wrote up in their notebooks about the lesson, Jake did some on-line fractions work on mathematics.com.au which is what I am planning for him to use next year. I thought today was an opportunity to test the water. He said he like the way it taught and he understood it easily and got 19/20 on the questions in the following online worksheet. So that's a positive start :)

Then playgroup pick up for which I was grateful to have him with me today as all three girls took a tumble, resulting in three sets of scraped knees! Ellie was carried part way home by him (bless!) - he is a very caring big brother :)

During lunch break the girls watched the boys playing soilders in Joel's room because, despite trying, they simply couldn't agree a board game that they all wanted to play! Then, after lunch, Jake led some simple exercises in the lounge. At his school they do a 5 minute exercise drill at the end of assemble every day, before they start lessons. They all seem to enjoy it there, as did mine, so maybe this is something I can introduce into our day... Only today it was more like 3o minutes of messing around together doing exercises on an off - but that was OK :)

Lastly we set to having an art lesson. Initially this was met with droans of complaint from Joel, but he bent to the will of the masses and ended up having quite a good time. We were experimenting with colour mixing today and I thought it was going to be way too simple for Jake, but I was wrong! He thoroughly enjoyed messing with the gouache paint and the watercolour pencils (neither of which they have at school it seems) and everyone produced some nice pieces of work. In the evening he said my art lesson was better than he gets at school - which amazed me as they have more of everything and I am certainly NO artist, but we did have fun and I think he felt he really learnt something today.

And last achievement - I convinced him that I do have some good books on my shelves when the first one he picked up (Superhuman) he immediately got engrossed in and was thoroughly impressed with the descriptive writing in it. He gave it 10/10 and took it away to read more at bedtime :) ... "YES!!"

So - all in all a very successful and encouraging day when I think about the future. My nightmare child is rapidly turning into a joy to have around...something in him has really changed and I LOVE what I see :)

There is some impressive stuff going on with Joel atm as well, but that's another long story which I can save for tonight. Suffice to say, we always thought he was a very spiritually open child right from when he was a tiny-tot just learning to talk. And now it seems we were very right - he has been praying some amazing things of late (essentially praying for near-miracles) and seeing them answered almost at once. I'll tell all another night, but we are very happy parents atm :)

There are other things in life which are not so great. Money is a real worry just now and that always makes me shouty and stressy, but we trust that God is faithful. We could really do without it though as we contemplate an imminent move (never a cheap affair). House hunting is also stressful and hard. God willing we will move in the summer, but He'd better hurry up and drop a house in our laps, coz' we need to start giving notice very soon if we are to move in August in reality.

Ho-Hummm! It'll all come right in the wash - so they say!