Irina's Journal Entry

This picture says it all. I didn't coach her on how to answer this in any way. 

She asked me how to spell "Ukraine" and "adopt," but the rest was independent.

Yes, I know her drawing is primitive, but she has come a long way. 

I can't express how thankful I am that she recognizes feeling special because we CHOSE her.

New School Strategies

This post is for all the homeschoolers out there reading. 
Others will likely want to disregard this post because it is VERY long! 
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For me personally, the addition of an older adopted child last winter was a big adjustment to our school day. There are now FOUR kids in our house who have important content to learn. We are past the stage of keeping toddlers busy while I teach the big kids (which has its own challenges I will admit whole heartedly!) As a result, I have been forced to think through ways to improve our home schooling experience. You may already use these strategies or have a great system in your home. If so, that's awesome. Each homeschooling family is unique and develops their own style. Here is what is working for us. If this post helps at least ONE person, then it was worth the time spent putting it together.

STRATEGIES THAT ALREADY WORK:

1) Workboxes - You can read more about the use of them HERE. We use a relaxed form of this and it has been SO helpful for organizing our work and keeping us on track. (Luke has moved on from the workboxes and does really well with a spreadsheet of his daily/weekly assignments. He crosses them out as he completes them.)

2) Daily walks after breakfast - We call them prayer walks and yes, most days we pray together and recite our bible memory verses. Sometimes though, they are too distracted by worms or running sprinklers. Last year, there were also days they moaned and complained about our walk, so I agreed to let them ride their scooters. Either way, it was/is a really helpful way to get some extra energy expended before our school day began and helped them focus better during school.

CHALLENGES AND NEW STRATEGIES:

1)  Challenge: There is a desperate need for my attention all the time, but particularly during school. I don't think I can accurately count the number of times I was repeatedly beckoned for help during the school day last year. Understandably so, our little butterfly needed and wanted non-stop affirmation and help. How quickly the others caught on to this technique of capturing my attention! "Mommy!" "Mommy!" "Mommy!" I should have stopped the constant interruptions long before I did. Instead, I became exasperated and impatient. I was like a sweaty ping pong ball bouncing all over the room every time my name was called.

New Strategy: 

So far, it is working really well for the kids to signal that they need help by using a clothes pin. It is a really simple idea. They walk quietly up to me without saying a word and attach the clothes pin to my clothes. Of course I notice them, but it is not distracting if I'm working with someone else. When the time is right, I'm able to slip away and answer their question. While they are waiting for me, they are instructed to move on to their other work and/or read books quietly from the book basket. Sometimes, they even answer their own question before I'm able to help them and come back to take the clothes pin off. yeah!

2) Challenge: Four kids who are growing made our tiny school room very crowded, and smelly! Not to mention, it was a struggle to work with one student and not be a distraction to the other students who were working independently. Even just the sight of me tempted some students to beg for my help the instant things were challenging rather then thinking independently.

New Strategy: 

Rather then only using the school room, this year I have three zones.

Zone 1: Luke's room. He is a very motivated kid and works very well in his room. I don't have to worry that he's playing. He's our first born rule follower. He will always choose to work first so he can play second. This is the second year that he has done the majority of his independent work in his bedroom and I know it works for him. (It would not work for any of the other three kids!) When I need him downstairs, I use a walky-talky to call him down. He loves this and it's awesome!

Zone 2: Kitchen Table. New this year, I made a schedule of who is working with mom at the kitchen table. Aaron and Irina are often grouped together because she is on the same level language arts and reading as he is. While they are working with me, Ethan is alone in the school room and Luke is in his bedroom. We then rotate through the kitchen and every kid is getting uninterrupted time (yeah clothes pins!) with mom to go over their lessons or check their completed work.

Zone 3: School room. The school room is where they work independently on crafts, hands on activities, or other independent work in workbooks. There are never more then two kids working in there at the same time. Irina and Aaron usually overlap in the school room. Since she is very motivated to complete her work, I don't worry about her staying on task. Aaron is adjusting to not having me with him for his other work. This may be our challenge, but I'm brainstorming ways to help him stay on task.

3) Challenge: It was very clear to us from the beginning that Irina had lots of energy and difficulty being still. Her attention span was very short for every activity and she had trouble sticking with one task for very long. She has made amazing progress, but this is still a big consideration in how we plan our day. The reality is that she is in good company with the three other wigglers I teach. 

Two New Strategies:

REGULAR BREAKS! I am always so tempted to push through with their work and not take breaks. However, THEY NEED BREAKS. This year, every 30-45 minutes we are taking a 5-10 minute break. It lengthens our day, but I can clearly see that they are refreshed after their short break. (They are hopping backwards in the photo above and below.)

We do relays across the yard, swing on the swings, have a snack or just soak in the fresh air. I have some plans for when the weather is bad: trampoline, jumping jacks, push ups, etc.. It's great!

Also, we're trying out these new "seats" to help with their wiggly bodies.

 I bought some "Balance Stability Fitness Cushion Discs" and a kid size exercise ball. Do some reading on this and you will see why I decided to try it out. It's only been 7 school days, but so far I see great value in these purchases. I prefer the stability discs because they offer more versatility and are less likely to be thrown or bounced. ;)  You can sit on it, stand on it, or rest your feet on the bumps for a sensory experience. 

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Ultimately, these strategies are not going to make for "perfect" school days. I know that and will continue to remind myself of that as hard days are bound to pop up. (and they have!) However, it has been helpful to be willing to admit what is not working and make some changes. So far these new strategies have added a positive boost to our year.  (We've made a few more changes that I'm not willing to share until I know for sure they are working. )

Heart for Ukraine

Do you remember this little town we spent time in while in Ukraine? 

It's called Horlivka, but also known by it's Russian name Gorlovka. 

You can read more about the history of the town HERE. 

The two times we visited Gorlovka, we quickly realized that it is full of contrasts. 

It is a mixture of deteriorating old and 

spectacular NEW!

Remember this awesome playground we spent hours enjoying with the boys?

We stayed in this very nice (and inexpensive) hotel for both our visits. 

We met lovely and friendly people all around town as we wandered about quite safely. 

 This was the morning our whole family was reunited with Irina back on November 22, 2013. 

I'm not sure if you're following the news, but this city (as well as many others in Ukraine) is in the midst of war. We are so thankful to receive email yesterday from friends who are living in Gorlovka as I type. They are alive and safe. Praise the Lord! For the past six weeks, they have been living underground trapped in their basement. They just got power and water restored last weekend after living without it for quite a while. They have had spotty cell phone coverage. Thank the Lord for technology! They are running out of food, but it is not safe to leave their house. Before the Ukrainian army came into their area, they tried to flee to family in Kiev but the railway lines had been bombed. It is not safe to travel by car. They hear steady bombing as they wait in their basement. There have been bombings in residential areas. According to our friends, the city has been destroyed, many have been killed, and many people are still suffering.

We also heard that Irina's orphanage has been evacuated because of its proximity to the conflict. I am SO thankful that we are home and safe with our daughter. However, my heart is broken for the people of Ukraine; for the children, the families, and the babushka's we saw on the streets. My heart is broken for the other children at Irina's orphanage that do not have the comfort of family.

So while I'm tempted to moan and complain in my comfortable house about all the perceived hardships I am facing, perhaps it's time to get a little perspective? The only loud sounds I hear are from my happy children pretending to be zoo animals. There are no bombs outside my house. Clean, fresh and delicious water flows from my faucet in my bright and cheery kitchen.

There will come a day when there will be no more pain and no more suffering around the world. Are you burdened like me to pray for the pain many endure here and now? Please pray for the people of Ukraine. I will forever be linked with this beautiful country.

** Irina does NOT know anything about what is going on in Ukraine right now. It's far too much for her immature brain to take in. It would upset her greatly to know her friends at school have been displaced. Please do not mention it in her presence or ask her about it. **

Favorite Granola

Granola and smoothies have become a breakfast tradition on Tuesday mornings. 

I haven't quite found a smoothie recipe I love yet, but I've experimented a bit 

and settled on this delicious granola. (I started with the Bread Beckers recipe 

and fiddled until I found what we liked best.)

We don't have time for a hot breakfast every morning, so this is a good filling alternative. 

Appetites are enormous around here first thing in the morning. Will our grocery 

budget survive the teenage years? They already eat so much. 

Ingredients:

5 cups old fashioned oats

2-3 tbsp flax seed

1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds

1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup butter or coconut oil

1 tsp cinammon

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or cherries)

Directions:

1) Mix together oats, flax seed, almonds, and pecans. 

2) In small saucepan on medium-low heat, melt together honey and butter (or coconut oil.) 

3) Add cinnamon and vanilla to the melted honey mixture. 

4) Stir the honey mixture into the oats and mix well. 

5) Spread mixture in a 10x15 stoneware bar pan. (I've never tried this on a regular baking sheet. 

I suspect you would have more trouble with burning and sticking.)

6) Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Stir mixture and bake 5 more minutes. 

7) Cool and add dried fruit. 

We like to serve this with milk like a cold cereal. Enjoy!

We Did It

Despite my icky cold and lethargy, we did it! We completed our first two days of school.
And it actually went really well. gasp! Thank you, Jesus. 2 down, 178 to go.

 We started with a special hearty breakfast at 8am. I left the kids encouraging notes on their plates. 

This year I decided to wrap up all their school supplies (crayons, pencils, pens, new water bottles, etc.) 

in a big box. I also included a letter that I had them write to themselves at the end of last year.

 The older two boys went supply shopping with me, so this wasn't a complete surprise.
Somehow though, the extra effort to wrap them up meant a lot to them and that made me smile.
And I did throw in a few extra surprises. ;)
So here they are: My 1st grader, 3rd grader and two 5th graders. 

We had a challenging year last year and I actively questioned whether it was the 

right choice to continue schooling them all at home. We investigated all sorts of 

different scenarios. (public, private, some home, some in school elsewhere) 

I am not of the opinion that homeschooling is the only way or necessarily the 

best way to school your children. I'm open to wherever the Lord leads. 

After all, that's all that matters isn't it? Doing what God wants us personally to do, right? :)

So we're off! Another year of LOTS of time with these silly kids. 

Another year that they get to spend LOTS of time with this crazy mama! 

It was a prayerful decision that was not taken lightly.

I am honored to be their mom and will do my very best, with God's help, 

to teach them all they need to know academically and most importantly spiritually. 

Here we go!

Orientation

After we cleaned out the school room, I hung an old sheet 

over the french doors and told the kids to "Please Keep Out."

My plan was to start school Wednesday and I needed time 

to set things up for our first day without their curious eyes and busy hands. 

 You wouldn't believe how much more curious this made them!! 

 We started our school year with "orientation" today. It wasn't exactly what I had planned, 

but it was a blessing. I've been sidelined with an earache and summer cold, 

so this was the best I could do. The kids didn't want to wait another day to start, 

but I couldn't handle working with them on all their lessons. 

 While they were decorating the cover of their daily notebook, I called them one by one 

into the schoolroom. We took a tour of their school books, talked about my goals for them 

for the year, and I asked them specific things that I could pray for them. 

It was an unexpected and unplanned sweet time. 

 We reviewed some of our new strategies and systems we'll be trying this year and finished 

orientation with a "True/False" quiz. They thought this was hilarious. Thank you God for 

giving me this spur of the moment idea! The folders are to help with "wandering eyes." 

They were so funny about this.

 #8) True or False. If you need help from Mommy during school, 

shout loudly until she runs to help you. 

FALSE! This was a big problem last year. Let's hope my new strategy works.

We finished the day with a "Back to School" make your own pizza celebratory dinner. 

 It required WAY more energy then I had with my summer cold, but I stuck with the plan.
I just left all the many dishes for Daddy to clean up. ;) Thank, Darin!!!

They even have some leftovers for tomorrow for their first day of school lunch. 

Almost ready to take the plunge into schooling these four precious kiddos. 

Going to need a boost of energy before tomorrow. 

Getting Ready

In our home environment, our little lady tells me 

"NO" nearly every time I ask her to do something. 

"Irina, will you brush your hair?" "No." 

"Irina, please get dressed." "No." 

"Irina, fix your bed before breakfast." "No." 

It is her reflex answer nearly every time I ask her to do something.  

I could say, "Is your name Irina?" and she would say, "No." 

(Now, if Darin asked or another friend or family member 

was nearby listening that would be an entirely different story.)

The funny thing is that if I get busy cleaning or making a meal and I DON'T 

ask for her help, she will very quickly insert herself as my determined helper. 

(whether I like it or not!) Monday, I gladly accepted her help as I prepped our school 

room for the start of school. I like to take everything out and scrub the floors and walls. 

 Luke heard the vacuum and saw her cleaning the walls and moaned, 

"Why didn't you tell me you were cleaning the schoolroom? Irina's going to 

do all the work and not leave any for me." What??!?!?!?!?!? 

There are some advantages to competition amongst siblings. 

 They erased pencil marks, cleaned the french doors, washed the walls, baseboards and floors. 

Aaron came down and saw the commotion and whined, 

"Are they earning money? Why didn't you tell me? I want to help."

I put him to work dusting our workboxes. 

Many hands make for light work. School room cleaned and everything put back in carefully. 

Too bad the rest of the house has dust bunnies everywhere. I think I'll spend the next few days

basking in the cleanliness of the schoolroom and keep my blinders up around the rest of the house. :)

The Gardens

Over the last few years, we have been more intentional about making Sunday's after church our "rest" day. We don't have
rigid rules about this, but we do make a strong effort to not work on projects and instead focus on time together as a family. 

(It is not easy for either Darin or me to step away from our tasks.) 

 Usually what that means is we have to go somewhere so we don't get sucked into working on our "to do" list. We go on bike rides, to parks, go to the pool, play kickball, or visit with family, etc., etc. 

Yesterday, we visited a local botanical garden. (If you're wondering why I never say exactly where we go, it's for privacy purposes. I'm not sure if it matters, but it makes it feel a little safer to not say our exact location. If you live in our city and are wondering about something, feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email.)

I took this picture right before these two boys lay down and began digging money out of the fountains. Yes, you read that right. They were scooping up money from the fountains and thankfully just throwing it back in rather then pocketing it. phew!

 They have a wonderful live butterfly exhibit. It was Irina's first time seeing so many butterflies up close. 

She wanted to pet them and touch them, but thankfully listened to our instructions.

 Kind of fitting for our little "butterfly" to get a close up look at some butterflies. ;)

 Did I mention recently that I LOVE taking pictures? I'm considering taking a photography class but I'm not sure if 

knowing "too much" would take the joy from me or bring me more joy? I don't want my perfectionism to 

creep in. I'm having such fun with my rinky dink camera. 

These four are all so unique and special in their own way. They play so imaginatively together. We may have four big "butterflies" at our house soon. (After our zoo visit, they played "zoo" for a couple days. Two of them crawled around like monkeys and two were zoo keepers. You should have seen them entertain themselves in their pretend play world. It is amazing!)

 Daddy said to smell the rose but he didn't expect her to push her nose in quite so far. 

Darin and Irina have such a special relationship. She absolutely adores him and since she has had no father figure in her life she hasn't had to overcome preconceived notions about what that looks like. She gives him love easily and accepts his love freely. Darin is sweet and patient with her in ways I am not able. I am grateful that she has such a loving Daddy.

 The gardens were closing and we were far from the entrance near the children's area. 

It was empty and quiet until they accidentally triggered the water in the splash fountains. 

They were THRILLED. 

 Her exuberance could not be contained. 

 "Me SOAKED, Mommy!!!!!" Irina squealed with delight. Yes, she was the wettest of the four. 

 Ethan is sitting on the pole that turns on the water. Do you see that look on his face?

It only took 4 minutes for them to get pretty wet. Another memorable Sunday afternoon...