Spring news

This is my absolute favorite time of year. The days are getting longer. The air is getting warmer (but not too warm). The trees are all in bloom... purple, white, pink. The kids are playing outside (now all three of them can run around together) and I serve many a dinner on our front porch. This is the life. Too bad it only lasts a few weeks!

Naomi has fallen head over heels in love with Narnia. Steve has been reading her the series for months now, but she's only just decided that her new identity is "Lucy." She actually corrects me every single time I call her Naomi. She's also named Josiah "Edmund," Ethan "Peter," me "Susan" and Steve is sometimes "Caspian." Whenever she plays, she talks about Narnia, pretends to fight the White Witch, and includes imaginary friends Eustace and Caspian in any activity.

Josiah enjoyed this for one day and then grew tired of the pretense. He insists his name is Josiah, not Edmund, and he tells Naomi he doesn't want to play Narnia outside. He enjoys riding his tricycle and kicking the soccer ball around. He is also still engrossed in his "animals," often categorizing them or grouping them in families or zoo stalls.

Ethan has maintained his infatuation with cows after all these months of cold indoor living. He escapes out our front door every time it's left cracked open as he adores being outside. He climbs onto the picnic table for better cow-viewing, enjoys our little slide, and takes things like pebbles in and out of containers.

Steve is coming close to wrapping up the Muslim/Christian history class he's been teaching, as well as the Arabic class he's been taking. He's working with his dad to finish out their basement a bit more before we move in (in 6 weeks). He also continues to pursue any leads for financial aid, still hoping to begin a PhD in the fall.

I'm tired, but mostly happy. I've decided that I much prefer homeschooling my own kids to someone else's highschooler. My geometry student is not doing very well and I have a hard time deciding: is it my fault or hers? How do I determine how much is enough, in terms of my teaching, and then how do I let go?