My Twice Baked Potato

During our almost three-year adoption process, I used to love weekends.  Everybody loves weekends, right?

Well, if you are constantly thinking that a social worker or the adoption agency is going to call, you get a little jumpy when the phone rings; however, the calls always stopped around 3:00 on Friday and didn’t come until Monday at the earliest. We learned to hold our breath from Monday through Friday afternoon and then breathe on the weekend.  This was a ritual that I never expected to follow again…until lately.

As most of you know, the weekdays have been hard and not long ago, this stress and angst leaked into our previously safe-zoned weekends.  This went on for several months until we made the decision to take my TBP’s education into our own hands.  This was not an easy decision and several strategies and conversations took place prior to this decision.  I am embarrassed to say that I let years of disappointing meetings and ineffective 504 plans go on before we acted.

Because it is mid-winter break in our neck of the woods, I can breathe.  Our home has that same we-don’t-have-to-worry-about-anything feel that it used to have during those weekends.  I wonder if this is how most families always live on the weekends?  I hope that we will have more of that once I start homeschooling and get a bit of time under my belt.

I am excited about this new adventure.  It does feel a bit strange…as an elementary teacher, homeschooling feels like my mistress on the side; however, at this time…she is needed.

While I have the time off, I am thinking about our approach to homeschooling.  I plan on using a mix of text books that I have gathered combined with videos and national geographic exposure for science and social studies topics of interest.  I have the Common Core information and will use it as I begin to plan.  I know that many families do homeschooling in a more organic way, but for now I need a plan.  It might be all those years of lesson planning and my MA in Curriculum Development peaking through.

We will try it and if it doesn’t feel right, we will try something else and then I will be asking for suggestions, resources and strategies.

When I started my site almost two years ago, I never expected to find such a supportive virtual tribe and community; however, the emails and comments that I have received, filled with understanding, have meant the world to myself and my family.