Thankfulness - January 31

This morning I am really thankful for many aspects of homeschooling:

I am thankful I do not need to wake up to an alarm every morning. In fact it's rare when I need to set my alarm. I don't always get up at the same time, but I'm up when I need to be. I get to enjoy a slow start to my day. In fact hurry and busy is really not a part of our lifestyle any more. In this day and age when so many complain of not enough time to do this and that, I have time aplenty and I am so thankful.

I am thankful I do not need to get dressed to accomplish much and stay on track for our day. We need to replace our water heater desperately. It is difficult for 2 people to shower in 30 minutes and both have hot water. My husband and son both need to be out the door in the morning. So I often wait to shower until 10-11a after our school day has started. I am thankful I can do that and thankful I can shower in a hot shower every day. I can not tell you how cranky I would be with a tepid shower every day.

I am thankful for many chunks of time spent like this:

When this child was in public school, getting her to read 10-15 minutes/day was a battle every single day. Now she's a very fast and avid reader who easily spends 60+ minutes/day reading herself. The girls start their school days with 30 minutes of reading AT THEIR INSISTENCE. I am very thankful for this change in my child.

This child began the changes of puberty at 9 1/2 years old. She was totally unthrilled about these changes in her body, and at that time I was very happy she got to experience them at home. 3 days ago, she had her first period, and I find myself freshly thankful she can go through these changes at home. Monday she was so off that I declared an unschool day and she read for hours by herself in her room. She was much happier for it. I am thankful I could be onhand for each question and concern as each came up.

I am thankful for time. Homeschool affords me so much time spent each day with my girls. As they grow up far too quickly, I am thankful I am not frantic because I don't have enough time with them. As I see my girl morph into a woman, I am thankful for hours and hours with her every day. I have time to train her in the kitchen and train her to manage a household. I have time to reassure and comfort. I have time to catch those off hand questions that are always to major. My girls are growing up quickly and like many I would like to slow that time a bit, but really I am simply thankful for all the time I can lavish on them as we hang and live and learn together.