Shortly after Madelynn and Emma started school, we pulled them out to homeschool them. This is something that I had wanted to do since before we were married and I am very excited to have the opportunity! We are taking it one year at a time and will see what the next school year brings. The girls love it!! They get lots of hugs and kisses for accomplishments when they finally understand something. And they also receive lots of love and encouragement when they are struggling with an area. It amazes me how attentive they are. I am not sure what I expected, but there are a few more distractions at home that they would not have at school. Lillian is not really used to playing by herself so she is slowly learning this on her own. I try to get some of the other toys out she does not normally play with out during our school time. I think it is getting a little better every day. Isabelle is still in preschool every MW and F morning. She is becoming a little more confident every time she goes. I think the biggest question people have for me is if I worry about their socialization. It kind of makes me laugh. Let's see....we are at church twice on Sundays, swimming is mon, wed, fri. We are back at church wed for awana and Saturdays are swim meets. Not to mention all the play dates with friends and cousins throughout the week. Thursdays we have decided to let them invite one of their friends from school. I think they will be just fine :-)
A couple days after our homeschooling started, we took a trip up north to Mackinac Island and Tahquamenon Falls. This was our first official field trip. The girls love going through the Fort on the island and learning all about the families and soldiers that lived there. Terry's favorite story to tell was our ride around the island. We were really trying to save money as much as possible. We walked by the different bike rental shops and this is what we went with......
I was on a tandem with Madelynn and Terry was on a tandem with Emma and then he also pulled a burley cart behind him with Lillian and Isabelle. Emma could not reach the pedals so my dear husband pulled them 8 miles around the island by himself. AND he also wanted to make sure we were back within the hour time limit.....so we were traveling pretty fast. It was a great work out, more for him then me:-) We had so many people cracking up at us as we rode by....with our little bike train of kids.
Tahquamenon was beautiful....we rented a row boat to get to the little island of the lower falls. Once we got there, every few feet the girls would stop and say, "Oh this is nice, take a picture of us here!" We got lots of pictures needless to say.
Our hotel room was so nice! We had a two bedroom suite with all the girls sleeping in one room. They did so well! From all the walking we did, they just hit their pillows and were out for the night. We also had access to an indoor waterpark across the street. The girls had a grand time in there as well...except for the fact that the water had a green tinge and smelled of an aquarium. Fortunately my kids did not come back with any illnesses.
One Sunday, we traveled back to Lansing for a surprise party honoring our college pastor at South Church. Terry and I both have great memories from our college years of friends and events that took place. Neil, the pastor who led the college group has truly invested his life into the students of MSU and East Lansing CC. We learned so much from him about what our mission is in life and how there is so much more to life than our everyday struggles. How we should have a heart for people around us as Christ did. I have so much respect for Neil and am so incredibly grateful for his impact on Terry and I's life.
The first weekend this month, I took off on a women's retreat with our church. I was not sure if I was going to make it because Lillian started with the flu a couple days before we left. The day I was suppose to go, I was not feeling so well. I stayed home that Friday and ended up driving up there on Sat. morning before the first session with a friend. Thankfully no one in our family ended up getting it! I had a great time with friends and was so glad that it worked out. I knew my husband was taking very good care of the girls which also made it easier to be gone for the weekend.
We are looking forward to my sis and her family coming back for a visit from CA
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