Looking Back is a Very Good Thing

Tonight I had a few minutes to do something so I decided to work on school shelves. I am very glad I did. You see, the negative self talk keeps telling me that I shoulda, coulda woulda been a better home education Mom. I shoulda, coulda, woulda pushed more and required more and bought better curriculum or even allowed my kids to have less curriculum and more time to explore interests and abilities. Oh, those shoulda, coulda, wouldas. My son met and in some cases exceeded the requirements for the state of Alaska to graduate high school. He is prepared for whatever path the Lord has for him. I am prepared to watch him travel that path. 

See this folder? It contains his 8th grade writing assignments. I feel as though I have been a writing failure and that we didn't do enough writing. Guess what?? He did do more writing than I thought because I forgot what we had used and when. What a blessing that long left on the shelf folder has been to me tonight. I am thankful and I blessed. 

Why Our Teens Do Not Have A Curfew

Yes, you read that title correctly. Our teens have no curfew. Life for us just does not fit inside of a box and curfews just create a boxing in of sorts. 

Curfews seem to create a sense of being out just to be out until curfew. Make sense? 

Our approach is to assess each outing as it comes. If our teens are out at a friend's house for a game night then they are probably going to get a later time to be home than a set curfew would allow. 

Our teens attended a movie with friends, on a school night even, they ended up going to a 10:00ish movie due to schedules and such. We agreed to the later time and they went to the movie.  We survived and so did they. 

Just this past weekend the teens stayed in town after the Sunday evening service to wait for one of their friends to arrive home from college. That late night trip to the airport will be a long held memory for all involved. But, they didn't just stay in town, they were at the home of a friend playing games and apparently eating cereal. 

I dare say parenting isn't about a to do checklist. Every day is different, every child is different. 

I personally am not a fan of teens just going out with no plan or place to be because it is Friday night. I lean more toward going about life with a purpose or plan. We are also blessed with great families to host the group our teens spend time with. Even if that plan is just game night with friends, it is a plan. 

State Conference, Mom Weekend, Ravi Zacharias

A friend organized a trip to the state homeschool conference in Anchorage. All I had to do was pack and bring money, ya can't beat that. 

We realized it must be summer because road construction has begun on our Alaska highways. 

We happened upon a tiny house on display so we toured and took a selfie. 

Trips to Anchorage mean eating in restaurants we do not have in Fairbanks. How about Texas Roadhouse with anAlaskan  twist? Great service by the way. 

I left with two to go cups, one water and one tea. 

Anchorage has a great homeschool store with exceptional service. Love Chickabiddy Books! 

After closing down the store we went back to the hotel to research what we needed because we were going back the next day to complete our shopping. 

We hung around for the Sunday not going service at a church in Anchorage because Ravi Zacharias was speaking there. I am so glad we did. 

Then we loaded all of our stuff into the car and headed home. Looks like we did some shopping while there. ☺️

We saw Denali on the way home(right under the cloud). I also bought a selfie stick which came in handy for Denali pictures. 

I had no idea how much I needed this trip until I was on this trip. I was in great need of Mom refreshment.  

Completing

Benjamin and I finished Sonlight's First Grade Science. Yippee for completion!!!!!!

Oh, Those Expectations

They get ya every time, those expectations. 

The bar gets set high for other people. 

The mind thinks about what someone else did or did not do. 

The mind, it sure is an interesting playground of thought. 

When the focus is on what did no did not go the way of expectations the mind dwells and inflates situations. 

The focus should be on God, the Father. Time should be spent in prayer and in the Word, I am reminding myself of this fact. 

I am guilty of setting high expectations and I am also on the receiving end. 

Through frustration and hurt I also have opened eyes, renewed clarity if you will. 

I see now. 

I see how to pray for every day situations.