A Week, Briefly (#8)

I have slept so little this week, that our activities and accomplishments are a blur.

Dad was sick this week.  So was Little Brother.  The babies are getting it now.  Exhaustion is not unique to me.

 I do remember that we focused on history this week, completing lessons 7-12 which were about the Tower of Babel, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, and the founding of Egypt.

This lesson about the founding of Egypt had is walk a narrow path blindfolded while we followed the guidance of a trusted leader as its attention-getting-activity.  The LEGOs all over the floor were the painful consequence of stepping off the path.

I sent an email to the creators of the curriculum we're using because I'm displeased with the incongruities in their timeline.  They focus on Biblical time (which I approve of heartily), but include dates on their timeline cards that show obvious discrepancies between Biblical timelines and secular timelines, and they offer no help with explaining the discrepancies.  It is impossible to put the cards on the timeline in a sensible way, so I've asked for some clarification.

I'm still waiting.

In the meantime, we've been able to have some interesting discussions about faith and evidence and history.

We finished our read-aloud book The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo--the kids all said it was a book that started out boring but ended really, really well.  Pixie's comment was insightful, "It's hard to believe that a book with such a simple plot could say so much."

I agree.  This book spoke volumes in very few words, and it touched all of our hearts.

We're still actively engaged in reading George's Secret Key to the Universe by Lucy and Stephen Hawking.  Rose Red read it some years ago, but she's sitting in on this re-read while the rest of the kids enjoy it for the first time.  There's some delightful science in this goofy story.

Rose Red is making progress through Math-U-See Epsilon.  She still needs lots of guidance, but she seems to be remembering more and more rules about working with fractions.

Pixie is slowly finishing up Saxon Math 8/7.  She's deep in pre-algebra at this point, and though it is new and difficult information for her, she seems to be "getting it."  She's grateful that her next book is Saxon Algebra 1/2--a sort of second pre-algebra book that will review and solidify the skills she's working on now.

Super Star is really enjoying Saxon Math 5/4.  Now that she's spent several weeks regaining the confidence that was shaken this summer, I've begun working her harder in this text to get her through more than one level this school year.  She's doing very well.

Belle continues to work through Saxon Math 7/6.  I'd speed her up because it is really too easy for her, but for the fact that Pixie is working in the next book right now.  Perhaps in November I'll encourage her to pick up the pace and shine in this subject that is obviously one of her gifts.

Nature Angel, Little Princess and I did our art/math lessons for numbers 9 and 10 this week.

The little ones and I did preschool with the MindUp curriculum.  We worked on counting to 10 when we're out of control, belly breathing for relaxation, and the vocabulary words mindful and unmindful.  We did a lot of role playing for problem solving, and it is gratifying to see Brother really trying to use the techniques we're learning when he's playing in real life.  I'm hoping that Mister Man and Little Brother will start to use the techniques soon, too.

The little boys also got to play with some sensory bins--pasta tubes and letter tiles.  They dug through the bins to find the letters in their names, using a printed name sheet to help them find the right tiles in the right order.  Mister Man had no problem, but Brother and Little Brother needed lots and lots of guidance.  Hooray for Super Star and Belle who stepped in to help.

We played in the water almost every afternoon.

We went to the park on Friday, then came home and had an art lesson during which we water-colored in  both blue and yellow to represent the separation of light and dark during the creation.

Ladybug's therapist is actively trying to help us bring Ladybug home full time.  That will be a treat when it finally happens.

The TPR trial (for termination of parental rights) has been continued.  This is disappointing but par for  the course as it has already been continued over and over again for a year so far.  If the continuance is denied then the parents have cause for appeal, and that takes a year to complete, so we're sitting tight and hoping the continuance is granted and a new date is set that is only a month or two out.  In the mean time, the Children's Division is hoping the parents will recognize their limitations and sign away their rights without a full trial.  Given the parents' histories and current situations, this is possible but not likely.

Belle loves on Little Sister . . . a treat for all of us.

Each day has been achingly hard.  There are not words to describe what the days hold and what we must do to survive.  I have to actively pray for perspective each day, otherwise I drift into despair that we will ever be a family or function in a healthy way.  School is completed in the midst of tantrums, phone calls with various state authorities and medical personnel, and a maelstrom of emotional and physical chaos.

We question every day if what we're doing is wise or good.

The answer is always yes.

So we keep putting one foot in front of other.