Home educated children don't socialise?

This week has consisted of lots of loveliness. 

Yesterday we went bowling with some friends of ours. I love the cheap entry prices to things like that during school hours! It was so much fun for all the children regardless of age. 

On Tuesday we went to a brand new group nearby. It was wonderful to be in a space with activities for everyone to do. Even Georgiana found a remote controlled car to play with. George 1 just enjoyed flying paper aeroplanes from the mezzanine floor. I enjoyed sitting. Not something I do a lot of I'll confess. 

Tomorrow we're off to an educational event run by the Police. Everyone is looking forward to that. 

Today? Well today I managed to get a nap during Minecraft hour. Georgiana and I curled up on the sofa together and slept. Pure bliss :-)

In amongst all of that, Conquer Maths and Mathseeds have been well used, lots of reading has taken place, we've looked at maps of James Cook's voyages and found out about his life and legacy. We've played a lot of Simon Says, incorporating sums and spelling. I can't believe it's Friday again tomorrow. Where do the weeks go? 

New year, new life

I've been thinking a lot lately about who I am. What defines me and what I do. I think the start of 2014 has helped me to re focus and put some things into perspective. So, who am I?

I'm a wife, and a mother and a daughter. 

I'm a home educator. 

I'm a Mormon. 

I'm a woman who's supported and helped to fly by those who love me most. 

I have Multiple Sclerosis. 

2013 was not our year. With Dada Smu setting up his business and my health worries leading to a diagnosis of MS in April last year, I wasn't having the best time. I didn't go out as much as I'd have liked to, I didn't socialise. I felt anxious for a lot of the time and just wanted to be home where I felt safe. I made sure that the children's education was kept up with but if I'm honest, none of us had our hearts in it. 

We had some good times too. We went on holiday to Croatia, I spent time with long lost family, we found out that we'll be welcoming baby number 5 into our family later this year, we had the best Christmas we've ever had!

This year has started very differently to last year. Educationally we're on fire. I now have 3 school aged children (although one is not yet compulsory school age) and we're loving doing a bit more structured work. It's still very autonomous in nature, but the children are requesting various types of academic activities. Each of them are discovering their own interests and talents, each of them are so different. Home education works differently for each child and that's one of the beautiful things about it. 

I'm grateful for new starts. I'm grateful that 2014 is looking more promising from day one than 2013 did. I'm grateful to live the life I do. There are things I wish hadn't happened last year, yet our trials help us to grow and I have learned things through my trials last year that I could never have learned otherwise. I'm so grateful to have a husband who cherishes me and let's me fly. For a mother who has passed on her incredible strength to me. For children who love life as much as I do. I'm grateful to live in a country where I'm free to choose the best path for my family to take. And most of all, I'm grateful to be who I am!