The Plan

School resumes this week. It’s already been up and running for a while now, but CC resumes this week, so we’ll make it official.

I’m feeling pretty good about this crew, and the year ahead. Alice will 100% give me a run for my money, I know that. She is not the dreamy lapschooling baby I’d hoped but hey, that’s ok. I’ve got plenty of arms here to hold her in rotation, and if two decades plus of babies has taught me anything, it’s that the days are long but this season is oh so short. So we’ll manage. The kids will be fine… even if math is taught to a soundtrack of teething woes or the phonics lesson happens during a nursing session. That’s life.

John Mark will be in Challenge A with one of my personal favorites leading the class: my husband. I wasn’t sure how Jem was feeling about the switch from Foundations/Essentials to Challenge until today, actually. When we visited with friends, he apparently gave her a rundown of all the prep work he’s been doing and his thoughts on the first novel he had to read for class. She reported back to me, and I’m glad she did. This year will be transitional for him in so many ways. The theme is ownership, and that’s my hope for him as he moves forward. It’s time to start that next phase; the one where I don’t remind him how to structure his papers or help him organize his time. I know he’s up to it. I also know it will be a little daunting at first. I think we’re both ready.

Birdie is in her final year of Foundations. Due to, well… having a baby that’s high maintenance, we will not be participating in Essentials on campus this year. Instead, I’ll be structuring an afternoon here at home for her, Simon,  and a friend to explore grammar together, play math games, and share what they’re writing. It’s been years since we’ve done anything like this with another family, and I’m excited. I’m looking forward to the weekly fellowship as much as the learning time. Even though we won’t be staying for the afternoon, we will be staying for lunch every week. If there’s one thing I learned, it’s that the lunch hour is one of the key elements of connectedness in a CC community. Skipping out on that shortchanges you and your kids. If you can manage it, stay— even if the cranky baby is less than thrilled.

Birdie will be in Enhanced Masters, Phin and Simon in Journeymen, and Jude in Apprentices. I’m thrilled to be able to rotate through their classes. I’ve literally never done it before. I keep saying, “I’m just a mom this year,” and it’s delighting me. Instead of having a role, I can be simply present. I will definitely step in when needed. But my focus, my regular routine, will be to be there for my kids. It’s completely novel and really exciting to have an entire year to enjoy that gift.

At home the Foundations kids and I will be focusing on memory work each morning, and Harbor and Sprout. This week we kick off a month of botany. Next month, it’s art. It will be strange to have John Mark walking mostly on his own path, but I’m glad he’s walking it with his Dad and not solo. One of the things that has held such value to our family over the years is the connectivity of homeschooling. Bare minimum we will all have an afternoon read-aloud session and bedtime read-aloud hour to bind us back together after a day spent occupying the same physical but not mental space. I admit I’m mourning that season of oneness. But I know what comes next. I’ve walked this through more than once already. It’s time, and it’s good, and I’m not going to fight for John Mark to crawl back into a cocoon he’s outgrown.

Youth orchestra auditions are in two weeks. Did I mention that Simon is auditioning? He is. Jude is also beginning formal lessons on violin. He’s so happy that he’s been practicing here at home for weeks. I see a lot of “up like a rocket” in my future again!

As always, these are plans. The reality, well… God knows those details. I’m optimistic that the year ahead will hold challenges, joys, struggles, successes, and so much more than I can even imagine from where I sit today. At any rate, it’s time to dig in and get going. The new year starts now.