Yes, my friends, we are homeschooling another year.

Day One went extremely well. We are focusing on geography this year, taking a trip around the world. Torey is auditing the class. Yesterday we took a pre-test in which we were asked to label the entire globe. Some of us complained about the quality of the maps. I won’t go into any details, just know that there is a lot of room for improvement for everyone. After the test we were all giggling as we checked the giant world map.

For my own education I think I will read my way across the continents. With the exception of Russian and a little Japanese the extent of my fiction reading has been limited to English and American writers. Does anyone know what the great Canadian novel is? (Well, I have read L.M. Montgomery, but I don’t think that’s what I am talking about) I am going to find out. If anyone has any suggestions I would gladly receive them.

As I was writing Paul came to sit beside me and then our “neighbors” followed soon after. They are discussing real estate. Now they are standing in the doorway grinning at me crazily. Does anyone wonder why I haven’t been on the blog all week?

There have been times with each of you, in my career as your mother, when confronted by a small and screaming face, I have pictured putting the child attached to it, into a large basket and placing you on someone else’s doorstep.

And then there are the times when I have seen a red and contorted face, heard the pitched and shrieking cry and my heart has surged as I open my arms to embrace you. Kissing your pathetic face I have tasted the salt and felt the wetness of your tears. In these moments, in the face of your sorrow, I find I am suffused with joy. With every heartbeat I fill with gratitude and every counter beat with wonder that I get to be the one to console, that I am the one to comfort, that I am succor to, you.

Tonight we had dinner, “all family of us” as Lydia used to say. We have had a lot of company, David and Paul have been gone and then our dining room is dark so we tend to eat outside which means at several tables. Tonight it was all of us. It was rainy and several of us had been sick. Torey had the strength to shop. I had the strength to cook and she mustered some more to set the table.

We had spaghetti with garlic bread and salad. Right before we ate Torey asked, “Should I make some garlic bread?”

“It’s in the oven.” I said. She gasped with pleasure.

At the table, Christopher was quiet and serene. This is one of his favorite meals so he was busy eating. The Legumes were both quite talkative, their constant chatter weaving over and through the conversations.

David mentioned it first, “It’s been a really long time since we were all together.”

We discussed all the reasons and agreed it was good to be around one table. Looking around at my brother-in-law, my sister, my neice, my daughter, my little girl, my husband and my son – the beauty of them – my heart filled with joy.

It was good to be in the blessing and for all of us to know it.

And then the men cleaned up.

https://alisonhodgson.com/2006/08/901/