Full Fall

There's a full range of activity going on here on the ark this fall.

From our busy Friday nights to our school days--deliciously full of faith, learning and fun. It seems the ark has got its groove back.

As a part of our homeschool curriculum, we have several children active in the performing art. Some take piano, while others belong to a choir and still another is beginning with the Christian Youth Theater (CYT).

We also want to develop healthy, strong physical bodies as well. So, there are gymnastics and soccer lessons (which yours truly is helping to coach--but that is post for another day!)

Spiritually, we've selected a few targeted activities which will be aimed at specific children. Naomi and Candace will be part of a budding Little Flowers group and Beulah and Hannah will be part of a brand-new mother-daughter bible study group created around the delightful All Things Girl study series. Both of these will be hosted here on the ark, so we also have a tremendous opportunity to practice hospitality. We've also arranged to join another homeschool family for some monthly volunteer work at the local nursing home.

All in all, a season full of excitement and challenge for all of us!

Not to mention, our school plans--which have involved the addition of two amphibious creatures to our classroom. If you know me as a teacher--you know that I'm obsessed with partial to creating thematic lesson plans. Homeschooling has only fueled that fire. With something akin to gasoline, as I have free rein to design curriculum totally around my themes. But as you might imagine, when you fuel that type of fire, it can burn out of control. And so today, I am heading out to the bait shop to purchase some feeder fish. Despite my lesson planning moxie, I can't quite yet bring myself to walk into a store (even a bait shop) and request "pinhead crickets".

Oh, and I can't let pass by an opportunity to share two wonderful resources that the Captain and I are using for our own faith journeys. Once a month, I enjoy the company of a lovely group of ladies at my home for "Mother's Circle". The circle represents our friendship as well as the prayer circle we support one another with. The devotional book we are using is called All Earth Is Crammed with Heaven by Mary van Balen Holt and is a perfect length--ie-brief!--for a group of mothers meeting while children play at their feet. Finally, the Captain has spent nearly the last six months waking before dawn to attend planning sessions for a new men's prayer group that our parish has started. If you've never heard of the That Man is You! (TMIY) program, it is worth a look--especially to share with the men in your life!

And now, Saturday begins. See you next week!