Pressing On

Anyone who tells you that homeschooling is not stressful is lying, or they have perfect children, or they know everything about education, human beings, and the government red-tape that goes along with it. Or they have no idea what they are talking about. I do not know how NOT to be overwhelmed at times at the choices and responsibilities I perceive are mine, being the sole provider of education to my children. Many, make that many, many, many times I have needed to deep breathe for a moment to avoid freaking out (anyone remember that scene in Jerry Macquire?), or collapsing in despair, or physically hurting myself or others: when it seems like all the wheels have come off at once and no one - and I mean not one person in the whole house - is doing remotely what they are supposed to be, including me; when the baby isn't napping so we can't do science; to when I shouldn't still be hiding in the bathroom pretending it will all go away. It is not a stretch to say that was a

I've had quite the shake up since I last posted. My mom, whom we just moved in with in our new home, passed away on June 5. It was as sudden as it could possibly be for someone 80 years old in seemingly fine health. It has been a HUGE shock. I'm sure I do not even believe it yet. She had a headache, went for a nap, never got up again. You haven't lived until you've seen a member of your family rolled out of your house in a body bag. My mom was not your reticent sweet old lady; she was energetic and opinionated, a hard worker, a snappy dresser, a great hostess to anyone that crossed her path, unbelievably tidy. You always knew when she was around. She loved her grandchildren more than anything and was was so happy to finally be living with them. She kept saying that's all she really wanted. I'm glad she was living part of the life she wanted finally. It's been unbelievably hard to stay in this house, it's hard to do all the things that have to