Have you ever felt like things were spiraling out of control? As you look back, you see God’s hand working out the details and it all makes sense, but when you’re going through it, everything feels crazy?
I’m going to get real here.This has been an insane year. My husband is self-employed, so we don’t have a regular income. We had three quarters in a row in which business was slower than slow–our customers were simply feeling the effects of a still sluggish economy, we faced our first business lawsuit (we hear this is typical, especially when pride and greed creep in), and I miscarried our sixth baby.
While it’s been tough, we’ve had plenty of food, our bills have been paid (sometimes at the last minute) and we’ve had a bit of modest play money. I’ve even brought in some funds through my blog, Wildtree, and Young Living businesses to supplement. But overall, it’s been an emotionally trying year!
As we prepare to begin a new school year, the bottom line is that for the first time in our homeschool journey, we simply can’t afford to buy the curriculum packages we want.
At first I was disappointed and hoped that since things were picking up, the funds would still come in. But I wondered if our current situation is actually a blessing in disguise.
While getting a full curriculum, complete with laid out lesson plans and a plethora of books sounds great, I think I’ve only continued to get wrapped up in checking off the boxes and moving on.
I’ve often said that homeschooling is about flexibility and the two main points I took home from TTD was the importance of discipleship and character, both things that have been on my heart recently.But here’s the biggie:
Amidst the craziness, it dawned on me that our school year will be majorly interrupted in March. While we remember our 6th baby, who would’ve joined our family this month, we’re excited that baby #7 is on the way!
.jpg)
My 9 year old son exclaimed, “Hey!! I see its nose and mouth! There’s a real baby in there!”
After a rocky start, our newest addition is doing well, praise the Lord! (Now y’all know why I’ve been a bit absent, temporarily dropped the weekly featured, and been behind on e-mails and messages. Because of the turbulent beginning, we’ve tried to keep my work/stress load low, and now I’m slowly getting back into a routine. ;)).
With the crazy business stuff and a brand new family member joining us in just six months, I can’t imagine trying to pull off a full packaged program for all of my children, let alone getting such a formal year off the ground while still battling the queasies! If things had gone smoothly and our typical funds had come in months ago, I would’ve already bought too much, would likely be looking at it on the shelf, and feeling overwhelmed by it all. Focusing on the basics and good books during the day, while enjoying history and Bible in the evenings with Dad, sounds like a plan!
What are we doing?
After looking on e-bay for awesome deals and digging through my own closet, I found all kinds of treasures. I felt like I was doing the pantry challenge but for curriculum instead of food!Total cost came to about $50, except Teaching Textbooks, which we bought earlier this year at a sale:
- Character Concepts and Bible reading for Bible and character training (already owned)
- Rod and Staff for spelling and English (e-bay)
- CLE’s Learning to Read (for review–already owned)
- Teaching Textbooks for Math (purchased earlier, so not part of the $50)
- Singapore Math for my 2nd grader (hand-me-down)
- A Reason for Handwriting (found in closet)
- Apologia’s Young Explorer’s Astronomy (e-bay)
- Mystery of History Volume 2 (trade)
- Beautiful Girlhood and Guide for my oldest (found in closet)
- God’s World News for keeping up with current events (I’m sure this counts for social studies, too) (already had a sub)
- Downloaded a list of recommended literature from the library
- Good books from the closet (I was amazed by the amount I found)
- Grabbing a few ideas from Ambleside Online and a guest post from my own blog!
- As for my younger two? At only two and four, they’ll manage just fine with lots of reading in mama’s lap and imaginative play.
It’s not how I originally envisioned this year, but I think if we were to move forward with what I originally planned, I would’ve gotten bogged down, especially around the birth. The above is a doable and realistic load enabling me to focus on discipling and teaching my children while enjoying the first weeks and months with my newest babe.
And looking at it all, it’s plenty!
What about you? Have things not worked out according to your plan, but have actually turned out to be the perfect gift and exactly what you needed?
Free Guide For the Natural Living Mom
Want to know how to use essential oils and herbs in your home? In this guide, I share my top 10 favorites.
Plus get our latest content and news, including giveaways and freebies for the natural living and homeschooling mom.
This is a very special post for me. Thank you!
Thanks for that and for visiting. 🙂 Blessings!!
Unexpected routes are my life right now! We too have had a financial downturn and I’m trusting in the Lord to provide. In a way I miss the days of steady income, but at least we get the chance to really trust God these days! 🙂 Congratulations on your baby, hope your pregnancy goes smooth!
Blessings,
Nicole @ WKH
That’s so true. I can look back on many times (especially when we were first married), when finances were especially tough, but we always had what we needed. And then more scary times hit and we get nervous but He still never fails us. Maybe one day we’ll get it?
And thanks for the well wishes. 🙂
Congrats! I’m using Ambleside to add to ACE this year, and we’re loving it! The kids LOVE our island story!
We have plenty of old PACEs in the closet and I also considered getting those out for extra reading in Science and SS. They’re definitely a faithful standby. 🙂 I’ve visited Ambleside several times over the years but never really looked at it until now. There’s much it has to offer!
Ahhhh…a kindred heart….we lost our baby girl, Rachel (#8) at 17 weeks (Thanksgiving 2011), and then our baby girl, Violet (#9) 6 months later at 14 weeks (Mothers Day 2012). We are currently expecting #9 – a boy! – which evens out our ranks 4 girls, 4 boys. We’re at 16 weeks…and still holding our breath…but very hopeful that our year will be delightfully interrupted in February! Both of our miscarriages proved to be extremely dangerous for the mama, and the second one-medically speaking-should have resulted in a hysterectomy. Praising the Lord for our little miracle! We too have experienced the financial challenges as well…6 months unemployment with no unemployment benefits – for a family of 8. God has proven to be so very faithful, and has upheld us through it all. Enjoy this very special homeschool year….you may look back and decide it was one of your favorites! (And you may choose to never go back to the boxed curriculum again….) Blessings to you, your family, and your newest little treasure! 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing your story! Yes, I’ve heard others say that years such as this turned out to be their family’s favorites! I’m a little nervous about it, still, but know everything will work out well. 🙂 I think it’ll be good to step back and bit from the formalities and focus more on the hearts of my children.
Blessings to you as you look forward to your newest little one.
Keep it simple. With all the glamor out there, it is hard to remember sometimes. I’ve been experimenting with my own curriculum as well as free online resources and have found that there is MORE than plenty available for free.
On another note, I’ve been doing much research on EO’s, specifically doTerra and Young Living. I think I’ve finally settled on YL and would love to get started. Can you give me more info on signing up?
Thank you!
Shannon, email me at saraelizabeth@amamasstory.com and I will send you some info.
And you’re absolutely right about the glamor out there! The more I look at what we’re going to do, the more I realize that we really can give our children an excellent education without breaking the bank. 🙂
Congratulations!! We;re looking to simplify too. Buying full boxed curricula has made my hubby insist we finish them within a year. Way too stressful. I’m very sorry for your loss. I got very “behind” after the losses of three of our babies due to miscarriage and we lost our son Peter at 41 weeks, 2 days 7 years ago. That was devastating and I wasn’t able to “do school” for almost 2 years. Sticking with a relaxed approach helped in a lot of ways. I just wish I’d had some help with the basics for my kiddos during that time.
I’m so sorry for your losses, sweetpetunia. 🙁
I can relate to the stress of finishing up a full package. I know some families are able to just put it down and start back up a few months later, but that’s not me. 🙁 I know that come March, I’ll feel torn between checking off the boxes, finishing out the year strong and tending to my new babe. I think this new approach will be best for the family.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your story. Blessings to you!
Congratulations!! I can totally relate, as my husband is self-employed, and his income can vary. I was thankful to be able to sell a bunch of books and other items, and make enough to cover some of our school expenses.
I hope you have a great school year!
I’ve considered selling some stuff, too, and haven’t ruled it out. 🙂 Thanks for visiting. 🙂 I hope you have a great school year, too.
Ahhhh, sweet Sara Elizabeth! God never ceases to amaze me! Your beautiful testimony on how the Lord is providing has come at such a perfect time, as do most of your postings……at least in my life. After we began our school year in late July with our other curriculum, we’ve decided to move away from that after all. Sitting here in our closet is some of the same goodies you found in yours: MOH 2, some SCM goodies and then some. Change is good, especially when the Lord brings it on. God bless!
Absolutely!! I’m getting more excited about the year and what we’ll learn. 🙂 I’m very much looking forward to it and looking forward to writing my own lesson plans again and not feeling terrible for not checking off all the boxes. 🙂
Congratulations on the new baby! God’s blessings come in His perfect timing! My usband was unemployed for 15 months, we came inches from eviction and had little money for curriculum this year. At His perfect timing He provided help with rent, a job for my husband and our fourth blessing this ast July. God is good!
Wow! What a great testimony. 🙂 It’s great to hear and read these to know that we’re not alone.
Blessings to you!! 🙂
So excited for your family!!! Congratulations!
Thanks, girl. 🙂
Looks as though God gave you exactly what you needed. It is amazing how He always comes through with for us in our time of need. Blessing to you and your family.
Thanks, Peggy!!! Yes, He does.
Congratulations! And don’t the best blessings always come in disguise?