A New Life

I'm sitting here at my computer in complete silence.  James took the kids swimming this evening just for fun and I stayed home to get some things done.  In the stillness of my home my thoughts have wandered back to the reality I might have had today.  Today, August 25, 2014 would have been the first day that ALL OF MY CHILDREN would have been at school ALL DAY LONG.  Claire would have started kindergarten today.  I can't really describe the feelings that realization has provoked in me.  It would have been fun to send her out the door with her little backpack to conquer the world.  It is a rite of passage I have been through with all of my other kids.  I would love for her to have that opportunity but not at the expense of her missing memories with all of the rest of us here at home.   It sure would be nice to have this kind of quiet.  The things I could get done!  Things are messier that is for sure.  I am tired a lot.  But I am not sure that it is really harder.  It is just different.  What a different life I am leading than the one I pictured wherein I'd pack lunches and do homework and visit crowded lunchrooms at noon.  Our life looks different than most.  As much as it tugs on my heartstrings a little to think of all of the peaceful days to myself that I have given up, I am glad that I have settled into a new life.  It is one of my (many) goals this year to share that life a bit better.  Since homeschooling I have all but completely stopped journaling and taking photographs.  I would like to do better this year.  So, here is a start.

Our first week of school:

My favorite time of day is in the morning when we put on fun music and do chores.  Everyone gets ready for the day and meets at the breakfast table.  We have breakfast and then scripture study.  We all love it.

Just an ordinary moment that I enjoyed.

And another . . .

And another . . . 

It really is the simple things that I love the most.  I love to watch the kids learn and interact with each other.  Audrey is not in many of these pictures because she is doing an intermediate program online and is often studying independently now that she is older.  I hope that I can keep this up.  I have really missed taking pictures of our every day.