Approaching the School Year with Reluctant Eagerness

Summer break is coming to a close all too quickly. While part of me longs for the return to routines and schedules and the busyness of all of the extra curricular school year activities, part of me is dragging my feet. I will miss lazy mornings, jumping in the pool just because it is hot outside, fresh tomatoes and peaches, reading good books, and just plain old playing with the kids.

Since I home school we have the flexibility to start school whenever we want and believe me, I have strongly considered not starting until after Labor day, but I have to admit there is something about "knowing what I am going to do each day" that is attractive to me. I also love the way newly sharpened pencils and fresh clean notebook paper smell. There is an excitement in putting together new notebooks and opening the boxes that contain all our school materials for the year. I always get a kick out of watching Emma's eyes grow big as she looks ahead toward the sentences she will be masterfully diagramming by the end of the year.

Planning ahead is not only for school work, though. The schedule of the school year also forces me to be very intentional about planning my meals and snacks throughout the day. This year it will be even more so as Jake and Emma are taking a couple of classes outside the home that I will have to be out and about during times I would normally be at home. We are planning fresh fruit and vegetable options, and it is time to get my dehydrator revved up again. If you know any good raw food dehydrator recipes, especially for bars and such, please pass them along to me.

To update you on other things That happened this summer: I finished my five month boot camp at the beginning of this month. It was quite the commitment -- 6 days a week for an hour a day at 5:30 in the morning. I learned lots of ways to get protein as a mostly raw vegan, and I have a little 4 pack to prove it. While I have enjoyed having most of August off I am considering doing it again. I gained such a sense of accomplishment by committing to the regimen, and I feel as though my body has responded amicably. It is hard for me to believe that it was just three years ago that I was was overweight, lethargic, and very sick. Today, I feel like a picture of health and energy thanks to a change in intake philosophy. A raw diet and exercise have indeed changed my life!

Jake, our 13 year old, went to Scotland and Northern Ireland and had the time of his life! He rally enjoyed it. It was interesting to me that he said tings such as, "Mom, you wouldn't believe how quiet it was there," or "My favorite time was the time I spent hiking the mountain alone." When his grandmother asked him what was the most important thing he learned after thoughtful consideration he said, "I learned that no matter where you live in the world all people build their own kinds of fences." I am so glad that we made some sacrifices so that he could have that opportunity.

Emma and Jake had an excellent swimming season! They both went to "A regionals" and Jake even qualified to swim in the state competition, doing better than he ever thought he could do. It was so much fun to watch them excel. Phillip also learned how to really swim this summer, in large part, due to his sister teaching him everything she knows. He has become quite the fish.

Wayne's work is going well and we have just enjoyed spending time with each other and our family this summer. His mother and my parents both came to visit at different times, and it was a nice to be with them. I did some itinerant preaching in mostly small, country churches this summer which was very refreshing. I also read several good books, including Infidel and Eat, Pray, Love, both of which I highly recommend. Unfortunately, my tomato plant only produced 2 tomatoes, but that is 2 more than last year. I will keep trying this thumb of mine, hopefully one day it may get a green tint. Until then thank God for the Farmer's Market and Whole Foods!