JOY - it's the new black!!

Joy is something that is so hard for us to have, or even receive. So many bad things happening in this world, or even in our families. We are continuously worrying about something. When in the word of God, it specifically speaks about worry: "Worrying does not do any good; who here can claim to add even an hour to his life by worrying? - Matthew 6:27

As a mother, in this homeschool journey, and not in it because i'm paranoid of the world (as many like to think so). I am in it , because I know my daughter deserves the best and if it cannot be provided in a way that she can learn it, then why not do it with the help of God. BUT I DIGRESS! 

Joy needs to be part of our daily lives in all moments! seasons! storms! and etcetera! There should be no  reason for a Christian, that has the hope of eternal life in their hearts; to be joyless. So I found one of my favorite pastors Francis Chan speaking a bit about it.

So I hope with that 3 minute and some word can bring up your spirit. Because our families are our first ministry; and it happens to the best of us. We get tired, frustrated and feel like we've done nothing because our child still decides to do whatever they feel like and not what you're trying to instill at times. Alas! don't give up hope, find JOY in your ministry and keep MOVING!!

AWESOME NEWS!!!

The Why?? 

When I decided that homeschooling was the best thing for my child, she way below level academically. She was in her first month of 2nd grade, and reading at 1rst grader that just started (1.1). Meaning a Kindergartner that just graduated. I was amazed that all this time passed by and no one told me that, especially when I was the mom that was always asking the teachers for meetings, to speak about my child's progress and all they could concentrate on was "Gabi, is too social, disrupts class with her constant talking, could you talk to her about not being that way?"

The difference was made when one teacher, early in the year sat with me and finally told me: at what level she was, what was going on, suggested test to be taken to dig further into what was making her be this way.  When it was all said and done, the doctor (after much deliberation and testing) decided that it was a mix of ADD & ADHD.

That was the start of our homeschooling journey. I realized that teachers just have too many children to be able to really give the attention she needed to succeed academically. I wasn't blaming the system, the teachers, or anyone else. I knew that if I wanted the best I needed to take into my hands, and put her in God's.

Who said it would be easy??

We stumbled a lot! I started getting to know her once again, from her thought process to her emotional character. It all made a difference, it all had to go together to be able to make it work. I can't say I completely know her because everyday she shows me more of her, but I can say that I know a lot more than I did.  

I found myself many times, on my knees praying to God to give me divine word because I just didn't know what to do, how to do it, or where to get the answers.  We had our really bad days, then our semi- bad days then I started appreciating the good days, which soon became great, awesome, & amazing days to me because they were so rare.

Throughout this time I kept thinking, am I doing correct by her? Did I make this decision to hastily? Is she really making process or am I so desperate for progress that I'm just seeing it. 

So, what happened next??

6 months have passed by. I decided to take her to get tested, to see at what grade level she was at. I was scared, nervous, but trying to be calm for her because test cause her a lot of anxiety. That morning she cried saying she was tired, she didn't want to go in, she would ask me if anyone would be there to help, and other concerning things for her. Me and my husband prayed for her and just told her to do her best, not to worry if she couldn't figure it out with every thing she knew then it was ok to leave it.

The next day I went in by myself for the results. I sit at the Director of the Learning Center's desk, she brings out these papers, with bar graphs, and numbers. I look at the numbers and don't understand what they mean. When she starts speaking she asks what brought me there, so I told her the story. When I am doing she says: "Wow, well then I have really good news for you Mom."

That is when she starts telling me that my daughter is now at a 2.7 level in reading & vocabulary, that she scored so high she would go in to the higher reading program. My heart jumped with joy, and I wanted to jump with it!! But, I had to hold my composure. After an hour of discussing all the test that were done and the scores, we shook hands and I went on my way. 

On the car ride home I cried and laughed all at once. I was amazed at what God had done for Gabriela. How prayer really was working, that He was giving her and me wisdom, and guidance through out this process. How we were really NOT ALONE in this. The journey continues, but now we are secure in that this was what God wanted for her, and that we're in the right path. 

If you're in a bind, don't know what to do , where to go, or who to ask. Ask God, ask Him that He will guide you to the correct path. You might feel as if you are blindly doing things, but that's just part of the  fun in the journey, at the end you will see all He did for you. 

Days go and appreciation grows.

Sometimes we get so inundated with daily life, that we believe our life is so difficult and drown in our own cup of water. Well, one good thing the internet has is that if it's used properly it can actually lift someone spirit. That is actually the reason I wanted to write this blog. To try to reach out to people, let them know they are not alone, and that maybe we can help eachother.

Our strength as mothers (or just parents) is amazing at times. We believe to be so weak and incapable, but yet we are actually pretty strong.  I find my strength in God, that I can rely on to guide me through out life.

When our children get sick, this is when we most feel helpless. We wish we could have that touch to take it all away. Sometimes it's so bad that we wish that we had the sickness instead of them so they can find some relief.

I found this video, of a mother singing to her daughter that is in bed with Leukemia. I cried my eyes out, if I was her if  don't know if I would be able to finish the song. But in her weakness she shows her strength and finishes her song.

Please watch, enjoy, and have a blessed week!

Highly Recommended:
http://www.godvine.com/Mother-Sings-a-Precious-Song-to-Her-Dying-Daughter-3102.html

Day ???: I lost count- But it has been the best!!

We woke up this morning to a beautiful day, ate breakfast, then I had the usual conversation with my homeschooler. Goes like this:

Mom: "Alright, we have to start school now."

Child: "Awwww, why?"

Mom: "Because you have to learn everyday."

Child: Makes face. "Fine."

But when we started, for some reason she gained interest as we kept going. It became the best Homeschool Day!

This is her version of the Tree with the forbidden fruit, Adam & Eve. And the snake around the tree!

BUT!!! There are days that are not this easy going, they were hard. She fought every step of the way, cried in the middle of transitions from one subject to another. She even got to the point of not moving at all, and just pouting and crying because she just did not want to do it. We got through the classes, but me and her ended up exhausted, then I had to leave to a meeting and she stayed with Daddy at home.

When I get home late, I sit on the couch to rest and I find this:

That's a picture of me and her in a heart.

This gesture just melted my heart and motivated me to keep moving and not give up. I mean she's my daughter I was never going to stop from trying to teach her and find new ways to do it, but on what I considered the worse day God inspired her to give me a glimpse of hope.

That's how our God is. In midst of our worse storm He gives us a glimpse of the eternal hope, mercy & grace that He has for us. Through out this "Homeschool Journey" I'm learning more of her, but also more of how God looks at us, feels for us, and cares for us eternally and unconditionally.

Day 3, 4, & 5: An organized chaos?!?

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (Today)... Well, progress - yes, we have made some. On daily routines we all get an 'A'! In Homeschool routine maybe a C- ... :)

Life truly does get in the way, attitudes, sleepy heads, & etc! Still haven't figured how push through the simple hiccups of the life and jump into organization. Is there such a thing as organized chaos?

For my homeschooler there are days when she wakes up and is the best student ever, then she has her days where she melts down in every subject and mommy has mental melt down with her! LoL. It's not always predictable nor preventable. She is like Forrest Gump once, "like a box of chocolates, you never know what'cha gonna get!"

Either way I still make it happen, probably not at the exact hour I planned it to be, or to the extent I planned it to be. Is that still considered organized? Maybe I should just call the list "Goals for the Day" and as I go through the list I can check the milestones we accomplished.

Sounds good to me, makes it sound like I accomplished important things. The real deal is that with ADD/ADHD most things planned to be are goals. Because to get "the list" accomplished we do have many hurdles to jump over.  But when it's all done, it's great to see her face when she sees that she went through it and it didn't hurt as much as she thought. I just keep hoping she remembers that feeling the next day.

I hope many things, that one day she will look back and think 'wow! i did that i can do a lot more'. That she notices how intelligent she is and how much potential I see in her. That God's plans for her are great and that's why He made her the way He did. That behind every difficulty there's a great victory if we only perservere through (or above) the big & little hiccups of life.