Update on the Henson's....

I am 10 weeks post op. My foot is healing well. I am able to walk in my tennis shoe some. I drove for the first time in 2 1/2 months yesterday. It felt great. It felt freeing.

 

James is still the same. He is learning to tolerate the pain a little better. He has had an epidural injection in his neck. It didn't help any. Plans are to have another injection in his neck and have a nerve stimulator place in his back sometime in December.

 

Jaelyn is doing well. She is enjoying youth group in our church. I am a little reserved about is still. She hasn't been exposed to a lot of things kids her age are exposed to. My desire is for her mind to stay pure and innocent at this young age.

 

Madison made a BIG decision on her own yesterday. She come to the realization that she wasn't truly saved and was in need of Christ. She accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior. She made my mommy heart swell.

 

 

We are trudging along in school. Each day has it's problems due to our circumstances, but each day is a blessing from the Lord. I am priviledged to be able to school my girls at home.



Plans for the New School Year

It is that time again. Time to get our curriculum planned for next school year. I think I have it figured out. My plans are to use My Fathers World Exploring Countries and Cultures for Bible, Geography, Science, and History. We started ECC last year, but I felt lead to continue on with Prairie Primer instead. I felt the need to focus more time on Madison's reading, which has improved greatly this year. So, we decided to set it aside and use it this year.
We will continue using Queens homeschooling for Language Arts and Spelling. We used it last year for the first time and really like the  copywork approach.
We will continue with the same Math programs for each one of the girls. Jaelyn loves Math-U-See and Madison is fond of Horizons Math.
Next week, we will attend a Homeshool convention as a family. Well, James will hang out in the motel while the girls and I enjoy the conference. I am looking forward to the classes and learning how to be a better mom and teacher.
 

Prairie Primer and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum

The past two years, we have used the Prairie Primer as a guide for Bible, History, Science, and Homemaking. Yes, it has taken us two years to complete (or almost complete) it. I read the Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder as read alouds to the girls. Each chapter has comprehension questions to answer and each day has a list of activities to choose from. We always liked to read the Bible verses and talk about character traits and how issues were or were not properly handled in the books. We did some mapping and some History studies of the time period in which the Ingalls family lived. We also did Science projects based on what things were happening, but we didn't have a pigs bladder to blow up as a balloon...lol.  We studied about the eye and scarlet fever when Mary Ingalls went blind due to scarlet fever.  The girls and I grew to love the Ingalls familly as we read about the hardships they endured and saw how determined they were to make it through those difficult times. We loved reading about the courtship and marriage of Laura Ingalls and Almanzo Wilder. We loved reading about how Pa playing his fiddle seemed to make everything alright and of how Laura worked so hard to see that Mary went to college.

 

Last fall, our family was blessed to be able to go on an amazing vacation. We spent three days at Fort Rock Family Camp, picked apples in the Ozarks, visited Bakers Creek Heirloom Seed Company, and visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and Homes in Mansfield Missouri. We toured the homes of Laura and Almanzo. We saw the desk in which she wrote the books that we love so much. We walked across the area in which they planted their apple orchard as their livelihood. We saw many items that they used in their everyday lives. It was the perfect vacation for our family during that time period. One day, we hope to walk on the banks of Plum Creek. For now, we will continue to enjoy the books that we love so much.

 

Jaelyn and Madison were just a little excited to visit

the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

 

 

Life as we live it.......

We have had some drastic changes in our family recently. We felt the calling to foster children with hopes to adopt and complete the Henson family in Jauary. We took classes throughout the month of February. We completed all our classes and had our health and fire inspection. We were just waiting on our family home study and liscensing. My husband, who had previous back injuries, reinjured his back on March 22. He worked one day afterwards and hasn't returned to work since. He is facing back surgery soon. He has neck damage as well and has to have his neck taken care of first. This has not been an easy transition for us, but we have faith that our God will see us through and provide all our needs during this time. We don't know the outcome, but that doesn't matter. God has our back.  So, things have changed around the Henson place. I am trying my best to do everything that I normally do plus the things hubby did. It is gardening season and mowing season, so I have been busy.......on top of the two hour drives to Dr. visits. BUT.....I have been blessed by neighbors. Two have helped me till the garden. One had done mowing and weed eating for us. I am one THANKFUL mama for the help. We are continuing to homeschool. I have my girls do as much as possible on their own and then I sit and teach what they don't understand. My hubby helps by giving spelling tests and listening to Madi girl read. We had to put our fostering on hold until hubby has surgery and his back heals.   As, I said, we don't know what the outcome will be, but I hope to enjoy this season of life as we live it.