Here is our final Manitoulin report for 2018. It is short but sweet.
Click HERE
Manitoulin Report 2018
Coming Soon
As previously stated, we have had crazy life and had little time for blogging but we are hoping to start up again.
Our checklist of things to discuss
- Our trip to Manitoulin
- G-ma’s move
- Craftster’s jump into Grade 9.
Please stay tuned.
Manitoulin Prayer List
Momma K’s Blog
So I am proud to announce that Momma K (formally known as BakersMom) has her own blog up and running… check it out.
A New Found Hope
I am so blessed, feel uplifted, and granted new hope this week.
This week from Feb 2 – 11 2018, the The Canadian Online Homeschool Conference has be going on. As I write this, it is day 5. This is the 2nd year it has been put on by The Canadian Homeschooler. It has covered so many topics so far. From the basics of home schooling to special needs to youth and kid sessions.
The beauty of this conference is that it is completely online. From vendors to the sessions to open chat times to get together with others from across Canada. Some chat sessions expand on sessions we are watching. Many sessions have free download items to help you make notes or further information given. I have found the sessions so informative even though we have been homeschooling for 5 years.
The chat program allows text chat, audio chat and video chat depending on your level of confidence or techno-ability. I have really enjoyed these time because it allows me to connect with others despite my shortcomings socially and my disability.
I am able to look at sessions when it is easier for me and still go about my day.
My kids enjoyed a session on proper knife usage for cooking and life in the arctic circle.
The conference at the moment is free to attend and sessions are left available for 48 hours after they go live. At the end of the conference you can buy an all-access pass that will allow you to do any session over and over again.
I am looking forward to finishing it and attending next year…and maybe just maybe I will finally have the courage to put in a session myself on homeschooling dads 🙂
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with The Canadian Homeschooler beyond friendship or the conference this year beyond being an attendee. 🙂
Let Go and Let God
People may have notice an absence from blog posts since the fall for us. We are continuing to homeschool but we had an added duty of care to our lives. As we have had to navigate this part of our journey, life lessons have be taught to all of us. This is education through life at its best and worst.
This past year, my 85 year old grandmother joined us in our current city and has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Dementia. It has been a very hard journey for the four of us to watch her slide down the slope that it is.
Due to some circumstances, while not done with an ill intent towards us, the duty of care has fallen to us until such things can be sorted out properly. It has made our daily life very hectic, never knowing if school or other activities are going to be interrupted to deal with an issue that my grandmother is no longer able to herself.
She is in the stage between functional and not. She has good days and bad ones. Unfortunately, there has been a significant increased number of bad days in the last few months. She is no longer making choices to help herself and so we often have stop our lives to deal with hers.
God, however, as gracious as He is has taught, or in some cases re-taught, us some very valuable lessons.
Sacrifice:
This one maybe the biggest one. We have given up a Saturday every two weeks to go over and help her with things like bills and set up for Christmas. Momma K has had to often give up portions of other days to go run errands, make phone calls and/or straighten out issues that my grandmother has made a mess out of. I spend some time weekly as well dealing with issues that don’t require me to go out generally.
The boys are learning to see that not everyone can do these things and it takes a strength that only God can give. They are seeing what it means to sacrifice their time and to share themselves without hesitation.
Relationships:
This lesson has taken many forms and has revealed the difference from living under Heaven’s Citizenship versus the alternative. Our church family has been great in helping us to accomplish things we can not on our own. From rides over, to helping my grandmother get to appointments, to being there when we have no where else to go to in our moments of emotional distress. We even have several forever family members, who are going through the same journey with their relatives.
We have, also, had re-connections to people that have been out of our circle for a while through this, as well as learning that not everyone can be there in this journey with us. Some choose to follow a darker path and they hurt more than help. Each relationship has changed due to this journey and we are so grateful for God’s illuminating power in them.
Hope and Promise:
While there doesn’t seem much hope in my grandmother, we have hope. Our hope is in Him, He will see us through and we have seen his hand in so many things that have happen. We know that loss of self and ultimately death does not have end in nothingness. We endeavour to share this with my grandmother.
His promises have been so evident in this, that we are not alone, though we are weak and can accomplish nothing without him…when we let go and let God, He accomplishes so much more than we can.
Faith:
I have seen the kids faith grow in leaps and bounds through this: Prayer has become more prevalent. Forgiveness has been more easily given. Love is given more freely and the fruits of the spirit are clearly seen in what they do for my grandmother. Through giving of their love and themselves to do tasks for her or a simple hug or a drawing they have made. They sit and listen to her memories from long ago despite not knowing if it will be the last time she can.
Time:
Time is a very valuable commodity and we have relearned to share this with my grandmother because lets face it her journey on this earth is coming to an end and we have realized that it is all we can give her now. As her memory continues to fade and she lives in the pages of her past, the moments in the present no longer hold sway for her. While she will ultimately forget us, creating moments in time for us will allow her to live on in us and the boys.
But the smallest and yet the most important lesson we have be re-taught is to:
Let go and let God:
No matter what the kingdom of darkness does…
No matter what other people do…
No matter what happens to my grandmother…
No matter what we think or do…
If we let go and let God…He works out things better than we ever could and we have learned to trust Him more than ever. To love and obey Him better and to surrender to Him ourselves and all situations is what we have come to see.
Another Review Done!!!
Here we are again, another review for your viewing pleasure 🙂
On a Roll: Another Review Available
I have another review for you all
I have also added Northwoods Press; Donna Ward to our useful links.
Enjoy.
Apologia Review Available
We have a new review up that I have been meaning to write  for a very long time.
Please check it out, It is a little bit longer as it covers five books 😉
Added Some links
If you haven’t checked out our Useful Links section, you should!!!
I have just added a few more today.
I have added:
We have been using this site to listen to the audio versions of his stories after reading the book.
A cool site that teaches how to incorporate some of your geeky hobbies and shows into your schooling.
We have one of their curriculum books to use this year…review  is coming soon.
A site where you can order the above curriculum from in Canada.
Generally where we order our curriculum books from for the year…easy and safe.
We have been using their Young Explorers Series for Science for years now. Review is coming soon.
The Invested Dad 