Scavenger Hunt Sunday

I feel like I have been away on vacation, but I haven't been. School started a couple of weeks ago and we are all transitioning from summer schedules to school schedules with three different co-ops and homeschooling.

My daughters have fallen right back into their old routines since they homeschooled last year. My son on the other hand is having a hard time with the transition to homeschool from private school. I really thought it would be much easier for him since we have always supplemented along the path of education at home. But he is struggling with this new school routine and I have been needed in the roll of teacher and mom much more these past few weeks for him.

I'm happy to help him along the way because I truly feel this Classical approach to education will serve him better in life. That being said, I have been out of the loop while aiding my son on this change in his education path. 

I've been stuck in my home classroom from early morning until after dinner. My son is miserable and I am draining of positive notes to tell him all day. I'm hoping this next week will be much easier for all of us. I've been taking photos when I can, but have had no time to edit anything. I took a break today from being a mom for a much needed couple of hours and just did nothing but rejuvinate my brain.

We are heading to the city tomorrow for a fun filled day full of activities at Navy Pier. My children love this location and I am hoping to bring a smile back to my son's face.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful long weekend . . . Enjoy my photos.

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The other evening I had the opportunity to spend some time with my girls without my son along . . . just the girls. It was a wonderful couple of hours and something I need to remember to do more often. We were playing at the park at our church waiting for my son while he was a youth group and attached to the church grounds is a park, a lovely grove and a cemetery.

My girls love to run in the grove and explore for bugs and such and they also love to explore the small, old cemetary (as do I) looking for baby tombstones. We say a prayer over each baby tombstone that we locate. This particular evening my daughter ran up to a row of like tombstones and asked me to read each one. Asking at the same time if this was a family. Indeed it was a row of tombstones . . . a family . . . all related.

Sadly, the row of tombstones was for children, babies really . . . seven tombstones in a row . . .

I began reading the lettering and realized the seven babies had all died prior to two years old. It was so sad. My heart ached for this poor mother who had seven babies and they all died before they were even two years old (I barely survived my miscarriages, I can't imagine having a child die)

I looked for the parents tombstone and noticed it sitting behind the row of babies and glanced over to the right and saw there was one more tombstone . . . an eighth baby had died just before it's third birthday. I was choking back tears at this time and just thought what an amazing woman this must have been to keep trying to have children year after year after year while her heart must have been completely broken.

I feel so blessed to have three amazing, healthy children  thank God for the gifts of my children.

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 . . . we had dropped off my son to youth group and the girls wanted to play at the park . . . it was a beautiful early evening . . . we explored the park . . . the cemetery . . . the grove . . . all while waiting for my son . . . the time passed by so quickly we didn't even realize it . . . it was such a lovely, special time with my girls . . . I was so happy I had my camera with me . .

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