The train chugged slowly toward the station and gave a long, tired hiss as it applied brakes. Three passengers disembarked; they had traveled on the train from the end of 2005 through many valleys and over peaks, sometimes enjoying the scenery together and sometimes finding it difficult to sit still. Although the trio knew the station might be approaching, they had not realized just how close it was but as the train rounded the final bend, there it was in front of them. Now we wait around at the station for a week before an old familiar train comes to take away me away on a short trip; the boys will be boarding an entirely new train in the new term. And so our homeschool journey comes to an end. We are ambivalent; excited about the new direction, especially that the boys will be attending an excellent school and being stretched and grown in new areas; a little sad that my daily time with them in that way is finished. It's good though; the Lord has graciously provided new tickets and boarding passes and so we must go where He directs. I have been offered just a short 3-week temp assignment beginning at the start of October, and that will hopefully be the start of many more assignments or a permanent position for me. The boys will be pupils at the Timaru Christian School after the holiday.
I've picked out some 'homeschooling moments' from the last five years...feeling sentimental and somewhat teary!
Caleb starts learning his abc's in the manse kitchen (March 2006):
Early science experiments before we started the Sonlight curriculum:
Looking at our Year 1 books - Sept 2006:
Grow-your-own-beans!
Quirkily dressed for the last chapter of
Gooney Bird Greene (April 2008):
Nick taking the boys through their art course:
Ah sweet...the photo that was featured on the back of the following Sonlight catalogue (photo July 2008):
Really REALLY enjoying
Mrs Piggle Wiggle (now at Piccolo Estate):
First day of school for 2009:
The Principal congratulates the boys on a year of hard work and hands out reports (Nov 2009):
First day of school 2010 - in the Sunday School classroom at our church in NZ:
What was so funny? Working at the diningroom table of our first NZ home:
Finally settled in my craft room with desks for the final stretch:
It's been a good ride boys; I'm going to miss our mornings together. Keep up the good work and perseverance at TCS!
I wandered off, of course - what else is a girl with camera going to do? I was using Nick's 85mm lens which is brilliant for portraits and useless for landscapes - what a frustration considering the wispy clouds. Don't be fooled by the colours here - I don't mind confessing to an in-depth iPhoto makeover on this one!
Daylight savings happened today - I don't know how to rightly phrase it...did we enter into savings mode or was it turned off? I was worried about setting the clock the wrong way around but my cellphone automatically makes the change and the alarm went off at the right time. The change from winter to spring almost seemed to be an overnight one, with the daylight ending around 7.45 pm now and the sudden rise in temperatures. Yay!! After the evening service we had the Kempfs over for a light tea and for Bronwyn to practice her make-up skills as part of her Polytech course. Hannah and Sam are away with their grandparents so it was just Rene, Bronwyn and Jesse. Bron and I got busy with the 'makeover' after tea (Bronwyn did a lovely job considering the raw material she had to work with :) ); Nick and Rene tucked into some music and singing, and Jesse got left with Caleb and Aaron. I would have thought that any 'average' teenager would have considered it a rare and serious form of torture to hang around with two younger boys all evening but Jesse even went so far as to accept a sleep-over invitation from the boys - so the three of them tented in the garage with unbrushed teeth in their regular clothes. Such a guy thing. Rene, Bron, Nick and I left them to it and played some Dutch Blitz...until 12.30 am...good thing Monday is a public holiday!
Spent the rest of the day at home; Nick had an elders' meeting and Caleb had not had a good night last night with some sort of stomach bug so we were happy to be at home. Before sunset Nick announced that he was going to the wetlands again; it's a given that we accompanied him considering the amazing clouds! The meeting of hot and cold fronts with the strong winds made these candy-floss wraps. Caleb stayed in the car and read but Aaron came along to play on the beach. We came across a sheep, eyeball-less and sandy, which must have fallen into a river somewhere, been washed out to sea, then deposited back on this beach. Poor thing, but I feel there's a lesson in there about wandering away from the protection and care of the Good Shepherd...
Had tea with the Camerons in the evening and were introduced to Tiny Tony, a new little lamb who is absolutely the cutest thing in the entire world (the chap with the rusty-coloured hairdo, second photo), as well as regular Tony, a friend of Matt's.
Early science experiments before we started the Sonlight curriculum:
Looking at our Year 1 books - Sept 2006:
Grow-your-own-beans!
Quirkily dressed for the last chapter of Gooney Bird Greene (April 2008):
Nick taking the boys through their art course:
Ah sweet...the photo that was featured on the back of the following Sonlight catalogue (photo July 2008):
Really REALLY enjoying Mrs Piggle Wiggle (now at Piccolo Estate):
First day of school for 2009:
The Principal congratulates the boys on a year of hard work and hands out reports (Nov 2009):
First day of school 2010 - in the Sunday School classroom at our church in NZ:
What was so funny? Working at the diningroom table of our first NZ home:
Finally settled in my craft room with desks for the final stretch:
It's been a good ride boys; I'm going to miss our mornings together. Keep up the good work and perseverance at TCS!
Oh yes, and I had an interview today...with an agency, so nothing too exciting yet. Good to begin the process though of registering - a first step! I think in my nervousness I may have rambled or even sounded slightly empty-headed but what can one expect...this is my first job interview in years!
