Week Wrap up

Monday- Co-op
Jamie gave his presentation on his family's Christmas traditions.  I gave him virtually no prep and he was a star.  He showed his class his "What God Wants For Christmas" nativity set.  He really did a super job.  He amazes me.  I really love to watch him in class.  I love to watch him learning, playing and interacting with his new friends... friends he will know for the rest of his life, God willing of course.
I LOVE the community that is Classical Conversations.  I personally long for community centered on Jesus Christ.  I want it deeply for our son.  I truly believe we have found it.  I know I have mentioned it before but I just love that he will grow up with this same small group of children.  It is the beginning of his life, his relationships.  His wife could be a little girl we see every week, who knows.  The possibilities are endless and so exciting.  And as a homeschooling mother I actually get to witness it.  It is a privilege that I do not take for granted.  I am humbled and grateful for this opportunity.  It does not come without its challenges, for sure, but I truly love it.

Tuesday- Ladew Gardens
We have a membership at Ladew and it is pretty fantastic.  They have story time a couple days a month and then we walk around the gardens afterward.  Jamie found a really neat "seed" for our nature table.  One of the gardeners told us all about the Osage-orange tree. They are actually considered a nuisance now so we were given permission to take a few home with us.  Timmy and Jamie split it open when we got home to see what was inside.  Perfect day to cover science and reading.  This is my FAVORITE way to do school.

Wednesday- Co-op field trip to the corn maze.
This year the corn maze theme was the battle of 1812.  We were "briefed" on our mission as soldiers and entered the maze. This is a SERIOUS corn maze, too serious for us.  For the second year in a row Jamie and I opted to use the "quick" exit.  There is a lot to do outside the maze so we made a morning of it.  Jamie dressed up like a soldier and played at "Fort McHenry" for quite a while.  He made "soup" over the "fire," hid out in his tent and even wrote his name with a real quill.  Then we headed over to the huge slingshot firing range and took a super fun hay ride.  Once again is was super nice to be with our "community" and I super enjoyed getting to know one of the other moms.

Thursday- Gymnastics day
I have not been feeling well lately.  Allergies and medication making me very sleepy. And therefor the house has been a wee bit out of control.  So Timmy took Jimmy and Jamie to class and I started cleaning up around the house.  When I picked Jamie up my sweet Kate offered to take him home for the afternoon so I could get more accomplished (so she had 4 kids!).  Jamie had a SUPER great day and fell asleep at 5:30 on the way home and slept until 6:30am.
At gymnastics, which they refer to as "Enrichment Camp" because it does resemble preschool in some ways, Jamie made an "All about Me" book.  It was the most delightful little piece of work he has ever made.  Maybe it was because I wasn't the one requiring him to do it, but I cried as I read it.  Every Thursday when I pick him up his teacher has something fantastic to say to me.  Today she told me he read a 13 word sentence after finding all the words with his buddy Jimmy in an egg hunt around the gym.  It just makes my heart happy.

Friday- catch up miscellaneous day
Daddy had to leave for a flight at 4am!  ouch!  Jamie and I took things slow after running some morning errands.  We caught up on our calendar work and Bible studying.  We headed to "free gym" at  gymnastics for an hour in the afternoon and then made our way to our new Bible study.
Yes, our new Bible study.  Ya know when your sixth sense kicks in, in a situation and you just "know" that something is really good or really bad?  Well my sixth sense was in high gear.  I felt such an overwhelming peace around this group of people...  half of them whom I had never met before, the other half are in our co-op.  There are seven couples, including Timmy and me and over 25 children among us.  Three of the families have 4+ kids.
When we pulled up in the driveway Gavin (Jamie's favorite new friend) was standing in his dinosaur PJ's and sock feet super excited for Jamie to arrive.  Jamie started doing the happy dance in his car seat when he saw Gavin.  I unbuckled Jamie and when I turned around the two of them were gone!  Usually Jamie is very shy and timid at a place he has never been.  But he obviously felt incredibly at ease here. (And so did I).
I have so much to say about this event, its going to ramble, but my fingers cannot keep up with my thoughts.  So tonight was unusual because everyone arrived early to watch the last O's playoff game.  There was tons of food.  The boys were in the family room watching the game while the ladies were gathered in the kitchen chatting away.  I was welcomed with a hug and a "please make yourself at home" attitude.  As I sat chatting with I could tell it would be easy to be friends with these girls.  The kids ran around happily and freely.  All ages interacting with one another.  There was face paint and they were all painting each other's faces, it was super cool.  Then they all went down to the basement to watch a movie.  I was just so amazed that Jamie had absolutely no issue with going off without me.  He felt so safe and peaceful, so did I.  I went down to check on him and it was crazy to see ALL of those kids sitting together watching Yogi Bear in silence.  I'm not exactly  sure what the age range is but its something like 5 months to teen I guess.  Most of them were down there (not the baby) just sitting right together.  Jamie and Gavin were sitting right next to each other and one of the older little girls had Jamie sitting in her lap the next time I came down.
So instead of the regular Bible Study that night, one couple presented their slide show from two mission trips they had been on.  It was just incredible.  And all the kids watched too.
It felt so incredibly right.  Just like God was saying, here Erin, this is where you are supposed to be, this is good.
I am an only child, but have always loved big families and a crowded house.  This was just that, but also centered on Christ.  A community of people coming together to learn more about our God and what He wants for us and our children.  It is really a family.  Every person caring for the next.  The older children looking out for the younger ones.  Like-minded Christians desiring to obey the Lord.  I am blessed to be welcomed into such a gathering.  My heart is all, but exploding with what this means for Jamie's development.  My prayer is that this community stays and grows together as a family for many many years.
Praise you Jesus Christ for you provision.