School is in session...let's celebrate!

School has begun!

Of course you all knew that right? It's been a back to school blitz in the commercial world and for the most part all students have reunited to their schooling institutions after September's Labour day long weekend. As most of you know already too, our children stay home for their schooling years under mom's tutelage.

With a table filled with book stacks this morning, and a nice hot cup of java resting within my reach, counseling sessions began with one child/teen at a time. As each was called to the table to meet individually with mom, their stack of books was pushed in between us over the surface of the tabletop. The others in the family were either practicing their piano during this time, or performing their daily chores.

With their core curriculums and other educational expectations within the parameters of the individual yearly syllabus laid out before them, they were explained in detail, and daily action plans were formulated and categorized for a clear understanding of their educational priorities requiring their full attentions for the 2007/08 schooling year.

Books, books, and more books.

Rather than celebrating our first back to school day the Monday after Sept.8^th when we traditionally gather with other homeschooling families to feast together on the birthday of the Mary, the Blessed Mother. This year however, we decided upon an extension since school officially only ended at the end of July for last year’s schooling endeavors from all our travel time away from home, and with last month's weddings and company visiting, we were just not yet ready to begin at that designated time. We changed the calendar date this month therefore and today was the day to begin, the Monday after the feast day of the “Exaltation of the Holy Cross” which landed last Friday, September 14^th on this year’s church calendar.

As I’ve often mentioned, we love to feast and celebrate, not just feast days during the church’s liturgical year, or special family dates to remember yearly, so this year was no different either.

We feasted today!

We really, really feasted!

School proceeded throughout the morning. the official entry into the big schooling picture I’d already envisioned in my own mind. Pencils were clicking; multitudes of little learning schedule boxes were checked off once each task was completed, and then it was time to celebrate another year of back to books with a lunchtime ice cream sundae feast.

A fresh beginning deserves full recognition, and the hope for a natural and well functioning rhythm to begin again during these crisper autumn days.

Routines are not for sissies; they aid and assist us in remaining balanced and on track. Schedules can be adapted to fit any interruption but they are a necessary item to keep the natural order and gentle flow rolling, a time too when everyone knows where and when priorities are at hand and a need to focus is seriously expected. That time is now. That time is at hand and it is great to be back after a summer break and all that sleeping in lately. *smile*

Here we go…