Barnette Family Happenings: Welcome Back to School!

It's back to school time in our house, and I couldn't be more excited! Monday marked the first day of year #2 of our homeschool, and I felt so much more sure of myself than I did this time last year. All the curriculum was ordered and organized, as were my gradebook and lesson plan book. I had created what I believed to be a challenging but manageable schedule, a rewards system, and I could hardly get to sleep the night before school started because I was so anxious to jump out of bed and try it all out. I was thrilled that we got through (almost) everything in that schedule the first day, and even had time to make a jaunt to the library.

SUCCESS!!!

This year, all three of our kids are on BJU Press Homeschool curriculum and we are LOVING it. I have found it to be grade-appropriate, high quality, and BJU applies the Bible into every possible subject.

I was pleasantly surprised that John had such a fun 1st day at school, because for the weeks leading-up to it, he was telling anyone who would listen that he was NOT excited to go back to school. John loves the lazy, cartoon-watching, outside playing days of summer, so he does not go gently back into a disciplined schedule. But once we let him pick what he wanted for the first day of school (which for John entailed a dress shirt and tie: he loves to wear dress-clothes!), and once we broke into those brand-new, never-been used textbooks (which smell so divine) and he started getting all his math problems correct...well, he had the back-to-school fever. Happy Mom. :D

One of the ventures we're trying for the first time this year has been Tim teaching the boys Greek. At first, the boys shuddered at the idea of learning a foreign language....especially one that doesn't even use the same letters that English does. But after their first lesson, the boys were hooked. John began claiming several years ago that he thought God has called him to preach, and a positive relationship with our new youth pastor has prompted Christopher to wonder if he might like to pursue youth ministry someday. So who knows? This year's study of Greek might make things a whole lot easier for both boys down the road in seminary...