Homeschooling has been my saving grace...

...and I'm just as shocked by that as you are! The past four weeks since we have started our year have been amazing. Here's why:

This summer, Texas has faced a long, VERY hot drought. It was so hot, but being inside all the time was making me twitchy. We were going on outings EVERY. SNGLE. DAY. Most of them outside. About 6 weeks ago I became severely dehydrated and experienced some preterm labor (I was 26 weeks along). A few days on bedrest sucking down water fixed that, thank goodness! But because of that, my midwife basically told me that I can't be outside more than an hour at a time, and need to be back in the house by lunchtime and no going out afterwards. The no-outing-in-the-afternoons thing wasn't such a big deal, that's naptime for M anyway. But basically being on house arrest? That was hard.

The week after bedrest I was going nuts. There was lots of yelling and me being impatient and rude to the kids, despite my constant prayer that I could remain patient and kind. I decided to start school 6 weeks earlier than I had originally planned. Best decision I have ever made.

It's been hard, I'll admit. I am so exhausted from this pregnancy, and rarely getting more than 3 hours of sleep a night for unknown reasons. I also made the decision about a month ago to ban tv and computer time, because Libby was on netflix constantly. The first week techno-free was hard, but the changes have been dramatic. Libby and Jaina PLAY. They IMAGINE. They IMPROVISE. And they fight so much less! Libby is also not as cranky and is more patient with her little brother. And school - they love it. We save the majority of it for when Malachi is napping, and now, instead of her and Jaina watching netflix on the computer while I try in vain to get some rest, we spend the afternoon cuddled up in my recliner while they ask for "one more chapter" or "one more page" (of workbooks). When we're not doing school, they are coloring or playing quietly (most of the time!) in their room. I've actually been able to catch a nap here and there. Techno time has gone from an embarrasing number of hours per day to 2 hours a WEEK on the computer and 1 hour a day of TV (usually while I am in the shower, and then right before John gets home because we are ALL about to lose it by then!).

All of this has resulted in hours of positive interactions between the kids and I. The yelling is so much less, because instead of nagging them to find something to do and leave me alone, I'm saying, "come, let's do 'X' together". I'm enjoying them so much, more than I have in years. We are a much happier family!

Now, all of this doesn't mean there aren't times in every day when i doubt my decision, my abilities as a homeschooler. I still yell. I still lose my patience. I still wish they would JUST GIVE ME 5 MINUTES BY MYSELF TO USE THE BATHROOM WITHOUT AN AUDIENCE, FOR GOODNESS' SAKE! I still hate doing dishes and let them pile up until we run out of utensils. I'm still to tired to fold laundry, so it piles up until John can't find a matching pair of socks for work. It's been over a week since I've washed the kid's hair (but they've been to my friend's pool a lot, so the chlorine is stripping the grease, at least ). I'm still struggling with pregnancy-related issues that result in John doing all the shopping, and me drinking salt water for breakfast, and being so uncomfortable with this massive baby (I swear he's going to be 2 1/2 ft tall when he's born) that I can't even sit up but have to lie flat in my recliner to breathe sometimes. But all of that is so much easier to deal with because I am enjoying my children, and they are enjoying each other, and I'm not cranky with my husband, and he doesn't hate me for me not making dinner for 2 weeks.

It's strange how something you think is just going to make your life harder can turn everything around and make life not easier, but easier to deal with. and I am so thankful!