And so it begins...our week!

This past week we started back with school work after 4 weeks off. We never intended to have that long a break, but life happened. Between funerals, crying, dealing with life, I just couldn't deal with school and so we waited until I was ready, until I had leaned in enough to God and His strength to be able to do it, and so this week I was ready to start our first full term of home schooling. And what did we learn this week?

Well in art we learnt about the history of paper and Jaden made a paper mache bowl.

in Bible lessons we learnt about the tower of Babel and that God likes us to listen to Him and put Him first. In maths we practiced times tables and did lessons on adding large numbers. In history we finished off reading though 'Mr Hornbeam's Treasure Hunt' and talked about life on the gold fields. There was also spelling, reading, science revision on the Earth's crust... plenty to keep us busy!

But guess what we learnt this week that was far more important than all of that?
In devotions one morning we talked about the power of prayer and Jaden prayed 'for nanny to feel happy again' and my heart was warmed.

One day our history lesson ran longer than I planned and so I decided to skip the Bible lesson that day and do it the next day and Jaden said 'but shouldn't we have done the Bible lesson first then beacuse isn't that the most important thing' and I was challenged.

I got cranky a few times when kids were grumpy and things weren't going to plan, and I had to apologise to my kids for my attitude and pray for God's help, I was humbled and my kids saw me relying on God in my daily life.

I adopted an attitude of seeing my family as my ministry and doing the best job I could and it helped me get up and do things that I didn't feel like even when I was tired. The rabbit cage got cleaned, the house got cleaned, the fairy garden got weeded, and the mould that had been growing in my bedroom since all the rain a couple of weeks back got cleaned. If I am doing my best then procrastination is not an option!

This is what our fairy garden looks like when it is not completely overgrown with weeds and when the dead passionfruit vine is not covering the back fence. It just needs some more mulch now and maybe a couple of extra little flowers for spring.

I learnt this week that I can do this... not because I am amazing or superwoman or anything, but because it is what God has asked of me and He has equipped me with all I need, I just need to get over myself and rely on Him. I need to realise I simply cannot do it without Him and it is in that place of reliance, trust and humility that there is strength!

This week Bethany had her very first haircut, not a big one, just the fringe, but still a milestone!

This week I took Jaden to his swimming lesson and saw how much progress he has made, swimming with his face in the water, that's better than I can do! This week Jaden has also gone on his very first scout camp, I am looking forward to picking him up this afternoon and hearing all about it. My boy is trying new things and that is exciting!!!

This week I played with my kids, cuddled my kids and tried to enjoy spending time with them, even in the midst of the frazzling moments, because they are a gift to me and I love them. It's been a good week :-)