Hello! Thanks for checking in on us. I know it's been awhile.

Since I last wrote, we founded Martin Family Homeschool (!) est. August 2016,

spent two nights at Children's Hospital + a few months recovering (Grace is good as new!),

said goodbye to a one-of-a-kind kitty,

hung on for dear life while Russ traveled a bunch for work,

and got lots more practice being a family of six.

Healing and loss layered over our transition into homeschool has made for an emotional and reflective season for our family.

We welcome the holidays in good health and better spirits, mostly grateful to have each other!

Plunging head first into homeschool has challenged and delighted us beyond what we could have imagined.

I can't quite compare the experience to what it's like teaching in public school—our days look very different. There's no bell schedule, lots more interruptions, the option to declare every Wednesday "pajama day," and the awesome truth that the world is now our classroom. We're usually having fun, often flying by the seat of our pants, sometimes very frustrated, and occasionally catching glimpses of magic.

Learning alongside your kids is a fascinating thing. The thoughtful questions, their eager spirits, that little grin when they realize they're doing something they couldn't do before...it's the best.

Unfortunately, that stuff makes up approximately 8% of my day.

I spend the other 92% attempting to homeschool while keeping house, cooking, nursing a baby, doing laundry, tending boo-boo's, refereeing sibling wars, and just being mommy. And when we're together all day, imagine the opportunities for whining, disrespect, apathy, and general shenanigans!

When the kids push my buttons and/or the juggling act gets out of control you'll find me

resisting,
rushing,
consuming,
retreating inward,
or hollering 'til my voice is hoarse.

When instead I could be

letting go,
slowing down,
counting my blessings,
sharing my feelings,
and pausing before I speak.

Last night Russ commented that "we're trying to grow into the people who can do what needs to be done." Some days we have to dig deep, and it feels really uncomfortable. But the attitude we choose when we're under construction will determine much of our success and happiness.

I choose to give myself a big high five and say "keep it up, Kim!"

So our school plan for the year with regards to curriculum, routines, etc. really deserves its own post, which I'd like to share here at some point. For now, I'll say we're aiming to

find a simpler, slower pace,