At this moment my mind is a river of thoughts, a jungle of options, a slew of emotions.  No, nothing traumatic has happened.  There's just so much going on.  I'm weighting a million different homeschooling choices, as I'm knee-deep in planning for our next school year.  The current book-writing negotiations are flitting through my consciousness as is a recent email along the lines  of "how do you do it all".  That question is such a can of worms.   So here's what's on my mind...


*  I swear, I don't do it all.  Seriously.
*  My house just appears to be clean (unless you look at the baseboards).
*  You think homeschooling is hard, but in our home it's just an extension of being together.  Our "school" takes maybe an hour and a half of our day.  But, learning happens all. the. time. 
*  Our first grade year has rocked!  Aria's reading Amelia Bedelia in front of the fire before the rest of us get out of bed. Today she wants to know what caused the ice age.   She's hungry for all kinds of learning, even math, even worksheets.
*  But that's because we hardly ever do worksheets.  This is not "school at home."
*  The secret to being happy is to realize that you love your life right this moment.
*  Today I loved unpicking some free-motion quilting in front of the fire.  What a nice reason to put up my feet.
*  I have an incredible amount of energy for "projects".   Homeschooling is one of them.  The Curves Class is another.  I'm nervous about what it will require of me to write this book.  So much time, so much energy.  And all that comes from me and my family.  How should I decide?
*  What you choose to give your time to defines you.   Family?  Craft?  Health?  Entertainment?  It defines you not so much because it's your job as because it reveals what you value and shapes who you become.
*  Darn it this is way too deep.   
*  I'm actually preposterously satisfied with life today.  And optimistic about this coming year.
*  I'm not afraid.  That's key.
* But I'm planning on doing 2nd grade different and I'm considering letting Aria attend a 2-day homeschooling program.  This is forcing all kinds of value-processing inner discourse. You poor things are getting the brunt of it.
*  This would be so much better if you and I were sharing tea and cookies. 
*  But, ya know,  I do feel better now.  Do you think it's OK if I go sew?  Will you mind?  I promise not to cave and plan history units or search online for local drama programs for kids.  Eeek, good thing I promised!
*  Because, sometimes the best thing to do is walk away from the computer and go do life.