Ah September, oh how I love you and the new beginnings you bring.  I am rather shocked that I have blogged so few times this year.  It also makes it hard to know where to begin again.  There are so many things I want to share here.  The kids are all growing and changing.  The garden has had its ups, and downs.  We loaded our freezer with our first try at raising and butchering our own meat chickens.

Dave has mentioned he would like to write a few posts together with me to keep a good record of how the Homestead is slowly growing.

There are a few things from the summer that I hope to write about in the near future, but for now I thought I would just pick up with where I am today.

Our first few weeks of umm, school are done.

Our first day back at the books…

School started for most in this area on the 2nd of September, we had planned a Homeschool Picnic for that Tuesday, but the weather was calling for rain so we postponed until Wednesday.  It didn’t rain on Tuesday after all , but Wednesday was a beautiful day.  It was nice to see all the Moms that I had not seen since the spring.

To be frank we have been easing our way back into school.  I am sure I have shared before that several of my children struggle with dyslexia.  I have lost many nights of sleep worrying about this, praying, handing over my fears, taking them back, and giving them yet again back to God.  Something very interesting has happened in the last few months, a new love of reading.  Do they still struggle, yes, but there is a desire there to read that was not there.  I no longer feel like I am doling out a punishment when I say it is time to go read.  Praise God.  I really think this is a piece to something bigger that I am not yet ready to share here. (But for those of you who still read here regularly, tuck that in the back of your mind, and just pray for God’s will to be worked out in our lives and I hope in the near future to share that chapter here.)

Joel struggles academically but I am very hopeful that we will see some major gains this year.  ‘Cautiously hopeful’ but hopeful nonetheless.  He was right-handed before his brain surgery and has had to learn to use his left as his dominant hand.  He has begun to draw some pictures and print some letters.  I am proud of his effort.

First ‘Nature Walk’ of the new school year.

We have been able to get out on the trails and explore a little. I am hoping to do some more before the weather turns too cold.

Sampling some wild grapes, yummy yet sour.

We are also in the midst of celebrating Rosh Hashanah, we are studying the Jewish culture amongst many other things this year.  I hope to share in more details about that in a few days.

I hope none of you were worried that we fell off the face of the earth.  Love to hear from y’all!!