What will we do?

As the house is quiet and my heart still, I've been contemplating our home school.

~What matters most? How much time is given to each subject?
~Do I spend most of our time with all 3 together or spend more time individually?
~How often is too often to venture outdoors? With the loading and unloading of babies, finding coats, cleaning of muddy shoes, etc, is everyday too often?
~Should I choose a day for baking, a day for deeper cleaning, a day for...

All of this an more whirls around in my head. I'm double booked with a wonderful Bible study on Philippians on Friday mornings as well as our GATE home school group (alternating field trips, show and tell, and mother-led enrichment classes such as cooking, science experiments, PE, etc for two of the Fridays). Mondays-Thursdays I plan to stay at home. Really. Truly. Except for our nature walks/hikes. Oh no, I did sign up for soccer didn't I? Okay, we'll live restfully on the days we don't have soccer. ;o)

I am working on our routine, learning from the Maxwells, and truly enjoying reading Managers of Their Homes. Teri homeschooled 8 children and had every moment accounted for. I know we're too spontaneous for that, but I do want to keep better track of what we're making time for. I want the boys to be able to actually see what it is they are to be doing at any given time. There will be blocks of free-time of course! But just as I'm working on having a place for everything in our home, and everything in it's place, I also need a time for everything and everything in it's time. :o)

I love to plan, and I enjoy writing up schedules and reading lists. This will not be difficult or stressful and the bulk is already done. But what has been pulling on my heart is to remember that homeschooling is just doing what I already know is right. Living well. Not putting things off or procrastinating. Keeping the TV off most of the time. Shopping less. Staying off this computer except for the boys' quiet time. And most importantly making sure I rise early enough for that filling of my heart and soul in the secret place, just my Savior and I when there no distractions, nothing to take me away from what matters most... that one needed thing.

So I write this to say that I don't have the answers to the questions posed above.
But I do know that we will...

:: dance :: sing :: memorize :: read :: explore :: play :: pray ::

:: make things :: help one another :: learn to trust :: obey ::

:: run & jump :: cook :: clean :: listen :: experiment :: bake :: eat ::

:: really talk :: understand :: study :: rest :: be still ::

:: read some more :: breath deep :: enjoy life :: LOVE ::

:: sew :: hike :: .s.l.o.w. d.o.w.n. :: experiment ::

:: kiss & cuddle :: draw & create :: more reading ::

:: hike :: honor others :: be grateful ::

:: revel in the simple things ::

:: work hard :: think ::

:: be joyful ::

.learn.

Yes, we will learn. In all things we will learn! We'll live well and honor God in all things, and by doing this... learn. This is my goal. I know we will have conflicts. Try as I might, I've not been able to get the sin nature out of myself or my children. So yes, there will be hard days, there will be sickness, there will be sin. I will have to apologize to my children, and they to me and one another, but in all things we will learn, together. Only in His strength will live an honoring life. We will grow in Christ, together. And that is exciting!