Day 15 & 16- March 31, 2020

 We missed a day.....  I went to bed early last night because I was exhausted!  It was AMAZING to sleep a full 8 hours! 

We have been working on projects around the house that need to be done now that the weather is better.  I call it "The School Of Hard Knocks."  We still do our academic time in the morning until lunch and then work outside in the afternoon.  We have been making some great progress with little steps in homeschooling.  Mia's teachers send a lot of stuff to her online to work on.  She likes to sit in the reading area of the house to study.  Usually she has a "Buddy" helping her with homework. 

Cats help with homework.  

Part of my goal for this time home with them is to teach life skills.  Sometimes in school they are so busy in classes, activities, etc, that we forget to teach them the things they need to know in life.  So... yesterday Mia learned about tiling in gutter spouts.  She is in charge of laundry in the morning and hanging it outside.  I have really watched her "grow up" in three weeks at home with me.  She is not   so much a kid anymore, but a young woman.  She's also learning to drive on our ATV.  She can back that sucker like a champ!  Today she drove on her own to load lime for the greenhouse, backed it up to the right spot, and shoveled two giant loads in the back.  She's available for hire after COVID!  I have found that Mia is very hands on with learning and actually doesn't mind getting dirty.  She prefers to get her work done for school in the morning and then do things she likes in the afternoon.  

Hanging up clothes like a champ!  LOL

Get your drivers face on!  Mia's on the road.

Brad is completely the opposite on the learning spectrum.  Brad likes structure, school, and routine.  Brad is also very smart.  He actually completed all the lesson for 2nd grade math on Khan Academy....so today we started 3rd grade math.  LOL.  It took him 30 minutes to figure out single and double digit multiplication and tonight he wanted me to do timed tests with me.  Good gravy!  It cracks me up because he's faster at math than his sister!  Brad also loves the history videos we borrowed from a friend.  He wants to watch them everyday.  He also is my adventure man.  Today we left Mia at home and we adventured to the Baldwin Marsh to look at the geese and ducks.  He came home sopping wet, but the pictures of him with those damn science goggles on makes my heart happy.  It was nice to see him smile today and forget everything going on.  

Brad in his element-  Baldwin Marsh

Brad's Easter craft from Grandma

Working on multiplication

We starting planting our garden seeds today.  Both kids planted two flats of seeds during science time.  :)  We also finished the lime floor in the greenhouse so we can begin putting in the planters so they are ready.  TEAMWORK!  The kids helped out tremendously.  Minimal fighting........JK!  Mia only hit Brad once with the shovel, so I guess that's positive!  

Mom, our garden is going to be huge!!

Mia is in deep concentration counting seeds....LOL

Lime floor is in!  Only took two loads!

Child labor laws don't apply.....load that lime!

We ended the night with some Mavis snuggles and painting Easter eggs before I had online bible study.

Easter egg painting

Mavis snuggles are the best

I ended the evening today with a bible study I'm co-leading.  It was just the best way to end my day.  I am so excited to "get together" online with such an amazing group of ladies once a week to study scripture and the book "It's Not Supposed To Be This Way" by Lysa TerKueurst.  It is the book that changed my life a year ago and I'm so excited to share with other women as we all balance out social distancing, jobs, and life commitments.  I think the hardest part of social distancing is the way it messes with you mentally by taking away all interactions with others and changes your mindset.  When you are alone, you start letting fear talk to you instead.  I am not like that.  I'm actually okay being alone for the most part.  For those that really know me; I'm blunt, I'm bold, and I don't really care if people like me.  I spent three years in a job that consumed me without a lot of "friends."  When I read this book it changed my perspective on life.  I respect the rules of everything going on in this fight against an invisible threat, but I don't fear it.  I wake up everyday thankful for what I have, the time with my kids, what I did the day before, and start again.  I don't make plans for weeks ahead because the future is not mine to control.  This way of living is not new to me... only the lack of social interaction with the ones I love and maybe I spend less money at Wal-Mart because I refuse to go there.  LOL.  A wise friend said in our study tonight, "be gentle with yourself."  This is 100% accurate.  During this time of unknown, be gentle on yourself.  It's okay to not be happy all the time, it's okay to be sad, its' okay to cry, it's okay to be angry.  Just make sure you don't remain there and that you live, too.  Take a walk, pray, call a friend, read a book.  Just don't let all this consume you.  This too shall pass.  Unfortunately, it's just going to take time.  But with this time, find joy in small things and take time to breathe.  You are not alone. 

God bless everyone!

Love- The Ruley Family