Hiking in the Hills

The last few weeks have been jam packed and crazy busy for our family. The boys and I have tried to slow down the last few days while daddy has been out of town. So when we got an invite from some friends to go on a hike to a nearby fort, we jumped at the chance! In our state, there are 400 forts, once controlled by Shivaji. He was the founder of the Maratha Kingdom and there is at least one statue of him in every Maharashtran town and city. Today we took a hike to the 'youngest' of his forts and one of the better preserved. It was a pretty easy hike, minus a pretty steep climb or two. But both boys did really well, and with only a hand to hold, they both made the climb to the top on their own two feet. I ended up hiking down with Hudson on my back, which is the last time I ever do that! My hips are dearly paying for it today which is pretty sad to admit. 30 is nearing on me...only months away...and I already feel like I have 'old lady' hips. Sore hips and all, it was totally worth it. We had a great hike, an amazing view and breeze from the top, and were able to watch deer, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, and no other people (which is hard to do in India). The boys found some 'crystals' as they called them, and really enjoyed the outdoors and our time with sweet friends. We stopped at a road-side waterfall on the way home and tried to get as close as we safely could. We are in the last few weeks of rainy season, which is the perfect time to hit the hills. Everything is lush and green, the waterfalls are flowing, and the rains are pretty predictable to come in the late afternoon. 

Here are a few pictures from our day out. We sure missed daddy, but now we have a great place to take him.

The kids took a route less traveled at one point.

The kids started off with great enthusiasm.

Taking a break at the top with a great view and breeze.

The Mountain Conquerors!

The steepest part.

About to head down the hill.

Watching butterflies and dragonflies

The kids on their alternative route.

Mountain Conquerors!

Roadside waterfall

First Day of Kindergarten? No way?!!?

First Day of Kindergarten for J and First Day of Pre-K for H! Let the fun begin!

My sweet boy is growing up too quickly!

Despite appearances, this kids LOVES school time and wants to be included in everything big brother does.

HS is exciting! Sometimes Superman even shows up!

I keep looking at my boys lately and wondering, "Where did my babies go?" Daddy is gone all this week and the boys and I have been watching lots of old videos of them to help pass the time (and to gets peeks of daddy as we miss him lots). The boys just love to see themselves as babies and it makes me long for those days and their tiny-ness that we'll never get back.

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and tell myself to just treasure the days! Isn't that what every woman or man with grown children in our lives advises? And it's usually right before our kid throws a monster tantrum in the middle of the store or whacks you in the face in front of a playground full of people?....When you have two (or more) so close in age and your days are FULL of changing diapers, cleaning up messes, putting kids to nap/bed, feeding them, getting them yet ANOTHER cup of juice, breastfeeding, trying to squeeze in a shower for yourself or a quiet time during nap...it's hard to slow down and soak them up. You try your best to take the moments you get to sit and play with them or admire them... soaking those precious commodities up and storing them away for later days when you'll have more time for remembrance.

Our oldest is nearly 5!  I would say daily, or at least every time I am on the playground in the middle of the day with my kids, I get asked "So your kids aren't in school yet?" or "where are your kids going to school?" I usually reply with "Yes they are. I am homeschooling them" which bring son more confused questions as to why my kids aren't in "real school". It's a huge social expectation here, to put your kids in school by age 2.5 years. Many do at 1.5 for 'play group' and continue on from there. I'm learning to not take offense at the baffled looks I get or the neighbors who've asked me for the 14th time...and it helps to reply in confidence that yes, homeschooling is a very real thing and a legitimate alternative. I have come up with a pretty standard and non-offensive answer as to "why" we homeschool and "yes I am indeed qualified to do so."
For those of you who have not yet been to S. Asia, these kinds of persistent personal questions by complete strangers are completely routine and not seen as rude  or inappropriate (at least by those asking the questions).

One of the blessings of living here, is that I get to homeschool my kids. I know not everyone views it as a blessing, but I sure do. Besides having been convinced of how beneficial it can be (no matter what country you dwell in), I really see it as an opportunity to invest fully into my kids.  My time with them is SO short after all and will be over in a flash. It's an awesome responsibility which I believe anyone who has a desire to do it, can do it successfully. I know it can and will present challenges and it is WORK but I love the idea that I can taylor school to fit my child's strengths and weaknesses. I know them better than anyone else and I am passionate about challenging and equipping them to be the person that God wants them to be. And how, where, and by whom a child is educated contributes greatly to their character molding and the likelihood of them reaching their potential. I know it is not for every kid or mom,  but I am really grateful I can and am excited about the adventures and memories it will bring. I am also really grateful to have a spouse who is passionate about me homeschooling our kids. He agrees with it's merits and benefits and his confidence in me is constantly encouraging. He will have to play more intricate roles further down the road when we get to high level math and science :) I look forward to naps while he teaches physics and chemistry :)

Excited about homeschooling? YES! Ready for the challenge and blessings? YES! Confident teacher? eh...not exactly... Thankfully I really feel like God has lead me to some good curriculum choices that will work well for J and myself. It's been a long process of deciding as I have NO personal experience to lend from. I prayed about curriculums, researched, and listened to experienced HSing moms a lot! As far as this year goes, I feel confident in my very loose 'plan.' I like to plan (that's no secret to anyone who knows me) but I have become so 'go with the flow' and reluctant to planning since we've moved to S. Asia. It's a good thing, I think, as S. Asia has a way of ruining any plans you make anyways. I find myself feeling way less up tight and controlling, which is a plus too. Our routines here are constantly changing, so our HS will need to have flexibility for the spontaneous and inevitable transitions.
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My Curriculum Choices for Kindergarten

I've had a few friends ask what I'm using, so I thought I'd just share it here.
The planned curriculums we're using and loving so far are... (all of which we have started except for Handwriting, but will start on Monday)

Positive Action's God's Love storybook bible w/ kindergarten (and pre-k for H) activity book. This is the best children's bible I have every read, and we have a LOT! Seriously it's SO good. I am pleasantly surprised by it every lesson.
Five In a Row- a read a-loud program using 18 classic children's books. You read one book a week, the same book, 5 days in a row. Each day you read the book, you do an activity or talk about an aspect of the book from a specific subject like social studies, art, literature, math, and science. My kids love the repetition and look forward to this time everyday!
Singapore Math- I have high hopes for this curriculum and so far we like it. It seems like a very solid math curriculum using spiral learning method and teaches in both concrete and abstract ways. Lots of fun activities and interactive worksheets, which my boys love. I really just chose this one b/c it's highly praised by those who use it and b/c the Singaporean approach to math has supposedly produced some impressive results.
All About Reading-I am very excited about this phonics program. It is multi-sensory and so clearly laid out for the parent with 49 simple lesson plans. I basically open the book and it tells me what to do, which is what I wanted in a phonics program. Not sure why, but teaching my kids to read (and High School chemistry) are the scariest responsibilities of homeschooling my kids. I also chose this one because it's sister program, All About Spelling is highly praised. I plan to use it for first grade.
Hand Writing Without Tears- Again, I heard and read great things about this program. The teachers manual offers multi sensory options and lots of pre-writing skills that I may not need to use with my oldest, but I think it will be great to do with H whom we are doing pre-k with. With J, I think just working through the workbook will be all he needs. The workbook looks so well planned out and their system of learning seems fool-proof (good thing b/c I'm a beginner!). I am looking forward to adding this to our HS time on Monday.

Supplementals we are using and loving are...

Leap Frog Tag pen with books and the World Map. We LOVE the world map. It's fun and my kids are learning so much about geography which is very applicable when you have family and friends all over the world!
Magic School Bus dvds The boys' new favorite video to watch and it is even on Netflix!
Liberty Kids dvds Another new favorite and is teaching my boys about America. I want them to know about their country's heritage and identify themselves as Americans. I think it's especially important to be intentional about this when you live overseas.
Carmen SanDiego dvds We have only watched one so far, but they are good and reinforce world geography lessons we're getting through Five In a Row.
DinoLingo Hindi dvd Program- I watch these with them as I want to learn Hindi also. It's fun and a great program so far. It comes with flashcards that mommy uses for herself :)
Explode the Code online phonics games/program that is a fun way to practice what he's learning through All About Reading.
PBS Kids Play online educational games. It's especially great for our 'gaming' child in the making, H, who also needs something special to do while I'm doing one-on-one activities with J.

Ebenezer Stones

One major area of my walk with God that has been tested and stretched the last few years has been that of faith. I'm not talking about my faith in Jesus as my Savior, but the kind of faith that in the face of affliction or trials, doesn't waver or doubt. I've always seen my husband as a great man of faith. It seems to come easy for him. And it's true, it is a spiritual gift, so some seem to have stronger faith than others, but I know it's a gift that can be given in increasing measure through growth in our relationship with the Lord. And I have yearned for my faith to grow for years. So how does our faith grow? Through God giving us ample opportunities to be faithful and believe in Him. Such opportunities are rarely painless or easy. And boy has He given me a lot of opportunities in the last few years.

Perhaps the most difficult faith challenge is the one we are currently going through, but our adoption process has been one of those prime opportunities to show the genuineness of my faith. I am encouraged to see how He has changed me through my "warm up" faith challenges in the past. Losing my mom, when I was only 21 was kind of the ultimate faith challenge for me. Having came through that, by the grace of God, with my faith intact--I have more of a resolve to default to faith, rather than my former default to panic and doubt. Various trials and opportunities to believe God have only deepened my faith that He not only CAN do miracles and hears us, but that He DOES STILL do miracles and answer us. The answer I have received after months of fervent prayer has not always been the one I sought; but a few times it has not only been what I asked for, but Abundantly Beyond all that I asked or thought of.

My preferred way to pray is to journal--to God. I'm not a very articulate person but with paper in hand and a pen, my heart and mind seem to pour out more fluently. I also love letters. And seeing The Word, as God's love letter to us, I like to respond in kind. My prayer journal this last year and a half has been full of miracle type requests. I've seen Him answer in the sweetest ways concerning our adoption and I am holding on to those answered prayers as Ebenezer Stones (1 Samuel 7:12) to remind me when moments of fear and doubt creep in that, "Thus far the Lord has helped us."

We are two months in to the "court process" of our adoption journey. And to be honest, the waiting is far from painless or easy. The next update we get, could be the one that says, "F&J are legally yours!" It's kind of like the moment you anxiously await to see your baby's heart beat and all their intricate details on that ultrasound monitor. While we have already had the joy of meeting our kids, they are not yet officially "ours." I long to read those words that legally makes us the mom and dad of two more precious children. I long for the confirmation that they are indeed close to coming home. That this dream we've prayed for and longed for is going to come true.

There are so many sad adoption stories out there of lost referrals and the heart ache which comes with it. So many that can cause my mind to dwell on fears and anxiety and "what ifs". But I'm striving to hold onto those Ebenezer Stones and keep my eyes on my Great God, who can do far more abundantly beyond all that I ask or imagine (Eph.3:20). And who works all things together for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose. (Rom.8:28) Please pray with us that we'll keep this kind of faith and that it will grow ever increasingly as the days pass by. And please pray with us for the Lord to continue to do miracles in our adoption process and blow us away, once again, with His goodness. We know He has called us to this, and He who has called us is faithful to complete it. (1Thess.5:24)

Oman

We just got back from a very quick visa-run trip to Muscat, Oman. We would have loved to stay longer, but money and vacation days are all being saved for adoption needs right now. But our first experience definitely left a desire to come back soon.

Oman is much more like the US than it is like India, so not only did we enjoy getting to experience a small taste of the culture and sights, but we were able to enjoy many missed western amenities. We stayed in a guest flat, which came with a car, so we had plenty of space and freedom to explore. (Gasoline costs about $1 a gallon there too!) Next time, we'll use the car even more to our advantage to explore the wadis (mountain natural pools), sand dunes, Beduin fishing villages, and some snorkeling at remote beaches.  

We could see the beautiful blue Gulf of Oman from our guest flat and took a short ride to a beautiful (and CLEAN!) beach. We went pretty early and only managed an hour, because it is hot and humid in Oman this time of year. From walking down the stairs from the flat to the car, we were already dripping with sweat. Really, that was the only downside and it wasn't a hinderance from doing outdoor activities, except during midday. We enjoyed the drive through the city on the huge, broad, expressway from which you can see old mountainside watchtowers, forts, the Sultan's Palace and his Grand Mosque, the Opera House, and other architecturally impressive buildings. All the buildings, even the houses are impressive there. From what we learned, most families have 6-8 children and they all live together in one massive house. So it appears that everyone in Oman lives in a mansion, but really they are multi family houses. 

And of course, we greatly enjoyed the amenities of the shopping malls, especially the free AC. We ate, played, and shopped as much as we could in two days. There was a lot of hamburger and donut consumption and playground stomping to burn off the affects of the latter. 

Check out more pictures from our trip here.