Nicaragua bound...

It has been a while since I have been able to sit in front of this computer and type but I had to at least fill everyone in on the latest developments. We are presently in Nicaragua, longer than we expected. We were scheduled to leave Costa Rica on the 19th of January. That morning we were up at 4:30am and out of the door by 5:15. Our tickets were purchased to depart at 7am though they were printed for 6am, the agent assured me that 7am was the right time. 

When we arrived at the Tica Bus station the kids sat in the waiting area while Tony and I pulled out all of the passports and tickets. After a few minutes the agent told us that we didn't have any tickets purchased. We showed him the physical tickets and told him that we were in just a week prior to purchase them. He shook his head with an OK and said "You’re are right, but your bus is already boarded for 6am and there are not enough seats for the 10 of you. Well, it was just too early in the morning for all of this confusion so we pleaded our case for over 10 minutes as we watched the bus fill up to no avail. 

They apologized for the mix up and asked us to see if the 7am bus would have 10 seats available for us (yeah right).

I excused myself and went into the ladies room to have a talk with the Lord. I asked him to intervene, if it was his will. If not, I needed him to give me peace about this and that He did. I came out, totally ok with whatever happened. Well, there were only 3 seats available on the bus so there was no hope for the Jackson clan. We changed our ticket dates to Friday the 21st at 12:30pm and headed out of the door. 

As we were walking to the bus stop, I asked Tony if he would like to go to Limon instead. Limon is on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. We have wanted to go for a while and I thought it to be the perfect thing to do  instead of going back home for 2 days. Tony consented and the kids were excited to see the beach so we took a bus to the Caribe Bus terminal. We arrived about an hour and a half before the bus departed so we ate some gallo pinto for breakfast and did our bathroom runs at .20cents a head. 

We were in Limon about 3 hours after we boarded and it was beautiful. The sun was shining and the people were friendly. We heard more English than we had heard in a long time. We walked the strip for a while and sat to enjoy the view. We watched as a news team crew came and set up their equipment to the right of us. We were happy to watch them begin when the anchor woman points over to us and the camera follows. I sat there wide eyed as she walked over to Tony and asks in Spanish, if he would like to be interviewed. Well if you know Tony, he loves the lime-light and stood up immediately to make his channel 6 debut. They spoke for 15 minutes about the food in Costa Rica and I took a few shots of Tony looking suave for the camera. : )

The rest of the day was great, we swam, took pictures and spent the night at a hotel. The next morning we were on the bus again heading back to San Jose. 

We made it back home that afternoon and had to unpack wash and repack our clothes. We were short on time as we have to hang our clothes out to dry and I was not sure if they would all be ready by 9am the next morning. 

The next morning we were up bright and early and on our first bus by 9:15am. What a sight we were hustling down the street with all of our backpacks. We got off in San Jose and did a bit of grocery shopping as we headed to our next bus. That bus took forever to get us to the Tica Bus terminal and I was beginning to think that we would miss our bus again. Thank goodness we arrived 10 min before they began to board... we were off to Nicaragua, with lots of excitement in the air.

The ride was long and it didn’t help that the temperature went from 20 to 90 degrees every hour with the ac cutting on and off. We stopped at both boarders twice to show our passports, pay exit fees and have our luggage’s inspected. 

We were picked up by our host and hostess Charity and Leo at the bus stop late that evening and brought to the orphanage. 

We were tired that night and did not get to see much until morning but we were happy to see all of the children the next day. There were 5 babies to hug and play with along with 9 children who were happy to be entertained by Tony. We really enjoyed being here and even got to see a volcano, up close and personal. 

By day 3 I wasn't sure how we were going to leave. Charity approached us and asked if we would like to stay a few more days to meet her dad who was scheduled to come for a visit. I was more than happy to say yes, and the kids said that they had prayed that there was a way that we could stay longer. 

www.newhopechildrensfoundation.org is not only an orphanage but a primary and secondary school, feeding centers and technical center for adults. God is doing a mighty work here with the help of many workers and volunteers. We were privileged to meet wonderful people like the Australian/English couple who rented out their home in England for 18 months so they can teach at the school, the college student who spent a semester here with the babies watching over them and the college graduate who is basically the house mom to the babies. We are seriously considering moving here to Nicaragua to volunteer at the home and school. Please pray with us as we decide on our future. I never intended on having to make a decision like this now, but God seems to be doing something wonderful here and we would love to be a part of it. I have tons of pictures to post and will do so once I get on my computer which we left in Costa Rica. This weekend we will be visiting the children’s home in Waspam, where the children are all from and possibly bringing a little girl back here. I suppose that I will have lots more to write about in the near future and will do so if the internet connection allows.

More to come…

A day in the life of_________

A few weeks ago I asked a few homeschooling friends to share with me a day in their life. I hope that this will bring encouragement to someone out there. During the first years of schooling it is easy to feel like you are just not doing it properly, but to read someone else's day can provide a bit of encouragement, as there is no right or wrong way as long as the children are learning.

A day in my life is nothing like it used to be. My full speed ahead engine ran out of steam years ago. We go with the flow these days and the Lord has been faithful in helping them to pick up exactly what they need, when they need it. I no longer spend hours doing flash cards and reading lessons with the 5-6 year old, yet the 3 year old is reading on his own. How did that happen? I couldn't explain it if I tried, it is the Lord. The teens basically work independently as they are given a weekly schedule that outlines all assignments due.

 I would say that our main focus these days are on learning Spanish, geography of Central and South America and the history behind these countries. The constants are math and science as we do Teaching textbooks and Apologia.

We bought home 3 adorable chirping chicks the other day. Even the teens couldn't wait to hold them. 

I assigned the younger 4 children with 2 weeks of chicken unit study including online research and experiments. It's amazing what a difference having the actual specimens in the house does for their enthusiasm. Hopefully we can keep them around long enough to observe them grow and lay eggs. : )

Now for some other perspectives:

A day in the life of Lorri in Brunswick

In eight years of homeschooling, there was never a typical day. And perhaps that is one of the reasons we were homeschooling in the first place - our unpredictable lives filled with pagers, and travel, and the precipitous joys of autism. Eventually, though, we found that daytime was playtime at Kettle Cove or Fort Williams or on the slopes at Sugarloaf, or on the shores of China Lake, and at work, and in the quiet and dark of midnight, no matter where were were,  we began the school day. Some years, school was centered on the pottery wheel or origami. Other years we'd be up to our ears in text books and tomes of literature, including mountains of graphic novels and comic books. In many ways our homeschooling life was more typical of the earlier 'dark ages' of homeschooling, those years in the seventies when we ran free, found mentors in the community of curious souls, and hid out in the dark, star gazing and swatting mosquitoes away from our flashlights and midnight snacks.

I homeschooled/unschooled my son through grade ten, five years of that as a single mom. At age fourteen son entered a public alternative high school. He graduated two years later, with honors, and is now matriculated in Maine's University System. 

A day in the life of Shari P.

So we typically start the morning about 8:00ish --well John does (12yos) since he does math with Dad before Dad goes to work. Two times a week Sarah and I leave to go to the gym while Dad is teaching math.  Then by the time we get home the boys are typically eating breakfast (or not).  John is pretty motivated so he just continues on to the next task he knows he must do.  Andrew tends to get distracted and is often found "playing" if Mom is not looking :)

We try to keep mornings "sacred" in that we don't have too many outside commitments in the morning... except piano once a week and co op every other week.  After they get Math and piano done then I go to our together work- Tapestry readings, read alouds, science, etc.  I try to do as much as possible with the boys together.. more fun for both of them.  I also teach a bi-weekly writing class for the middle aged (11-12yo) cousins - while the younger ones are taught music by yet another Auntie.

SarahBeth on the other hand does most of her work independently- I give her a planning sheet for two weeks and she just buckles down and does it- I do the correcting of math and working through Tapestry questions.  Must say I do inspect ( you get what you inspect not what you expect - my borowed motto)Fortunately she is taught science by my sister in law and also has an outside writing tutor. She is pretty busy since she also does Chorus twice a week at the local Christian school, violin and voice lessons. PHEW- so glad she can drive herself now. :)

When Dad comes home at night we typically eat dinner together and have a Bible time.  The older two kids have their own personal devotions daily.
This fall Dad also ran a weekly robotics club -- our team took first place for accomplishing missions!! :)

My husband makes this whole homeschool thing possible... without him I think I would be bald :) I should also praise God for the wonderful family community I have- we all work together amazingly well.

A day in the life of Laurie B.

Our day is pretty basic. We are at the table to get to work by 8:30. The younger kids do their quiet time (they need help with reading,etc.) Then they work on their Awana verses. Then the academics they can do on their own. Lydia(gr. 7) works on math. (saxon 7/6) and Jensen's grammar. Zach (gr. 6) works on Spectrum math and grammar. Luke (gr. 3) does Horizons math and copywork. Jake (gr. 1) does math and has a reading lesson. (The Reading Lesson by Michael Levin and Charon Langton) We do science (Jeanie Fulbright, Physiology and Anatomy) and Mystery of History together.(Linda Hobar) We also do Sequential Spelling and dictation. And When all goes smoothly, and Sadie (5) Chloe (2) and Natalia (3 weeks) are content , we read aloud. Older ones read to the younger ones a lot.

Emily (gr. 9) is on her own with Biology, Jensen's grammar, Algebra 1 (teaching textbooks) a lot of historical books (studying ancient times) plus all the handwork amd knitting she does.
Abbie(gr.11) has been part time at the high school to take advantage of the Honors classes, Latin, and music. She is excelling and this has gone well.

Afternoons are free for reading and creating and experiments. I have several musicians and we do soccer in the fall plus church activities. Also our co-op which focuses on science, history, and music.

That is a basic outline of our day. We try to be flexible but focused on our morning routine. 

Four different ways, yet these children are all excelling and enjoying their learning experience. If you are not homeschooling and you are reading this blog, consider it, you never know how the Lord may use it for the good in your life.

More to come...

 

New year, new beginnings.

Happy New year! The Lord has seen fit to grant us another year of life. Praise the Lord!
We spent our New Years eve in church, as usual and the Holy Spirit did not disappoint. We were surrounded by his presence.
I wasn't sure how New Years eve was celebrated by our Tico friends and neighbors but realized on our way home, that it was going to be another big deal. People were in the streets talking, laughing, grilling and getting their fireworks ready.
At midnight New years day, the sky lit up. It was grander than the ones from Christmas day and it went on for more than half an hour. I can't even begin to explain how magical it was. The younger kids ran outside and watched from the back yard. The older teens ran down to the front gate of our Finca and watched. Tony and I being the old fogies that we are decided that the view was just fine from our dining room windows. What an experience.
In a few weeks we will be on a bus to Managua Nicaragua to help out at an orphanage. I am so excited to see what the Lord is doing there. If you were to ask me a year ago if I would be living in Costa Rica or planning to go to an orphanage in Nicaragua...well, no one would of even asked.
How could we do such a thing with so many children, how would we ever afford it? Just not possible! But God is continuing to prove to me through grace and mercy that all things are possible. He is awesome! The bus line is called TicaBus, pretty similar to our greyhound buses in the US.

Price per passenger is $22 one way, which is about what it cost to get from Maine to Boston. The trip will be approx 7 hours, not including the stop at the border to get our visa's. This trip not only fulfills our requirement to exit the country every 90 days, but gives us a pretty awesome reason to. 

It has always been a desire of mine to feed the hungry, care for the orphan and spread the gospel and I am humbled that I may be able to do just that. 

Between all of these exciting plans, school is back in session tomorrow. Kids have had 2 weeks vacation and have spent 99% of their time on the laptops and the playstation. I am very happy to get back to school if for nothing else but to put away those distractions until next weekend. I much rather them explore the neighborhood, read books, bake or play together. 

I have kept a mental list of all the questions I have been asked these past 2 weeks such as: 

"Why did the moon turn that color during the eclipse?" 

"Can a spider really get big enough to kill a bird?" 

"What continent is Central America considered part of, North America or South America?"

These and many more will be part of their curriculum this week along with their math, literature, history, writing and Bible Study. 

We will also begin our FAFSA application this week for my oldest. She has decided that she does not want to leave us in the Fall and will be enrolling in an online University majoring in psychology. She has been prophesied over as a missionary when she was 16, so I'm excited to see the path that God puts her on. 

More to come...