my birthday week

My birthday week was a biggie!  Matt was traveling, our dear friends were visiting, and the bi-annual homeschool conference was happening.  Whew!  It was a lot of juggling and irregular schedules and hugging and laughing and late nights and joyful smiles.

I'm so thankful that my girls have such great friendships!  These girls are special. 

Thursday before the conference started Friday (and the day of my actual birthday) I helped host the conference keynote speaker who held writing classes for our children!  It was amazing!  Andrew Pudewa is a big deal name in the homeschooling world and I CANNOT believe that our kids were in a class with him and that I got to host him that day!

I've used his curriculum with all three of the big kids and the little guys will start in the next 12-18 months!  Yay for IEW and the kids felt like they were meeting a celebrity!

Mr. Pudewa is truly a master teacher! I love teaching and I love teaching writing and I felt like I was an understudy in the classroom as I watched him Thursday. 

I got home late that evening and collected the kids from their various spots (yay for friends who helped cover me on the kids during the day! - it was a team effort) and then I got everyone in bed and a few minutes later heard footsteps in the hall.  

Without even looking up I said, "Luke, get back in the bed."

"But Mom, I have something to tell you."

"Well, you can tell me in the morning."  {we all have nights like this, right?}

"But Mom, I lost a tooth!"

"Ok buddy.  I'm glad you told me.  And let's get a pic of that sweet toothless smile to send along to Daddy and aren't you growing up faster than I wish!"

And then I launched into the conference and Matt got home Friday afternoon and I was relieved to have kiddo help and I loved every minute of the conference.  Mostly I'm just in awe that I get to walk this homeschool journey with such sweet friends who are IN IT WITH ME and I'm so grateful that I get to teach my children at home.  What a privilege.

oh, and Matt?  He spends a lot of his travel time back and forth to the same destinations. So it was special that on this week, though he was away, he was enjoying a brand new spot.  And it was a good one to be enjoyed!