Tuesday, September 10, 2013

An Eagle, Waiting, and Stepping Back

An Eagle

We weren't sure it was going to happen or not, but we are so happy and relieved that our Brennan chose to finish earning his Eagle Scout Award. (In fact, he turned his papers in 2 hours before his 18th birthday! Yeah, we think it may be a record!)

At his Eagle Court of Honor, we showed a video of him and his life and experiences in scouting. I'm very proud of him for following through and finishing because he WANTED to-- not because his parents made him do it. Even if it was in just the nick of time! ;-)



Waiting

This same boy has ALL his mission paperwork in, and so we WAIT. And WAIT. And WAIT. It's been 3 and a half LONG weeks, and still no call. Yes, I am impatient. In fact, I am the one that keeps bugging my boy to check the mail, and then I watch him out the window to see if he brings back that elusive, mysterious, WONDERFUL, big, white envelope.

I will update the blog as soon as we know WHERE and WHEN!!!

(Hmmm... I wonder if the mail is here yet...)

My boy-- SOON.

Stepping Back

I did something very difficult, yet wonderful; with regret, yet relief.

I'm not teaching Shakespeare.

{What did you say???}

I'M NOT TEACHING SHAKESPEARE.

{Woah.}

After making all my lovely plans for a new curriculum and approach, after training other moms how to teach it, after getting all my ducks in a row, and then getting VERY sick...

 I QUIT. 

I hit my brick wall, and found that I could not do it all. (Shocking, I know.) I had to choose between being in charge of our homeschool group this year, or teaching Shakespeare. (*sniff*)

And so, I chose duty over passion.

It's good for me. And I have a great deal of PEACE about the decision. And two other moms stepped up to take on my class of 32 students!!! (Sorry, guys.) Usually the classes are smaller, but I like to teach big groups, so I let a lot of kids in. (Oops.)

These women are SAINTS.

So while I have a twinge a sadness, I also feel so relieved and happy.

Heavenly Father is teaching me lots of good, important lessons this year. There are beautiful things on the horizon, and I will get there, eventually. 

I'm excited to see what the future holds!

Love, Mama Rachel

4 comments:

  1. I have missed your posts! So glad to hear a few updates. Let us know the mission details - it is so amazing to see the Lord at work. We got a new missionary last week and he spoke Sunday. He is only in Ohio temporarily while waiting on his Visa to finish. Then he's off to Brazil! Apparently it was taking a while so they temporarily reassigned him. I can't wait to see the people he touches in his most likely short time here.

    RE: the stepping back = good for you! I have felt a lot more stretched these last two months with baby #8 here and still having Mason with all his medical needs. I am stepping back on many things in many areas.

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  2. I wish you joy. I wish your boy joy . . . and a mission call that comes soon.

    (Boy--joy--that's kind of funny, isn't it?)

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  3. The mission sounds exciting!

    I wish we could have found a good home school group. My girl's LOVED Shakespeare. They would have done it every year.

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  4. Hurray you're back! Congrats on your son putting in for his Eagle and his mission. Whew! My husband said when he put in his papers the only day his family forgot to check the mail was the day his call arrived (to Curitibia, Brazil). It'll arrive when you aren't looking for sure.

    Stepping back seems to be a common theme among a lot of homemakers/homeschoolers right now. Taking some things off their plates and simplifying their lives. There is pressure to be so busy all the time that we lose focus on what's important. I am doing actual homeschool (be it short and simple) with my very interested 4 year old and I have found I have to let certain things go so I can do more important things. There is a time and season for all things. One day, Shakespeare will return.

    God bless!

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