Some lessons from our first 3 months (back) in Vermont, in no particular order:
It's Summer and there is the occasional thunderstorm. Maybe I forgot what heavy rain looked like, after the drought in Cape Town, but they sure do supersize them raindrops here in the States! In the end, we're left with puddles and mud. Now if you have or know anyone between the ages of 2 - 4 years, you'll know that "when you jump in muddy puddles, you must wear your ....boots!" Adrienne is very good about wearing her boots - any day, to anywhere, in any weather. Poor feet! But she is especially good about burying her hands in wet mud and dry sand. And she can do it for ages without feeling fussed and without having that short attention span, like kids do with almost everything else! I used to have to turn away so that it wouldn't affect me. I've learnt: Let them play in the dirt. We have soap.
I'm the one with the lists. I'm the one who will say, "I can work in a team" even when I prefer to work alone. I'm the one who will refold the laundry if it isn't quite right. Who's sad when the petrol gauge drops or new shoes get skuffed. Homeschooling 3 children under 11 years old, in a foreign country was like a bad kind of home run! Early in our time here last year already, I realised that I needed help. I've learnt: I need loads of help. Ma and PJ stepped in to take on the bulk of the schooling so that I didn't completely ruin my children's formative years, and they thrived! I look at my classmates at college this past semester, I've met full time students, part time students with 1 or 2 part time jobs, studying qualified nurses, high school students doing extra credit college work, students with young babies at home, students who drive from an hour away to attend class... It blows my mind that I felt so under pressure to get through the coursework, and I didn't have nearly as many (or high) obstacles as these people. I am so grateful for all the hands here (and listening ears back home) that help me in so many ways, every day.
A few weeks ago, Jorja decided that she likes to run. She ran to the ball field from our house. She ran around the farm and she even ran up to the farm one night. She runs before eating, she runs after eating...and then she asked me to join her for a run at 6am in the mornings! Clever girl, this one. She asks me if I'll join her - so I'm thinking: time with her, exercise, chats, escape from the other two, enjoy great summer early mornings and I can encourage this new found hobby... The only catch is that I am the one with the alarm and the responsibility is on me to get up and wake her! We don't go out on a Saturday morning and we've been rained out twice since we started. Ethan has joined us twice. On his bike! And what has been the biggest noticeable change since we started? My jeans fits less snugly? My skin is glowing? No! It's that I can't reach my shoe laces with ease any more...well, until much later in the morning at least! I've learnt: I am getting older. And well, what exactly are we waiting for?
In the sneaky way that social media works, the fact that I have been following up on some stories in South African news, means that most of my ads, feeds and posts are about the devastating crimes against humanity in SA and similar stories like it around the world. I am saddened by the news, I am distressed to hear people speak of my homeland with fear and disdain. I am disturbed that for all the good and hopeful and lovely that we have, the media only wants to highlight that mankind is inherently bad, in need of a Saviour. And this all on top of the fact that I miss this home - my home - my extended family, my familiarity. I've learnt: It's okay to miss a less-than-perfect place. I am concerned for people there, as I am here, in England, in Singapore, in New Zealand and in Brazil. I joked about finishing up my final exams a day early, in case Ma's air ticket to SA suddenly became available. But was I really joking? Was I?
My first day of 'school holiday' felt strange. What time did I have to leave for class again? Did I have homework due? Hard to believe that a 12 week semester had established a new routine in me. Between the Canada Lynx, External Data in Access, Basal Cell Carcinoma and Venn Diagrams, I had a whole bunch of new knowledge! I've learnt: You're never too old to learn something new. I didn't imagine becoming a student again would be quite as enjoyable, and rewarding. The pressure is real. The late night studying and snacking is real. The sacrifices are real. But the results are encouraging! And I'm hoping that the upcoming season for learning (for us all) will be a satisfactory challenge with huge opportunity for growth, producing good life-long habits and progress.
And lastly, I've learnt: I can survive a week without cake. (Not to say that I will always or ever want to!)
It's Summer and there is the occasional thunderstorm. Maybe I forgot what heavy rain looked like, after the drought in Cape Town, but they sure do supersize them raindrops here in the States! In the end, we're left with puddles and mud. Now if you have or know anyone between the ages of 2 - 4 years, you'll know that "when you jump in muddy puddles, you must wear your ....boots!" Adrienne is very good about wearing her boots - any day, to anywhere, in any weather. Poor feet! But she is especially good about burying her hands in wet mud and dry sand. And she can do it for ages without feeling fussed and without having that short attention span, like kids do with almost everything else! I used to have to turn away so that it wouldn't affect me. I've learnt: Let them play in the dirt. We have soap.
I'm the one with the lists. I'm the one who will say, "I can work in a team" even when I prefer to work alone. I'm the one who will refold the laundry if it isn't quite right. Who's sad when the petrol gauge drops or new shoes get skuffed. Homeschooling 3 children under 11 years old, in a foreign country was like a bad kind of home run! Early in our time here last year already, I realised that I needed help. I've learnt: I need loads of help. Ma and PJ stepped in to take on the bulk of the schooling so that I didn't completely ruin my children's formative years, and they thrived! I look at my classmates at college this past semester, I've met full time students, part time students with 1 or 2 part time jobs, studying qualified nurses, high school students doing extra credit college work, students with young babies at home, students who drive from an hour away to attend class... It blows my mind that I felt so under pressure to get through the coursework, and I didn't have nearly as many (or high) obstacles as these people. I am so grateful for all the hands here (and listening ears back home) that help me in so many ways, every day.
A few weeks ago, Jorja decided that she likes to run. She ran to the ball field from our house. She ran around the farm and she even ran up to the farm one night. She runs before eating, she runs after eating...and then she asked me to join her for a run at 6am in the mornings! Clever girl, this one. She asks me if I'll join her - so I'm thinking: time with her, exercise, chats, escape from the other two, enjoy great summer early mornings and I can encourage this new found hobby... The only catch is that I am the one with the alarm and the responsibility is on me to get up and wake her! We don't go out on a Saturday morning and we've been rained out twice since we started. Ethan has joined us twice. On his bike! And what has been the biggest noticeable change since we started? My jeans fits less snugly? My skin is glowing? No! It's that I can't reach my shoe laces with ease any more...well, until much later in the morning at least! I've learnt: I am getting older. And well, what exactly are we waiting for?
In the sneaky way that social media works, the fact that I have been following up on some stories in South African news, means that most of my ads, feeds and posts are about the devastating crimes against humanity in SA and similar stories like it around the world. I am saddened by the news, I am distressed to hear people speak of my homeland with fear and disdain. I am disturbed that for all the good and hopeful and lovely that we have, the media only wants to highlight that mankind is inherently bad, in need of a Saviour. And this all on top of the fact that I miss this home - my home - my extended family, my familiarity. I've learnt: It's okay to miss a less-than-perfect place. I am concerned for people there, as I am here, in England, in Singapore, in New Zealand and in Brazil. I joked about finishing up my final exams a day early, in case Ma's air ticket to SA suddenly became available. But was I really joking? Was I?
My first day of 'school holiday' felt strange. What time did I have to leave for class again? Did I have homework due? Hard to believe that a 12 week semester had established a new routine in me. Between the Canada Lynx, External Data in Access, Basal Cell Carcinoma and Venn Diagrams, I had a whole bunch of new knowledge! I've learnt: You're never too old to learn something new. I didn't imagine becoming a student again would be quite as enjoyable, and rewarding. The pressure is real. The late night studying and snacking is real. The sacrifices are real. But the results are encouraging! And I'm hoping that the upcoming season for learning (for us all) will be a satisfactory challenge with huge opportunity for growth, producing good life-long habits and progress.
And lastly, I've learnt: I can survive a week without cake. (Not to say that I will always or ever want to!)
But we must have cake sometimes! Welcome back to the blog! And the jog?
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