My Little Meggy and a Year of Memories Challenge

It was a beautiful fall day today. We headed outside to enjoy the beautiful sunshiny, warm day. The husband is planning on cooking out. I took Megan outside and let her enjoy some fresh air, despite a small cold she's had.

We've all been fighting health battles, it seems. A day outside in the fresh air couldn't be more wanted. We decided to enjoy the warmth and indulge ourselves a bit.

Most of my children took off as soon as they could to be with friends. Megan, my two year old, is too young just yet for that option. She's kind of stuck with mom and dad unless one of her older sisters takes pity on her and decides to take her with them somewhere.

Megan started out playing with the rocks and we eventually moved on to the park a block away.

I got to thinking that time has gone very quickly with my children. I know, it's sappy and sentimental, but it is also true.

I wanted to make this year one to remember. There seems to be so many changes, not only in the world but in my family. Megan will go from toddler to preschooler. Laura will be almost a pre-teen. Natasha will be driving. Jasmine will be totally and completely into her teen years, and I feel changes there too. My oldest will be leaving in less than a year for college.


Lots of changes here. My husband and I have some difficult financial decisions to make. Unfortunately, after two years of low hours and this last summer's layoff, we just don't trust his job to provide for our family. We love that he is working, since so many we know are unemployed long term. We count that as a blessing. Yet, we are planning for the future. I want to homeschool this little face. I want to be her teacher. I don't want to find some job that makes ends meet and leaves this child in a day care center.


The changes are coming faster and faster, needless to say. In wanting to make this a year to remember, money can't be a motivational tool for me. Yeah, I'd love to be able to take my whole family to Disney Land or some wonderful vacation. However, that isn't in the cards for us. I know this. So, I have to make the best of what we have. Like most of you homeschoolers out there, making the best of what you have has become an art form.




There is a challenge to blog every day for a year and see how it affects your blog. I think I'm going to do that, with some twists thrown in. Blogging daily is a challenge. Some days I'm not home much, and I don't have a lap top. Other days I'm sick or have emergencies come up that keep me from the computer. Some days I have to fight just to have the computer in a home filled with people anxious to use it.

I want to record the memories of this year. I want to record our homeschooling ventures, yes. I've been a little lazy in that department. It's easier to record the lessons on the nine year old, but I often don't record the ones of the toddler or the high schooler. The toddler is harder because often I'm busy doing the lesson with her. The high schooler kind of works independently. It's harder to track her progress in pictures. She isn't one that does art projects. (Maybe I should do more research on what to blog on with a high school student that does her work very independently.)

Either way, a blog a day seems to be in order. I don't know how or if I'll accomplish it. I guess failure isn't a bad thing. The worse that can happen is I'll miss a day. Like homeschooling, I'll give it my best but not beat myself up if life happens. I'll just pick up where I left off another day.

Well, I'm being called into a rousing game of phase 10, which could only mean that our friend Joe is here. He's the phase 10 nut. He thinks I'm the official score keeper.

The husband is getting the grill ready. The sun has already set. The sound of my house is filling with children as they come home from their various spots.

My pictures of my little Meggy are posted. My girl sure does love the park. Trust me when I say she didn't want to leave. She wanted to have fun until she dropped. However, that would have defeated one of my purposes for taking her to the park. I wanted her to burn off excess energy, not wear herself out so much that she falls asleep at like 6 p.m. and then wants to stay up all night.


My Megan is so smart, so happy, so inquisitive. She never fails to brighten my day. Last week her oldest sister, Kim, taught her how to give butterfly kisses. Now, she'll run up to you when she sees you sitting, and she grab your hand and flutter her eyelids on the back of your hand. She'll giggle and say, "Butterfly kisses." She'll hold out her hand for you to give her butterfly kisses in return. Why the hand? Not sure. It's her version of a handshake I guess.

We only have one life, and we have to make the best of it. Serving Jesus and honoring the gifts he's given me is what I'm striving to do. My husband and my children are the most precious gifts to me.