Week 1...

So, just wanted to let you all know that the family has survived week 1 of Miles Master's program, and that we are ready to dive into week 2! :-) What have we learned through this first week of classes? We have learned that we have much to learn...

Miles did an absolutely incredible job staying at school and focusing on studying! We are not naive enough to have thought that any real studying was going to be accomplished here at home, and a brief test run Tuesday morning, proved our point...so Miles is at school ALL day long! However, he also tore himself away from his studies early a couple of night to come home and let me get some grocery shopping done, AND I even got to attend a baby shower completely kid-free! What an awesome man! He and the other members of his "track" (the group of students he'll complete the program with) have formed a study group, have divided up the reading, and have scheduled routine review groups...everyday 40 mins before class! I think that is awesome to be sooo organized this early in the game...and I know all about the power of the study group, saved me through more than one course in my degree seeking days! :-) This week we will be adding in some gym time for both him AND I, and he is going to make an effort to be home for dinner a couple of nights a week... We are giving ourselves a good month to get a feel for what he will really need to put into this program, and what I will really need at home...and we are most confident that it will all fall into place...eventually! :-)

As a humorous side story: Monday night, the first night Miles wasn't home to put the girls to bed, I had put the girls down, and was in the office working on lesson plans...when I hear mournful singing coming from our Maddie (Maddie loves to sing songs of woe...pitiful tunes that tell of the trials of her life! Many times Miles has had to "outlaw" sad songs in our little kingdom!) and as this is a common occurence, I wasn't really paying attention. However, I eventually realized that our little Maddie was singing "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home..." as she sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. Me and my breaking heart went in to comfort Maddie and let her know that Daddy would come home, and that he loved her and missed her, too. I asked her if she would like me to have Daddy come in and give her a hug and kiss...even if she was asleep. That was an acceptable solution, and Maddie quickly quieted down and drifted off to sleep. When I told Miles, he took his breaking heart over to our box of paper and crayons...quickly tore off a couple of sheets and wrote a quick note to both Maddie and Emma. Then he slipped into their room, gave them hugs and kisses, and left the notes under their pillows! OH! Much excitement the next morning...

Well, as these stories often go...the note quickly became a hot item! They requested a note each night...in fact, Miles came home early on Wednesday, and Emma threw a fit because she wanted a note...and since Dad was home to put her in bed that meant no note! Seriously...sometimes you just can't win! :-)

School with the girls is going great. We waaaay overplanned our week this week...we had lots of fun playing with friends, and had a couple of doctor's appointments and a couple of church activities...and the next thing I knew it was Saturday night, and we'd covered less than 1/2 what I had planned for the week. SOOOO...another lesson learned this week! School is the priority...just because we are home, doesn't mean we are available! Lesson learned! :-) Maddie started learning about Egypt this week in history, and has decided history is her favorite subject! :-) She also learned a bit about whales in science...her favorite things about whales...their songs (which she does an excellent imitation of!) AND killer whales! No joke! She watched several videos of YouTube of killer whales chomping on their prey, and she thought that was really cool! My Maddie has a violent streak? :-)

Emma has really stepped up over the last week, and is an incredible Mommy's helper! She LOVES to be tasked with playing with Ellie, or picking up the toys, or even cleaning the guest bathroom! :-) She is also a BIG help in the kitchen...readily available to help stir, or put an ingredient in...it is really nice to have such a dependable 4 year old! :-) She is doing really well on her math, and has enjoyed sitting in on a couple of Maddie's history lessons. She struggled a bit with reading this week, but she made it through all of her lessons, and I am really proud of her for that!

As for Ellie...she is Ellie! She is such a great baby, not fussy, unless you need her to NOT be eating paper, chewing on power cords, crawling down the stairs, etc. She must be in constant motion...even while "holding" her, she is moving...it's not so much holding Ellie, as juggling Ellie! :-) She did wake up Monday morning and decide that she was ready to eat that food out of the jar that Mom had been trying to push through her mouth for the last month or so! Now, she is plowing through at least 3 jars a day...yipee!!!! That means that Mom might be able to pass off the feeding of Ellie to someone else...OH...sweet freedom! :-) She is still cutting teeth...so she can get cranky when the teething tablets wear off, but keep them in her system and she is a gem! :-) I love this kid!

Me? Well...I am tired but content! I am amazed at how well this week played out...and while it was difficult, it was doable! I am blessed with wonderful friends and family who have been incredibly supportive, and I am truly grateful to be able to be a part of this awesome opportunity in Miles' life! It is such a blessing to be able to see your husband truly get energized by what he is doing to earn the paycheck...so I am ready to take on week #2...

Stay tuned! :-) We love and miss you all!