2006-2007 School Year

This year I will have a fourth grader and a third grader. Here are some of the resources I plan to use:

Geography,Art,Music,Reading - My Father's World Exploring Cultures and Countries
Spelling-Spelling Power
Writing- Writing Strands and Institute for Excellence in Writing
Math-Math U See
Science-Student Interest Led with living books, experiments, nature walks and field trips
Grammar and Language Arts - Our Mother Tongue and The Shurley Method


I am sure about most everything above except for the grammar. I am thinking of using a traditional text by Rod and Staff. Also, I would love to use Apologia's Botany Elementary Science but I'm trying to keep costs low. We will see if this changes.

Unexpected Blessings

It has been quite a while since I have posted and now I'm on a posting flurry. I am so excited and thankful because our family is growing. On Dec. 29th, 2005, Kevin and I found out that we are pregnant and expecting our third child! This was not planned but it was certainly dreamed about. I'm so glad God knows best and uses us to the pleasure of His good will.

Anyway, our new addition, Olivia Joy Dogulas will be joining us sometime in mid-August. This has been a very eventful and different pregnancy. It has not been easy but it is so worth it. Things that happened this time that never happened before: severe carpal tunnel in both wrists, morning sickness, extreme fatigue, high blood pressure in second trimester going forward, failing a gestational diabetes screening (turned out to be a false alarm), 4D ultrasounds, no deli meat (fear of listeria?), 15 pounds overweight before becoming pregnant, cuter maternity clothes, very little swelling of feet (only went up a 1/2 size), very active baby who moved alot from her first ultrasound at 10 weeks and kicks like a karate champion!

I am so excited!

The kids perform "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". Can't you just see them leading a congregation in praise and worship?

Practice makes perfect!

Was I meant to do this?

I have sometimes asked myself if I was meant to do this. I am a housewife without a great deal of training. When I was a child, I was indoctrinated with the idea of being a career woman and marrying a wealthy and successful man, having kids and living the American dream. Now that I am grown and have a family of my own, it has become apparent to many women who were sold this same bill of goods, that it is not all it was cracked up to be. We have lost generations of children to the two career parent lifestyle and endless pursuit of material gain. Fortunately, I have been married for twelve years to a wonderful man who has set our family up for me to stay at home and train and raise the kids. I love it but at times it is such a struggle because it goes against everything I was raised to believe I should be doing. Add to that the financial challenges of living on one income and you have a recipe for major internal and external conflict.

My husband often tells me that he is weary of how I go back and forth on my struggle with this issue. He wants me to be and stay on the same page with him. I know how important it is for us to be in agreement. We stay on the same page 85-90% of the time. However, there are some times when I doubt my decision to teach the kids at home and be a house wife. These struggles arise out of many things including lack of proper training in cooking and keeping house, pressure from family and friends to go back to work (real and/or perceived), financial challenges, boredom, kids not meeting behavior or performance expectations and coveting worldly things and pleasures.

My husband is so strong. He is completely immune to these things. He has a made up mind about home schooling. This is good because he is a rock and I act like the chaff that the wind blows away!