Introducing Ciske Homeschool

We are SO blessed! We found a HUGE remnant carpet for $44. Originally we looked at spending $30... and that WAS NOT happening... We decided we could not afford to carpet the entire room, so we had other plans, but we found a 11x15 (that I think was actually bigger) for $44... so it covers the entire room! I am WAY excited. So we are ready for the first day of school (hense the date on the chalk-board).

This is the alphabet around the top, the calendar/todayis... tomorrow is... yesteday was.../weather wall. With a chalkboard.

The I CAN sign is just for Zech who says "I can't" all the time.

This is the chalkboard for the kids

This is my # caterpillar that Lily LOVES

This is the "reading nook" and my storage area

Also as you can see, I SUCK at spray paint, so my chalkboard is a bit drippy... and until I get white wall paint (which isn't in the budget anywhere) it will stay drippy... and that is OKAY with me... well, I have been told it has to be!

We are pretty happy... and its already been prayed over! now we wait for a blessed school year!

The Classroom

I will post pictures soon, but my classroom is almost done. I have a chalkboard, a calendar, a weather chart, a "Today is, Tomorrow is, Yesterday is" section, An alphabet around the top of the room, a caterpillar that bears the #s... a desk, a table, sorting toys, puzzles, lacing cards! Its almost done. I just spent 20 minutes just standing in the room, hoping and dreaming. I went to college to be a teacher. I should know how to do this. I've taught first graders, and 6th graders... I 've taught 2 year olds, 4 year olds, I should be able to teach ONE three year old! So, I pray that his school experience is a good one. I pray that he is eager to "go to school". I pray for patience in teaching and for wisdom in how to teach. I pray that his mind will be open, eager, and willing! I pray his brain swells with knowledge... I pray my fear will go away!
I am hoping to get carpet this weekend, and then I will be done... I will then just make sure all the activities are lined up! Again, I pray my fear will go away!

A Few unsaid things

A lot has beeing going on lately, and I feel I just can't keep up! And part of it is just the overwhelming brain I have. I have about a billion MORE things that go through my mind "to do" that getting anything done seems to come second only to THINKING about getting it done! Does this even make any sense?

First of all I finished the wedding. I actually photographed my first wedding. I cried all day. The Bride was gorgeous and she is such a soft spot in my heart. I was so happy to get to spend the day with her on such a special occasion. However, I didn't think the pictures went as I had planned them in my head. I knew it as I was taking them. We just didn't think things through as much as I thought. I had a detailed list of poses, and didn't get some that I thought were most important. Her flowers didn't come until after the couple pictures, so she had no pictures of her and her husband and her bouquet... which seemed so weird to me.

But overall, she does have some pretty shots... I was just so disappointed in myself. I really thought I would have done better. So as I looked at the shots, I cry each time, feeling like I failed her. I hope that there is that slim chance she is satisfied. Her photobook is gorgeous, so maybe that will seal it up.

Here are some of my favorites... I do have MANY more, but I will limit it to this.

This is Zech, my son, for those of you who haven't seen him in a long time... We had such an experience getting this tux on him. He hated getting measured, so they mismeasured (even when I said that I thought they did and that we needed to get it right!) So when the tux came in, it was double his size... his shirt was SO HUGE (even when I told her NOT to order a small 3 year old a size 5 shirt!). So we had to go back to try it on twice. Each time he screamed and cried and told us he would never wear it! I tried telling him it was a superhero outfit, and that Daddy would be wearing one too... nothing worked. Dave just decided to get him dressed. Just like anyother day, and Zech was fine with that. He said "I don't want to be a superhero!" Daddy said thats fine, just get dressed. So he gets his pants on, his ENORMOUS SHIRT on and then the tie-- "I don't want to be OPA!" (Opa wears ties to preach) (Opa is our name for Grandpa). Dave tells him he doesn't have to "What do you want to be?" Zech says "ZECH IN A TUX!" DUH!

Zech starts homeschool on September 2nd. I thought we had 2 weekends to finish up loose ends, but my parents will be here next weekend, so we have until next thursday. I am so nervous. I don't feel like he needs 2.5 hours of sit down and learn time at 3 years old. And if it weren't for his personality, I wouldn't start at 3. However, he is stubborn when he is forced to do something, so this year's goal is to introduce him to the "school" process, To have a time of structured play (even if its unstructured in a structured atmosphere), and to write his name! hehe! I really want to see him write his name. When I try to teach him in restaurants (on the kids menu) or when he is coloring, or on the computer, he is SO NOT interested! So, I just want to set up the room and make it interesting.

We have cleared a room in the basement, I have the weather wall, the calendar, the ABCs around the room (things I loved about studying elementary ed), I even have a chalk wall... just Zech and Lily's size! he has workbooks, and center activities. I am excited and VERY nervous! We start at 3 because I need the practice of patience and by trial and error learn what will help him learn when school actually counts. I homeschool not just because I am a complete control freak as I tease. I actually feel its my job. Being in the traditional schools means someone else is teaching him more hours a day than i am... and thats just not okay with me. he's too young to be sent out to deal with that. THIS IS MY CHOICE... and I am not knocking anyone else. I just feel like its my job to care for him, to teach him, to protect him.

So, I get a promotion! I am not JUST mommy now, I am a preschool teacher!

I'll post pics of the finished project of his school room! IF I ever get it done!

NEW ADVENTURES

I sometimes struggle with the talents God has given me. I praise him for the ones that I am aware of. And without sounding braggadocios, I feel confident in my teaching ability, my ability to come up with lessons on a whim, and flow with Children's ministry... hense the reason I went to school to be a teacher. However, there are other things I want to do, I love to do, and I HOPE I've been blessed with the talent, yet I question on every turn.
Living here has been great for me. I will NEVER look back on our stay in Wisconsin and ask "I wonder why God sent us there". I always assume God sends us to where DAVE can minister. He is the pastor, our lives go for that direction. I am fine with that, I wanted that, I signed up for that. But I know beyond a shadow of a doubt (FAR BEYOND) that one of the many reasons we moved here was for God to show me some things I CAN do.
I love taking pictures, I love looking at photography, I love capturing the exact essence of the mood with my camera. When Rachel got engaged I was asked to be the wedding photographer. The Ciske family has confidence in me, and in that talent that maybe I don't even realize I have at times. I have wonderful subjects most of the time, so I always think the pictures are gorgeous. But they see something in me that I don't always see in myself. They make me feel like MAYBE maybe I could go into business doing this.
So, its wedding week. I've been online studying technique and poses. I've played with everything about my camera I will EVER understand, and have (not your fault, Rachel) lost sleep over this! I am scared out of my mind. I am nervous to the point I may pee my pants. I am so afraid her day will not be recorded correctly. The day is fast approaching. I have 4 days 18 hours!
And then I am reminded through that wonderful God I serve, of the principle we've been teaching our kids on a daily basis.
Zech says "I can't!" and I remind him (as he quote the verse from memory now!)
I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME! -Philippians 4:13
Why worry, when that doesn't make a better photography. I live for God, I love for God, I will work for God. He will take care of the talent, the inspiration, and the confidence. He will make me a better photographer!
Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever (photography) you do, do it all for the glory of God." (photography added :))
So, I will stop. I will pray. I will do it for God's glory!