Homeschool Blog Hop #12

SO this week there is no preset theme for the hop, which means I get to be creative and come up with my own!
This evening, I feel like writing about all the big changes that we are about to embark on. I have posted previously about what kinds of changes we are going through – having another baby in February and becoming an Army family – but I have a lot of thoughts, emotions, and concerns that I haven’t shared.
First of all I am THRILLED to be having another lil one on the way! But I am also really worried. I’m not even going to sugarcoat things – getting through Joey’s first 6 months was really tough. The entire first year or so of his life presented a lot of challenges for me, but those first 6 months were especially tough on me. When I gave birth to Drew, I was 20 years old, full of energy and confidence. I was also alone, but we won’t go there for now, lol. But everything seemed so much easier back then. When Joey came along, I was 28 years old, more mature, and much less energetic, lol. It was so hard to get through everyday before he was sleeping through the night. There were nights that I held him and cried with him out of sheer exhaustion and frustration.
Now I am 30, and I will be 31 when our new little blessing joins our family. Joey will be a few months shy of his 3rd birthday, and the way it’s looking he will also still be in diapers. My husband will be two states away, completing his AIT training, and I am going to be one very exhausted, stressed out Momma!
Another scenario I encountered after Joey was born was homeschool related. I knew it was going to be challenging to homeschool with a baby/toddler, but man was I in for a complete shock! Those first 6-9 months, I fought for every single completed workbook page. I don’t know how to describe our schooling during that period of time other than to say – it was the single most frustrating and challenging era in our homeschooling career. We are STILL playing catch-up from the ground we lost during those months.
Granted, I am now equipped with the experience and knowledge to not allow it to happen again, but every baby is different and our entire family is going to be going through a lot of changes during that time. I would think it’s pretty obvious at this point that without my husband here to help me through, I am going to be relying on the Lord a whole, WHOLE lot to get us through every day.
Now we will address the second part of the coming changes – which is actually a whole lot of little changes, but we will get to that. With hubby joining the Army, we are looking at 4-5 months of training where we will only see him a handful of times, and rarely get to talk to him on the phone. That’s not my main concern though, seeing as how later on down the line, we are going to be looking at much longer periods of time where he is away overseas.
A lot of the changes that are coming as a result of his enlistment I am really excited about. Our finances are going to improve a lot. We are going to have top of the line health, dental, and vision coverage that isn’t costing us a dime. We are going to be able to build up retirement funds (which we have been unable to do up to this point) and provide college funds for our children through the Montgomery GI Bill. We are going to be able to improve our overall quality of life, have job stability, and get to travel to and live in different places all over the world! The only drawback to all of this is that we will be spending considerable amounts of time without my husband around, all while he is off on dangerous missions and such in another part of the world.
We are going to have to adjust to life without him when he is away and I am going to have to hold down the fort and make a lot of decisions without him. I do not doubt our ability to grow together and stay together as a family through all of this. I know we are strong enough. We have been through a lot and are better for it. This situation will be no different. Don’t misunderstand, I know it’s not going to be easy. It will probably be the single hardest thing I have ever done. But we will get through it!
Right now, I am getting through each day by looking forward to all the little blessings that are coming our way and by being thankful for those blessings we have already been given. I am focusing on the good, and we will deal with the bad when it comes. I have taken on the frame of mind that I am determined to sit back and enjoy the ride, regardless of whatever bumps and detours we encounter along the way!
Sorry for the long. rambling post! Blessings,