Walking in a summer wonderland...

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S DECEMBER!!! Two years ago, we were anxiously awaiting our visas, unemployed, in a rental house, our belongings in storage... in limbo. Two years and a half a world later, here we are, preparing for Christmas in the summer! I really don't think we'll ever get used to that. And honestly, I don't like it much. My two favorite seasons are Christmas and summertime and I don't like them happening simultaneously. My snowmen look sadly out of place. But Christmastime it is, so the tree is up. Twice, actually. It fell over suddenly late last night while I was watching a movie. I sat there for a few seconds thinking that did NOT just happen! Water spilled all over the carpet, three broken ornaments and the rest scattered around the room.
Billy, Mikaylie and Will are in Australia so Brylie, Graham, Nani and I went and cut a tree at this fantastic tree farm. My goal is to have the whole house decorated for when they return and since I'm hosting book club this month, I plan to have it finished for Wednesday evening. I'm worried my fellow book clubbers have some big expectations for the "American" Christmas deco. Guess I should bake too. Ha! Maybe...

Our new little Pippa is doing great. She's a feisty, mud puddle-loving, cow poop-eating little stinker! But she is also so sweet.

On the horse front, I'm trialling another horse and he is AWESOME!!! Charlie is a 7 year old, Clydie X, gelding. A BIG BOY! I took him to the beach on Saturday and he was amazing! Praying that the vet thinks he's great too! I'm booked to go on a three day trek in February and I'm really hoping Charlie will be my guy. As a kid I dreamed of cantering a Clydesdale, bareback on the beach! That might just happen! So far so good...

The Saturday after Thanksgiving we had our 2nd annual Viner Family Thanksgiving celebration. The guest list grew and grew and we had nearly 60 people come to share in the festivities! Billy fried 3 turkeys and I made most of our family favorites. It was a potluck so we had tons of food and such fun! The weather forecast had me so worried and praying but the day was fantastic! It was a bit windy but sunny and gorgeous!

One of the family's that were guests for Thanksgiving and go to our church brought us a cow (hopefully bred), a calf that we are bottle feeding and 3 elusive sheep.  The next day, Billy had 2 more steer yearlings delivered. We are full fledged farmers again! I am loving it!

I'm finally feeling settled and happy to be here. Praise God!!!

Catch Up- Part 2

We managed to get our loot back to NZ and were glad to be back in our own beds. Mikaylie and Nani had spent only 2 nights in their new rooms before we left for the US. Brylie and Nani share a room so Brylie had it to herself for the 3 weeks we were away. We had just moved the basics into the house prior to our trip. There was (and still is) LOTS of moving yet to do. Slowly but surely I'm chipping away at organizing and getting things into their appropriate locations. I had hoped that the kitchen would be completed while we were away but NO WORK was done during that time. Guess when I'm not there to text or ring looking for the workers it just doesn't happen. The kitchen sink that was already here was so small I could scarcely wash my large stock pots or my Crock pot and I use them on a daily basis cooking for our large family. Also, the door to Graham's room was originally in the kitchen but we put a door on the other side, opening into the new lounge where all the kids' rooms are off of. Where Graham's door was is now closed in with another section of kitchen drawers and shelves, of which I can never have too many. I've set up a coffee station there which is nice to have kind of out of the way.
At this point the house is 99.5% complete on the inside, lacking a couple of spots that need plastering or mudding (here they call drywall "gib" board and mudding is called "gib stopping"). Those areas also need paint as do several touch up spots the painters overlooked. The stairs also require a handrail to be "signed off" on by the Council but I haven't chosen what I want because I really don't care if there is one or not. Outside there is more to be done (entryway, concrete in front of garage, redoing the drive and miscellaneous landscaping) but we'll do that as we have the money or time.

I've also been looking for a trekking horse. Trekking is trail riding, often over rugged terrain. There are trekking clubs and overnight treks. I'm hoping for a quiet, laid back horse to rebuild the confidence I've lost over the past couple of years. I still plan to ride Joe but want to have more confidence before I start him again. He is also not trekking horse material. I found a horse of interest on TradeMe, New Zealand's version of eBay. I was able to bring Lofty home to trial for a couple of weeks and quickly fell in love with him. He had only to pass the vet check and I was ready to buy him. In the meantime, tragedy struck when Mikaylie and her boyfriend, Caddison, were coming home from his house and found our dear Pete dead in the road. He'd been hit by a car. Mik, of course, was hysterical. Thankfully, Caddison was a real blessing used his "favorite towel" to wrap up Pete and they brought him home. I was devastated. Pete was my little shadow and our bed buddy. And he'd travelled all the way here with us. My poor Petey. Billy buried him in the orchard with a cross and his collar marking his grave. I can see the spot from the kitchen/lounge windows which is kind of difficult. I still cry for him.

It was a blessing to have Lofty as a enjoyable distraction while grieving Pete but that was short-lived as he failed his vet check. Apparently Lofty had been ridden very hard in his earlier days and perhaps even started too early. In a nutshell, he showed lameness after a flexion test on both hind legs. While still ridable for the time being, he is not suitable for trekking. The vet valued him very little: basically at the price he'd fetch for dog tucker. Yikes! Again, I was so brokenhearted. The girl from whom I'd gotten him was quite possibly more disappointed for me than I was! After conferring with the vet, she agreed to let him stay with us for a couple hundred dollars. She'd also given me his blanket and some supplements for him. I can ride him on shorter, less demanding treks (i.e. beach rides, hacks out on road) and she can know that he'll never be pushed beyond what is in his best interest. The girls can ride him as well. I'll still be looking for a trekking horse but in the meantime, hopefully Lofty can help me get my riding head on straight again.

Finally, our new addition... Caddison's uncle's dog had a litter of pups, one of which Cadd brought over to show us. He was a cute little guy, a Maltese/Shitzu/Bichon mix. Billy said, "Aw, you are so cute".  He also said, "No".  A couple days later he said go ahead so Mikaylie and I went to see the whole litter. We came home with Pippa, a fluffy, white ball of energy.

Our next big event is the 2nd Annual Viner Family Thanksgiving Celebration so I'd better get organizing and decorating...

Catch Up- Part 1

Wow, it's been a looong time since I'd last blogged! Nearly two months! So I'll play catch-up now and hopefully keep up better.

Mikaylie, Nani and I spent 3 weeks stateside visiting friends and family, shopping and eating, the latter two in excess! Our trip had to be adjusted to spend more time in Memphis with Mark and co. since Grammy had fallen and broken her hip there. It was nice to get to spend more than the one night we had originally planned to stay with Mark and the kids, though much of the time was spent beside Grammy's hospital, then rehab, bed. Her post-op week was a little hairy and I couldn't not see her again before leaving the country so we returned to Memphis for one last QUICK visit before our 13 hour drive to Daytona Beach to see Kaigan and Mickey Mouse. Grammy was doing much better by then, though the PT was wiping her out! It was a relief to see her in better spirits before we left.

Between the Memphis stops was a week in Kentucky. We visited with my sis and nephew and even met Jenn's boyfriend. We had a great time at a Hibachi restaurant and just spending time together, though not enough. We also visited Nani's little horse, CJ at his new home. He seemed to have shrunk as Nani has grown so much! He looked great and his new people really love him.

We went to our old church and visited with our church family there.  Nani got to play with some of her friends and we visited many loved and missed friends around the Somerset area. I could not bring myself to visit my old horses and absolutely could not go by the old farm. It was an emotional week!

Mikaylie had the hardest time as she got to experience first hand all that she's missing of the American high school experience. We arrived to Somerset the night of Somerset High School's football homecoming game and this really put Mik into a state of grief and regret. High school in NZ is NOTHING like high school in the US as it is all academic and, while there are sports and other extracurricular activities, it without the spirit and excitement of that in the States. Few parents even attend high school sporting events here and many are even during the school day. The whole Hollywood image of high school and all that it entails is actually fairly accurate. Its such an epic experience with Friday night football games, prom, graduation, etc.
With Mikaylie's eye set on playing soccer at the university level one day, we are considering her transferring back to the states for her senior year of high school. We have some wonderful friends who have offered to have her stay with them and we will prayerfully consider the possibility. We spoke to her former school there and she will be taking the ACT in December so that she can be placed in classes should we feel led to bring her back.

We met Kaigan in Daytona Beach then went on to Orlando and Disney World. Mikaylie seemed to be more enamored by the Magic Kingdom than Nani who had never been, and she even conquered her fear of the characters that she had since her first visit when she was 3! Kaigan, who had just been in February with Billy and Brylie, was quite over the whole thing and really only put up with it and us for the free food and shopping. Okay, maybe he had a little fun too. Nani did enjoy the parks (Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom) and rode every ride the big kids did, and even one that Kaigan wouldn't! I'll let him tell you which... We had a great visit with Kaigan and he showed his sisters around his school and let his momma hug his neck... a lot!

The last few days were spent in the Mississippi/Louisiana area with Mom who was home only temporarily from Gram duty. There we visited more friends and family and ate the best of the foods we miss the most (i.e. seafood!). We shopped for the last odds and ends that we wanted to bring back to NZ and had a heck of a time trying to keep all the luggage under weight! In all we bought 13 pairs of shoes! Shoes in NZ are so expensive and those that aren't are rubbish! We brought shoes back for Will, Brylie and Graham and the girls and I got a couple or three pair each. I had also had homeschool material sent to Mom's house that needed to be spread throughout our bags. Um... yea, books are heavy! Not to mention the beignet mix, goodies for those left at home and good ole American candy!

The entire 3 weeks stateside, I was addicted to talk radio and all the election stuff. As much as it disgusted me, I just could not turn it off and I became more and more concerned about the future of our home country.  I also felt increasingly grateful that we are currently living here. I know this upsets many people and think us unpatriotic but we choose to follow God's will for us and right now that is very certainly living here. I do love America but have come to detest the entitlement mentality of many Americans and the wicked government that enables such behavior. Additionally, having heard multiple stories of overseas and homebound voters not receiving their absentee ballots in time or at all (myself being one of them!) and other questionable voting, election, ballot issues, my faith in the American election process is left at zero. I could go on in defense of our decision to leave America, etc. but I shan't... for now anyway.

Leaving Kaigan, Mom and the rest of the family is sooo very hard when you live so far away and have no definite plans to reunite. But the departure was somewhat easier for me as I was so excited to get back to our nearly finished new house. And that is where I will pick up tomorrow...

Just a quick update before heading to the States: The house is soooo close to finished! Painted, floored and inhabitable. We've moved some furniture into place and have unpacked a few more boxes but the rest will have to wait til my return. It is settled enough for Billy to be functional and comfortable with the three kids that will be home with him while I'm away. I'm posting only a couple of photos now but be prepared to be inundated upon our return!
The boys and I have started our seeds for the veggie garden. They really seem to enjoy the gardening tasks and are fascinated by the rapid growth of the plants, especially the bean we put in a glass with a paper towel that we can fully watch grow! They will have a list to help Billy with over the next three weeks in preparation for our transferring the plants in to the veggie patch when I get back, namely, pukeko-proofing the garden!
Mikaylie and Nani are very excited about our upcoming trip to the States. I know we'll have a great time and I'm eager to see friends and family but it's so hard to pull myself away from our new home right as we're able to get settled. Such a different attitude from nearly a year ago, eh? I finally feel as if we are making a home here. NOW I feel we are where we're supposed to be and feel so very blessed and grateful to God for it!
Next post will be from America! Hope to see ya there!!!

Spring is in the air!

It's nearly spring so it's quickly becoming a very busy time on the new Viner Farm. The boys and I have started preparing our veggie garden. Last week we strung it off and sprayed the grass and today started turning the soil. I was trying to show Will and Graham how to use the shovel to turn and chop the soil. I figured even if they just wound up just digging holes, at least it would still be working the soil. But every time I looked over at Will he was bent over picking at something in the soil. Finally I realized he was picking up the worms and moving them over so he didn't chop them up! I told him not to worry about them but he just couldn't bring himself to chop them up. He even started calling me a murderer for the lethal blows I was dishing out. (Sound familiar, Mom? Lol!) I picked up my friend's two kids from school when I got Nani so then I had five kids trying frantically to rescue every worm as I turned the soil! Though one brought home his "worm farm" to feed his pet lizard.
We will receive a load of organic compost in the morning so work will resume again after lunch. We hope to have cranberry bushes in this weekend around the edges and potato seeds are sprouting in a box in the garage. I'll keep you updated and post photos. Thought it would be weird with you all going into fall and then winter while we plant for spring and summer!
Viner Academy is getting back to a regular schedule. We are looking forward to having our designated homeschool area in the new part of the house. The garden is our science curriculum for the rest of the year and in history last week we read about the Byzantine Empire and how they made mosaics.  I colored dried rice with different colored food coloring, let it dry then gave it to the kids with a block of wood to glue it on. Their creations were lovely but we also learned that these mosaics are a delicacy to our local fowl friends. By the next day, the mosaics that were left outside for the glue to dry were picked clean by the birds!
I have also had a daily battle going on between me and the Pukekos that are pulling up my olive trees that I planted on Saturday. Everyday I'm having to replant 1 or 2 that they have plucked out of the soil!
The house is soooo close to finished it's maddening! Painting should start on Monday and the following week the floor coverings should go in. Then we can move in!!! It is so amazing! We just love the house and the farm and just being out here on wide open spaces again. The views are stunning! Takes my breath away on a regular bases. Sunrises, snow-capped mountain, rainbows, ocean views, sunsets, wild birds unique to New Zealand... Even in the rain it's just beautiful! I think I'm gonna like it here...

Two Weeks Today

I can't believe we've been here for 2 whole weeks now. We LOVE it! The two bedroom thing is not ideal but it could be worse. The lounge is very cluttered with Mikaylie's things and homeschooling material as it is serving multiple purposes for now.
The building is progressing very nicely. Everything is framed, wired and plumbed. Stairs and windows will arrive in the next couple of days. I've managed to post a couple of pics from the first week of work and will shoot some more this afternoon for another update.
Billy and I wake every morning in awe of the views. I can't imagine ever tiring of it. It is so incredibly beautiful! Even on the rainy or windy days, it's just lovely.
Can't wait to post finished house pics!!! Stay tuned...

We're here!!!

We’re finally here!!! In our new house!!! On our new farm!!!!!! And we LOVE it! In our 2-bedroom house! LOL!!! Construction started the day after we moved in. Now after a week, Will’s room is framed, Mikaylie’s room is framed, boys’ bath is framed and laundry room is framed. The two carports have garage doors and are now closed garages and the enormous boat garage door is gone. Eighty percent of belongings are in the garages. Thankfully the kitchen and lounge were already satisfactory so it’s not too bad. And the laundry hookups can stay where they are in the boat garage until the laundry room is plumbed, which is already nearly done.

Joe is here and has a new temporary paddock mate in the form of a cute, little mini named Dream on load from a friend. Dream will stay until we find a nice, quiet family horse to keep Joe company.

The dogs seem to like the new place but keeping them from chasing the horses has proven a challenge.  There’s an electric fence surrounding the yard that is keeping Charlie in now that he’s been zapped. He started to go under it and when it shocked him, he bolted into the house and charged up the stairs to our room. I expected to find him hiding under our bed where he would often go in our old house when he wanted to hide but he wasn’t’ there. I checked the closet but he wasn’t there either. I went to check our bathroom where I found him in the shower! For the following 3 days we had to drag him out the door to go pee!

Pete, on the other hand, has darted under the fence 5 times without getting zapped, managing to go between pulses every time. I’ve had to put him out on a long lead to keep him from driving the horses mad. Today, on the lead, he darted under on the lead to get at the horses. I kept hoping he’d get zapped but he just wouldn’t! He darted back under but on the other side of the post so that the lead was wrapped around the post. He started to go back under but this time, FINALLY, he got it! ZAP!!! I’m praying that’s done it for him. Unlikely, but praying. As I sit here typing, Charlie is out and evidently he’d forgotten about the fence because we just heard him get a refresher. Ouch!

One of the neat things about New Zealand is that everyone takes a tea break midmorning. EVERYONE! At schools, at work, everything stops and everyone has a snack, tea or coffee. So on any given workday of our construction project we have anywhere from 2-6 people working on the house. And around 10am, the drills and saws and hammers go silent and all the guys sit down and have tea. I love it! Ten-15 minutes later, work’s back in full swing.

I really want to post all about our new project, all the building progress and pictures but we have no Internet here yet and we’re just using a stick for necessities. So I’ll post when I can…

Just tried uploading some pics but won't work. Hopefully I can get them up in the next few days.

World's Worst Blogger

Ok ok! I'm the world's worst blogger. I know and I'm sorry.
Last time I posted we were counting down to our move but also counting down to Mik, Nani and my trip to the States. Two days before our departure Mikaylie broke her clavicle in a soccer game. She is the keeper and quite good (if I do say so myself). We knew she'd be in no condition to travel and at the time feared she may even need surgery. She was so devastated about missing her long awaited trip. To make matters worse, the following day she received an invitation to trial for a national reps team! It's by invitation only and she had to be recommended. This is the chance she'd been hoping for all season as she has become very committed to her soccer career and wants to see how far she can go. My poor girl was so depressed. She broke my heart as tears streamed down her face for days, some from physical pain but mostly the painful combination of disappointments. We will still take her to the trial just to meet people and get her face and name on the radar. If we had gone on our trip we would have missed the trial altogether. Maybe, somehow, this is part of the plan for her soccer future.  Our trip is now tentatively planned for October.

So now that I'm not distracted with the friends, family and food of the US, I'm going crazy in anticipation of our move! I want to move YESTERDAY!!! LOL! Yes, it's given me more time to pack and I'm even planning the garage sale that I was going to forgo due to time constraints.
We've worked with our builder on the plans for the remodel and all seems to be in order to begin on the day of possession. Billy and I are so excited!!! It will be quite interesting during the remodel as the house has only 2 bedrooms but the kitchen and lounge are done and great so really only bedtime will be a hassle. We'll have mattresses strewn here and there. Most inconvenient to me will be the time without a laundry room. Though the wait will be well worth it because the new laundry room is my most anticipated addition! The builder thinks I'm crazy but then he's a man and clearly doesn't wash for 7-8 people! I spend hours ogling over pictures from Pinterest and Houzz(my new favorite website!).

Don't expect any posts until after the move on 26 July. But then I will chronicle the remodel and all the new changes to our life here in NZ...

We're Headed Back to the Country!!!!

We sold! We bought!! We're moving!!! I am so very excited!!!! Settlement (closing) day and moving day is 26th July. We hope to be about to start moving our things over to the new farm during the week before because we have to be out of our current house by the end of the settlement day! This should not be too much of a problem since the house we are moving into is uninhabited. The tricky part will be that most of the contents of our house will have to go into an onsite storage unit until the construction is completed. I can't have movers just come in and pack us up because I'll need to sort out what we will need in the weeks of construction and what can be stored. All of this I need to do in the next 2 weeks as Billy and I will be going on a belated anniversary trip to Fiji for 6 days. Three days later, Mikaylie, Nani and I leave for the States for 2 weeks. Then, 10 days after we return we move!!!  And then there's the wee issue of the 7 of us living in a 2 bedroom house for the duration of the construction! This could be our biggest adventure yet! Can't wait to share the pics of our work in progress...

Just a quick post to update...
We are under contract to both buy the farm we are wanting, as well as, sell our current home. The wheels are turning to make both unconditional within the next week or two and moving day will be 26 July! In New Zealand, one must be out of the sold house on the day of settlement (what we call "closing")! This means we must be packed and loaded to move and when the monies have transferred, we go! Since the owners of the property we are buying live overseas and the house is already vacant, we hope to have permission to start moving the week before. However, two of the girls and I will be in the States the first two weeks of July so I'm going to try to be packed before we leave for our trip. I'll have to dive straight into moving, with no time for jet lag upon our return. I'll be so excited though, I don't think I'll be sleeping anyway. Busy Busy BUSY!!!
Below is a link to our new home. Construction plans to finish the garage space are in the works.

http://www.eieio.co.nz/listing/?ref=OAK408&categorycode=Lifestyle%20Home&start=10

Not a Done Deal But...

My apologies for not blogging lately. I've either been too busy or just too depressed. As I've posted before, the last 18 months have been very difficult and I had gotten to the point that I didn't even have the energy to write, nor did I want to whine any longer. I know there are sooo many, much bigger problems in the world that writing about, or even contemplating mine brought such guilt, which increased my depression, becoming a vicious cycle and downward spiral. Things are improving, however. I am improving and therefore I'm ready to catch you up...

Homeschooling is still going really well, despite my internal struggles. The boys are clearly learning and improving skills. They are, actually, pretty easy to homeschool. They are quite cooperative, seem interested in our topics of study and work well on their independent work. They have even put up with our disrupted schedule due to preparing our house for viewings. Which brings me to my next update...

Nothing is a done deal yet, however, we currently have a contract to purchase a 12 acre property with a house. We are also in the midst of negotiating with a buyer of our current home. I am cautiously excited!

So about the new house:
The house was custom built only last year for someone who had planned to store a rather large boat inside. More than half of the house under roof if actually garage space. There is a huge boat garage and 3 car garages. The finished, livable portion contains 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Yes, you read correctly. The house currently has only 2 bedrooms. We will, obviously have to do some renovations. Within the garage space we plan to add 3, possibly 4 large bedrooms, another bathroom, another living area and a laundry room. Unfortunately, we will have to live there during these renovations but hope to have it finished in 5 weeks.
The property is all fenced, has water troughs and is ready for livestock, i.e. Joe. With the days shortening (now dark by 5:45), I can't wait to have the horses right there to care for and ride. Riding now has dropped to weekends, weather permitting, which is just not near enough in light of the problems Joe and I have had in recent months. We are getting along well now and I'm very hopeful broken parts are a thing of our past.
The house has AMAZING views of Mt. Taranaki, the Kaitaki range, countryside and, yes, the ocean! Billy and I LOVE it!!! The kids LOVE it!!! We are soooo excited to make it our own. And with it being semi-unfinished and the land open pasture, we basically have a blank slate to make it just that!

Provided the deal on our current house works out, we expect to move the end of July. Will keep you posted...

My First Trip to Mt. Taranaki

Today, Good Friday, is the first day of the kids' 2 week break between school terms. Mikaylie had stayed with a friend last night and Brylie left for church camp this morning. Billy decided it would be a good day for a hike up Mt. Taranki. (He's been hiking there a couple of times.) The weather has been lovely the last couple of weeks, feeling more like summer than summer did. So off we went. Billy, Will, Graham, Nani and I drove the hour plus trip to the trail head that is basically on the opposite side of the mountain from where we live. The temperature in New Plymouth was 22C (71F) but by the time we got to the mountain the temp was 13C (55F). The mountain kind of has 2 peaks and with the kids in tow, we were aiming for the lower of the two. The climb begins in thick, lush forest with lots of ferns, mosses and fungi. That bit is very shaded and sheltered yet it wasn't long before we began to peel off layers of clothing. The next bit had more shrub-like foliage rather than tall trees and we were in and out of the sun. We reached Hooker Shelter where we ate our lunch on benches within while Billy wondered where the hookers were. The boys were doing FANTASTIC! Never complaining and keeping up rather well. Even Graham handled the uneven terrain like a pro, negotiating the steps, rocks and roots with little problem. Nani, on the other hand, was rather whiny, asking frequently to "go home". We went a little further past the shelter, on a trail winding through smaller shrub, over which we could usually easily see to the towns and farms below. Finally, Nani had had it so we turned back. Traversing downhill, however, Nani became a little antelope!
Will insisted on carrying the backpack. He is so very helpful but then he could have also been concerned for the safety of our lunch. We discussed different plants and even the symbiotic relationship between some plants we found. He told Billy about the plover birds that eat food scraps from the teeth of crocodiles!
Graham struggled a little more on the descent but has come a long way and has conquered many fears about uneven terrain and heights. He still never once complained. On the climb up, he was so endearing as he frequently cautioned me to hazards such as tall steps or roots that could trip. "Be careful, Mom," he'd say. So sweet and ever worried about my safety and happiness. He is the one daily asking me, "Mom, you want any water?" or "Can I do anything for you, Mom?".
Nani is a budding photographer and botanist, constantly begging for my camera to shoot pics of various plants. We thought we'd sketch some for fun and look up their names.
I must admit, I was NOT, initially, a willing participant of this little expedition. As the first day to sleep in on the holiday, I was quite content to remain snug in my bed til noon-ish. In addition to my laziness, I'm again, well, still battling with just a general sadness. I still frequently cry over the loss of our farm and basically, my former life. I don't want to move back. Let me say that again: I DON'T WANT TO MOVE BACK. But somehow, I'm still grieving the life we left. I do completely LOVE that Billy is home so much and that is the main reason I don't wish to move back to the states. Life is more relaxed here. Less rush rush. Laid back. But between being home nearly ALL THE TIME due to homeschooling, trying to carve out time for horses after Billy or Mikaylie get home, and feeling claustrophobic between all these neighbors, I've been really struggling. We fell back an hour too, so by the time someone is home to watch the kids I barely have time to get to the horses much less get anything done before dark. And THAT does NOT make for a good homeschool teacher, or mum for that matter. Though I've not been blogging regularly, I have been writing some to help me sort out my emotions and vent some anger and sorrow. It's just too raw and rambling to post now. Maybe someday I'll write a book.
I love to escape to where I graze the horses and that definitely helps things but sadly, Joe is not working out. After the broken nose, I realized I can't afford to be more seriously injured. I know dealing with horses carries a certain level of risk but I can still try to minimize that risk when I can. I am broken hearted. Joe is so beautiful and for the most part he is quite sweet. But his being green and that thoroughbred hotness, compounded with my growing fear of injury has made a poor combination. Karma, though, is going much better and hopefully, upon Brylie's return from camp, she will start riding her more.
The house is still for sale. It's been shown twice but neither were interested. We haven't found "the farm" yet anyway so all's good for now. There is one I'm very eager to view but it evidently has tenants at the moment so it's not available to be shown until next month. Hopefully by then we'll have a good lead on a buyer for our place.
Happy Easter!
Barb

This and That and a Yummy Recipe

I almost want to say, "Please, disregard the previous post". While we do have a contract with an agent to sell our house, one of the kids has expressed huge apprehension about doing so, making it difficult to carry on. We plan to have a "family meeting" to discuss matters further. Not having another house in mind to move too makes it more difficult to process moving from this one. We, errr... well, I am constantly checking out new listings but haven't found "the one" as yet.
In other news... I appear to have broken my nose. Joe and I, through my own stupidity, had a little miscommunication resulting in his rearing up and whacking me square in the nose. I heard a very disturbing crunching sound, my nose swelled up and then two black eyes all seemed to confirm at least a fracture. I'm still a little sore and extremely jumpy about any flying objects that could potentially hit me in the face, whether real or only perceived!
Weather wise, day before yesterday brought crazy winds which we get from time to time but they strengthened during the night and have become insane! A semi overturned earlier, some have power outages and schools have been closed due to damage and danger for children. The house is rattling and every few minutes I brace myself, sure the windows will burst in! The strangest thing is that the sky is blue, the sun is shining and, if it weren't for the blowing trees and howling wind, it would be a beautiful day. The girls enjoyed their unexpected day off, though Brylie is away at camp and that has me worried. The boys weren't going to have regular homeschool yesterday due to a couple appointments and swimming lessons but the appointments have been canceled so they, too, get a day off.  They did have their swimming lesson so Nani came along and had a swim herself. She swam the full length of the pool 4 times, only one time using a kick board! She so needs to be a swimmer with that long lean body. The wind let up during the night which is a huge relief because it is very unnerving!
I have started the boys with some muscle strengthening exercises to compliment their "Moveables" class they participate in on Fridays. They both have very weak core strength, Graham has very poor coordination and Will is extremely weak for his age. I'm going to record their progress so they can see what they've achieved. I'm also integrating lots of exercises and games to increase eye-hand coordination, balance strength-building. I have to fight the feelings of guilt for having so much "play" and less book work but these are necessary for them to continue to develop in other ways including writing. I'm also battling guilt that we've not done this sooner with them, especially Will, having had him since age two. Neither of them should be so far behind and I would really love a "do-over".

My lovely neighbor, Natalia, shared a recipe with me that is delicious and oh, so easy! We had it for dinner (in NZ dinner is called "tea") and it was fantastic!

Shake & Bake Quiche

• 3-5 eggs (depending on size)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1 cup grated cheese
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 cup veggie or meat of your choice

1. Fry onion (and bacon or any uncooked meat you may use) in oil.
2. Put all ingredients in a bowl and stir well (shake if bowl has a lid).
3. Pour into greased pie pan.
4. Bake at 180*C (350*F) for about 45-60 minutes.

I made one with ham, spinach and cheddar cheese and one with smoked salmon, spinach, mozzarella and feta cheese. It was a huge hit!!!

Well, our house is officially on the market. Wonder if HHI would be interested in a Viner sequel. Lol. The search for a lifestyle block is on. We will look again at the 7 acre farm but the kitchen (or lack there of)  really is a deal breaker. If we could get it for a really good price, redoing the kitchen would be an option. I'm keeping my eyes open for others, though, and pray that there will be a neon sign or burning bush to tell us which to buy.
But the search for a farmlet is not priority one right now. Getting this house presentable to show is! Yikes!! What was I thinking?? I started going through and organizing the storage room in the basement, getting rid of even more crap that has followed us here. I'll also pack and store some things we don't need in the house to make it easier to tidy for showing and easier to move when the time comes.
So off I go to tackle this latest challenge. And I'll keep you posted on our progress and pending relocation.

Busy Busy Busy!

Wow! It's been awhile since I'd last blogged. Homeschooling, daily chores and squeezing in time for Joe has kept me plenty busy!
Homeschool is still going well. Today the boys and I went on a field trip with the Taranaki Home Educator Group to the Puke Ariki Museum where we attended a program on volcanoes. The boys learned about the formation of Mt. Taranki which is in New Plymouth's own backyard. They also got to make a volcano and have it erupt. This was our first activity with the homeschool group because the 2 others we had signed up for had been canceled due to weather. I met another American expat, homeschooler and also chatted with a lady I had met through viewing her farm that is for sale. The boys really seemed to enjoy the outing!
Billy is still loving it here and appreciates our quiet little town all the more after his quick trip to the States last month with Brylie. The girls, too, are all doing well, busy with school and other activities such as cricket, piano, tennis and soccer.
Joe is going well too. He's about all patched up and I have grown quite fond of him. I do wish I had more time to spend with him but I'm trying to take what I can get. Though I'm dreading winter and dark falling so early.
I have become rather obsessed (stop laughing, Mom!) with farm hunting.  Billy and I viewed a house last weekend on 12 acres but I was not very keen. Even on really dark, rainy days, our house has so many windows and so much natural light that, in the daytime, we don't have to turn on any lights. This house was quite dark and dated and I know that winter would be difficult in that environment.
I found another house that I love but it's kinda far and only on 2.5 acres. It's kitchen and laundry room are awesome though!!! And since I spend so much time in those two rooms, that's a real draw for me.
We are planning to look at the 7 acre lifestyle block that I had mentioned in a previous post again this weekend.
I'm really struggling with feelings of discontent living in town. I'd love to be able to raise a veggie patch with the boys, let the dogs run and tend to the horses in the afternoons after homeschooling without interfering with the evening meal and family time.  I'm praying that if that is not the will of God, He will remove the desire from my heart.

Academy Chez Viner Cooks!

This week Academy Chez Viner studied about Ancient China and Ancient Africa so today we prepared  two dishes in honor of those locations. I prepared a fried rice to represent China, as we studied about how well rice grew in the Yellow River Valley. The boys and I also prepared an African chicken and fig recipe suggested by our Story of the World material. THIS chicken activity is much more acceptable, as opposed to the mummify a chicken activity suggested in the chapter on Ancient Egypt! I've posted the recipe and photos. It came our super yummy!
Yesterday the boys had their weekly swimming lesson so while they were in their class, I swam a light workout. After, Graham had a short play on the playground (Will has decided that teenagers are too old play on playgrounds) then we climbed down the rocks to the water's edge to throw rocks and look at creatures left behind as the tide went out. We will be doing lessons on sea life and tidal flow at a later date and I can't wait! We then stopped at Nani's school on our way home so that we could walk home with her and her friend.
Oh, and big news... We have finally officially been approved and received our exemption for homeschooling the boys!

Our One Year Anniversary

Meant to write this post last week, but, well... you know...
Thursday, 16 February marked our one year anniversary in New Zealand. One whole year! Twelve months!! I can't even believe it.
It was a very rough year for me. VERY rough. I'm very hopeful for this upcoming year. I've gotten my lovely Joe and have met some really great and horsey new friends.
Billy is still LOVING it here! I've never seen him happier. So much less stress. More family time. So much more help around the house and with the kids. And he even has hobbies.
The kids seem to be doing very well too. Nani and Graham still comment on missing the States, oddly, as they are the youngest but they seem quite happy. And Graham and Will are doing really great with homeschool. Both seem to enjoy it and neither comment on missing school. Bry is great. So active and trying new things. She has even started playing cricket! And Mikaylie is doing well in school. She doesn't like it too much but I'm hoping this year will be more enjoyable for her. She is currently trying out to be the goal keeper for the high school's soccer team. She has even started running before school to get conditioned!
I still miss the farm a great deal. I do love the convenience of living in town but I miss our farm life; the privacy, the space, the quiet. I frequently search the ads and websites for small farms (called lifestyle blocks).  I found one a couple days ago that looked perfect for us on 7 acres. I went to see it yesterday and am anxious for Billy and the kids to check it out. I like our current house better but the one on the property would suit us. The house needs some Barb touches and lots of paint but it's only 5 years old and well built. There is an additional studio and even a 2 bedroom bach (a small "holiday house") we could rent out or use for guests (feel free to give us a reason to have it!!!). The propriety has lots of horsey features; a sand arena, a round pen, tack room and three large paddocks for grazing. It has mountain, ocean and countryside views which are stunning, though it is further from the coast than we are now.
On the negative side: The farm in not walking distance to anything. Now the we can walk or cycle to the coastal walkway, the kids can walk to the dairy for goodies or to neighborhood friends' houses and Nani walks to school. If we moved to the farm we'd have to drive the kids to play with friends. The girls could take the bus to school but they'd have less freedom to socialize independently. Also, Billy would be about 15 minutes from the hospital, though in the States, that was his best commute time! He couldn't just pop home for lunch and he couldn't take his bike or walk. The drive, however, is a gorgeous coastal drive, a nearly straight shot to the hospital with nearly zero traffic.
Nani and the boys say, "Let's move!" Nani will miss her friends in town but we would bring her for play dates. And one of my new friends who has a daughter that Nani loves lives 3 minutes up the road. The road though, while not terribly busy, is not one I'd let her bike down, as the cars drive it WAY too fast. The house, however, is set a good distance from the road and it's noise.
Charlie, our farm dog, would love it! And neither dog would be as yappy on the more secluded farm. Charlie might even have a job rounding sheep!
I quite love it! Private, veggie gardens, fruit and nut trees, VERY horse friendly and beautiful views. I can't wait for Billy to see it. I'm praying oh, so vigilantly that God will make His will VERY clear. Like if it's a "no", it will sell before Billy even sees it!

A Week of Equine Medicine and Hoof Health

This week the boys and I studied equine health. The vet came out Monday and found an abscess in Joe's hoof. I soaked it twice a day for 3 days then this morning a farrier came out to trim his grossly overgrown and splitting hooves and found he had seedy toe which caused the abscess. The farrier cut out the affected area and supplied me with a treatment solution to be applied about twice a week. Once he left I put him on the lunge line and he moved beautifully! Hallelujah!!! God willing, I'll finally be able to ride him this weekend.
Billy and Brylie leave for the US tomorrow morning. They'll hit Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. Billy will get to see Kaigan's school for the first time and Brylie gets to hang our with her riding buddy from Kentucky in Orlando! They're going to have a blast!!!

Big Disappointment

Well, my Saturday ride on my new horse, Joe, never happened. I got him all tacked up and ready to go, only to find him very lame! What started out one of my best days since we've arrived here, quickly became a worst. It looked very grim in the first two days as he seemed to get worse and worse. After several opinions, a vet on Monday discovered an abscess in his rear hoof. He opened it up and I've been soaking it a couple times a day. I'm praying this is all it is and that it's not masking another problem. Though it will take him a while to come right, as he arrived with hooves in horrible condition.
Because of my frequent runs out to the horses, school has been slightly irregular yesterday and today. We basically had two half sessions but since we normally have a wacky Tuesday anyway, it balanced out and we're still covering what I had planned. Tomorrow we'll have to begin late because the farrier is coming out and I have to soak Joe's foot in the morning. Hopefully, Thursday will be back on track.
The boys are really showing huge improvements in their swimming. Will, especially, is developing a lovely stroke. I swam with a club on Sunday myself so perhaps we'll start a regular swimming program. Both boys love the water!

Week 2 in Review

We made it through our second week of homeschooling with great success. Will continues to amaze me with his memory of facts and terms but his math skills are of concern. The concept of even and odd numbers is so difficult for him. We spent several days reviewing and practicing only to have him seem to completely forget the next day.  Fortunately, though significantly at much lower levels, his other areas show great potential.
Graham's biggest areas of focus are handwriting, speech and reading. He's really working hard but the handwriting is just so exhausting for him. And since much of his folder work is written, by lunch he is spent. Both boys usually voluntarily nap every afternoon.  I've started them with rather easy language and phonics work for three reasons: 1) I wasn't completely certain where each boy would be, 2) I wanted them to have great success and not be overwhelmed early on, and 3) since Graham is struggling with his handwriting, these easier lessons require less writing while reviewing many things he's likely already done. We're pretty much finished by noon each day. That's about the most amount of work Will can manage mentally and Graham can manage physically. Plus, with my attention divided between only 2 children, it doesn't take as long as it would in a classroom of 25+ students.
The boys still seem to be enjoying homeschool. I need to research some fun, yet educational activities for them to play in the afternoons. Will especially has a hard time coming up with something to do on his own. Graham would happily play legos or trains all day but I like to find some actives that they enjoy yet have an educational value. And it would be an additional plus if it was things they can do independent of my assistance to give me a chance to do some housekeeping, etc.

Overall, I am very pleased with how homeschooling is going. And, quite honestly, I'm surprised at how well I'm managing and coping. I was talking to my Mom the other day about how it's all going and I was telling her that even just 6 months ago, I was not equipped to do this. While I do have some regret for not having started homeschooling the boys years ago, I don't think I could have until now. I truly feel like God has made changes in me that enables me to take on homeschooling. All glory to Him! It's not me!

And I'm thankful that God has also blessed me with my new horse Joe! I'm going out this afternoon to ride him for the first time since he arrived. CAN'T WAIT!!!

Tuesdays- Our Atypical Homeschool Day

Tuesdays are becoming kind of a fun day for the boys and me. In the morning Will sees his psychologist as we continue to work out what his learning needs are and how to best see him become the great kid I know he will be. Every other Tuesday Graham has speech therapy (not this Tuesday) and Tuesday afternoons both have swimming lessons. Yesterday was so lovely (FINALLY!) that we walked to the Aquatic Centre where they swim. Graham practiced saying "ship"(he's working on "sh" in speech) as we saw them on the ocean. The boys had a great swimming lesson then a play on the playground just outside the centre before walking back home. Graham chose not to bring shoes which was somewhat of a shocker since he's been known to have various sensory issues but not once did he regret his decision, at least he never said so. We stopped for fruit popsicles at the dairy, though Will opted to wait for a smoothie at home. I was quite impressed with his decision and his unwavering at the dairy, faced with other, more immediate options.
Today we were back on our regular schedule. Will amazes me with his retention of things we've read in days gone by; remembering terms, people and facts from the last 2 weeks. And just when I think the subject is going right over Graham's head, he answers a question spot on, proving he is very much paying attention too. This morning we read about making mummies and building pyramids in Egypt. The boys made a Lego pyramid during their "fun" folder time. I opted NOT to make a mummy with a real chicken as suggested by the curriculum material! EWWWW!
Joe is to arrive today! Just got a call that it would be late this evening. Kiwi time is definitely island time! Praying it's before dark but since it's light til around nine, we might be okay. I'm excited to get my boy and praying he'll be as calm, quiet and unflappable as he seemed to be when I tried him in November. I especially pray this because, although Karma behaved beautifully on our Monday ride to and at the beach, I managed to come off of her yesterday! Not exactly sure what happened. She was not trying to unload me but nonetheless, off I came and am feeling oh so sore today. Will repeat tonight, the hot tub and wine I self prescribed last night.
Tomorrow's post should be full of pics of my new fella so stay tuned...

Waitangi Day

Today is Waitangi Day in NZ and it is a National Holiday which conveniently fell on Super Bowl Sunday in the States. It is a day to remember the signing of the Waitangi Treaty between the British Crown and the native Maori people of New Zealand. If you'd like to learn more of this day click here: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/treaty/the-treaty-in-brief.
I decided to have brief homeschooling this morning (though we didn't started until 10:30) to not lose momentum from the 3 day weekend and because we don't have regular school on Tuesdays due to appointments and swimming lessons. We did our usual Bible time then both history and science were reviews of last week. I was in awe at all that Will had retained of the material we had done aloud! Both girls started with us. Nani made it through Bible time then had had enough. As she left the room I asked her, "Do you still wanna be home schooled?".  She lowered her head and shook it defeatedly. Not all the fun and games she'd thought it would be.
The boys are now doing their folder work but only in math and handwriting. Don't want them to feel punished to be having school today when the girls are off. Plus our house has become a teenager's Grand Central Station (not that I mind) so there is too much activity for the boys to be able to focus.
Last week went so well I'm thrilled... but skeptical. I'm certain there must be a honeymoon period like with any other new adventure. But the boys really love it! In fact, I spent all morning Saturday adamantly declining Graham's invitation to "play homeschool" with him. He had a "classroom" of stuffed animal students. I told him, "Graham, Mommy 'played' homeschool all week. Today is my day off." He finally relented when I agreed to be the principal, though I silently prayed his students would behave.
Yesterday I rode Karma for the first time since I moved her. She really seems to love the new grazing as much as I do. I had a girl work all week with her on rebuilding her trust and confidence in people. I could see improvement after only 2 days! Today I'm hoping to ride down to the beach. My only real concerns are the trucks or tractors that may pass us on the road. Will let you know how that goes.
Still waiting for Joe's arrival but it is supposed to be no later than the beginning of the week. Since Monday is a holiday, I'm hoping that means he'll arrive tomorrow!!! Again... will let you know!

Day 4

Just a quick post cuz I am soooo tired!... Today went well. Boys going to bed at regular time really made a difference. I did lighten the worksheet load and Graham worked on writing his name. How sad that he is nearly 9 and his own name is barely legible. But his writing today was terrific. We're using Handwriting Without Tears for both boys. Will's writing isn't too bad but he can improve on neatness. We're all loving the history series we're using called Story of the World. Today we learned about ancient Egypt, pharaohs and the Nile. They both love math on the computer and both are doing very well. I often have to explain some concepts to Will in a different, concrete way and he seems to get it but then the next day he completely forgets. Sometimes I feel like I'm in the movie 50 First Dates! All their work went smoothly and both were finished by 1pm. I am sooo tired and will veg through an episode of Criminal Intent then off to bed. Tomorrow? TGIF!!!

Day 3 (second "regular" day): falling into routine

This morning we were able to do what I hope becomes our regular daily work schedule. We opened again with a prayer by Will, had our Bible time, studied about nomads and the Fertile Crescent in history, studied about classification of animals in science, broke for tea, practiced tens and ones place in math with manipulatives, then went on to folder work. Everything went great all morning. Boys using their balls during Bible time and history (Will fatigued during history and switched to chair). They love the math computer program! It's by Teaching Textbooks and I highly recommend it. It explains every problem and has lots of exciting sound effects that encourage the boys. I did have to supplement the program with manipulatives for understanding tens and ones place because that tripped up both the boys but once they worked it out hands-on, they really seemed to get it! Graham redid that lesson but Will only did the 3 he missed yesterday before going on to lesson 3. He really struggled with even and odd numbers so I again had to give an alternate explanation that was different than the program. He needs to see it to get it and I was able to get him to understand by saying that even numbers are numbers that he and Graham can share evenly: If he has 4 cookies they can each have 2 but if he has 7, they can't share evenly therefore 7 is an odd number. LOVE to see the "Aha" look on his face! And leave it to food  to make everything clear to Will!! He went on to complete the lesson, missing only one. I am curious to see how Graham comprehends the same lesson tomorrow.
Nani has started doing the math program "for fun" to keep her satisfied since she is not doing homeschool. She frequently tells me she wants to but I think she'd be way too bored and, honestly, she's way more high maintenance than the boys. She's capable of doing much on her own but would be so emotionally demanding, I couldn't give the boys what they need. Plus, she is way too social to be content to be home all day with us and, though I can't get her to understand that, she'd figure it out fast enough and her homeschooling career would be short-lived. Also, I'd need to do another exemption application and I'm still waiting for approval of the boys'. Technically, they are supposed to still be enrolled and attending a school but, ummm, they're not. Shouldn't be arrested though, since neither of their schools are expecting them to report them missing. LOL. I had received a letter from the Ministry of Education 2 days before the start of school saying they needed more details about their days and individual curriculum to grant them certificates to be home schooled. It also said that, until we receive certificates, they are to be in school. That would be too disruptive for the boys and a complete and total waste of time that they can be working on their individual needs with me here.
So the boys are currently napping (I need to get them up) because evidently today's work was more taxing than Monday's, as I had one very irritable boy and another about to fall asleep by lunchtime. I'm adjusting accordingly for tomorrow. They each only have 2 more worksheets to do and then some reading but I do want them done by the time Nani gets home. (Though if they're still working when she gets home, she may not be so keen to homeschool anymore!)
I've found my house a little tidier, laundry a little more caught up and even more time for me to blog or read  since we started (a whole 3 days now!). And I'm not near as lazy or depressed as I had been. Having a schedule has been fantastic for me!! Now if I can just get my Joe here I'll be able to utilize my new found organizational and efficiency skills to steal away for some horse time!!!

Yesterday we embarked on our homeschooling journey. I got the girls off to school (Mikaylie will start Thursday), had my devotion and Bible time while the boys got dressed and had breakfast and then we began at 8:45am. I started with a short orientation of how things would work, some house rules and Graham prayed for our day. We had Bible time, history, science and tea (15 minute break for snack and toilet) then they began their folder work. Each boy has his own accordion folder with each subject having it's own pocket. This general plan came from a fantastic homeschooling website called http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/ where she uses boxes. With limited space and a desire to work out the kinks before I spend too much money, I opted for the folders instead, at least for now. (Plastic is ridiculously expensive here!!) Much of this work they can do independently and they are to work through the folders in order. I ordered each boys' subjects so that (ideally) they won't both need help from me at the same time. I also ordered them so that their most difficult or tiresome subject is first (i.e. Will has math first and Graham has handwriting). The boys do their folder work at the kitchen table, each on a large, lamented poster board that they decorated before lamination. This keeps them in their "own space" and also protects my table. At noon we had lunch and then the boys played outside until 1pm before returning to finish up their folder work. Both boys were finished by 2. The day went smooth as silk! I know! I know!! Everyday will NOT be so easy. But the boys' attitudes are great! And they LOVE it!! I was exhausted but we had a great day!
Some things that I observed and have set out to adjust for:
  First observation: Both boys, but especially Will, has ridiculously weak core body strength! They would constantly prop themselves up on their left arm while working and often lay their heads on the table while doing their written work. After school, I promptly ran out for yoga balls and small work tables (a folding table for Will and a wooden tv table for Graham to accommodate for their different heights). As I type, Will is sitting on his yoga ball while he watches a movie to build some core strength. They will use these balls and tables during history while they are coloring worksheets as I read the lesson to them. Eventually they will do more written work on the balls as they build strength. (I'm curiously watching to see how long Will will last as he watches this movie. He can't even sit in the pew at church for the duration of the service without slouching and eventually laying against me!)
   Second observation: I knew Graham had handwriting issues but, wow!, did I not realize how bad!?! His pencil grip is very poor and his control is like that of a 3-year-old... maybe. How could he have possibly gone on in school without being able to even legibly write his name?? Oh, and rest assured, I have guilt! Heaps of guilt!! We should have started homeschooling the day we got him. (Ok, not the DAY we got him, but you know what I mean.)

And while we're on the subject of guilt...
Today (just our second day) was an abnormal school day in that Graham had his first of fortnightly speech therapy sessions, both boys had swimming lessons and Will had some testing done by a wonderful (and American, oddly enough) child psychologist. Billy brought him while I stayed with Graham to do some light schoolwork and speech. When they returned, Billy had some sobering news regarding the test results. Will has an IQ of 62. Intellectual Disability (formerly referred to as mental retardation) is any score below 70. I was flooded with a myriad of emotion. Sorrow, anger, guilt, fear... I thought of the years and years at school that Will was expected to act like, learn like, be like a "normal kid"! I thought of the hundreds of times he was reprimanded, punished, even spanked for something he had no clue was inappropriate or wrong. I thought of damage to his self esteem at the hands (or mouths) of so many, myself included and at the top of the list!!! I thought of the testing he had gone through in his early school years that revealed delays in various areas, but averaged out. I thought of the ridiculous ADHD diagnosis and the meds we gave him for 3 years that clearly did NOTHING but the "experts" said that was the problem. I thought of the time he was accused of cheating on a spelling test and didn't have the verbal skills to explain that his "cheat sheet" was actually written AFTER he had completed the test just for practice!!! Will is actually pretty good at spelling and if he was going to cheat it would've been in, say... math. What have we done to this poor boy and why, oh WHY would God not reveal this to us 11 years ago? That we had to travel halfway around the world to get a diagnosis is unbelievable. What's funny is, someone actually asked me before we moved to New Zealand, if they have running water here! Uhhh, yep, and some really fine medical staff and therapists too!
Billy and I wonder what would have happened with Will if we had stayed in the states. I KNOW that this is a huge reason why God brought us here. The whole atmosphere is so much more laid back and easygoing for a kid like Will. And I don't think I could have home schooled in the States with all the running the other kids around. We're where God wants us.
soooo much of what he hears. Sometimes things we wish he wouldn't. Like the exact speed Billy was going when he got a speeding ticket last year while we were vacationing on the South Island. 117, by the way! (kilometers per hour, not miles.) Will loves food and really want to learn to cook which makes homeschooling perfect for him! He is fascinated by the Korean cookbook I brought back when I brought him home from Korea but have yet to cook from! His swimming lesson today went terrifically and he loves the water! As he becomes more competent in swimming, it will do wonders for his muscle tone and strength. He's playing squash with Billy about once a week. And he is, hands down, the MOST helpful, but more importantly, most EAGER-to-help kid in our house. He loves to help by taking out the garbage, vacuuming the house and feeding, watering and collecting eggs from the chickens. And he is LOVING the computer math program! He's starting with 3rd grade math but because he's having such success, he asks to do it more than once a day. It will likely get to the point where he can't go much further but we're hoping that with the help of the psychologist, we can know when that is before we ask too much of him.
Most importantly is Will's compassion and love for people that is so pure and genuine, even if it is due to his naiveté.  Will is such a blessing to us and his dimples bless all those he meet!

More on our homeschooling activities to come. AND photos of my new horse Joe expected to arrive in the next week or so!!!!! Attached the one from when I test-rode him in November.

PS- Will lasted about 20 minutes on the ball.

Why Homeschool???

First, let me say that I never, EVER thought I would be a homeschooling mom! I had always admired mom's that home school their children but also secretly thought they must be a little insane or masochistic. So the fact that we are even going there is proof-positive it is coming from the Lord. Only He could have possibly "talked" me into this!  

Will is looking like he has some brain damage thought to be from fetal alcohol syndrome. He has very poor problem-solving/reasoning skills, he is barely at 2nd grade math level and he has many asperges-like behaviors (though his pediatrician here has ruled it out).  I can't help but feel like it's too late to start this with Will who is now 13!, though he can't possibly stay in school or go to high school. His many asperges-like characteristics include very poor social skills and he is extremely vulnerable to getting coaxed into doing things to get a laugh or fit in. Our relationship has been nothing if not tumultuous and I pray homeschooling will repair some damage in that area.  

Graham, now nearly 9, has developmental delays due to having lived in an orphanage, having  a congenital heart defect (now repaired) and having been "bounced around" until we got him not quite 3 years ago. He has fine motor delays, speech delays and started school a year late due to his unstable family-life before coming to us. NZ schools are laid back regarding just about everything except  kids being in the class with "their peers", so he was placed in a class 2 years ahead of where he left in the states. He is very bright but those basic and fundamental skills of speaking, reading and writing had been skipped in the move! And being such an adaptable, easy-going kid that causes no disturbances when work is too difficult, he was getting overlooked. He had page after page of 2-year-old-like scribble in his "writing journal" at school and no one noticed for weeks!!! 

I'm so nervous!!! I'm not the most organized person, though I can be rather OCD-ish. Our boys have special needs that don't fit into any cookie cutter program. And I'm in a foreign country!!!! Not to mention Nani wants to be home-schooled too but I feel I need to just start with the boys who really have immediate needs.

I've got about 2 weeks to get organized and develop our lesson plan so that, if nothing else, the boys "think" I know what I'm doing. I've gotten material, mostly from the states, with the guidance of a veteran homeschooling mum of 8 at our church. She has been an absolute God-send, with encouragement, tips, material, advise and just an ear to vent to.

NZ requires an application for exemption in order to withdraw children from the school system so I've had to do a lot of research and planning for that. I sent our packet in just after Christmas. The Ministry of Education will likely have further questions for me regarding my lesson plans and such but I've not heard anything yet.

Yesterday I had the kids (I included the girls for peace sake) decorate with markers and colored pencils large poster boards. I'll take them to Stationary Warehouse (like Office Depot) to have them laminated. This will be the boys' portable work space for the kitchen table or bench (Kiwi for counter top/bar). This will give them their own space to work since we don't have room for desks, while also protecting my kitchen table from pencil points. 

I've also discovered another invaluable resource in confessionsofahomeschooler.com. Erica's blog is absolutely amazing and full of organization, planning, ideas, etc. for a Christian homeschooling environment!!!

My planning is coming together. Our small office is almost ready. The boys are eager to start. But I am nervous! Maybe it's just this tremendous weight of being these kids' primary source of education. Maybe it's the guilt I have for not doing this sooner or for not doing this with all of our kids. Maybe it's my selfish dread of giving up my self, my days... my life really, to do this, even though I know it's what God wants us to do. Nevertheless, I'm ready to take the plunge and see what happens. I'd appreciate any prayers you can shoot our way and I promise to keep blogging throughout this adventure; good, bad or ugly!

The next great adventure...

I wasn't in the best place as New Year's rolled around. Kaigan had just returned to the States and we've had days and days of rain. My mood and outlook had improved from say October and November but the thought of a new year, another year, didn't bring the usual hope of new begins and fresh starts. As I'd mentioned in the previous post, Billy and I have prayerfully decided to homeschool the boys so much of the last month had been spent writing the application to homeschool and researching, ordering and collecting materials. We've shifted furniture around to give us the use of our small office and I've been piecing things together for our home school and I've actually started to get excited! I've also had the invaluable guidance of a friend from church who home schools most of their eight children (2 are now in high school and 2 are infant/toddlers). This morning at church she introduced me to two more home schooling mums and I was filled with such enthusiasm for our upcoming year I almost wish we were starting tomorrow! A new peace and tenderness for our boys has come over me and I'm eager to get to know them better. Not only will this be fantastic for Will and Graham, but I'm hopeful about how it will help my adjusting to life here as well. I'll have a purpose, a schedule and a new source for terrific friends.

The other bit of news that has aided in my joy is that I may, possibly be getting a horse of my own in the next few weeks! We had purchased a pony for Brylie shortly after our arrival but through a series of events and circumstances, the pony has not worked out and I've been trying to sell or trade her for a larger horse for myself. A lady contacted me about a possible trade and Billy and I went to see her horse last week. She is a lovely mare and should suit me quite nicely. And after viewing several videos of our pony, the lady is "very very very keen to swap"! She has yet to come down to see the pony in person but I'm feeling rather confident she has already made up her mind. Having my own horse is just what I've been longing for and will be just what I will need to have some "me time" after homeschooling.
Three weeks from tomorrow is the first day of the New Zealand school year and the start of our next great adventure... perhaps the greatest one yet! And hopefully, I'll have my new horse too!