No problem can be solved by the same consciousness that caused it.

I just want to thank all of you who have written words of encouragement and prayers. It is overwhelming, yet really nice to receive messages and well wishes from total strangers (yet kindred hearts), especially to a shy girl like me! I feel pretty good this morning, considering. Good, that is, emotionally and in my spirit. Still pretty yucky physically. I read last night that this can in certain cases take as long as three weeks to fully pass. That was discouraging. My prayer is that God will have mercy and let it pass quickly. I feel like I can't move on to fully letting go until it is gone from my body. And maybe you wouldn't mind praying this with me? Thank you, Claire

Thanks for all of your inquiries. Unfortunately the news is sad. No heartbeat. Miscarriage inevitable. The CNM was kind and compassionate and I was very surprised that she did not advise a DNC. She said it is better to pass naturally. I admit I have been brainwashed by the homebirth community that the majority of obs/cnms are surgery pushing control freaks. It was good for me to see that this is not always the case. I'm glad I went and I'm glad I know. So I am still waiting for the passing. I never dreamed it would take this long. You know, if life would just get in line with my schedule we would all be fine :rolleyes: It was hardest to tell the kids. We all had a good cry in the elevator on the way to the car. My mom is flying up and school is canceled for the rest of the week. The kids are thrilled about that. And you know what? The sun is out today. And that is a very good thing. He gives and He takes away. I'm going back to bed with my heating pad. claire

Thanks for all of your hugs and prayers. I'm off to the OB at 11:00. This is so hard for me. I had both of my other dc at home with a midwife who is still encouraging me to wait it out. But there has been no change and its been five days. No real increase in bleeding, but no decrease either. There are definitely cramps and clots, but not what I would think would be the full passing of the baby. (oh, I hate writing that). So maybe I am giving in, but I just feel that all is not well and I'm going in for an ultrasound. Will keep you posted. Barb, how are you today? claire

This is the ablsolute best enchilada recipe we have found. Warning, it is not cheap, and not the easiest recipe (from scratch). We are sort of foodies over here and mexican is our favorite. If you want an easier recipe, pick up a can of La Preferada enchilada sauce and use the recipe on the back of the can. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35924,00.html

I just wanted to say I was shocked when I read your title, as I am in the exact same boat. I started bleeding Friday night and cramping lightly on Saturday. Then it seemed to stop and then it came back with a vengeance yesterday afternoon. It may have already happened. I am afraid to go to the bathroom. I am going into the eleventh week. This is my third pg. I am like you. I feel I can handle it, but the waiting it out is so hard. It is also going to be so hard to tell the kids as they are so excited. It is the vascillation between hope and no hope that is killing me. If this is going to happen, let's get it over with already and let me deal with it. To top it all off, my oldest's birthday is today. I feel like this is just too much to hold: celebrating the birth on one while losing another. Anyway, just wanted to share your ARRGH! claire

I especially agree with nutmeg who said they use WTM as a basic guide and then CM to soften the edges. (sorry I don't know how to quote). For me, I think you have to go with what speaks to you, and learn to trust that instinct. It will probably lead you to multiple approaches but for me that is the beauty of the homeschooling journey. It is about growth. For you as much as for your children. This journey is also intimately tied to my own journey of faith, which for me started out very rigid, very there is only one right way. Hopefully I have moved into a space that can appreciate the subtleties and nuances of other approaches and learn from those, too. For me, CM speaks to the heart of what it means to relate to your child. I need that gentle voice to balance me as I am prone to be too rigid. But I am also prone to self-doubt and TWTM is my guide that gives me the confidence that I need to believe that I can give my children an excellent education. I think they complement one another beautifully. I think you have to know yourself, and you have to know your child and then find the approach that best challenges you and keeps you in check. my $.02 Blessings, Claire

I also have one with horrific handwriting. It sort of fits with her personality, though. She is a big picture kind of gal, not the least bit interested in the details. And in our case the apple doesn't fall far from the tree; her father's handwriting may be worse than hers. DH seriously cannot write in cursive and never could. I'm not saying give up, but it truly may not get much better. I don't think that every mind is wired to be concerned about forming a letter correctly. There are many brilliant people in the world with horrible handwriting. I think they simply care about other things. claire

I was just thinking about this! We just watched Pride and Predjudice (again!) and I was noticing how important it was to their culture and how they set aside time particularly to answer correspondence. I was just thinking that maybe for my Grandmother's birthday I would write her a real letter, something that I haven't done in ages! So here's to a revival of the hand written letter! claire

Thank you for defining fluency! After reading all the posts on early readers, I was truly wondering what this meant. I certainly don't consider being able to read Bob Books at age three fluency. Also how do you all know at what grade level your child is reading? Do you get them tested? Or do you just go by the particular book your child is reading? Great posts, claire

DD6 has been talking nonstop since ten months. Narration is a true no-brainer for this kid. We have tried on several occasions to get her to do a narration using only eight sentences. This is a real challenge and often hilarious. She cannot do it. Also if I give her a task, she has to retell it in her own words before she understands it, "okay, so you're saying do this. . ." My only coping mechanism is a very strict bedtime and making sure I get up early enough to fortify myself for the onslaught. I love her, but she can be a real drain sometimes! I try to remind myself that there may come a time when she will not be so eager to share every last thought in her head. Anyway, just wanted to say I'm right there with you. Claire

I have been putting off buying the newest edition of TWTM! I'm such a cheapskate. I thought, no way it can be that much different! Thanks for the kick in the pants, Suzanne. :) Since I am centering my daughter's education around a book, it seems that I should have the latest edition, eh? I will definitely check out First Language Lessons. For some reason I thought that was more for K-5. Thanks for putting up with newbies like me! claire

DD6 is almost done with Phonics Pathways (finally!), and I was just looking at ETC on Amazon and I am confused by the contradictory reviews. As some background, we have the older version of TWTM and I am following it pretty closely with some CM thrown in for atmosphere. DD6 is a pretty strong reader (reading Little House on her own), but her writing is not so strong. She can form letters correctly, but mostly just hurries through copywork so she can be done with it. I am concerned about the reviews that say this has too much writing in it? OTOH, maybe this will inspire better writing? What does the hive advise? Thanks, Claire

Tea, a drink with Jan and Fred just hits me in my sweet spot! I needed that. My son once asked me what a "new-ya" was. "Where did you hear it?" I asked. "You know like in the song "Glory, glory had a new-ya!"

Wow. NOEO Sounds right up our alley. Thanks for the link Canada mom. I will also check out apologia. Thanks again for taking the time to respond, Claire

Thank you, both. I will definitely check those out. claire

Hello. I'm sort of new here. I have two children DD 61/2, DS 31/2, and one on the way. I have been HSing my oldest for three years using Sonlight for pre-k, K and Ambleside/WTM for first grade this year. We had a science program that was an all in the box sort of thing (Sonlight) for kindergarten that we also stretched into first grade. Here's the deal: Science is my least favorite subject to teach. I don't know why, because my kids love it, especially the experiments. We have also been deliberately light on science until now, focusing more heavily on reading/writing/math/SOTW 1. Also, we try to do the more CM approach when the weather is nice. Nature walks, sketch pads and field guides. Science as laid out in WTM is a little too vague for me. I am looking for a program that follows more the classical approach, but I am not opposed to something all in the box and scripted, as I really don't like having to go to the store to gather up random items that I am supposed to have at home. Any suggestions? Thanks for reading, Claire

Mine are still little. Yesterday I pulled my son's crib away from the wall to vacuum and discovered that he has been picking his nose and wiping it on the wall in a long disgusting line. :eek: So you could be wiping boogers off your wall! I admit I am tempted to think it will get better when they are older. Thanks a lot for bursting that bubble! :) Did you read in the news about that mom who went on strike and I think they sent her to jail? I was very disturbed that I found myself actually sympathizing with her!!! I read somewhere that everyone wants to quit in October and February. T.S. Eliot got it wrong. It is February that is the cruelest month. (((Colleen))) Claire

We have just started to do homemade pizza on Friday nights. We got the idea from reading Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. We change up the toppings to keep it from being boring. Last Friday we did sausage, pinenuts, raisins and a little red onion. May sound strange but it was our best pizza yet! DH makes the pizza crust in the breadmaker (his one culinary contribution for the week!) It almost feels like I have the night off! Claire

Thank you for your replies. One l michele, I am laughing because I so relate. The worst punishment I could ever give DD6 is time out alone in her room. And narration for this kid is a breeze. Her entire life is narrated for all the family to hear from the second she rises in the morning. I think perhaps I should look for some more social activities for her. Right now she has a more structured social time only about 3x a week. Maybe its time to think about every day. Laura, I'm interested in what you have your son do for one hour each day apart from the other children? Thanks for pointing out that the goal is to be balanced. Claire

Hello. I’ve been lurking for weeks; working up the courage to make a first post. Homeschooling for 3 years ala Sonlight, WTM, and Ambleside. I love homeschooling. I have bad days like anyone else, but I love having my children home with me and I love it for what we are learning. Latin, French, SOTW are my dream subjects. I am giving myself the education I never had. DD6 as said is wildly social. She is a good learner, not really above average but right where she needs to be. She is a pleaser and does what she needs to do to make me happy so she can go play. Most importantly she is full of awe and wonder with a true zeal for life, relationships and people. Here’s my dilemma: She wants to go to school. Her BFF neighbor goes to 1st grade and DD6 lives vicariously through her. She knows all the kids names in BFF’s class and is immersed in the drama of he said/she said about people she has never even met. I was discussing this with a well-meaning relative (WMR) who pointed out to me that I needed to let go. You are an introvert, he said. If given the choice to homeschool when you were young, you would have chosen to stay at home. He’s right. I hated school. Homeschooling would have been a dream for me. But DD6 loves to be around people; she would thrive in a school environment. DH (also extrovert) thinks WMR has a point. What do you think? Am I forcing my dream education on a child who would thrive in a school environment? I should say I am not anti-school. There happen to be two classical schools in our town that we could send her to, although this would be a financial stretch at $5000 a year. She would get a great education there, but I would miss her terribly. Do you ever feel like you are forcing your preferences on your kids? (I also think that a 6yo is not really old enough to know what she wants, but she does have a clear, social bent). I have been very inspired and encouraged by many of your posts. Thank you for reading. Warmly, Claire