Smile, You're On Candid Camera!~

I loved summer this year. As a homeschool mom, I feel as if I don't have the freedom very often to break out of our normal routine long enough to spend many fun days with the children. I am not referring to just plain making school and chores fun, but really breaking out of my "mommy, and teacher" mode to spend day after day learning more about each and every one of these special gifts God has loaned to me.

This summer we experienced a lot of new things. We laughed, we cried, and we spent a lot of time in the sun!
Looking back at this summer, I thought that if someone had said to me,
"SMILE, You're on Candid Camera!" - That it would not have surprised me.

Here are a few highlights that I can recall from this season of sunny days -
(I have decided that I will have to blog about some of them separately, due to the hilarity and somewhat lengthy , boring nature of my writing at times. Heehee.)

*Our daughter became very ill, requiring a series of tests, and losing 15 pounds in 2 months. She has had pain attacks and her diet is extremely limited. We think we are in the homestretch for a diagnosis, and reprieve.

*My precious worldly possession - my laptop- with all 6000 pictures of my children from the last 5 years - completely died. A good practice of my reaction to an item with no -eternal value. A real sad, true test.

*Our FIRST camping trip... ever - with 9 children. THIS is another post entirely. Just a little hint...This is where I thought I was going to be told for sure - Smile, You're on Candid Camera!

*My oldest son was sent to the Emergency Room with a bilirubin level of 3.0. yellow eyes. yellow skin, lethargy, nausea, and many tests. Diagnoses with a liver condition - Gilberts Syndrome.
Just another opportunity to let my thoughts be led by truth rather than emotion.

*I took the children on a 3 day trip ,5 hours away, while my husband had to work. THIS was a definite candid camera weekend. My , oh my! I will spare you the drama, and not so funny moments, and just say that it was another eye-opener to the things that I have been blind to in my life, and my children's as well. We truly did have a wonderful time together, and they all worked hard to make it an easy trip for each other.. but the three under age of four- well, hmmm... they were along for the ( long, hot, miserable, stuck-in-a-car-seat, ) "ride!"

*We are preparing for another year of homeschooling, and made a hard decision to send our three oldest, ( freshman, junior and senior) to a Private Christian School, ( where, coincidentally, my husband and I, both attended.)

*Visited some awesome.. summer places this year as well! If you are ever in the Northeast, let me know, I could recommend some great places to visit!

The Candid Camera Comments?... It was like this for me this summer- Just when I was feeling myself adapt to a new normal- well, along came another! If you had a camera on me in those moments of :

seeing my daughter so ill along the roadside as I rushed her repeatedly to the Dr...it would have been sadness, sympathy, and concern.

Or the moment I realized my last 5 years of my children's pictures may have been completely lost forever- sheer and utter desperation.

Driving down the road on our trip alone in a torrential downpour, driving my 15 passenger van thru a narrow detour with flashers going, and windshield wipers going full-speed and a baby that is fussing to be nursed. Camera moment?

First Camping trip?.. Summary- I drove home the second night with baby, let her sleep in her crib, took a Normal Shower, and painted my toe-nails!
In the end- summer is almost over for this homeschooling family- and we are all smiling and thankful for blessings each day!