Can I Get An Update???

I can't believe it is August 22nd. As I sit here with my mouth wide open, astonished at the pace the summer has flown by at, I'm feeling really blog-lazy. I haven't been here nearly enough and I haven't kept you updated nearly well enough.

There are so many things to tell all of you that I feel a little overwhelmed - okay a lot overwhelmed! Well I'll try to take them one by one and see how far I get before I'm called away.

1. In 6 days Annie and Lucy start in a brick and mortar school for the first time. I have been homeschooling them via the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School for the past few years. But finally, a charter school that we have been following the progress of for more than 2 years had it's charter approved this past February and is opening it's doors next week. Annie will be in third grade and Lucy in first grade at The Environmental Charter School at Frick Park. It is a city of Pittsburgh public school but it is run by Imagine Schools one of the nation's only NFP charter school companies. The teachers and administration are employees of Imagine Schools and though they are accountable to the city and state for test scores the majority of their accountability lies with Imagine and also the parents of their students. This year it will be limited to grades K-3 and they will add a Kindergarten class each year until they are K-8. (So Annie will always be in the oldest class!) It is housed in the old Regent Square School building and the transformation that has occurred there over the summer has been amazing. We have been attending events all summer long designed for the kids to get to know one another and the staff and we will attend the Grand Opening on Monday and the girls will meet their teachers and see their classrooms for the first time.

I'm thrilled for this opportunity for them - it seems to me like a perfect mix between public education and homeschooling. Part of the Imagine vision is lots of parent involvement and satisfaction so I'm confident that my voice will be heard and listened to. Also they had over 300 applicants for less than 50 positions so they were able to hire the best of the best for their staff. Everyone I have met so far has been incredible and I'm excited to see how they year unfolds.

Of course I have my reservations - how can any teacher know my child and their learning style better than I can? How will my kids fare with a more rigid schedule and less flexibility? Will they fall prey to all of the potential hazards that exist for young kids in school today...bullying, trying too hard to fit in...etc? And, to be as transparent as possible, I will miss them horribly. I know that after I drop them off the first day I will shed lots of tears...my eyes are welling up writing this. But in my heart I believe this is what is right for them and for our family right now. I don't think my homeschooling days are over...we may have to revisit that issue come time for high school but that is 6 years away. (OMG - Annie will be in high school in 6 years?!)

2.Wyatt is only 9 days away from being 5 months old! Yeah, I have no idea where that time has gone. He is AWESOME! He is rolling over both ways and laughing and grabbing onto everything he can and getting it into his mouth as soon as possible. He is mesmerized by his siblings and saves his biggest smiles for them. He had some extended time with his daddy on vacation and they are developing a strong bond. I'm happy to say though that he still prefers Mama over anyone else! Our CPU is being worked on right now but when I get it back I promise some updated pictures...he looks EXACTLY like Jack did at this age...it's actually a little freaky.

3. Speaking of Jack...he is already dealing with the fact that his "sissies" (sisters) are going to be gone for much of the day this fall. He is sad because the three of them are a little pack, traveling everywhere together. Along with that comes the good - and the bad - but for the most part they are super close. He will have a tough adjustment but he is also very close to me and I hope that he and I can have some special time together this year because next year he will be in Kindergarten...and sending him off to school is sure to break my heart in two.

Okay that is all for today - I still want to write about our house and vacation...but that is all I can muster for today!