Students

There is a lot of learning going on in this house, I tell ya. We're busier this year than we have been probably since Rand and I were in school before kids.

This week Rand is in Portland. He is taking a sweet class with Dr. Breshears (professor at Western seminary and co-author of several books with Mark Driscoll) and Mark McKinnley (pastor of Imago Dei Church in Portland and author) on the Missional Church. Rand decided he really wanted to finish his Th.M. and this seemed like a good time to do it. I think he has 3 classes to take and this semester is one of them. Luckily, he gets to do these intensive classes and spend 4 straight days in class learning and then write some papers and read a big ol' stack of books, rather than...ya know...move us to Portland or something ridiculous like that! He's in school heaven right now and absolutely LOVING his class. And I am thanking the Lord that I don't have an infant right now while he's gone! Soon enough...soon enough.

As much as I look at Rand and think he is crazy and say to myself.....I'm so glad I'm not in school....the kids and I are doing plenty of learning ourselves. My friend Kelly did a women's book study this last summer that I was a part of. It was really good so naturally, when another book study rolled around I signed right up. We are reading Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. I'll be honest and say that it was not my first choice of books to read since I've read plenty of marriage books and already knew the premise of this book and thought, mmm I'd rather read something else. However, I have been pleasantly surprised by the depth of the book and the amazing discussions we've been having every Monday night. It is really a challenge to look at marriage and my own role in a whole new way.

On top of that I decided last spring that I wanted to do a more intensive Bible study this year. So I signed up for CBS (Community Bible Study) which is studying the book of Genesis this year. They have an amazing homeschool program (and kids program in general) so that was partially a draw, too. Brendan and I both have workbooks and 6 days worth of homework every week and we actually get to study the same lessons. Seriously good. It's almost like I'm doing each lesson twice as I walk through the same passages and answer questions with Brendan.

You'd think that would be plenty, right? Well, an opening came up last minute for Brendan to be involved in a homeschool co-op through the same church offering CBS. It's once a week and he gets to go to Art, Music and Gym for 3 hours every Wednesday. While this was originally something I was planning he would do and I would just chill with Wyatt for 3 hours, the driving back and forth became a total pain quickly and I decided to do another Bible study there at the church (there were millions to choose from on Wednesday mornings) while Brendan was in class. SO Wyatt is in a program called J.O.Y. learning MORE Bible lessons while I'm learning about discipleship for the entire year from one of our awesome missionaries from the Philippines.

I feel wiped out just typing all that. The beginning of the weeks feel like a whirlwind sometimes, but it is nice to have the kids plugged into a few other things besides just our regular school regimen. Rand is always thinking 'sports teams' in the back of his mind, but I'm thinking let's wait! They play baseball everyday with their Dad and that seems more important than being hooked up to one more event. I tend to be an anti-busy person so what we're doing seems like a lot! I am having a lot of fun though, engaging my little brain and thinking about and learning really great things about God and the Bible and marriage and just living life in general. Life will slow down again soon enough so we are taking full advantage while we can!

What about you all......what are you learning?