A Cardigan for Baby Jack & A High School Education

 Last year I knitted my first-ever cardigan, a labor of love for my cousin's baby, who lives down the lane from us. I wished for tractor buttons, but all I could acquire at the time were cars.  It worked!

I'm not a great knitter, but this went alright.  I used the Verde Cardigan pattern, learned some new skills, and am very pleased with this project overall. It took a while (I sometimes knit in fits and starts), but was worth it both to create something small and warm and cute, and also to feel like I had Made a Cardigan.  Who knows what's next?  I could make a sock! Maybe even two socks!

{see how the pine is bleeding through the paint on my dresser? my dad painted this piece a million years ago. maybe I'll repaint it someday, but I sort of like the "character" these occasional spots provide!}

Actually, what's next is that I'm knitting a hat for my husband that I need to finish before spring comes. :)  Then I think I might move onto pink legwarmers for my Annie, who does many, many hours of ballet per week and would probably appreciate cozy legwarmers.  

We are finishing up one week at home and heading back to Charleston to be with my Dad tomorrow, for the next week.  I'm so thankful for the flexibility to do this! And I'm also thankful because prayers were answered.  He was so very sick in January, and has felt better and better--in spite of two rounds of chemo so far (3 days each).  Amazing.  Last week when we were there, he ate a big seafood meal one day, pizza the next, and Chinese food one night. I was floored, because when I'd last seen him, he was barely able to eat any solid foods at all, and was disgusted by the thought of food.  This alone has felt miraculous to me. 

In the midst of all of this, I'm trying to plan for Finn's schooling next year.  He toured a local private school--and it's not going to be an option.  So we've whittled it down to a local hybrid school (3 days at school, 2 at home) or just doing school-at-home with more online content, because he enjoys formal classes so much.  I'm hoping we can land the plane on this decision within the next few weeks.  Class registrations happen in March, so we have to get it all sorted out now!  One thing is for sure, though: he'll be taking French 3 for college credit next year.  The boy loves French! He'll probably also continue with Spanish 3, but it's a lot of work to learn two languages, and it takes time away from other subjects that he's also wanting to learn (like science!).  So we'll see.  I sometimes wish Finn were the type of child who liked only a couple subjects and didn't like several, so that we could easily narrow down his studies and focus.  But he likes everything.  He's reading a math book for fun in his spare time, studies languages voraciously, is itching to do more science, could talk about politics all day long....frankly, the only thing he doesn't truly consume with gusto is literature, but he does enjoy novels when he reads them--it's just that he's too busy learning about everything else under the sun. How does one homeschool a child like this? I'm at a loss most of the time.  I have to remember that my public school education isn't the gold standard (I barely recall much of what I did in high school, and frankly, much of it felt like time-wasting and game-playing just to achieve a grade).  Deep breath! We can do this!

As for Annie, she's basically spending most of 5th grade doing ballet, working through her math book, or reading enormous quantities of books.  She reads for hours a day, and since she's spending so much time reading (history, science, and loads of literature), I do very little hands-on homeschooling with her.  I think reading is the best education. :) 

February is almost over!  Spring is on the way. I'm so thankful for this, and for my Dad's continued improvement.  Praise be to God for His mercies and graces.  Amen!