HeatherA Writes Stuff

I started this post last week when Matt and I were in Philadelphia on a grown-ups' overnight celebrating a good friend's significant birthday. We splurged on a fun, bright, funky hotel in an awesome location with a happy-hour wine reception in the lobby (don't get me started on how much I love Kimpton hotels). I was happy in our room on a sunny Friday. Our view included cobblestone roads, courtyards, and historic buildings. The window sill was wide enough for me to sit on and write. The setting was idyllic. But modern technology failed me (or perhaps I failed it) -- I couldn't figure out how to post my pictures of the room and view (still can't) and soon it was time to go outside and live in the world I was hoping to record in this blog. So, fine. We went on one of the loveliest walks of my life, came back to meet our friends for happy hour, and then enjoyed dinner at the birthday boy's choice of restaurant. We headed home the next morning after a great nigh...

We've been at this homeschool thing for over a month now and we are starting to find an equilibrium. The first week was difficult because we had no warning that it was coming and my husband and I had previously scheduled work responsibilities that could not all be shifted (note: this all went down so as to coincide with the first week of spring semester at our university). So logistically the first couple of weeks were tricky, but we love a new project and we had energy and enthusiasm as we flew by the seat of our pants. Now, several weeks in, we have our good days and our bad days. On the good days I appreciate that scheduling is easier than it used to be because we've divided up the week. There are set days when I am home with Will and set days when my husband is home. I know to schedule work meetings on my non-home days when I can. (When I can't, I bring Will to campus with me and so far that's worked out.) I appreciate that we have established a number of interest...

I wasn't  planning for the story to go this way. I wanted to give more background and build slowly up to the situation we were in when I started the story. But that situation changed last month and now here we are, homeschooling. Yup, there's the titular update. I know you don't know me well, so here are some facts: I was valedictorian of my high school class. I have a degree from an Ivy League college. I have a PhD from one of the top physics departments in the country. I'm not saying all this to brag. I'm saying all this to set up the unlikeliness of someone like me, as close as you can be to a professional student, getting kicked out of elementary school. But that's what happened last week. It's actually for the best. We've all been miserable this year. I've been sick with anxiety since last fall. Stomachaches, heart palpitations, the works. I actually started this blog as a way of dealing with it all. Here's what happened. Let me start with...