Learning

Yesterday, we had a light snowy day here in Iowa. We were invited to a lovely 80 year old couple's home, from our church, for lunch.  We had been trying to make this work for months, but the wife has been battling cancer, and chemo, and was too weak for awhile, to host company. But I could tell that it was very important to this couple that we did eventually make it happen, so when they invited us over yesterday, we made sure that we cleared our schedule to go.

This is one of my very favorite parts of homeschooling. The ability to pick up at 11am, and go visit with an 80 year old couple. I am pretty sure an afternoon with someone who has been alive that long, is invaluable. Especially for children. I believe my children went into it, understanding that they would need to be controlled, (no crazy hyperness!), good listeners (elderly people like to tell stories), and polite (because, you always should be!). They were pleasantly surprised to arrive, and find a home, that had probably been prepped all week prior to our arrival.  From the fruit platter, to the pig scavenger hunt, to the toys set up just for them. But the best part was the basement. One half was set up just for Noah. With all the blocks, and boy toys you could imagine, from about 25 years ago. The other half was set up with a craft table, and a ton of raw supplies. Elaine (the lovely, wonderful host) explained to the children that when she was little, her mom had shown her how to make a "mouse house". This was a tradition she had grown up with, and had passed it on to her children. She showed the girls her own mouse house, from her childhood, and then showed them the boxes she had prepped for them, for their own houses. She told them to have at all those raw supplies, and just go nuts. And they did. They spent hours downstairs crafting, cutting, using their imaginations. I love seeing what they come up with, all on their own. No one wanted to leave when it was time to go. Noah asked if he could just stay. Indefinetely, I don't know? The girls asked if they could come back tomorrow. When someone welcomes you into their home with such love, and warmth, it is hard to leave.

Today, our homeschool class was cancelled due to the weather (negative 25 again, darn it). But the kids (even Noah), all have a mouse house to work on, and that will make our morning fun before we sit down to start our regular school lessons.

We are so thankful for the folks in our new congregation. We are especially thankful for the older folks, the one's who have had a lifetime of learning behind them. They have so much to share with us. They have so much wisdom, and so much love to go around.. And I am grateful for that.