Happy Homeschooling

Since my last post on this subject, we have seen God moving.  We set a budget for this years home school costs and as of yesterday have purchased all of our home school materials for Kindergarten next year!  I can't believe we have come to this point after 3 months of praying and researching!  I have gone from dreading this to not being able to wait until fall to start!  I am truly excited and can't see it any other way for next year.  

I wanted to share an interesting story.  When thinking about all the materials we were going to be getting for home school, I knew I needed something to organize all of it (no...not me:).  I really liked those cube/shelf organizers that I saw at IKEA and that many of my friends have.  I knew at this point it was probably out of our budget to get one. So I was planning on settling for either a shelving unit we had a home that I could use (by shuffling around some other things) or by buying a cheaper/smaller version from Target and spending a little less money.  During this time, God also allowed me to receive a couple of jobs...one as a Doula having a client due in the fall and two watching the neighbor's 8 year old this summer.  

I went to a garage sale last Friday.  At the garage sale the lady was selling the very shelving unit I wanted from IKEA.  I saw she had $85 on it.  She also had a kindergarten/pre-school chair for $1 so I snagged that (even though I don't have the table yet, I knew the chair would be great).  I went home and thought about the unit.  I went to IKEA online and saw that brand new it was $199 so I knew it was a deal.  The next afternoon, I stopped by the sale again to see that she still had the unit.  I asked her what the story was with it.  She told me that she had bought two of the units and discovered that she only had room for one of them.  It was all put together but not glued or screwed tight.   I told her I really wanted it because I was homeschooling next year and need a place to organize things in our school room.  She was very encouraging and thought it was wonderful and that I was a good mommy for wanting to make that kind of sacrifice for my kids.  She said one of her neighbors up the street does it and that if her kids were little she would consider it at this point.  We had a very nice conversation while many others were listening and nodding their heads.  

I told her I would think about the cabinet and that I didn't have the money on me or a truck with me.  She said no one else had inquired and she really wanted to pass it along to me even coming down on price.  I told her I would get back to her after I talked to my husband.  She gave me a business card and told me to give her a call.  

I left and ran several errands including grocery shopping.  I went home and told my husband about the cabinet and he told me to go for it.  I hopped in the truck and headed for the bank to get the cash.  I decided I better call her before I got all the way there.  When I called her she said that there was someone there right now wanting to buy it but she would save it for me if I was on my way - and that she would give it to me for $5 cheaper.  

When I got there she told me that the cabinet just had to be meant for me.  She said the other lady was willing to pay full price for it.  She also said that she never answers the phone during a garage sale especially when she doesn't recognize the caller on caller id.  So I feel it was truly meant for us.  Now...we just need to find a good table to do our work on.

We got it home and it is set up and organized with the curriculum that came in the mail yesterday!  When we drove down the street yesterday we could see a box on the front porch and I had a feeling that is was.  When I told Reece she was so excited and said she wanted to open it herself.  The rest of it should come next week.  I spent $27 less than our budget for curriculum when I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to get what I needed with the budget we set!  With the help of Ebay, good friends, and the grace of God, we pulled it off and are looking forward to a great 1st year of homeschooling.  I can hardly wait to get started!

Reece opening her package of goodies!  (Not a great picture but I was trying hurry and capture the moment and didn't have all the right settings on the camera).

The shelving unit from the garage sale...craft stuff on top, curriculum on first level, toys and stuff will go on the rest.  Need to get some nicer, bigger baskets.

Left to right: Science/history/character building (first box), math (2nd box), language arts/writing (3rd box), reading/bible stuff (4th box)