The Hope Filled Homeschooler

"The hope of the righteous brings joy" Prov 10:28      It's December 15th! Wow, only 10 days til Christmas! I hope that doesn't make you anxious! I don't know why but I feel like this time of year sneaks up on me, EVERY YEAR! 😕       Thankfully, as a family, we are prepared, for the most part. Most (def not ALL!) of the gifts are purchased & plans are made.  Calendar filled  with activities & various parties.  Cards are addressed and ready to send out. Now to get to the post office!       Fortunately, I have been able to sneak in moments of joy where I truly feel like "it's the most wonderful time of year"! The first two weeks of Dec, my family was quite busy being active in Christmas activities with my church. My soul was nourished as my church was able to pour into our community. Last Friday, we (homeschool group) went Christmas caroling @ a nursing home. My heart burst as I saw all their smiling ...

Hello!👋 Yeah, it's REALLY me!! Hard to believe it's been over 2 months since my last post! I guess I can say "I am back!!" From where, that I don't know…let's see, we packed, we moved, we unpacked & settled in (for the most part) & well, lived life…Dare I even say that I have been "busy"… … "too busy" to do something that I am doing for myself... writing!  ✍ U gh, I hate to admit that.… To me, busy means distracted, which reminds me of the saying : "If Satan can't make you bad, he'll make you busy ."-Corrie ten Boom. Isn't that just like Satan to get in the way & make me forget why I am doing this, "to fill these "pages" with Words of Truth"...Well,   I don't want to be BUSY  anymore...Today, I choose to " Commit [my] ways to the  Lord ; trust in him" Psalm 37:5. As I type this, it's Thanksgiving 🦃 Eve...Where has the  time gone❓❗❓❗...For a week ...

"A man’s heart plans his way,  BUT the   Lord   directs his steps." Prov 16:9       Happy Sunday! Hard to believe we are already OVER a week into September. Sorry it's been a while since you have heard from me. I was excited to get my weekly planning done then life happened. 😒      Last Sunday I was thrilled to have gotten my   planner filled in & curriculum prepped for the entire week, including our co-op class! Pages were marked, copies made & DVD's made readily available. Victory! 💪  Meals in last column Planner filled in       By that afternoon, I had all my planner "blocks" filled in with what my kiddos were gonna learn. I also had meals planned out for the entire week! I love how my planner has extra empty boxes. I made one entire column for meals. Not sure why I didn't do that before. In the past I had a separate calendar that often goes unnoticed and forgotten about. Guess...

Hello Friends!      So, today is Sunday the 25th of August! Summer is flying by! Sorry I have been a little quiet lately. Sadly, I have been busy (ugh, I hate that word!!) that this blog has already been pushed to the back burner.       To update on our situation, we BOUGHT a new house!! Eeek 😀 It's about 13 min from our current home. So, my kiddos will start off their school year with a lot of life skills with  planning & packing. In my Marine Corps days, I was a Logistician/ embarker. Basically, I planned & packed major unit "evolutions"... ...Needless to say, "Fun times are up ahead!!" 😅      It's back-to-school season right now. It's that time of the year where my Facebook news-feed is filled with adorable "back-to-school" photos. The public schools in our area head back tomorrow morning. We will definitely be praying that they all have a wonderful day! 💖      As a way of "celebrating" h...

" Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight" Prov 3:5-6       Happy August 14th! Isn't it insane how we are already about 1/2 way through the 8th month of the year! Not to sound too cliche, but where is the time going?!?!          Lots of things (mostly pondering) have been happening over here @ The Mattesons; not necessarily homeschool related, but life related, which let's face it, it does affect homeschool. To be honest, it's taken up most of my brain space (really there isn't much room left up there 😂). So for now, I have had a hard time focusing on much else. So, glad we don't start for another 20 days 😅      For those that don't know, my husband is Marine Corps pilot (swoon!). I can't believe I have actually lived this Marine Corps life for the last 22 yrs❗❗ 8 yrs as a Marine myself & later as a spouse. ...

"Commit your work to the  Lord , and your plans will be established." Prov 16:3             So here we are already 8(!) days into August! I am just shocked how quick the time is going. I am feeling pretty relieved that I decided we "officially" start our homeschool after Labor Day...only 3 1/2 wks left to plan! 💆      This will be my 6th consecutive year, I took about a 2 yr break while twins were super little & keeping me busy. Anyway, even after 6 yrs it's still a bit daunting for me to get through the planning stage. I always feel a little overwhelmed. I think that feeling is especially pronounced now that I will have 2 high schoolers! Somehow my oldest will be in 10th grade...Do I really only have 3 yrs left with her?!?! & only 4 left with my 2nd born?!?!                                      ... I better make this ti...

 According to John Piper, one should "seek your joy in the joy of your spouse" ( Desiring God , 205)      Last week, my husband and I celebrated our 16th anniversary! I'm still beside myself thinking, "Has it really been that long?!?!" I guess time really does fly when we are having fun! It feels like yesterday that we were the "newly" weds in our circle of friends. It feels pretty good knowing that we have made it this far, though tough at times...But by God's grace!       To celebrate our anniversaries, we have really made it a point to get "away" & spend time together.  As a homeschool family, our kiddos are almost always "underfoot", even the two teenagers. We spend a lot of time together as a family...which I absolutely LOVE!!! It's nice, however, to remember that "we" were first...It's funny though, even after 16 yrs, I was a little nervous about what our date would be like...like, what wi...

"If anyone is in Christ, [she] is a new creation. The old has passed away;  behold the new has come" 2 Cor 5:17      This was the verse in my morning devotions. This is one of my favorite verses & one that I had read @ my baptism in June 2002. Amazing that it has been 17 years since I surrendered my life to Jesus. I am forever grateful that I am a new  creation & the old has passed away. Even though I fall short DAILY, His grace covers it all. Hallelujah!       Well, fast forward 17 yrs, almost exactly to the month, my oldest daughter, Jasmyn, reaffirmed her faith in Christ & chose to get baptized again. She was baptized when she was younger but she feels as she grows in her faith & knowledge of Christ that she had to be baptized &  display her love for Him. I couldn't be more excited! I was beside myself feeling like I don't deserve this gift... A teenage daughter who goes against the grain of so...

Hello All, Welcome to The Hope Filled Homeschooler! My name is Nadia & I (along with my husband) homeschool our 4 kiddos. We will have 10th, 9th & 6th grade twins. This blog is me doing something "new".  I have been wanting to write a blog   for a while  (I did have one years ago)   but I guess I was feeling a little timid or rather fearful of rejection! But God...(I saiah 43:1 “Don't  fear , for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you  are  Mine.” So, there's  that... Anyway, my hope in writing this blog is that, w hether you are new to homeschool or a seasoned veteran, y ou will find encouragement and inspiration as you homeschool your kiddos! I truly hope to find the same for myself as I share. My hope is to fill these "pages" with Words of Truth, along with advice, activities for kids, recipes, and so MUCH more! Thanks for joining me in this adventure called homeschool life!!   Have a happy,...