Start of the third section of our year

So today we begin the second half of our home assignment. The whole twelve months can be roughly broken up into three sections

1. July-early December: Deputation/school
2. Mid December-January: Holidays for all
3. Feb-June: Deputation/school

   

   A tent is actually an apt way to describe our lives. We
   live in different places and enjoy almost all of them.
   We're getting very good at enjoying the place where
   we currently have our tent-pegs anchored, but are
   well aware that it isn't permanent.

I dropped the three boys at school today for their first day of the new school year. Two were excited, one not so. They'll be home in half an hour, it will be interesting to hear how it's gone. For the first time we have two high schoolers. Also for the first time all the boys have their "own devices". Two have school-provided/rented iPads and the third has a renovated computer (my work computer until six months ago). New territory! For the first time our eldest is doing four science-maths subjects. I hope that he enjoys delving into these subjects in greater depths.

After the school run I came home and we gathered ourselves. It was beautifully quiet. We could even hear and appreciate the birds outside! I planned the menu for the next fortnight, wrote a grocery list and we took off for a coffee-shop date, then split for a grocery/library and petrol run. David even mowed the lawn when we got home. It felt wonderfully productive, especially without any emotional wrangling (once we got the reluctant one to school).

One of the problems I've had over the number two period has been getting head-space to write, even write here. My work-space happens to be in the lounge room (aka living room, den, family room). The same room as the TV and where all the boys generally hung around most of the summer. It is hard to even think within that context.

So now I have a lot more free time, even more so after the 23rd of Feb. From that date David will be working three days a week as a lecturer of Education students at the Christian Heritage College here in Brisbane.

So now, with a bit of free time on my hands, but largely home-bound free time, I'm pondering what to do over the coming months. Weekends are busy, but weekdays not so much (aside from planning time for deputation opportunities, which mostly happen on weekends). I'm thinking about a couple of online courses, researching possibilities. I'm excited!

What I can't believe is that it is less than five months till we leave this "home" and return to our Japan "home"! I definitely have mixed feelings about that.