The Night Before

• Set up the station box with the assignments for tomorrow (more on the station box later)
• Prepare and display the incentive process (a race track this year...more on this in a post-to-come too).
• Stuff backpacks with some new and some hand-me-down clothes, toothbrushes, a reading book, a favorite puzzle book, and various creating supplies (the backpack fairy comes to our house tonight).
• Clean up the main learning space so we can focus.
• Bring the read aloud book upstairs so we can read it snuggled up together in the morning.
  
• Figure out what in the world I can do to keep S entertained this year.
• Choose some theme verses for the unit.
  
• Make a to-do list and plan meals for the rest of the week.
• Plan the family "first day of school celebration outing" to do tomorrow night.
• Pray. Seriously, on my knees.

God, thank you for this freedom to teach my sons in a safe place with loving motives and with their individuality in mind. Being their mentor is the greatest honor of my life. Being their mother is the greatest challenge. Teach me to be gracious in both of these roles. Teach us to respect one another and live and learn with the best interests of the other in mind. Give us clarity and focus. Help me listen before I instruct. Help them engage and create with risk. And most of all, because you have blessed us with the days and the freedom to live as if life is not all about ourselves, help us move outside these walls and intersect with, inspire and intentionally invite others close. Let us not do school, but in all things be educated.
Amen