2026-2027 School Year

 

Today was the first day of the 2026-27 school year at our homeschool cooperative: Heritage Home Scholars. I am on the Board and teach two English classes -- a middle school English (which Hannah is in) and a British Literature (which Abigail is in.)

Abigail is a sophomore. This is probably her last year at Heritage. Hannah is a 7th grader! How can that be!?

The boys no longer attend the cooperative at all. Sidge is taking full-time college classes at Walters State Community College and taking Algebra 2 at home with Dad. He'll graduate high school with his AA. He is a senior.

Isaac is taking two classes with Liberty online, one at the local community college, and doing Algebra 2 at home. He is also doing a lot of theatre and training at the Blair Academy in Johnson City in voice and piano. He is also a senior.

Time goes so fast ....

Robbie Couch

 

Our elderly neighbor, Robbie, went home to Jesus this last week. She leaves behind her sister, Faye, whom she has lived with her entire life. Her daughter, Kim and her are celebrating in heaven I am sure. Kim passed away about a year after we moved here to the farm (back in about 2016). 

Vermont

A few tears

I continue to learn. 

And I continue to dream of "feeling" like myself again.

And yet I am reminded, often, that Old Wendi is gone. She served her purpose. She did a good job. But she isn't coming back. She can't come back. 

And so I wait. 

In this sort of difficult middle. 

For the "new Wendi" to appear. 

This week was a little tough. My mentor in the program I am in resigned unexpectedly. In addition, I got called back for some repeat medical testing. Chances are very good it'll be fine, but it's unnerving. In addition, one of the Couch sisters, our neighbors out here on the farm, finally lost her battle to cancer. 

When my mentor departed, I felt sad. And I immediately saw old Wendi knocking on the door. "Hey. Don't be sad. Sadness hurts. Let's skip that. Can we?"

But new Wendi knows that skipping emotions isn't good. I can't bypass them spiritually either. I need to feel them. I am sad Parag left the program. I am grieving his departure. 

If I am being honest, I think I am grieving other things too. My boys are seniors now. They don't need me anymore. The season that they needed me is in the past. They'd like me to not mother them at all. And that's what I am trying to do.

But I miss the little boys that I got to be a Mama for and sometimes wish I could go back and do it all again and slow down time and soak up every single minute. 

I love my kiddos. And I'm sad that they are growing up. And happy at the same time. 

Sigh ... continuing to heal and grow over here in TN! 

 

Wedding!

These were two quick snaps of Jonathan and Amelia Bowlin’s wedding!

There's A Hole In My Sidewalk

 

There's A Hole In My Sidewalk

“I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fall in.

I am lost... I am helpless.

It isn't my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

 

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend I don't see it.

I fall in again.

I can't believe I am in the same place.

But, it isn't my fault.

It still takes me a long time to get out.

 

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in. It's a habit.

My eyes are open.

I know where I am.

It is my fault. I get out immediately.

 

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

I walk down another street.”

― Portia Nelson 💫