"Life is Either a Daring Adventure or Nothing":Getting to Know Helen Keller

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched- 

they must be felt with the heart."- Helen Keller

This quote sums up how I feel when I have meaningful teaching moments with my children.  Trust me- not every moment is like this.  Like I told my son today when he was asking me about Lucky Charms: "It can't all be marshmallows."  Life isn't all marshmallows either.  But there are enough "marshmallow" in there to make life sweet.  And that's how I felt as I watched my kids finish up their unit on Helen Keller.  My pictures try to capture these incredible moments, but really these beautiful, precious events cannot really be seen...they are felt.  

 It's the feeling I got when their eyes lit up as they punched their own names out in "braille."  It's the feeling I got when my daughter, completely on her own, decided to spell the name "Helen" too- what a sweet way to remember that great hero!  And it's the feeling I enjoyed when my daughter showed me some sign language and said "You and I are this...best friends."  

It's that proud-mama feeling when I see them diving into a project, EXCITED to learn and create.  This zest for life is the epitome of who Helen Keller was and continues as her legacy.  I expect my little ones are like her, a bit "too active" at times for society.  They can be rascals!  But, like her, they also enjoy this world in free-spirited ways, ways I am still trying to learn.

I am so blessed I have every day to do that- to learn with them.  

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."-Helen Keller

"We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world."-Helen Keller

"I am only one; but still I am one.  I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.  I will not refuse to do something I can do." -Helen Keller  

Both an exquisite student and teacher, it's no wonder she said things that speak to the heart of this homeschooling mommy! 

I hope my children and I remember that there are NO LIMITS beyond OUR OWN MIND.  With a good teacher, friend, and faith we can do ANYTHING and become our BEST selves.  I saw that in the many fascinating accomplishments of my own "handicapped" father.  I've learned of it from the amazing life of Helen Keller.  And I see it every day through the milestones of my own busy special needs children.  "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Anyone enjoying their young children is definitely in the middle of a daring adventure.  So don't just see it or touch it, FEEL these moments with your heart.
Love, Eva

There's No Place Like Home

Last night I was blessed to stay up till 10, snuggling in bed with my kids as I read The Wizard of Oz to them.  Tonight we were up again doing the same.  Every time I tried to stop, they kept asking for more.  Michael would say "Just 2 more chapters, Mommy.  Just 20 more pages.  This is my FAV-orite book."  Too cute.  We've only read 20 pages!

The plan is to read the whole book, possibly have a Wizard of Oz themed party with other homeschooling friends, and definitely go to Terrace Plaza Playhouse to see their production of it next month!  SUPER excited about that.

Tonight though as we were reading I came across a passage that brought tears to my eyes.  In the scene Dorothy and the Scarecrow have just met and they are asking about each other's pasts.  Dorothy reveals that the home she comes from isn't nearly as beautiful as the Land of Oz, but all barren instead.  Still, she desperately wishes to return to Kansas anyway.  When the Scarecrow doesn't understand why she gives him this beautiful answer:

"No matter how dreary and grey our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful.  There is no place like home."

Then my kids and I had a beautiful discussion about that phrase, "There's no place like home".  Hearing their young voices explain that after a long day they just want to be in their own room, in their own bed was so special.  And it helped me realize again, which I need, why we are doing this.  Why we are taking the sometimes more stressful, but always worth it, path of homeschooling.  This road, like Dorothy's, is one of discovery, twists and turns, and beauty that brings out family closer together.

I loved that I could take the moment to expand the topic to our heavenly homes too, reminding them that even though we like this place there is another home we come from which we will be very happy to return to someday.  A place even more Grand than the Emerald City, with all our families.  This tied right in with our Devotional time today (found on today's www.ldslittleones.blogspot.com post.)

I love that I know I can stay up too late reading great books to my kids all year long.  I love that I am the one teaching them and experiencing all of this learning with them.  Most of all, I'm glad we all agree that "There's no place like home."

Love,
Eva