A new direction

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas...we did here, and I will post a few pictures very soon.
These few days between Christmas and the New Year are always a time for me to clean up, put away Christmas decorations, and plan for the new year. The last few years, the coming of the new year meant an assessment of our homeschooling, how the kids were doing, what curriculum was working, how all the extra activities were working out in our schedule, etc...
This year is a bit different. With the kids in public school, and doing well there, I won't be spending as much time assessing their progress. We will focus on that in the spring, closer to the end of the school year. We already know what is lacking in the public school system, and are taking steps to supplement that at home.
This time the focus is more on me. The last three months have been difficult on me and my mental health. I can't say it enough...too much time alone and without much to do is very bad for me! I do not want to continue on that path in 2009. I have found myself in a similar position that I was in a few years ago, obsessing over my past and all the mistakes that I have made, and not being able to let go of it. This time around I would prefer to not have to take medication, and at this point, I am hoping that I just need focus. All of sudden I went from being super busy homeschooling to having so much alone free time. It was such a quick change that I never planned for it, or at least not for me. The kids were ready, mentally and educationally. But I wasn't. I never made a plan for myself, what I would "do" during those hours that used to be filled with lesson planning, researching, teaching, reading aloud, and social homeschool activities...This past fall found me "retired" from all that! I do have a few interests (quilting, photography, running, reading...) but without focus, I tend to do a little here and there, without being consistent. I am finally admitting that I need a plan and almost a schedule. I used to be quite organized with homeschooling, always having a master year plan, a schedule, and even if sometimes we put those aside, at least they were there to keep us focused. So, for myself, I need a plan. A master plan or list so I know what I would like to accomplish and what needs to be done. I can take a breather from it when I need to, but I can also rely on it to stay focused.
I am sharing this with you because I think that this blog is going to take a very different direction. I had thought about closing it down and starting a new one, but then I also thought it might be interesting to see the transformation. Serendipity started as a homeschool blog, a place for me to share our adventures in homeschooling. Now it will be more about my own adventures, as a mother and as a woman. I hope you will continue to follow me, and enjoy the journey!