Pirates and Cardboard Boxes

It turns out that in NC you have to file a notice of intent to homeschool your children. The process is all shockingly simple. We had to fill out a single form and attach documents proving that both Kev and I have graduated from high school. The website strongly advises that the process can take 4-6 weeks, so imagine our surprise and delight when four days later our official card came in the mail. The Great American Adventure Academy is now in session! Actually, we've been going strong for several weeks and have hit upon our first independent study period. Kev and I decided to compose our school schedule around a rotation of four weeks of standard curriculum followed by1 week of an independent/self-directed project for each kid. Their first project time was fantastic! They chose to study the Outer Banks of North Carolina. So we pulled out our camping gear and headed off to Cape Hatteras National Seashore. We built sandcastles, played in the waves, collected seashells, learned about sea turtles and the ongoing battle between conservation and development, saw the Wright Brother's Memorial and climbed to the top of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Joe and Louisa became Jr. Rangers at two more programs (flight and seashore rangers) and overall had a wonderful experience. The weather couldn't have been nicer. But what really made the trip special was hearing the twins sing as they went to sleep that first night, "I love the tent, I love, I love the TENT!"
Today we are back in Durham, and everyone is diving into a study of pirates. Of course, the thought that Blackbeard may have buried his treasure on Ocracoke has added to their fascination. Along with the pirate maps and treasure coins that we purchased at the gift shop! Nate and Savannah especially love putting on their pirate hats and vests, swinging swords and yelling "ARgh, Maties!"
As for me, I am looking around our house realizing that we STILL have cardboard boxes waiting to be unpacked. And although the tape is starting to fray, the big yellow welcome home sign from Blacknall is still above the fireplace. It is time to take the last few steps towards establishing our home here. Time to recycle the cardboard, and put everything in its place. Time to not be moving in still, but to be moved in. Those boxes do feel like the last tenuous thread tying us still to our lives in Bundibugyo and while part of me longs for the aesthetic peace of a neatly unpacked and organized home, another smaller part aches at the closure. Of course, even as I write that I hear many of you laughing "Honey, even if you unpacked everything your house will never be organized!" Four kids and a dog tend to assure that I live a chaotic existence no matter what my lofty aspirations might be!