“It’s so sad that summer’s ended, Mom. I wish...” My teen’s voice trailed off.  I felt some of the same sadness as we bid good bye to the lazy days of summer fun last week. This week our activities and schedules kicked into full gear. So far, it’s been a seamless transition to a our new homeschool year as we tried a different approach to getting back to school after taking the summer off:

* Ease into a routine: We started our homeschool a week before our Classical Conversations program began. It helped:

·         get a head start on the pre-work that was due on the first day of class

·         get familiar with the subject matter

·         tweak our schedule and routine as we went along, rather than trying to figure things out the week classes started

The past several months have been challenging. What started out as a one-time bout  of iritis five years ago, returned…and stayed. When the inflammation spread from my eye to my joints, tendons, and muscles, I began various treatments, some with hard side effects. But life goes on in the midst of challenges and difficulties.

So how do I get back up when I’m down? Here’s what I’m learning:

1. Accept the situation: Accepting the fact that I have a debilitating auto-immune condition can be difficult because I have to be honest with myself. Yet, it’s the most important step on my journey to getting back up again. Acceptance doesn’t mean a fatalistic or defeatist attitude. It’s an acknowledgement of the reality of my situation and a determination to live life to the fullest despite it.