Hey Reader,

Everyone was finally back in class this week after last week's sickness wave! 🙌 After a couple of weeks of tissues and empty chairs, a full classroom felt like such a gift. How is your crew doing this week?

Homeschool + Math

Not only was everyone healthy, we even added a new student to my 6th grade class! After getting to know everyone (and adding one more to the mix), I realized my original plan wasn't the best fit anymore.

So I practiced what I preach: I switched curriculum!

The new one is open-and-go, takes way less planning on my end, and fits both my students AND my current season of life so much better. When I showed it to the kids, they actually seemed excited about it. (A win in any math classroom! 😄)

It's written for classroom teachers rather than homeschoolers, so it's not one I'd hand to every family. But if you're curious what I picked and why, hit reply and I'd love to chat about it!

And if a math book is draining your mornings right now, hear this from a math teacher: changing what isn't serving your students or your season isn't quitting. Sometimes a pivot is the wisest move you can make, and that's okay!

Life + Business

Part of the reason for my pivot is time. I've needed more of it for the business side of things, while STILL being mom to my toddler and preschooler. I want to be present and really THERE for them, so I'm working on simplifying both my life and my business to make that possible.

The dream? Cutting my work down to just a couple of hours a week and being MOM the rest of the time. That's not my reality right now, but it's the goal, and I'm taking small steps toward it every day!

Lately, I keep getting asked how to make money as a homeschooling stay-at-home mom. So many families need extra income right now (including me, lol)! I'm by no means an expert, but I'm starting this little Life + Business section to share a peek behind the curtain as I work toward that dream, plus the tools I actually use.

Here's my first tip: if you've ever wanted to start a side hustle, start an email list alongside it. It's like writing a letter to your besties every week! I love reading newsletters (because I'm nosy 😆and love seeing what everyone's up to), and as homeschool moms, we always have something worth sharing. ☺️

There are lots of great email platforms out there, like Flodesk, Mailchimp, and ActiveCampaign, and each one shines at different things. What works for me may not be the best fit for you!

My personal favorite is Kit (the one sending you this email!). It connects with my other business tools, it's easy to use, and its tagging and sequence features make it simple to send the right email to the right person. They also have a free plan to get started. Don't take my word for it though: check it out yourself right here!

(That's my affiliate link, so if you sign up for a paid plan later, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share tools I genuinely use and love!)

Grace

Pivoting my class this week reminded me of one of my favorite "plans changed" stories in Scripture.

In Acts 16, Paul and his companions had a clear plan: take the gospel into Asia. Sounds like a good plan, right? But the Holy Spirit stopped them. So they tried heading to Bithynia instead, and again, the door closed. Two good plans, two closed doors.

Then one night, Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia begging, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." They left right away, and that redirect led to Lydia's conversion, the Philippian jailer's whole family coming to faith, and the church in Philippi. The same church Paul later wrote to with so much joy.

Paul didn't fail when his plans fell through. The closed doors were part of God's leading all along.

Proverbs 16:9 puts it this way: "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." (ESV)

We don't have to white-knuckle our August plans to be faithful stewards. Planning is good, and we can still hold our plans with open hands. When we give our schedules and our family's needs to the Lord, He gives us the wisdom to pivot when a pivot is needed, and sometimes the detour is exactly where He's leading. ❤️

Wherever your plans have shifted this season, I'm praying you see His hand in the change.

See you soon!

Mrs. Holman

P.S. Have you had to pivot anything in your homeschool lately? Hit reply and tell me about it. Even a one-line answer makes my day! 😊