A Typical Night

One of our parents recently shared some reflections with me about what a typical weekday evening is like for her family. I wonder if your evenings are like those of the DeKerlegands?

As we got our girls to bed, I finally had a moment to reflect on our evening.  It was a typical night at our house, but I couldn’t help thinking that it probably wasn’t a typical evening at a non-Regents house.  Let me explain.

Our evening began as our family sat down at the dinner table.  Our three girls, grades 8th, 5th, and 3rd mentioned that they might have the opportunity to hear an opera at Stephen F. Austin State University during school later this semester.  That conversation led into a discussion of our girls telling the “stories” behind the operas they have been learning about in music class. One daughter loved Madame Butterfly while another daughter liked Die Fledermaus.  My husband and I were amazed that they could name so many operas and the stories behind them.  As we finished dinner, we began an evening of school-related activities as well as musical practice of the various instruments they study.  One daughter practiced piano while another one practiced violin.  While music was filling the background, the youngest daughter drilled her math facts.  Next on the agenda, the girls took turns reciting Isaiah 6:1-8, their September Scripture memory passage.  The oldest daughter practiced her timeline for Omnibus and then launched into preparing for her Physical Science test the next day.  As the oldest was preparing for her science test, the middle daughter picked up Robinson Crusoe which she is reading for the Regents Reading Program.  After all the books were closed and all the instruments put away, I once again thanked the Lord for our wonderful school.

Our evenings are filled with beautiful music, discussions of beautiful music from the past, God’s Word, timelines of past history, math and science facts, and quality literature.