You called me out upon the water.....
I first felt the call to homeschool in 1999 or so. Back when the internet was fresh and new and the scritchity scratch of the connection blared through the house every time you "logged on" I spent more time thumbing through magazines than I did perusing the web. I remember the glossy pages, the smiling kid's faces, the "classrooms" in the outdoors. I was smitten. There were so many obstacles standing in my way I didn't know where to begin. Jesse was a hard sell, I was super intimidated and felt unqualified on every level except I knew how to play with my kids, I wasn't sure what my extended family would say or think. I did what I always do in these cases - I got my hand on EVERY homeschooling book and article I could find. I read and I read and I read. I also stalked the only person that I knew that homeschooled and begged her to let me come over and "watch". I can't even believe she said yes AND she is still my friend to this day. How annoying was I? So in the middle of the winter in the year 2001 I invaded her kitchen with three little ones and a fourth in a car seat. She taught me all I needed to know, invited me to her support group meetings, and showed me love and friendship like I had never experienced. Little did I know what I was in for.
The great unkown where feet may fall....
In the Fall of 2001 I was still undecided. I had planned on just a "practice year" with Hannah as her birthday was one of those where she could go to school but if she waited a year it would be OK too so I planned to homeschool her kindergarten year and see how it went. Then 9/11 happened. Brandon had been in school that day. It scared me to death. I never sent him back. So we went from the planning to the execution in a day's time. I signed up for all the outings with the local homeschool group that also happened to be Catholic. I had never experienced Catholic quite like that. My worldly heart of stone quickly turned to a heart of flesh for Jesus.
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand
The years that followed those early homeschool days are both frozen in my mind and a blur. The internet took off and the days of dial up were replaced with modems. I read everything I could about curriculum's and the Faith. The kids grew, our family grew, we suffered through losses and other trauma. Year after year I felt the same urge to homeschool as I had way back in 1999.
And I will call upon Your Name
And keep my eyes above the waves
For all these years (this is my 16th year homeschooling) I have battled the words of the enemy - "you can't do this", "you're not smart enough", "your kids will be failures and it will be all your fault." among other things. Year after year I feared high school but then Brandon graduated, then Hannah, then Owen. This year it's Katie. Each time I brace myself for my failures as we piece together their transcripts and each time I breath a sigh of relief when I see how well they have done for themselves.
When oceans rise, my soul will rest in Your Embrace
For I am Yours, and You are mine.
So here we are at the beginning of a new school year again. The co op we are involved in begins today. We may take a couple more weeks off before we begin our formal schooling here at home. Through the years I've learned not to get too attached to certain learning styles, books, curriculums or other educational aids. I've learned that the most important things are Faith, love of God, love of family. Just as I always have we read and read and read. I've spent hours playing games, play dough-ing, talking, listening. I've spent many a morning cooking at the kitchen counter with little ones seated around it working. I've sort of mastered my Baltimore catechism, perfected the art of nursing, stirring soup, filling cups with water and reading the directions for someone's school work that day.
Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign Hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now.
Whatever it is that God is leading you to, even if you just feel smitten and you don't know it's He Who is doing the leading, do it with all of your heart. Step out on those waters, leave the boat, and don't look back. In a few months I will be 44 years old. I never dreamed I would have decades of homeschooling still to go when I began what seems like a lifetime ago. All the twists and turns, all the ups and downs, the doubt, the fear, the storms.....He never let go of me even in all those Februaries, the month I tend to say "I can't do this for another year". I don't regret one single second of the time I have spent here with my children. Brandon lives hours away now but I have stored in my heart the abundance of time I was gifted with him and that all the kids are gifted with eachother.
However you choose to educate your children please know they have been and will continue to be in our prayers.
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever you could call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior.
(Lyric credit to the song Oceans by Hillsong Untited. You can listen to it
HERE )
My remaining students humored me with fist day pics once again. Don't tell but my granddaughter who is a "Freshman at life" might be my favorite ;) Her amazing Mama is a Junior at Eastern Michigan, teaching at co op, working with children who have autism, and still makes time to answer my texts.
In spite of what Owen's sweatshirt (which was mine when I was a teen!) he is a sophomore at U of M Dearborn. He is representing
Duncan and will be traveling to CA for the National Yo Yo competition in October!!
Katie is a senior in high school this year! I can not believe it! She's such an amazing young lady, strong, and most of all KIND. She has a contagious joy and can always make me feel better!
Jackson is in his first year of high school this year. He's Augustine's best rough houser and is surely destined for greatness!
Sam is an eager helper and is very gentle with the little ones. He's always up for whatever is going on around the house. This year he's in 7th grade!
Mary and Cecilia share a grade and always request to share a picture. They are in 5th grade this year! Mary is super creative and Cecilia's soul shines through in all that she does. Both girls are AVID readers. They always have their faces buried in books. Girls after my own heart.
Clare is in 3rd grade already! She's super spunky, is always on top of the home happenings, and can keep Jude happy for "just one more minute" while I finish whatever task is at hand. Clare is also an avid reader and keeps up nicely with Mary and Cecilia.
Jo Jo is in 1st grade! She finally gets to join her siblings at co op (with Hannah as her teacher for three classes!). She's on the verge of reading and is such a fun girl to watch learn.
Franny B is the big girl in the house on co op days when the others are gone. She's super sweet most days, enjoys a good nature walk, and is currently loving Franklin books.
Augustine will be 3 on Sunday! He's super into construction, fire trucks and trains and all things dirt. He can carry on a better conversation than I can and I love listening to him voice what he is thinking in his mind.
Jude (the dude) is just a delight. A gift from God. What else does one need to say about a baby?
And that's that. We're off and running for the 2017/2018 school year! I can't wait to see what this year brings. For my "shot in the arm" this year I listened to
THIS book on audible. It was short and exactly what I needed as we start the new year.
