And they're off!!!

Well we are three days into the school year and I am already seeing the Lords blessings! I have gotten to know my girls in such a different way in the past few days. When we made the decision to homeschool it was mostly to come to the aid of Hailey. Who has struggled since kindergarten. I have planned all summer and have been looking forward to helping her feel success in learning. I have never been once been concerned with my youngest and her schooling. I have always been aware that my little Hil is a bit of a perfectionist but in the past two days WOW I am seeing her in a whole new light! So now I am a driven not only to helping Hailey feel successful but also to helping Hilary figure out a happy medium between perfection and your best. And how she can be content with her best without tears.

         I am so committed to these gifts God has entrusted to my husband and I. When I think about what my ideas of motherhood have been over the past 10 years and how drastically different they are right now I am amazed. I feel I am truly getting to know my kids right now in everyway. I have always felt a burden to guide my children in God’s word but with a full time job and a house to take care of in the evening. I was leaving the spiritual guidance to sunday school. It is such an amazing thing so sit with my girls and study Gods word not only in bible but science, history, english and even in the artist and composers we study. To be truly available to them and their questions is a great feeling. I have always thought that I was an affectionate mother. My eyes however have been opened this summer. I began to cry one night while cleaning the kitchen as I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I sat and cuddled my girls. From that point on when they ask for a hug, look like they need a hug are sad, hurt, angry and sometimes even when they are naughty. I hold them and I don’t let go until they do. It has totally changed the relationship I have with them!! It is amazing!!

In closing I would like to share a few pictures of our “school” room. And my favorite quote I have placed above their worktable to read and store away in their heart of hearts.

Promise me you’ll always remember…

You’re braver than you believe

                And stronger than you seem

                And smarter than you think

   

Summer is winding down...

Wow this summer has just flown by and I can’t believe we are seventeen days away from our first day of school. The girls and I have been working hard getting our schoolroom organized. We’ve had so much fun decorating and making our classroom a fun place to be. I have spent hours trying to make our calendar work well for us and for Jeremy’s school year as well. All of our curriculum has been ordered and is on its way. I am beyond excited to get it all here and open the books for the first time and get my lesson plans worked out.

Our family has prayed for this time to come for so long. All of the changes we have made this summer have gone so well and I am so thankful for all the blessings the Lord has provided for us. One of the sweetest moments of the summer happened a few evenings ago when Hilary and I were organizing books and talking about what we will be learning this year. She gave me a big hug and told me she was finally excited to be doing homeschool. I spent the next half hour or so listening to her share with me all of her thoughts for the school year. I have prayed for the day when Hili would be excited and it touched my heart that she was able to share with me on her own what she is looking forward to.

The girls and I were blessed to be able to join the Providence Homeschooling  Co-op. Every Monday we will be joining other homeschoolers and spending time learning various subjects and spending time making new friends. I let the girls choose which classes they wanted to take and their choices showed just how different they are. Hailey, which was no surprise to me choose to art, drama, and choir. Where as Hilary choose earth science, American geography and choir. It is so great to see Hilary coming in to her own big personality. She is so much like her Daddy. She had me read the descriptions of all the classes before making her choices and was very excited with her final decisions. It is a great feeling to be able to let the girls choose what they want to learn and have them know their interests are valued.  They are both really looking forward to their classes.

My heart is so light and so blessed right now. I feel like I have come full circle and am doing exactly what the Lord wants of me. To be home loving and serving my family has given me so much joy. I have been able to really get to know my girls again and to appreciate their differences. We are so close as a family and this summer we have been able to get even closer to each other. I know this school year will have its challenges and frustrations but I also know we are right where we are supposed to be doing exactly what the Lord has called us to do and that is a great feeling.

Convention and Packing

Wow!!! Convention was so amazing!!! I was so blessed last week at the Idaho homeschool convention. I still haven't wrapped my mind around all the information, encouragement and calls to action that were presented. I am more confident and reassured that the path we have chosen for our family is where we are meant to be. I learned so much from not only the speakers but the moms I met. I ran into a former teacher of mine from my senior year. It was great catching up with her and hearing about her journey into homeschooling. I met some great moms that gave me so much encouragement and great ideas for next year. But as I sit here typing my mind is currently swarming with all that I need to accomplish this week. We will be moving in 11ish days. We haven't nailed down our official move date yet. But this week is the only week in June that Jeremy and I will both be home. So this is the pack up everything you can live without week. Moving is such a pain!! It has its perks but it is still such a pain!! I do enjoy the opportunity to purge but then there is the question of what to do with all that you purge. Do you have a garage sale and then have to deal with yet another pain. Do you load it all up and just donate it...or just put in a box and leave it out on trash day. At any rate I have come to the conclusion that in the two years we have lived in our current home we have accumulated so much stuff! And with us downsizing from 2600sq feet to 1700sq feet it will be interesting to see how I will fit it all in the new house. It will be interesting I am sure. I am so looking forward to getting my family all settled in to our new home and am praying that the girls will transition well and the stress will stay on the low side.

Book Sale

The girls and I got up early this morning and headed out to the Idaho homeschooling used book sale. We were armed with our list and the checkbook. I have to admit it was a little overwhelming for me and a lot overwhelming for the girls. But in the midst of organized chaos I just felt peace. Walking around and looking at all the tables full of books, games, and curriculum it was a great feeling to know that we were all there for one purpose. It brought me so much joy to rub elbows and chat with other moms and a few dads that have a heart for homeschooling. I am so grateful for the handful of new friends the Lord has brought into my life since making the choice to HS. I was so grateful to have them today for encouragement, guidance and reminders to breath. Their hugs and kind words are so special to me. The girls and I came away with a few goodies I am most excited that I was able to pick up three levels of the math curriculum I am planning on using and saved about $100.00. Tomorrow is the start of the CHOIS convention and I am over the moon excited!!

As I sit here with the plans and hopes of this last year finally here I am humbled and thankful. The last two days have been both joyful and heartbreaking. I have waited for the last day of school for so long that when it arrived I was surprised at how fast this year seemed to fly by. It was a tough day for the girls and I as we said goodbye to our friends and Lake Hazel. Hailey said to me at the end of the day "I never thought I would be this sad on the last day of school." I found myself feeling the same way. I have made so many life long friends in the three years I spent at Lake Hazel. I remember back to the summer before I was hired, how I walked the playground the day before my interview. I prayed over the school and the students I hoped to meet. I prayed that the Lord would teach me and guide me while I was teaching his children. And as always He never failed! The past three years have been at times the hardest of my life but also the most joy filled. The students and parents I have had the privilege to meet and form relationships with have forever changed my life. They have taught me so much more about myself and the world then I could ever have dreamed. They taught me patience, kindness, gentleness, how to be firm but loving at the same time. I have encountered heartbreak with them and for them with situations out of our control. I have been brought to my knees for them when I know the only one to keep them safe is my Jesus. I will forever love my EmaLee who I spent the last three years loving along with her family. The Austin's are one of the strongest families I have ever met! They have faced so much with having a special needs daughter, multiple deployments, and just life. They are always strong and always together as a unit. That little girl found a place in my heart from the word go and I look forward to now watching her grow as a friend. For they could not get rid of me if they tried. As I placed Em in her car after lots of hugs and lots of tears, and after her clinging to me and and saying       "Don't do this Ms. Rachel, you can't leave me" I realized just how much my job had changed my life.

With summer here and looking over the next few months we will have a lot of change coming our way. We will be moving in three weeks and getting settled in a new home. Next week I am going to my very first homeschool convention and can't wait!!! I have plans to attend a few classes this summer with some of my LHE peeps. I am really looking forward to getting our new school room in order. To making plans and meeting new friends. I know that the path I have followed through Lake Hazel has given me the insight, confidence and knowledge to start down a new path. I know that this new path the path of once again being a stay at home mom and now a home educator will be challenging at times. But I also know that the Lord is leading my family and we are right where we need to be. I invite you to join us on our journey down this new path. Join us in the laughter, trials, tears and accomplishments that are sure to come. And pray with us that we will keep Jesus the center and that the love of learning will fill our home.