When I was a little girl, my family lived in a neighborhood full of kids around my age. In the summer we rode our bikes through the street, left our houses in the morning, checked in at lunch and may or may not have actually eaten at our home for that meal. We spent time in pools and backyards, driveways and streets. We built forts in hedge bushes and fed the cows that wandered up to the fence that bordered the neighborhood. It was a great childhood and a time that I wish my own children could experience. 
Which bring us to a fairly current place. Four years ago in March, my teaching position was eliminated. We were devastated as we had not financially planned and had no idea what we were going to do. After a few days of wallowing, we started praying that God would reveal what we were supposed to do. We kept hearing that homeschooling our children was what we needed to do. We were terrified about how the details would work out, but we proceeded with the plan. And then on August 1 the school called to say I had my job back. The choice was now ours. I could go back to school or I could stay home and homeschool Charlie and Kiana. It was another gut wrenching choice, but in the end we knew we had to do what we felt was right. Bringing our children home was never about our dissatisfaction with our school district or feeling I could do a better job, it was simply about obeying what we felt God had for our family. When we started we decided that we would ride this wave as long as we felt it was right for our family. It was never our intention to homeschool all the way through high school, because lets be honest high school is really not my jam and we wanted the kids to have a more traditional high school experience. 
The last 4 years have been full of adventure, struggle, good days, rotten days, tears, and laughter. I have had the privilege of educating our children from grades kindergarten/first grade through 3rd/4th grade. The challenges have been real. There have been science experiments that have gone disasterously wrong, fights over math, and struggles to read. I have cried in the bathroom raging against God that I didn't understand why I had taught 100's of children to read and I couldn't teach my son. I have literally bopped Kiana in the head with a Bible during our Bible curriculum because she had an attitude (which gives a new meaning to a "Bible thumper"). I had to learn to walk the fine line between being Mom and making sure that I was an effective teacher as well. There were seasons were I seriously didn't want to have school that day, but we started at 8:30 anyway. There were seasons that I couldn't wait to be done with a subject. It is easily the hardest "teaching position" I have ever had and not just because I had no one else to blame by myself if things went wrong.
Even with all the hard days, I would not have traded these 4 years with our babies. The amazing days far outweighed the tough ones. We have read so many books and done novel units that encompassed all subject areas. I have seen that little boy go from a child who hated to read, who cried when I asked him to read a sentence, to a 10 year old that begs to go to the bookstore. Who caught the Harry Potter bug after we read the first novel together and even though he knew he couldn't read it independently asked if figure out a way to listen to it (shout out to Audible for that solution). I got to cuddle Kiana when math wasn't easy like everything else and we struggled to learn facts in every way possible. There are endless stories laying around our home and in memory boxes that start as one sentence stories to full notebooks in excellent handwriting by a little girl with an imagination a mile wide. They are mostly about horses, art, and her dislike of bugs. We snuggled on the couch with anticipation of finishing a book, taken much too long to complete a science project because we could, and sang songs about parts of speech. They have learned how to cook food from different time periods and cultures. Charlie learned how to computer program and is still working on on the next section of programming. Kiana did digital fashion design and that adventure lead to her deciding she would rather just draw clothes! Our family has traveled more than we never dreamed possible, we have made priceless memories, and had experiences that we will never forget.
Last spring, Phil and I both felt that our homeschooling journey was nearing the final chapter. There are many things that brought us to this place. Despite all the stress we experienced with C, one of our greatest stress relievers and sanctuaries was being home together each day while she was at public school. However, she also would come home with stories and excitement about things going on and the kids became more curious. Charlie will be in Middle School next year and we really wanted him to have a year of school under his belt before that adventure begins. They are both interested in doing band. The babies are getting older and napping less, which means that I don't always have adequate amount of time to educate them how I wish. More than anything though, we felt that God was telling us it was time. The kids spent some time at the school in the spring and did some placement testing which pleasantly surprised me considering they had never done any standardized tests. This week we registered for 4th and 5th grades and they are over the moon about who they each got for a teacher. We have back to school shopping (that was pricey), labeled things, have hair appointments scheduled, and have checked things off our summer bucket list. We have discussed how school works and that there is no shame in not knowing something that you have never needed to know. Kiana was shocked to learn that you had to ask to go to the bathroom and couldn't just get up and go! We know that there will be bumps, new routines that have to form, and challenges that await. I pray that Phil and I have prepared them for the adventure that awaits them.
What will I be doing now that I don't have to educate children for a good chunk of the day you ask? Well we do still have 2 babies at home and my helpers are gong to school! HA! My travel business is growing so I will be working on that and I plan on subbing at the schools a few days a week also. I hope to get our home organized and clean things out too, but I wouldn't hold my breath for that one.
Just like bringing them home was a hard decision sending them back has been too. My heart and emotions are a mess. I actually really like our children. They are funny, smart, make me laugh, and are seriously mostly nice kids! I have been with them pretty much 24 hours a day for the last 4 years and I have loved most every minute of it. Achieving 2 dreams at once, Mommy and Teacher, is a chance that I didn't think I would ever get. I do not take lightly that God allowed this time to happen and that he allowed Phil and I to parent and teach these children. They are the two most important students I have ever or will ever have. So bring on a new chapter, flip the page to something brand new. If you need me on the morning of August 16, I will be the one standing at the school trying not to embarrass my children as tears run down my face.
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