Homeschool...

  I love how God weaves unexpected blessings into the details of our crazy lives. We have been praying over a really tough decision these past few months. We knew that God was calling us back into homeschool, but our eldest really loves being involved in a school program. He loves the social aspect and he is at that age where it's really important to him. Ya know, 13 is like big time cool. :) Anyhoo, my heart as a mom was really breaking inside over the thought of telling him the bad news bc he really did not like homeschooling at all. I am so thankful for a strong, confident husband because I have a tendancy to worry over these things sometimes. I worry about disappointing my kids. We have moved them around so much where school is concerned. We always take it a year at a time and each decision has been bathed in prayer, but I just never thought we'd be in this place we are in. I originally pictured our kids at the Christian school they started out at for their entire academic career. I pictured their friends and their sports and them standing on the stage on graduation day with the nostalgic video of them on their first day of kindergarten rolling in the background  to some sappy song. I am realizing that this place that God has called us to really doesn't look anything like I thought it would. I'm not complaining. I'm thankful, but it's not always easy. It's exactly where I want to be, but sometimes I feel so alone and like I'm swimming against a heavy current. I will leave that "heavy current" un-named for the sake of not wanting to sound arrogant or ungrateful. Because we truly ARE so blessed. Let's just say that we are taking back the claim on our family time, finances, and social calendar. Have you ever felt like you were being pulled in all directions by people who seem to be very hard of hearing and don't understand that "no" in fact does indeed mean... "no"? (and I am not talking about our church) This is another category I never thought I'd find myself in... What compounds it is that we really do seem like "the only ones" sometimes and that lesson is not an easy one for our kids to go through. Just last week I was trying to explain to a Christian friend why I felt like the music from "One Direction" was inappropriate for my 10-year-old daughter to listen to. She and several other of my christian friends are ok with it and that's their business. But we are not ok with it. When Ansley asked me if she could download the CD, I told her to pull up the lyrics online and we'd look into it. I was shocked at what I read. SHOCKED. So, my answer was and will remain, "um.... NO." Anz and I had a great chat. I know she understands why this is my answer, but bless her heart, she just wants to have fun and fit in. That's important to kids. It's also important to take these opportunities to teach them how to stand alone and be ok with it. So, that's what we did. The enemy wants to isolate us and accuse us. That's his goal. Well, he will have no claim on my children because we stand in the shadow of the Almighty and we are CHOSEN for His team and that's where will remain. As a family. Forever.

So, back to homeschooling...

Around here, if you are homeschooled, you can participate in many private school's sports programs. There is a good Christian school just up the street from us that offers every sport imaginable. In the past, Alex was limited to one sport because of time, money, and the size of our growing family. But now that we are HS-ing, he can try lacrosse or golf or football and not just be limited to basketball. He is thrilled. We put him in this school's football camp last week (along with A-Dog) and they had a BLAST. Alex received the award for the best overall attitude of the week. I know that sounds like the consolation prize, but this was the VERY BEST award that could be given to him in our opinion. Especially because of his recent circumstances. The coach asked him to play wide-receiver and corner back for their team and he wants to work one-on-one with Alex in the fall. That made his week... not to mention ours! Thank you Jesus!

Ansley is currently up at the same school in cheerleading camp for the week and she too is having a blast.

God is so good to open up windows of hope and joy for us in the midst of our big, scary decisions. I feel like it's His way of saying, "See, that wasn't so bad..."

Now if I could just figure out what curriculum to use. This is and always has been the hardest part about homeschooling in my opinion... the options are sky-high. I wish the homeschooling fairy would just leave it under my pillow:) But, I guess I'm going to have to take a leap of faith here.

I am a textbook gal... I think.

See how I did that? Questioning myself?

I am pretty sure I'm not a "Charlotte Mason" gal... I think.

See, I did it again.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Saxon & Sunrise (math)
Abeka & Evan Moor (LA)
BJU & Abeka (History)
Apologia (Science)
D4Y & the good old Bible (Bible)

And more...

Any advice?

Blessings,
Rebecca