I was a teacher before I had children. I taught the grades that my girls are in right now. But as soon as I held my brand new firstborn in my arms, I knew my days of teaching were over. I had the ability and privilege to choose whether I worked or stayed home, and there was no question that I was staying home. But these two girls of mine have grown, and now I’m driving them to school each day. It’s a great school, I mean a really great school. A school that is committed, and I believe even anointed, to grow children in the image of their Father in heaven. The staff meets daily to pray for the day, to pray for the children, to pray for His glory to be seen. It’s a great place, and our family has been blessed to have been a part of it.
But I can’t ignore what I know I’m being called to any longer. I’ve tried for a year now. I ask myself, “How can this be?” Our girls are happy. This school makes sense. They are being challenged and loved everyday. Everything is fitting nicely into a perfectly wrapped box. Why open it and tear the paper when the package looks so pretty? Things are working systematically fine just the way they are. Except. Except the Lord is telling me to rip open my pretty box and see that there is something else He has for us. There is something else inside that is even greater than the pretty package I’m looking at each day when I drop my kids off at school.
Even though I’m still in shock at what we are about to do, I totally trust and believe that His plan is better than mine. So though it’s shaking me up in every way possible on the outside, I have total peace on the inside about our decision. Last week I turned in my “non re-enrollment form” for school next year. We have decided to home school our girls. We really believe this is God’s desire and will for us, and so it will be our great delight to be obedient. And in the brilliant words of my husband “Worse case scenario, we learn that we are complete idiots and totally incapable of teaching the girls, and we beg the school to take us back next year”. I so love that man.
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(photo credit of my girls: Rachel at Millie Holloman Photography)
What a blessing to have ears to hear the Lord’s calling, no matter what direction He calls you! We began homeschooling when my daughter was going into second grade (and my son was beginning kindergarten). Each year was a joy and a challenge (and an awful lot of hard work…for all of us). It was a choice we prayed about daily, always trying to listen to the Lord’s voice in the midst of that season of homeschooling our family. My sweet girl is now twenty-one, and my son is nineteen, both having put the high school years behind them. We ended up homeschooling all the way through. During our journey, our children had the blessing of wonderful friends. Some of whom were home schooled, others who went to private school, and still others that went the public school route. (I, personally, believe that each family needs to make the best decision for them.) I can only say what a blessing it has been to watch them learn to interact with so many different people. It reminds me of the Church, and how it is made up of many members, each serving different functions within the Body. Praying your homeschool journey is as wonderfully blessed as ours was!
I didn’t homeschool mine, but I am such a fan and supporter of those who choose to do it. If God calls you, he will see you through, but you know that. I just know it will be such a blessing to you and the children.
I home schooled for a season while we lived internationally and it was such a great experience. We finally did all of those things that I always had the best intentions to do, but never made time for. The best advice I got was to take it day by day, and not look too far ahead; and to remember that I have been teaching them since the day they were born. Good luck and God bless!
Aww that is sweet of your husband! I have a feeling you won’t fail at home school.
I was home schooled from 6th grade through graduation, and because of my learning style I completely taught my daily lessons to myself, and my mom was just there to grade. As your children grow, school will be easier and easier for everyone, your girls will be able to help Thomas when he starts, and they all will become more and more independent with their work and finishing earlier and earlier everyday.
It’s not for every family, but I am very interested to hear about what you learn from this experience, even if it is only one year! May God Bless your new adventure!
My heart just did flip flops for you… for the excitement, hesitancy, fear, joy, hilarity of it all! When we move with Him, taking leaps, asking His blessings over that jump… oh how He pours out His wisdom, love, and grace! You will be blessed by your decision and rightly sharpened as He sees fit! You, my dear, were designed for this. I believe it and claim that for you.
You will never regret following the Lord’s lead, even when it seems crazy.
We took this same (giant) leap of faith two and a half years ago and have never regretted it. All the things I feared have been turned to blessings. Way to go!!!
Here’s a link to my change of perspective (blessing) when we took the plunge:
http://www.neweveryam.blogspot.com/2009/09/perspective.html
My comment is not about home schooling….which I think is a great idea. I am so impressed with the way you voice your religious beliefs! In a time where Religion and values are frowned upon, you don’t hide them. We are not of the same religion, but that doesn’t matter. It is about standing up for what you believe in. So THANK YOU for being who you are! P.S. I love your home and design ideas!
I had heard through the grapevine that this might be the case and I refused to believe it. I am so sad for us to hear your news but very jealous for you and your courage to do this. I know God will bless this time in so many ways because you have been obedient. Do you think maybe Thomas could just come for kindergarten. It really wouldn’t be fair for him to miss out on the craziness of being in my class.
You will be sorely missed.
Yes, you can have Thomas for Kindergarten
. Absolutely!
Go get ‘em! This blog blesses me with every post. I wish you the very best on your new adventure.
You my girl, will do a great job! It might be a little difficult for you, Ella might try and take over! Ha! It will be a great experience for all of you. God has his hands on you all and I know he will help you through this and you probably will do it more than (1) year! Good Luck to you all and it better not mess up my daily phone calls, just kidding, not really. Ha! Love to All!! God Bless!
Hi Amy! I found this post via the link you put to our site for the photo Rachel took. You have a beautiful family! I just wanted to chime in and say that coming from someone who has been home schooled (I was home schooled from 4th grade to high school graduation – 12th). The older I get the more I appreciate the sacrifices my parents (especially my mother) made to homeschool me. I’ve always appreciated her time and attention to caring so deeply about our future (she home schooled my brother too from 2nd grade through 12th). Your girls will appreciate this decision one day more than you know. Welcome to a wonderful adventure!
Millie Holloman
I am very happy for you and your family. My brother David, who is active duty Air Force, has an amazing wife Tammy who has been a teacher to their three children. Christian, Elijah and Hannah are very happy, grounded teens. Dave and Tammy are also very active with the youth group at their church. If they can do it with deployments and moves about the world then you will have no problem. The Lord will lead you!
Congratulations at arriving at the place you are called to be… one moment at a time. Not all decisions that are best look like they “make sense” on paper. I hope you enjoy your time with your girls! What an adventure!
Amy, before I even got the end of the post, I knew what you were going to say! I am so excited for you guys and what a blessing. I taught for 10 years and have debated so many times to keep Jemma home and homeschool. I know I could do it, but we butt heads. A LOT. I truly worry that it would be a fight between us always and that is never what I would want for our relationship. I also fear that my motivation to homeschool her is to keep her with me and little and safe forever! I am selfish like that! Trust me… it is something I pray about all the time!
I can’t wait to hear of these new adventures. You will be amazing and what a joy to watch these sweet girls grow and learn. Who knows… after this move, I may do it!!! Did I tell you? We are moving from our beautiful Charleston to Minnesota! Brrrrrrrrrrr…..
I’m doing the HAPPY DANCE for you! (and your girls)
We have homeschooled for 4 years….I have two boys, (2 years apart) so my experience probably differs from what your experience will be, but I wouldn’t trade this life for any other. My little girl would do school ALL DAY LONG and she LOVES LEARNING….the boys are a little different…they aren’t convinced that learning is AWESOME, but they wouldn’t trade homeschooling for anything!! So, I keep telling them that they really LOVE it…they just don’t know it, yet!
I am honored to be home with them…to teach them diligence in all that they do…to teach them to honor their parents…to teach them to honor their relationships with their siblings…to teach them to love the Lord God with all their hearts…even when they really want to punch their brother in the face!
My days are filled with teaching from sun up til sun down….we get all of our academics taught but the teachings of the matters of the heart take up most of our days.
God has taught me more about himself and more about my need for HIM through schooling my kids at home than any other thing in my life has taught me.
Hold on Girl! You’re in for the ride of your LIFE.
You are a brave girl! I have to be honest, the schools and society in general right now scare me to death. It seems that almost everyday I hear about some scarey thing that has happened to a child, many times at school. Don’t think it hasn’t crossed my mind. I think you’ll do fantastic at it! Love your hubby’s comment about the whole thing. Haha!!!