These wise words spoken to me by many who've counseled me have been brought to my mind recently. Sometimes I tend to listen to my own thoughts, fears, worries etc instead I should be speaking truth to myself, God's truth!
Before embarking on this adventure, Netherlands, I doubted the decision we made for the kids and I to come back before my husband. I didn't really feel peaceful about either option, so it was the "safer" route. Well about a month after we got here I felt much better about the decision and it has been confirmed by God in so many ways these last weeks.
I had a wonderful conversation with a Dad and his 3, almost 4 year old daughter in a coffee shop getting out of the snow and sleet. She was playing with my kiddos but they couldn't understand each other. So her Dad was translating English to Dutch for her. (Oh, and I found out we don't speak English, we speak American - another blog) Anyway we were enjoying each others company and he asked how long we were staying and then if the kids were going to school. I told him I homeschool them. Then he thought I was a tudor, not their mom. When I explained I am their mom, and yes I homeschool them here, and yes, even back home he didn't know what to think. His first question was why, of course. For me the main reason is academics. Yes, I am a Christian and that is extremely important as well. But where I live, well, let's just say leave it at that... Anyway, it's also bad social environment. I know many non-Christians, and agnostics who homeschool for most of the same reasons I do. Well, I'm preaching to the quior. Anyway, I'm still not sure what he thought about me, but I learned a lot from him. I knew the compulsory school age is 4 here, but I did not know that the child must start school the week of their 4th birthday - for his daughter that was in April. Wow. And they get their official letters from the gov't to make sure the child is there. No exceptions. Also - now the Dutch public school is the same hours as USA, about 8:30-2:30 but the international school where my kids would have to go, Heidi too, is from 8:30 -5:30. Now this is a wonderful school. It is also a boarding school. They have the best teachers, all kinds of courses for the students, including horseback riding for one. At anyrate, I'm not knocking the school. I wish I could've gone there. It's an awesome opportunity for the other Americans here, they are all mid-school and high school age though. But my kids are too young - 5 and 7. Never been in school at all. Our homeschooling day is from 8-ish to noon-ish, with plenty of snacks. And to top it all off, the Int. Sch is 1/2 hour drive away. So when would we see each other? I am so glad God spoke ever so softly to my heart.
And now, about every 3 days, Heidi, my 5 year old says she's ready to go home. It's hard for her to understand time, but it will be here before we all know it, then we'll be sad. |
