I am so excited to be part of such an awesome community.  I have been checking out blogs here for sometime but wasn't sure about starting yet another blog I would have to find time to write in, but here I am!  So...guess I will start by talking about how we came to be homeschoolers...

It was never a completely foreign idea for my husband or me.  While he attended public school, as did I, he had cousins who were homeschooled and/or who were homeschooling.  We both feel as if the public school system failed us because we both fell through the cracks despite our intellengence and neither of us graduated but went on to pursue other interests and got our GEDs.  Even as students, we could see that the public system was in trouble and that was before it got as bad as it is today.  When we were talking about the possiblity of having our own children we both agreed that the public system was not an option.  We were still on the fence about private schools but when our first child was born and we began looking, we were disappointed.  Not just by the price (it was enough to put a child through college!) but also in the curriculum that was available and our lack of input or choices.  We were at a loss. 

During this time, we had temporary custody of our nephew who was attending the local public school and really struggling.  Daily trips and meetings with the school counselor, his teachers and the administrative staff did little to help.  Due to his above average intellengence, there was no "academic need" despite the fact that he had ADHD and several other issues including Sensory Integration Disorder that made it nearly impossible for him to learn in a classroom environment.  I had hoped that the services the district could provide would help him, not hurt him.  I tried homeschooling him but felt overwhelmed with my son at home and no support and returned him back to the system feeling very defeated.  I began supplementing at home and searching for outside programs to get him the help he needed and found a program called "Everybody Reads."  In just 10 weeks he jumped dramatically in his abilty to read and in his comprehension levels.  I was sold.  When I found out the same group was opening a charter school, and my son was soon to enter kindergarten, I was hooked!

Our nephew returned to his family and my son began attending his new school.  It was wonderful.  It was everything I imagined the public school system could and should be.  He was learning, there was lots of one on one, it was a small community school and he loved it.  The only draw back was it would only go through the 5th grade but I had plenty of time to make a decision so,  I put homeschooling on the back burner and actually returned to college myself to work towards my degree.  Everything seemed to be moving along.

My daughter was fast approaching kindergarten, I was almost finished with my degree and my son was thriving in his school.  What could possibly change our minds and cause us to change course?  Our daughter was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia on May 9, 2005 at the age of 4 1/2.  Suddenly our entire world stopped dead in its tracks.  Without going in to a lot of detail here...feel free to read all about that journey at her blog at www.courage4kennedy.com as I am going to just skim regarding that story.  During the very long year of intensive chemotherapy and radiation, it was necessary for me to be with my daughter at the hospital and for my son to be at home with his dad, grandma and papa.  This proved to be way too much for his 8 year old emotions to bear and I began getting work from school and keeping him with me at the hospital most of the time.  I was homeschooling, I just didn't know it yet. 

He became a sponge and soon I was searching everywhere for supplemental material to do with him.  When I would send him to school, despite the fact that he was not getting sick, all kinds of germs were following him home and K (our daughter) having no immune system would inevitably end up in the hospital.  That finally pushed us over the edge in to homeschooling.  Sure we were convinced that the system was failing and that many things were being taught in school that were harmful but we had decided that we could be okay with it since our family was strong.  Illness finally convinced us.  The first year we homeschooled full-time, no one, including K, was sick.  I could not believe it!  But, the first year was a bumpy ride.

I couldn't seem to find a curriculum we liked or that worked, I couldn't seem to stick to a schedule and I just knew that I was failing my children.  Every week I would have to call my other homeschool friends for reassurance and I prayed...A LOT.  I needed to be sure that this is what I was called to do.  Instead of listening to all the experts on curriculum I just prayed...and prayed...and prayed...and prayed some more.  Until the direction became clear.  I was so focused on creating school at home that I wasn't listening to God and learning from my children what would be best for them.  This year?  The pieces have come together...or are at least coming together.  I watched and prayed and discovered how they learn best.  I have sought out helpful resources to help them and I along the way.  I learned their love languages.  And I continue to pray.

So, that is how we came to be homeschoolers.  Now, teaching the kids?  That is another story for another entry.  A (my son) have been wonderful and does a fantastic job reviewing curriculum with me and giving me input on it and his interests.  K has many learning challenges (my next entry to come) and has proved to be my fire that molds me to be more like God.  She teaches me patience, understanding and forces my creativity!  :)

One thing though, the more I homeschool and the more I read about homeschooling and learn from other homeschoolers and pray, the more convinced I am that this is the right choice for us.  My son said the other day that he wants to be home learning forever.  Nothing could make me happier...at least until he is a grown man!  Then, I hope he embarks on the world and makes his way and raises up his own family.

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