For those of you who are still periodically checking my blog (and after two months of me not posting, that might be all of 2 or 3 of you), I wanted to let you know about some changes our family will soon be making.

My husband and I have decided--and this has been a painfully slow decision to make--that our homeschooling adventure will be coming to an end. I say "adventure," but it's really been more of a struggle. For a few years now, it's been like trying to make that square peg fit in that round hole by hitting it repeatedly with a sledgehammer. I'm tired of wielding that sledgehammer.

As of next fall, our kids will no longer be "homeschoolers." Instead, they will be "school-at-homers." We will be taking advantage of two different online accredited schools for our sons and oldest daughter (youngest daughter is only a toddler).

You may have questions regarding what we're doing, so I'll try to imagine what you might be asking and will answer them as follows:

• Yes, they are public schools, so yes, they will officially be public school students.
  
• Yes, I know my kids can attend these schools part-time and still retain their homeschooled status. But we'll be putting both feet in the water: they will be full-time in the public school system. I need this break. It may be permanent. Most assuredly will be.
  
• No, I am not turning my back on the homeschool community, nor am I trying to make this a slap in the face of the "homeschool pioneers" who have done so much to pave the way for all of us. I am, have always been, and will always be truly grateful to those brave souls.

A few things have necessitated this change. For starters, I'm tired of "kicking against the goad" (that's in the old testament, just can't remember where at this moment). I have always said that homeschooling isn't for everyone. It appears that is now including us. We've had 10 fulfilling years of learning on our own at home. We're done with the "on our own" part.

There are some incredible families who've been to hell and back and continued "homeschooling anyway." Those are strong people. I feel like we've tried to be strong for the past few years but now that strength is waning. After the loss of our baby in 2004 and my husband's cancer diagnosis in 2006, I feel shell-shocked. There just isn't much left.

That actually brings me to my second reason for ending our homeschooling run: my husband's cancer situation. He is still doing "fine," evidenced by his tests coming back in an acceptable range every couple of months. But if the cancer (a blood cancer called multiple myeloma) decides to misbehave, his oncologist may decide it's time for a bone marrow transplant. If that happens, he'll be off work for several months (honestly, I'm not sure how long it would be), and we don't know if his company would continue to pay his salary.

Because of the uncertainties surrounding his health and our future financial situation, I am taking courses to brush up on some skills I've learned in the past, and am also learning some new ones. I'm currently taking a course in copywriting ("copy" is everything from business letters to junk mail--yes, I said it--to the words on that box of cereal in your cupboard). I am also freshening up my proofreading skills in an effort to get some freelance jobs while taking the copywriting course.

I am also signed up to take a course in affiliate marketing (which I've tried before, but didn't fully understand, so it fizzled out). I'm very excited about this. It helps that it's free--how awesome is that!

So, switching the kids over to being school-at-homers instead of homeschoolers will free me up to find work and bring in the extra income we are really needing, and may need more of in the future. I hope you won't judge us too harshly but will remember us in your prayers. (And keep in mind the main point--our kids will still be home.)

If you'd like to leave a comment, please make it an encouraging one. I'm really needing that right now! I will keep this blog up through the summer (or at least until summer), and will then switch to another blog hoster. Afterall, we'll no longer be homeschoolers, technically. I'll let you all know the name of that blog once it's up and running.

We'll talk soon. :-)