*First, a note to the kind commentor from last night: Need I tell you that when I got the email telling me I had a comment on my latest entry, I steeled my stomach before coming here to read it?  Thank you so much, dear commentor.   You don't have to be shy about identifying yourself, but if you must, that's fine; truly it's always the spirit behind the comment that makes it welcome or not welcome and that always comes through.  Bless you, and I pray God makes your way clear to you.  That way, regardless of the outcome, you'll know there was a purpose to it! 

 I have to tell you that the idea that my decisions would influence anyone to *stop* homeschooling makes me sick to my stomach.  Keep in mind that I will still have 5 homeschoolers come this fall! I'm such a proponent of it, and still believe it's the best education you can give your children, regardless of their age.  I believe anyone CAN do it.  I believe it's definitely the best sheltering situation for our children when it's the most important and even imperative.  My mom is a public school teacher herself, and that's basically what she said to me-- that she thinks it's the optimum situation for kids, given a sane mother with decent curriculum, LOL.  What I don't mind influencing people to do, however, regardless of the outcome, is to LISTEN TO GOD.  Listen to your kids, and your husband (especially your husband, by the way!), and to wise counsel . . . and don't plug your ears to the Lord because you're afraid, or because you don't want to feel like you've abandoned your ideals, or because you don't know what your friends will think.  This life is truly lived before a Judge who is One, and we have to answer to Him.  Be willing to set aside your visions--especially when they stop working-- long enough to hear whether God's trying to change your course, or perhaps so He can remove the foliage blocking your view and you can see where you actually *are* as it has seemed in my own case.  Be willing to let Him mess up your plans, to take a risk, to give your kids wings.  Know where your family is in the process, and choose the option that will best further the plans God has for all of you, not the one that adds to your supermom list or makes you more of a martyr or lets you keep your fears in the closet.  If God says to change direction, do it.  Then again, don't just jump on a bandwagon!  You can't just blindly follow the people around you because God has a specific plan for each of your children.  You don't ultimately answer to your local school board, or your pastor, or even your homeschool group leader.  When we lay aside our own preconceptions of what life should look like and ask God to really tell us what to do, only then can we be assured that we're on the right path.  I do pray we all feel free to do that!