My first writing assignment, wow, I haven't had one of these in a quite sometime. I do appreciate the prompt to get me thinking though.
I can first remember thinking about homeschooling when my oldest son was 3. I don't know why I even thought of it. Except to say it was God. I vaguely knew only 1 family that homeschooled and had never heard of any specifics. I was immediately open to the concept. This was about 10 years ago and I knew things were happening in our schools that I didn't find acceptable. I knew the things that I experienced in school. I did teach my son, Derek, at home those preschool years. I had our 2nd son when Derek was 4 and 3 months later I was pregnant with #3. So when Derek was ready for Kindergarten I had a 1 1/2 year old and a 9 month old. It wasn't really a decision making process. I just figured I couldn't do it and sent him to Kindergarten.
Of course, now I know I could of done it. If only I had opened my eyes more, educated myself on homeschooling and of course paid more attention to God's leading. So Kindergarten...Derek was very bored with school. He would come home and have his work from the day and say, "Mom, we've already done all of this together." he was right. He was bringing home things we had done when he was 3. He was reading within 2 or 3 months of starting school. By the end of his K year they wanted to test him for gifted and talented. By 1st grade he was really bored. His teacher told me they were unable to find his reading level because they could only give him material the rest of the class could keep up with.
"Socially" things weren't desirable either. He would come home asking me what words meant. There was alot of bullying as well. I am not a person who thinks bullying is one of those things that kids have to learn to deal with. I believe it breaks their spirit. It changes who they are.
After 1st grade we were moving and I had baby #4. I began looking into christian schools but I didn't think we could pull that off financially. Then the old thoughts of homeschooling came back to me. I ordered a copy of So You're Thinking About Homeschooling, by Lisa Welchel. That was it, I finished that book knowing that homeschooling was for us. There was no 2nd guessing. My husband was 100% supportive. I began looking for a literature-rich curriculum. My son was an avid reader. I found Sonlight and we enjoyed using it for 5 years.
Every year has been very different. My first year I had an infant and a 2nd grader with an attitude! I turned to the Bible for help with disciplining and I saw a new child emerge that year. The 2 nd year I had a toddler and was pregnant by mid-year. I was incredibly sick that spring. That was certainly my hardest year yet. Since then we have added 2 more children to my family and as they grew they began schooling as well. Every year has been different.
This year I am schooling 4 children in grades K, 2, 3 and 7. I also am teaching, loving and occupying a 1 1/2 and 3 year old.
I have learned so much over the years. Not just about homeschooling but about living, about serving the Lord, being a mom and a wife. How to stretch dollars and minutes. How to forget unrealistic expectations and focus on the Kingdom of God. I have had to gain a vision for my future and figure out what my purpose was in this whole endeavor. The Lord has sustained me and strengthened me and given me my purpose. It is all to His glory and it is His grace that floods my life.
I have also learned lots on prepositions and pronouns. History and Science. I have gained a love for literature that I have never had. I look at things differently and in awe of our creator.
My life is fuller than I ever could have imagined. I don't mean full in the sense of busyness but full of love and life....just overflowing with Gods goodness.
So what feelings come to mind when I think about it....gratitude first and foremost. But I have had every emotion in the book over the years. Just take a look at my next post when I write about our first days of school this year! | 
