"What Are YOU DOING??"

I'm pretty sure we were asked that question, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" about a hundred times when we started talking about homeschooling.

The answer is pretty simple:  We're homeschooling because we can.

Both Ryan and I stay home (thank you YOUNG LIVING)!  Last year was filled with me getting better, gaining strength (physically & mentally) and learning to live without medications.  I was definitely too consumed with getting better to be able to focus on other stuff.

I feel like last October I really turned a corner... We had just gone to Disney, and I had practically ran through the entire park... vs. the previous year when I was being pushed in a wheelchair.

I felt so strong and good- I just wanted (and continue to want) to build on that goodness.

Kind of like stacking blocks.

If you think about it, we're always stacking blocks, right?

At one point I was stacking everything on top of me; causing anxiety, fear, and so much darkness,

And then I started to lift each one off, stacking it in another pile, or tossing it all together.   The important thing, is that heaviness was off of me.

 I am obviously still sorting & stacking.  But I have a really big pile of "good stuff" right now.  And by continuing to eat clean, treating things naturally, and staying in His TRUTH, I'm continuously adding to that "good" pile.

Does that make sense?

Anyways, with homeschooling- Ryan and I both knew what a radical life change this would be.  Kids with us 24/7.  Us, teaching. A lotta sacrifice.   Etc. etc. etc.  

But every conversation we had it came down to the question, "Why NOT?"

There wasn't a thing stopping us- not one roadblock.  Not one "we'll have to work around this or that"- nothing.

I feel 100% up to the job (even if I don't know what I'm doing).

So we jumped in.

We don't really know what each day holds- I mean, were only a week in.  But we've had a few REALLY great days where it feels like I can see every color of beauty in the choice we made.  And there are other days when I accidently give Rosie, Stella's math homework.  Or I give Maeve a history TEST vs. a quiz.  (Yeahhhhh…… both of those things have already happened)

Going into week 2, I feel more confident with what my role is.  Ryan's feeling pretty good as the "math guy."

Things feel a little more settled.

The kids know what's expected of them because we ran boot camp last week.

They know if they do the work correctly, the first time, they finish WAY sooner.

We all know we're on a ride.  We're calling it an "adventure."  We know there's gonna be awesome days and horrid days.  But WE are going to do this- TOGETHER.

Last night I caught Henry reading to Stella.  It made my heart burst.  Henry dislikes reading... and he normally dislikes Stella.  So it was pretty sweet to find them together, reading Stella's new chapter book.  <3

This morning, I was on hold with Abeka (the curriculum we're using) and I couldn't help Rosie with her math.... so Maeve did.  I watched my sweet 6th grader work through Rosie's K5 lesson.  Ryan and Henry were working together, and I had Stella snuggled up to me, doing her math.  Every time she got an answer correctly, I'd give her a little squeeze and a big thumbs up.    It was perfect.

The six of us, working through our day together.  

We've been blessed with FREEDOM.  We have an incredibly unique position; being able to stay home full time, and travel.

I know this is going to be hard.  I know its going to be trying.  (right now I'm finishing up this blog post as Rosie & Stella "clean up"/smash playdough into the ground).

But... we'll clean it up.  Finish language and history.  And then eat a big lunch.  Maybe take a walk to the park....

Whatever we do, we're ALL in this together.
(high school musical style:)