Tuesday, May 2, 2017

And.... there it went....

About 5 years ago we were planning a trip to visit a Mission Agency in England. It felt like it would never happen. We planned and researched, prayed and anticipated. This trip was amazing, it was just what God intended for it to be. We had some emotional healing that took place, family memories that will forever be our favorites and OH THE CHEESE!!!!  Wow, they have the best cheese!!!!  And then.... it was done. Just like that, we were looking back at the memories. What felt like an eternity to happen, went by with the blink of an eye.

And just like that.... we're done. I'm no longer a homeschool mom. I remember when my boys were 3 and 5 and this journey began it was full of planning and anticipation, fears and excitement! Nights spent wide awake praying that we had made the right decision in keeping our boys home to educate them.  Each year we would look at where we were at and pray about what school was going to look like for our boys. I did set curriculums, unschooling, "mommas tired, I'm done", Co-op.... it feels like we tried it all these past 15 years.  I knew I would have these moments of grief and moments of happiness.  Honestly, it's been mostly happiness... I feel so overwhelmingly blessed to have my boys and those L O N G days that felt like they would never end, they are now memories. Sweet, blessed memories!!!  I've grieved my mistakes, asked for forgiveness for my human-ness. My prayer is that in spite of me, God will use my boys to further His kingdom! There's an excitement with this next phase of life... a little scary but I'm ok with that.  I know I'm not alone in this journey, I have so many friends who have kids graduating and are heading in this next phase of life.  As we are not empty nesters per say... there's just a realization that this stage of our life is done.  So... in honor of 15 yrs of homeschooling, here you go...

1. The kitchen is the best class room
2. A park day just might save your life (or your child's life)
3. Quiet time after lunch should be required for all of the human race!
4. A storm is a perfect time for a picnic lunch on a quilt in mom's room
5. Gum does in fact NOT pull boogers out of a little boy's nose
6. "mom, just let me blow" may end with a lego jetting out of a nostril
7. Dining rooms are great school rooms
8. Downstairs neighbors don't care for music class (think pots and pans with wooden spoons)
9. Never be scared of messes... they make the best learning experiences and memories
10. Cliche alert: the days are long, the years are short
11. Boys will break everything. Period.
12. Things are not the most important thing in life
13. "They are just being boys" is never an acceptable excuse
14. It's a proven fact that broken bones heal faster when one eats ice cream
15. Every second, minute, hour, day, week, month and year... was worth it!!!!!!!




Team Thomas