Preschool week 1

So, we've been a little MIA from the blogging lately. What can I say? Life is a mess. It's chaotic and crazy and blessed and busy, so very busy. Anyways, among other recent events, we began our first week of homeschooling. Porter is doing preschool and we are using the Memoria Press curriculum. I couldn't be happier with it so far. It's a great fit for us. He has loved the first week and said many times "I'm so glad you're my teacher mommy!" He is my incredibly introverted, tender hearted child and having the opportunity to learn where he feels most comfortable is the best situation for him. 

People's initial reactions to hearing that we have chosen to homeschool vary greatly. Some think it's great and some clearly don't. And I can honestly say I'm ok with all of the above. Because the thing is, we didn't set out to be "that family". I studied hard in college to become a licensed teacher and greatly enjoyed my time teaching in public school before having children. There were stresses and down sides, for sure, but overall it was the perfect fit for me. When Porter was a baby, we made the decision that we did not want to homeschool and hoped to be able to send him to Christian school. I'm fact, Sean was vehemently against homeschooling (yes, he is ok with me sharing that). However, as he got a couple years older and I began to see other friends with similar aged children enrolling their children in preschool. Now hear me out. There is absolutely nothing wrong with preschool. There are lots and lots of great options out there. But for our family and our children, I just didn't have a peace about sending them. I got teary at the mere mention of it, in fact. It was at a parenting workshop that Sean and I took from a beloved pastor and his wife in Charlotte that began to change our way of thinking. As she described the way they raised their children (which included homeschooling) we both feeling the unmistakable call of the Holy Spirit. Yall, I cried. I mean full blown ugly cry, right there in the middle of the crowded room. Sean looked at me and nodded his head and mouthed "I think so too". She shared the way that the thought of putting her children in school brought her to tears and how she, through much prayer, felt the freedom from doing so by homeschooling. I had always known it was an option, my own family even had a wonderful experience doing so. But for us, me being a teacher and both of us being successful products of public school, it felt somewhat forbidden for whatever reasons. So from there, we began the praying, discussions and research about what that would mean and look like for our family. 

And now looking back on my experiences before and during college and while teaching, I know that this is exactly what the Lord was preparing me for. And how thankful I am to live in a country where this is an option and I have so many resources so readily available. However, Sean and I are both in agreement that we will continue to pray about this decision year by year and child by child. In the mean time, this year is off to a great start and I am so so so excited to watch my eldest baby learn and mature right alongside me.