Joining the ranks of homeschooling families...

After having 6 kids working their way through the public school system, I have finally decided to take the leap and homeschool [at least for a couple of years] my youngest 3 children. I am excited, and a bit nervous, but feel much peace with this decision.

Some of the factors that influenced my decision were:
1. Luke just was not excited about going to preschool.
2. Tavi would be at least a year if not 2 years behind her age group in public school, at least as far as I could see.
3. No way was Yana ready for public school and at 7 years of age she has to legally be in school.
4. Kids with special needs benefit from being educated with children w/o special needs.
5. Kids w/o special needs benefit from being educated with children who have special needs.
6. My girls need to learn about family and love and safety and security before they can learn to learn in a public school situation. I don't need to give them a crash course in therapies, or speech, or social situations. Right now they need something they have never had, a mommy to love them as much as possible! And Luke has been my right hand man for 4 years running! He likes it, I like it... the world tells me I need to "cut the cord". Well I say "PPPTTTHHHBBB!" to the world! :)
7. I just want to do it! :)

And many other reasons. I am excited though. My school will be so diverse! There will be a child of AA heritage, a child of Roma heritage, and a caucasion child. One will be "typical", one will be blind, and one will have DS. They will learn together, learn from each other, and see that diversity is a beautiful thing in both a family adn the world around them.

I have always felt the call to homeschool I guess. But I never felt ready or prepared. I am a different person from who I was when my oldest daughter, now a senior, started school. Not different maybe, as much as I am refined. Some of the stuff that didn't matter so much is gone, and some of the stuff that was buried was set free to rise to the surface.

My older children are fantastic, and they all do very well in school, some just when they want to though :)!

We are blessed to live in an area where the public school system is very nice! My decision is not based on what I believe our local school system lacks, but on my desire to teach my children, and the fact that at this point I feel what they need can only be offered by being taught at home.

One of my hopes is that in educating at home for a few years, Tavi will no longer be behind her peers, but caught up with them or even surpassing them. :) I know it is possible! She is one smart cookie, but just has a lot of catching up to do, not to mention just figuring out the brand new world and life she is now living!


Tavi hates Yanas feet resting on her, and Yana just can't sit with someone w/o her feet being on them. :)


She loves her thumb. She doesnt' suck it, just rests it in her mouth and sometimes bites it.