As we start the last First Day of our semester I am overcome with emotion. I am watching our firstborn diligently work, and I cannot believe we are here. As we near the end of our homeschool journey with our oldest I wanted to take a moment and write a letter to you.
First, you have not always been easy. I remember questioning why we were even doing this. I remember asking the Lord if I had heard him right. We were young when we started this journey with you and our girls, and those first years were easy, but then you became hard. I cannot speak for my husband, but I think my journey with you was hard because I believed the lies of the enemy. I did not have confidence in myself and honestly with God that I could do this. I had to make the decision to finish no matter what. Then I had to learn my girls, and they challenged me daily. I had to be present daily and do the work. It was not always easy, but I learned, the girls learned, and ultimately you became a part of me.
Secondly, you made me deal with my mess and my mindset. All my bad habits, you exposed, all my shortcomings, you shined a light on. If I was going to teach our girls, I was going to have to come to God daily, and He had to help me on this journey. When I started with you, it was just for education purposes. The school in our area had cut funding. I was looking for a temporary solution. I was looking to you for a Pre-k and kinder solution, but you had different plans. You challenged me on the importance of learning as we lived. I learned to let them play. You pushed me to disciple our girls. You showed me to do life with our girls. You taught me to stretch our finances. The last stronghold in my life you tore down was my idea of success. I was taught that success was defined only by education, degree, and career. If we had never met, I would have taught that to my girls. You opened my eyes to see that success is trusting in God for his plan in my life and in my girl’s life. You taught me to trust God for our daughter’s future. You taught me to cultivate a home where they could explore their talents because God had his own purpose for them. You changed my language and mindset on success. My senior owns her own business and is not going to college, and I could not be prouder. She is following God’s plan for her.
Lastly, even though you were hard, and you made me do a lot of work, you were worth it. Not only did I have the privilege of raising my girls as babies, but I also got to be involved daily in their growth and journey of becoming young ladies. I have spent the last 17 years being her mom, educator, encourager, cheerleader, cook, chauffeur, taste tester, field trip organizer, laundry mat, shoulder to cry on, cuddler, back scratcher, party planner, and everything in between. I have been present every day. I have not always been perfect, but I have trusted God.
Thank you, Homeschooling, for all that you taught me. Thank you for changing my life. Thank you for changing me. Thank you, Homeschooling, for this incredible journey with our oldest, I am thankful I still have more time with you and our youngest.
Sincerely,
Me
