Our First Graduate

Thirteen years ago seems so far away and yet it went by so quickly. We had three kids then and Jake had just turned five. I remember my grand plans to get my teaching degree. My husband and I were just finishing Bible college and wanted to go start a church and Christian school in Vermont.

God had other ideas.

I was slightly familiar with homeschooling but hadn't really considered it for our children. This was the beginning of AOL and chat rooms and Internet friends. It seemed as though the homeschooling idea was everywhere I turned. It wouldn't leave me alone and so I began praying. My husband began praying. We prayed together and started really investigating the idea.

One day, we got down on our knees (literally) and surrendered our will in this area and committed to home educating our children. We ended up in Connecticut soon thereafter and my husband is now pastoring in Cape Cod. "Many are the plans in a man's heart..."

There were many days (weeks? months?) that I questioned my ability to homeschool. I know I could have done better. I know I could have done worse. But I always came back to that commitment and knew that if God called me to something, He'd give me the ability to see it through.

And He did. And does.

My goal in homeschooling is to teach my children how to learn. I know I cannot teach them everything in the span of thirteen years. They need to know how to teach themselves.

I'm finished officially homeschooling my oldest. My goal has been reached with him and I can call it a success. It's hard to let your child go and become his own man but it's also an amazing thing to contemplate. And I'm thankful that thirteen years ago, God had other ideas.

We have our first graduate.



Only six more to go...