Homeschool Memoirs - Week 1

Last week I joined Homeschool Memoirs. The first theme begins today, August 20th, 2008.

ASSIGNMENT:
This week, we want to hear about YOU. The author behind the words. The Momma behind all the homeschooling kiddos. Just write up something about you, your family, and your home.

Who am I? The person behind the blog? That is not an easy task to sum up in one entry. Especially when you consider the fact that I am trying to figure it out myself. A few words that describe my growing up years would be Navy brat, middle child, only girl. I was raised in a Christian home. My mom and dad just celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary. My biggest complaint about growing up was that we moved around too much. I was determined that I would not marry a man in the military for that reason alone. When John and I married in 1987, I had no idea that we would move 11 times in 21 years.

When I met John, I was a teacher and pretty much anti-homeschooling. I knew one homeschooling family and their children were shy and withdrawn. So I ignorantly assumed that homeschooled children were social misfits. Sometime during my 6 year teaching career I completely changed my mind. I realized that social misfits were in schools as well and that the successful students were the ones whose parents were highly involved in their education. By the time I resigned from teaching in the public schools and before we were expecting our first child, I knew that I would be a homeschool mom.

As I mentioned earlier, John and I have been married for 21 years. We have three children. Gabriel is 17. Hannah is 15 and Holly is 10. They have been homeschooled nearly all their lives. Due to different circumstances, and with regret, they have all three spent some time in the public school system. I am blessed to have them at home now. I cherish my time with them. It seems that we have had interruptions of one sort or another every single year. Sometimes, I am amazed that they have learned anything at all. But that is the glory of homeschooling. I know where they are academically and what they need to work on. One of the things that I remember and dreaded about moving when I was growing up was going to a new school and being totally lost. The other children seemed to know exactly what to do, even at the beginning of the year. I found myself lost in a sea of new routines and I was too timid to ask for help.

In spite of our disrupted, distracted sometimes delayed lifestyle, they have managed to learn and even thrive. This year will not be an exception. I am working full time on a temporary basis. Starting next week, I will be teaching kindergarten in a public school (gasp!). It is a 12 week substitute assignment and will allow us to get out of debt. We are still homeschooling. Our schedule will be a bit erratic but rarely dull. I am excited about the things that the Lord has in store for us this year. I hope you will follow along with us as we continue our journey.