School

Today is the first day back to school for a lot of kids in the area.  We've been done with homeschooling, last year after 24 years or so, and I wonder how long this time of year will roll around before I will  not miss it.  I miss hunting for the right books and materials for the each child. I miss making out the yearly lesson planners. I miss watching the kids, especially when they were young, excited about fun projects we planned. I miss the good discussions we had when they were older around the dinner table about what they learned that day.  I miss the trips we took when they competed at different conventions. I miss assigning good books to my children to read.  I just miss the whole thing!  Oh well!  After today I won't think about it for another year!

So, if you home school, may I encourage you to continue on. There will be hard days, and yes, there are plenty of other things you could be doing with your time. But when its all over, you will be so happy with investing your time into your children. It is a freedom we have today that we may not always have and the best way to keep a freedom is to use that freedom! Even if it means living on one income, please consider the investment in your children's lives as more valuable than anything money can buy. If it is just too hard for you, consider other methods such as using computer classes or even simplify what you are doing. When it comes down to it, a 6th grade education is more valuable than a college degree if your child leaves home with a heart for God and a love of learning.

Meanwhile, here's a few pictures down memory lane of our school days.

Priscilla's graduation table.

My father-in-law giving Hosanna her graduation Bible.

Miriam graduated by herself at our church.

Isaac's graduation class at our church.

Taking CAT tests. Maybe our kids were strange, but they enjoyed doing these!

The lesson planners! I wrote up daily plans for the whole year. Usually we split up all their work into 130 days which gave us days off and able to quit early in the spring. If we had to take a day off for some reason, they just continued with the next day. We found it a lot easier than doing it by the week.

Going to ACE conventions were always a highlight!

Priscilla dissecting owl droppings.

Okay, this is a really old picture and the kids wanted to make it look like school was the worst thing in the world!

Have a great week everyone!