People often ask me why I chose to homeschool, and the truth is, I didn’t. I came into homeschooling kicking and screaming. I wanted my kids to go to school every day so I could have more time at home to focus on my younger kids and clean the house and have a “break” during the day, so to speak. Slowly, the Lord was closing doors for me to be able to safely put my kids in a school environment. It was a process of about 3 years of the Lord showing me VERY CLEARLY (because I was fighting it as hard as I could) that He wanted me to homeschool HIS children. GULP! It was a very eye-opening and humbling time for me.

Once I yielded my desires and fears to Him, He was free to take me on the one-day-at-a-time journey of homeschooling. I’ve been homeschooling for 18 years now, and when I started, it was just going to be for one year (in my mind, anyway…)

We have had great years, and we have had struggling years. My kids each had times where they wished they weren’t homeschooled, but ultimately were grateful that they were homeschooled. It truly is a journey for each family, each individual.

We have currently graduated five of our six kiddos from high school. All five of them have chosen to go on to college; two graduated, one left to get married and have a family, one is graduating in December and one is a freshman this month. The biggest lesson I learned with “graduating” each of my kids is that we have to be open to letting God lead them and make their path for them. Each of my kids are different. They have different strengths and weaknesses, desires, dreams, interests, etc, so the future will be different for each of them. My job, as their Mom, and their biggest cheerleader, is to come alongside them, help them find their gifts and strengths and help them discover where the Lord might be leading them.

Homeschooling has been an amazing blessing. It has allowed us MUCH more family time together. We have been able to participate in Civil War Reenactments as a family, mission trips as a family and even take our vacations during less crowded times of the year. Even on our vacations, we are homeschooling because we sought out historical sites and museums. Learning never stops! Whether you’re in the grocery store teaching numbers or colors to your three-year-old or visiting a museum and discussing the different types of tanks or weaponry together, you are always learning. All of you!! Never quit learning and never quit learning together!!

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or concerns you may have along the way. My role is to come alongside you, encourage you, be a resource to you, and pray for you. Western Christian Academy is here to partner with you. Please let us know how we can support you or pray for you. My office hours will be Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm PST.