Saturday, March 29, 2008

Its Home Education Week!




I can barley remember that first year we began. I know I was nervous, but that’s about it. I wasn’t nervous to home school, but nervous if I didn’t do a good job, my husband would stand firm on his conditional 1 year trial. *Ü*

Neither one of us had a clue what home schooling was, and he has never been much into researching or needing to make curricula decisions. He has always left that up to me... although I always talk about what we do, and he is very supportive of everything I do/did. He has always been a helper to me, just like I am with him.


RyLee, my youngest and I have been cleaning out our attics. Yes, attics. *Ü* We have 2. We found old videos from Shawn’s first, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th... birthdays, Christian’s birth. (No I did not let anyone film during the actual birth) and her birthdays, along with other vhs tapes (LOL VHS, remember those?) tapes of family moments. It brought tears of joy watching these precious memories. They were all so small, so dependant.


Home schooling at Koinonia Academy has not always been a smooth ride, but looking back I would not change it for the world. Life happens, seasons come and go, but we were always a family and doing things together. I cherish every memory…yes, even the hard ones. They have made us into the people we are, and the people we are becoming.


My Shawn is now 18 and graduating in a few months. He is 6’2, skinny, He is analytical and still wants to be a State trooper. He has since he was in 5th grade. He loves Jesus. He stumbles, and is experiencing growing pains, but who didn’t at 18.


What makes me somewhat sane is that he realizes and expresses he “Knows” he still has a lot of maturing and learning to do, and it’s the kind that you can’t get from books. I love this boy!!

My Christian will be16 in 9more wake ups. She is a delight and has such a sweet spirit. She is funny and loves to joke, but is also very tenderhearted. She is also very talented and artistic.





RyLee Kay is 11 and will be 12 in August. RyLee has a lot of initiative, is outgoing. She loves to try new things. Loves to cook and bake, and is crafty. She can figure just about anything out on her own and since she was 2 has always said “ I can do it!” She is independent and spunky and well, bossy. We are working on it.






My husband gave us one year, but in my heart I have always been in it for the long haul. Home schooling for us is a life style. It’s our life. Home schooling has not just been about education. It was at first, but a few years after we began... that left my mind and my heart. Home schooling is about growing my family, learning, and experiencing life! I mentioned once before, I want to raise my children for Heaven, not Harvard. Although Harvard would be pretty cool... Heaven will be better.

Today is the beginning of home education week! You can read more about it over at Danas blog Principled Discovery

8 comments:

Lori C., Texas said...

I didn't know you had an older son! I haven't been reading your blog close enough!:) I also want to teach for Heaven instead of Harvard. I just posted my first post for Home Education Week.

Have a great week!
Lori

Anonymous said...

Your post is great! I really enjoyed it. It's so good to hear from a veteran too. :-)

~Andrea
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/andijeane/507524/

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your story. I felt so clueless our first year too. Even though we did some research, everything seemed so new to us. I love what you say about homeschooling being a life style and raising your children for Heaven. I totally agree!

Lisa said...

Thanks for the wonderful reminder about raising our kids for Heaven not Harvard. Such wise words!

Thanks for sharing your words of wisdom.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for the intro to all your children! I laughed out loud at this:

9more wake ups

My eldest always expressed time by the number of "sleeps." It was so cute and I forgot about it until I read that.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing, Lisa. Your children are so cute. Your oldest dd looks like mini Lisa. :-)

Hen Jen said...

wow Lisa, I love your homeschool story. Your kids are beautiful! I really like your phrase, " I want to raise my children for Heaven, not Harvard." That sums it up.

Niall MacC said...

Hi there, I found you through the comment you left on Dana's blog. I agree with you about home schooling being a way of life, not just education. Sounds like you have all done a good job. It's encouraging to see people coming out the other end!
God bless,
Ruth