Well today we embarked on a new adventure in the Warren World...homeschooling! I wish I could say it was an easy and blissful morning, but I will share anyway! I did not sleep well last night, a busy mind having weird dreams about our decision to homeschool. The morning started with a bad headache in addition to feeling like I was going to be sick! We are calmly going about the morning activities, Emily sleeping, Ryan and Adam busy on the Wii, Todd getting ready for work and I am making waffles. I am not talking except for keeping the boys on track getting dressed, shoes on and calling them to breakfast; we have to leave by 8:45 to get Ryan to pre-school on time. He has shown lots of excitement about his 3 year old class and at this point I am not worried about how he will do...more on that later! So now it is time to scoop Emily out of bed, get her dressed & head out the door for pre-school at First United Methodist Church, in Salem. As I leave Todd can see the concern, fear, uncertainty in my face (the glaze in my eyes that at any moment the flood gates might open)...all I say is "I hope we made the right decision", to which he assured me we had, that Adam would be fine and I would do great! Words that I desperately needed to hear! Off we went…
We arrive at pre-school right on time; Ryan and I head into school! But first we stop by and see Ms. Sherry and Ms. Sandy whom he had as teachers for his 1 and 2 year old classes. After a few hugs and some fun talk about the UVA Cavaliers winning this past weekend (go Hoos) we head back down to Mrs. Holley’s class. As we approach the class we hear one of the children screaming and crying to which Ryan says “I don’t want to go in there...it is scary!”, so the fun begins…Ryan does come in after a few minutes of convincing (and me going in) sits down at the puzzle table and poses perfectly for a picture. Phew…it was going to be fine…until our little friend becomes hysterical and Ryan follows me out of the room. We get back into the class and now Ryan is screaming and crying and is being peeled off of me by Mrs. Holley! I leave the room immediately and burst into tears! One of my good friends consoles me along with Adam telling me “mom I know Ryan will be ok and have fun at pre-school, don’t worry”.
As we drive away from school I realize the daunting task that awaits me at home…school for Adam…he begins to talk to me in van “mom I cannot wait to start home school”, to which I respond “me too” (a slight crack in my voice). We get home and while I feed Emily some breakfast Adam picks out his 3 subjects that we will do today after Bible. He chooses History, Science and Math…so off we go to our school room. He is ready to go and we start with a prayer for our day and for Ryan and then right into our devotion. It was the first moment that I felt the true calm come over me…not the calm of earlier that I was forcing to prevent me from completely melting down but true peace from God that He is the one who will be working in this time in our family. I need to be leaning on Him for my strength.
Driving to back to pre-school…going over the events of the morning in my mind I began to think about the pangs I had, the question I asked Todd, “Have we made the right decision?” I decided that I would probably be having these same pangs of questioning our decision if we had sent him back to school. Regardless of whether this decision was right or wrong the fact is that my regret will not be this year of time with Adam; teaching, learning, laughing and yes maybe even crying but my regret would be if I never had this chance. This may be the first and last year of homeschooling, but it will be an adventure that we will remember for years to come!!
We arrive at pre-school right on time; Ryan and I head into school! But first we stop by and see Ms. Sherry and Ms. Sandy whom he had as teachers for his 1 and 2 year old classes. After a few hugs and some fun talk about the UVA Cavaliers winning this past weekend (go Hoos) we head back down to Mrs. Holley’s class. As we approach the class we hear one of the children screaming and crying to which Ryan says “I don’t want to go in there...it is scary!”, so the fun begins…Ryan does come in after a few minutes of convincing (and me going in) sits down at the puzzle table and poses perfectly for a picture. Phew…it was going to be fine…until our little friend becomes hysterical and Ryan follows me out of the room. We get back into the class and now Ryan is screaming and crying and is being peeled off of me by Mrs. Holley! I leave the room immediately and burst into tears! One of my good friends consoles me along with Adam telling me “mom I know Ryan will be ok and have fun at pre-school, don’t worry”.
As we drive away from school I realize the daunting task that awaits me at home…school for Adam…he begins to talk to me in van “mom I cannot wait to start home school”, to which I respond “me too” (a slight crack in my voice). We get home and while I feed Emily some breakfast Adam picks out his 3 subjects that we will do today after Bible. He chooses History, Science and Math…so off we go to our school room. He is ready to go and we start with a prayer for our day and for Ryan and then right into our devotion. It was the first moment that I felt the true calm come over me…not the calm of earlier that I was forcing to prevent me from completely melting down but true peace from God that He is the one who will be working in this time in our family. I need to be leaning on Him for my strength.
Driving to back to pre-school…going over the events of the morning in my mind I began to think about the pangs I had, the question I asked Todd, “Have we made the right decision?” I decided that I would probably be having these same pangs of questioning our decision if we had sent him back to school. Regardless of whether this decision was right or wrong the fact is that my regret will not be this year of time with Adam; teaching, learning, laughing and yes maybe even crying but my regret would be if I never had this chance. This may be the first and last year of homeschooling, but it will be an adventure that we will remember for years to come!!
P.S. Ryan was happily playing when I arrived to pick him up and told me that "I only cried a little bit and then did a great job!" Also the other boy in his class settled down and ended up having a great day as well! Prayer is a wonderful thing!!!
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