Homeschooling Ramblings

Tomorrow is Ally's first day of kindergarten and Parker's first day of first grade. They have never been in school before outside of the Pham household. I am excited for them and about all that they will be learning. I am saddened for them because of all that they will be missing. I believe what they really need to is to be home with their family learning from their parents and siblings and watching us live out our faith. They need to be loving on their brothers and sisters and cultivating a heart for the family, not developing their own "private" life at school. Obviously, I have strong feelings on why we have chosen to homeschool our children. You might not know this, but it took us almost 2.5 years to get here because of this issue of sending our children to school.

Before I go on, please know that I don't think it is wrong AT ALL for parents to send their children to school. It is just not best for our family. Seven years ago, God gave us a vision of what our family would look like and public school was not part of the picture. You see, we don't feel it is possible for our vision or family expectations to be met if someone else is raising our children. We believe that if they are in the world 8 hours a day and with us a few hours a day then they will choose the world because it has the greater influence over them. We believe that these four little ones are the greatest gifts God could give us and the most precious gifts He will ever give us. We don't want to miss a moment of anything. Everything that Parker has learned thus far I have taught him - how to write, read, math, swim, the Bible, his manners and his ability to discern right from wrong. Although I think there are amazing teachers and schools in the world, I believe no one is going to invest in him like I will. No one is as motivated to see him succeed academically, spiritually or emotionally as I am. How can they possibly be? I am his mom!

This situation is only for a year and I have surrendered it to the Lord many, many, many times. Because it is so closely connected to my heart I have to keep laying it down at the altar.

Tomorrow, I will drop them off knowing that this time next year we will be starting school together as a family in Peru and it will be wonderful and we will have over a decade of togetherness. God revealed to me last December that if I would give Him the vision that He has given us that He would restore it to something even better. Sometimes a vision has to die. We have to completely give it over to God and then He gives it back as something completely unrecognizable, but oh so perfect! I can't wait to see what God has in store for our family. I know that tomorrow is just another day of obedience and I rejoice in the calling God has placed on our lives. I rejoice in the people who will be loving on my babies this year. But most importantly, I rejoice in the fact that this is only temporary! :)

P.S. I met Parker's teacher today and she is an IMB missionary. One word to describe her - WONDERFUL.