The homeschool post.

So. I have been avoiding writing this post for 4 months. But we are ending the semester-so I thought now is as good of time as any to share.

Why we homeschool.

In Mississippi, both Madyson and Aubrie Kate were enrolled in Public Schools. Our schools were AMAZING. Each student was issued their own iPad, the teachers were creative, inventive, and fun. The kids worked hard-but they were rewarded for their hard work. I was in PTO and loved helping raise money for our administration to use to spoil our kids. Our district was the best.

Madyson was the first kindergarten class to start with Common core-she loved school. She did SO well-she was placed in our districts gifted program. She loves to learn. 

Aubrie Kate is social-and a kinetic learner. She was slower to catch on to the new way because she would rather be on the playground.

When we moved-we looked at all the school options we have here in Georgia. And although there were great options...none seemed to fit this new lifestyle we were embracing. A lifestyle of family importance, God led, and full of adventure. 

Let me say this. I never wanted to homeschool. I even thought my friends in Mississippi were crazy. {{honest}} I thought-why when you have awesome school district would you want to homeschool?!?!?

When we accepted Gods plan for our family-we knew we would be doing things out of our comfort zone. Homeschooling was one of them. 

Our first month was rough. It was A LOT of work-and I was having a hard time adjusting.

Month two was better-I was in a routine-we were traveling and it was busy.

Month three-we started at a local homeschool school house-we were in or groove and the girls...were loving school. 

Month four-has been amazing. I am seeing such HUGE changes in the girls. Chores are life skills and they do them with a smile. They play so well together now-helping each other and really learning the importance of working together. Madyson has surpassed milestones that we had set. She is trucking along and loving working at her speed.

Aubrie-aubrie was struggling at first. Like I said-she was social. She has winced bloomed since going to the school house. She is finally reading and writing-something 4 months ago she was not doing. She is loving crafting and learning and has grown to also enjoy "quiet time" with her dolls and colors.

We all are calmer. School is suppose to last 4.5 hours a day. Most days we do 2.5 hours in the morning then 2 hours in the evening.  The girls enjoy the break and I have found they work harder when they are allowed to split up their day.

We are still learning. I am so thankful that I have friends that love me and help me (even though I thought they were crazy a year ago) homeschooling for us was not a way to escape the system-it wasn't because we were unhappy-it simple was because we wanted to adjust to a new place with each other and build our family back together. I never would have imagined in January that we would be considering doing homeschool again  in the fall. But as of now, we are.

For me-as a newbie-it is a lot of work. Planning and preparing and making sure the girls learn. Luckily-our school house is awesome with helping pick out curriculum-come up with ideas and such. I am hoping having the summer to prepare will allow me to not be so tense next year. But to be with the girls all day-and to watch them grow and learn as people-is worth the anxiety of "am I doing this right?"  

So here's my finale. If for any reason you are thinking about homeschooling-try it for a semester. You might surprise yourself! But for sure you will see the blessings it brings.