A Door Closed

We closed on our new house on Tuesday.

We also spent 6 hours at urgent care, in an ambulance, and at the hospital keeping H4 under observation for her bumped head.  It's a concussion.  It was terribly scary for a while, but she's all better now.

She bounced back from her injury faster than I did from my worry.

Then there was Thanksgiving to prepare for and celebrate (at our old home, just us, because we still have pinkeye going through the family). 

Now it is time to prepare to move.  We take possession tomorrow at noon.  The sellers have been in that house for 40 years--long enough to lose their house keys and just use the garage "clickers" as their means of entrance and exit. 

That makes me smile.

Even though it means we have to replace the locks on every exterior door on the house.

S11 came to me yesterday and asked, "Could I just try one day of public school?  Just to see what it's like?"  I explained that public schools simply don't work that way.  As I talked I realized that public school will not be an option in our new house.

We will live in a funny, eclectic neighborhood that I felt comfortable in as we explored it during our preparing-to-make-an-offer days.  But the surrounding neighborhoods are sketchy.  The school system is appalling.

I'm a former public school teacher.  I have a public school teacher brother-in-law and public school teacher friends.  I come from educator stock.  I loved public school!  I still have warm, fuzzy memories of school.  A lot of good things happen in public schools.

When I go running I pass many public schools in my current neighborhood.  They are neat and tidy and inviting.  I consider sometimes sending the kids to school.  I imagine back packs and brown bag lunches and report cards.  I imagine field trips and class parties.  I imagine best friends and inspiring teachers.  I imagine after school snacks, homework, and stories around the dinner table.

And then I pray, "Can't they go?"

In prayer I remember that Heavenly Father called me to educate my children at home.  I remember that for whatever reason He knows that I can only guess at, my particular children need to stay home with me--in spite of all of my flaws. 

I put away my imaginings, square my shoulders the best I can, and plug away--counting my blessings.  What a privilege it is to educate my children at home!

I've always answered the question, "Do you plan to homeschool the whole way?" with the answer, "Homeschooling works for now.  We'll take it one year at a time."

But now the answer has changed.

There can be no more imaginings (at least about public school).
There is no more wondering about next year.
There is no more exit clause.
There is only certainty.

Yes, we will homeschool the whole way.