Hi all,

My passport has not arrived yet today from Miami via FED EX.  As you know it is crucial for me going out of the country. It was supposed to be here this am but is yet to be shipped from Miami. I leave Sat. evening and I don’t want to have to drive all the way back to Miami again and possibly miss it in route.

 Pray it in with me!

Firmly Planted  has some great thoughts today on how she got started homeschooling.  I think it is very interesting how God is calling so many home to be with their kids.  I think in general God is moving his people to a more integrated, holistic life rhythm.  Life long learning in regards to education as well as how we live and practice our faith is a common thread I see popping up all over.  I am happy to have “clued” in now.  As my friend Chenoa says “God really squeezed you into a corner with this!”  Yes, He did and I am happy about it!

Que u2 People!

Yesterday was hard (emotionally) as I mentioned.  But we got through it.  Today is the first day of summer and the beginning of new rhythms at home.  The kids stayed up extra late last night with our church family.  We have “comon meal” once a week to stay connected usually at one family’s home or another.  We hosted last night.  The kids LOVE having their church family over. I must say it was nice not rushing to get them to bed or get them up this am.

New, New, New. It is amazing what a good night’s sleep and some productive work will do.  Now, to pack and organize for Peru.  I have got some business deadlines to meet before we leave but we are cruising through them.  I need to buy the supplies at Walmart.  I really hate the Walmart here by our home. It is so diorganized and understaffed.  I hang on to the kids for dear life.  But we are stockin gup on brown sugar, choclate chips an dother fun things they can’t get down there.  I think we will fill our suit case up with coffe for the road home.  If you want to place your order for some amazing coffee beans send me an email. 

ok - I said before that I wondered why I wasn’t more sad at the  thought of our children leaving our local Montessori school.  Today was their graduation.  I was sad. It was hard for me watching Jackson graduate.  I think it was even harder knowing that Chloe wont have the same experience.   She has been thriving there.  I know she will thrive at home with me as well, but somehow not giving them both the same is hard for me.  It would be easier if we were leaving because we were not happy or something major happened but the reality is, it is too expensive to continue on for all of our children.  The financial stress on our family is not worth it. It is easier to make the break now than later.  It reminds me of one of my life’s goals to open a christian based Montessori school that real people can actually afford.  Maybe that isn’t possible I don’t know, so for now I keep going where God is leading me.  If I keep following Him it will all be ok.

I have been reading Jack Canefields book “Success  Principles” since last fall.  It is very interesting how it has helped me clarify what I want in life and what I don’t want.  It also helped me put in writing some things that have been in my heart but not clearly articulated.  So since this blog is helping me develop and nurture my own unique voicee, I thought I would put my life’s mission statement here.  I encourage you to craft your own.  You will be amazed at how it will help you weed through the  baggage in your life.  Slim down on what you should do and what you shouldn’t be doing.  Anyway…

“My life purpose is to use my passion and my drive to encourage and motivate others to dig for their unique God given calling and spend their lifetime pursuing it. “

So I guess homeschooling fits pretty well into that:-)

It is interesting how this process has gone for me.  I have had people tell me that I am not the homeschooling type or actual homeschoolers tell me how hard it is.  It is kind of like before you have kids or teenagers, those parents that do tell you to get your sleep or that you don’t know what it is like until they are teens etc.   I am sure it will be challenging but like anything there will be great days as well. My work at homepartners and my husband have been very supportive.  I’ve enjoyed learning new and helpful things from them all.  I named this blog “homeschooling diva” for courage.  Every time I log in and see the name and look at the picture I find rest and courage.  It may sound weird to you but its not your blog so there.  Friends who encouarge me to go for it are a special blessing.  I pray that I encourage many of you to go for it….whatever “it” may be.  Life is short so don’t live it in fear.  Embrace it!

So have I mentioned I love building business?  I have been doing something on my own one way or the other for the past ten years.  As I move into schooling our children, working from home will be KEY.  On-line, virtual, web-based business is so much fun to build.    I love being a work at home mom.  I am praying that our trip to Peru will be helpful in helping the crew down there build a business on-line that will bring in some cash.  Pray with me for that too!

Peace to all in the house.

Tomorrow is the last day at our local Montessori school.  I thought I would be much sadder than I am.  I mostly feel a sense of moving in the right direction.  It is funny, I am picking up some things again, I thought I was done with.  I am teaching again at the Jupiter Academy of Music  I am having to pick up some classes for a teacher that is ill and wont be able to finish her scheduled session.  I may have to do the summer session as well.  I hope to begin getting things in order for school this year.  I am still not sure I am going to purchase an exact curriculum for our first year.  I may change my mind in December but this year is all about de-stressing and just having fun learning together.  If no set curriculum starts to get stressful, then I will purchase sonlight probably.  Lots of friends have used it and recommend it. 

My work partnershipcontinues to be exciting, challenging and just enough to keep me engaged but not overwhelmed.   Mike and I are off to Peru on the 2nd so I’ve got tons to do to get ready. I look forward to learning more from Chenoa about her homeschooling adventure.  She has schooled 3 kids who are now starting home-school high-school.  She has completely empowered me to do this and have fun along the way.  More to come….

There have been many reasons that I have not wanted to home-school over the past few years.  Firstly, We had three children in a short amount of time and that alone was overwhelming.  Now I have my feet under me…a stable rhythm.  Our oldest is 5 going on 6 in August and the hum of our life is enjoyable.  I now have the mental clarity to think about things other than, sleep and time to myself.  My main hesitation (for both myself and my husband) has been not wanting to lose myself in the process of homeschooling our children.  Would I be a frazzled, school marm with no since of passion or calling outside of homeschooling?  This last year has been a year of awaking for me.  I am starting to remember who I am outside of parenting. I have the space to work on me again, and so now I can enthusiastically move into home-school with balance.  This is a one year at a time plan. I am not adamant about anyone way of schooling except that this year my kids need to be home with me.  Maybe that will change in time.  Up until this point they have had Montessori education and that has suit us perfectly but now it is time to change and expand our horizons.  I am learning to BE and not DO.  To rest and not strive and to capture every treasured moments (even the hard ones) because the one thing I do know is that “time is the only thing we really own and relationship is the only thing we can buy with it”.

Ever since our first child was in the womb people have been asking me if I am going to home-school.  I have gone through the gamut.  Yes, no-way, maybe and overwhelmed.  We are moving into the home-school journey and at this stage in my life I am excited for the new challenge.  Life is short and I don’t want to wonder my whole life if I should of done it, so here we go! This is my story and  I invite you along for the ride!