Homeschooling Is A Big Task

{This is in the morning when we do our Studying God's Word Devotional, Tristan insisted that she sit with him in his chair}

If you would have asked me 2 years ago if I would be interested in homeschooling my kids, my answer would have been no.  Tristan went to a private preschool which we LOVED, Little Lambs.  Tristan went for 100 days to a public elementary school, which we loved.  We loved the teachers and the administration, we loved their dedication and focus.  But about 1/2 way through the year the Lord laid it heavy on my heart that he wanted me to bring Tristan home and focus more on teaching Tristan the love that the Lord has for him.  John and I prayed about this.  Honestly I struggled with it, because I wasn't interested in spending that much time a day with my kids and I am NOT a teacher!  But I felt it was really what God was asking us to do and we chose to be obedient.

{Yes, she is naked, she usually is.  More importantly, this is a photo of Tristan doing his morning reading to Piper, who loves listening to him read!}

I am so grateful that we chose to listen to the Lord.  I am getting to know Tristan on a level I didn't know possible, I am watching the light bulb click on as he learns to read and do math.  He is just finishing up his first grade curriculum {we use a combination of Abeka, A Reason for..., and Studying God's Word}, he is reading really well and we get to hang out, go on field trips {Seattle on the Train, Apple Orchards, Beach Day and a hundred other things}, we play outside together every day and we have a ton of play dates with friends from public school and our co-op.

I won't lie, I don't LOVE it every day!  Some days we don't do school because Tris is struggling, or I am too cranky, or we just want to do something else {which we can do because we can double up the next day}!  But most days, I think it is awesome that I have this opportunity!  I saw this on Confessions of a Homeschooling Mom's Blog the other day:

I'm not saying I'll homeschool him forever, but I will until he feels ready to go to public school and at that point John and I will pray for guidance!  For now, I am enjoying this season of life and preparing for it to change dramatically in September when we start doing preschool with Piper and add a 3rd little person to our home!

{Our 2nd Grade Curriculum}