September

Tyler working the Kell House Museum.

September was a crazy month for us. We started our school work and had tons and tons of activities we were driving to every day. I got burnt out very very very quickly.

Tyler at one of his football games.

I was driving Tyler into town every day for practices and having to hang around for a couple of hours. That in addition to all of the other things we were doing made me make one of the stupidest decisions of my life.

Ronan at his first football game.

I decided that I could serve my children better if I put them in school. I thought that the school would provide them with all of the activities that I was driving us to all the time. And I thought that the babies wouldn't be in the car as much. I was seduced by the idea of a clean house and some free time. I imagined that my children would lose nothing and gain much. 

So I spent a couple of weeks getting them accepted to the local Catholic school. I imagined that the school would be able to provide them with the same traditions that we worked so hard to hold at home. I was delighted with the focus on faith. It all sounded so good!

Then we started school and I was disillusioned very quickly. Our family dynamic changed so completely that I didn't even feel like a family anymore. 

The school became my children's family.....and I was just the person who got them dressed and carted them there.

We had lots of other problems that I could have never imagined we would encounter. Things like my four year old getting kicked out for her inappropriate use of imagination.

We were turned into CPS for the aforementioned use of imagination. (That was scary, but the worker declared the accusation unfounded. Turns out she's not the first four year old to say her big brother is mean to her.....who knew?!)

We were having to argue with my oldest about his school work for the same amount of time when we were homeschooling...making me wonder what we were spending our money for.

But worst of all was that my children no longer had time for their passions. 

Auriana didn't draw anymore.

The children didn't make plays.

The olders no longer read books to the youngers.

None of them cared anything about the stories that we loved.

It was like someone had stolen my children. 

Or at least stolen their LIGHT.

I only managed a month of them being away before I brought them back home. I learned a lot of lessons, and I feel more secure in my homeschooling than I've ever felt.

And that makes the decision worth it. :o)

Auriana cheering at her football game.

We loved football season, but we didn't have time for it once we started school. Next year we won't have to compromise. :o)