Thankfulness

A friend posted on facebook a wise comment.  "As children we wish for Christmas to hurry up and get here.  As adults we wish it would slow down!"  It is now the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  Where did the year go? 

I am so thankful this year for so many things but most of all for my family.  I hear my children giggling and falling over while attempting to follow a kid's yoga video with my hubby coaching from the sidelines.  Notice he is not trying to do it himself.  I think the 911 operator might have her own emergency if I had to call to get him untied out of the lotus position.  Not that I would ever attempt it...

My five blessings can drive me up a wall, out a window, and around the world but I wouldn't trade my life as their mom for anything in this world.  Occasionally I threaten to trade them for anything to get a few moments of peace and quiet.  When people learn I homeschool, I hear comments along the lines of "I could never do that!" and "My kids would drive me nuts!"  You want to know what would drive me nuts?  Sending these little beings away for 8-10 hours a day, 180 days a year.  I was a teacher.  I would hate spending all those hours with another person's children while someone else got to watch mine discover, learn, and grow.

I am thankful that after sitting down and going over the financial side of my working versus my staying home, it was obvious that the studies were right.  Many researchers find that a mom's income barely adds a few hundred to the annual family budget.  Especially once you factor in wardrobe, transportation, childcare, lunches, etc.  See?  I wasn't always a homeschool only kind of person although I have become that.  Even if I ever have to work, my kids will be schooled at home.  I've studied the philosophy of schools, looked into the people who are major influences, have read John Gatto, listened to David Horowitz, and read more on studies, ideas, histories...  School is potentially the worst thing to ever happen to so many children.  Even watching the nightly news seems to reinforce that conclusion.  The Bible says we are to train up our children.  I don't think that handing the job over to an institution is the best way to accomplish that goal.

I am thankful that God has allowed me to borrow for this short time these small people to care for and love.  One day the last will move out of our home to begin a journey without us right beside them.  When that time comes, as with each time before, I will pray that the foundation that was laid in our time together will help keep our child on God's chosen path.  Then I will box up the last of the kid's stuff in the house and unpack my sanity. 

Until all that peace and quiet drive me up a wall, out the window, and around the world.