Looking back.....

 Looking back on my homeschool journey seems like another lifetime for sure. Let me give you all an update on the kids. All of my children are grown and are about to finish college.

 Abigail is in England at Oxford University getting a Master's Degree there. We will go watch her receive the degree in November, and we are excited to get to partake in and see this accomplishment across the pond. Abigail has always been a determined person; once she makes up her mind, she goes after it. I have always admired this about her, since I struggled in my childhood with feeling inadequate. What a great example to all who know her. Her intelligence and drive amaze me, and I wonder how in the world she is related to me?  I have said that many times this year when telling others what she is doing, each time I end up crying, for I have never felt or believed myself to be smart. I admire the way she knows who she is and has high standards for her life and who she is with. That is true self-confidence and self-awareness. People my age struggle with these concepts and yet she has obtained them at a young age. Her love for others  and life are a special thing to see.What a beautiful gift, that is my Abigail.

Michaela is teaching at one of our local high schools, English as a second language. She received her Mastors Degree at UWF. We are so proud of her. I think she is the first to do that in our family! What an accomplishment! She stuck with the plan she set and stayed the course until she reached her goal. That is Michaela; she sets a goal and stays the course. I love that about her. She goes each day and pours into children who come from different walks of life, all while letting her sweetness shine. To know she is giving encouragement and love to children every day is such a joy; she has always had such a sweet and loving heart. Her kindness and love for others draw people to her; what a gift she has always been. People still tell me how Michaela made them feel loved and that she is the sweetest person they know or have known. Michaela has always had a humility about her, one that I wanted, you see, I do not possess that, and find it so beautiful. I find that humility makes way for you to shine, all while allowing others to shine. The meek shall inherit the earth. What a special gift, well, that is my Michaela. 

 Samuel is in his last semester at Troy to finish his Bachelor's degree in Risk Management/ Business. He has a great job in Boston for a year and will come home, God willing. Samuel has always been full of energy, full of happiness, and peace. I stand in awe of his self-confidence, you see, I never had much of that growing up, and really did not think I was smart at all. It is so impressive to watch him go after something he wants and accomplish it, his way. He received an internship last summer for a large organization, and he excelled there, receiving a certificate that no one else had received besides him and his friend this past summer.  He recently received an opportunity to go to London this summer to attend Lloyd's of London with his university. He will get to see Abigail while he is there, so that will be so cool. He always embraces adventure, never shying away from a challenge. This is one of the things I admire about him. I, too, need a good challenge, and if an adventure is an option, let's go!  I am amazed at all of the doors God has opened for my children. He has a full-time job already and is getting prepared for this new chapter in Boston. I have watched him grow into a responsible and loving person.  The Bible speaks of pursuing peace and that is what I see him doing in life. What special gifts he has- that is my Samuel.

 I am beyond humbled and proud of each one of them. I look back over the memories and the years and contemplate if I did enough, if I poured into them what the Lord wanted me to. I pray daily for them, as my love for them is abundant and never ceases. I long for the days when we all were here in our home, the loudness, the activity all around. It is quiet now, cats sleeping, the only noise is the TV or the water fountain. I LOVED watching my kids grow up I loved being with them; they are my heart. I want to encourage anyone reading this to treasure each moment, each situation, because one day you will wake up and they will have excelled beyond your wildest dreams and all though you will be proud , you will long for them to just be little once again.  I enjoy my children now, I enjoy spending time, talking with them, and just hanging out.  Homeschooling offered my family many things, some you can measure by the worlds standards such as degrees and jobs and other things such as: laughter, memories, love, and bonding for life. I would not trade this journey for anything. Trust in the Lord and listen to Him. The Lord will never leave you not forsake you.This is something I have found to be true. When I was at my lowest point and had no clue how I could make it, the Lord was, ALWAYS there to help me, to carry me, to support me, to listen to me, to rescue me, to save me, to provide for me. Well that is my Jesus, the greatest gift of all. 

I have always had a problem with wanting to have control of everything. This is not a good thing, when you are trusting in God to lead and guide you. HE wants and needs to have full control of your life and that includes every part of it! I have found that I lay my problems down at His feet and before long I pick it up yet again. I ask the Lord why are you not dealing with the problem I laid down at your feet? He always reply's, because you picked it up again. ugh ! I instantly repent and lay it down again. Why do I have such a hard time keeping my problems at His feet? Why can't I leave them alone?  I know He knows best. I know He has all the answers. I realize He will make it all right. So much better than I could ever. But, I still pick them up. I think it is because I want to fix it quickly. I hate waiting. I get so frustrated when I have to wait for anything. I want total success. But I want to see results sooner,rather than later.

This is sometimes a problem when you are homeschooling your children. I found that I had to hold onto the little accomplishments and successes. I had no idea that I would one day feel like I do about my journey. I could not see the end from the beginning, like He can and did. You see you must trust the Lord to help you each step of the way. He is the only one who knows which door we should enter and which door needs to stay closed. He also helps us to endure another day when we think we can not go on for another day. He is our rock, our source of strength, He has to become our everything.If He is our all, then we will always be ready for the next mountain we come to.
AND VICTORY become a reality not a dream.

Homeschool is a great choice for parents to make for their children. It is a choice that will change your life forever. Will everyday be a good day? No! But, it is worth it in the end. We have seen two of my three children become successful in college and we are working on the last one now. Finishing up his academic training for the next level.
I am bewildered at some of the moms I encounter. They ask me how my kids became successful and what can they do to help their children do the same? I take my time to go into detail and share my story with them, thinking they appreciate all that I am saying. HA! Not so much. I have seen so many  people walk away from talking with me to do the opposite and/or ask someone else what they should do.They ask people who just started the journey themselves. They ask people whose children did not even go to college. I do not get it. When I was looking for the answer to how to help my kids to become successful in this home school journey I went to the moms who had children who went to college and they were doing well. But, most importantly I went to God. He helped me know what to do and which way to go.
When you start this journey you are so full of excitement and energy. You question each choice you make and you are afraid you are going to mess your children up. This is a good way to stay. What I mean is , If we accept the responsibility of our children's education and keep it as important as it should be, then we will always be looking for the best route. Not the easy way .but the best way. You see you are your children's teacher, counselor, principle and of course parent. Each day we must wake up and make the choice to go above and beyond for our family. Not because they deserve it,but because we love them and want each one of them to succeed.
Moms have such a demanding life.  Home school moms are always on the job. You can not take a day off or even half a day off. I take every opportunity to teach my kids a lesson or to help them see truth. That to me is the real perk of walking down this road. My children have seen how to deal with others, good and bad, they have experienced what life is really like. What I have seen is that children who don't learn how to deal with others while they are young, have a hard time when they reach adulthood.It is our job to help mold and shape these vessels to be everything God has intended them to be.
Another thing I have found that is a perk of home school is that you start to see exactly who you are. I don't think I ever took time to see me, until I slowed down and started on this journey. When you become real with yourself  and your family,growth in each one of you can take place. It is never easy or quick,it is a journey and will take you to great heights. I saw in me that I judged others quite harshly. I also realized I did not have to say anything, You do not have to respond to others. Even when you are right, let Him fight your battles. The one thing that really changed my life was no matter if I was justified or not, no matter if I was right or not, My family and my relationships are worth more than me winning in the situation. I want God to win, not me. THIS was a life changer for me.When I started allowing Him to win and not me,I saw change in me.I became more loving and kind to others. I actually started to see the other persons point. This has helped me in becoming a better leader.I awake each day and desire to have a pure heart and right spirit.
May each one of you lean on Christ and allow Him to guide you on this wonderful path.

Well, another year has come and gone..... here I sit thinking about all of the changes that have occurred. First of all, my eldest child has graduated college with 2 majors and 2 minors. Both of the girls are now in Europe for 5 weeks. They both received scholarships to be able to go there. Group has ended and now summer has begun.
 My son is now taking drivers ed class,which I can not believe. Time goes way far too fast. I find that raising my son is far different ,than raising my daughters. He is going through puberty and I am learning how to handle it when boys go through this change. It is a struggle for kids ,who are trying to live for God. A struggle to choose the right way to go , not in the wrong direction. Sometimes they will have to choose the lonely way , not the path of many.
 I sit here and think about when they were all little. I wanted to teach them everything I could to help make their lives successful. I wanted to make sure they were prepared for whatever God had for them. I have seen how God has used my girls and I am amazed. He has opened doors for them all , that I did not even know were there. He is the only one that can lead and guide them anywhere they may go in their lifetime. The hardest thing for me was to let go, but thank God He allowed me to do this little by little. I know I will always be apart of their lives and I am thankful for that.
It was amazing to go to the Honors presentation and to hear about all the wonderful things my daughter did. The professors spoke so highly of her and it made me feel so fulfilled as a home school mom. I did break down and I cried , only once, at least in public.lol
When she received 2 awards for outstanding service, pride overwhelmed me. All those days and nights of hard work really paid off. I see them excel in their classes and life(socially) and know I did exactly what God wanted me to do. Stay the course is what HE told me to do many times, as I questioned am I doing the right thing. You see, I questioned when others told me I was doing way too much. Well, now I can say most definitely I was NOT doing too much, I was listening to God. You see when you excel over others, they want to pull you down to their level instead of them rising up to yours. When you teach your child to go above and beyond at a early age,they will continue to do all throughout their lives. This way of life really does pay off in the end. You will be the one chosen for scholarships, trips, and jobs. 
Train your child in the way they should go.Proverbs 22:6
This goes so much deeper than just spiritually, which is so important. It is every single thing in their life. You are showing them how to act, how to handle people, situations and even money. You are their teacher, their leader and their guide. You are the one to help prepare them for their future.
If we take this responsibility seriously then, when the great things start coming, and they will , you will be able to stand and thank God for letting you know how to raise successful children. You will stand back and be amazed as He lets you reap the harvest for all the seeds you have sown for all the years of your child's life.
I am at the point of change and I hate change. I will embrace whatever God has for me, in this next phase. I will be praying for each parent that reads this and wants to embrace a higher way of teaching. Remember it is lonely at the top. But those who succeed will become  movers and shakers of the world. They will be empowered to change this world for Christ. I stand with each one of you who want to stand up and say" we are more than conquerors, we will train our children to do whatever they do as they are doing it unto God."
comment below if you would like special prayer.Much love until next time, Joanne

:

Why do you home school?
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me this question, well I would be rich. LOL
I find it amazing that people really don't know the benefits of home schooling. I had a friend of mine ask me "Can i ask you why you home school your children?' I smiled and replied" I have found that my children can get ahead, I told her how my first daughter graduated with her AA degree before receiving her high school diploma, she is also dual majoring at her university( journalism and political science) and dual minoring ( Spanish and international studies). This will help her to be versatile in finding a job.I then told her how she has been able to get paid internships every summer.(2-Capital Hill,1-Boston,Documentary, 1- CSPAN) I told her how my second daughter just graduated with her AA degree and is now about to start at the university in the fall. She will also be dual majoring and dual minoring.( her first internship is at UWF, learning all about how to run an university) She was amazed! She said jokingly" sign me up." I feel it is our responsibility to help others see home schooling as a smart choice. So many years people have looked at us as we are doing our children a disservice by taking them out of school. If you do it right home schooling is the best option. I repeat IF YOU DO IT CORRECTLY.   We are branded because all of those who choose to treat home schooling as a joke. Well, I had my child take pictures on our vacation, so she gets a photography credit. WHAT?? No, that is not how it should work.  I have tried to make sure my children" go above and beyond" everything that is required. This is one of our motto's we live by.  By living like this, we have had college professors make remarks to my children that they should go home and tell me" Thank You for home schooling them." WOW! If you want this kind of reaction, if you want your child to be more than ready for college and anything that is ahead of them, then push hard now when they are young. Teach them everyday, everywhere! I challenged myself to look for opportunities everywhere I went to pour knowledge in them. I never gave them a choice to learn or not. They always knew that they would be attending college, they did get to choose what they studied and for how long.( Min 4 years). I encourage you all today to find different ways to teach your children. Look for opportunities to share knowledge with them.Let them see learning as a daily thing and as something to be treasured not something that we need to put in a box and pull out only at school time. Make learning FUN! Explore all the possibilities and see how far your child can go in life. Until next time... Joanne

I have not written in awhile, it is has been a crazy year. But now,summer fun has begun, or really running around like a crazy women has intensified. LOL

  This summer let one of your goals be, focus on what the Lord is telling you to do. I find when I look more to Him and less at me or my problems, then my life gets a lot better and easier. I had been planning our group lessons for awhile, I did not feel like I was done with any of it. Then one night after I had given it all to the Lord, He started pouring ideas in my mind. I am now excited about next year, especially what He is going to teach the children. Every year the Lord gives us a word, this year it is" Team." We are to work as a team and be in unity. It is going to be a great year. One of the classes that will help us obtain this goal is critical thinking skills.  We will all work together to complete a task that is presented to them at the beginning of the class time.(ex. building a bridge out of materials the teacher gives you) (we will have 2 teams competing)

My life is in at a state of constant change. My eldest daughter is a senor at UWF, my youngest daughter is a freshmen there also.(I am super excited they get to be together during this time) My son is a freshmen in high school.( homeschool high school) ugh! I have never been one of those parents who have looked forward to their kids leaving home. I have dreaded that time like ,forever. I treasure my kids and the time I have with each one of them. I am so proud of each one of them. It warms my heart when I hear them say the sayings that I have taught them. I think our favorite one is: Listen and Obey. Another one is Do the right thing, Make good choices ......

These saying have helped shape my children's lives. I received each one of the sayings when i sought the Lord. This is why we need to call on His name and trust that He will answer and help us guide our children in the way they should go.

Don't forget: team work makes the dream work. 

I will be writing more later, if you have any questions please leave a comment below.

Always treasure each moment and enjoy each day that the Lord hath made.

What does it take to become a homeschooling mom?
That is the question of the day.
I am sure you have heard that question a million times as I have. Why do you do it? It would be so much easier to put your children in a public or private school. My answer is.. I have homeschooled my children because I had a desire to help them accomplish all that God desired them to accomplish. Along the way I regrouped and was set on a new track, my vision restored and my desire rekindled. You will not have all of the answers at first. Do not give up! Stay on course till the Lord redirects you. This has been one of the best revelations I have held onto all of these years. It has proven to be the right way to raise my kids and live my life. I have seen many families change their course from year to year. It seemed they never stuck to the same curriculum or way of teaching two years in a row. That way may have worked for them, but for me to stay on the course God placed me and my kids was the way for me to  become successful on my journey. I have known so many homeschooling moms and I can say without any hesitation we are all different. We all have different views of what is important and how to accomplish our goals for our children. One thing it takes to become a successful homeschooling mom is to be.... selfless. You will not make it if you are not willing to give a hundred percent to your family. I can not count the many nights I have stayed up with my kids helping them finish a paper or helping them understand why someone acted in a crazy way. You must put you on the back burner. I do not care what the world may tell you. OH take care of you and then others. Is that what our Father told us to do? Is that the example He showed us? NO! We must eat well and exercise that is true, but if our children need us the workout will wait or not happen today. Life will go on. We only have our children with us for a short time, take each moment as a gift and give it your all. Do everything as you are doing it unto God. You will reap the wonderful harvest in the end.