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Encouraging Heroes. You can be one too.

Heroes, today is an auspicious day. After 17 years of having children at home with me, 12 of which I was responsible for their schooling, I sent the younger two off to 8th grade at the local middle school this morning.

I’ve already been asked how I feel about this development. To be honest, I’m not quite sure yet.

This is the culmination of a plan that has been in the works for years. I wanted them to go try out the public school experience and 8th grade is a fantastic time to do just that. There are no transcripts for college yet, they’re the oldest in the building so they can be among the cool kids, and there’s support as they learn a new system. It’s a good thing.

And on top of that, they were really ready. None of us were completely sure of that this morning, but that was just nerves. The truth is, they’re both very capable boys: academically, socially, and emotionally.

My job these past many years has been to build a foundation, and I have done that. It was clear that this is what God wants us to do. I needed to move into a different sphere of life myself. So that’s all good.

But it is awfully strange to be here without them.

It’s a little bit sad too, because I don’t get to do the learning with them anymore. On the other hand, there’s always homework and I will certainly get to do that. And there’s band class for The Manager. I have known for a long time that he is a band kid. He just is. There is something very special about making music with a group of people, and I am so happy that he’ll get to experience that. And the Captain…he really needs to find out how strong and amazing he can be on his own. A lifetime of being a twin is a great thing because there’s always a partner in crime/someone to rely on/someone to blame. Now he has to be in classes on his own and be his own person.

That is a beautiful thing.

You know how when you’re up water skiing or tubing, and you let go of the rope, and you drop to a very fast stop in the water? It’s not painful, it’s just sudden.

I think that might be how this feels.

I’m still figuring that out.

So, wow. I’m not really a homeschooling mama anymore. Not officially anyway. This too is a new feeling.

One of the difficulties of this decision for all of us is the change in identity. And there’s a little bit of trepidation that folks will judge us for our choices, past and present. That happens, I know. But when you’re firmly in one world, it’s easy to get comfortable there. Moving to another world can be a bit unsettling.

Many people have said, “Oh, you’ll have SO much time!”. I don’t think that will be true, but I am hoping to get work done during daylight hours and in a reasonable manner. The whole work at 3am thing is overrated.

And with that, I better get on to my next task. The todo list is HUGE!

Have a good day, friends.

Image courtesy of Paradox 56 via Creative Commons license, some rights reserved.