Freedom
Clothes lay strewn across the living room floor, evidence of toddler who likes to change her clothes, and today decided she is going to wear big girl panties. The bathroom sink fixtures are encrusted with mud, proof that a four your old boy who loves to play in the dirt does occasionally wash his hands. Gallon jars sit on the counter top filled with homemade delights, sweet and salty. Saurkraut and cookies I made while wearing a cranky baby in his sling, trying to comfort him with constant jigging.
Dishes are piled high in the sink, even though I've done the dishes numerous times today. People need to be fed, and the feeding process is messy. Speaking of the hassles of feeding, the cranky baby has decided he needs to eat every hour or two at night since he isn't feeling well. Feeding people seems to be my life these days.
All this is exhausting. I'm sitting down to write this at 8:30pm and it's the first moment I've had to myself, since my day began before dawn. It is not a relaxing life. Yet it is the life I love.
The funny thing about running your own business is that you get to work twice as hard, but you don't mind. It's sort of that way with homeschooling. Today I was talking to a friend who said, "Homeschooling is not for wimps." We were discussing how challenging it can be, exhausting really. But there is one thing that is so wonderful about homeschooling that is more than compensates for all the of the challenges: freedom.
There is something so invigorating about living the life you choose. I get to choose to live surrounded by crazy people and the love they bring. Such richness
I saw my four year old enter the house just before dinner, with his little sister in tow, both of them holding mini folding lawn chairs. As soon as he entered he shouted, "HEADQUARTERS!"
The other day when I was trying to console him about his deflated ball he told me, "It's okay, I can still use it as a hat. Or a fart machine."
Dishes are piled high in the sink, even though I've done the dishes numerous times today. People need to be fed, and the feeding process is messy. Speaking of the hassles of feeding, the cranky baby has decided he needs to eat every hour or two at night since he isn't feeling well. Feeding people seems to be my life these days.
All this is exhausting. I'm sitting down to write this at 8:30pm and it's the first moment I've had to myself, since my day began before dawn. It is not a relaxing life. Yet it is the life I love.
The funny thing about running your own business is that you get to work twice as hard, but you don't mind. It's sort of that way with homeschooling. Today I was talking to a friend who said, "Homeschooling is not for wimps." We were discussing how challenging it can be, exhausting really. But there is one thing that is so wonderful about homeschooling that is more than compensates for all the of the challenges: freedom.
There is something so invigorating about living the life you choose. I get to choose to live surrounded by crazy people and the love they bring. Such richness
I saw my four year old enter the house just before dinner, with his little sister in tow, both of them holding mini folding lawn chairs. As soon as he entered he shouted, "HEADQUARTERS!"
The other day when I was trying to console him about his deflated ball he told me, "It's okay, I can still use it as a hat. Or a fart machine."
I get to watch their creativity and ingenuity. Today they played outside with some highly unsafe play structure they had created. They had managed to dangle a dilapidated plastic toddler table from the side of the playhouse, creating a highly questionable but completely delightful make-shift swing.
I get to see how they care for one another. Tonight my 8 year old let out a squeal of delight when he touched they baby's tummy at changing time. "AH, it's so soft and squishy!"
Or earlier, trying to comfort the sad baby he donned the top of a bat costume and started cooing at the baby. When the baby stopped crying, he exclaimed, "He likes the bat hat. ACK!"
These days may be busy. There may not be time for napping or sitting down to drink a cup of coffee, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. The things that keep me busy, I get to choose. Wearing babies, making homemade sauerkraut, witnessing my children's creativity, reading history together.
Freedom is a gift from God. I am so thankful for the freedom I have to home school my children and fill our days to crazy full with legos, swinging tables, and squishy baby tummies.
"Passion always looks like sacrifice to those who aren't in love. "
- Kris Vollotton Ministies
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