We abandoned ship...

and enrolled the boys in school. I know shock, dismay, disbelief!!! If you have read my blog in the past, you know that we all thoroughly enjoyed our homeschooling. I love to teach, spend lots of time with my kids, share each milestone and enjoy the wonderful city we live in with lots of field trips. In spite of all of the excellent benefits to homeschooling, we started to have doubts that it was the right thing for our family around Thanksgiving. We noticed that our boys blossomed over our Tgiving holiday break with family. They have a lot of cousins with whom they played a lot with and spent the night with. When we came back to our routine of homeschooling, taking care of little #3, and my constant struggle of the kids being around other children enough, we noticed #1 got quite depressed. He cried three nights in a row because he missed being around children. I prayed about it and realized that I could educate him well, I could train him in manners, character and good habits well, but since #3's birth I really stink at making sure we have enough interaction with people outside of our home. As I prayed about it, I realized I was giving 100% and it was just not the very best for #1. Some nights I was staying up until midnight and later to make sure I was ready for homeschooling and the housework was done. I felt like I was swimming as hard as I could with 100 pounds of bricks in my hands, and barely staying afloat.

So I prayed about my son's needs, my gifts and what was best also for my husband and two other children. We decided pretty quickly after that to send him to school. We are VERY blessed to have a small, amazing Christian school as a wonderful option. At least half of the teachers and students go to our church. The principal went on a mission trip with us last year. So we are very comfortable with trusting these precious people to walk along side of us and partner with us in educating our little guy.

This week has been incredible. Our little boy is on cloud nine and each night asks, "Can we do it all again tomorrow?" He has already found a very polite little buddy that he's really bonded with. He invited him to come with us in October to Disney World. :) The principal saw them together and said, "Would you believe that I just knew he and #1 would hit it off? The teacher and I prayed that they would develop a friendship." That of course made me cry. She was praying for a specific friendship for my little sweetie, how precious! And the teacher is a gem. Her love for the kids beams out of her. I have already seen her correct #1 with such dignity and gentleness. (She corrected him when he answered her with "Yeah." She said, "Sweetie, I think it sounds more respectful for children to say yes or yes ma'm to a teacher or adult. Could you do that for me instead?" I was so thrilled that manners and character are top on her list of priorities. The staff is truly there to point these little children to Jesus! I could go on and on with examples just from this week.

Then as another confirmation, we ran into this little girl from his class and her dad. They looked like they had seen a ghost when we came around the corner at Chick-Fil-A and saw them at their table. The dad proceeded to tell me that they had just bowed their heads to pray for lunch. The little girl had told them about "the new kid" and they had asked her several times to be super sweet to him and make sure he felt at home. So it just so happens that right then they were praying for my little boy...and when they opened his eyes, there we were! He called his wife and she drove over to Chick-Fil-A and we all spent over 2 hours getting to know one another.

I could go on and on. A complete stranger called and offered uniform shirts to loan us until ours are ordered. We had three moms walk their kids in to school on Monday just to greet #1 and I. Etc, etc,etc.

Point is, I feel so blessed. I can't go downstairs yet into our homeschool room because I'm afraid I will sob. But I know we are in His will, and it's exciting.