The Winds of Grace... They are a Changing

The Winds of Grace 

Are Always Blowing, 

But You Have to 

Raise the Sail.

Three Years ago this Labor Day Weekend, I started our family on the Journey of Homeschooling. Little did I know then what I know now: that the reasons we home school are in some ways, radically different, than our original reasons. And, the primary reasons for our home school in September 2011 are not, in any way, shape or form the reasons why we start our home school in September 2014. I would now be called a Seasoned Home School Mother. My husband would be the Seasoned Supportive Principal in our little Home School. But, in so many ways, we are still Catalyst Pioneers...

In our first year of home schooling we had NO Idea what we were doing, but I knew then, just as I know NOW that home schooling for this family, is the only correct, mindful choice for us. I also firmly believe that Home Schooling and the families that support Home Schooling, are this country's and perhaps, the world's only cultural responsive choice to save this country and it's values, its history, its integrity and it's pursuit of happiness. Yep, as a graduate of Mr. Jefferson's University, the University of Virginia, Class of 1986, I know full well, that our Founding Father's did not promise us Happiness, but at least one of them (my personal fav) thoughtfully considered the pursuit of happiness. And, THAT, I think, is the secret of home schooling. There can be happiness and indeed, JOY, in ourselves, our spouses, our children, our families and our world. Maybe it's just me (but I don't think so...) but the world just doesn't seem to be, well...happy, anymore...some are wealthier, most of us are a lot poorer; but even the wealthiest people on the planet seem to be....well,...soulless.

On Tuesday, 6 September 2011, I took myself and our three girls, E, (aged 11), S (still 8 years, but about to turn 9 years on the 15th) and L (just turned 6 years) to Sandbridge, Virginia, for what I thought would be our First Annual Not-So-Back-To-School, Beach Day. It was our first and last Day-After-Labor-Day, Public School Starts Today, but we Home School Now Day. We have since celebrated the start of our school year, like our home school, in diverse and unique ways, so different from 

My husband and I bought IKEA bookcases on Sunday, 2 September 2012 and on Labor Day Monday, September 3 we put them together in our converted schoolroom. We needed more space to both work, study, think and play. Our youngest daughter's, "Godsister" dropped by to moan and complain about how she was not looking forward to her Senior Year of High School and it was then that I really, really...just got it. I hadn't met a single child (or for that matter, any parent...) who actually currently or ever enJOYed their school experiences. I mean, here was a gorgeous blond, caucasian priviledged young lady bemeaning her Senior Year. Teaches seem to be embattled with each other, politicians, students, administration, and parents. There is no longer a safe, secure place for our children to go to. We know that. Who on earth would really want to be a teacher, beholding to any publicly federally and/or state funded administration. Really. There is no learning going on. There is a lot more of everything else going on. But, really, nothing good is coming out of our institutions. And, it is taking us decades to figure out, what we already knew the day we graduated from high school. We are not FREE...


HELP! We want out! The Journey of Childhood into Adolescence and Young Adult can be uniquely different. It can be JOYful. It can be Meaningful. It can be Purposeful. We can change Culture. And, Society. And, ideals and virtues and values of worth. One day at a time.We can use the time that we have together in an intentional way and we can determine what, when and how we learn. So, here we go tomorrow. And, our children will always remember their childhood and youth with those members who meant the most to them. No looking up a teacher and finding out that things weren't what they thought they were! So, here we go again, for Round Four on the Journey....

So, we have been lucky enough to scale the mild summit of Crab Tree Falls, in Nelson County, Virginia each and every home schooling year. The first year I didn't think I would make it because my body was riddled with the final aftereffects of radiation for the treatment of breast cancer, a maternal family DNA disease, that I almost succumbed to. But, I didn't. I'm still here. And, this year we climbed Crab Tree Falls with friends. Friends we hadn't even met in 2011 when we embarked on our journey. Life is good. If only for today. But, I salute our life with gratitude. So many of my friends and colleagues just plain didn't make it this far. We are all, in our own ways, haunted by September 11th, 2001. My husband and I are raising our children in the shadow of that legacy and the legacy of No Child Left Behind. But, we know we have choices and we have the economic freedom of over two decades of scrimping, saving and prudent investing to continue on this journey for as long as we can. We sleep well at night....

The Catalyst Pioneer