Last One

Friday was a bittersweet day. It was the last day of the school year. It was also the final day I will teach kindergarten to my children. Victorious Man of God completed his first year of school. Kindergarten is over.

When Victorious Man of God joined our family, it felt as if we would be schooling forever. He came along so much later that looking ahead at all of those extra unexpected years of homeschooling seemed a tad overwhelming. The end had been in sight, and then it wasn't.

Before we knew it, Victorious was "doing school" with big brother. All of a sudden he was in school himself. Now he has completed his first year, and mama has realized a season is ending.

Every year will be the last year of another grade level. Every year will be one year closer to the three "littles" completing their learning adventure at home. Miss Giggles will be a high schooler year after next. How did that happen?

Yet here we are beginning the end. So why am I not celebrating? Why does it feel kind of sad instead of joyous? I am surprised by this. Six years ago I would have been joyous. Why am I not now?

Because six years ago I didn't know homeschooling could be so good. I didn't know how much learning can happen when mama and Her children dive headfirst into great literature and document what they learn in a variety of simple ways. There was so much about learning, and teaching, I didn't know!

I didn't know children can learn math from a textbook and in natural, simple ways that make sense to each one of them, no matter their learning style. It doesn't have to be one or the other. It can be both. Every subject can be learned through a story, every single one! I didn't know that then. Nor did I know how to put what I was learning about learning into practice in our home, for our family.

I definitely would never have imagined that learning about learning would cause me to wish I could start all over with kindergarten again with every single one of my children! Never, ever. But here I am wishing I could have known what I have learned now 22 years ago. My older children would have loved learning like this. We could have had marvelous times learning together all those homeschooling years ago!

But we can't go back. We can only move forward. So, here's to next year and first, sixth, and eighth grade and all of the years God gives us ahead! May we never cease learning about learning. May we learn truth and trust instead of fear. And may we never take for granted the wonderful gift of each other and home. Too soon these days will be gone.

Loving long and strong,
We are Abundantly Blessed