home. school. holy crap.

happy tuesday, friends.  we woke up to a cool overcast morning... and i do believe it is giving way to savannah taking a nap.

thank the lord.

she's quite the rascal these days.  so much so, that i don't even want to get into it.  naughty in such a selfish and intentional way... like, pulling up a stool to the counter and grabbing a fist full of pumpkin pie.  taking cups of bath water and pouring them on the floor.  throwing the most dramatic fits.

deep breaths.

anyway.  the crazy, but adorable child, is nestled into her crib.  and boy wonder is behind me watching star wars... laying on the couch, twisting his hair like he's done most of his life when he is sleepy.  he needs a nap still, but just can't seem to sit still enough to fall asleep.  so sometimes, i cheat and let him watch a movie.

and i am on cup 3 of coffee.  and have eaten 2 chicken salad sandwiches.  they were small, and i didn't eat breakfast... does that make a double helping lunch sound better?

anyway, this isn't a catch-up post.  although, i certainly could use another few.  it is an announcement post.  i might as well make it blog official.

next year, for kindergarten, i will be homeschooling ethan.

let me start off by saying, that if you had told me i would type that sentence even six months ago, i would have said, "no freaking way"

and if you had asked me six years ago?  i can tell you, with absolute honesty, this was not my plan.  i can also tell you, though rather bold to assume that i understood correctly, i felt god whisper it in my ear.

i am serious.  audibly.  a whisper.

i felt like jonah being asked to go to ninevah.   seriously.  i cried about it.  i said i wouldn't do it.

in case you are new around here, we are moving to the san diego/la jolla area this summer.  for just a year.  and then, as of now at least, we don't know where we will be headed after that.  that really stresses me out sometimes.  and let's also mention the fact that around these parts, "what are y'all doing for kindergarten?" is a perfectly normal conversation starter.  there are a lot of good options here, and a lot of strong opinions.  but it is also a bit like religion and politics... slightly taboo...  if you know what i am talking about... then you understand.  and if you don't, well, there is nothing i can do to paint it clearly.  i am certain that i had no clue as a young mom of an infant who went to a mid-sized public school in east texas, where {almost} everyone went to a public school.  i heard people talk about kindergarten... but i didn't quite get it until last year.

so this whole what-are-you-doing-for-kindergarten phenomenon?  yah... i had no clue.  and you know, i am sure there are some people who don't think it matters.  i have heard a lot of "it's just kindergarten" as well.

remember, i said slightly taboo?

anyway... i care.  a lot.  and i was not happy about the options in la jolla.  private school is simply not going to happen.  our money tree is not in bloom.  and if it were, it would be going toward housing in california.  {which is its own kind of horrid mess.  i knew it was expensive.  but what you get for so much money is so very, very ugly.   really.  and i don't care, i really don't.  i can live in ugly.  it is only a season.  however... you would think that for a small fortune, you could have a slight step-up in design? no.  not at all.}

so i fought god's whisper for months.  i had a mouth full of stress induced ulcers.  i had calls to all the public schools.  i scoured the message boards.  i tried to come up with a plan.

my plan was to send him to one of the public schools in la jolla.  then spend time after school with him to keep our options open to going to private school for first grade.  i figured he would need enrichment reading etc.  i didn't want him to be behind or have any options limited.  though, i knew in my heart, that it would be tricky.  how do you get a kiddo that has been in school all day to focus on hard lessons at home??  how do we enjoy everything the area has to offer on the weekends only?  how much time will i waste everyday dropping off and picking up... the daily grind that doesn't produce anything productive.  all this for a school that i probably won't love like someone who is committed to the area. 

god continued to work on my heart.  i got a text message from a dear friend who was vacationing with her family in san diego     

and then, shaking my head, saying no way, no homeschool.  i googled on my ipad:  home school san diego.

and then i found it... an option i hadn't thought of.  an option that sounded do-able.  a hybrid charter school.  a hybrid charter school where he could go twice a week, and then have school work with me. the other days.  we could do things together.  educational things.  enjoyable things.  it would be harder on me.  but at the same time easier on me.  it would be overwhelming but wonderful.

and then i found a preschool for savannah that is exactly what i needed.

it is such a peaceful feeling; i know what we are doing for kindergarten.

there were nudges all along the way... i would realize one of my favorite bloggers homeschools her kids.  the first person i called to verbally vomit all my kindergarten confusion to:  i had no clue, but she had been homeschooled.  i could go on, and on.

so, this isn't a declaration that i am homeschooling forever.  just next year.

so... more to come on my adventure.  although, i am not sure if you are even all that interested in the nitty gritty of it all.  but i am excited.  and humbled.  and a bit overwhelmed.

but i know it is the best possible choice for us.

so please spare me any comments about people you know who have been screwed up for life because they were homeschooled.  but other than that, i am welcome to your comments.

and you can go ahead and use this to further label me as crunchy.  extended breastfeeding.  homeopathic remedies.  cloth diapers.  and now homeschool.  and i wear chacos.  and my toenails are not painted right now.  {gasp!!!}

sigh.


and because i haven't posted any halloween photos of my children, and it is christmas time... this is as good a place as any to include some belated costume pictures.  :)  ethan was captain america and savannah was cinderella.  and i have zero influence to what they will be for halloween now.  they are so grown up these days.

xoxo, s