I am very passionate about education. I think that's why I am having such a hard time knowing what to do with my own children when it comes to educating them. What I am realizing is that there is no best way to educate them. There is only God's way. Jim and I love teaching the girls. We are always doing some sort of project with them, reading chapter books at night, looking up some question we have. I thought homeschooling would be perfect. But being at home all day is hard for Gracie. And there are days it's hard for me too. It affects her attitude when she is not able to be around others, observing and interacting. And I think God is calling me to put them in school, but I have been ignoring the calling until now. We enrolled Madelyn in Shepherd's Fold, the preschool Gracie went to. And since Madelyn is going to school, Gracie wants to go too. It turns out that we are in the boundaries for the new elementary school that is being built. I am praying it is a good fit for Gracie.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." I am letting go of my fears and sending them to school. Gracie would make an excellent teacher some day. She has the perfect personality for it and loves to learn. 

I will still be using my homeschooling curriculum with them, especially during the summer. It is full of picture book suggestions and ideas. They can delight themselves in learning what they would like to learn as they make their way through the summer. When school starts, I will continue reading the Bible with them, memorizing scripture with them, teaching them the truth about history, learning science from Jonathan Park, and choosing wonderful books for them to read and listen to. I am also going to make sure Gracie continues learning art techniques and Madelyn continues learning about animals and the body.

And everyday when I drop them off at their schools, I will whisper to each girl "you are a beautiful wonderful child of God".  I pray they know that, act like it, and won't let anyone tell them differently.