Why Homeschool?

This is a question I get pretty much once a week. " Why home school? " The follow up is always... "Aren't you afraid they won't be socialized?" The first is always the more difficult question to answer. Sometimes because you don't want to offend them in what works out to be a lengthy explanation that you really can't spill out in the grocery store line. Other reasons can simply be that I believe in accomplishing something for my kids that goes away from what they have chosen for their own children. This is a very personal decision. I am a person with very strong beliefs in what I feel is right and wrong for my kids. I can't say that life hasen't forced me to re evaluate them on a regular basis. (ie. what tv shows are ok or what type of education they should recive) Either way, its the dance we call life that brings each of us to our own conclusions.
So here is my attempt at explaning why we home school.
Reason #1 God told me to. Now I know what your thinking, Jesus Freak, nut job, religious fanatic. I'll take doors one and three. The second although true to some degree is not what we are talking about. I prayed. I prayed and prayed and prayed for God to help me out with this one. The kids went to private school last year and I had gotten settled in the idea that this was going to be our life. I would ship all the kids off to school until I was alone and then I could go to school. I'd let the 'professionals' handle it from here. The problem was we (the family) weren't happy. So I asked God. He told me point blank......"Kelli, this is God speaking. Your mission should you choose to accept it is to HOME SCHOOL my children and raise them up for me." -God
Ok it might have been not so direct and little less 'holywood' but you get the idea.

"Since parents have conferred life on their children, they have a most solemn obligation to educate their offspring. Hence, parents must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children. Their role as educators is so decisive that scarcely anything can compensate for their failure in it. For it devolves on parents to create a family atmosphere so animated with love and reverence for God and others that a well-rounded personal and social development will be fostered among the children. Hence, the family is the first school of those social virtues which every society needs."
- Pope John Paul II

Reason #2 Morality
Our society is saturated with sex. Sex in all its abused and misused forms is readily avalible to any child at any age just by watching an hour of afternoon tv. All they have to see is the commercials. Ok take out TV. Lets go for a family shopping trip for new clothes for Jr. "Mommy, why is that woman in her underware?" Thank you Victoria Secret. So much for the secret. My daughter looks at me to ask why a woman would be nearly naked in a picture.
Move forward to the school system.
Ok deep breath. This is a big subject for me. What I am trying to say is I know my kids better than anyone. I also am very aware of what is out in this world. I refuse to live with my head in the sand and fully intead to make sure my kids walk out into the world with the knowledge they will need. But, I'll be damned if some stranger is going to make those choices for me.
The majority does not always rule.

Ok I'm wore out. I will write more tommorow.

God Children

These are my newest children. No I didn't give birth to twins. However I could love them no less. These little dolls are our Godchildren.

Meet Thomas James and Rachel Bea.

God be praised!

Gods Gift

I suffer from anxiety. Not being on any medications while pregnant was a nerve wracking idea to me. However baby comes first always in my book. So far so good. I have noticed some of my old symptoms showing their face every now and again but I must admit God has been giving me little gifts. Most days, not all, I experience these moments of elation or euphoria. These moments almost always have to do with my kids (other times its that hunk of a husband of mine). These moments remind me of why I absolutely love having a ton of kids and am madly in love with homeschooling them. This is a long way to travel for me in many ways. There can be so much guilt as a parent in every decision we make. I am very versed in beating myself up about it. And yet these little gifts from God, these moments of what I think must be a taste of the joy He finds in us, revive me. They give me endurance and determination. My job has so many requirements but the most important of them all and the one I strive for everyday is to love my kids like God would want me to.

Smile at your kids. Smile at them with the knowledge of how much Christ loves them let them see that love in your face.

The Begining

My kids with the Holy Family. What more could you ask for.

So I'm a convert to the faith. I was raised with a sense that their was a God and He loved me and if I wanted to go to heaven I had to be a good girl and say I was sorry when I wasn't. Pretty cut and dry. I was taught that there were some "churches" that taught bad things and they were to be avoided. The biggest one mentioned at my house was the Catholic Church, along with a few others I'll leave out. I even told a friend in high school I was sorry for him that he had to be Catholic. Fast forward to senior year and in enters a new guy. I fell for him like a brick. In fact when we decided to be 'boyfriend and girlfriend' after 2 weeks of dating I told him I wanted to marry him and have his babies. Talk about premenition. I found out later he was Catholic. Not just a C and E Catholic (thats easter and christmas only church goer) but one that was in the process of really getting to know his faith and living it. We had issues. I still have the note where I wrote that my kids would not be raised Catholic and that could be a problem. I recently found out he almost ended the relationship at that point. Boy am I glad he didn't. I started to go to church with him after a year kicking and screaming. Still I went. It was when we decided to get married that I really had to think about what I wanted. RCIA (Religious Ed. for adults) soon followed. The things I learned took my breath away. No matter how hard I was on our priest he was ready and willing to answer my questions with out pause. I joined Christs' Church soon after.

Fast forward 13 years. I am a Catholic Homeschooler. I use only Catholic Curriculum. I teach my kids about their faith every day. I am doing what I can to end the tragady of abortion in our world. I am fighting for the poor and neglected through prayer until a time comes when I can be out there in the world phycially doing something. Most of all I am striving to be Christ to not only my husband, children, family and friends, but also to the nameless faces I see in this world.

Well I suppose thats enough for an opening.