The post Forgiven Child of God appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

In May, the Lord gifted our family with this precious baby girl.

Meet Hollyn Joy. 8 lbs. 8 oz. of pure sweetness!

I heard recently that coffee, homemade bread, clean linen, and babies are the top smells that make people happiest. I don’t know about the first three, but the last is absolutely the best! How is it that I have been blessed to experience a newborn nine times?

I feel. so. lucky!

When they laid her on my chest and I inhaled that fresh infant scent, my heart swelled.

Our kids adore her. The day she came home, it took nearly an hour for everyone to “get their turn” holding her.

I love watching my husband hold her with pride in his eyes.

On occasion…. if you have more than the average number of children, people give you looks of pity or make sarcastic (but probably well-intended) comments.

“Are they all yours?”

“You just can’t do it all! Don’t you ever want some time for yourself?”

“You poor thing. Do you have help?”

When people say things like this, it can be easy to doubt yourself and wonder if maybe they are right.

Because it IS hard. And I HAVE needed help from time to time. And, yes, sometimes I would LOVE more time to myself!

Laundry, meals, homeschooling, diapers, dishes…the barrage of interruptions.

There were times I almost let it get to me.

I’m so glad I didn’t.

I would have missed out.

Who would not be here? I can’t imagine NOT having one of them. The thought makes me heartsick.

This time of having and raising children is relatively short in the whole span of a life. It will end. The nest will be empty and I will have plenty of time…empty spaces to fill.

Investing in our kids is an investment in our future. Giving our kids a sibling is an investment into THEIR future. After all, a sibling is a gift for life! We will be gone one day, but they will have each other for many years to come!

We have the fullness on both ends. The midnight infant snuggles. The early rising toddlers… testing the boundaries and full of questions. Happy-go-lucky, imaginative middles fascinated with living things and building forts outside. Teenagers with late night energy and conversations that start just as you are ready to hit the sack.

It is SO full and I LOVE it.

The post Welcome Baby Hollyn appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Hi! I’m Sheri, wife to Nelson for 20+ years. We live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. We have ten children and have been homeschooling for fourteen years.

Here on the blog, I love to share homeschooling encouragement for everyday moms.

Drawing on 14 years of homeschooling experience, you can find help for getting started, tried and true homeschooling advice, life skills learning, simple ideas, large family life, and interviews with everyday homeschool moms just like you!

The only way to make sure you don’t miss any posts or videos is by joining my email list.

I started this blog to encourage current and prospective homeschool moms by sharing the stories of homeschooling families.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time interviewing moms. I’ve asked them questions such as…

What led you to homeschooling?

How do you teach multiple ages?

What does a typical day look like for you?

Have you made mistakes and what have you learned from them?

How do you teach multiple ages?

…and more! Head on over to my gallery of Mom Interviews to hear from homeschool moms like you!

Here is our homeschooling story.

Our Story

Making Decisions

When I first entertained the thought that maybe I would like to homeschool, I knew almost no one in my circle to ask. Almost no one. Our oldest child was three years old and school was just around the corner! 

Befpre staying home with my children, I was a public school teacher. After deciding to stay home full-time with our first child, my priorities in life changed.

I adored our son and wanted to show him the world! I began to think to myself, “Maybe I want to do what I have been doing in school…just with my own kids.”

Although I had enjoyed teaching, I had felt so limited by administrative work, state standards, professional requirements, paperwork, etc. I wanted to explore the world with my students! I hoped to develop in them a hunger to learn about everything around them, but THAT is not easy to do in a classroom! 

Finding a Support Group

As my ideals were evolving, I read every book I could find on homeschooling. My interest was piqued! The freedom to

• learn by interest
• explore the natural world
• not be cooped up in one space
• spend more time reading good books together

These possibilities were calling to me!

Although I looked for other homeschoolers to ask for help, there just weren’t many in my circle at that time. I found a few brave souls who were ahead of me, and they were my lifeline. I questioned them about everything.

There were also a few other local friends who were of the same bent as I was. Our oldest children were all entering preschool. We met up, five of us, and plunged in together.

We ended up meeting in each other’s homes every week with our kids. Our excitement grew each week as we exchanged ideas and talked life learning. This small group eventually grew exponentially and became a homeschool co-op which we still attend today!

14 Years of Homeschooling

After 14 years of homeschooling our kids, I have experienced several different stages, many highs and lows. And I am still learning new things.

Together we have visited many places-literally in field trips and figuratively, in books. Our times on the couch every afternoon reading together will always hold a special place in my heart.

We have learned and lived through so many important moments. So far, with five of our kids I’ve cried through long division…and survived!!! 
 

It isn’t easy homeschooling multiple kids on multiple levels. It especially wasn’t easy giving up a career and the prestige that comes with a title.

On occasion my kids fight, and, yes, it drives me crazy!! I have even threatened to put the kids on the next school bus that drives by! Without a doubt, I would have quit – and almost did more than once! – without the encouragement of family and friends. 

Through the highs and lows, I am SO THANKFUL to have had this experience with our kids. The time with them has been WORTH it. It is not easy, but I can honestly say that I absolutely LOVE what I do!

MORE FROM SHERI

Head over to Our Interview to get a closer peek into our homeschooling experience!

About

Why We Homeschool

Why We Homeschool Part 2

Our Interview

Why I Started This Blog

Was our homeschooling story an encouragement to you? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below and tell me about your homeschooling journey! I love hearing other homeschool moms tell about their experiences with their kids!

The post Meet Sheri appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Recently I have run into so many parents who are considering homeschooling for the first time. With the moral decay in our schools, many parents feel that homeschooling might be a better option. I have talked to many other parents with budding preschoolers who would like to homeschool, but just don’t know where to start.

I started this blog to share Our Life Homeschooling. By this I mean not just our family’s personal life, but “our” collective lives as homeschoolers. In this blog I interview and share experiences of families in their homeschooling journeys. Often homeschoolers are put into a box with a cookie cutter view of what we do, but as a group, we are so diverse. Just as every person, every family is unique, the way each family homeschools varies widely.

I also write to encourage moms by sharing what I have learned from homeschooling our kids for 10+ years. Homeschooling is NOT easy, but it is SO rewarding! It has been such a wonderful lifestyle for our family and I’m so glad we have done it!

If you have questions or are considering homeschooling as a choice for your family, I’m glad you are here!

The post Why I Started This Blog appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.