Finding a Purpose Through Homeschooling

I have always worked. From the time I was 14 (10 if you count babysitting) I began to earn my own money. I got my first real job on my first day of high school. I worked through high school, then through college. (sometimes working three jobs at a time while going to school)

After I graduated from college I got a job right away. Once I began working full time I never took more than a weekend between leaving one job and starting another. I rarely took vacation...I took a week off to go whitewater kayaking in 2003, and a week off for my honeymoon in 2004. When I had my first child in 2005 I felt the pressure to go back to work quickly, so I only took 6 weeks of maternity leave. Then again in 2008, I took 7 weeks with my second child. As for leaves-of-absence that is about it.

Then, all of the sudden I had a wake up call...despite thinking that we NEEDED the money (which we probably did), what I REALLY needed MORE THAN ANYTHING was to be with my kids. So, when we began our house renovation project Jon and I had a big heart-to-heart about it, and at Sonny's BBQ (during my lunch break) we made the decision. I was going to quit my job. Once I quit, we moved to the new property. We lived in bliss in a camper on our farm...playing, reading, gardening and farming for an entire summer.

Then, in a totally unplanned move...we took a chance of a lifetime and moved to Alaska. For an entire year I didn't work. I led a girl scout troop and filled in once in a while for a friend at the REC center. I worked out, and visited Laurel's class...and honestly I'm not sure what else I did with my time. I think I felt a little lost. I'm used to having a purpose, a time limit, a goal.

Since beginning homeschooling with Laurel I have found that I LOVE having a purpose to my day. Not only do I accomplish more with her, I accomplish more in general. My house is cleaner, our meals are better, I feel kinder and more patient.

I feel...happy.

I didn't even realize that I was floundering, but I guess I was. I needed to have a purpose, and I found it. I took that hardworking frame of mind I've learned after 18 years of working and focused it on my current goal of educating a whole child. (or rather whole-y educating a child...obviously I'm educating a whole child)

It might be the best goal I've ever had.