Week 7 – Done

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Last week, my husband’s mom passed away, so everything turned on its head. We had to take care of urgent matters and skipped homeschooling here and there. However, lots of learning happened.

Teenage boy getting a haircut

Our son got his previously scheduled haircut.

Legal matters, household management, family relationships – it all came in full focus. The kids were learning fast and we were, too. Sometimes you learn what to do and other times what not to do. Continue reading »


Death in the Family

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Last Tuesday, the unthinkable happened: my husband’s mother passed away. It has been a whirlwind of shock, grief, legal matters, cleaning her home, and homeschooling. When death hits, we learn what really matters.

Wooden Mask

Finding humor in any situation, our daughter posed with a wooden mask we found while cleaning her grandmother’s house.

My husband needs my support, but he also tells me to homeschool as much as possible, so the kids do not get too far behind. We drop everything as needed and we homeschool as much as possible in the time left over. Continue reading »


Mom Monday Week 3 – Dealing with Tragedy

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The man who told me to look into homeschooling five years ago, when my firstborn was only one year old, passed away on January 8. He was my father-in-law.

He lived only five minutes away. I saw him almost every week and, of course, for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the kids’ birthdays. He was a constant presence in my life, in other words.

And now, he is no more.

The sadness overwhelmed me to the point where I entered the grieving stage of denial. Almost three weeks later, I have not left denial yet. Denial protects me from hurting. It also helped me make it through the memorial and funeral services.

Mom Monday Week 3 Dealing with Tragedy is part of a blog post series on Homeschool Ways

Denial keeps me strong so I can answer the kids’ questions.

But the fact remains, we homeschool because my father-in-law planted a seed with me. It took several years for it to sprout, but it sprouted.

“You should look into homeschooling him,” my father-in-law said to me five years ago, pointing to my one-year-old who was toddling around us. “I met this lady from Ohio and she said it was the best educational experience for her sons,” he continued.  Continue reading »