Spring and schooling with Ashton

In the joyous anticipation of summer, I am daydreaming about nightly sounds of little trike wheels grazing the pavement well past bedtime.

Josie could ride her bike for hours every day.












There is something so good and honest about children playing ball under a warm spring sky.

The kids had a beetle collection of sorts one day. They'd move each one from bucket to bucket. They'd hold them in their hands and have little panicky moments if a beetle started going too far up their arms and onto a shirt sleeve. It was really silly to watch it all go down.




Our garden is up and running thanks to my wonderful husband and two awesome kiddos!












This year, we are growing broccoli, cucumbers, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, green beans and peas. We have also added a little chicken wire and some marigolds to keep out the pesky rabbits and whatever else may be lingering around the mean streets of Kirkville. (now if only I could add some chickens in our yard too... heaven.)


An awesome recipe I wanted to share. (Click on picture for the link. Seriously, amazing.)

Sledding in May. It's true. It is NY after all. and I am Christmas elf. Don't judge. 


I may be captain obvious with this one, but my kids love mud.


and getting cleaned off with the hose


and coming outside again after dinner


and trying to dart quickly into the road at any given chance. ...Ok. maybe that one is just Liam. 

Tomorrow, Ashton will officially be a preschool graduate and our summer will begin. 

Life has a funny way of making big changes when we least expect it. For five years I have mentally prepared myself to see my little boy walk up the steps of a big yellow school bus and be off on his way to Kindergarten. Never, not even once, had I prepared myself for anything else but that very moment.
____________________
A letter I wrote to Ashton
Dear Ashton, this will be the start of a new chapter in your life. You are going to start homeschooling in the fall. ...and even as I type those words I still can't fully believe it. I have felt almost every kind of emotion as I have prepared myself to make this very big step.

I want you to know that I am putting my full trust in God with this one. ...and even when that trust seems to stray a little bit, I am blessed with friends who help me find that trust again quickly. I know I couldn't do it on my own.

I want you to know how especially happy daddy is to be apart of this. Our first conversation on the topic went something like this. Me- "It's as if I woke up today and the decision was already made and I don't know why. I don't understand why God would put this on my heart so strongly. This wasn't my plan." Dad- "I would love to have him home schooled! I've always thought about it. I think it would be a lot of fun to do everything together! We are totally homeschooling."

It was a short conversation that lead into longer and deeper conversations that lead into lists of "pros and cons" and even late night googling of "why or why not to homeschool."

Ashton, I cannot tell you how much sleep I lost in the first weeks after this was laid on my heart. How many hours I spent thinking about everything. Wondering if I will be good enough. Strong enough. Brave enough. Wondering what you'd think of the decision some day. I spent too much time in fear and dread of being judged by others.

Until finally, I felt the word trust in my heart. To remember who is ultimately in control of everything. To take this day by day. Year by year. To go in confidence with all my heart instead of all my fear.

Some of my happiest thoughts are those about you. Getting to spend more time with you. We'll be together as a family each day as we learn and grow and experience life and make new friendships. I have learned that there is a million beautiful ways to learn. You have taught me that in these past 5 years.

I love the idea of how much freedom this gives us to explore a lot of the things that you would love to learn about. You were made uniquely. ...and what a blessing it is to be able to teach you in such a way.

Oh, Ashton. This is really going to happen. ....and I am so very blessed because of it.

Loving and Trusting. Trusting and loving,
Mama

Take care, friends. xoxo