I have home schooled all 4 of my kids their entire lives.
(Minus the year I put my oldest son in an Outdoor School for Grade 8.
WHO could pass that one up.....I wanted to go!!)
This year marks changes left and right for all of us.
My oldest is working 4 days a week, and enrolled at a College for his 1st term in Millwright.
My second just hopped on a school bus for the first time in her life.....to attend a school in town. She's off to collect credits as she wants to end up in the Large Animal Science at a University.
My third and fourth? They still get to stay with me....(and I have to say I'm somewhat relieved. I'm not ready to let them all go just yet.) They're just finding it strange to have half of us missing....
Last night was one of the most difficult.
I had a "Send-Off Supper" for my daughter to mark her "going to school" event.
We made cards, flew balloons, had cake.....all in celebration of her life with us and who she was.
And to let her know that no matter what we are here for her and to see her through her Journey.
And to let her go.
At the end of the meal, my son hopped up and presented me a gift from himself and his sister.....
This is what it was:
(For those of you know me and have followed this blog for awhile....I have lamented the fact I don't have a "real camera" for quite some time.
Say goodbye to cell phone camera captures!:)
They handed it to me and said it was a
"Thank You For Teaching Us"
gift.
(This was their idea and plan. No one told them to do it.
Priceless. I'm a spoiled mom.)
My heart melted. And twisted a bit.
Through the ABC's and numbers, multiplication, reading, science, and geography....
through all the basic teachings of life and all it takes to make it.....
We have come quite a way.
It's been quite a journey. And not always good.
But we got to this point together.
Now....as they branch out~ I can only hope they know I'm still there for them when they need me.
And hope that I don't try to pull them back when all they really need to do is fly.
(Goodness! Imagine what I'll be like when they MOVE?!?!)
Ahhhh Change.
It happens whether we want to or not.
It's hard.
It's sad.
It's exciting.
I just got a text from my daughter....who is probably still bopping along on the bus.
"This is weird!:)".......is what it read.
I know.
Very weird.
My life feels a bit strange today.
38 comments:
Change is always scary, and it can be upsetting. I'm sure you'll do fine.
Congrats on the fine new camera.
oh, sweetpea! you raised some great kids there! give 'em a big hug from us, your blogger fans. although your cell phone pix are always fantastic too!
Love you honey! You've done good!!...
Congratulations for putting in the dedication, time and LOVE for a wonderful family!
You are such a good mom!! You've done so well by your children.
You have done a good job, in fact it gives me a lump in my throat. Lovely camera.
Yes, it is hard to open your hands and let them fly, but just like watching a bird catch the updrafts and start sailing, they do too.
Good job Dawn,
Yep, it feels weird when it is just a few of us.
I bet it's very weird..
Look at the PEOPLE you are raising..amazing, giving, kind people.
You done good. :)
You have a very full life and are reaping the rewards for the closeness with your children. Enjoy!
You must have done an amazing job with those kids! I can't imagine having 4, let alone homeschooling. Wow. I'm excited to see the new pictures you capture with this camera...I thought the cell phone pics were awesome. :)
What a sweet gift! You won't carry that when you go running races up mountains, will you? ;-)
Sounds like your kids are doing very well!
Ahh, what a lovely gift!!
Time certainly flies.
A nice gift indeed.
A great post with a lot of emotion. My hat is off to you. I just asked my wife if would have been able to home school our 5 kids. She said, not even one of 'em! My hat is off to you!
Congrats on the great kids and the nice camera!
I loved this post. Left me feeling all warm and fuzzy. Apart from the picture of the Canons, that is... :-)
UNA ALEGRIA COMPARTIDA, UNA FAMILIA MARAVILLOSA. ESTAREMOS ESPERANDO TUS BELLAS IMÁGENES , CON UN TOQUE DE MAS DISTINCIÓN.MUCHAS FELICIDADES A TODOS .ABRAZOS.
what fun for you!! And what fabulous kids you have... looking forward to your new camera skills in the months ahead. :-)
Di
Awww. It's so hard to let them go. But I'm sure you are a little excited for them too.
What a lovely and thoughtful gift. Now, I just want to know -- how are you going to carry this thing on your runs? :)
I'm gonna cry--not only is it a phenomenal post full of emotion-- BUT I WANT THAT CAMERA & LENS!!! LOL
You sooooo deserve it !
Hugs and Blessings!
John
Reflex is the best..I love Canon
Morris
Your children are very special.
Super mama You deserve it.
Any change is good and comes just when we least expect.
A big hug from Costa Rica,
Zuly Castillo U.
Oh Dawn every Mother's worse fear you raised your kids right and they get lives of their own and then you wonder why you did as you miss them terribly. Just like the mother bird throwing her birds out of the nest I am sure they cry too we just never see it.
When they do move out I have lots of advice for you. Don't worry you are a great Mom they know it too, awesome gift, for an awesome Mom.
Enjoy the camera I can tell your kids are just as proud of your talents as you are of theirs. B
So very excellent that you homeschooled them and they really appreciate it! Great camera, btw....love Canon.
awesome kids...but then again they were raised by an awesome Mom...
what?! did i know that you homeschooled?
wow, what awesome kids you have to think of their mom.
yes...a changing of season or end of a chapter is always hard at first...
hang in there...at least you have a new toy to figure out how to use! :)
Teacher around the globe would be jealous. Most of them only get an apple.
Change is hard, but you are obviously doing a great job with all of them! What a great thank you gift. I look forward to high res awesome photos now instead of low res awesome photos.
Oh, darling. Hugs to you. You are such a supportive and encouraging mom. You deserve that camera, doll.
That is just the sweetest gift :) I can only imagine how it must feel to have 2 off and running into their own lifes now. You've done such an amazing job & you should be so VERY proud :D
Congrats Dawn. Homeschooling children is inspiring for me as we have never had the courage to do it. I am sure your crew is head and shoulders above their peers.
Hey! Nobody told me kids could be sweet and thoughtful! I'd better rethink my strategy... know where I could pick up a few?
If Ansel Adams were still alive, he'd be a worried man today, that's for sure. Dawn + DSLR = killer combo. Mind you, it was him who said "You don't take a photograph, you make it"... good luck with your new toy and, as they say in Aus, big chookas for raising some cool kiddos!
Wow, this is such a touching post. I have a lump in my throat. Your children are amazing, what a wonderful gift and loving sentiments. Thank goodness the two youngest are staying with you, that would be a lot to handle if all four left at once.
Which Canon is this? I tried to enlarge to take a closer look and this pic won't enlarge. I'm sure you're going to have fun with this one, I know I LOVE my Rebel and I still don't even really know what I'm doing with it! lol
Have a fantastic Friday you special lady you!
Looks like you've taught them well!!
It sounds to me like you're doing a fine job with these young minds. You'll get through the changes.. and it'll help to have that camera and those lenses in hand. What a lovely, thoughtful gift.
what a wonderful and thoughtful bunch you've got there. i'm a little choked up. kids are very much worth the few bumps along the way. ;o)
And what a gift you gave them, Dawn ! Helping them discover this wonderful world and helping them develop wings to fly off on their own. The payback continues for life !
Will you still have time to blog now that you have that sleek new toy ?
;-)
The change is hard but you embrace it well. Congratulation for the valuable gift!
It is so hard to make this change, when they start flying away from our nests....I was so sad when both of mine left but finally after a few years, it has become normal. Nice to get a camera (your phone pics were good though)
Yes, it is an awfully weird feeling. I'm with you there. My eldest started a school 30 minutes away by train and I miss her all day long (and she still comes home at night!).
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