school started in september... i promise.

once upon a time i took 'back to school pictures' and never posted them...
2012....

oh wait- AND in 20011...

this girl...

this kindergartner...

with the jumper...

and the knee pudge...

grew into this girl...

a first grader.

and this little tag-a-long guy...

became this surly preschooler...
too.cool.for.school.

total bribed/threatened smile... :)

in the space of a year,
chase around the front tree...

became push and pull till your sister cries kind of games...

there are so many reasons i love homeschooling...
and so many reasons it drives me to ca-razy town.

 one of my most favorite things about spending my days intertwined with all my offspring is this...

the relationships that blossom and bloom right in front of me.

they are learning to love each other and i get to watch.

they share each other's joys... and are each other's frustrations.
none of them will ever remember a time when they didn't know each other.
they are part of the deep... 
those memories that have no beginning but just have always been. 

(this was ari's idea for her 'school pose' :))

when life feels too loud and too much.

when i forget why i keep these little people with me for this season...

i tell myself again.

i want to give my babies a childhood that inspires them to live their life fully.

i want them connected to a faith that grounds and gives dreams to their souls.

i want them to have siblings that they can stay up late and laugh with long after i'm gone.

i want their minds to be free.

i want their hearts to be open. 

 

i want them to live well.

we are learning that one together. :)