the day I wanted to quit

Despite sleeping in...
having hot apple cider, fruit & granola waiting for them when they woke,
all but 2 of my children woke up in a...
 where are my pink pants, don't look at me, I don't want my apple cider hot, 
kind of mood.

Devotionals went well, but cleaning up after breakfast didn't.
Nor did the morning chores.

The cats spilled their tuna on the porch
and the dog ran away with the dish.

There was enthusiasm to start school,
but not actually do school.

Everyone needed my help at the same time,
and I couldn't keep up so I let them take a break while I worked one-on-one.
Which left some thinking that wasn't fair.


Math was horrible today, for everyone.
either they didn't understand, didn't want to do it or didn't like the way I was helping.

Someone lost their one and only favorite pencil
...and another child threw theirs across the room.

The sun was shining and the outdoors was calling us,
so we took a blanket and our books outside.

The girls were running around us in circles,
and the cats wouldn't stay off our books.

All six of the kids sat and listened to the littles Bible story,
and then answered the questions for them
...which left 2 girls and little boy, well, mad.

Someone pretended they couldn't read the words
...hoping I would let them quit, or give them the answer.
I did neither.

Ozzie wrote his name on the girls school book,
they scribbled on his.

The sun went behind the clouds and it turned much cooler,
which seemed to turn their mood even cooler.
sigh.

The only one that had finished school,
was called out to the field.

There are days when you push and days when you don't
...and I couldn't figure out which type of day this was.

I wanted to quit.
Send them to public school.
I actually started thinking about what it would be like.

The time I would have, to.....
do all those things I don't get done when you're homeschooling.
Or at least not get done with any timeliness.

I remembered the days when 2 were gone at school, 2 or 4 would nap,
and I would sit down with my melted chocolate & peanut butter with a big bowl of sliced bananas.
Relax, read, blog, watch good 'ole Young and the Restless.

Laundry was almost always done by afternoon,
my kitchen floor was clean and there were no piles of dishes in the sink.
The bathroom was spotless and beds were always made.
Dinners were planned, cooked and served on time.
Part of me misses those days.

And then it started raining on me, our blanket and school books.
We ran inside and then I heard my name on the radio to go pull the trucks in.
I put on an adventures in odyssey for the kids.

There was peace and quiet while I made dinner...
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with leftover black bean soup.

We ate dinner and everyone, who was home, helped clean up.
We took baths, put on pajamas and read a book.

I heard the call on the radio to go pick up my boy, man and grandpa from the field.
The van battery was dead, again.

Then I let the bigs listen to another Adventures in Odyssey while I put the girls to bed.
we sang songs, talked about family & said our prayers.

Ozzie told me I was beautiful and Vance said dinner was nice.
Grayson gave me a long hug and Gavin said I was the best mom ever.

I wanted to quit today, but I don't want to quit tonight.
I love being their teacher, even on the hard days.

I would miss so much of their lives if they weren't here all day
and I'm not sure I would know them so deeply if I didn't teach them at home.

I'm sure we'll have more hard days
and I'll think about what it would be like to send them to public school,
but like this one, that moment will pass.


Tonight I'm going to fall asleep tired and worn out
but crazy thankful for the blessings we have.

Oh, and really hopeful tomorrow is a better day!