How to Homeschool When Life Throws A Curveball: Working Outside the Home

I have been meaning to write about my journey since last year... I went silent (on the blog scene since February), the main reason was because I went from homeschooling four to only one in a matter of weeks.

It's a long story, but you can revise by reading my blog post HERE.  

Well, school let out in June and our summer has been an enjoyable time spending lots of family time with my husband (with a military man - this is special) and the boys. School year ended well, everyone moving on up to the next level with no concerns.  Summer camp came and gone and now onto the next step - the new school year.

Now, the curveball in life this next school year is that both my husband and I will both be working. 

I have already planned out the curriculum for my older two, because yes --- we still plan to homeschool even though we are both working. I didn't know how I was going to do it. 

In one hand, I know in my heart that homeschooling is a positive, God-given directive for teaching...and in the other hand,  I will do the will of my husband and use the skills that God has given me.

It was hard, even to put our children in a private Christian (home church) school last year. I knew the teachers, the setting, they were teaching from the same material I would teach from and yet I still had doubt and fears....

Bottom line, I did what my husband wanted to try.  Homeschooling really is a family matter. He wanted to fix the "problem" even if it meant - No homeschooling. 

The only thing that we both totally agree on is that high school homeschooling is a definite must (at least in our home). 

Right now I am going through an internship that started since the beginning of June. I have been plugging away 40 hours a week (while dad was home due to surgery) and now I am at around 325 hours out of 1,000 hours I need to complete. When school starts, I will only be able to work closer to 30 per week.  

It's a non-paying internship.

I am looking to finish around January 2014 to complete the internship and take my boards to become licensed as a Nursing Facility Administrator in the good ole state of Texas. In the meantime, I myself will start a MBA program in Healthcare --at the same time.

A TREMENDOUS blessing means that two younger ones will still attend Leon Valley Christian Academy and my two older boys will attend our homeschool Ironside Christian Academy.

Yes, you can call me crazy.  It's okay, I understand.

But what you don't understand is that I love people, in general I mean.  If you knew my background, you'd know that I was raised by my elderly grandparents. She died of Alzheimer's in 2010, and my grandfather is now in a SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility) *nursing home, diagnosed with Parkinson's.

I have always been interested in the medical field, especially in gerontology.

I am there and I love seeing the people, the work is truly amazing!!  Recently, I started Hospice training (to be a volunteer) and I have got to tell you --- there is a need, a great need, is this vast diverse entity of care know as Long Term Care.

Today, during the training the doors were open and we saw the children (from the day care center at Freedom House).  Children of the employees and clients/residents from Freedom House enjoy each other's company daily...we literally stopped our training to view them as they passed by.

Watching a child go outside holding an elderly woman's hand, seeing that repeated over several times, the multi-generational group interacting with one another...

I felt tears roll down my eyes. Children to Mature Adults just need LOVE.  The love that only Christ can fill.  We both love our children and want to do what is right for their relationship with the Lord as well as their education in life.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. ~ 1 Cor. 13:13 

The Lord knows we are raising our children to love Him, and to serve Him with all their hearts, and with all their souls and that we strive to do daily in our lives as well.

My High School/Jr. High sons will be using a loose method of the Sue Patrick's Workbox system. Daily schedules will look like this:  Wake up, Breakfast, Homeschool start, Drop off School, complete 5-6 hours of internship, pick up kids, go home and do two to three hours of catching up, checking work, and/or tutor time (if needed) from their daily work (for all of them). *Might happen weekly*  --Unless it's an urgent concern about an assignment. 

Church activities, family life, and work -- all for the Glory of God. 

Can we make it happen??

A definitely loud,  "NO!"  would be my guess, but with God -  All things are possible.

I know I will have to do this:

1. Develop plans weekly, if not daily
2. Everyone is chipping in on housework
3. Limit outside activities -- no matter what they are
4. Budget
5. Lots and lots of crock-pot cooking, (no 5-course meals)
6. Daily Prayer
7. Need support from family and friends (encouragement goes a long way)
8. Time to talk to God daily, if not hourly. *Most important!!
9. Be prepared for the NEXT day (organizational skills work good here)

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;  Colossians 3:23

I would definitely ask for prayers as I will be praying for YOU and your homeschool endeavours!! Great blessings to those who serve HIM!!  

It will be hard, but not impossible (In Him ALONE)!


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