Corina, thanks for the comment and follow-up question. This is our 4th year utilizing our local public elementary school, and we love it! Of course, this pandemic has disrupted everyone’s lives, so the kids are now figuring out online schooling with me as a facilitator.
This insta-homeschooling has taught/is teaching me many things, and I’ve been thinking through our choice of a public education once again. First, it really matters which public school you choose. Each school varies widely from other schools. God has directed our steps to one with overwhelming parental involvement, excellent teachers, loving administrators, the ability to have input as parents and the chance to opt-out our kids from instruction not aligned with our family’s faith values. It’s not a perfect school, but we feel heard and supported. Second, we are still choosing public education because we value the input of other well-trained, loving adults speaking into our kids’ lives. We value the opportunity our kids have to develop as individuals within a diverse community, learn strategies for problem-solving, grow incrementally in discernment issues as pertains to our Christian faith, learn to deal with small injustices, difficult peers, and various teaching methods and to be inspired to love learning.
I hope these few thoughts are helpful as you think about your children’s education. There’s no one right way to do it, but so far, this is how God has led us.

Laura, you are the one I’m going to miss the most! You’ve faithfully read and commented on my posts all these years. I’ve loved being “blog pen pals” with you, cousin. Email sounds fantastic. Love you!

I hear you, Uncle John, and believe me that it’s those beautiful reasons to write that have kept me typing all these years. This resonates with me! Ultimately it’s not the writing and recording of memories that I’m stepping back from, but the online public nature of it. For our family, at least in this season of life, I’d like to try other avenues of journaling. I’m so happy you’ve been reading my posts, and I appreciate your kind words and loving care for us. Come visit us anytime your travels bring you close by! Hugs

Thanks for reading, Stacy! I’m thankful for the time we had together in AZ.

Brenda, this means so much. Not only that you were reading along all these years, but also (and especially) your love and prayers. Maybe we’ll be able to connect on the Eastern Shore one of these days.