Hard decisions and brave little girls

We are not going to homeschool this year.

This decision comes by many hours of anguished prayer and hard, hard thought. But with all that we have going on in this family right now, I have to be honest with myself and face my limitations as a parent, and as a homeschooler. And it's just all too much, it is something that I know I can't do well this year.

So we told Katie and Beth two days ago, and my heart was in my throat as we sat them down at the table. In the end, I couldn't compose myself, and Chris had to do all the talking. Katie was, as we knew she would be, very upset. She loves Christiana, and she loves her friends there, and she loves having me work in the nursery. But I can't tell you how proud, and amazed, and humbled I was to watch this little girl have her cry out, and then pull herself together and just.......accept the change. She hasn't whined or complained or moped since; instead this 6 year old kid has listed the positive things that will come from going to "regular school," and has talked to me about ways she'd like to stay in touch with her CHA friends.

This is a blow to Katie, no mistake. But she's handled the bad news with more grace and dignity than most adults I know, and I am so so so proud of her. What a brave kid. What a smart kid. My hope now is that in the future I can handle major change with the grace of my little redheaded daughter.


(Oh, and Beth? Her reaction was very typical Beth: "Um, okay!" and off she ran to play in her room.)