You May Be Homeschooled If...

I was homeschooled every year but 8th grade, which was sometimes difficult because of the stigma homeschooling carried back then. On a ski trip when I was about 14, my best friend and I were asked by the ski instructor what school we attended. We told him we were homeschooled, and he proceeded to tell the rest of the class very matter-off-factly that homeschooling is for children who were behind or had been abused! Yikes! Finally, in my adult life, I've ceased to be embarrassed about the fact that I was homeschooled and have begun to be okay with it, even proud. Now I know what a great and interesting education I received, and I now I hear other moms saying, "Oh, wow, I wish I had been - I'm going to homeschool my kids!" Turns out homeschooling isn't just for weirdos anymore. There were times as a kid that I loathed being homeschooled. I mean, the humiliation of being different is just too much to bear when you're 12 years old and wanting to just blend in! Instead, we'd go to the grocery store at 11am and the clerk would innocently ask, "Hey there kids, school holiday?" Before I could mumble a quick, "Oh, um, just got out early!" Mom would answer loudly enough for the whole store to hear, "WE HOMESCHOOL!!!!" At least it seemed that way. It seemed like she might as well have grabbed the little microphone they use to announce the sale at the deli or "5 minutes till closing" and declared to the entire store over the PA that I was, indeed, an oddball. *Sigh* But I really wasn't bitter. Just a bit embarrassed. I grew up with it, and I didn't know just how different my school experience actually was until I became an adult! Things just keep coming up. For instance, I still have no idea what a public school cafeteria looks like. I don't understand going to school with 400 + other kids...of your exact same age. I was recently overwhelmed with disgust when we attended a church held at a high school and I used the women's bathroom - horrific! And the graffiti! I can't imagine what it must be like to have to use a facility like that every day! (I became quite convinced that if we respected those kids enough to give them a decent bathroom, they just might respect themselves a bit more and problems with poor grades and drugs and violence might improve...I wish I could test that theory somehow. ) And language - this is a funny one. Occasionally, even still, a slang word or phrase will be on TV or something, and I'll have to ask my husband what it means because I have no idea. Usually it's not something that benefited him to have learned in high school, and it's just another indication that I was homeschooled and didn't have to listen to garbage all day from my peers! Yes, I suppose I was "sheltered" a bit if you will, but only from junk that no kid needs to be exposed to. I was given all kinds of opportunities to dive into things I loved - writing, singing, and dancing, for example, and able to spend more time studying certain areas of science that I was fascinated by, like natural disasters and weather. I went on field trips several times a month, and Mom could fit learning into experiences that I found purely fun. And, oh yeah, I did have friends. That was the question EVERYONE loved to ask. ( "You're homeschooled? So, like, how do you socialize?") Youth group, various classes I took, homeschool functions, 4-H...yes, I was around many people and made many friends! Some of my best friends are ones I've known since I was in elementary school, and we grew up homeschooling together. Since homeschooling will probably never be mainstream, there will certainly always be jokes around it, but who cares? I kinda like the fact that if I don't "get" something most people picked up from their peers in high school I can smile and say, "Sorry, I was homeschooled!" Always gets a laugh out of people. ;)
You May Be a Homeschooler If...
1. You have only a few classmates, and they all have your same last name.
2. Part of your school work is to help with yard work and learn how to build a shed with Dad on Saturday.
3. You have a choice of 5 guys to have a crush on - they're the only ones you know who are the same age as you.
4. The word "homework" doesn't make any sense to you.
5. Your teacher can ground you for not finishing your math in a timely fashion.

I Love America!

Why does it seems somewhat cheesy to be openly patriotic? After 9/11, American flag t-shirts were worn by everyone and people flew flags all over the place. Then after awhile people didn't like the war or Bush anymore, and we stopped flying flags and starting getting cynical. Enter Obama, and now tons of people once again have "hope". This is just crazy to me - it's been the same American all along! Regardless of what political party you associate yourself with or how you feel about the way American is going, we still live in an amazing country of which we can all be proud. 4th of July is right around the corner, and I anticipate tears once again flowing down my face as I hear the national anthem and watch the fireworks. I refuse to complain, put down President Obama, or point out ways "things just aren't like they used to be!". Things do change. God told us they would. I am on the look out for ways He tells me to speak out and to do what I can to uphold the values important to both He and I, and while I am looking for those things I will also continue to notice the things everywhere that make American beautiful to me - churches and businesses of all kinds, people of all races going about their days doing things they need and want to do, things that brings them fulfillment. These are things we take for granted, the freedoms most important and unique to America, and they have remained no matter who was president. When my daughters ask if they can be a certain profession, which they do often, I am overjoyed everytime to tell them that they can do whatever God calls them to do. I LOVE this country, and I'm not going let myself feel cheesy for saying it!!! =)