Some of the blogs were very personable. They showed the ups and downs of being a homeschooling family. They showed the struggles, the triumphs, the fun days, and the boring ones. Most of all they showed me how families that homeschooled were able to bring their faith to their child's education and how the whole family was often very close.
When the decision was made to homeschool for certain and we had set a begin date, I used the blogs to help me find out information on curriculum. Eventually, my learning went from what was recommended to learning about learning styles. However, in the beginning, all I wanted was a curriculum that would give me the assurance that I wasn't going to mess up my child for life. The blogs helped me there too.
I decided that I was going to keep a blog too. Various people have had such a profound effect on me through their blogs. They encouraged me and educated me through sharing their lives. I don't know that I wanted to do the same, though I hope I do one day.
Keeping a blog seemed like an easy way to keep records. I keep some stuff, like samples of work and lesson plans. A blog is an ongoing record of what we do... nearly day to day. I've tried keeping weekly reports, but lack consistently. I do have lists of books we've read on the blog. I have reports of various curriculum we've tried and different subjects we've studies. It may not be a long, drawn-out record, but it is a record nonetheless.
It's also become a way for me to write what we are going through or what God is doing in my life. I get to share this crazy journey God has placed us on. Some days are up, like when something just clicks. Some days (or weeks) are down, like when we experienced unemployment and or illness. This blog inspires me to keep positive, or just to let out my frustrations and doubt. It keeps me accountable. I wanted to blog daily for a year, but that became difficult. Instead, I just blog as often as I can about our lives and our homeschool.
Since this blog began, I have added one student and am going to be adding a preschooler. Yet, this blog has become just as much about my life and my family as my homeschool. As our lives are changed and challenged, I am stretched to find out what God wants from me and how he wants me to handle things. Other blogs have helped me with this. It was through blogs that I discovered home made laundry soap. It was through a blog that I read about Unit Studies. It was through many blogs that I have learned so much about the kind of homeschool and home I want to have.
Of course the main reasons I blog is because it is fun. I have always enjoyed writing. On this blog, writing comes easy most of the time. Oh, my grammar probably needs work. My spell check works overtime some days. My typing has improved greatly. For me, blogging can be addicting. It is fun to do. I could never keep a journal or diary for long, even though I would start and stop over and over. I scrapbooked for years, but quit when I had a fifth child. This combines the best of both worlds for me. I can put on pictures. I can type out what we did. I can retell the events of a day I want to remember. See? Fun. Okay, maybe it isn't for everyone. For me, it's been... really awesome.
Last summer I didn't have internet for a couple months due to finances. I thought I was going to go crazy. I missed blogging. I tried to mobile blog, but it didn't work. I would blog at my friend's house. I would go to the library. I missed blogging in my home. When I could blog again, it was like being reunited with a friend. Now, I hope I don't have to quit for a long while.
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