It's one of those days that I'm glad we don't send Rachel to school!

I remember last year when I'd send Rachel off, and it would be raining in the morning. . . . I hated those days! (Not to mention the cold days too!) Well, this morning is one of those days where it's raining pretty good. We saw the other kids out the window standing at the bus stop in the rain. I'm sitting there thinking, "I'm soooo glad we're not out there right now!" I like rainy days, just don't want to be OUT in it. I like to be inside with no where to go, listening to the rain on the windows and watching it come down as we do our homework. I like the dark, cozy feeling a rainy day brings with it. I like the big downpours, which is what we're getting today, and watching it come. Been getting some thunder and lightning too!

I also don't miss the rushing in the morning to get her ready, missing the bus because some days it came earlier than it was supposed to so I'd have to drive her (wasting my time and gas), and making a lunch when I'm trying to make breakfast too. Now I can get my shower and get ready for the day BEFORE 8 am! No more waiting for Rachel to be out the door to do that. If I need to sleep in, I CAN! If Rachel needs a little more rest, she CAN as well. No more whining when I wake her up at 7:30, "I'm too tired! I hate school, I want to homeschool. Please, take me out." No more having to get homework done in the evenings (which is the worst time for me). We can do work in the evenings if we feel like it, or we don't have to. No more following someone else's schedule! We pick our own school days, and which days are vacation. No more whiny Rachel in the evenings because she didn't get her afternoon rest. Life is much more pleasant and peaceful now all around.

I'm so glad for the option to homeschool my kids. This is living the life! I love being able to teach them and being there every time they learn something new, and being able to share in that experience with them. Rachel is also no longer being held back at the pace of other kids, she can go at HER pace. I love that this way of schooling, she has more time to learn the extra things like helping me cook or learning to sew or learning to help clean. (She cleaned a toilet Monday afternoon. . .and did a GREAT job!) We seemed to never have any extra time for those things when she was in school. All those necessary things to learn and know how to do someday when she's on her own.