Minismith

Schooling…the latest topic on the round table of the Smith family. An issue we’ve lightly mused about and tossed around our grand ideas as the boys have been transitioning from babes to toddler to…well, now soon-to-be official school age children. I think we’re finding ourselves a little caught off guard by how quickly our tiny little baby Brighton has shot into a tooth-losing, book-obsessed, socializing almost-6-year-old. When did this happen?!

Last year we chose to put the boys in a great preschool down the road from our house to give me a bit of a breather. It had been a wildly intense past two years. And last summer, we realized I needed some recoup time. That time was simply God-ordained. Even though we faced even more twists in our journey this past school year – restarting the adoption process, being matched with our little girl, losing her in December, finding out a new minismith was on it’s way a few short weeks afterwards, and all the emotional footwork that entailed – during that time I feel like Jesus was helping me finally, finally take baby steps towards becoming a women of rest. Which does not mean crafting some sort of stress-free life avoiding chaos and the inevitable ups and downs, but rather learning to live out of a spirit of rest.

So back to schooling. We’re not sure what that’s going to mean for our family. After getting to know the personalities and learning styles of our boys better and seeing how much they learn through, well, just being boys – jumping, fighting, discovering, playing – things not typicallly encouraged in a school setting, started leaning towards homeschooling. And had hopes of starting this fall, with our newly adopted baby being at least 9 months old and with a mama a little less sleep-deprived. Then the pregnancy came and out of sheer emotional disorientation, we applied for another year at the boys school.

But recently that’s gone back on the table for discussion. For a whole host of reasons, that would be (and may be at some point) another blog post entirely. But for now, we are praying and seeking and waiting. As thick-headed as we’ve been in the past, we believe Jesus is slowly changing us and helping us realize He is ultimately the leader of this family. And has great things in store for us. Including how, when and where the boys are schooled…knowing full well that there is never any perfect answer or perfect way in this life. I’m not sure how much of the process I’ll share, as I know it’s a heated topic for everyone, but my disclaimer is that we’re just hoping and praying to do the best for our boys and the individuals that they are.

The biggest piece for me is to keep remembering that the only “best thing” for our boys ever in this life is simply what Jesus is leading us and them through. Not a method or a rule or a certain way of doing things. As a parent, it’s all too easy to confuse the two. And as Matthew and I have been learning ourselves these past few years, unfortunately “best” usually doesn’t involve the easy, safe route, which we so desperately want for our kids (and ourselves) at times. Instead it usually involves lots of bumps and bruises and going one way only to turn around and go the next. There are no absolutes, other than that He’s with us.

We’d love your prayers over the coming months as we wait and see where we’re led. And seek wisdom from our close friends who know our sanity levels well while ALSO believing in a big God to give more than we can ask or imagine when it comes to grace, patience, and energy levels.

As for the newest minismith brewing, tomorrow is our 18 week ultrasound. So cast your votes now, another minismithster or a minismithette?