Chase

He did it - he went and grew up! I can't believe it! Why does it have to go by so quickly?! Chase graduated from our home school in May. Over the years he has said that he is glad we decided to home school. He spent kindergarten through part of 5th grade in school and the rest of it here at home. He really liked having more free time to pursue the things that interested him, like photography and reading,...lots of reading. Time to help serve others and hang out with friends.  He also said he enjoyed using Sonlight most years for our core curriculum - they just choose great books and make history interesting. He has even gone back and pulled books out from previous cores to read again.

Being home gave him the opportunity to become good friends with his brother again. He has also been able to be around when his sisters first came home (and actually went to China with us when we went to pick Loe up!). Lots of benefits to home schooling.

He graduated with some friends with Agape, a home school group in Loveland. It was a really neat experience watching he and the other kids plan the big day. All of the seniors and their parents met once a month to discuss and plan through out their senior year. I cherish those times with him. Even though our family isn't huge (especially compared to many homeschool families we know!), one on one time still seems like a gift.

I have bittersweet feelings as Chase has graduated and become an amazing young man. I can't believe his childhood is over. I remember when the boys first went to school and I knew from that point on - the teachers and kids at school would get to see him more each day then I would. I cried thinking of that as I tucked them in the night before school started. Homeschooling was a gift - something I never would have pictured us doing - yet God led us down this path and I wouldn't trade it for anything. NO - we didn't do it perfectly, in fact we see MUCH room for improvement in our homeschool and are praying a lot about how God would do that through us. But, God was incredibly faithful and Chase truly did an excellent job of taking ownership of his education the past few years.

He isn't sure just yet what God has for his future. But, has decided to spend his first semester this fall attending Ellerslie training. We are SO excited for him! Praying that God does a mighty work in his life while he is there that gives him a foundation that is never shaken. We pray Chase will fall in love with Jesus all over again and this Christianity will become His as his roots dig down deep. 

May the Lord, your God, go before you - Chase. May He surround you, be your strength, your wisdom, your security, your guard, your every breath. We are so proud of you and so thankful that God gave us you as our son. We can't wait to see what He does in your life in the coming years. We love you in abundance.

Comments

[mom]

I laugh at myself every time I pull up a recent blog - just so I can see if you've posted new pics of my grandkids, Lisa! And I confess to 'stealing' a few to add to my already extensive collection. I do try to remember to give you and the boys credit for taking the picture if I stick the procured treasure in an e-mail or print it out. And although I usually know about the events and activities - I enjoy reading the blogs and 'hearing' your description of what's going on... even though we live in the same town. And, soon... the same house!! :-)

Aren't you supposed to be getting to bed before midnight?? I think that was what you told me you were going to be doing... ;-)

xo
mom