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Living the Magic

“Enjoy your kids today and love them,” his departing words to me, as he goes off to work.

After eighteen years of marriage, he knows me well and he knows that sometimes I forget. Not that I forget to love them, for I love them something fierce. However, to enjoy them? That’s a different story. Sometimes, I do forget. He knows that often I get caught up in the garbage can that still isn’t emptied, the unworn clean clothes mixed in with the dirty ones, the bowl of perfectly expensive cereal sitting soggy and uneaten on the counter, and the unfinished math lesson on the desk. He knows my obsessive passion and drive can cause me to move my priority list around in unhealthy ways at times. He knows.

I love life and I love my people and sometimes I get so busy chasing life that I forget my people and well, that is sad. They need my passion for life displayed towards them, not my garbage can, not my laundry basket, and definitely not my cereal stash, or my lesson plans.

Today I heed his reminder.

Today I choose them.

Homeschool is hard. Really hard…and it. is. beautiful.

This reality shows itself in moments like today when I am sitting and watching my two sons play together, listening to Beethoven while the pumpkin spice candle is flickering, and my girls are soaking in pictures and details about the people in a way far away magical land adorned with many castles, called Germany. I vow to myself to embed this memory deep in my heart because one day this opportunity will be gone and I know while I will be living my new ones, my heart will surely ache for these days. It must.

These days where every single day at 1 pm and 7 pm when I go to lay down my sweet baby boy to sleep, I live magic. I sing, “God bless mommy and match box cars. God bless dad and thanks for the stars. God hears Amen wherever we are and I love you….” He wraps his chubby fingers tight around my neck and puts those curls on my shoulder and kicks his tiny toes. He lays and squeezes me and listens and giggles. I promise you it is near close to one of the sweetest moments I will experience in this lifetime. I get to live it…twice a day. Magic.

These days where she fills my heart with joy by just being her. She thanks me for pushing her, thanks me for teaching her, and I know at her age I didn’t posses half of the heart that she does. She is pure sunshine, crazy dance moves, and giggles. I pour into her middle school lessons of math, famous artists, Bible, character studies, tales rich in history and much, much more. She delights in learning and soaks it up like a sponge. I get to be a part of it all. I can’t imagine a better gift.

These days where every single day I watch him. Watch him becoming the young man that God created to him be. He gets to escape some of the peer pressure of middle school life and focus on his studies. While unknowingly to him, he is experiencing life and trying it on for size, to see what parts of him fit him in a way that works. He gets to do all this in the comfort of his own home and surrounded by people who adore the very air he breathes. He gets to stretch his very independent wings to fly and then fall with us right here to catch him, scoop him up, and let him try again. He will soar and I will cheer him on.

These days were my little firecracker keeps me on my toes and on my knees. Where she tells me through tears that she can’t write a journal entry because it sounds cheesy. These days where I wonder how at eight years old she knows what cheesy is. She experiences each and every thing with the intensity of a tornado. She is me, through and through. I so get her. She tells me, “thank you for teaching me my character traits because it really helps me know how to behave better.” She leaves me speechless. Full of gratitude at the closeness in our relationship and that I am the one that has taught her. What an unbelievable gift.

Homeschool has determined that our days are spent with a whole lot of together and just like my marriage vows, it is for better or for worse. Thankfully, there is plenty of both. For the worse makes me all that more certain that the better??? The better is just simply magic.

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31 Comments

  1. What a great post! This is my first year officially homeschooling, and it is hard. I find myself trying to get so many things accomplished (cooking, cleaning, homeschooling, other activities) that I don’t enjoy it enough. Thank you for this reminder!

    1. Congratulations on your first year of homeschool! The first year is extra extra hard so hang in there! It gets way easier over time and what seemed nearly impossible in the beginning now seems second nature! I hope you have a great Monday!

  2. This is a beautiful post. My children are not school age yet, but this post excites me. The things I have to look forward too so very soon! Thank you for sharing.

  3. Thanks Darcy. That was just what I needed today. This is our first year home schooling and sometimes I find myself wondering why I am doing this. “Enjoy your kids today and love them,” that is perfect. Thank your husband for me too. Godbless.

    1. I thanked him Annie! Congratulations on your first year homeschooling! It is definitely the toughest! It gets way easier! Have an awesome Monday!

  4. Darcy,
    This is beautifully written. I love posts that display such honesty in the writer. You sound like a wonderful mother. Your children are blessed.

    Your husband is a wise man and a great husband/father. Gentle reminders about what truly matters.

    Like you, I sometimes (more often than not) forget to ENJOY MY CHILDREN!!! That is one of the main reaons we homeschool.

    I am blessed with a husband like yours. He knows how darn hard homeschooling can be. He also knows how amazing and life changing and delightful it can be. That’s what he reminds me to focus on. I saved a voice mail from him on my phone. In it he reminds me to love them and have fun with the kids. I listen to his voice when I need to remind myself what really matters in life.

    Do I want to damage my relationship with the kids over resistance to stuying math? Nope! Taking a bike ride with the children on one of the last nice days of the year in Montana is much more in line with our philosophy.

    Thanks for the reminder. It’s timely for me today!
    Laura

    1. That’s awesome to have a voicemail on your phone! I might have to have my husband leave me one! Enjoy you Monday! Thanks for the comments, Laura!

  5. Oh Man, I needed this today–sometimes I get so caught up in what mine “may be missing” that I don’t enjoy what we have!! Love this beautiful post!!

  6. Great post! Thanks for the reminder! Hard busy year schooling 2 7th graders and in the throes of toddler tantrums. I really need to be reminded to enjoy them!

  7. I’m in tears. I’m right there. I needed to be reminded for better or worse. It’s hard but it’s worth it. I’m privileged to be able to enjoy every moment, to share, to inspire, to be part of what one day will become their life story. Thank you for sharing this!

  8. In tears as well! The cereal thing, the unfinished lessons…so common in my life with my 5 kids. I needed to hear this. I don’t have a real life community of homeschoolers, so to find this online community and read this post today is such a gift.

    Thank you. Much encouraged.

  9. What a beautiful post and just the nudge I needed to remind me to also enjoy these days. I woke up this morning already heavy with the thought of laundry, mopping, 2nd grade lessons, Kindergarten lessons all while keeping the three year old occupied and trying to fit meals and clean-up in somehow. But it’s here only once and I WILL miss these days. I’m blessed to be able to spend every day with my children and lead them in life the way I see fit. God is good.

    1. We will miss these days, I fully believe that. My heart really aches at the thought of it! I agree about being so very blessed to spend every day with our children. A. Big. Gift. Have a great day today, Rachel!

  10. Wow! We are lucky gals with our husband’s support and encouragement. My husband texted me the same thing yesterday during my “home school meltdown” and vowing to return to them school. 🙂 Yes, I am ashamed of myself but after all I am only human. I have a 2 year old, a 7 year old, a very sassy 12 year old and 21 year old who started independent study in 8 th grade and is now in college. Looking forward to reading your blog as I learn new things with 3 girls at home all day.They have always been home schooled so I should be used to it by now 🙂 Have a great day today!

    1. I am ashamed to say I had such a melt down this morning! I do believe it is just part of the life of a homeschool mom! It’s HARD WORK! Best wishes to you and stay in touch! Have a great week!

  11. Very good to read this today! Definitely something that is a struggle here the past few days. Feeling not very good at teaching them lately. Thanks!

  12. I really needed this post. Just yesterday I was thinking to myself, “Why am I putting myself (and them) through this?” I really wish I had a supportive husband like yours, but I’ll try to endure just for some of those “magic” moments. Thank you.

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