Why, Oh Why, Oh, Why?

Can anyone tell me where that quote is from?  Winnie the Pooh! When he gets stuck in Rabbit's door because he ate so much honey.  And Rabbit asks in a very tired voice, "Why, oh why, oh why?"

Anne took this picture the oak tree in a neighbor's field.  I love this tree.

I am tired folks.  Physically, bone weary, mentally. . .spent.   Sometimes people ask "Why is it that you homeschool if it takes so much out of you?"  Sometimes I ask myself the same question.  It is a good question to ask from time to time, to evaluate where you are and where you are going.  Lately, however I am finding myself asking it on more regular intervals and with more of a groaning voice in my head.  (Maybe more of a whiny voice)  I find myself asking as I am trying for the upteenth time to get my son to answer "what plus 2 equals eight?" 

Which on a side note I have to put it in a silly high pitched damsel in distress voice because he wants to play detective and find the missing number.  The math blocks get piled into desk and filing cabinet for the detective to sit behind to solve his "case".  Math with Ryan can take a while.  Possibly adding to why I am so tired.

We are tired of the rain, we are tired of routine that has become mundane.  So we are taking spring break.  We don't normally take a formal spring break, and normally it doesn't line up with the other schools in the area.  Part of the beauty of homeschooling is you can take spring break when you want to.  This year we need to take it now.

So today is the first day of spring break and we have gotten a small window of no rain (like 3 hours).  So I took the time to go outside and pull some weeds and clean out the flower beds.  The kittens were bounding around exploring.  The dog was trying to "help" me, and the kiddos were playing around outside.

That's when I heard it.  That's when I was reminded of why we homeschool.  The kids were playing some adventure, war, battle something and Ryan ran by "I am Akhenaten!"   I had to chuckle, when I was 6 and the kids were playing on the playground.  Most of the boys were playing He-Man and G.I. Joe.  I don't remember any of them pretending to be Egyptian Pharaohs!  I must admit, even in college (or even last year) I probably could have only named one Egyptian Pharaoh--King Tut!

When it started raining, the Egyptian battle came to a quick end.  I guess those Egyptian warriors aren't so tough!  The kids ran inside and I expected they were going to watch a movie.  I came in and it was quiet and dark.  Not always a good thing, when there should be three kiddos somewhere in the house.  

"Kids?" 
"We're in here" comes the reply from the bathroom. 
"All of you?" 
"Yes!" 
Ok. . ."So what are you all doing in there?" 
"Science experiments!" 
"Ok, just clean up when you are done."  

They were trying to improve the bubble juice recipe.

They found that nail polish remover and hand lotion did not improve the elasticity and longevity of the bubbles.  But they had a good time and the bathroom got cleaned afterward.

This is why we homeschool, so our kids will love learning and love finding the adventure of learning.

So back to my original question:  "Why am I doing this?"  This question can be rephrased as "Am I doing the right thing?" or even "Is this the best thing for my children?"

For me, yes.  For us, yes.  These questions, are they just because I homeschool?  No, I would ask the same questions if my kids when to public school, private school, charter school, what ever.  I ask them, because, same as many of you (no matter what type of education your children get), I am a parent who is trying with God's help and by God's grace to raise these children He has loaned to me to Love Him, Trust Him, and Follow Him.

Now, my kitchen is about to get cleaned, because they are now arranging flowers.😉

 Not sure who we are going in to battle with this time.  The Greeks maybe?

Dirt Cake for Ground Hog Day.