Teacher Appreciation

This week I have been OVERWHELMED with the love and gifts and sweet words showered on me during teacher appreciation week.  I have been simply overwhelmed with the generosity of the parents and kids at ERA.  My mind however keeps going back to my friends.  So many sweet Mama friends that are daily pouring out their lives in an attempt to not only raise their children well, but also to educate them well.  I remember well my homeschooling years.  I remember the sacrifice.  I remember the dailiness.  I remember the wondering and worrying if this was the biggest mistake of my life and I definitely remember thinking, "What about me?" during teacher appreciation week.  Does anyone know what I'm doing?  Does it matter?  Does anyone care?  Can anyone understand?  I remember longing for just one teacher workday.  I remember wishing I could get a pay check for the sacrifice and work I was putting in, and I think that is part of what made it so overwhelming.  I remember longing for the school bus to please, just this once stop at my house.  I longed for an acknowledgement of the work I was doing.  I was hungry for just a bit of validation.  I wanted to hear that I was doing a good job, I wanted to know that I was making a difference.  So my heart wants you sweet Mama's to know.  You are my people.  You are my best friends.  You are my soul sisters.  What you are doing matters!  Your kids are awesome!  You are doing such a good job!  I mean this sincerely.  You ladies are in the trenches daily.  I know a bunch of kids and some of my all time favorites are yours.  Keep going.  Keep putting in the hours.  Keep slogging through the math books.  I appreciate you ladies more then you know and am amazed at you!  I think you are fabulous!

So if you want some chocolate....stop by my house.....I have a truck load.  I'm keeping the gift cards!  I will share the apple knickknacks and home baked treasures.....and I'll even share some flowers.  First come first serve!  But friends mostly remember you are laying up treasure.  Your good works that are not seen by others are seen by our heavenly Father and not one of them will go unrewarded.  Not one.  Keep doing the good work to which He has called you.  You are doing a work with eternal value.  Yeah...some homeschoolers give the rest a bad name.....you are not those.  You sweet friends are rocking it.  You are awesome and I love you and I hope you know one day your kids will appreciate you.  My 20 year old son that was mostly homeschooled, says now how thankful he is for that season and how he felt like it was for his best.....so even though I'm in a different chapter of life now and I have a different calling that I love and am thrilled with....I don't regret the years I put in.....and you won't either.  I hope your families celebrate you all BIG TIME tomorrow, you deserve it!