participating in public school: who knew?

no one would have guessed it, especially me. i was so internally conflicted. i doubted our decision. i ached all over. i cried.... (no surprise, i know) but here we are about to enter our last 9 weeks of school, and i am as shocked as you are.... we have LOVED, LOVED, LOVED our public school experience. ( insert cold water flushed upon some of my reader's faces!! :)

oh, there have been plenty of bumps a long the way; the fashion bully, the butt slap, some struggles with the math curriculum, multiple direct emails to teachers regarding some hurt feelings, questionable music being played during art..... etc,etc. but you know what? this is real life. real life that EACH of my children will some day, on some level,  have to DIRECTLY address, regardless of our school choice. each opportunity presented to us has been this AMAZING opportunity to grow, to learn, to lean heavy upon each other, to have some serious gut checks, to fill our minds with truth so that we could LOVINGLY approach situations so as not to put teachers and other parents on the defense, rather to deepen relationships and respect.

it has been one of the most unifying experiences that our family has ever walked through. i think that's why i am in awe. it's why i just can't shake this feeling in my heart, that without question, we are doing EXACTLY what the Lord would have us do! we are building relationships with our neighbors whom are also parents of katie's classmates. we get to sit next to some of the teachers in church. we see classmates at the grocery store and teachers at the local mexican restaurant. it is so fun to see a community in action.

we are impressed with the district, the principal, the teachers, the other parents, and the kids.... especially, our kid. :) katie has adjusted beautifully. she grown academically, socially, spiritually, and physically. she has been challenged and encouraged. it is very hard to deny the facts.

one of the BIGGEST sources that helped us through is a book called, "going public" by david and kelli pritchard. READ IT! i don't care if you home school, private school, public school, classical school, traditional school, church school, hate school, been-there-done-that school, pre-school, elderly school, medical school, i went to christian school my whole life-school, school-you-on-the-basketball-court-school, WHATEVER.... READ IT! don't read it with blinders on. don't read it looking to intentionally pull it apart so you can brag. just.read. it. God is working in the public schools just like He works in every facet of our lives! He has not removed Himself from the public schools, His people have removed themselves from the public school.

we are on the verge of already making plans for what next year will look like. remember our rule? "one kid, one year at a time... nothing is for-ever!"  but it is looking more and more like we will have 3 littlejohn ladies enrolled at the local public school. it blows my mind how the Lord so gently moved us to this place. i am so grateful He didn't give up on me...even when i kicked and screamed.. He just spoke in a whisper, until i listened.

so, that's our journey in the public schools for today. it has been eye opening and very telling!

i can't wait to see what's next!
~s