Homeschool is

(inspired by a paragraph of Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie)

Homeschool is opening the front door every morning and peeking out to count how many irises bloomed overnight.  

Homeschool is the basket of books on the shelf in our living room, librarians who know us by name, a very carefully tended system to make sure those library books are never lost or damaged.

Homeschool is two caterpillars in a butterfly habitat on my kitchen counter.

Homeschool is me chopping carrots, potatoes, onions and parsnips on the pig-shaped cutting board my grandpa made me while they pretend to chop up felt carrots and onions on the pig-shaped cutting boards my grandpa made for them, talking all the while about kitchen safety and how to make a good beef stew.

Homeschool is finger paints, watercolors, sidewalk chalk, Floam.

Homeschool is “Can you read this to me?” and “Aunvver book?” and “One more chapter? Pleeeeeease?”

Homeschool is snuggles and a Super Why or Sid the Science Kid DVD when Mama was up with a teething baby all night.

Homeschool is a workbook page on the backyard swing, a board game at the kitchen table, an alphabet puzzle in the living room floor.

Homeschool is a Saturday spent hiking as a family, picnicking and counting tree rings, smiling wide in admiration when Daddy gets a bird call right and converses with a bird for a few minutes.

Homeschool is thank you notes, grocery lists, rehearsing a play to perform when Nana comes to visit.