To everything there is a season...

And our season of homeschooling is coming to a close. It's bittersweet, really. I always envisioned myself homeschooling all my children through high school. So this transition has been more difficult on me than on anyone else... but you know how it is, you'll do just about anything for your kids.
Our sweet Griffin is the middle child, and with that, he has inherited a sort of middle child angst that does nothing short of break our hearts. He lives a great majority of his life in his brothers shadow. Tucker is a born leader. One of my friends likened Tucker to Bill Clinton...charisma and charm that could sweet talk just about anyone. Kids flock to Tucker. Not a day goes by that someone knocks at the door and I'm greeted with a little boy asking, "Can Tucker come play?" Kids actually seem to fight over who can have Tucker to themselves. It's quite ridiculous.
And then there's my little Griff. Griffin is quiet, funny, and introverted. He tends to fall into the shadows and get left out more times than is right or fair. (Yes, I know that life is not fair. But for a 5 year old boy, that shouldn't be his reality.)
We spent the winter thinking of how Griffin needed to do something for himself. Something that didn't include Tucker. He needed to let other children see his quick wit, his quick arm, his Star Wars moves. He needed to get OUT of the shadow of his brother.
And then we thought....school would be such a good fit for him. So the investigation began and after narrowing down the list and getting evaluations by child psychologists (who agreed with our assessment)`we pored over school websites and catalogs, prayed until we felt a calm and peace about our decision, and then jumped in the deep end with both feet.
Today as we dropped off a hefty tuition deposit and the boys enrollment agreements, I was so proud and yet at the same time, sad. Proud that my boys got into a very competitive school. Sad that it wouldn't be *me* next year when the light comes on and they "get" something...be it a new word, a new idea, or even a new Star Wars move.
I know that I know that I know that God planned this. He opened the doors and made it possible. The boys are thrilled. Even my little Griffin.
So I take comfort in the fact that "to everything there is a season...". For a season I was privileged to be a homeschooling mom. Now it's time for me to turn the educational reins to someone else. I've already started praying for their teachers next year. I'm praying for the friends they have yet to meet and for the tests they have yet to take.
And I'm praying for me....that I'll adjust to this transition and our family will do what it was created to do... "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven."