A new camera (shifting the focus)

Lovely photos! I recently found your blog, with my first reading of it being the high school post and I thought it was wonderful. I am just starting this homeschool journey (oldest is four) and feel so lucky to live in a time when the Internet allows for so much sharing. Your journey is an inspiration!

Just a word of encouragement in the blaze of your vulnerability..I have loved your last 2 posts especially the "high school years" post. You speak your truth eloquently and many people reading your words feel encouraged and inspired and perhaps even challenged ... Your words are an important part of the larger parenting/homeschooling "story" and people will sift and sort and do what they will with what they read.

For myself, I feel super excited by your words ;-) So, once again, many thanks for taking the time to write. 

Beautiful autumnal photos by the way. 

Your writing today reminds me a lot of Brene Brown. I've read her last two books and found so much wisdom there.  We've been doing a great deal of work here on shame and vulnerability, so it means a lot to have you be vulnerable on your blog. 

 I enjoy all your posts, wordy and picture-y (that IS a word).  My boys can't wait until y'all hit the trail next year!  They ask me at least once a week if you've left yet. Clearly a sense of time isn't their strongest suit!  

Many Blessings,

Kim

Thank you for your reply about the higher math on your previous post.  Your blog is the one that I make sure to check every morning.  Very encouraging posts and wonderful pictures.  Please keep the high school posts coming as my oldest is a year older than your oldest.  I look forward to future reading about this subject. 

Whatever you do, please don't stop sharing because so many of us are drawing great inspiration from you. I had been meaning to write that your last few posts were absolutely awesome, the best I have ever read on homeschooling! I'm so glad you have gone before me and paved the way. 

Beautiful shots, Renee. Fall is my favorite season because I love the weather (chilly, yet sunny), the colors, and the seasonal holidays and traditions we celebrate. If I had to pick a favorite, I'd say the last one. I love the green, hazy, out-of-focus trees behind a clear shot of a color-changing tree.

Sarah M

Gorgeous photos - as usual.

I see you as one of the pioneers - paving the way. I admire you for many reasons and yet don't do things the same as you all the time. But I do learn from you, glean ideas, encouragement, and so forth. I sometimes long for the path of freedom you've undertaken with your children's homeschooling re: highschool but that isn't what we've chosen - well, not entirely, anyways. We've chosen to jump through more hoops but also aim to encourage our kids to be passionate learners (and model this for them), to follow their interests in life, to be thinkers, etc... . At times I come up against shame for my choices in light of yours - bleh! And then I return to the place of recognition that our path is an excellent fit for who we are as a family and as individuals and we are all healthy and thriving.

xoxo

Having Amelia enter high school has brought a whole new level of self doubt.  But also, more commitment to inspire my daughter to live the life that she wants to live and have the education that fits her.  It's so SCARY!  It's not easy to do this but I feel like this is my calling.  I'm not the type of person to shy away from challenge or swim against the current.  But, my knees get shaky.  I love the pics that you've taken with your new camera by the way!  xoxo

Love the new set of eyes you have there! And I know quite a bit about vulnerability, putting yourself out there and wanting to crawl back in a cave for a while... Why you do that? Because you know we, your readers, connect deeply with what you say, your whole-hearted living, your whole-hearted being. You are a one of a kind writer and inspirer. It is unavoidable to ruffle some feathers. But I know how it feels. It comes with embracing our vulnerability fully. Love, Catxx

I loved your post about the high school years, and all of them for that matter.  I tried to order the books you mentioned, but my library only had the Fundamentals of Home-Schooling, so I got that one.  I showed Celine's drawings and dolls to my 12 year old daughter and she thought they were great, and my husband was looking over her shoulder and said that she's very tallented.  And I think they are awesome!   So... don't stop posting about the real "stuff".  I know what you mean; I feel that way myself quite often, but don't! :-)

Thanks for continuing to be a 'vulnerability inspiration' for me. You are courageous, and it's obvious from the comments you get that you really touch people and inspire many. I appreciate you! (And I know exactly of what you speak--this vulnerability hangover thing. I'm blogging every day this month and putting myself out there like that freaks.me.out too.) But the world is hungry for truth, no?

Beautiful photos! Just came back from a trip to Portugal and I loved to see your photos of the Fall. I think this season makes us focus inward and in the details...