Little Victories!

 

My Aunt teaching my daughter to sew!

Yesterday we were able to pay for my daughter's dance, sewing lessons and my son's piano lessons. Sounds small? By no means is this a small accomplishment within this household. Let me explain...

My husband and I have chosen the path of entrepreneurship this past year has been a roller coaster ride as we attempt to navigate our way through our financial obligations, raising a family and opening two separate businesses. So for us to be able to say we paid for lessons, our lights, gas, water, and other bills are paid for is truly a miracle to us though it may appear to be a little victory to some.

My son with his piano instructor - Mrs. H.



I read once that a small sign of success is to celebrate the little victories!! So this is what we are doing -- it has been through HUGE amounts of faith and work we have gotten to this point. We are thankful and know from whom our blessings come. So as we continue to strive for survival in the midst of our "urban homeschooling" I will continue to blog....

Intro to Urban Homeschooling

For the purposes of this blog I am using the term urban defined loosely by the Urban Dictionary (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=urban) as:

1. marketing term used to hide the fact they are focusing on a racial group; 2. black people or other minority; 3. city dwellers; 4. downtown area

While it may seem at first controversial to use this term I find it is necessary as our experience as a homeschooling family is quite unique from the sterertypical homeschool family. On the surface we may fit the image but our lifestyle and way of interacting is by no means average.

My husband and I are the proud parents of four wonderful children ages 13, 9, 3, and 1. We have a humble little brick home in Gary, Indiana (yes, once named "murder capital") are both self employed (he as a carpenter, I as a loctician) and adhere to a very strict moral code. We do not have fancy degrees of any kind (though I should have my B.S. in June) nor do we make a lot of money - by that I mean to say that we are not even above the poverty level. Our homeschooling journey has not been the easy relaxed uncomplicated walk you may read of others experiences but we have perservered.

The reason we are starting this blog is to share our ever changing experiences with others. Hopefully to provide encouragement as well as serve as a motivator to us during this time. There are plenty of books, blogs and networks available for those who are looking for answers to establishing a smooth functioning homeschool regimen where finances, opposition, religious freedom, racial tension, embarrassing neighbors, etc are not an issue but this is not that blog! So journey with us as we embark on rising above our socioeconomic status and prevailing in the midst of overwhelming odds. Let's BLOG!