Heart of the Matter Meme: What Have I Learned?

Today's Heart of the Matter meme asks: What is the one thing you learned that you didn't expect from homeschooling?

Two huge things jump out at me, one practical and one rather intangible. From a practical standpoint, I have learned so much, particularly in history and geography. I have only sketchy memories of history in K-12. I remember making Iroquois longhouses and bushmen villages. I remember memorizing the states and capitals, presidents and vice presidents, and the Preamble to the Constitution. History began coming alive in college, with our required Humanities program that wove together history, literature, art, music, religion, and philosophy; and, well, I also minored in history. But in the nine years we've been homeschooling, my knowledge of history and geography has increased exponentially, due largely to Sonlight's fabulous program. I continue to be amazed at the new things I learn practically every day.

And the other thing that I knew intuitively before we began homeschooling but which becomes more and more apparent to me each year: this is what life is about. I absolutely cherish these years I have with my children. I remember going through the whole, "But what about my life? What am I going to have to sacrifice?" baloney before we began homeschooling. And the answer is right here, every day. Even on the bad mom and/or bad kid days, I celebrate the freedom we have in our family. This is the very essence of life.