Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On TwitterVisit Us On PinterestVisit Us On InstagramVisit Us On LinkedinCheck Our FeedVisit Us On Youtube
  • Homeschool
    • Book Lists
    • How Do We Do That?
    • Notebooking
    • Subjects and Styles
    • Unit Studies
  • Travel
    • Europe
      • Benelux
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • London
      • Porto
      • Prague
    • USA
      • Chicago
      • Georgia
      • Hawaii
      • Ohio
      • Utah
      • Yellowstone and Teton
  • Family
    • Celebrations
    • Frugal
  • Military Life
    • Deployment
    • PCS
  • Health
    • Recipes
    • Essential Oils
    • Fitness
    • Mental Health
    • Natural Living
    • Natural Beauty
  • Faith
  • About Me
    • Favorite Resources
    • Advertising and Sponsorship
    • Policies
  • Reviews

© 2023Jennifer Lambert · Copyright · Disclosure · Privacy · Ad

You are here: Home / Homeschool / The Summer of Slammed Doors

The Summer of Slammed Doors

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure. Please see my suggested resources.

September 7, 2017 By Jennifer Lambert 18 Comments

2005.

That crazy whirlwind of a summer.

It actually began with Aaron’s deployment being canceled upon the sudden passing of his father. That was the catalyst to change my life forever and always.

Since there was no position available for Aaron at his current base, they pushed up his PCS. I had to quit my job teaching college English and prepare to move from Georgia to Texas immediately.

The day the movers arrived, I discovered I was pregnant with Victoria.

When we arrived in Texas in late June, I could not find any position in education anywhere in the city of San Antonio. Because I wasn’t fluent in Spanish.

As fall approached, we realized we had to make some hard, quick decisions.

We couldn’t afford to place Elizabeth in day care or private school if I couldn’t work. Her October birthday held her back from beginning kindergarten at the public school.

I knew I would have Victoria in the spring and it would interfere with work if I found a job.

I’d like to say we prayed through this, but we didn’t really discuss our decisions with God. He did do a great job of slamming all doors so we would listen, though.

We decided I would stay home for a year or two and keep Elizabeth home with me and teach her. The plan was that she would eventually attend school after the primary grades. Then we could all go back to “normal.”

Aaron’s family thought we were crazy. Both his parents, both his sisters, and one brother-in-law were all public school teachers. They didn’t like the idea of homeschooling at all.

We submitted to having Liz tested by one of their teacher friends. Liz tested very high on everything, over third grade in reading at only age five.

They were satisfied.

As I taught Liz at home that first year of homeschooling, I realized she was getting smarter, more independent, and more creative. The gap between her and other school children her age was widening instead of narrowing. I knew it would be much more difficult for her to reintegrate into a school environment.

I realize that all those changes that summer, while at the time totally stressing us out, were molding us into the family God wanted us to be. He knew best what we needed and where we needed to be and what we should be doing. Over the years, we have learned that we cannot rely on others – family or friends – but that only leaning on God for our guidance brings us success.

My husband and I grew up in a time when the only homeschool families we knew were rather strange, and we certainly didn’t want that stigma. I didn’t grow up in a Christian home so the Über fundamentalist homeschoolers I met didn’t appeal to me. Many homeschoolers I met those first few years helped me to set goals of what I didn’t want for my family. It was a whole new world, and I felt really prepared on the academic side since I had teacher training and a love for learning. But I was not prepared for the homemaking and parenting shift of being home all day, every day with two – and then three! – little girls. I fought God and my husband tooth and nail for my selfish needs. It was a difficult time for our family while God changed our hearts. It was a tough journey experimenting with curriculum choices, co-ops, and homeschool groups and finally gaining confidence in my teaching abilities and God’s direction for our homeschool.

What began as a one-year experiment simply because I was home with two, then three, young daughters turned into a never-look-back lifestyle. It’s been over ten years, and now we have four little lambs and have homeschooled in four states, plus Germany!

Share4
Tweet
Pin26
Share
30 Shares
You might also like:

Filed Under: Homeschool Tagged With: homeschool

CHEESE. CHEESE.
I am furious that Sierra Mist is discontinued and I am furious that Sierra Mist is discontinued and replaced with some garbage that has high fructose corn syrup. Why do we even need another hfcs lemon lime soda? Sprite sucks.Now we only have limited Simple 7up and Mexican Coke.There are so very few sodas with real sugar and they are getting harder to find.@pepsico @pepsi #sierramist @sierramist #simple7up #7up @7up @thecocacolaco
Cherry berry banana and spinach with protein and f Cherry berry banana and spinach with protein and fiber for the new year.
Dionysus is soooo worn out from listening to us ta Dionysus is soooo worn out from listening to us take down all the holiday decor.
Happy new year! This is my favorite holiday meal. Happy new year! This is my favorite holiday meal.
Rosemary lemon turkey meatballs with gemelli and v Rosemary lemon turkey meatballs with gemelli and veggies and a lovely Chardonnay #wine #pasta #dinner #firstleaf #firstleafwineclub #firstleafwine @firstleafwine
Happy holidays!- from me, in my buy nothing outf Happy holidays!- from me, in my buy nothing outfit.
Always the cats and foods! Some fun events this ye Always the cats and foods! Some fun events this year. #topnine
Busy baking before the storm! Busy baking before the storm!
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Recent Posts

  • Gifting with Gratitude
  • Best Books of 2022
  • Hospitality
  • Adult Daughter
  • Overconfidence
Booking.com ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4

Comments

  1. Betsy Sproger says

    September 7, 2017 at 5:53 pm

    I love your story! We started homeschooling our 4 year old as she was so ready to learn and we knew that with her late birthday, she would have had to wait for kindergarten unitl she was 6. That would have been way too late for her. We continued homeschooling, and as she did so well with that, we went all the way through high school. It gave her a chance to become the creative, self directed college student that she is today! We are so glad that we choose homeeschooling! It has also kept our family relationships strong, even though the college years. She is a senior in college now. I will be sharing your story on my fb page, at BJ’s Homeschool.

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 11, 2017 at 7:46 pm

      Love hearing your story! Thanks!

      Reply
  2. bethany mcilrath says

    September 25, 2017 at 3:28 pm

    Wow, what an unexpected journey! I’m learning to love it when God slams doors because His plans (especially the ones we think are just “for now”) can be such gifts! Glad that it is the case with homeschooling for you and your family.

    Reply
  3. Donna Reidland says

    September 25, 2017 at 4:05 pm

    Several of our children are homeschoolers and, while their journey is not quite like yours, there are many similarities. What started out as a necessity, turned out to be a huge blessing!

    Reply
    • Donna Reidland says

      September 25, 2017 at 4:49 pm

      Thanks, too, for linking up on Mondays @ Soul Survival!

      Reply
  4. Christin Baker says

    September 25, 2017 at 5:48 pm

    It’s amazing how God weaves our story into His tapestry, and ultimately changes the course of our lives for His glory! I’m glad homeschooling has been a blessing to your family!

    Reply
  5. ~ linda says

    September 27, 2017 at 11:50 pm

    I LOVE this beautiful tale of a family given change NOW! I am retired from public school teaching and then as a children’s librarian…and then I tutored privately. Oh, Jennifer, the wonderful experiences I gained through being around and even tutoring one homeschooled child who got behind due to his Mom having to go to work for 3 years and he got lost, fell through some major cracks in the public school. I think homeschooling is the best for so many children. I have teacher friends who hold that same attitude as your in-laws did. But not me. Praise God for His hand upon you and your family as He molded you as He desired.
    Caring through Christ, ~ linda

    Reply
  6. Boma says

    September 28, 2017 at 11:59 am

    Eventually, all things really do work out for the good of those who love God. If only we’d remember truth more, and stop worrying so much!

    Reply
  7. Liz says

    September 28, 2017 at 2:55 pm

    Sometimes (OK a lot of times) I have whined and complained so much I couldn’t see God was saying no so He could give me something better than what I wanted! Love seeing how that played out in your story! Blessings!

    Reply
  8. Cindy Wilkins says

    September 28, 2017 at 3:12 pm

    I’m very good at trying to go through doors God doesn’t want me too AND not going through the ones he has opened for me! Your story is a great example of God working things out for good! Thank you for sharing. Your #livefree neighbor, Cindy

    Reply
  9. Karen Woodall says

    September 28, 2017 at 6:24 pm

    I never planned to homeschool either. My husband came up with the idea when my oldest was only 2 years old. He had a poor experience in the public school system and believed that it was necessary for us to homeschool at least to an age where the kids could be strong enough to stand firmly in their faith against the assault of the world system. (And of course by “us” he meant “me” – haha!) I’d never before met anyone who homeschooled and knew nothing about it, but after seeking God on the matter, I launched out into this new world convinced that at least I could teach kindergarten, right?! That was 20 years ago and I’ve graduated 2 from high school and about to have a 3rd this year. My youngest will finish up in 2020! And what I discovered is that it’s been the best experience ever! Not that we didn’t have rough times (that’s part of the homeschooling journey, right?) but that I didn’t miss a moment of watching them grow up! No regrets here! Thanks for sharing your story! Love how God guides us even when we don’t want Him too!

    Reply
  10. Penny Struebig says

    September 29, 2017 at 4:43 pm

    What a great reminder that God’s plan to always the best, even when we don’t know what it is at the time.

    Reply
  11. Dianne Thornton says

    September 29, 2017 at 5:01 pm

    What a beautiful story, Jennifer! God is so sweet to us–even when He’s slamming doors. ❤️ I love how you say God “molded” your family into what He wanted it to be.

    Reply
  12. Gretchen Fleming says

    September 29, 2017 at 11:43 pm

    Thanks for sharing with us how it all began. Love to hear life stories ??

    Reply
  13. Jamie says

    September 30, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    What a great story – I’m proud of you for taking the time to listen to God. So many keep slamming the doors on Him and then suffer later. It’s a blessing to look back and see the work that He does in our lives, even when we’re not paying attention. :)

    Reply
  14. Crystal says

    October 2, 2017 at 8:26 pm

    I so identified with your story and your message of hope, Jennifer. I too had a summer about 4 years ago where God slammed the doors, and it was a time He used to chisel away at my heart to shape it toward faith even when His hand isn’t visible.

    Reply
  15. Lisa (mummascribbles) says

    October 2, 2017 at 11:10 pm

    What a wonderful story. IN some sense, it must make it easier on the girls to be homeschooled as it keeps that constant there, rather than having to change schools every time you move. It’s funny how life goes sometimes :) Thanks for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday

    Reply
  16. Tina at Mommynificent says

    October 4, 2017 at 3:06 am

    Thanks for sharing this great story of yours at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com!
    Tina

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Suggested ResourcesGrammarly Writing Support

Archives

Popular Posts

10 DIY Gifts with Essential Oils10 DIY Gifts with Essential Oils
Natural Remedies for HeadacheNatural Remedies for Headache
10 Natural Remedies to Keep on Hand10 Natural Remedies to Keep on Hand
Homemade SunscreenHomemade Sunscreen
Henna Hands CraftHenna Hands Craft
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT