The End of an Era and my Retirement party (Emma's 8th grade Graduation)

This year is the last year I will be homeschooling a child.  What started 7 years ago on a whim as a way to help Rachel when she was not happy in the first 2 weeks of middle school, morphed into the best decision I've made. As I said, I decided to pull Rachel out of the 6th grade and home school without a lot of forethought.  I  was never very happy with the thought of middle school kids in general.  I know that sounds negative but somehow I just always felt like that 3 years was plagued with so many hormones and angst that not much actual learning would be taking place. So home she came and the rest was history.  We felt our way through most things together and figured it out enough to survive.  The next year, Hannah came home too and my work load doubled but so did my enjoyment.  I was so happy to be able to teach them things not in books and share with them my passions for history,politics ans literature.  Everyday I felt like I was able to make an impact.  OK, not EVERY day, but enough so that it was rewarding.  Some of my fondest memories of homeschooling will be PE everyday.  The girls weren't always happy about running or biking or whatever else I planned but they did it and some of our best conversations came during those times.  Just as Hannah was heading off to public high school, Emma came home for 6th grade. For 3 years, it was just me and Em at home.  I'm not going to lie, there were some tense moments that may or may not have involved loud arguments and books being thrown.  Emma is passionate about all things including the desire to never be told she is wrong or how to improve.  This was challenging in a home school environment but somehow we found our groove.  The years I spent with the girls at home are some of my most meaningful memories as a Mom.  The teenage years for a girl are tough and I feel like I hit the pause button for them to be able to figure out who they wanted to be without the noise of peers telling them how things should be.  I really believe that those years were important for them but they were important for me too....I got to hit the pause button.  Life has now gotten busy with all of us going in different directions everyday...but I have all of my memories of those special years when it was just us all day learning, growing, fighting, yelling and loving.  I feel honored to have been a part of their education and am so proud of the young women that they are. Whew...now on to the specifics of my retirement party.  Matt in his usual awesomeness planned a doozy.  The night included speeches, songs written by Hannah, a special plaque that Matt had made, gifts...frankly, it probably included much more but I was a literal sobbing mess after the first 2 minutes.  I have so much emotion behind this part of my life...so much awe for who my girls are and what they mean to me..I tried to formulate a teacher's comment moment but couldn't get the words out through the tears.  I am confident that they all know how I feel though.. I'm lucky like that.  My girls know me and my big emotional blubbery heart.  So, even though I couldn't get the words out that night, or even now, it seems...they know and Ill be forgiven.  Thanks to Matt for the best retirement party ever.  I couldn't have been half the teacher I was if not for you.  Let's be honest, the kids would have lacked a math education if not for Matt. We also celebrated Emma's 8th grade graduation.  Again, Matt's sense of humor proved to be the star of the night.  His mockery of cliche graduation speeches and traditions was hilarious. I tried also to put together a heartfelt speech about all of Emma's accomplishments but didn't get very far in to that either.  What can I say, that kid brings me to tears.  Sometimes good, sometimes bad.  I am so sure, though, that she is going to be fabulous in high school.  She is quirky and independent and confident and I couldn't love her more if I tried.  My only hope is that high school doesn't suck those qualities out of her.  She is going to knock the socks off of her teachers with her smiley good mornings and how are yous everyday...with her curious mind and willingness to answer any question or participate in all discussions with zeal.  I can't wait to see all of the fantastic things she will do!