Homeschool Journey – August 1, 2025
We’re stepping into something brand new—homeschooling.
After a lot of prayer, conversation, and wrestling with the idea over the last year, we officially decided to homeschool Mia back in May. It wasn’t a decision made lightly. We’ve truly loved her teachers over the years. Her preschool and elementary school experiences have been a gift, and I want to be clear—we’re incredibly grateful for the time and effort so many poured into her.
Flash Back to Mia in Preschool!
And then there are Mr. B and Ms. V—her beloved bus drivers for the past few years. We’ll definitely miss our early morning routine with them. They even sent a message that left me in tears:
“We will miss seeing Mom and Dad in the mornings, and we’ll definitely miss those cheerful bus rides filled with Mia’s sweet singing—especially the songs none of us ever quite figured out the words to! Your daughter has been such a bright spot in our days, and we’re so grateful for the time we had with her.
We’re sad we won’t be seeing Mia five mornings a week anymore. Please tell her we miss her and hope homeschooling brings her so much joy (and maybe a chance to finally learn the words to those songs she sings so beautifully!).
Ms. V and I are no longer driving the route—we lost it during the bid session. But the “awhhh” was heartfelt and in response to your kind words and for giving us permission to keep checking in on Mia and your family. It means a lot.
Sending our prayers and best wishes for this new chapter. Stay safe, and thank you for staying in touch.
With love,
Mr. B & Ms. V 🙏🏽”
That text—and the news that Mia would be transitioning teachers this year, with new bus drivers—felt like confirmation. It was the right time for a change.
As this past school year ended, a few more things became clear. For the second year in a row, Mia was placed in a class with all boys. Her teachers did their best to get her into gym with girls closer to her age, but socially, she was isolated. She doesn’t have many close friends at school—especially not girls. She’s soft-spoken and tends to play alone. She’s remarkably independent for her age, which is beautiful—but sometimes it means she gets overlooked in a class designed for students with more obvious behavioral needs.
One of her teachers told us, “Mia just doesn’t want to do academic things. She gives up easily.” But Matt and I know that’s not the full picture. Mia loves to learn. We see it in how she mimics her older siblings, in how she watches intently and tries to do what they do—always with a bold, “I do it!” before we can help.
We don’t believe the problem is that she doesn’t want to learn. We believe we just haven’t found the environment where she can thrive.
That’s what this homeschooling journey is all about.
To be honest, I never imagined I’d be here—one week before school starts—panicking because we pulled her from public school and have absolutely no idea what we’re doing.
But then again, that’s kind of the story of our marriage. Matt and I have said yes to God again and again, even when it’s led us into hard, uncertain places. We rarely know what we’re doing—but we always know who we’re following. And that’s enough.
Are we confident in this decision? Yes.
Do we feel equipped? Not even a little.
But Mia deserves a learning experience that works for her. One where she’s seen, heard, and encouraged to grow. We may not have the money or influence to get her into the “perfect” school, but we have love, prayer, and a whole lot of faith.
We’ve tried year after year to get her into Collierville schools with her siblings, but every time we’re told she would “take away” from resources and time needed for others. It’s hard to hear that your daughter—because of her special needs—isn’t as welcomed as your other children.
So here we are, stepping into homeschooling.
Thankfully, we’re not doing it alone. We’ve leaned on friends and family who’ve walked this path before us. We’re asking questions, taking it one step at a time, and choosing not to let the overwhelm win.
Back in the spring, a friend encouraged me to apply for the IEA program—even before we were fully committed to homeschooling—just to meet the deadline. We applied… and got in!
From there, we enrolled Mia under an umbrella school, HomeLife Academy Tennessee. I was still overwhelmed, but a sweet friend told me about their counselors. I reached out, and they walked me through everything—from choosing curriculum, to logging grades, to building out her profile. That phone call gave me my first real breath of relief. Maybe, just maybe, we can do this.
We’ve also added some amazing supports to her fall schedule:
- Occupational therapy on horseback through Southern Reins every Monday—this will count toward her PE credits.
- Music therapy, which will serve as her extracurricular music class.
Step by step, we’re building something that feels right for her.
It’s brave. It’s crazy. And it’s full of faith.
Thanks for walking alongside us.
It’s you and me, friends! Let’s do this together!
– Kristina
