"But I will miss you..."

...she says. And so begins the heartbreak of this Country Sister as I prepare to shuffle my two wonderful little girls off to school. The truth is that they both love their little Monterssori school, as do we. But it still doesn't change the fact that we, with the exception of dad (the consummate extrovert) are three home-lovin' home bodies and this time of year is really bittersweet (mostly bitter) for us. I mean, honestly, there isn't much not to love. With not a car or road in sight in our little slice of heaven, and surrounded by wild and domesticated animals, the possibilites are endless. Our days this summer have been full of unstructured, unorganized, unscheduled goodness. That is something that none of us can get enough of. It is the blank canvas that draws us out of bed in the morning--well that and 120 or so hungry critters--and it is the incredible creation that we stand back and reflect on as we tuck in at night. Sure there is plenty of girl drama and sibling chaos woven in. A splash of intensity. We are normal.

And so I a broke out the chalk board today and wrote out the days of the week (so we can each keep track of our responsibilites and bags to pack), and I orchestrated a family meeting around our new chores schedules and morning and night routines. And I felt the tapping finger on shoulder, the lurking question that haunts me regularly, the same question that my children don't even hold back asking, "Mama, why can't we just homeschool".

The stock answer for the question is that, its not that we can't...we just aren't right now. Because Montessori school is great, because it is an incredible, caring and intimate learning environment. And, well...that is where I get all hedgey...and say "I'll miss you too."

Bottom line, I will miss them when they go, miss our amazing days spent together. And for now I live vicariously through City Sister and all of our homeschooling friends and the different questions and struggles they face as they too break out the chalk boards and calendars.