Joy in our Journey

Today we went to Turnberry Elementary School's Open Night. I can't believe Angela is a Kindergartner and Carolyn is advancing to second grade. So exciting for them and sad for me that has to let them go everyday. I have loved homeschooling them over the summer.

I have done a lot of thought about schooling the past few months - well, I am always thinking about it. I would love to homeschool my girls. Furthermore, we have about 5 different Elementary School choices that make where they should go even more difficult. Plus, the fact that the girls MIRACULOUSLY BOTH got into a charter school (Landmark) that I would say 95% of our ward go to. It was crazy they BOTH got in the school - so hard to get in...most people in the ward it took them a few years to get into it.

Anyways, we had to decide. Carolyn and Angela wanted Turnberry even despite the fact that most of our ward goes to Landmark. Carolyn has loved her experience there; she has loved her teachers and has loved her friends and everything about there. Angela has had her mind set on Turnberry as well. I have LOVE Turnberry, too -I couldn't be happier with the people there and the teachers we have encountered. So, Andrew, the girls, and I studied it in our head. It seemed like Turnberry made a lot of sense. They WANT to be there, we love it, etc. The hold back? Most of the ward goes to Landmark (should the girls be in a class that actually has members...strength in numbers? would they want to be there later in life when a lot of their mutual friends are going there?) Also, I am not too thrilled about the middle school the girls will be attending...LOVE Turnberry but not sure how I feel about Stuart Middle School. And I think the chances of them getting into Landmark for Middle School are very slim. Anyways, we heard a talk in April "The Lord's Way" by Elder Ellis where he counseled about when deciding where to live to ask the question "Where are we needed" instead of going about it a more selfish way of "Where is best for me?" So, that's what we started to pray about..."Where are we needed?" I would love to homeschool....Landmark seemed like a great choice too....Turnberry made sense for us now (not necissarily for Middle School - but for now we love it). Anyways, I got my confirmation of my love for Turnberry and it making more sense for our family than homeschooling or Landmark during Stake Conference. As leaders in our stake spoke, I looked down at Carolyn and saw her writing on about 30 different sheets of small pieces of paper. I looked harder and found that she was writing her testimony on those papers to give out to her friends and teacher at Turnberry. That's when the Holy Ghost confirmed my positive thoughts about Turnberry. The Lord needs us at Turnberry. Carolyn is a missionary there...and I need to follow that example of being a missionary there, too. Furthermore, Angela will be a missionary there as well and teach by her amazing sweet example and words.

The Lord further confirmed our decision for Turnberry tonight at the Open Night. I have a great feeling about the Speech Teacher there that we will be using for Angela and hopefully Carolyn as well. She had a warm feeling and is willing to work with Angela weekly for 30 minutes. What a blessing! Her name is Missy and she seems awesome. The other Speech Teacher there (Miss Griffin) is going to look into working with Carolyn so she can get those "R" sounds in! Awesome! This is what Carolyn has been wanting this summer :)

Open Night was great...we do have yet to meet Angela's teacher but know that she is in PM Kindergarton and the other kids in her class and parents seem nice. We will hopefully meet her new teacher in a week and a half :)

Carolyn got Ms Griffin - who seems sweet and will challenge the kids in her class. We had a great feeling about her when meeting her and being in her classsroom! Carolyn got in the same class as some of her friends (such as Mija and Ethan H) and told me she likes to have a lot of new people in her class so she can meet new friends. Our little social butterfly!