CCS

So now we are back in the swing of things, school, work, and all Christmas and New Years stuff is behind us. I have had two days now since the kids have been back at school that I have been by myself. Time to get ready for the baby, time to catch up on those everlasting chores, and some time that John and I have had to be by ourselves. Emily started back to school last week and she was so excited. She missed her teacher and was looking forward to seeing her friends again. School choice is something John and I have spent many hours praying and talking about. I went to private school growing up and John went to Public school. We know A LOT of families that home school. Emily started Preschool one day a week when she was almost three years old. Mostly because it sounded so nice to have one morning a week to myself and plus I was pregnant and trying to get ready for J.D. to be born. These were selfish reasons. She loved going to school and was at a wonderful Church Preschool. I feel like I know the teachers and administration there so well now and John Daniel loves it as well. When it was time for us to decide on first grade for Emily, I bugged and bugged John about checking out Community Christian School. He flat out told me no, that we could not afford it. Orientation and visitation came and went last January and registration passed. I had come to the conclusion that Emily would attend the public school down the street from our house, which is actually a very good school. One of the reasons we moved to the neighborhood was for the schools. One day out of the blue in May John said I think we need to check into CCS. I was like what, all the deadlines have passed etc. But he pushed me and I did. We went for an interview with the principal and tour of the school. She took us to the chapel where the first grade was having their chapel time. The first graders were reciting by memory a very long piece of scripture and doing sign language. I was so overwhelmed that I started crying and could not control my emotions. There is something about hearing the words of God spoken by young ones that makes me so happy. I of course was sold after that and I didn't even need to know about the curriculum. CCS is different than many other Christian schools in that they are not necessarily a evangelical Christian school, they believe their purpose is to partner with Christian parents to raise their children in seeing the world through Christ's eyes so that then the children can grow and have a strong foundation to go in the world and make good decisions and share the gospel.

At first we were a little skeptical about sending her to a school where everyone is for the most part "just like her" or least they supposedly come from a Christian home but then I thought, what is wrong with wanting to protect my children, give them a strong foundation, loving environment...there is sure enough time in this world to make them understand that not everyone believes what we do and makes the same decisions as we do.

After our interview with the principal we were told that there was not a spot for Emily and that she would be put on a waiting list. From that time on, I didn't worry about it and never signed her up at public school. We just waited. John said he would pray every time that he passed the school sign (which is multiple times in the day seeing as thought we have to pass the school to get out of our neighborhood) that God would provide a spot for her or that he would show us the best place for Emily. We got a call in July that there was a spot that opened up. We were elated. We had a second interview with the principal where we got to talk about Emily, her learning style, her personality etc.

We have been so blessed to have her there. She loves Mrs. Dolly, the children, and the activities and subjects and yes she can already recite 4 long passages of scripture with words and signs and I cry to the point of shaking every time I hear her. The teachers are all Christians, they love her, they care about her well being and her spiritual growth. The school is small and she feels confident in being there. This was especially important during the first three months when I was unable to be an involved parent b/c of my pregnancy. I really have felt secure that I knew even though I was sick and couldn't be so watchful that she was being taken care of there. Now, of course, I never want to send my children anywhere else, but as John says, we will take it month by month and year by year. God is good!