Returning Home But Realizing That Something Has Changed

We returned to the same house we left. But something had changed. Not worse. Not better. Different.
For two of us, our home was more than a place that rooted our family. It was also a school. For six years, my daughter and I entered a daily routine at the dining room table.  At first, the roles of student and teacher pushed to find their identity. There were days when it would have been easier to surrender and resort back to the roles as simply mother and daughter. But truthfully, those identities are never one dimensional. Parenting always involves an element of teaching…..and learning.
So we forged our way; some days easier than others. Seasons of Illness, burnout, and unexpected crises presented themselves. Sometimes, the material challenged me. Together, we navigated through that which appeared incomprehensible. We learned much about persisting through difficulties while finding your own way through them.
At times, our home felt claustrophobic. In the midst of the quiet surrounding us, I longed for opportunities to engage with other adults. To follow paths that beckoned me with possibilities of fulfilling longed for dreams. But I remembered the reason my husband and I had decided to home school my daughter. We wanted her to embrace learning about the world God created. We desired that she recognize she possesses a unique purpose that is defined by her Creator; not human standards. Home schooling her was God’s answer for our us.
On Saturday, I watched her graduate.  Her home school academy holds an official graduation ceremony. Our whole family watched her achieve this milestone. Tears streamed as I realized the vision that I saw from far away was fulfilled. The reality penetrated my senses.
We did it.
So we returned home yesterday. The same house we left. But something has changed.
For two of us, it’s the place where new dreams are being formed.
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