"If House Bill 2795 passes, it will essentially mean the end of homeschooling in Tennessee. Parents deciding to teach their children at home would have to conform their curriculum to the material taught in public school in order for their children to be able to pass the state tests."   -HSLDA

At the heart of homeschooling is the ability to choose a curriculum.  It allows students to pursue their passions and talents at their own pace, choose materials that suit their learning styles, and to take ownership of their education.  The state proposes to take all that away by way of a manditory test.  And for what?  To measure our progress or lack of it?  We already have tests for that - the ACT and SAT.  

If you homeschool in Tennessee, please stand up for your rights.  Voice your opinion to your representatives, especially the ones on the Education subcommittee.  Call them.  Email them.  Don't know who they are?  Here's a link. 

http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/

Shocking is how I would describe some of the things that have developed in preparation for this trip, but this latest development takes the cake.  Get this...

We have, over the past few months, contacted a few people asking for their support of our trip, but the goal was not to gain recognition.  The goal was to share our lives - to celebrate the incredible opportunities that we as homeschoolers have, to encourage other people to rethink what is possible in their own lives, and to share what we learn about American history.  Now, we have been asked to consider doing radio and possibly a few TV interviews during our trip, essentially as advocates for homeschooling.  This opportunity was completely unsolicited.  Stunning, isn't it? 

With media attention it would be easy to get carried away to a place we never intended to go.  I am afraid of that.  On the other hand, if God has arranged this opportunity, how can we say no, particularly in light of all He has done to make the trip possible?  I'm also concerned about misrepresenting homeschooling.  It's so dear to me.  In my community it's very common and I don't usually have to give a defense for why we do it.  There are many reasons, but many of them are heart reasons and honestly I'm not sure I can articulate them well.  I don't want to come across like an idiot, giving homeschoolers a bad rap.  It's a lot of pressure.  Then, as I was praying about all of this, I found Matthew 10:19 - "do not worry about what you will say".  If you look at the context,  Jesus is sending his disciples out to spread the word.  Maybe this trip is an opportunity for the country to see an example of what homeschooling is like, up close.  Maybe we're being asked to give it a face, make it personal, demystify it for people who are considering it but are nervous.  Maybe not, but either way we're going to have to decide very soon whether we want to do interviews along the way or not.   

Up until this point my Mom, the ultimate organizer, had not actually laid eyes on the motorhome.  This woman can pack a trunk so full of toys for Christmas that you can't even squeeze in a pack of gum, so I was really glad to get her input.  Once she finally saw it, she took me shopping.  Guess I was missing a few things. 

First stop, IKEA.  Have you seen this place?  Way cool!  The boys weren't really looking forward to shopping, but right inside the door there was a little area just for kids.  They could play.  We could shop in half the time it would normally take.  Sweet!  We bought a tiny desk that may end up becoming our new office/school room/planning hub.  It looks promising.  And then there are the treasures we found at Camping World and The Container Store.  I listed some of them in detail in the forum.