Finishing the race

Well, it is finally happening.

Homeschool veterans from my era are retiring.

Not the original pioneers from the 70s and early 80s - the ones who fought for legalization and went to jail and paid hefty fines for the right to homeschool.

But the second wave - the mid to late 80s crowd who were still considered way out on the fringes of normal when we announced our decision to homeschool.

And we aren't talking about ones who were only called for a particular season. Or the quitters. Or the posers who shouldn't have been doing it in the first place.

These are the ones who poured out their lives, who have fought the good fight and finished the race.

My friend Katie is retiring from home schooling after 20 years.

She first heard of homeschooling in 1986 from her pastor when her family was young and they lived in Cleveland OH.

Then they moved to Baltimore, and in 1988, she attended a meeting with 7 other women who wanted to start a home school support group. From this inaugural meeting grew Christian Home Educators Network (CHEN, which became the first successful large homeschooling support and lobbying organization in Maryland.

On August 16, after 20 years and with 5 kids educated (One in Iraq, two in college, two in high school), Katie is leaving her chalk in the chalk tray and sitting down for a well deserved rest.

Congratulations, old friend, on a job well done.