Letter Of Intent/Lonliness

Well, I did it. I submitted Sam's Letter of Intent today. She is an official "legal" homeschooler and she can never "not" be in school again, well, until she is 16 that is.

I didn't have to submit it until 2015, when she turned 7, but to do some of the groups and get some of the homeschool discounts and events, you have to have proof of homeschooling, which is your Letter of Intent. It is simply her First/Last Name. Age. Parents' Names. Address. And what dates you intend to "have school" through. (At least 180 days. We do year round. She is always learning something.) That's it. I save it to my computer as proof. They don't even acknowledge they got it. I keep records of everything we do. But they don't see them unless DFACS takes it to court. No "attendance." No communication. Nothing. Easy. I do my thing. They do theirs.

Still though, it really made things more official. More real. Before it was just, "Well, she doesn't go to daycare and we plan to homeschool at "school age," so she is homeschooled." No. Now she is HOMESCHOOLED! Physically and Legally Homeschooled.

I shared with a couple people that I submitted it, but even Hubby didn't understand. He was like, "Cool. So you submitted a paper saying you are going to do the exact same thing you have been doing for years-teaching her." Which is true, but at the same time, it would be SOOO nice to have a friend, just one friend who, "Gets It." Who says, "That is so exciting! What unit study did Sam pick next? So and So picked _____ ." Or "That's a huge step! Are you nervous? I was nervous when I submitted mine this year." Or "Yah. I read that book by Charlotte Mason. Very inspiring. The part I liked the most was..." 

I just really pray Sam and I both make some new friends this year so we can have someone who understands. Someone who can hang out with Sam during the day. Someone who says, "Hey, Samantha, are you going to be at the Not Back To School Picnic?" We both need it so that we don't feel like we are the only ones. I just hope it happens sooner than later.