oday, as I sit down to write this article, I can’t help but think it’s on days like these I bask in the goodness of God in my life and thank Him for all He’s done.

When I walked past our bed and noticed the comforter crumpled and messy from kids who recently wrestled in it, I began to smile. Then I came to the kitchen counter that was covered in sticky sweetness from making our own lemonade with fresh lemons this morning, and my smile grew wider. I inhaled deeply and enjoyed the smell of butter still hanging in the air from having been cooked in a hot pan at breakfast.

On these days, I know that what we’re building here day in and day out is enough. It’s our own “beautiful chaos” as the sign my mother-in-law gave me for Christmas reads. The simple routines of life we’re cultivating here are becoming the foundation for what my children will value when they get older.

When my youngest naps, I have my five-year-old, Jack, do quiet time in his room where he listens to Adventures in Odyssey, builds with something, and eats a snack. That’s my time to sit down with my oldest and have some learning time. We do about an hour of work together. He’s making progress each month and that’s enough. Afterwards, the boys go outside and play with their neighborhood friend in the backyard. They’re often seen digging in the dirt, working on their “fort” or pushing each other on the swing.

Then there are days when life just seems like an uphill battle. Lessons feel pointless as my child stares blankly at me when I ask if he remembers something we learned yesterday. The kids seem to be fighting with me and each other more than they are doing anything else, and it leaves me dreaming about a time when they’re a little older… I find myself wondering will these rhythms and routines really be enough to mold my children into all God wants them to be?

I have to remind myself to disconnect from fear and connect to Truth. As I allow my faith to join into the conversation, I know following His lead and doing our best to sow and seek Him will bring a harvest. We’re planting right now and watering. We’re instilling character and creating memories. We’re fostering relationships and teaching as we go.

In my heart of hearts, I love being a homeschool mom. Don’t get me wrong, I do get tired of the questions, the messes, and the fights. But I think the thing that really keeps me going is when I can take a step back with the Lord and think of the goodness. The moments of sweetness and joy that seem fleeting but make me remember why we do all of this. There’s a rest that comes with knowing you’re where you’re supposed to be, doing what you’re supposed to be doing.

The Lord is with us more than we know. He’s in the sweet moments, and the messy ones. He’s here to help us remember the good. So look back on your week, or your month, or even the season, and write about the highlights. They’re there. Maybe they’re not as spectacular as we would like them to be, but they’re there.

It takes faith to homeschool. It takes faith to believe and trust that what you’re doing is enough. Your children don’t need a classroom full of strangers being led by someone with a rigid lesson plan. They need the nurturing love of a parent that brings a blossoming soul into the light of who God made them to be. They need someone who will see their creativity and lean in to hear the soft words they speak with care when they’re scared, or someone who can lovingly see past the loud words they scream when they’re upset and help them understand their boundaries.

I often look back at the pictures on my phone because it reminds me of the beauty in our everyday moments. I try to capture what life was really like around here so I never forget it. Pictures of projects, of things the kids made on their own, or times we saw something exciting like when this incredible moth landed on the outside of our screened-in porch. My friend and I were talking just last week when we met up at a park to visit while our kids played, about how some days you have to learn to love your kids and your life as a homeschooling parent. Some days, it does not come as naturally to enjoy your home and your family as others.

shley Wiggers grew up in the early days of the homeschooling movement. She was taught by her late mother, Debbie Strayer, who was an educator, speaker, and the author of numerous homeschooling materials. It was through Debbie’s encouragement and love that Ashley learned the value of being homeschooled. Currently, Ashley and her husband Alex are the publishers of Homeschooling Today magazine. Ashley is the Co-Executive Editor and a contributing columnist as well as one of the hosts of their podcast, Homeschool Boldly. Husband and wife team, Alex and Ashley are busy raising and homeschooling their three children while running the family business together.