Welcome to spring of 2021!!!
Anybody else feel a bit like you've made a climb up Mount Everest and now that you're back to normal altitude you're beginning to catch your breath again?
And what usually follows a catching-my-breath season is a getting-a-fresh-burst-of-energy season.
That kind of sums up how I'm feeling this spring. Looking back to one year ago, I am refreshed instead of nervous; excited about the future rather than feeling pensive; remarkably well rested and hoping to continue to live at a slower-than-pre-COVID pace even as I reenter the world after the year that was 2020.
I hope you are feeling some of those same things!
Now, sure, my children have all flown the coop and I'm no longer actively homeschooling (but I have spoken at several homeschool conferences and summits over the last few years, so I don't feel as if I am completely disconnected from homeschooling). But my feeling of joyfulness when winter finally gives way to spring has not lessened! It's literally a breath of fresh air for many homeschoolers. And I want to encourage you to take some time to breathe deeply of that fresh air. Embrace and enjoy this new season. Let new life, new hope, new expectations spring up in you just as new things are blooming and growing all around you in nature.
Homeschooling is work. Homeschooling is tiring. Homeschooling is, on some days, a fight with your kiddos...or a fight with yourself.
And homeschooling is also true joy. Time with your children. Seeing them learn something new & knowing that if you weren't a homeschool family, you'd have missed this moment completely. It's science labs and messy kitchens and full hearts. It's just so, so good.
Keep on staying the course, my friend.
Love on those kids today.
And give yourself some space to just enjoy something this spring. A cup of coffee outside in the yard all by yourself will do, but try and grab some gusto if you possibly can.
(Here is one way that may work... if you are unable to attend a homeschool convention this spring due to restrictions and the like, take one afternoon's worth of time that you would have spent at the convention and do something you love to do. Don't make any excuses - just go do it.)
And I have a couple of quick announcements to share -
#1) I've started sharing the titles of some of our favorite books from our decades of home education on my Facebook Page "All Things Homeschool with Jan L. Burt". If you'd like, I can share them here as well. Just let me know! Leave a comment, find me on social media, email me at JanLBurt@outlook.com
#2) I've started work on my next book, which will be a prayer journal/devotional for parents to pray over their children based on Psalm 119. If you would like to be a BETA reader & would read an advance digital copy in exchange for reviews on Amazon &/or GoodReads, leave a comment or email me at JanLBurt@outlook.com --- but serious folks only, please. I had several people who did not hold up their end of the bargain as BETA readers for "The Power of God's Will - 40 Days of God's Promises Devotional" & that was a real bummer.
#3) I'll be speaking at the 2021 Homeschool Moms Conference (it's an online event) and --- DRUMROLL PLEASE --- this is the last conference I plan on speaking at. Like, ever. (I have a couple of dear friends that I would consider joining with to speak, but this is it for me in the world of conference speaking as a whole.) My final session has this description on the conference website: Encouragement for Homeschool Moms by Jan Burt: A 25-year homeschooler shares from her heart & from decades of work in the homeschool community. Join Jan for 40 minutes of straight-up encouragement as she speaks on the one topic that has garnered more positive feedback than all her other topics combined. If you could use a time of blessing & favor & strengthening & renewal right now, this is the session for you. (Here's a link if you'd like to maybe check out my final conference world contribution.)
#4) I'm coming back to the world of homeschool blogging in a much more active way. Realizing just how much time and energy have gone into summits and conferences over the last four or so years has made me aware of the lack of time I've had for my blog and the people I feel like I've gotten to know through the years. So, I'll be back (did you read that in your Arnold voice?!?)
Do something super-duper fantastic this spring. And full-on enjoy every second of it!
See you back here soon & have a blessed day!
~ Jan L. Burt
2021 Homeschool Moms Conference Tickets (with Jan's last conference speaking session ever...)
The Power of God's Will - 40 Days of God's Promises Devotional on Amazon
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