Friday, November 2, 2012

Titans Hoodies and THUNDERware - Part I

We love The Classical Academy.  We wear our hoodies proudly!  Titan Nation baby!

When we decided to move to Colorado in 2003, in typical Shanna/Billy form, we flew into town from our home state (Florida) and gave ourselves 1 day (1 WHOLE day) with a Relator to find a house.  (When you have as many kids as we do -- they could eat a babysitter for lunch knowing their parents are across the country.  We are merciful people.) 

The day we choose our lot, we asked the Classic Homes representative for a school recommendation.  He said, "Check into TCA.  I hear it's good."

Always a fan of education philosophy, I had, at the time, been reading everything I could get my hands on about and by Charlotte Mason.  I had also just DEVOURED For the Children's Sake AND For the Families Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay.  All rich, wonderful, idealistic books.  The idea of a classical, Charlotte Mason inspired education became my major minor obsession.

At the time, our kids attended Argyle Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida.  It was a small, Abeka using, private school - filled with people I'd known my entire life.   Graciously, they offered me my first job as a music teacher.  We LOVED it there.  Crazy loved it.  My classroom was right across the hall from Elizabeth's 2nd grade classroom.  She learned to read and forge my signature there.  And if I taught with my door open, I could hear her working out math problems on the board.  Hosanna was a pilgrim in the Thanksgiving play...after she cried and said she didn't want to do it for an hour and half.  Benjamin was the CUTEST preschooler you've ever seen...with stitches in his head.  3 times.  Billy and I actually, got married in the church building there.  My dad pastored there.  I spent hours and hours and hours of my life there.

Falling in love is a trend with Billy and I -- we get attached -- to people, to places.  Once something serves us well, we (I) have a hard time EVER letting it go.  

I like the idea of being settled.  Community.  Staying.  I don't like to "divorce" people and I hate the idea of burned bridges.  Life is richer when you live in relationship -- when you love deeply -- and it takes a long time to make an "old" friend -- all these things, I value.  It's a blessing and a curse.

So, sitting in my Florida sunroom that Feburary, I got on the internet and began to research TCA.  Immediately jumping out at me was a tab entitled, "Books that Influenced Our Philosophy".  And wouldn't you know...there was a list of all the same books I had in my library.  My most cherished titles...MY obsession was THEIR obsession  .  And, I felt an immediate connection.   

The kind of connection that leads you to believe that the God of the Universe has gone before you -- and prepared a way.  Maybe, He's planned this all along.  A connection that speaks to the deep parts of you, casts out fear and proves you're not so crazy after all!  The connection only two friends make when they read the same books.  ;)

That evening, we joined the other 2,000+ people on the waiting list -- with no priority status whatsoever.  Shortly after our cross country move, miraculously, we still got in.

Yes, the charter school has it's problems as ALL institutions/families/humans do...and to say it lives up to its ideals - well that would be far from accurate.  But we found favor there and our children have flourished.  Really flourished.  

Today, we made a change.  Still wearing our Titans hoodie, but now pulling up our THUNDERware as well.  Big change.  Come back and find out what in Part II tomorrow.

Blessings my friends!

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