Dear Future Micah

Dear Micah,

Tomorrow you start first grade in our little, back room with the a/c window unit and the old shelves that you have to slam to close. I've worked for weeks (did you notice?) to prepare and plan and pick just the right curriculum for you. And tomorrow we will start.

I was skeptical when fellow homeschool moms urged me to start you in kindergarten early. "If he's ready," they said, "don't make him wait!" So we abandoned our casual un-schooling approach and we adopted a casual, patch-worked year of kindergarten. There were days where we lost our patience with each other. Days when I thought the work was too hard for you. Or maybe that the teaching was too hard for me. But now here we are, one year later, and you're reading. And reading. And reading.

Will you even remember these last few weeks when we've cuddled in bed and read Roald Dahl's "The BFG" together? Even if the memories don't stick, I hope your love of reading does. My love of books has taken me to many worlds that I'm eager to share with you.

I hope the extra time we get to spend together during your schooling will allow me plenty of chances to tell you about how amazing our God is. He's our God. Mine and yours, too. Love Him like He's yours. Like He belongs to you and you to Him. Because you do. And He's even more invested in your learning that I am. He will guide your paths and your Dad and I will be praying alongside you, as you learn, as you grow, so that together we can seek His supreme knowledge and you can dedicate your life to the mighty plans He has for you.

Micah, sometimes the best plan is a plan that might not seem mighty. What God sees as mighty looks different than what we'd expect. He wants you to serve. He wants you to think of others before yourself. He wants you to sacrifice. He wants you to be brave enough to deny yourself in order to fulfill His mysterious plans.

This year, as you work through your first grade course work, we'll cover science, language arts, heritage studies, social skills, math, geography, and more. I want you to be knowledgeable and wise. And I want you to try, try, try. And I want you to avoid choosing a career path based on the income it brings. I want you to find something you love and do it with enthusiasm.

But that's a long time away still. For now, beginning tomorrow, we'll just learn about this world God made for us. We'll laugh while we do it, and probably argue a little while we do it (we're so much alike we can't help but butt heads now and then!). And one day at a time, we'll build on your knowledge. For a couple of hours every day we'll build some memories around the table and then you'll be free to go build more hilarious, more uproarious memories with that lovely brother of yours.

I'm not gonna lie, there's plenty of pressure that comes with being a homeschooling parent. (Will I be enough?) But being in a position of weakness allows God to shine through with His strength. Whatever you and I accomplish together this year, the credit is His. I can't wait to get started. I love you, first-born. So stinkin' much.