The joys of being an adult/parent

Decisions decisions decisions..

You can look at them from different point of views, different ways. You can look at them one way and they make since and the answer is clear then you add in the big but and look at it a different way which has a clear answer as well. What you choose could be best or worse in the short or long run. So how do you make the decision? You pray of course, talk to each other about it {husband/wife} and then pray some more. Do you get other peoples input? Sometimes it is good, other times it doesn’t matter, and a few times it is bad.

I have become overwhelmed with the decision of Madyson’s school. Mainly because since the day she was born I knew what I wanted. I knew I wanted her in a private school no matter what. As she has grown up, her smartness has confirmed that a private school would be best to her benefit. Everything has seemed so easy and unquestionable. {Husband} and I have always been on the same page regardless of others input, advice, and thoughts. All until 2 weeks ago when a light bulb went off in my head.. a thought I had not even considered…

Moving to the mountain….

I lived on the mountain from 4th grade until I graduated. Driving up and down the little mountain everyday of high school. Working off the mountain and on the mountain. Having friends live off the mtn and on the mtn. Once I moved off, I knew I never wanted to move back. It never crossed my mind in the slightest. Even when driving up the mtn for Holidays or just to see my mom, it still never occurred to me that I may live there again.

to bad I can’t just flip a coin!?

This is the decision I am having a difficult time with:

Private School: {just speaking about Pre-K and Elementary}
Is her education worth the money? yes
Is it worth that much for Pre-K and Elementary? Unsure
Is it worth struggling to live/pay while she is in Elementary? Maybe

See, I think it is worth it and I know that she will benefit from a private school way more than a public school. {there is no doubt in my head} but is the benefit worth {only speaking pre-K to 5th grade} the money that will be spent? Is it worth paying X amount of money for 6 years when we could be saving money during that time for private school for middle and high school? Do we want our life to be a struggle getting money in savings and enjoying life? Do we look at it from a point of view of our family, things we get to do, and savings, or do we look at it from the point of view of this is our child.. our only child, and her education is the most important thing.. we will do whatever it takes to provide her with the best school even in preK to prepare her for her future?

The Mountain: {The only public school we feel good about sending her too for elementary school}

Is is where we want to live? wouldn’t mind it, safe.. quite.. small..
Is the cost of living on MTN going to equal out to private school? private school would probably be more expensive than living on the MTN
Is the commute to working off the mountain going to be bearable? maybe

Like I said, living on the Mtn has never crossed my mind. Then 2 weeks ago I thought about the school. Mady will still go to private school for middle and high school. This is not the issue, and as of right now.. I have no doubt about that. Everyone I know that went to private school has become something or done something due to the private school that not a single person I know in public school had the opportunity to do. PLUS, you have to keep up certain grades, the education is better I feel {as for around here where we live} and so on.. but we are not talking about middle and high school. Back to elementary/the mountain.

Driving up and down the mountain everyday only bothers me because of the location I am currently in. It has spoiled me. I am in the most convenient place possible for myself. Everything is within seconds or minutes. I have to tell myself though that when we move, 1 year or 5 years down the road.. the places I know I want to move to are going to be in the middle of nothing, {compared to now} that anywhere I move to will be different from the current and will be a 20 min drive regardless. So the mountain distance isn't that different or that big of an issue. The roads get salted when the are icy, people drive slow because of the 35 miles an hour speed limit, and although it seems more dangerous from a “paranoid drivers” point of view.. it actually might be safer. It is a small town which can be good or annoying. The crime is lower on the mtn although things happen that I don’t think people know about because they want to keep up there persona. Regardless though crime is lower.. it is safer in all honesty BUT you are going to have your “crazies” regardless of where you go.

Now that I have explained a small portion of my thoughts, concerns, and questions.. this the the kicker:

I thought of this 2 weeks ago..

We have to decide now or by March 31st.

Although we would not move for another year if we decided to move to the mtn {Mady would be in K 2013 school year, so we would have to move up there by Aug 2013} we have to decide because of pre K. Her play day for one private school is on Feb. 14th. They let you know if you are accepted and you have to have an answer on March 31st. If she gets in and we decide to stick with private school, then boom.. its easy.. If she gets in and we decide we want to send her to public school for Elementary, then we have to deny the private school.. figure out if she stays at her current preschool or find a cheaper preK and then move by Aug 2013. If we decide now, we can skip the entire process and payments of applications and such for getting her into the private school. So summed up:

OPTION 1:
continue with private school process, if she gets in.. stick with private school and stay in current house for another 3 years or so and then move else where in town while staying at private school

OPTION 2
move to the mtn. choose a Pre-K program off the mtn for now {or stay at current preschool} move to the mtn by Aug 2013 and send her to public school for elementary school on the mtn

The thing is there are so many different details in each option that has to be decided and thought about. We don’t have a year to think about this.. we have from now until March 31st. Unless we want to avoid the fees and process of getting into a private school, then we have to decide now.

Being an adult/parent sucks. I wish this was just a decision made for me. I can pray about it and ask for guidance but still the decision is ours. We have to choose the right thing. Either choice has pros and cons. Neither out weighs the other. Both will be the best decision, but what is the right decision?

and to think: I thought it was hard choosing what to eat for dinner?!

UGH.. I’m done thinking about this right now.. I am going to go read a book