Shannon of the Six

Tonight I got to have coffee with my friend, Shannon.

I first met Shannon about twelve years ago when she came to tour the school my children went to. I showed her around and instead of enrolling her two daughters, she decided to teach there. When the educational consultants I worked for sold the school and I went to work for AD, Shannon kept my children.

It was great. Every day, after work, I got to sit on her couch and we would catch up on the day.

A year later, she and her husband decided to move to McKinney. They were expecting another child and had found a wonderful house. The day she told me, I cried and cried. Though McKinney is only 40 minutes away, it was too far to have the kind of friendship where you know where everything is in each other's kitchens.

Since Shannon's move, our lives have traveled very different paths. My day job evolved from a job to a passion, and Shannon began homeschooling Tori, Alex, and Brianna at their home in McKinney. Then over the years, she and Efrem added three more to their family: Mia, Levi and Sophie.

I can't imagine the fun and crazy family life six children would provide. It was cool tonight to hear Shannon talk about her kids' individual personalities and talents. And though I thought homeschooling would be really, really difficult it actually sounds much more fun and flexible than public school. (Don't worry, Bethany...I know I'd make a dreadful teacher!) The best part is that because Alex plays on a homeschool soccer team that practices just a few blocks from my house, Shannon and I can meet for coffee again.

Shannon's going to have to get busy to learn where things are in my kitchen.