Why do I homeschool?

I was reading Spunky's blog and came across this entry. It really got me to thinking. I have homeschooled for all of my children's school years. It is something that I have felt convinced and convicted about, but had never really thought about things from this perspective. So, why do I want to educate my children? I could also give all the reasons that the woman in the example gave, but are those reasons good enough? Could those goals be just as easily achieved in private, or even public school? Possibly. But I have not been one to debate the value of homeschooling vs. public/private school. I believe that each family must do what is right for them. After giving this a lot of thought, I have come to the conclusion that the reason I want to educate my children is because I truly enjoy being with them. Of course, there are times that I wonder why I am doing this (all those times when they can't seem to get along with each other, for example), but for the most part I am so glad to be able to spend this time with them. It is such an honor to watch them learn and know that I have a hand in it. It brings me joy to see their spiritual hearts growing in love toward God. I also know that it has definitely strengthened my relationship with both of them. They truly enjoy being with me (even my 11 year old, who sometimes has those adolescent "moods"). They confide in me with trust and assurance. These are years that I can never get back and I am so thankful that I have an opportunity to teach them and guide them. So thanks, Spunky, for causing me to stop and evaluate my reasons for educating my children.