Trying to stay focused!!!

So this is our last "official" week of school for this school year.   We (especially me!) are trying to stay focused this week and finish up all of our school work.  The countdown is on ... today in Math my oldest child realized she only has 4 pages of math work left to finish her book.  The past couple of years we were "done" with school by Memorial Day Weekend, but this year we couldn't quite finish everything up by than.  I ended up taking some time off when we had a death in the family, and also when some of us were sick, so our new ending date is June 3rd.  Anyhow, we have enjoyed school so much this year, and we loved the curriculum we used (http://www.mfwbooks.com/).   The girls have had a good year and I so much enjoy being their teacher.  It is a lot of work, but so rewarding.  I am so thankful we have the freedom to home school our children.  What a GIFT!!!!

This summer we will be doing a lot of "real life" learning through our gardening, planting, and caring for "our" birds.  The girls (all except my littlest one) and I planted our garden yesterday and now we anxiously await for growth.  The girls are excited about helping to care for it this summer ... although I know the weed pulling will get old for all of us:)   We all enjoy birds in our family and we are constantly filling the feeders (seriously, I'm amazed how fast the birds are going through the suet cakes!).  We have had so much fun watching some baby robins close up.  They nested on the ground under a rock climbing wall on our swing set, so we literally have been able to watch every step of the hatching process.   We will continue to study birds throughout the summer ... the girls have enjoyed that so much in school.  

I enjoy the structure and scheduling of my school days, but I'm also looking forward to the free-time we'll have this summer.  I know it will go fast.  We will be starting our first day of school on August 1st this year, so we'll only be off June and July.  That will be plenty.  I'm always excited to start a new school year and see what God has in store for us.   I have my curriculum for next year already, and I am already looking forward to digging into it.  But for now (well, in 3 days!), it's time for a break.  A time for refreshment.  A time for enjoying summer: playing outside, working outside, running through sprinklers, going to the park, the library summer reading program, root beer floats,  just enjoying each day and each other!!! 

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." ~Ecclesiastes 3:1

Wait till they're teenagers!

It's been awhile since I posted but I wanted to continue with another comment we receive on a regular basis.  We often hear from the cashiers at stores, as well as other places, "Oh, four girls huh, just wait till they're teenagers!"  After hearing this comment many, many times, I went to some valued resources: the moms and dads at my church who have teenage girls.

The teenage girls at our church (there are about 12 between 5 families) seemed to me to be such precious girls.  They are so respectful, calling adults by Mr. or Mrs., they dress modestly, they are so helpful with the younger children, they still hold  their parents hands, they put their arms around their siblings during church, and when we've had some of these young ladies over for meals, they helped clear the table and clean up - without being asked.  I had to ask these parents if the teenage years are as bad as so many strangers keep telling me.  I was so encouraged after talking to these parents.  They reassured me that their teenage daughters really are precious young ladies.   I asked them how they raised their children and I received much helpful advice.  The most important thing, of course, is to pray for our children daily and to seek God for guidance on everything.  Our children are a gift from God and I need to remember He loves them even more than me, I need to go to Him with every detail in their life.  I need to place them in His hands on a daily (hourly!) basis!

These parents also encouraged me with many other things that have helped them to raise these godly young ladies.  They suggested monitoring what my children watch and read, how they dress, who they are friends with, and what they are being taught.  My husband and I do monitor what our children watch.  We really don't have make time for TV at our house, except on either Friday or Saturday night when we watch a family movie.  I also let them watch a "Little House" show during lunch on Fridays -- just a special treat for getting our school week done.  We also watch videos if the kids are sick.  We mostly just do movies/videos so they aren't seeing commercials which are usually either scarry or the women are not dressed modestly at all.   We also monitor what books they are reading.  If they want to read a book we don't know anything about my husband will read it first until he decides if it's appropriate or not.  It's amazing, and sad, how a lot of books slip in things about evolution or other gods or how they take God's name in vain with the slang talk.  We also have some trusted book lists in our homeschool resources that help us out tremendously. 

The teenage girls at our church, and Mary and Laura on "Little House"!!!, have been such great role models in how my girls like to dress.  We are training our girls what it means to dress modestly.  This really is hard in the society we live in today.  It is such a blessing to have teenagers who dress modestly around my girls on a weekly basis.  My girls look up to them so much.  I also try to dress modestly but I'm still learning in this area too. 

We also monitor who our girls are friends with and what they are being taught.  This is easier for us since we home school our children and I'm with them almost all the time.  When the neighborhood kids want to play with our girls, we have them play in our yard.   It is such a blessing to be my girls' teacher and to be with them almost all the time. 

My husband and I aren't deceived thinking the teenage years will be easy.  Training our children isn't easy, but  very hard work.  Girls are full of emotions -- I am aware of that being a girl myself (and a pregnant one at that!)!!!  I am so thankful for these moms and dads of teenagers at my church who have blessed me so much with their advice and encouragement.  They will continue to be a rich resource for me in regards to raising my children. 

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Are they all yours?

I still wanted to have some fun this week talking about some of the other comments I get from time to time when I'm out and about.  Another comment I hear is "Are they all yours?!?" or "There not all yours are they?!?"  I would expect this comment if I had 24 children, but with only four children it makes me laugh!!!! As I look to see that I still only have my four children with me, and I haven't picked up any extra along the way, I simply say "Yes!"  I told my husband I think I get this comment because I look way too young to have four children already.  Ummm, nope, we're certain that's not it.  It was a sweet thought though!!! 

This comment does remind me though, that my children aren't "mine" but God's.  He has given these gifts to my husband and I to raise for His glory.  We pray on a regular basis that we would be able to raise them the way He calls us to.  It is a big responsibility that can only be done through Christ who strengthens us.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~Philippians 4:13

You have your hands full!

I have always been a people pleaser.  I want to "fit in" with the crowd and not stand out as being "different."  I don't want to be the "weird" one!  Well, ever since I became the mom of four children, I don't seem to "fit in" anymore.  It is very rare that I can go to a public place with my children: at the library, store, restaurant, clinic, without getting a comment.  They have mostly been fun and light-hearted, but some have been sad.  The way some people view children as a burden is heart-breaking.  There have been comments that have brought a tear to my eye, and that I've had to explain to my children why someone would say that.  Anyhow, I thought it would be fun to do some posts on the light-hearted comments I get on a weekly basis. 

I'll start with the comment I get most often.  "You have your hands full!"  Ummm, yep, can't argue with that.  Could you get the door for me?   I have my baby in the carrier, I'm pushing the cart/stroller with my toddler in it, and I have my two young girls walking beside me, sometimes holding the hand that isn't pushing the cart/stroller.  Literally, my hands are full!!!  Most importantly, however, is that my hands are full of the BLESSINGS GOD HAS GIVEN TO ME. 

I respond differently to this comment depending on the day and how many times I've heard this:)  Sometimes I simply smile, sometimes I say "they are so much fun," and sometimes I say "I'm sure blessed."  I always try to be pleasant, no matter how the comment was said to me.  I want my children to know that it is a blessing to have full hands.  That I wouldn't have it any other way.  I am so thankful that God has given me full hands!


"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please Man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."  ~ Galatians 1:10