School is out, summer is in!

Last Friday we finished up our school year. What a GREAT year we had!! Rewind to June 2009 and you would find me very nervous about the 2009-2010 school year. It was my first year to teach two children at the same time, we were introducing new curriculum, and we had a brand spanking new baby! Not to mention a rambunctious 3 year old!

Thanks be to God a million times over for giving us a wonderful third year of homeschooling. I can say without pause that it was our best year yet! Of course there were many challenges. And plenty of days where I taught while bouncing Penny on my lap (or nursing her). And most certainly my house is not as neat as I would prefer it to be. And our dinner menu has been very simple (but still shooting for healthy). And we have not been as connected with our friends--this does make me sad but hopefully we can catch up this summer.

I am so pleased with my students' progress! Reese is a reader! Hailey has become more of an independant learner. We have developed good habits (morning bible study being the one I'm most proud that we have maintained). Paige did well entertaining herself either in the playroom or quietely in the school room. And Penny has been a reasonably good sport throughout it all--though she was the worst napper I have EVER had (really--her issues with napping were quite terrible).

I do believe that I've grown as Christian, mother, and teacher as well. I'd like to think I'm more patient. And that I've overcome my perpetual stress out fest over the house not being as neat as I'd like. God has really kicked some selfishness out of me too. I've been impressed even more to see things His way. I try to remember to ask Him what He would like me to do this day--what does He want me to accomplish? I might desperately want to clean out the closet but He might direct me to deal with a heart issue that one of my kids (or myself) is struggling with. Another thing God has revealed to me: when one of my kids acts up, see it as an opportunity to teach and train instead of an annoyance to just deal with.

I could also go on forever about how much I have enjoyed studying the Old Testament with the girls. I am impressed even more that training up these children to love the Lord, serve Him, and keep His commandments is my most important job as a parent. It was amazing to read how God time and time again told the Israelites that if they obeyed Him, He would take care of them. And how if they did not obey Him, He would allow them to be destroyed. God means business. He meant it several thousand years ago and and He still means it today! Imagine if every family in America brought up their children to fear (respect) the Lord? I hope and pray that Jason and I can accomplish that goal with our family(with tons of help from our heavenly Father!!).

Time to get ready to jet off to swimming lessons. :)

Another YAY for May!

Our garden!! Tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and peppers. We have some herbs in pots that have attracted swallowtail butterfiles among other creatures. Right now we have 4 swallowtail caterpillars getting fatter by the day. My girls (and I) are kind of hooked on the whole butterfly metamorphasis :)

The rollie pollies are attacked our squash and cucumbers big time. Not sure what to do on that. They get down low and gnaw on the roots. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd smush a cute little poly (when the girls aren't looking of course). I've also found some snails. The tomatoes and peppers are doing beautifully though. Those are our favorites anyway but still...I want some squash!! And some cucumbers!!

Happy May!

I love May! It used to be my most unfavorite month. We lost our home to a fire and my dad died in May in 1988 and for MANY years I dreaded the coming of May.

But God is so good!!

May now means "restoration" to me. In the Mays of the past I have been blessed with the birth of two babies and the conception of one! Mother's Day is in May. My birthday is in May and rather than feel depressed at adding to my years I have felt blessed to have made it around the sun yet again! So bravo for May! And thank you Lord for turning sorrows into dancing!

Here is my current favorite picture: my 11 month old sweetheart who is began WALKING two weeks ago! Yay for May!

Goddesses, Pupas, and Faithful Friends

The end of the school year is on the horizon. I'm really hoping that we can finish up our work by the first week of June. Right now we are studying ancient Greece with Tapestry of Grace. We've enjoyed spanakopita ("spinach squares") and will make a constellarium next week. There are so many cool websites on ancient Greece. Hailey and I have loved checking them out. We've read the kids' version of "Jason and the Argonauts" which the three older girls enjoyed immensely. We are also learning a bit about Greek mythology--the PG stuff at least :) Jason and I honeymooned in Athens so Greece has been of particular interest to me since our visit in 1996. The picture on this post is not mine but it could have been had our camera been working on our trip. One of the great tragedies of my life...broken camera in Greece. What a shame.

For science we are learning all about insects. My girls have had a lasting obsession with creepy crawly things so we've sort of had an ongoing study of bugs for the past five years or so. We are learning lots of new things though! And right now we have many containers lying around our house containing insects in their different stages of development. I think we currently have every stage except for the pupa and that should change any day now when our fat caterpillar decides to grow up :)

One thing I'm not cool with is strolling into my kitchen and finding dozens of inch worms spreading out from a container. One of the girls had apparently found a few eggs on a plant that contained a litter of inch worms. We'll never know what they grow up to be b/c I ordered them out the backdoor. I do have my limits.

Sad news: our 14 year old lab's days are numbered. Looks like the old girl has a mass in her abdomen. Breaks my heart. We've had that dog since before we had the kids. I've cried many tears into Summer's fur over the years. She's always been so patient. Content just to sit next to you. She's the best dog I've ever had. It's not hitting me yet--I'm not going there until I have to. We'll just enjoy her during her time left. We will always remember The Big Yellow Beetle :*)

To Challenge or Accept?

One of the neatest aspects of parenthood is getting a front row seat to your child's ever developing personality. I really like my children--of course, I love them but I also really like them as people. The younger two are just plain cute and entertaining as babies and preschoolers are. The older two, however, are constantly surprising me with their uniqueness.

Jason and I are getting a better idea of their strengths and weaknesses--the former being extremely exciting and the latter being downright frightening! I see character issues in them that keep me on my knees praying for them (I guess that's a good place to be--on my knees before the Lord :)) But sometimes I feel like I'm holding my breath--like I'm watching a movie and hoping with all my heart for a good ending! Will this child mature out of her laziness? Or despite her training will she grow up undisciplined and unmotivated??? One child has a tendency to blame everyone else for what goes wrong in her life (from a spilled glass of water to not being able to finish her sentence). Will she grow up never taking responsibility for her own mistakes??? AAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH! It's enough to make me bite my already too short nails to the quick!!!

No matter their flaws, I want my children to know how much we love them. And that we love them not for what they do but for who they are. They are precious gifts from The Lord and to be treated as such. They are not to be molded into what Jason and I desire them to be but into what The Lord designed for them to be.

So that brings to my dilemma. Is it my job as a parent to iron out these little wrinkles that they come with? How do you decide what needs to be "fixed" and what needs to be accepted? One of my kids is extremely helpless when it comes to age appropriate tasks. If pressed, she will make a pathetic effort. And then when I lovingly correct her she falls apart. Now, I believe that she needs to work on recieving correction and she also needs to persevere (and for Pete's sake...quite whining and complaining!!). But I also do not want her to feel like she can't do anything right and all that comes with that. I want to expect excellence from my children but when does that turn into creating children who "perform" well but have many grievious attitudes hidden in their hearts?????

We want our kids to grow up to be functioning members of God's family. They need discipline--desperately. They need to be taught integrity. So many valuable character traits to impress upon them and really, so little time (the years whizz by--I know this). They need to see these character traits modeled in their parents' lives.

Anyway, I'm just typing what is on my mind. I'm really needing some guidance and wisdom from The Lord on this issue. He's the Master Parent :) The kids are asleep now so I think I'll go upstairs and check on everybody. I love to see their sleeping faces :)

The view from where I sit ... the Dyson staring at me (why bother putting it away?), my handsome husband playing his guitar.

Outside My Window...eerie wind sounds--storms are in the forecast tomorrow

I am thinking...about everything that I would like to get done tomorrow. Also weighing very heavily on mind is the disolution of a friend's marriage. How can someone treat another person so terribly? How can a father's heart grow cold towards his children? How this must grieve our heavenly Father. How I'd like to be the one to deliver swift justice--not my assignment though. Too bad.

I am thankful for...the personal growth I've seen in mine and my husband's lives recently. So thankful that God is in control and that He is SO good!

We are learning...about ancient China for the next two weeks. So fun! We are also studying the courtship habits of birds and all about eggs and baby birds. A certain five year old girl is beside herself with joy. She and I are both wishing we could raise a few ducks. Maybe next year?

From the kitchen...scraping by with what is left from our grocery budget. Brinner tonight, chicken tomorrow. Challah bread too! Our family consumed 11 eggs with our dinner tonight. Jason and I each had 2. The girls polished off 7 eggs between the three of them!

I am wearing... my standard day time uniform: jeans and t-shirt.

I am creating... a plan for tomorrow.

I am going... to vacuum out the car tomorrow if it doesn't rain. I'm trying my best to include this in my monthly chore routine. It must be timed perfectly though--baby napping, weather decent, older girls not needing anything.

I am reading... "A Painted House" by John Grisham. Read it once, did not care for it but I don't remember why so I'm giving it one more try. 100 pages in and not much is happening.

I am hoping...that Penny sleeps all night long tonight.

I am hearing...the same song over and over again while Jason learns it. I'm guessing that this song will be in the background of my mind for the next 3 or 4 days.

Around the house...diapers hanging to dry on the back of our kitchen chairs, seedlings meandering out of the seed tray, pencil marks on the wall that have an appt with Paige and Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser.

One of my favorite things... my husband playing the acoustic guitar. Very relaxing!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: library tomorrow, sort baby clothes, mail thank-you notes.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Trust and Obey

"Trust in The Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding." Proberbs 3:5

Boy that is a tough one, especially in today's culture. So many of the things that God tells us to do are completely opposite of what the world says. Tithe and give when you should be saving up big time for the retirement fund you started a decade later than you should have. Don't reply harshly when someone REALLY deserves it. Pray for your enemies. It all goes against the super strong (weak) human nature.

That's why Proverbs 3:6 is so comforting:
"in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight."

He WILL make your paths straight if you seek Him in ALL of your ways. I love it! All of your ways!

These two verses in particular have been racing through my mind night and day recently for it's been on my heart to trust God in areas that I had not really considered handing control over to Him before. I wasn't conciously disobeying--I was following what the world tells us is just plain good sense! Most definitely I was leaning on my own understanding though--and had never before thought to see if my ways were lining up with God's thoughts on the subject. And if I'm completely honest I will admit that the reason I didn't want to seek God's approval was because quite frankly the issue was too scary to inquire about! And by the way, I'm not quite ready to go public with my struggle and subsequent submission yet. But let me say that I feel like a burden has been lifted--a burden that I had not even thought was there!

I'm going to enjoy my current "so light I could fly away" feelings because I know that soon i will be tempted to question my obedience. I've actually been wrestling with those temptations already but by clinging to God's promises have been able to beat the enemy back. I know what God wants me to do and I'm going to do it.