Gracie's First Show

Wow!  Ok, so I'm gonna tell ya'll flat out...I know NOTHING when it comes to the world of showing horses. Seriously...I make sure the girls show up with boots half chaps, helmets, and food, lots and lots of food. We've been blessed with an amazing horse family and a trainer, Anne Warner, who takes them under her wing and nurtures them along. She tells me they have natural talent...What I know is they have an all consuming love for horses. So much so that they would rather be mucking out stalls than anything else, when they aren't riding, of course. 

So today, the past year and a half of hard work culminated in Gracie's first show. She did awesome!  We had one little blood sugar issue (after amazing numbers all weekend long). Her first ride went really well, she finished and came out of the ring. I thought it may be a good time to do a finger poke since it would probably be at least 15 minutes before she rode again, so right there as she's still sitting atop her horse, just like at any normal lesson, she tests...uh oh...36!!!  Seriously???  I ask her how she feels and she says she feels fine. She chews five glucose tablets, which give her 20 grams of straight glucose, and never misses a stride. She gets down, walks around, drinks some water, pets one of the dogs, then back on her horse to ride again. This girl never ceases to amaze me!!!  The quiet strength and dignity with which she lives victoriously over her diabetes is truly beautiful. 

So, back to the show...she rode, she jumped, she smiled, she beamed actually, and she, along with her partner, Double Clear's Leap of Faith (we call him Daddy:) went on to win 2 1st place ribbons, 1 3rd place ribbon, and 2 4th place ribbons. Pretty darn good for the very first time :)  Of course, Daddy is an old pro at this and took it all in stride. He is an amazing guy...retired race horse, rescued off the track by Anne Warner, brought into her program and has proven himself to be probably the most versatile horse around. He can give beginner riders the confidence they need to progress, help growing riders mature and develope into really good riders, he jumps like nothing I've seen before, and according to my girls he is just a pure joy to ride. Gracie and Hannah LOVE our horse family (we all do:), and moving into this new phase - going from only lessons to also showing - is a blessing beyond  what I ever imagined...AND IT'S SO MUCH FUN :). I mean seriously, it's all about being with horses as much as possible, right ;)  CONGRATULATIONS GRACIE!!!

Date day with Sarah Camden

I enjoy taking one on one time with my girls, whenever I can.  As they get older it can get harder to find that time because their schedules get so busy, so we nab these times whenever we can. Today was one of these times...Sarah and I enjoyed mani-pedis (well, I just got a pedi) and then a quick lunch Inbetween her morning dance class and afternoon/evening work shift. What fun!  She shares my sarcasm, so it's always fun when we get to do something together. She also shares my love of pumpkin spiced lattes, although we ran out of time today and will have to grab one next week. That said...check out my pedi; I still ended up with my latte;)

As for lunch, in typical fashion, I pick mine from the middle and eat about 3 rings, washed down with a root beer:). Sarah finished my rings, critiquing them since she makes rings for runza nearly everyday;)  These are the moments I cherish

Remember that basket of art supplies?

Well, as inviting as it was, it was overflowing and would prove to be too much of a distraction when trying to get our lessons done. So I opted to reorganize a bit. I absolutely LOVE this vintage garden tote that I picked up at a farm auction a few years ago. It's proved to be a perfect solution to my marker addiction ;)  Now when we are sitting here, working away, there's no more hunting down pencils, pens, and markers :). Not to mention, it makes me happy just looking at it. One week from today our new school year begins!

A new season....

Do ya'll know what this is?  This absolutely beautiful little notebook is my new scripture writing journal for the fall season. You know...the all things pumpkin and cozy season...my favorite season...the season that is my fresh start every year:). I don't know what it is about September 1st, but I seriously feel the dust of the hot Nebraska summer just blow away and things just seem to settle down into a nice cadence around our home. It's when I get my groove back on, right along with my cute clothes and awesome boots that I love so much. 

Are you wondering what a scripture writing journal is?  Well, here's a strange little tidbit of information about me...I LOVE to write. I mean, I physically love putting pen or pencil to paper and practicing my penmanship. There's just something relaxing about it. And what better way to relax than in scripture, right?  Pinterest, (don't ya just LOVE Pinterest???) has lists of monthly scripture writing plans (and they're really cute too :) that you can download to get an easy start. Then, each day you just enjoy writing out scripture and spending time with God as you copy down his Word. This is something I've done forever, it seems, and I love it. If you're wanting to try something new in your quiet time, give it a shot. You may find you love it. And...there's an added bonus: you're leaving behind a precious gift for your children down the road. In this day of everything being in an electronic form, your handwritten pages will be a treasured gift for generations to come :)

My little Pinterest Princess

Gracie cracks me up!  She is her mama's daughter when it comes to her vintage soul, and it shines when she can come up with ways to use mason jars. She was so proud of herself tonight when she came down to my studio with her blanket, diabetes bag, and her bedtime snack. Her snack was a mason jar filled with yogurt and granola, on top the lid she had a chocolate muffin which she held in place with two strips of paper towel crossed over it and tucked neatly into the ring. She then taped a fork (yes, a fork, go figure:) to this and it all travelled quite nicely. I just love her ingenuity :)

The Last Week Of Summer....

Seriously???  It never ceases to not take me by surprise.  No, it doesn't sneak up on me; I'm totally aware of it's arrival, I just always find it bittersweet.  I'm a homeschool mom for pete sake!  What is the deal?  My youngest has been asking to start back to school lessons for three weeks already and I've been telling her NO WAY... Sorry Chickadee, but the first day of school is already in my planner for September 6th...IN PEN.  There's no changing that, I mean, did I mention that it's in pen???

Yes, our new school supplies are ready to go, all organized and oh so tempting.  The basket of crayons and markers are just calling out to all of us.  Screaming at us to settle in and enjoy some creative journaling.  Fresh sketchbooks tucked in there as well, just peeking out and calling to the girls.  New glue sticks that aren't all sticky on the outside and dried up on the inside, watercolors, pastels, chalks, markers with the lids actually on, colored pencils with perfectly sharpened points.  And crayons!!!!!  Lots and Lots of crayons.  Whole and sharp and still with the wrappers (as opposed to broken and naked;)  A box of 96, a couple of 24 count boxes, a box of the JUMBO, even a box of scented.  I mean, you just never know what kind of crayon you may need, right?  Then there's the folders, the three ring binders, the spiral notebooks, the pens, the pencils, the scissors, the calculators, the rulers, reading books, math books, spelling books, handwriting books, health books, science books, history books, english books....I can go on and on and on.  It's a lot of stuff to start a new year.  And, it's all so pretty the last week of summer.  Full of promise and excitement.  But it's still A LOT OF STUFF.  And.... that's just the girls stuff.  Don't forget that I, as their teacher, have all the teacher guides to go along with all their books.  And, also being a female, I love pretty new supplies, so I too have a cute three ring binder to hold test guides, spelling lists, my planner, and everything else I need to keep my days stitched together.  Right now I'm looking at the work table in my studio, which also doubles as our school table, and I'm staring at stacks of books and papers, and notebooks, and piles of pencils and pens, and misc supplies, yet my eyes automatically go to our colorful art supply basket... and my spirit instantly calms.

This is our 14th year as a homeschool family and what school looks like now versus what it looked like when we began is vastly different.  Homeschooling is a journey as well as a lifestyle.  Do not let anyone ever let you believe it's just an academic choice.  When we first began I was still working 50 hours a week in our home doing licensed daycare and we only had 2 daughters.  Even though I knew WHY we had chosen to homeschool, it still took me a few years to not feel I needed to replicate a traditional school system's school day, and frankly I tended to just complicate things for all of us.  The early years were spent making sure that our oldest daughter was getting her school work done....which meant that she spent several hours each day at her desk doing traditional lessons, which made no sense since that was not her learning style and made us all miserable.  Tessie Bugg, if you're reading this, I'm apologizing yet again ;)  Fast forward to now.... our lessons are much more hands on and much less worksheet.  "Living Lessons" I like to call it, others call it "unschooling", no matter what you call it, it comes down to learning in a natural way, a way that supports and encourages our children to grow rather than to only meet a status quo.  I don't teach our girls how to take tests, rather, I teach our girls how to learn.  By teaching them how to learn, they will spend their entire lives growing and learning and never become stagnant and bored.  They dig into anything that interests them and they know no limits.  Historical facts aren't dry facts only memorized for a test; they are personal tidbits of information about real people, places, and events that the girls are given the opportunity to dive into and learn about.  For example, this past spring we had the opportunity to visit Monticello; suddenly Thomas Jefferson became very real to them as they walked the very floors he walked and stood by the bed he died in.  Learning about the lives of slaves was no longer a series of stories in their history lessons.... it became very alive to them as they walked along the road the Jefferson slaves lived and worked, spent time in their homes, shops,  and gardens, understood the difference of their lives "down there" versus up in the main house, and even as we visited the slave cemetery.   These are things that a traditional education, well what we've come to think of as a traditional education anyway, can never give them.

I get questions all the time when people find out we homeschool.  First off, let me say that every state has their own set of laws governing home education.  We are very fortunate that Nebraska strongly supports homeschooling, and I pray that doesn't change.  They allow families the freedom to school in the way that works best for them.  My girls are NOT morning kids (neither am I, for that matter), so you will never find us doing lessons at 8:00 am.  I shoot for 10:30 am, but that's a goal and I enjoy the freedom to adjust our day as needed, if that means we school later in the day, so be it:).  With the health issues our family has, it's a blessing to be able to have this flexibility!  Not all our lessons are book based, so just because my girls aren't sitting at a desk filling out worksheets, that doesn't mean we aren't schooling.  I'm not a firm believer in written tests being the end all be all....for instance, two of my girls typically do well with them but two do better if I test orally.  It's more important to me that they show they've mastered the lessons than forcing them to do things one way. If something just isn't clicking and it's clearly causing emotional issues (i.e. meltdowns), we take a step back.  We are not on some preconceived timetable that we have to meet.  My girls emotional health is more important than getting through a math unit "on time".  In my experience, by taking a step back and letting them advance at their own natural pace, they actually excel (with fewer migraines all the way around).  Grade levels are put in place for the ease of a school system not the benefit of kids and therefore I don't pay attention to them.  My kids are on grade level in some subjects and may be ahead or behind in others.... what's important is that they are actually learning, not how fast they are ingesting facts for a test.  On that note.... while certain relatives may freak out because my girls don't like to read out loud in front of people (keep in mind that two of my girls have dyslexia and still know how to read, and another is actually a very good reader but is not a brave reader) or recite their multiplication tables for the entertainment and amazement of all to behold (insert sarcasm) it does not mean they are stupid or unsocialized, it just means they are not trained monkeys;).  How do I know when the girls are ready to graduate?  When they finish their course of study, just like in any other school; only in our homeschool they have they option to set their own pace.  Tess chose to finish up early, whereas Sarah seems to be choosing to finish in a more traditional time frame, so far.  Oh, and here's a biggie.... COLLEGE IS NOT THE ONLY OPTION.  The fact is, Craig and I are raising our girls for the Kingdom of God, not some university system.  If they choose to go to college, that's fine...but guess what?  It's also totally fine with us if they choose not to go to college as well.  There are so many other options available and frankly, college isn't the right choice for everyone as it's been made out to be in the past couple of decades.

While I'm on it, (and this post has already taken a turn down some rabbit trail that I hadn't intended)....homeschooling allows kids to actually be kids (now, there's a novel concept).  Seriously, think about that for a minute; let it soak in.  Our school systems reflect what is going on in society, both good and bad, and we know that our kids are hitting puberty at a much early age than ever before. Why is that?  I'm sure the answers are vast; I can come up with dozens myself.... and they all lead me back to a core difference between homeschooling and what we've come to think of as the traditional school system.... homeschooling allows kids to learn and grow at their own natural pace, whereas school systems are set up to handle the masses and do not leave much room for individual growth and natural pacing.  I'm not suggesting that everyone rip their children out of their local school system, quit their jobs, and homeschool... I'm just pointing out the obvious core difference between the two.  Homeschool kids (and their families for that matter) are as vastly different and unique as there are stars in the sky, but one broad stroke of the brush I can make is that they are "different", which is exactly what we want them to be.  Different doesn't have to mean odd.  They deal with the same things every kid deals with.  They aren't sheltered from the hurt of bullies, the disappointment of not making the cut, being on the bad end of gossip, they still have to make decisions concerning "sex, drugs, and rock & roll".... and guess what? They aren't perfect; they mess up and make mistakes, sometimes even life changing mistakes at times.  But, they still have something their traditional school counterparts don't have and that is the freedom to have a childhood that is almost forgotten today.  Our days aren't spent inside with outside time being a 15 minute recess.  We aren't constrained to a desk.  We can take our learning anywhere we want.  If it's a nice fall day, we might pack up our books and head to the lake.  It's not uncommon to find the girls on the deck or up in the clubhouse doing their lessons.  And yes, we travel quite often, so they just pack up their backpacks and are use to schooling on the road.  They are much less stressed then their friends who attend traditional schools.  Think about it though.... we don't have homework; when their work is finished, they're done for the day.  Their friends are at school 7-8 hours a day, come home with a couple hours homework, plus sports.  They barely have time for dinner and a shower before bed.  Whereas in our home, evenings are relaxed and usually entail a bedtime snack after a long hot shower.  Yes, it's good to be a kid in our house :)

So, off this rabbit trail and back onto the original intent of this post.... the last week of summer.  It's fleeting and bittersweet.  I'm thrilled to see the heat and humidity of a Nebraska summer drift off into the prairie sunset as the crisp autumn air starts to usher in the season of spiced pumpkin everything :)
COZY!  Fire in the fireplace to warm the house.  The smell of bread and soup filling the air.  Chilly evenings laughing around the fire pit in the backyard.  Quilting!!!!  Flannel shirts, sweaters, jeans, and boots.  Seeing your breath in the morning air.  But also realizing that it's the 14th year of your homeschool journey which means your kids are growing up... one is already out on her own with another soon to follow, and the youngest two are at the threshold of the teen years.  You look around and wonder where it all went, then your eyes fall on that basket of pretty new art supplies ready for the new year, and you spend the last week of summer mulling over how vastly different your homeschool journey is now from where it was when you began.  14 years ago Tess sat at a desk, all proper and cute.....now, we school wherever we feel like it, sometimes hanging upside down from a favorite overstuffed chair, to read a favorite story if the mood strikes.... or maybe Dad will say, "pack your bags, we're hitting the road, I have a surprise" and we'll end up in Walnut Grove, MN again, jumping off of Laura's big rock into Plum Creek, just after we stood in the dug out, on the Banks of Plum Creek :)  You just never know where this crazy homeschool journey is going to take us ;)

Max William is 5

So, much like everything else, I'm late. Max turned 5 on August 9th. We loved on him, sang to him, Gracie even made special artwork to hang above his bed. But...the day got away from us and we just didn't get a chance to take him to HyVee for his birthday cookie. We bought cupcakes and he finally got to have his cake and eat it too tonight :)

Happy Birthday Max William. It's been quite the journey, to say the least😀

The View From My Back Porch 

As I sit here looking forward to starting another school year (our 14th as a homeschool family), I can't help but look back over the past couple of years and all that has been thrown our way.  Things that derailed us from our comfy daily routine and forced us to reach deep down to grasp tightly our family tie in order to stay grounded.  No, nothing earth shattering took place to cause a major interruption.... just lots of ordinary challenges that cause you to go off the rail.  Things like aging parents, health issues, transitioning daughters, careers, blessings (lots of blessings) and losses (those are always the hardest), etc.  Let me back up a bit, since it's been so long since I've sat at my computer to post....

2015 saw major challenges and changes for my mom.  At 70 years old she has always enjoyed fairly good health and has always been a little spitfire.  Last year, in February, she suffered major back pain that took her mobility away nearly instantly...she then had her first of 4 back surgeries to fix the problem.  March saw the second surgery, April the third, and finally June she had her fourth.  In-between, in May, she was hospitalized for several days for an infection she contracted from the hospital and her previous surgery.  Yes, the first half of 2015 was off to a rough start.  I spent it living with my mom, tending to her care and enjoying seeing her bounce back, slowly, to good health as the last half of the year rolled around.  Thankfully Mom lived only a matter of a few blocks away, and the girls would come over each day to work on their lessons and spend time with me and enjoy their grandma.  I would pop into our home each day to touch base, get fresh clothes, and breathe in the familiar air of my family and our life.  This was a challenging time, yet it was full of blessings each and every day, and I wouldn't trade a moment of it for anything.  I saw God work in ways I wouldn't have noticed had our circumstances not been what they were.  Through it all, my husband kept things going at home, even navigating the emotional mine fields of 4 daughters (and may I remind you all that they are all true redheads;)  By the fall of last year, it became clear that, although Mom had recovered well, working nearly full time was no longer an option if she wanted to continue to enjoy a (mostly) pain-free back.  This meant that she needed to move so that she could retire with few worries.  Yes, another major change was on the horizon.  God blessed her however, by moving her into a lovely retirement apartment, only about a mile from our home.  It was a tough transition at first, as she faced downsizing one more time; but she quickly settled in and now enjoys her cozy new home.  Mom is such a social and outgoing person and God is using her in her new home to reach out to her neighbors and share His love with them through her friendship.  He's also blessed her finding a new purpose in serving her friends and neighbors since retiring, which she truly seems to love.  

During all this time, the girls continued to grown, learn, and thrive.  A huge blessing throughout this time was the girls drew closer to each other than they ever had before.  They learned to count on each other, support one another, and most importantly, to love on each other.  Now, don't get me wrong... they're girls which equates to a boatload of bickering and even some drama, but I see how close they truly have become over the past couple of years.  That does this mama's heart a world of good.  God has shown me that my girls hearts are truly filled with Him and that they seek to bring him glory and honor in their relationships with each other and us as their parents.  These girls stepped up to the plate to take care of the daily things that needed to be done even though so much of my focus and attention needed to be on caring for mom's needs during that time.  What a blessing to see God's promise fulfilled in this way! And as a sidenote: it's amazing to see how they work together when I removed myself from the equation... no more refereeing needed when it came to sisterly squabbles; they learned to work things through themselves and walked away feeling loved by each other in the end.  Yes, they still try to draw me into their little rumbles at times, but I now know they do not need Mom to act as referee; they are quite capable of handling their sisterly nuances themselves :)

As to the state of our home during the past couple of years, with my attention being divided between our home and my mom's.... I've learned to embrace the "not so pinterest worthy"state of being.  Meaning, yes indeed our home went from lived in to FEMA zone pretty quickly during that time.  We were in survival mode: making sure everyone had clean clothes, meals were prepared and eaten (yes, I've finally accepted paper plates as legitimate dinnerware;), critters were cared for and fed, and bathrooms were at least clean, etc.  Kids just don't see a problem with their belongings strewn all throughout the house, carpets not getting vacuumed and furniture getting dusted, or floors not getting scrubbed.  "Gee Mom, we took a shower.... what do you mean you want us to clean up the bathroom as well?"  "Take out the trash?  Huh?  I thought trash day was on Friday...it's only Tuesday; why do I need to take it out?"  Or my personal favorite "It wasn't me..." in response to any "who left/did/didn't/made/dropped/etc" question I asked.  From the sounds of all the resounding "Not Me" answers I got, my only conclusion is that we either have ghosts or a few other people living here that I've yet to meet;)  Top this all off with the fact that we've been trying to get moved back to the family farm since spring of 2013 and have 1/4 of our belongings (you know, the stuff that you don't use on a weekly basis, but still NEED to have;) packed up in boxes stacked in "out of the way" places around our home, and you have a very "lived in" decor going on.  Well, once things settled down, after we got Mom moved and settled into her new home, I went on a semi-clean sweep of our entire home.  I mean, if you're going to get into every corner, nook, and cranny in your home to dust out the cobwebs, you might as well do it with Christmas music playing and Christmas decorations in hand to brighten up the place.  Yes, it took awhile and a lot of hard work to get things back into order, but we managed to get 'er done and enjoy a lovely holiday season all the way around :)

Step into this year.... 2016 started out slow and (dare I say) boring.  We were back into our groove around here.  The girls worked hard last year, selling things and working to earn enough money to surprise their dad with a trip to Disney World.  February came and off we went to Florida.  Traveling, as always, in our trusty Sequoia.  What an awesome trip!  Not only our week at Disney, but the places we stopped and visited all along the way, especially getting to go back to Pleasant Hill Kentucky.  Our last day on the road, however, saw my health plummeting.  Right on schedule, just like every February, bronchitis and pneumonia were coming on.  Yep, I got to spend the next several weeks meeting the needs of my family from my bed as I recovered.  Yet again, however, I got to enjoy the blessings of homeschooling and the flexibility it offers.  The girls have no problem doing lessons in my room, on my bed even :)  It's kinda like an ongoing educational slumber party at times like that :) I bounced back of course, just in time to head east with Craig.  As he worked with his clients, the girls and I enjoyed "real life learning".  The Museum of Pioneer Culture and Monticello were the highlights of that trip, along with exploring local historical sites in the areas we visited and stayed.  Our family doesn't fly any more; we made a choice years ago to drive instead.  The freedom it allows is well worth the added travel time.  The girls are use to packing up their school work to take along and their educational experience is so much richer since they aren't totally reliant on text books.  Hands on learning engages their minds in a way that dry words never can.  What they learn outside the walls of our "classroom," I would suggest, is more valuable than any curriculum based assignment could ever be.  We are heading into our 14th year (I think that's right) of homeschooling and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  

This year has also held more medical issues for our family.  Gracie's type 1 diabetes is well managed, however, it is a daily struggle to keep her healthy.  Insulin is not a cure, rather, it is her life support.  She will not outgrow this, and at the moment there is no cure available... there is however HOPE on the horizon.  Tess faced a minor surgery this year as well as a job change (yes, she's still teaching dance and acro :)  Sarah and Hannah are still dealing with their celiac issues.  And I was officially diagnosed with fibromyalgia to go along with my other health issues.  What is the one crazy thing I'm thanking God for most of all through our crazy journey the past couple of years?  The ability to finally accept that life is not a Pinterest Board.  It's going to be messy, chaotic, unscheduled.  Routines will be blown to bits, the well worn groove we find comfort in will veer off path, and things will fall through the cracks.  But, you know what?  I thank God that He never leaves and will continue to bless us and that in the end it will all be ok.... a beautiful mess, but His perfect plan all at the same time.  

So.... here I sit, looking back from my front porch so to speak, to find that I'm right where I'm suppose to be at this particular moment.  Diets and healthy habit attempts may have failed many times over, my prayer journal may look sporadic at best, my lesson plans may have been altered on the fly, let's not even talk about how my well planned monthly menus are laying there with nothing more than a longing glance tossed their way while I bake chicken strips, instant mashed potatoes, jarred gravy, and canned veggies to feed my family more times than not.  The fact remains that God is good all the time.  It's through His grace alone that we've made it through the past couple of years stronger than we were  before and that we have HOPE in HIM ALONE for a bright tomorrow.  Do we know when we will ever actually get moved back to the farm, or what might get thrown at us at the next doctor appointment, or anything else that may come our way?  Nope.  But I do know that God will never fail us and He is the one directing our path and binding our family together and to Him.  I choose to look forward and rest in His promises.... all the while trying to tame the laundry, get my kids to eat more veggies, keep my home in a way that won't cause me to cower should someone unexpectedly ring the door bell... and yes, start getting ready for Christmas while listening to christmas music even before we start back to our full time school schedule... because this is my crazy life; the one God designed for me.  Yup!  These are my monkeys and this most certainly is my circus :)

Thankful.....

It's been a long time since I've blogged.  Lots to catch up on, but will save that for another day.  For tonight though, I'm reflecting on how thankful I am for the man God has given me.  We've faced daily struggles, some that seemed nearly insurmountable, mixed in with the normal chaos of a very busy life.  I can't imagine going through life with anyone else by my side.  Blessed by his provision, protection, and very presence each and every day.

Lady Antebellum: One Great Mystery

5 Ways To Disciple My Children

While cleaning out my office today, I ran across some notes I'd made for a plan for me to really help my girls grow in God.  We turn our girls toward God every day in all that we do, but this is a step by step plan to help them determine their own hearts and minds toward God's will and not their own.  I thought I'd share it for those who are looking for ways to encourage their own children to grow and be deeply rooted in Christ.

1: The Word Of God
Love the Word of God.  Let them see me in scripture.  Share what I learn with them.  Use      God's Word to back up decisions.  Build daily Bible reading/study habits in them.  Start the day with God... "Bible before Breakfast".
Actions for me to take:  Text encouragement and scripture to them daily or leave notes for them to find.  Make a devotional calendar for each of them.  (that will be in another blog post:)

2: Prayer
Make the time DAILY.  Pray WITH the girls.  Pray FOR the girls.  Pray OVER the girls.  Teach them to love prayer.... Prayer walk, Prayer Jar, Prayer Journal, Prayers of thanksgiving, Family thankfulness book (a few ideas that will also show up in a later posting).
Colossians 1:9-12     Ephesians 1:16-19

3: Fellowship
"Like-minded people moving toward the same goal."  Encourage the girls to get involved in small groups, Bible studies, invite friends to a scripture tea or fun etiquette lessons together, etc.
Proverbs 27:23

4: Scripture Memorization
Choose verses for each of them that address their personal needs or sin issues.  Teach them to use God's Word to protect their heart and to keep them from sin.
Psalm 119:11

5: Service To God
Thru service to others.  Thru service to each other.  Help them actively seek ways to meet each other's needs.  As a family, choose someone/something to serve (humane society, mom's group at church, abortion ministry, etc).  Show them that it's not about grand gestures, it's about the little things.  Help them learn that by meeting other's needs, their own needs will automatically be met.


I'm sure this list can and will grow.  But I wanted to have a good starting point and see where God leads from there.  If you decide to try some of these ideas, I'd love to hear all about it :)

Blessings on a beautiful weekend!

In a "Mommy Mood"

Milestones in a Mommy Mind...

See that sweet baby girl up there?  Yeah, that one in the sweet and proper, lacy baby dress and bonnet.  My oldest daughter; the one that made me a mommy; my Tess Elizabeth.  She turns 18 tomorrow ~ not to sound like every other mom and grandma throughout history, but... where has the time gone?

God has blessed me 4 times over with 4 daughters; all sweet and spicy, all unique and special, each one from the deep desire of my heart and the long standing request of God Almighty to allow me to be a mom.  God has blessed me richly and has brought me to motherhood in just about every way possible, starting with my Tessie Bugg.  Her story is as unique as she is and as beautiful.  You see, she is a direct answer to a prayer I began to pray when I was still a child.

Remember being in Preschool or, for those of us that are as old as I am and Preschool wasn't the norm, Kindergarten ;) when you were always asked what you wanted to be when you grew up?  The normal answers for my friends went something like, "I want to be a nurse, a teacher, a missionary".  As we grew a little older the answers branched out to include "I want to be a doctor, an olympic skater, a scientist, a police officer, fashion designer, a youth counselor, an advertising agent, a rock star, an actor...."  I could continue, but you get the idea.  For me, however, my answer never wavered; I wanted to be a mom.  Keep in mind that I was born in the late 60's, grew up in Southern California in the 70's and was in High School in the 80's; a generation of girls that was being taught to break through the stereo types set by Mrs Brady and Mrs Cleaver.  A generation of females that was taught we could do anything boys could do and we could do it better; we could bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan (and clean up the dinner dishes, do the laundry, clean the house, be everything our husband wanted us to be, be super mom to our kids, the "go to" person for our church and Bible study groups, the friend everyone could count on for anything... oh yeah, and we could do it all without ever letting anything fall through the crack).  Uh yeah.... I just simply wanted to be a mom and hopefully a good mom, raising good kids for God's Kingdom.  That's it, plain and simple.  No deep seeded desire to conquer the gender gap, explore the Conga, crack the DNA code..... just be a good mom.  I didn't care how God brought me to motherhood, but I did have one request of Him ~ if he chose to bring children to me through adoption, please let it be through a random phone call of someone wanting me to be their baby's mama.  I'd heard too many horror stories of adoption heartbreak.  Too many stories of babies being placed and the birthparents changing their minds, leaving empty, broken hearts and empty nurseries and cradles.  I knew I wasn't strong enough to handle that kind of heartbreak.  So I prayed; I layed it all at my God's feet and waited on Him.

Fast forward to 1995.  We'd been married for 7 years with no sign of children.  We were happy and content with our life; it was a good life and we had a great lab named Maggie who filled that void in our days; entertaining us and offering us unconditional love and lots of sloppy, wet lab kisses.  It was late summer, the days warm and sunny, when the phone rang on this particular morning.  My mom calling with a question - would we want to adopt a baby?  Huh?  What?  Wait a minute, Mom; back up, start at the beginning please."  A dear family friend, her second mom, called that morning; their grand-daughter's friend was pregnant and looking for a family for her baby.  She'd asked them if they knew anyone because she loved them and trusted them.  We popped into their mind immediately, but since we'd never said anything about kids, let alone adoption, would we want to adopt this baby?  OK... stop right there; I'll admit that right at that second is when God made me a mommy, because it was right at that second that my heart wrapped around that baby and he/she was mine.  No I didn't know the young woman in search of a family for her baby, but I knew that the baby she was carrying was the baby God had for our family.  I hang up the phone, telling Mom I'll call her back; then I ponder for a second just how am I going to approach my husband.  I mean, I realize that God was handing me exactly what I'd asked Him for since I was a young teenager, but my husband didn't know that.  "Who was that?" he asked as I hung up.  "Just Mom...." I sit down on the sofa next to him and ask "What would you say if..... (I decided the most direct path was the best ;)"

We met Tess's birth mom Labor Day weekend and liked her right away.  She was sweet, smart, sincere, and wanted the best for her baby.  She invited me to go to her first OB appointment with her the following week, knowing that we'd get to see the baby on ultrasound as well.  She asked me to be her labor coach, so we took a lamaz class together.  I took her to each one of her prenatal doctor appointments, and usually we'd grab a little lunch afterward, giving us the chance to get to know each other a little more each time.  We were honest with each other all the way thru, even when it was hard, like the times she would call and say she was really having a hard time with it all, just thinking about giving her baby away and that she might change her mind.  There were tears, there was laughter, there was joy and there was sorrow.... most of all though, there was a growing love between us encapsulated in the baby she was carrying.  4 months passed; our baby grew ~ she was a feisty one and was perpetual motion, keeping her birth mom awake and uncomfortable.  The doctor promised us she would arrive in time for Christmas.  We pushed all the legalities through as fast as we could, including our home study and the home inspection on Christmas Eve.... NO BABY.  This child was going to be a stubborn one!  Her due date of January 3rd came and went.  Each week we would put her birth mom's suitcase in the trunk of the car on our way to her doctor visit, hoping she would be admitted, all to no avail.  By January 12 we looked at each other and said one way or another this baby was coming out that day.  Thankfully the doctor agreed, admitted her, and began to induce her labor.  Hours go by.  Nothing.  This baby is beyond stubborn.  My husband asks the nurse if she has any idea how much longer before this child might decide to actually come and the nurse tells him that she doubts it'll be for at least another several hours.  He goes downstairs to make a few phone calls, updating family and friends.  As soon as he gets on that elevator, and literally 5 minutes after the nurse had check on Tess's birth mom's progress, declaring it would be hours, she looks at me and says  "I feel this baby, she's coming right now!  Get the nurse!"  The nurse blows me off, but I get her to come in to check anyway.  Guess what, Tess is crowning.  The nurse grabs a delivery cart that is headed into another room, tells them to get the doctor here "NOW!" and rushes back in.  Three pushes, as the doctor is putting his gloves on, and this baby arrives.  It was at that moment that I knew she was going to be a little firecracker (her attitude from the start was "don't tell me what to do or when to do it").  My husband arrives back at the room right as Tess is delivered, and was thrilled and honored as her birth mom asked him to cut the cord.  She then kissed Tess on the top of her little red head and handed her to me saying, "There you go Mom"  I was in awe and overwhelmed with emotion.  I'd just become a mom, through the precious, sacrificial gift of another young lady.  We spent the next couple of days in the hospital, Tess's birth family saying good-bye and us getting to know our sweet baby girl.  The day we took our baby home from the hospital was truly bittersweet for me.  The veteran nurse in charge of our discharge, put her arm around me and said, "Honey, I've done this many times and I'm going to give you a bit of advice.  When you get in the car with your baby, do not look back.  Know it's all for the best."  I couldn't do that though.  I couldn't just get in the car and not look back at my baby's other mommy... so after getting the carseat locked in safely, I glance back over my shoulder and see her with tears streaming down her cheeks, getting into her car. My heart exploded with mixed emotions ~ overwhelming joy over my sweet new daughter, and overwhelming heartache over the pain felt by her birth mom that had carried her for 9 months and made the heart wrenching decision to give her up so that she could have the life she couldn't give her right then.

Fast forward 18 years: Tess is 100% our daughter; she is very much like me in many ways, much to her chagrin ;)  She is strong willed, stubborn, strong in body and heart, she feels things deeply, loves even deeper, she's responsible, dependable, capable, talented, smart, has loads of common sense, she's creative, she has a fire for life, she is impatient and has lived her life wanting to be grown up, she's always in a hurry, has zero patience... I could go on forever, but I will end with "She's the child of my heart.  The child I prayed for since I was a child myself.  My greatest gift... the daughter that made me a mommy."

God has blessed me 4 times over with 4 daughters, all of whom are uniquely and wonderfully made.  I love to see their similarities as well as their differences.  Their strengths and their weaknesses; because in their weakness, they find strength in each other.  They bicker, they complain, they tease, they annoy each other, they fight with each other and they fight each other's battles.  They will be there for each other till the bitter end, supporting each other in all that they do throughout life.  God created our family, bringing us all together in His own way, His own master design, and His own perfect time.  I have had babies in every way you can: I've been on the side of the bed watching my oldest come into the world, I've been in excruciating pain as my second got stuck in a crooked position and needed forceps to help get her out, and I've had two back to back C-sections a year apart, with the last one being so stubborn they still needed to vacuum her out (another story for another time;).  Yes, God has given me exactly what I asked for long ago, and through it all, He's shown me that I am stronger than I ever thought, as long as I lean on Him for strength.  Nothing can prepare you for the ride of motherhood; no book, no girlfriend's advice, no parenting class, not even all the sage advice from your mother and grandmother... it's all helpful at times, frustrating at other times; but your family is unique and needs to be cherished as such.  Take time to treasure it all.

Field trip to our state capital

What fun to have another opportunity to go on a field trip with our homeschool group. We had a great turn out, even with the weather being in the teens. The girls always look forward to seeing their friends and spending time learning new things with them. We headed off to the State Capital to learn about one of the most amazing architectural wonders around. Living only a few miles away and having the opportunity to pop in at any given time, you tend to forget what a special place it really is.

Built over ten years time, during the Great Depression, with a budget of $1 million dollars per year, you can't help but be in awe of every detail. Marble from around the world, real gold leaf stenciled ceilings, a dome 112 feet high that Davinci would be proud of, art deco styling everywhere you look, works of art depicting the history of this great state...and to top it all off, a 19 1/2 foot Sower on the very top that acts as a lightening rod to keep the entire building grounded. As an extra treat, we also got to see the 35 foot tall official Capital Christmas Tree with handmade ornaments sent in from around the state.

The kids learned not only about the building itself (clearly, my favorite topic;), but also about Nebraska's unique Unicameral legislative system and how it came about. They got to see where our state laws are made, sit in our State's Supreme Court, appreciate their heritage, and learn why they should be so proud to have the privilege of growing up in this great state. All in all, it was another wonderful learning adventure that they're still talking about :)

Catching up....

It's been awhile since I've downloaded the photos from my phone and I finally got it done this week.  Thought I'd just post some random pictures of what's been going on around here to catch you all up :)

 We pick up a couple of friends from their school each Wednesday.  Last week, while waiting for them, Hannah happened to find my Bible in the door pocket of the truck.  It's the one I used at school all thru Jr and High School.  She loved sitting there "reading" it and flipping thru the pages, looking at all my underlinings and notes.

 We've been enjoying the fall weather and trying to take a break from our school work to take Max for a walk each day.  Hannah is her mother's child and seems to always find a tree to scramble up.

 Tess is doing GREAT living on her own.  She loves having her own apartment and doing things her way.  She has surprised me by being much neater than she ever was living at home.  Lord help you if she sees you aren't using a coaster on her coffee table ;)  She was a bit lonely however, so decided she wanted a little company.  That is Smokey, a little stray she picked up.  He is a dream kitten and LOVES lots of attention.

 There are times we like to get away from touch screens, computer screens, or even paper.... it's at those times the girls like to pull out their slates and chalk to work on spelling and math.  One of the great things of homeschooling is that you aren't stuck in a box and only able to do things one way :)

 All the girls got their autumn hair cuts at the end of September.  Hannah cut off the most, with enough to send in her braid to Locks of Love.  She loves her short hair and it's so much easier for her to manage.  The sandman LOVED her long locks and seemed to spend extra time playing in it every night, so each morning it was an ordeal doing her hair.  I have to admit our mornings are much easier.

 This is Hannah's Trevor.... They swear they are getting married.  He calls her "Honey" and she giggles.  They are like two peas in a pod :)

 It's not often Gracie has a great diabetes day, but once in a blue moon it does happen when her numbers are in range most of the day.  We had a day like that recently so we needed to celebrate with a chocolate chip frappe :)

 Paying bills is never fun.... unless it's the first time you have to do it:)

 Little Ms. Ginger Snap is growing quickly.  She is pure joy for all of us.

 I was blessed to go to Women of Faith in Kansas City at the end of September and Craig took the girls home to the farm.  They love spending time with the horses in a friend's pasture and would camp out there with them 24/7 if they could.  

Hope you all are having a great Fall season full of blessings, family time, and Spiced Pumpkin Lattes :)