Homeschool, WHAT?!

Anyone who knows me will know that I am a poor candidate to be a homeschool mom.
It's not that I don't like the idea.
It's that I stink at teaching school.
Part of the reason is that I just don't enjoy it and don't want to do it.
Nor do I like doing any type of 'kid' activity.
Hence...the poor candidate I am.

Not liking kid activities also makes me a poor candidate to be the mom of 10 kids.
But God wanted to show others that He is still in the business of doing miracles.
So He gave us 10 kids.
And they are reasonably well adjusted in spite of my weaknesses in many areas.
I do adore them.  They are the source of incredible blessing to me.

About a month or so ago, I was asked to share our adoption story with some of the women at our church.  I explained to them how I was not cut out to be the mom of a large brood but that God had stepped in a picked up the slack.  (Lots and lots of slack.)  I was encouraging them to step out in faith if God was leading them to do something that seemed crazy and it was on the tip of my tongue to say, "You know...like me homeschooling or something like that."

I'm pretty sure I didn't utter those words out loud.
I know from past experience that if I do say something like, "I won't,"  or "I'll never," it won't be long before God will say, "Oh yes you will."
He laughs when He says that.
It's not a mean kind of thing.  He doesn't force me.  He just invites me in a very persuasive kind of way.
And I can't resist Him.
Mostly because I have learned that if He asks me to do something, there is a ton of blessing involved and it's in my best interest to go along with Him.
So basically, it's selfish on my part.
I want the blessing.

So recently, He started in with the homeschooling thing.
Um...really?
Me?
You DO remember that I tried this once and was an EPIC FAIL, right?

Yes, He remembered.
But He had a different plan.
One that involved video teaching so that I don't teach the subjects...I just make sure they are doing them and grade their tests, etc.
But wait....I tried something similar and failed at that too.

Nevermind....

He continued to lay it on my heart and gave me lots of Scripture DAILY with things like, "Don't be afraid."  "I'll be with you."
He reminded me that our income had been shrinking lately and it might behoove me to find a way to cut our expenses.  (Thank you, Mr. Obama.  Not that I'm bitter...just speaking the truth.)

I asked the kids if they would want to be homeschooled.
They did.
Their response was enthusiastic, to put it mildly.

Everyone knows that once you mention something to a kid, you HAVE to do it or they will bother you incessantly until you follow through.
We parents just can't stand up to the reproachful eye of a 7 year old who says, "But you SAID you would."

So we took the plunge.
We ordered the videos and books.
They came in box after box.
And I wanted to cry.
I was so completely overwhelmed.
I sent a distress signal via text to Jeff...."We needs more shelves!"
We have an IKEA not far from where he works and he headed over there and brought us a bookcase with cubbies so we could put the incredibly huge amount of stuff away.  Love that store...cheap and decent quality.

By the third day we were crying.  I was so frustrated trying to figure out the schedule.  After I apologized for losing it, we all decided to soldier on and make the best of things.

And it got better.  I've been praying a lot.  God is amazing.  He always comes through!

Let's recap, shall we?
I am not cut out for this.
AT ALL.
But God is....
And He gives me what I need.

I realized at the end of every tiring day....
I had JOY in my heart.
The kind of joy that comes from God when we obey Him.  A supernatural kind of joy that makes no sense.
Because obviously, homeschooling 8 kids shouldn't fill a person like me with JOY.  {snicker...}

And the kids?  They LOVE it!  They have been telling me over and over how much they love being homeschooled and in spite of my pathetic attempts, they say they love having me for a teacher!  SaraGrace says she wants to be homeschooled for the rest of her life.   All I can say to that is that God is still in the business of performing miracles.

We have had so much fun together (even though we had those moments of crying)! 

I am so thankful that He has called us to do this!  I am looking forward to what He will do with ALL of us as we spend each day together.

I took some pictures of the older kids in their PJ's doing school but since they are party-poopers, they have forbidden me from posting any of them.

So here are some boring iPhone shots of the 'school room.'

All of their pencils, erasers, etc. are in buckets with their names on them.  They can carry them around the house if they are doing their work in a different room.  The older kids don't want the little kids in the school room when they are on the computer, so the little ones come down to the kitchen to do their workbooks.

They each have a cubby--which SaraGrace informed me was for kindergartner's--and I informed her that I didn't much care.  Baaahahahahahaha   That pile of paper in the right corner is a huge paper chain they made on Friday that stretches from one end of the house to the other.  We are going to try to hang it up.  The curriculum came with an art project for each week but since we are starting in the middle of the year, they can do the projects from the first semester.  They did one each day and had so much fun.  I think I'm going to have to find an art idea website for them.  Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller?

I will keep you posted on our adventure. 

For Me. For You.

We received a much anticipated letter from Ryan yesterday. Our entire family has been waiting and hoping to hear something from him.

As we waited, our longing was intense. We hoped each day that there would a letter or a phone call. We dashed to the phone when it rang. We hurried to the mailbox after the mail was delivered. Our hearts were longing to hear something from him. It caused me to wonder if this is how God feels every day as He waits to see if his children will stop to spend some time with Him.

We opened the letter with joy. Our joy turned to more intense longing though, as we read the words of a young man who is away from home for the first time. He misses us. A lot. He is hurting deeply. The hurt in his heart is worsened by the fact that the first few weeks of boot camp are probably the hardest. But he said, "I wanna see it through. I hope it will be worth it."

Our son is suffering. Other sons are suffering. Whether or not those boys are there for noble reasons, the fact remains that they are there for me. For you. Their pain, whether in boot camp or on the battlefield, benefits the citizens of the United States far more than it benefits an individual soldier. Yet, we do not suffer in the least as they toil through each day. In fact, we seem rather far removed from it all. They stand between our enemy and freedom. And they know. The only way to keep this country safe is to allow themselves to be put in some very painful circumstances.

And so they endure it. They subject themselves to the rigorous training that the military requires.

For me.

For you.

They don't have to go, but they are willing.

Many years ago, another Father watched his son suffer. This son stood between us and death. This son answered the call to redeem a world that was hopeless. But it meant that he would have to suffer unspeakable cruelty on a wooden cross.

For me.

For you.

We did nothing, suffered nothing, and yet Jesus gave up all He knew to protect and save us. He left a wonderful, loving home to come and stand between us and the grave. The cost was enormous. He didn't have to come, but He was willing.

We treasure every word Ryan wrote in his letter and we hope he will continue to write to us. We eagerly anticipate any news from him--as I'm sure he is anticipating letters from us.

Years ago, another letter was written. It was written to us with love from the one who stood between us and death. He is hoping we will read His letter. He wants us to know how much He loves us. He wants to encourage and comfort us with His words when life seems too hard and overwhelming. He wants to show us how to live--to REALLY live, not just exist. Will we read it? He wrote it.

To me.

To you.

Read it. Savor it. Treasure it. His word is LIFE.


"...if...you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 4:29