School has started!!

 So this week school has started and for us that means- being at HOME!  I know it isn't for everyone, but for me/us- we love it!!!! 

**Today's pictures brought to you by- vacation time at Uskichitto Retreat Center :). 

 Oh why do I love homeschool?
1)  I get to spend my days with my children!!!!  NO I do not have more patience that you do- let me assure you!  Has God dealt with me on this- yes, but trust me he is still dealing with me on this.  I do my best to choose to enjoy my time with them.  I want to spend my time with them because to me having to send my children away 8+ hours a day......how to say this......would RIP my heart out of my chest!  I think I would stop breathing! 

The funny part is I used to dream of working outside the home and not being a stay at home mom at all.  Yep, it's true, and the thought now seems so very foreign to me.  I think God likes to surprise us like that. 

 2)  I enjoy (along with my husband) getting to teach them about God throughout the day.  This is not to say you can't teach them if they go off to school.  It is a fact though that I can use many times throughout the day to teach my children grace, forgiveness, and about scripture because they are here all the time.  It is fun for me to come up with scriptures for us to memorize together, to read books about our Christian heritage, to teach history, science, reading, etc. through the lens of Jesus.  It is also humbling to admit to the children that when I make mistakes- I need their forgiveness too. 

You see I thought too that those who homeschooled must be crazy, or saints.  The crazy part I had down, but the saints part- nope.  Now I know that it isn't about not making mistakes, although we all have to strive to walk in God's will more continuously, but repairing them.  What a better way for my children to learn?  I love that I have this opportunity. 

 3)  I get to have a closer relationship.  With 9 children people ask me how do you form a closer relationship with so many children?  I mean time wise....it just seems hard.  Having them at home I get to continue working on that relationship and take those moments throughout the day to talk with my children about things, ask questions, and relax with them. 

I value that so much because I know before long they will all leave and spread their wings.  I want that time to get to know them as much as possible!

 4)  I want them to have a best friend network- within our family.  I don't discourage having friends from our community/church, but I want them to have people to relate to for the rest of their lives!  I want them to know they can depend on each other for support.  I want to encourage them to learn how to be a friend with each other.  To know how to work things out, how to make mistakes and repair them, how to pray with each other, show love to each other, and encourage one another- right here at home. 

 5)  We get to keep a certain amount of the "junk out" of our lives.  By that I mean on a daily basis we don't have to fight to keep what goes into my children's hearts and minds pure from the others.  HA!  We have enough junk in our own lives thanks ;). 

I have heard many people say that homeschooling is sheltering a child.  I think I like Michelle Duggar's response to this......(paraphrased of course).....when a tree is really young you plant it, shelter it, give it extra water and nutrients, even put posts up around it to help it stand up straight and keep the winds from damaging it.  That is a great analogy. 

(This was not said by Michelle Duggar ;).It doesn't mean that a storm can't still ruin your tree.  It doesn't mean that the tree will be perfect.  It doesn't guarantee that once the tree is bigger and more mature that lightning doesn't strike it down.  It doesn't mean beetles won't attack the tree.  It simply means it gives the tree a chance to grow in a healthy way.  That is what we are trying to do. 

 So those are a few of the reason we homeschool. 
Do you homeschool too? 
What are your reasons? 

 We enjoyed getting to rock climb! 

 This is Joshua after he broke records of how quickly he reached the top! 

 GO SARAH!  She is doing the hard side of the wall, and doing well :). 

 Hello Matthew! 

 Someone got the camera.....but isn't Jonathan cute?

 Matthew and his cool self! 

 Awwww.....Daddy and Joanna.......

Someone has suggested that I do a post on using Sensory processing in my home school......so that will be coming your way soon ;).  Believe me I have a lot to learn, but I have learned a lot so far. 

Hope you are all having a great week!  We just started school, and have been doing the annual testing the last couple of days.  While I am here with the 3 that are testing - Jason has taken all the rest of the kids to Busch Gardens.  So that is what we have been up to! 

 



 

 

James 1:27 In Their Distress

 James 1:27 

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

This is verse often used in ministries to orphans, adoption, foster care, widow, the poor who need help not to become an orphan or widow, etc.  AND I believe this verse to include every Christian!   

 It wasn't until Jason and I headed to the Train the Trainer course with Empowered To Connect that Michael Monroe pointed out a part of the verse I had overlooked that made me ponder it since then- several weeks ago now. 

You see many of us have seen the religion that God accepts.....to look after orphans and widows part.  BUT how many of us have looked at the IN THEIR DISTRESS part?  I know I haven't. 

 I mean when we first started fostering (honesty here) we were doing it to eventually have children.  It's true.  It wasn't that we didn't care about the children in foster care and what they faced.  It was the opposite completely.  We cared very much and wanted to make a difference.  Truth be told we didn't realize the depths of the commitment until years later! 

 You see we have children that struggle and I am not talking about typical children growing up and hormones changing or anything like that.  I am talking struggle with their stories, with the day to day life, etc.  Years before I became a blogger mom I thought I must be crazy.  Check that - I knew I was crazy, but I thought I was imagining the fact that my children struggled in a different way than most. 

 I literally thought I was "making it up" or maybe played it off as normal kids growing up stuff because we had no biological children.  So we persevered the same ol' same ol'........but big surprise......it didn't help my children.  It sure didn't help me either (or my hubby - we obviously parent together)! 

 Looking closer at the verse and hearing Michael say it out loud caught my attention- IN THEIR DISTRESS!  What does that look like?  What are the factors?  How can I understand it better?  Where can I go to get help?  How can I help my family understand? 

 It struck me that these are questions that I have found through blogging friends, and articles, and books, but most recently through Empowered To Connect!  You see I have 9 adopted children.  Everyone of them have different "stories", everyone has different personalities, everyone has different ways they handle stress and fears, everyone is completely unique in so many ways. 

 IN THEIR DISTRESS means that we as parents to adopted children have to learn how to serve our children in a whole new way.  In a way that helps them heal and gives them the ability to grow spiritually, physically, and mentally.  IN THEIR DISTRESS means that we have to lay down our lives in a whole new way in order to help our children.  It means that we have to seek God and the Scriptures to find out HOW.   

 Now some people ask- WHY?  I mean is parenting a child who is in foster care or adopted that much different?  Yes and no.  Yes it is different because some (not all) children struggle to a much bigger degree than biological children.  When trauma of losing your first family- even if you were there in the room when they were born- hurts, when the drugs or alcohol in their system makes it hard for them to think in the same way, when the trauma of abuse, neglect, etc. takes over their ability to think things through in the same way then YES! 

 Sometimes it seems as if the reactions of our children catch us off guard and we are just lost- I mean at a complete loss as to what to do.  We may not always understand, but we can help them!  There is a lot of hope and it is for the most precious gift that God blesses you with-your children. 

 I will be talking more about what that looks like, and following up on some of the other questions I listed above, but make no mistake the IN THEIR DISTRESS part is HUGE!  Don't try to overlook it, or play it off.  Don't think it is just you, and no one gets it.  That puts you on an island by yourself.  The struggle is real.  Why else would God mention it? 

 No instead I think it is about time that we ban together as Christians and help uplift each other as we all continue to care for the widow and the orphan IN THEIR DISTRESS! 

 ***Side notes today's pictures are brought to you by Uskichitto Retreat Center- vacation time.  We used to be the directors at this Christian Camp in Louisiana.  So we went back to visit for a couple of weeks of fun and relaxation! 

 No, I did not go rock climbing this time.  I have in the past, but spent the time chillin' watching my kids, and talking with the David and Martha Mire (and their cute patoot daughter- Rebekah), and Sarah Moore.  Both David and Sarah worked with us while we were there.  Sarah still works for the camp as the assistant, and David is at First United Methodist Church in Alexandria. 

 I have some really gorgeous children! 

 Who happen to have a lot of character and spunk! 

I mean look at this cutie!  Makes helping my children IN THEIR DISTRESS- a wee bit easier ;). 

WE ARE BACK!!!! :)

 Ahhhh......feels great to go on vacation, but it feels GREAT to be back HOME as well.  Now that we are back and getting unpacked today I knew that I should make a reappearance in the blog world too. 

 So the pictures today are from our trip to Busch Gardens before we left for vacation, but you know since I fell off the face of the blog world I thought I would use them first.  More posts and pictures will be coming soon!! 

 Awwww.....Joanna's a big girl now and riding on the "kiddie coaster" - how did this happen??  Of course Sarah is indicating that she is "too cool" ;)  in the picture. 

 So where in the world have I been?? 

 We decided that we would go back to Louisiana this year for vacation.  Not only did we go back, but we stayed at the Christian Camp we used to work at!  It was so fun and relaxing!!! 

 The new directors there are a couple that met while on our staff at Uskichitto Retreat Center!  They now have 2 children and are doing an amazing job there.  We are thrilled that they took over and have done amazing things including continuing to reach children for JESUS!  :) 

 The young lady who was our assistant while we were there still works there as well- and we enjoyed spending time with her and others that we worked with too!!!  IT WAS FUN! 

 We got to relive old memories, enjoy some camp activities as a family, and pretty much not on purpose, but take a technology break!  Other than coming to the office to get some internet- because we had to make sure to take care of our wonderful clients with Christian Adoption Consultants, we didn't have ongoing phone connection at all.  So it was good and helped us just relax a whole lot more without modern technology.  :) 

 We had camp fires, made home made ice cream - crank style, did pizza pie irons - more on that later, hiked, played mini golf, climbed the rock wall, hung out with former staff and present staff members, roasted hot dogs and smores, laughed, played, and so much more!!! 

 It was the kind of vacation where you just totally unwind.....remembering great times, creating new memories, and enjoy the present. 

 So now that we had our 16 hour trip there and yesterday we did our 16 hour trip home- I am over roadtripping for a while!

 Today consisted of unpacking everything, putting together some things for school- we home school and will start next week, and just surviving.  Oh and restocking our cupboards! 

 This next week we have start up to our new school year, as well as home school testing!  Fun times :)  and I am not being sarcastic....I LOVE IT!!!  For me it is ok to have summer and shorter school days, but I LOVE MY SCHEDULE!!!  I LOVE HOME SCHOOLING!!!!

 I am thrilled to get back to "normal" if you like.  It is my happy place.  It is hard for the kids and ME to be so flexible ;).  Just putting that out there because it is who I am. 

 I hope all of you are having a good back to school time whether your babes go off to school or you get to see them all day long. 

 Someone decided this little guy needed some "coolness factor" :).  Gotta admit- he is STINKING ADORABLE! 

 My sweeties enjoying the Summer Nights at Busch Gardens.  They love the little games they have set up, the hula hoop competitions, and we didn't stay this last time, but the fireworks are great too! 

 What is your favorite part of "back to school" / Start of Fall time?? 

 I love the schedule (I may have mentioned that once or twice), I love getting back to school more full time because we home school all year, but in the summer it is more relaxed, I love cooler days when it is bearable to go outside without swimming in the air, I love purging and cleaning and fresh starts!

Did I mention I love routine ;)! 

Ahhh.....LOVE being HOME!!!