I think of you...

With every drop of clean water,

I think of you.

With every dish I wash,

I think of you.

With every drop of medicine,

I think of you.

With every cry of my little ones, with every smile,

I think if you.

With every game we play,

I think of you.

Every time I lay my head down on my pillow,

I think of you.

I came home from Nicaragua thinking "God, how could you leave my friends, your people, in that place and put me in this place? They love You so easily, and I doubt You every time I don't get my way." I have finally decided that I don't have to know what God is doing, but I know who He is. Psalm 116 says He is gracious and righteous and full of compassion. I felt like I loved these people so much after only a week. How much more does our Heavenly Father love them? He has known them since the beginning of time. I know he is faithful to care for ALL His people and somehow they know it too.

Princess Maria

I recently went on a short term mission trip to Nicaragua

with 11 people from our church that was led by Go International. I thought I would be writing endless posts about our adventures. Instead, I find that my heart has been so deeply affected by these people and our God that I can't find the words. For today I leave you with this. Look into the beautiful eyes of Maria. Imagine them full of tears and pain as she explains to me that she can't go to school while she writes her name in my notebook in the most beautiful cursive. She can't go because she doesn't have a uniform. She doesn't have 1 white shirt and 1 blue skirt folks. That's all that is keeping her from learning, from making a better future for herself and her country. 1 shirt and 1 skirt is all that stands between hunger and food, a tin shack and a home, and shoes and bare feet for Maria. How can God use you to help her and others like this precious child of the king?

I have a dirty little secret...

Actually it's a big dirty secret. Are you ready?

Add in two more loads to fold and 6 more to wash! And...I washed a goodnight this evening...

FANTABULOUS...sigh. Now my washer smells like pee and is full of salt waiting for the delay sanitary wash about 5 am. Did I mention I have 6 more loads to wash?

A friend stopped by today and I think we just stared at each other and wallowed in our exhaustion. We are in the same place - 4 kids that are relatively the same age. Why one of us didn't take the kids and let the other take a 5 minute nap I'm not sure. Maybe it's because we were afraid one baby or the other would cry. Anyway, overwhelmed would be an understatement at this point. 

So instead of crying, which I could easily do, I am going to choose JOY. (That might have been something Joyce Meyers said. I honestly can't remember so I hope she doesn't sue.) I am going to choose joy because my children have clothes, because I have a washing machine, and because I am able to stay home and TRY to wash them. I am going to choose joy because my child is healthy enough to pee in a goodnight and...put...it...in...the...laundry basket. I am going to choose joy because even if none if these things were true for me that God is still good, that He is still God, and I know somehow He is using even this huge pile of laundry to work through me. 

We Jumped Out of the Boat!

I've been offline for a couple months except for my iPhone. I am still searching for the wireless adapter for my desktop. It's probably buried deep in a box with our cast iron skillets or maybe it fell off the U Haul. I finally confiscated T.J.'s net-book to blog. We moved this June. We didn't just move...we got out of the boat. We were comfortable. I was comfortable. I didn't want to go into full-time ministry if it meant moving around often. We were happy near our family and friends. Then God made us so uncomfortable that we were ready to get out of the boat. Honestly, we were ready to do a running cannonball. I wonder what would have happen to Peter if he had jumped out of the boat and ran to Jesus instead of just walking.

Anyway we packed up our junk things into the biggest U Haul ever and two more trailers, said goodbye to our family, three church families, and friends and moved to Dayton, TN. You see, God had gone years ahead of us (as he always does). He had prepared the way by placing friends and Pastor Ken and Phyllis here in Dayton. God and all the amazing people at First UMC Dayton provided amazingly for our family. There is plenty of crazy story to tell about our journey. I leave you with this for now: It's 45 minutes to the nearest Hobby Lobby or Target, but we love it here!

Curriculum 2013-2014

     I am very excited about what we are doing next year! I hope it leaves much more time to explore the kiddos' interests. Last year, we did the whole literature based thing. It was great but extremely time consuming. I found that we couldn't read the books the kids wanted to read, because we were struggling to get our 5 chapters of ancient history/literature reading in every day. This is 1st Grade folks! Anyway, forward to 2nd Grade and we add a Kindergartner too.

Kindergarten-
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (My fav. book for reading!) We are already on lesson 39. $22 New - Bought for Cole
Get Set for the Code (Handwriting, Phonics) $3 - used first few pages were written on.
BJU Press Math K5 - $23 New

2nd Grade-
Bible- A Bible :)
Read. Read. Read some more.
Character: Keepers Of the Faith $6 New
BJU Press Spelling 2 - $21 New
BJU Press English 2-  $23 New
BJU Press Math 2 - $23 New
Enjoying God's World (Abeka Science) Free
Our America (Abeka) Free

We plan to read-aloud lots of American history books that we have at home or will borrow from the library. Although, this year I will jump ahead and share with the kids that we made up with England. I kind of left that out when we studied the Revolutionary War 2 years ago and the kids were horrified to learn that Bear Grylls is British.

FYI: BJU Press is aligned with Common Core.

After selling some of last years curriculum, I actually made $$! Yes, you could homeschool 2 kids for under $150. After registering with our umbrella school, we are still under $220. I probably spent that driving Cole to pre-school.

Money aside, I know that even at my worst, God has given these babies to teach. They will learn just as much or even more from my mistakes. I pray that I can be just a sliver of what God intended me to be for them.

I Want To Smell Like Jesus

It seems that lately I have been drawn to Ephesians. Maybe it's because God is asking what seems like alot from me right now. I have come to think He must be preparing my heart for something, even though I don't have a clue what it is yet. Today I read in Ephesians 5...

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children  and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

I am supposed to imitate God? Wow that's big! Lately I feel like I have been sacrificing, but I know I haven't offered myself as a fragrant offering. When I sit in the nursery with my little ones through Sunday School and Church, I can assure you my attitude isn't very fragrant. It probably resembles the dirty diapers I put in the trash can! What about when our finances are tight? I can assure you I am not joyous about cutting our grocery budget. Can I really give myself up as a fragrant offering, being joyous and ready to share Christ with the people I meet on that grocery store trip with four kids and a calculator in hand? I didn't, but I could have.

I think God is calling us to let go of something. The first thing is my right to a very poor attitude. I can't be a fragrant offering while complaining to myself all day. Next He may ask for our comfort which for us would include moving, giving up farming, or who knows what?

At an event a couple weeks ago the speaker said, "I want to smell like Jesus." If we "smell like Jesus" others will notice. Soon they will want to smell like Jesus too. (I have a hard time not getting tickled with the whole "smelling" thing.) But really I can change my attitude, my response to everyday sufferings to be a fragrant offering to the One who suffered in my place. Then, He can begin to work through me.

Get Clean Part 2

We are attempting to keep the house a little more clean and I think we are succeeding. I posted about how we do laundry in Get Clean Part 1. I think it's working. BUT my sweet friend, who also has four children, told me that she only does 1 load of laundry everyday. WHAT?! We have clothes for the barn, running, dance, karate, and basketball. My kids go outside almost everyday, even in the winter, and get extremely muddy. Any suggestions on how to cut down laundry?

On to the cleaning.
Our kids have age appropriate morning and evening chores. I posted each child a list with pictures of chores and how to get ready for the day/night on the wall in the upstairs hallway. I see all of them standing in the hallway verbally checking their lists. I hear "Check. Check. X!" And then off they run to the next thing.

Morning:
Everyone:    Make beds, Put dirty clothes away
Kate (3):      Clean bathroom sink
Carter (5):    Take out trash in downstairs bathroom
Cole (7):      Take out trash in upstairs bathroom

Evening:
Everyone: Pick up bedrooms
Kate (3):      Check Mom and Dad's room for toys
Carter (5):   Check dining room for toys
Cole (7):      Check living room for toys
Mom:           Pick up school room
Dad:             Clear the kitchen bar

The boys bring in the empty trashcans and recycling tubs each week and feed the goats, chickens, and dogs everyday.

I made a cleaning schedule. It helps give me an idea of what to do when I am overwhelmed. Plus the hubby often checks the list and helps out!
Monday:      Vacuum
Tuesday:      Mop
Wednesday: Bathrooms
Thursday:    Vacuum
Friday:         Mop
I may not get the entire house mopped or vacuumed if it's a busy day, but at least something gets done. Having a bad plan is better than having no plan in my mind!
Happy cleaning!

Homemade Baby Wipes

Homemade Baby Wipes

Thanks to my friend Emily for sharing this recipe with me after baby #4 arrived! We have used these for about 8 months now when we aren't using cloth wipes. They prove mighty handy!

1/2 roll any paper towels (Use select-a-size if you want smaller wipes.)

2 Tbs. baby wash

2 Tbs. baby oil

2 Cups water

Cut paper towels in half using a serrated knife. Reserve 1/2 in a ziplock bag for later use. Remove cardboard tube from roll.  Place in an 8 cup container. Mix baby wash, baby oil, and water. Pour over paper towels and let sit for 1 hour. 

You can also add a little Tea Tree Oil to prevent mildew. We use them so fast it's never necessary.

I usually pull half of them out and place in an old wipes tub and leave in the car.

Make some wipes and save that $3 for something like a Pumpkin Spiced Latte!

Our Notebooks

Our notebooks. I bet they look a little different and smell different than public school notebooks. We were a little behind this week because of several doctor appointments. Science fell by the wayside since we are ahead for the year. We were supposed to study temperature. (I haven't even gotten a thermometer yet.) I walk into the kitchen to find Cole with three cups of water. He used the meat thermometer measure their different temperatures. He said he wanted to measure the "water temperature in the wild." Off we go to the river. If Cole says anything, I did NOT fall and slide on my tush in the mud while mid sentence saying the bank was slick. At least I didn't fall in. That's another story, haha! The river was 35 degrees, by the way. He observed the water temperature was warmer than the air and warmer in stagnant places. Then we headed to the barn. Notice the horse poo and mud on the notebook? He observed that the water in the stalls was 2 degrees colder than in the trough. Now he wants to make a chart and find the average temperature of the river. Wait are we doing math now?

Our notebooks will see cat hair from practicing spelling words on the front porch in the spring, water stains from sister squirting it with water gun while doing math under a shade tree, a leaf that has to be saved forever, grass stains from dropping it to run and push brother on the swing and unfortunately they might see many forms of animal manure. (Cole loves to sit in the chicken pen and label the parts of a chicken.)

I am sure Cole learned more today about temperature than he would have by me reading a 5 minute lesson to him. This is what homeschooling is about folks.
What do your kids' notebooks look like?

Get Clean! Part 1

Maybe not everyone struggles with housekeeping as much as I do. I just don't have that OCD gene. Obviously, I am sitting at the computer while the sink is full of dishes. Anyway, FlyLady has helped me tremendously, but it's hard to ever master laundry when there are 6 people in your house. I think I have finally figured it out! I realized getting the laundry put away was a bigger part of my problem than actually getting it washed. Here's what we have been doing for the past few weeks.

Laundry - Everyone who shares a room shares a laundry basket. Simple enough. That means no one can leave their clothes in the bathroom. Only towels can go in there. Each day of the week I do a different room's laundry. Everything that comes out of the basket, goes back in to be put away. No running from room to room to put away 6 different peoples' things. I still have about 2 loads a day, but I don't have to do any laundry on the weekend!!!! It was hard for me to watch the laundry pile up, but it actually worked to my amazement. (Note: I throw dish towels in with every load so they don't sour.)

Monday - Mom & Dad
Tuesday - Cole & Carter
Wednesday - Kate & Kyle
Thursday - Towels
Friday - Sheets
Saturday - Nothing :)
Sunday - Nothing :)

Considering we do school most of the day I just get it washed, fold it after the kiddos go to bed, and put it away the next day. Best of all I have everything listed in a notebook that lays on the counter. Since the hubby can see what I have planned he will grab a basket and throw it in! Having it easy to see helps us both get it finished so we can have time to relax later.