I'm slowly leaving the survival mode and moving into a phase of growth and learning how to deal with my new circumstances and struggles.
I'm working on figuring out how to make sense of the chaos that I call my life and that means getting my priorities back on track. Getting my devotions done each day is challenging. I can't always do it at the same time each day because of the random demands of having an infant and a preschooler. I've been improving and making time to do it most every day the past couple weeks.
I also received a wonderful book called Hope Unfolding by Becky Thompson. She was/is a blogger I followed when my preschooler was a baby and she had a Facebook group at the time called Midnight Moms, where she was up in the middle of the night caring for her babies and working to encourage other moms in the same boat. I always found her words encouraging and very down to earth -real. Time went on and she moved out of the season of midnight feedings, and God opened doors for her to write a book encouraging moms. I have only made it through one chapter (since my Secret Santa gave it to me for Christmas), but it is so refreshing and really is what I need right now. My goal is to read a chapter a day if possible, if I have completed my personal devotions that day. God's word needs to be more important than another mom's.
In other news I discovered a food trigger for my littlest guy! I was so excited to finally have figured out one of his problem foods so I could remove it from my diet and his.
We have a new pediatrician since we moved and I like him for the most part. He doesn't push vaccines and actually has said that some are more necessary than others and he doesn't think babies have to have all of the ones recommended by the CDC. There are some that he does recommend, but he doesn't pressure parents who want to delay or refuse. Unfortunately I am learning that he is uninformed about food intolerances and I suspect he doesn't quite believe me when I talk about food causing issues.
The newest medical advice is to introduce solids earlier again in hopes that earlier exposure will help to reduce kids who have severe allergic reactions. So our pediatrician told me that at our 4 month visit and encouraged me to try with our little guy. I was skeptical and should've followed my gut, but I really wanted a doc who understood food issues, so we tried. We tried pears at 4.5 months, and baby had painful gas and trouble sleeping. We tried carrots a few weeks later and then some homemade ground oats with breastmilk. No luck. All caused the same symptoms, but the oatmeal caused him to break out in a red angry rash all over his face and ears, down to his chest and back. The doctor said it was eczema and not related to food. When I told him it flared with oatmeal, he said eczema just does that sometimes and isn't usually due to any foods...that's when I knew he was not the support I was hoping for. I kept my mouth shut and will continue to do what I know to be right for my baby. I'm back to my own research and the support of my TED Mamas group online. They are going through similar situations and we share our research, experiences, and knowledge with each other. They are so helpful.
After cutting oats from our diet, the eczema cleared up except for a little area under his neck that stay moist most of the time from his drooling. His horribly waxy ears cleared up (I've never seen anybody with as much ear wax as he had before!), and he was a much happier baby! So happy that we figured out one more of his triggers!
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Friday, December 13, 2019
Too Busy?
Living your faith in real life is never easy and nothing like the wonderful story books we read. It takes a continuous striving, determination, and a frequent willingness to press the reset button to return to the beginning when we go astray.
Our oldest is a deep soul. She thinks in terms of the eternal frequently and asks all new friends she meets about their faith. Most of the neighbor kids on our block have affirmed that they do believe in God, but do not go to church because their families are too busy. One neighbor, she gifted a bible from church. Not a flimsy little paperback bible, but a solid, tabbed, hard-cover, shiny and colorful new bible. Sometimes it is simply amazing to be her mom. She commented how she has been learning that God works all things for His good and He has a purpose and plan for each of us. Maybe, she says, "Maybe we moved so we could share Jesus with people here."
Her reports of the "too busy" reason resonates within me. I often feel too busy. Pressured and strapped for time. The reality is that we all have the same amount of time in a given day, it is simply how we choose to spend that time that is different. I try to remind myself of that whenever I feel like there isn't enough time in a day. God gave us a certain amount of time. How am I choosing to spend it? How are you spending your time?
Our oldest is a deep soul. She thinks in terms of the eternal frequently and asks all new friends she meets about their faith. Most of the neighbor kids on our block have affirmed that they do believe in God, but do not go to church because their families are too busy. One neighbor, she gifted a bible from church. Not a flimsy little paperback bible, but a solid, tabbed, hard-cover, shiny and colorful new bible. Sometimes it is simply amazing to be her mom. She commented how she has been learning that God works all things for His good and He has a purpose and plan for each of us. Maybe, she says, "Maybe we moved so we could share Jesus with people here."
Her reports of the "too busy" reason resonates within me. I often feel too busy. Pressured and strapped for time. The reality is that we all have the same amount of time in a given day, it is simply how we choose to spend that time that is different. I try to remind myself of that whenever I feel like there isn't enough time in a day. God gave us a certain amount of time. How am I choosing to spend it? How are you spending your time?
Saturday, October 12, 2019
A Little Angry, A Little Sad
Sometimes it feels like arthritis is stealing my husband from me and my children's father from them.
I guess it is so rare a thing, that I don't always realize how much arthritis has taken from us. Tonight I got a glimpse of the father my children could've had and it breaks my heart that he can't be the father he wants to be and they can't either.
It was the Fall Family Night at our church. It's a small church so there were a few games to play, a cardboard box maze, mini-golf, craft area and refreshments. Set up as an "open house" type agenda, families can come and go as they please. I had mentioned possibly going to my hubby and he surprised me by saying he was going to come along too! I was thrilled to be going as a complete family unit and relieved for the added support he gives with our two littlest ones. The kids were just as happy to have Daddy going as well -he had not been to our church yet or met their teachers.
My hubby took our preschooler around to all of the games and helped him play. One game set up in the church's backyard was a potato sack race. He got our older girls to join in and to be goofy, when the race started he scooped up our preschooler and ran him across the grass! It was so funny and I even got part of it on video!
That one little sprint cost him dearly. His feet suffered neuropathy pain worse than he's had in ages. His ribs/chest spasmed at the slightest movement, as well as other back spasms he has had lately. After we got home and put the kids to bed he had to spend time with his heating pad and ergonomic chair rather than a night together as a couple.
I adore the video of him. And I hate it. I love the joy in his face and the children's faces. I hate that this was a rare moment rather than a common one. I love his ability to play with his kids. I hate that it costs him so much, costs us so much. It's not fair. The person he is inside isn't free to be expressed the way it naturally would if his body were healthy.
As with many other times when I have a silent conversation with God in my head about my struggles, he challenges my thinking and changes my perspective.
There are families out there who don't have a father at all. Or fathers with disabilities that don't allow them to have any moments like this one. Ever. So, I have to tweak my perspective and rather than my focus being mourning the loss of what can't be, I can appreciate the gift of the moment we were given. It is a memory 'captured on film' that will bring joy in the future. The children will know that their daddy was there and he was an involved Daddy.
I guess it is so rare a thing, that I don't always realize how much arthritis has taken from us. Tonight I got a glimpse of the father my children could've had and it breaks my heart that he can't be the father he wants to be and they can't either.
It was the Fall Family Night at our church. It's a small church so there were a few games to play, a cardboard box maze, mini-golf, craft area and refreshments. Set up as an "open house" type agenda, families can come and go as they please. I had mentioned possibly going to my hubby and he surprised me by saying he was going to come along too! I was thrilled to be going as a complete family unit and relieved for the added support he gives with our two littlest ones. The kids were just as happy to have Daddy going as well -he had not been to our church yet or met their teachers.
My hubby took our preschooler around to all of the games and helped him play. One game set up in the church's backyard was a potato sack race. He got our older girls to join in and to be goofy, when the race started he scooped up our preschooler and ran him across the grass! It was so funny and I even got part of it on video!
That one little sprint cost him dearly. His feet suffered neuropathy pain worse than he's had in ages. His ribs/chest spasmed at the slightest movement, as well as other back spasms he has had lately. After we got home and put the kids to bed he had to spend time with his heating pad and ergonomic chair rather than a night together as a couple.
I adore the video of him. And I hate it. I love the joy in his face and the children's faces. I hate that this was a rare moment rather than a common one. I love his ability to play with his kids. I hate that it costs him so much, costs us so much. It's not fair. The person he is inside isn't free to be expressed the way it naturally would if his body were healthy.
As with many other times when I have a silent conversation with God in my head about my struggles, he challenges my thinking and changes my perspective.
There are families out there who don't have a father at all. Or fathers with disabilities that don't allow them to have any moments like this one. Ever. So, I have to tweak my perspective and rather than my focus being mourning the loss of what can't be, I can appreciate the gift of the moment we were given. It is a memory 'captured on film' that will bring joy in the future. The children will know that their daddy was there and he was an involved Daddy.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Halloween & Celebrating the Season of Fall!
I am enjoying the fall season this year! The weather is cooling, but actually taking its time this year. Many years we go straight from summer into winter weather.
Our girls decided for this year's costumes that they want to design shirts to wear that depict scripture verses. We can't do our tradition of visiting Nana because we live too far away now, so we all agreed we would decorate our home and pass out candy and toys to our neighborhood kids! They got excited about that idea!
I was excited too...no big costume expenses or stresses. Then I saw all the candy prices...yikes! Oh, well. At least we get to all stay home together!
I've made a few shopping trips to local thrift stores and found a nice stool for a couple bucks. We'll decorate the stool with fall colored table runners from the dollar store, ribbon, and fabric leaves. I also got a cheap little scarecrow and some window clings. It's fun to decorate and make our house feel more like a home.
Our girls decided for this year's costumes that they want to design shirts to wear that depict scripture verses. We can't do our tradition of visiting Nana because we live too far away now, so we all agreed we would decorate our home and pass out candy and toys to our neighborhood kids! They got excited about that idea!
I was excited too...no big costume expenses or stresses. Then I saw all the candy prices...yikes! Oh, well. At least we get to all stay home together!
I've made a few shopping trips to local thrift stores and found a nice stool for a couple bucks. We'll decorate the stool with fall colored table runners from the dollar store, ribbon, and fabric leaves. I also got a cheap little scarecrow and some window clings. It's fun to decorate and make our house feel more like a home.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Life's Challenges
Church, homeschool, food, injuries, health...what else will we deal with this season?
Church -we're back to our preschooler crying when I leave. (he has some new teachers)
Homeschool -so many other challenges are slowing our progress. We're just not getting as much done in a day as I would hope to.
Food -avoiding dairy, soy, corn, chocolate, and wheat leaves me hungry and struggling to find easy go-to snacks and has turned my grocery shopping upside down.
Injuries -our oldest sprained her finger on her dominant hand...everything has been hard for her. I've had to help her wash her hair, write her school work, and many other little things you don't think about until you can't do them normally. Thankfully she got her splint off this weekend and is on the mend!
Health -we've had two illnesses so far. I am thankful that they didn't spread through the whole household and our littlest guy has been fortunate to not get sick. Praise the Lord!
My hubby is in the process of starting a new medication for his arthritis that takes a while to start working -it could be December before he starts feeling the benefits. In the start-up process, he may get worse physically and we are seeing some of the effects already. His cane is back out, but not needed every day, and I get to blog a little more too...
We have more to come this week as well. I will be taking our baby in to see a pediatric dentist for a lip tie. He has either a Level 3 or Level 4 tie of his upper lip. It makes breastfeeding harder for him because latching on properly is difficult and he is unable to nurse fully. I had an awkward, but overall pleasant experience of going to see a lactation consultant. She recommended a pediatric dentist vs. an ENT because of our family history with his older sister having a lip tie that interfered with her teeth.
The interesting thing about a lip tie is that many of the symptoms are identical to food intolerance symptoms. I don't believe getting his lip tie revised will cure him, but I do hope he'll be able to nurse better and perhaps some of his symptoms will lessen or go away.
Church -we're back to our preschooler crying when I leave. (he has some new teachers)
Homeschool -so many other challenges are slowing our progress. We're just not getting as much done in a day as I would hope to.
Food -avoiding dairy, soy, corn, chocolate, and wheat leaves me hungry and struggling to find easy go-to snacks and has turned my grocery shopping upside down.
Injuries -our oldest sprained her finger on her dominant hand...everything has been hard for her. I've had to help her wash her hair, write her school work, and many other little things you don't think about until you can't do them normally. Thankfully she got her splint off this weekend and is on the mend!
Health -we've had two illnesses so far. I am thankful that they didn't spread through the whole household and our littlest guy has been fortunate to not get sick. Praise the Lord!
My hubby is in the process of starting a new medication for his arthritis that takes a while to start working -it could be December before he starts feeling the benefits. In the start-up process, he may get worse physically and we are seeing some of the effects already. His cane is back out, but not needed every day, and I get to blog a little more too...
We have more to come this week as well. I will be taking our baby in to see a pediatric dentist for a lip tie. He has either a Level 3 or Level 4 tie of his upper lip. It makes breastfeeding harder for him because latching on properly is difficult and he is unable to nurse fully. I had an awkward, but overall pleasant experience of going to see a lactation consultant. She recommended a pediatric dentist vs. an ENT because of our family history with his older sister having a lip tie that interfered with her teeth.
The interesting thing about a lip tie is that many of the symptoms are identical to food intolerance symptoms. I don't believe getting his lip tie revised will cure him, but I do hope he'll be able to nurse better and perhaps some of his symptoms will lessen or go away.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Finding God in the Busyness
Some seasons of life are just crazy busy. So many demands on how you spend what time you have. I'm in one of those seasons right now.
My every waking hour, and even those I spend sleeping are dictated by the needs of my children or husband.
The pressure was mounting and my sanity was faltering. I found myself overwhelmed, self-doubting, self-condemning, angry and frustrated. Those are times I need God most. He is my rock. My stability and my sanity. But how do I find time...how do I make time when so many responsibilities are pressing in on me?
Priorities. As simple as adjusting my priorities and as complicated as keeping them in check.
For me, this is how I am trying to put God first and actually spend time with Him:
At our 4:00-ish AM feeding, I read a devotion on an app I found called Sprinkle Jesus. It is usually pretty good. A quick verse each day with a short devotion. My baby gets fed nutrition and I get fed the Word and some good application. I pray during feedings to as often as my mind remembers. Sometimes, I have to admit, I forget...work in progress!
Getting ready in the morning (when I have the opportunity to get ready all at one time), I play worship songs to remind me of where my focus needs to be.
Our first school subject of the day is Faith & Character. We talked about priorities as a lesson and hopefully my children and I will help each other stay accountable.
I bought a clip-on book reading light so I can read my bible and not wake up the baby when he is sleeping.
These are the little things I am working to fit into my day and use the time I have and the opportunities I have as wisely as I can.
My every waking hour, and even those I spend sleeping are dictated by the needs of my children or husband.
The pressure was mounting and my sanity was faltering. I found myself overwhelmed, self-doubting, self-condemning, angry and frustrated. Those are times I need God most. He is my rock. My stability and my sanity. But how do I find time...how do I make time when so many responsibilities are pressing in on me?
Priorities. As simple as adjusting my priorities and as complicated as keeping them in check.
For me, this is how I am trying to put God first and actually spend time with Him:
At our 4:00-ish AM feeding, I read a devotion on an app I found called Sprinkle Jesus. It is usually pretty good. A quick verse each day with a short devotion. My baby gets fed nutrition and I get fed the Word and some good application. I pray during feedings to as often as my mind remembers. Sometimes, I have to admit, I forget...work in progress!
Getting ready in the morning (when I have the opportunity to get ready all at one time), I play worship songs to remind me of where my focus needs to be.
Our first school subject of the day is Faith & Character. We talked about priorities as a lesson and hopefully my children and I will help each other stay accountable.
I bought a clip-on book reading light so I can read my bible and not wake up the baby when he is sleeping.
These are the little things I am working to fit into my day and use the time I have and the opportunities I have as wisely as I can.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
The Rare Evening to Myself!
It actually happened. Our baby went to bed at a decent time and I've had the past hour all to myself!
I spent my time organizing and preparing our homeschool things for the coming week, as well as a couple items for organizing throughout the coming year. It feels so good to have some time to have my thoughts and choices all for myself and not interrupted or influenced by my family.
I found another homeschooling group in our area that has activities for extra curricular learning as opposed to our other group that is purely for social gatherings at the park once per week. I was even more excited to learn this new group is the same group our church hosts monthly for a mom's night out!
The first "Educator's Fellowship" night is this week. I am hoping to be able to make it as long as my health and our little guy's health holds. Our preschooler had a nasty cough last week and we've all been exposed. My throat has been feeling scratchy and thick like the beginnings of a cold, but God-willing, I am praying that my body will be able to fight it off!
I spent my time organizing and preparing our homeschool things for the coming week, as well as a couple items for organizing throughout the coming year. It feels so good to have some time to have my thoughts and choices all for myself and not interrupted or influenced by my family.
I found another homeschooling group in our area that has activities for extra curricular learning as opposed to our other group that is purely for social gatherings at the park once per week. I was even more excited to learn this new group is the same group our church hosts monthly for a mom's night out!
The first "Educator's Fellowship" night is this week. I am hoping to be able to make it as long as my health and our little guy's health holds. Our preschooler had a nasty cough last week and we've all been exposed. My throat has been feeling scratchy and thick like the beginnings of a cold, but God-willing, I am praying that my body will be able to fight it off!
Sunday, August 25, 2019
"You got your hands full!"
I decided to be brave and take both of my boys with me to the grocery store this past week. We made it through the whole store and almost through the checkout line before things began unraveling.
My littlest started waking up and fussing -time to eat. No biggie. We could make it to the car and I'd feed him before going home. I used my foot to rock his car seat on the floor while the cashier finished filling my cart and my three year old wandered to and fro nearby.
Just as I started making my payment, my three year old informs me that he needs to use the bathroom. Oh, great...this throws a wrench in things. I finish my payment as quickly as possible and return the car seat with my now crying infant to the cart and grab my preschooler's hand. Off we go as quickly as little legs can go towards the nearest restroom.
Leaving all our purchases outside of the restroom and silently giving it all to God that it will still be there when we get back, I take my infant out of his seat and hurry my preschooler into the bathroom. The large handicap stall is in use. So we are left with a small regular stall. We squeeze into the stall and I am verbally telling my son what to do so he can be successful the whole way there.
We pull his pants down and with my infant in my arms, I instruct him how to pee standing up while I situate myself to nurse my infant while standing up in the tiny bathroom stall. Against all odds and thanking the Lord in my head, my preschooler not only had perfect aim, but he didn't dribble on himself either!
One-handed I help him get his pants back on and we make our way to the sink to wash hands. The sink is tall. I am still nursing and have only one hand free. Somehow I am able to kneel down on one knee and use my other knee as a stepping stool. He climbs up and starts washing.
The soap is fixed to the mirror at an adult eye-level. We have to wash hands. He touched the toilet seat and no way am I letting him out of that bathroom without washing. We manage another amazing feat - helping him climb onto the sink to get some soap. All the while I am giving him encouragement and instruction, nursing a baby, and trying to not drop either one of them.
The lady who was occupying the larger stall joins us at the sink and says, "You have your hands full! I was listening to you and thinking about how patient you are. You are so patient! I don't see many moms who are as patient as you are."
I thanked her and said something like, "we've had to learn it." It helped me to recognize I was doing something well even in the midst of the chaos. We finally finished in the bathroom and returned to our cart with all of our purchases exactly where we'd left them. It was a crazy, stressful experience. One where you just do what has to be done to get through it. And we made it through unscathed. Praise. The. Lord. I finished nursing the baby and we had a smooth trip home!
When most people tell me that my hands are full, it seems they are implying I have too much on my plate or that they are glad they aren't in my place or that they don't believe they could do it themselves. I love being a mommy and while it is a crazy, messy life...we love it! I'm quite capable and don't think much of the hoops I jump through to make life work, but hearing the compliment from the lady in the bathroom made me appreciate all that we accomplish in the middle of the chaos.
God gave me two little boys to raise. He is also giving me the ability to do it!
My littlest started waking up and fussing -time to eat. No biggie. We could make it to the car and I'd feed him before going home. I used my foot to rock his car seat on the floor while the cashier finished filling my cart and my three year old wandered to and fro nearby.
Just as I started making my payment, my three year old informs me that he needs to use the bathroom. Oh, great...this throws a wrench in things. I finish my payment as quickly as possible and return the car seat with my now crying infant to the cart and grab my preschooler's hand. Off we go as quickly as little legs can go towards the nearest restroom.
Leaving all our purchases outside of the restroom and silently giving it all to God that it will still be there when we get back, I take my infant out of his seat and hurry my preschooler into the bathroom. The large handicap stall is in use. So we are left with a small regular stall. We squeeze into the stall and I am verbally telling my son what to do so he can be successful the whole way there.
We pull his pants down and with my infant in my arms, I instruct him how to pee standing up while I situate myself to nurse my infant while standing up in the tiny bathroom stall. Against all odds and thanking the Lord in my head, my preschooler not only had perfect aim, but he didn't dribble on himself either!
One-handed I help him get his pants back on and we make our way to the sink to wash hands. The sink is tall. I am still nursing and have only one hand free. Somehow I am able to kneel down on one knee and use my other knee as a stepping stool. He climbs up and starts washing.
The soap is fixed to the mirror at an adult eye-level. We have to wash hands. He touched the toilet seat and no way am I letting him out of that bathroom without washing. We manage another amazing feat - helping him climb onto the sink to get some soap. All the while I am giving him encouragement and instruction, nursing a baby, and trying to not drop either one of them.
The lady who was occupying the larger stall joins us at the sink and says, "You have your hands full! I was listening to you and thinking about how patient you are. You are so patient! I don't see many moms who are as patient as you are."
I thanked her and said something like, "we've had to learn it." It helped me to recognize I was doing something well even in the midst of the chaos. We finally finished in the bathroom and returned to our cart with all of our purchases exactly where we'd left them. It was a crazy, stressful experience. One where you just do what has to be done to get through it. And we made it through unscathed. Praise. The. Lord. I finished nursing the baby and we had a smooth trip home!
When most people tell me that my hands are full, it seems they are implying I have too much on my plate or that they are glad they aren't in my place or that they don't believe they could do it themselves. I love being a mommy and while it is a crazy, messy life...we love it! I'm quite capable and don't think much of the hoops I jump through to make life work, but hearing the compliment from the lady in the bathroom made me appreciate all that we accomplish in the middle of the chaos.
God gave me two little boys to raise. He is also giving me the ability to do it!
Monday, August 12, 2019
Homeschooling...with Littles!
We started school last week and my hubby returned to work. School was a bust. My oldest daughter got sick and my littles were needy and fussy. In three days, all we accomplished was morning bible reading each day and one daughter's language arts lesson for one day...yikes!
I learned a few important lessons at least:
1. The infant is the scheduling coordinator.
2. I need to lower my expectations of what I can accomplish in a given day.
(too many projects equals a cluttered house because they didn't get finished)
3. Make a more generic lesson plan that can be used for both preschool and middle school...ha!
Talking to God at 3:00am this morning, He gave me an idea and memory verses to work on!
During breakfast I introduced our memory verses. Genesis 1:1 for my three year old, and John 1:1-3 for my middle schoolers. Both sets of verses dwell on creation. Then we all worked together to clean up the table and get ready for a morning walk.
On our little walk around the block, we collected items that God has made (rocks, grass, dirt, a few ants, a flowering weed, and a dead weed). Once we got home we looked at our little collection and talked about how God made them all. We talked about how beautiful the flower was and how the bible tells us that God cares to dress even the lilies of the field in beauty, how much more would He take care of us? We also discussed how each thing we collected was beautifully colored and designed, but the dead weed was ugly and plain. Death isn't God's plan for us and even the earth itself was effected by sin.
Then each of my older girls designed a poster for a memory verse and everyone helped to decorate them. As they worked we listened to Sunday School songs. ...Hurray! We finally had a successful learning experience for all my schooling kiddos, and little mister napped through most of it.
So, for my preschooler's education, he got:
Language Arts: discussion about creation and songs
Fine Motor Skills: coloring, putting marker lids on and off, picking up small rocks
Large Motor Skills & Sensory Experience: walking around the block, pushing the stroller and steering it down the sidewalk
Science: collecting nature items on our walk and learning what God has made
Math: counting the ants
My middle schooler's got:
Physical Education
Faith & Character
Art & Music
and more that I count as a bonus, because they still had to do their Language Arts curriculum...and if we're able, a math lesson too!
I learned a few important lessons at least:
1. The infant is the scheduling coordinator.
2. I need to lower my expectations of what I can accomplish in a given day.
(too many projects equals a cluttered house because they didn't get finished)
3. Make a more generic lesson plan that can be used for both preschool and middle school...ha!
Talking to God at 3:00am this morning, He gave me an idea and memory verses to work on!
During breakfast I introduced our memory verses. Genesis 1:1 for my three year old, and John 1:1-3 for my middle schoolers. Both sets of verses dwell on creation. Then we all worked together to clean up the table and get ready for a morning walk.
On our little walk around the block, we collected items that God has made (rocks, grass, dirt, a few ants, a flowering weed, and a dead weed). Once we got home we looked at our little collection and talked about how God made them all. We talked about how beautiful the flower was and how the bible tells us that God cares to dress even the lilies of the field in beauty, how much more would He take care of us? We also discussed how each thing we collected was beautifully colored and designed, but the dead weed was ugly and plain. Death isn't God's plan for us and even the earth itself was effected by sin.
Then each of my older girls designed a poster for a memory verse and everyone helped to decorate them. As they worked we listened to Sunday School songs. ...Hurray! We finally had a successful learning experience for all my schooling kiddos, and little mister napped through most of it.
So, for my preschooler's education, he got:
Language Arts: discussion about creation and songs
Fine Motor Skills: coloring, putting marker lids on and off, picking up small rocks
Large Motor Skills & Sensory Experience: walking around the block, pushing the stroller and steering it down the sidewalk
Science: collecting nature items on our walk and learning what God has made
Math: counting the ants
My middle schooler's got:
Physical Education
Faith & Character
Art & Music
and more that I count as a bonus, because they still had to do their Language Arts curriculum...and if we're able, a math lesson too!
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Count Your Blessings
God is so amazing. Here we are. In a new home. With beautiful landscaping. A garden my husband just planted. A family twice as large as we had imagined. My husband once told me he always felt that he was supposed to be rich...we are rich in so many ways. Financially we have been blessed to have enough, even when our bills piled up -we had enough... and at times in our lives, we have been blessed with more than enough.
Health-wise, we have definite struggles, and yet we have enough. We have what we need. Enough to keep us dependent on the Lord, and enough to enjoy each other and the blessings God has given us.
God has always provided for all of our needs. I am in a place today where I am just aware of all the many, many ways that God has abundantly cared for our little family.
Today, I took my girls to get haircuts. We all got our hair 'did' and enjoyed the time out together. My hubby spent some time working in the garden with all of his kiddos today. It cost him physically, but he is pleased to have accomplished his goal for getting the garden put together and the irrigation taken care of.
We have many areas of life that are far from perfect. Far, far from ideal. And yet, if I take that step back and just look at all going on in our lives, God is there. He's not just there, He is active and very much involved in every part of our lives. I only hope I can give Him the glory and honor He deserves with my life and all He has given me.
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Due Date and One Week Old!
Today was our due date, and our little guy is a full week old. He's quickly become an irreplaceable part of our family. There is never a shortage of someone who wants to hold him and snuggle with his little sleepy baby warmth.
We had several family members take the trip out to visit him today. It was nice to see everyone and I was ready for a nap once they all left. :0)
I've been doing well considering I'm still recovering from surgery. As long as I keep up on my medications, I have been able to be fairly active. I don't cook a whole meal, but I can be up and about doing things around the house for short periods of time. Last night was our best so far. I got about 3 hours of sleep in my own bed and another three on the couch.
Our weather has been cool for this time of year and our little guy is getting cold easily. He sleeps best in my arms on the couch when I am reclined, so I've been splitting my time between my own bed and the couch because he doesn't sleep as well on his own. I think I need to get him some warmer sleepers and sleep sacks. His hat helps at least, and the weather should be warming up soon.
We had several family members take the trip out to visit him today. It was nice to see everyone and I was ready for a nap once they all left. :0)
I've been doing well considering I'm still recovering from surgery. As long as I keep up on my medications, I have been able to be fairly active. I don't cook a whole meal, but I can be up and about doing things around the house for short periods of time. Last night was our best so far. I got about 3 hours of sleep in my own bed and another three on the couch.
Our weather has been cool for this time of year and our little guy is getting cold easily. He sleeps best in my arms on the couch when I am reclined, so I've been splitting my time between my own bed and the couch because he doesn't sleep as well on his own. I think I need to get him some warmer sleepers and sleep sacks. His hat helps at least, and the weather should be warming up soon.
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Baby #4 Has Arrived!
Our second planned C-section went well. Little Man was born at 1:50pm, 7 pounds and 12 ounces, 21.5 inches long. We got to watch him be delivered to music by Chris Tomlin, and my hubby got to cut the umbilical cord after a delayed clamping.
(Delayed clamping means they allowed the umbilical cord to continue providing blood to the baby after birth for a short period of time. It helps overall with baby's health concerning blood sugar levels, jaundice, and iron counts.)
He was my second smallest baby, and the baby with the most -and darkest hair! He is precious and everyone fell in love with him from the nurses to doctors, to his sisters and other family members.
We stayed three days in the hospital, and it was the best service we've ever received for post partem care. The nurses explained things to us, joked around with us, asked our opinions, etc. It was wonderful. They truly seemed to care about each of us and were excited about our baby's birth. Regardless of him being our fourth. If anything, that fact made it even more fun for them. It was fun to see how they marveled over our different parenting style from other first-time parents on the floor. We heard that comment several times about how we had experience in parenting. They loved him and they loved us!
Everyone was interested and sharing our story of pregnancy after a tubal ligation. A modern medical miracle. Even our OR nurse had never seen a case in her 20 years of experience until us. The doctor joked with us that she would make sure my tubes were properly taken care of, and she was true to her word. My right fallopian tube had re-grown back together, which was most likely how we were able to conceive our son. She removed both tubes and cauterized them.
(As a small disclaimer, I realize permanent birth control isn't for everyone and can be quite the controversial topic. However, my hubby and I have prayed over this decision and are both in a place of contentment and peace that this was the best decision for our family and in our personal faith walk with the Lord.)
I had a small emotional meltdown our first night back at home. I was realizing that I couldn't care for my family on my own. The joyful care we received at the hospital was over and reality was hitting me. I forgot that my hubby was going to be home with me for a while, and I was feeling a bit insecure about being able to be there for my other children and a brand-new baby in my current state of healing from a major surgery. Chalk it up to baby blues if you like, it only lasted the evening.
Our first full day home has gone splendidly. Our older girls were awesome helpers and one even cooked supper for us all on her own tonight for the first time! Our toddler asked to hold his brother and gave him kisses without prompting. He did have a hard time not being able to sit on Mommy's lap, but he got to sit next to me at least.
We've also learned some lessons today as well.
I was having back pain off and on after surgery. It got so bad I googled it and shortly thereafter realized I hadn't taken my pain meds! Not fun at all. Thankfully I do have a tiny supply of real pain medication in addition to the Tylenol/Ibuprofen regimen they have me on. Once it kicked in, I was able to function again. I can see why opioids are so addictive. It is hands down a better pain blocker than either of the over-the-counter medications I have. I am thankful that doctors are doing a better job of teaching patients about the risks and how to take strong medications appropriately.
My last C-section, it was just one of the medications I took and true to my nature, I took them as directed on the package not realizing that they were only intended to be taken "as needed". It was a rude wake up call when I called to refill them and had to have a consultation with my doctor first. No one had bothered to explain to me prior to that about how to take pain meds.
Another lesson learned today was the common problem of "nipple confusion". Our little guy has been cluster feeding and sometimes feeding can take over 2 hours before he stops rooting for food. To help, we've been using the pacifier, which works wonders. He'll quiet down and sleep or relax in your arms for a while with his paci. Unfortunately with everyone taking turns holding him, he got too much pacifier and when it was time to eat, he had forgotten how to latch on to me to eat! It took me quite a while, but I was able to get him to take some milk from a bottle that I had just pumped and then after he was calm again, was able to get him to latch on for a real feeding. Praise the Lord! I was getting worried for a little bit when he was crying and not latching on.
(Delayed clamping means they allowed the umbilical cord to continue providing blood to the baby after birth for a short period of time. It helps overall with baby's health concerning blood sugar levels, jaundice, and iron counts.)
He was my second smallest baby, and the baby with the most -and darkest hair! He is precious and everyone fell in love with him from the nurses to doctors, to his sisters and other family members.
We stayed three days in the hospital, and it was the best service we've ever received for post partem care. The nurses explained things to us, joked around with us, asked our opinions, etc. It was wonderful. They truly seemed to care about each of us and were excited about our baby's birth. Regardless of him being our fourth. If anything, that fact made it even more fun for them. It was fun to see how they marveled over our different parenting style from other first-time parents on the floor. We heard that comment several times about how we had experience in parenting. They loved him and they loved us!
Everyone was interested and sharing our story of pregnancy after a tubal ligation. A modern medical miracle. Even our OR nurse had never seen a case in her 20 years of experience until us. The doctor joked with us that she would make sure my tubes were properly taken care of, and she was true to her word. My right fallopian tube had re-grown back together, which was most likely how we were able to conceive our son. She removed both tubes and cauterized them.
(As a small disclaimer, I realize permanent birth control isn't for everyone and can be quite the controversial topic. However, my hubby and I have prayed over this decision and are both in a place of contentment and peace that this was the best decision for our family and in our personal faith walk with the Lord.)
I had a small emotional meltdown our first night back at home. I was realizing that I couldn't care for my family on my own. The joyful care we received at the hospital was over and reality was hitting me. I forgot that my hubby was going to be home with me for a while, and I was feeling a bit insecure about being able to be there for my other children and a brand-new baby in my current state of healing from a major surgery. Chalk it up to baby blues if you like, it only lasted the evening.
Our first full day home has gone splendidly. Our older girls were awesome helpers and one even cooked supper for us all on her own tonight for the first time! Our toddler asked to hold his brother and gave him kisses without prompting. He did have a hard time not being able to sit on Mommy's lap, but he got to sit next to me at least.
We've also learned some lessons today as well.
I was having back pain off and on after surgery. It got so bad I googled it and shortly thereafter realized I hadn't taken my pain meds! Not fun at all. Thankfully I do have a tiny supply of real pain medication in addition to the Tylenol/Ibuprofen regimen they have me on. Once it kicked in, I was able to function again. I can see why opioids are so addictive. It is hands down a better pain blocker than either of the over-the-counter medications I have. I am thankful that doctors are doing a better job of teaching patients about the risks and how to take strong medications appropriately.
My last C-section, it was just one of the medications I took and true to my nature, I took them as directed on the package not realizing that they were only intended to be taken "as needed". It was a rude wake up call when I called to refill them and had to have a consultation with my doctor first. No one had bothered to explain to me prior to that about how to take pain meds.
Another lesson learned today was the common problem of "nipple confusion". Our little guy has been cluster feeding and sometimes feeding can take over 2 hours before he stops rooting for food. To help, we've been using the pacifier, which works wonders. He'll quiet down and sleep or relax in your arms for a while with his paci. Unfortunately with everyone taking turns holding him, he got too much pacifier and when it was time to eat, he had forgotten how to latch on to me to eat! It took me quite a while, but I was able to get him to take some milk from a bottle that I had just pumped and then after he was calm again, was able to get him to latch on for a real feeding. Praise the Lord! I was getting worried for a little bit when he was crying and not latching on.
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
Homeschooling: Taking a Risk
I took a step out of my normal planning process and am leaping us into a whole new curriculum next year with the exception of our math program -it just works too well to change up right now.
My philosophy concerning teaching is to find something educationally sound, affordable for our budget (which is minimal), and something I can use or tweak to fit our needs and learning styles. If my kids love it, I like to stick with it because if learning is fun...learning happens easily! We enjoyed our curriculum this year, even my daughter who drags her feet in Language Arts has learned to enjoy her lessons. I was hesitant to even consider changing curriculums, but felt I needed to at least make a fair comparison rather than blindly committing to a plan financially.
As I looked at next year, I knew I needed something that would enable my girls to be more independent in their work. Our new baby is going to add a lot of interruptions in addition to having a non-napping preschooler in the mix. At first I planned to stick with Easy Peasy allinonehomeschool.com for History and Science, as well as our Saxon Math program. I was only looking at potentially changing up our Language Arts because it is time consuming and though our math program also is time consuming, I don't want to change it because we are learning so well with it.
My two contenders were The Good & The Beautiful (non-denomination Christian, written by Mormons) or Masterbooks (solidly bible based)...they are very different programs, yet they both teach the same educational concepts. Initially I didn't want to switch because my girls were enjoying their curriculum, but the way that Masterbooks weaves the bible throughout everything, I couldn't tear myself away from the potential gift that would give them in these all-important years of learning. I prayed over the decision many times and couldn't escape that draw to the biblical foundations provided in Masterbooks.
After much back and forth comparison, I not only decided to switch to Masterbooks for Language Arts, but also for History and Science. Never before have I seen a program that takes the topic of the Periodic Table and provides biblical foundations and lessons tied to each and every element! It is simply amazing and I can't wait to dig into these lessons with my girls! I really hope they love it too.
My philosophy concerning teaching is to find something educationally sound, affordable for our budget (which is minimal), and something I can use or tweak to fit our needs and learning styles. If my kids love it, I like to stick with it because if learning is fun...learning happens easily! We enjoyed our curriculum this year, even my daughter who drags her feet in Language Arts has learned to enjoy her lessons. I was hesitant to even consider changing curriculums, but felt I needed to at least make a fair comparison rather than blindly committing to a plan financially.
As I looked at next year, I knew I needed something that would enable my girls to be more independent in their work. Our new baby is going to add a lot of interruptions in addition to having a non-napping preschooler in the mix. At first I planned to stick with Easy Peasy allinonehomeschool.com for History and Science, as well as our Saxon Math program. I was only looking at potentially changing up our Language Arts because it is time consuming and though our math program also is time consuming, I don't want to change it because we are learning so well with it.
My two contenders were The Good & The Beautiful (non-denomination Christian, written by Mormons) or Masterbooks (solidly bible based)...they are very different programs, yet they both teach the same educational concepts. Initially I didn't want to switch because my girls were enjoying their curriculum, but the way that Masterbooks weaves the bible throughout everything, I couldn't tear myself away from the potential gift that would give them in these all-important years of learning. I prayed over the decision many times and couldn't escape that draw to the biblical foundations provided in Masterbooks.
After much back and forth comparison, I not only decided to switch to Masterbooks for Language Arts, but also for History and Science. Never before have I seen a program that takes the topic of the Periodic Table and provides biblical foundations and lessons tied to each and every element! It is simply amazing and I can't wait to dig into these lessons with my girls! I really hope they love it too.
Sunday, May 19, 2019
Planning, Prepping, Organizing
Two praise reports today!
One: Our toddler actually was okay with me leaving his Sunday School class to attend service this morning! It was a slower day with only a few kiddos in the classroom and the teacher got out some toys -a rare thing. He told me goodbye and didn't want to leave the toys when I came back to get him. Such a blessing!
Two: The ladies at church blessed us with a large basket of supplies and gifts for baby! I was so thankful and so surprised. They had asked me about my due date and sex of the baby a few weeks back, so I figured I might get a card or something, but no, someone or some people spent a pretty penny on the many things we were given! And they were good quality items too, new and very useful.
Our new glider arrived this weekend as well as the diaper organizer for the changing table and a few other odds and ends. I still have a lot of cleaning and clothes washing to do, but our bedroom is starting to look more like a nursery. I have a space to rock and nurse the baby, a lamp for nighttime changings, a smaller 'Dream-light' toy to provide a dimmer light during feedings so I can at least see what I'm doing, but not wake up baby too much, etc.
I also made some freezer meals this weekend. I've never made them before and they are newer recipes, but fit our dietary needs. They'll also make cooking easier for us after the baby comes since I'll be out of commission for a while and who knows what my hubby's arthritis will be like at that time. It wasn't hard to do, just a few extra items on my grocery list and a little extra time in the kitchen. I only used recipes that simply combined ingredients in a freezer bag. I didn't do any recipes that required prior cooking prep. Trying to keep it as simple as possible!
One: Our toddler actually was okay with me leaving his Sunday School class to attend service this morning! It was a slower day with only a few kiddos in the classroom and the teacher got out some toys -a rare thing. He told me goodbye and didn't want to leave the toys when I came back to get him. Such a blessing!
Two: The ladies at church blessed us with a large basket of supplies and gifts for baby! I was so thankful and so surprised. They had asked me about my due date and sex of the baby a few weeks back, so I figured I might get a card or something, but no, someone or some people spent a pretty penny on the many things we were given! And they were good quality items too, new and very useful.
Our new glider arrived this weekend as well as the diaper organizer for the changing table and a few other odds and ends. I still have a lot of cleaning and clothes washing to do, but our bedroom is starting to look more like a nursery. I have a space to rock and nurse the baby, a lamp for nighttime changings, a smaller 'Dream-light' toy to provide a dimmer light during feedings so I can at least see what I'm doing, but not wake up baby too much, etc.
I also made some freezer meals this weekend. I've never made them before and they are newer recipes, but fit our dietary needs. They'll also make cooking easier for us after the baby comes since I'll be out of commission for a while and who knows what my hubby's arthritis will be like at that time. It wasn't hard to do, just a few extra items on my grocery list and a little extra time in the kitchen. I only used recipes that simply combined ingredients in a freezer bag. I didn't do any recipes that required prior cooking prep. Trying to keep it as simple as possible!
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Fears Faced - Update
The vaccine bill in our state was defeated by default. It was delayed long enough that it wouldn't have time to meet the legal requirements of three hearings for a bill to pass into law. Praise the Lord for that! I was able to spread the news to several groups on Facebook and attend a rally at our capitol building to show my support for parental rights in medical choice for our children.
Unfortunately, the vaccine issue is not over yet. Just delayed for this year, they plan to bring a new, revised version back again next year. I am grateful for the additional time, and the decreased stress over vaccinating our newborn in his first year of life. The rest is in God's hands.
***
After much prayer, stress, and debate, I have decided to plan a second C-section rather than attempt a VBAC. In all honesty, neither option was "good" in my opinion. I don't like the risks of either one. Several factors came into play. Some medical, some personal, and some logistical. Ultimately, I chose the one I felt most at peace with even though neither option was easy to consider.
Having made the decision, I am feeling more at ease. Baby is coming soon, 4-5 weeks away and there is much to be done. No baby shower this time, in fact, there hasn't been as much excitement over his pending arrival from others as there was in the past, somewhat of a bummer. The more kids you have the less excitement others seem to have for you. A co-worker of my hubby's gave us several items she is no longer using for her little one, and we still had most of the big furniture items from our older son's birth. I think we'll be ready. I hope we will be ready. I don't feel prepared enough yet. Time is just flying by too fast. We'll finish our school year a week or two before he arrives. We're scheduled to get our landscaping done the week before. Life is crazy, and I'm so ready for each item to get crossed off the "to do" list so we can find our new normal.
Unfortunately, the vaccine issue is not over yet. Just delayed for this year, they plan to bring a new, revised version back again next year. I am grateful for the additional time, and the decreased stress over vaccinating our newborn in his first year of life. The rest is in God's hands.
***
After much prayer, stress, and debate, I have decided to plan a second C-section rather than attempt a VBAC. In all honesty, neither option was "good" in my opinion. I don't like the risks of either one. Several factors came into play. Some medical, some personal, and some logistical. Ultimately, I chose the one I felt most at peace with even though neither option was easy to consider.
Having made the decision, I am feeling more at ease. Baby is coming soon, 4-5 weeks away and there is much to be done. No baby shower this time, in fact, there hasn't been as much excitement over his pending arrival from others as there was in the past, somewhat of a bummer. The more kids you have the less excitement others seem to have for you. A co-worker of my hubby's gave us several items she is no longer using for her little one, and we still had most of the big furniture items from our older son's birth. I think we'll be ready. I hope we will be ready. I don't feel prepared enough yet. Time is just flying by too fast. We'll finish our school year a week or two before he arrives. We're scheduled to get our landscaping done the week before. Life is crazy, and I'm so ready for each item to get crossed off the "to do" list so we can find our new normal.
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Facing Fears
Fear 1: Our state has been toying with the idea of standardizing the immunization process for all children in order to attend school: public, childcare, or homeschool even. The new law would impose severe restrictions on any parent attempting to exempt their child from any vaccination -even just one. Doctors would be unable to use their own expertise and understanding of your child's health situation to exempt a vaccine, they would have to meet certain government defined requirements for an exemption. It would also increase governmental control over which vaccines are recommended versus required for children in order to attend school at all, without specifying any boundaries to that control.
I am not anti-vax. I am definitely not blindly pro-vax either. I am against government choosing my family's healthcare without my input.
Society is currently motivated by fear and misleading information about vaccines and their supposed safety and the unsafe environment perceived by there being unvaccinated people in our society. Across the nation, laws are being introduced to remove religious and personal vaccine exemptions and increase the requirements for which vaccines are mandatory.
Pro-vaxxers like to state that anti-vaxxers do not have any scientific proof. However, they won't support any research or laws to look for scientific evidence either. The majority of the evidence is first-hand anecdotal accounts. This frustrates me to no end because as with all societal issues in the media today, there is the extremes on either side. No one cares that neither extreme is entirely accurate. No one cares that there may be something to both sides and making the efforts necessary for finding out what that is.
Two of my children were completely vaccinated as young children. No ill side effects. Another child could not tolerate them. No one seems to wonder why. No one seems to care enough to look into what more is going on. At least, not the people who need to the most. The ones trying to impose governmental choice in our personal healthcare.
I am doing my part. I have contacted my congress people and spread the word on social media as best I can. I am even hoping to attend a rally with my children to show the physical support against this proposed law. The rest I must leave up to God. I pray that this bill is defeated.
Fear 2: As a prior C-section mama, I now have the choice of attempting a vaginal birth or having a scheduled C-section. My hubby and I have spoken with the doctors about risks and I have done lots of research as I normally do.
I want to choose the right one. The best one for my entire family. Regardless of what I choose, I have to rely on others to care for my little ones. Our new baby could have issues like our toddler does. Choosing birth control options and the options vary based on what I choose. My support people are farther away and less physically capable than they were a decade ago when I gave birth to my oldest two. There are many, many factors. Lots of opinions online and judgements for and against.
I know what I'm leaning towards choosing, but I haven't worked out all of my hesitations and concerns internally to be able to make a choice and give it to God. I've been praying for peace and wisdom.
I am not anti-vax. I am definitely not blindly pro-vax either. I am against government choosing my family's healthcare without my input.
Society is currently motivated by fear and misleading information about vaccines and their supposed safety and the unsafe environment perceived by there being unvaccinated people in our society. Across the nation, laws are being introduced to remove religious and personal vaccine exemptions and increase the requirements for which vaccines are mandatory.
Pro-vaxxers like to state that anti-vaxxers do not have any scientific proof. However, they won't support any research or laws to look for scientific evidence either. The majority of the evidence is first-hand anecdotal accounts. This frustrates me to no end because as with all societal issues in the media today, there is the extremes on either side. No one cares that neither extreme is entirely accurate. No one cares that there may be something to both sides and making the efforts necessary for finding out what that is.
Two of my children were completely vaccinated as young children. No ill side effects. Another child could not tolerate them. No one seems to wonder why. No one seems to care enough to look into what more is going on. At least, not the people who need to the most. The ones trying to impose governmental choice in our personal healthcare.
I am doing my part. I have contacted my congress people and spread the word on social media as best I can. I am even hoping to attend a rally with my children to show the physical support against this proposed law. The rest I must leave up to God. I pray that this bill is defeated.
Fear 2: As a prior C-section mama, I now have the choice of attempting a vaginal birth or having a scheduled C-section. My hubby and I have spoken with the doctors about risks and I have done lots of research as I normally do.
I want to choose the right one. The best one for my entire family. Regardless of what I choose, I have to rely on others to care for my little ones. Our new baby could have issues like our toddler does. Choosing birth control options and the options vary based on what I choose. My support people are farther away and less physically capable than they were a decade ago when I gave birth to my oldest two. There are many, many factors. Lots of opinions online and judgements for and against.
I know what I'm leaning towards choosing, but I haven't worked out all of my hesitations and concerns internally to be able to make a choice and give it to God. I've been praying for peace and wisdom.
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Homeschooling Validation
I can't spill the beans just yet on their exact scores, but our girls just finished their first standardized test after being homeschooled for nearly three years. I am just so proud of them and all their hard work! They did well, better than I hoped!
Being their "proctor" as they took their tests, it was natural for them to ask me questions as they worked away. It was hard to refrain from expressing my disappointment when they seemed to have forgotten content of what we had learned this past year...some things they struggled with we just recently finished working on and I wanted to bang my head against a wall!
My oldest is my perfectionist and just like her daddy when it comes to test taking. They both overthink their answers and doubt themselves trying to get that correct answer. Many times I have told her not to make extra work for herself and follow her initial response. We've struggled this year, often with her in tears and both of us frustrated due to her self-doubt and anxiety over making mistakes. Over and over we talk about doing her best, understanding mistakes are just places we need to spend more time learning concepts, etc. Seeing her scores on her test results just filled me with elation. All her self-doubts and anxiety had no foundation in her skill level at all. She scored so well!
My younger daughter is more like me. She catches on quickly to most things and has that engineering mind: able to figure things out and deduce answers by finding patterns, using the process of elimination, etc. I worried that she would be too quick to answer and make unnecessary mistakes (something we've been working on this year). She had very few questions for me during her testing and when I asked her to show me the part of the test she wasn't sure of, she calmly and logically explained why she answered what she did and when I asked if she had any questions, she had answered her own doubts and didn't truly need my help. Her test results showed her weaknesses accurately, but man, her strengths? Wow. It was amazing to see her scores.
Seeing their results was validating for me as a teacher. Not just in being able to teach them, but also in the curriculum choices we've made for them. There are so many options out there for curriculum and you want to have chosen quality learning for your children. Our first year we had so many struggles with curriculum that I worried that I was letting them fall behind or teaching them at too low of a level, that maybe I should have been pushing them more. This test is one that other homeschool and public school peers take. Their percentage scores were high amongst where they fell among their peers. All my doubts have no basis. Now I can use their scores to help me determine where to focus our learning for next year and deciding our curriculum options. God is good!
Being their "proctor" as they took their tests, it was natural for them to ask me questions as they worked away. It was hard to refrain from expressing my disappointment when they seemed to have forgotten content of what we had learned this past year...some things they struggled with we just recently finished working on and I wanted to bang my head against a wall!
My oldest is my perfectionist and just like her daddy when it comes to test taking. They both overthink their answers and doubt themselves trying to get that correct answer. Many times I have told her not to make extra work for herself and follow her initial response. We've struggled this year, often with her in tears and both of us frustrated due to her self-doubt and anxiety over making mistakes. Over and over we talk about doing her best, understanding mistakes are just places we need to spend more time learning concepts, etc. Seeing her scores on her test results just filled me with elation. All her self-doubts and anxiety had no foundation in her skill level at all. She scored so well!
My younger daughter is more like me. She catches on quickly to most things and has that engineering mind: able to figure things out and deduce answers by finding patterns, using the process of elimination, etc. I worried that she would be too quick to answer and make unnecessary mistakes (something we've been working on this year). She had very few questions for me during her testing and when I asked her to show me the part of the test she wasn't sure of, she calmly and logically explained why she answered what she did and when I asked if she had any questions, she had answered her own doubts and didn't truly need my help. Her test results showed her weaknesses accurately, but man, her strengths? Wow. It was amazing to see her scores.
Seeing their results was validating for me as a teacher. Not just in being able to teach them, but also in the curriculum choices we've made for them. There are so many options out there for curriculum and you want to have chosen quality learning for your children. Our first year we had so many struggles with curriculum that I worried that I was letting them fall behind or teaching them at too low of a level, that maybe I should have been pushing them more. This test is one that other homeschool and public school peers take. Their percentage scores were high amongst where they fell among their peers. All my doubts have no basis. Now I can use their scores to help me determine where to focus our learning for next year and deciding our curriculum options. God is good!
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
A Day in the Life
Read part of an article the other day about how perfect life was as a stay-at-home mom. I couldn't tell if it was satire or simply misleading. The author spoke of how she has so much time to keep her home spotless, herself and her kids well cared for, etc. I call a bunch of hooey.
So I thought I might try my hand at an honest look at life as a stay at home, homeschooling momma.
We wake up early (between 6 and 6:30am) in time to fix Daddy his lunch and wave goodbye as he leaves for work. Our toddler usually is starving at this point so we eat breakfast. Breakfast typically includes me telling our older two to "find something to eat, you know what we have, make a choice and come eat." I keep several choices on hand and don't have the brain power to cater breakfast time. Our little guy usually has yogurt or oatmeal with me.
After breakfast, the older two have kitchen clean up duty which includes sweeping, wiping down surfaces, and dishes. Since we are potty training, I take the little man to the bathroom and then get him dressed for the day. Some days he is the only one who makes it to the fully dressed stage besides Daddy! Then he usually asks for mommy to "play with you" so I hang out with him for at least 15-20 minutes while the girls finish their kitchen clean up. We go every 45-60 minutes to the potty...all day long. So interruptions are frequent!
After this, sometimes I have the girls watch their little brother so I can bathe. And, no, this is not a relaxing time for myself. It's often a mad dash to clean up so I don't feel grimy and get out before chaos ensues. On many occasions my little guy barges into the bathroom and starts throwing toys into the bath and begging/crying to get in and join me while his sisters are close on his tail trying to get him back out of the bathroom...when I am finished, my girls have to complete their morning chore of cleaning themselves up. They often stay in pajamas so they don't have much dirty laundry (and thus escape having to do their own laundry for a little longer). We did have to make a rule that hair and teeth get brushed, deodorant is applied, and clean undies are put on.
Around 8:00am we gather together to do our Faith & Character time where we have a bible lesson, learning scripture, or learn about a missionary, and on Wednesdays we do worship time using YouTube on the TV so our little guy can enjoy dancing to the music and we can learn all the proper lyrics!
Then if we're lucky, our little guy will play on his own a bit and I will do a Language Arts lesson with my younger daughter. My older daughter does her own individual work, and has also been assigned to entertain her brother if he is unable to play contentedly on his own while mom is busy.
The girls switch responsibilities next, and then while they finish some individual work, I do a learning activity with our toddler. Somedays everything flows smoothly and we have some free time before lunch at 11:30am. Other days, it's chaotic and we are pushing to get things done before lunch. The smooth days are where I get to start a load of laundry and possibly even get some folding done of clean laundry. Notice there has been very little down time for anybody except the little guy.
Lunch, sometimes we cook, sometimes we just pull out all the leftovers and I have to be bossy about making sure I'm not the only one eating the leftovers, and the kids make healthy choices. After lunch is the golden time of day when we put our little guy down for nap. He doesn't always nap, but he is good about staying in his room. I go through his nap routine while the girls finish their kitchen duty.
Then we get down to business with their math lesson. I teach the lesson from the book, they do some practice problems to show they understand the concepts, and then I have a few moments to myself while they do their homework problems for the day. This is usually when I scroll through Facebook or play my Facebook game in between their calls for help when they get to a problem that confuses them. It's inevitable. The moment my rear end hits the chair and my feet recline is the moment they say, "Mom, I need help!" Being pregnant does not make it easy to get back out of the chair! When my brain isn't already fried, I use my down time to make phone calls and accomplish my grocery list for the next week.
Math is followed by history and science, which we do together in the living room. I've organized our lessons on a Microsoft Word program, so we simply open up the document and click on the links to follow the day's curriculum plan.
After this, school is finished for the day. Anytime between 2:30 and 3:30pm depending on how things have gone and how time consuming the afternoon's curriculum was. I give the girls free time to go and play, when it is nice out, I kick them outside to get some fresh air and exercise.
If I'm lucky, I will have some time to myself before our toddler wakes up. When he does get up, I give him a little snack and we play. I've still not accomplished much housework and often have completely forgotten about any laundry I may have started earlier that day.
By 4:30pm, Daddy is home and I'm needing to start dinner. One of the girls is my helper with cooking and preparing dinner while the other one plays with their brother. My hubby is often sore and retreats to his ergonomic chair and heating pad until dinner time in hopes that he will be able to spend some family time after dinner instead of needing to go back downstairs to try and take care of his back again.
Once supper is finished -anywhere between 6:00-6:30pm, our remaining time is much more flexible and spent together. Sometimes the kids go off and play on their own. Sometimes I hang out with my toddler and hubby. Other times, I'm spending more time with our little guy until he goes to bed. Once he is in bed, the girls have quiet time where they either read books or play quietly together until their bed time. Then my hubby and I spend time as adults...ideally without kid interruption. We usually watch shows together, or on nights like tonight, his body forces him back to his ergonomic chair and I spend time doing my own thing: researching homeschooling stuff, working on lesson plans, putting my feet up and spending time on the computer, etc... (not doing housework, unless it is me rearranging something). Housework is mostly done on Saturdays and Sundays, or assigned as extra chores when the kids misbehave. It's not a perfect system, but it works for now. Next fall we'll add a baby to the mix and this whole typical routine here will not be the same.
So I thought I might try my hand at an honest look at life as a stay at home, homeschooling momma.
We wake up early (between 6 and 6:30am) in time to fix Daddy his lunch and wave goodbye as he leaves for work. Our toddler usually is starving at this point so we eat breakfast. Breakfast typically includes me telling our older two to "find something to eat, you know what we have, make a choice and come eat." I keep several choices on hand and don't have the brain power to cater breakfast time. Our little guy usually has yogurt or oatmeal with me.
After breakfast, the older two have kitchen clean up duty which includes sweeping, wiping down surfaces, and dishes. Since we are potty training, I take the little man to the bathroom and then get him dressed for the day. Some days he is the only one who makes it to the fully dressed stage besides Daddy! Then he usually asks for mommy to "play with you" so I hang out with him for at least 15-20 minutes while the girls finish their kitchen clean up. We go every 45-60 minutes to the potty...all day long. So interruptions are frequent!
After this, sometimes I have the girls watch their little brother so I can bathe. And, no, this is not a relaxing time for myself. It's often a mad dash to clean up so I don't feel grimy and get out before chaos ensues. On many occasions my little guy barges into the bathroom and starts throwing toys into the bath and begging/crying to get in and join me while his sisters are close on his tail trying to get him back out of the bathroom...when I am finished, my girls have to complete their morning chore of cleaning themselves up. They often stay in pajamas so they don't have much dirty laundry (and thus escape having to do their own laundry for a little longer). We did have to make a rule that hair and teeth get brushed, deodorant is applied, and clean undies are put on.
Around 8:00am we gather together to do our Faith & Character time where we have a bible lesson, learning scripture, or learn about a missionary, and on Wednesdays we do worship time using YouTube on the TV so our little guy can enjoy dancing to the music and we can learn all the proper lyrics!
Then if we're lucky, our little guy will play on his own a bit and I will do a Language Arts lesson with my younger daughter. My older daughter does her own individual work, and has also been assigned to entertain her brother if he is unable to play contentedly on his own while mom is busy.
The girls switch responsibilities next, and then while they finish some individual work, I do a learning activity with our toddler. Somedays everything flows smoothly and we have some free time before lunch at 11:30am. Other days, it's chaotic and we are pushing to get things done before lunch. The smooth days are where I get to start a load of laundry and possibly even get some folding done of clean laundry. Notice there has been very little down time for anybody except the little guy.
Lunch, sometimes we cook, sometimes we just pull out all the leftovers and I have to be bossy about making sure I'm not the only one eating the leftovers, and the kids make healthy choices. After lunch is the golden time of day when we put our little guy down for nap. He doesn't always nap, but he is good about staying in his room. I go through his nap routine while the girls finish their kitchen duty.
Then we get down to business with their math lesson. I teach the lesson from the book, they do some practice problems to show they understand the concepts, and then I have a few moments to myself while they do their homework problems for the day. This is usually when I scroll through Facebook or play my Facebook game in between their calls for help when they get to a problem that confuses them. It's inevitable. The moment my rear end hits the chair and my feet recline is the moment they say, "Mom, I need help!" Being pregnant does not make it easy to get back out of the chair! When my brain isn't already fried, I use my down time to make phone calls and accomplish my grocery list for the next week.
Math is followed by history and science, which we do together in the living room. I've organized our lessons on a Microsoft Word program, so we simply open up the document and click on the links to follow the day's curriculum plan.
After this, school is finished for the day. Anytime between 2:30 and 3:30pm depending on how things have gone and how time consuming the afternoon's curriculum was. I give the girls free time to go and play, when it is nice out, I kick them outside to get some fresh air and exercise.
If I'm lucky, I will have some time to myself before our toddler wakes up. When he does get up, I give him a little snack and we play. I've still not accomplished much housework and often have completely forgotten about any laundry I may have started earlier that day.
By 4:30pm, Daddy is home and I'm needing to start dinner. One of the girls is my helper with cooking and preparing dinner while the other one plays with their brother. My hubby is often sore and retreats to his ergonomic chair and heating pad until dinner time in hopes that he will be able to spend some family time after dinner instead of needing to go back downstairs to try and take care of his back again.
Once supper is finished -anywhere between 6:00-6:30pm, our remaining time is much more flexible and spent together. Sometimes the kids go off and play on their own. Sometimes I hang out with my toddler and hubby. Other times, I'm spending more time with our little guy until he goes to bed. Once he is in bed, the girls have quiet time where they either read books or play quietly together until their bed time. Then my hubby and I spend time as adults...ideally without kid interruption. We usually watch shows together, or on nights like tonight, his body forces him back to his ergonomic chair and I spend time doing my own thing: researching homeschooling stuff, working on lesson plans, putting my feet up and spending time on the computer, etc... (not doing housework, unless it is me rearranging something). Housework is mostly done on Saturdays and Sundays, or assigned as extra chores when the kids misbehave. It's not a perfect system, but it works for now. Next fall we'll add a baby to the mix and this whole typical routine here will not be the same.
Life Update
I'm sitting on the couch wasting time on my computer...I'd rather be putzing around the house doing some more organizing or setting up. But, that requires moving, and my pregnant self doesn't want to move either. It's a no win situation. LOL!
Pregnancy is going smoothly so far. My fingers have only recently begun to swell on occasion. Nothing like the swelling I experienced last time. I'm also finding my legs feel better wearing my compression stockings on a more regular basis. My increased weight forced me to buy another pair in the next size up. I'm also going to have to go shopping this weekend to get some more maternity clothes -outgrowing what I have! The funny thing was that I just hit the 160 pound mark - I've gained 20 pounds this pregnancy - but 160 was my starting weight with my last pregnancy, so it still feels like a small number to me!
I've been spending my free time on the phone and doing research for homeschool stuff, pediatrician stuff, tax stuff, etc. It seems this is the time of year that everything needs doing. We are going to have our girls take a standardized test this year to meet their homeschooling requirement to "prove" they are learning. They only have to get a 13% to continue homeschooling...craziness. I'm curious to see where they land as compared to their public schooled peers.
So far this year we have done well with homeschooling despite time off for moving and other little life interruptions. I've been researching enrichment program options as well as curriculum options, although I think I'll wait to order any new curriculum until after they take their standardized test. Just in case it reveals something specific we need to address.
I'd love to be able to purchase a ready-made preschool curriculum for my little guy, but knowing me, I still would not be happy with that and want to make my own tweaks and creations for his learning. I'm just struggling finding the time and energy to think that far out of the box. With my older kiddos, we have an outline to follow at least, so even if I deviate off the learning they provide, I have topics and goals to aim for. It seems all my years in early childhood have escaped my pregnant brain when it comes to curriculum for our son. I'll get there. I know I will. We do activities and games, just not as structured as I am dreaming of.
We also need to start looking into landscaping for our yard in the next month or so. My brain knows this, but it hasn't comprehended that to make it happen we have to actually start making phone calls and thinking about what we want to accomplish. Too many things on my mental plate!
Hubby has been fighting with the pharmaceutical company trying to get his new medication figured out and started. We think we got it finally figured out after several weeks of misunderstandings and failures on their part. My fear is that it will cause the same type of allergic reaction as the other medication he was on. If so, we start at square one again. His rash has lessened and decreased significantly, but it hasn't disappeared and he continues to have new spots appear. It is nothing like how bad it used to be, and I've been asking him to talk to his doctor about what they think about it not being gone yet. His health has deteriorated significantly being off his medication. He's back to using his cane and really struggling getting around. Part of it may also be that we've deviated from his diet since selling the house and moving. Life is still not settled yet and I'm finding my bearings slowly.
Potty training has been an adventure, my first time training a boy at home. He's gotten used to going potty when the alarm on my phone rings. Sometimes he fusses that he has to stop playing, but he typically will go. I'm waiting for him to start taking some initiative too...if the alarm doesn't ring, he simply doesn't care if he is wet or not. We've discussed just putting him in underwear to see what that does, but haven't decided if we're ready for it or not. I need to do some more research to remind myself the stages and developmental milestones of potty training. He doesn't react well to negative feedback and will regress for a day or so if I lose my patience with him, so I've been working on that too. I haven't been as strict with him in a discipline sense, so the tactics I've used in the past don't work as well because he isn't used to them. Parenting is challenging!
Pregnancy is going smoothly so far. My fingers have only recently begun to swell on occasion. Nothing like the swelling I experienced last time. I'm also finding my legs feel better wearing my compression stockings on a more regular basis. My increased weight forced me to buy another pair in the next size up. I'm also going to have to go shopping this weekend to get some more maternity clothes -outgrowing what I have! The funny thing was that I just hit the 160 pound mark - I've gained 20 pounds this pregnancy - but 160 was my starting weight with my last pregnancy, so it still feels like a small number to me!
I've been spending my free time on the phone and doing research for homeschool stuff, pediatrician stuff, tax stuff, etc. It seems this is the time of year that everything needs doing. We are going to have our girls take a standardized test this year to meet their homeschooling requirement to "prove" they are learning. They only have to get a 13% to continue homeschooling...craziness. I'm curious to see where they land as compared to their public schooled peers.
So far this year we have done well with homeschooling despite time off for moving and other little life interruptions. I've been researching enrichment program options as well as curriculum options, although I think I'll wait to order any new curriculum until after they take their standardized test. Just in case it reveals something specific we need to address.
I'd love to be able to purchase a ready-made preschool curriculum for my little guy, but knowing me, I still would not be happy with that and want to make my own tweaks and creations for his learning. I'm just struggling finding the time and energy to think that far out of the box. With my older kiddos, we have an outline to follow at least, so even if I deviate off the learning they provide, I have topics and goals to aim for. It seems all my years in early childhood have escaped my pregnant brain when it comes to curriculum for our son. I'll get there. I know I will. We do activities and games, just not as structured as I am dreaming of.
We also need to start looking into landscaping for our yard in the next month or so. My brain knows this, but it hasn't comprehended that to make it happen we have to actually start making phone calls and thinking about what we want to accomplish. Too many things on my mental plate!
Hubby has been fighting with the pharmaceutical company trying to get his new medication figured out and started. We think we got it finally figured out after several weeks of misunderstandings and failures on their part. My fear is that it will cause the same type of allergic reaction as the other medication he was on. If so, we start at square one again. His rash has lessened and decreased significantly, but it hasn't disappeared and he continues to have new spots appear. It is nothing like how bad it used to be, and I've been asking him to talk to his doctor about what they think about it not being gone yet. His health has deteriorated significantly being off his medication. He's back to using his cane and really struggling getting around. Part of it may also be that we've deviated from his diet since selling the house and moving. Life is still not settled yet and I'm finding my bearings slowly.
Potty training has been an adventure, my first time training a boy at home. He's gotten used to going potty when the alarm on my phone rings. Sometimes he fusses that he has to stop playing, but he typically will go. I'm waiting for him to start taking some initiative too...if the alarm doesn't ring, he simply doesn't care if he is wet or not. We've discussed just putting him in underwear to see what that does, but haven't decided if we're ready for it or not. I need to do some more research to remind myself the stages and developmental milestones of potty training. He doesn't react well to negative feedback and will regress for a day or so if I lose my patience with him, so I've been working on that too. I haven't been as strict with him in a discipline sense, so the tactics I've used in the past don't work as well because he isn't used to them. Parenting is challenging!
Friday, March 8, 2019
Struggles with Faith
Someday I will learn how to appropriately respond when it comes to my passion in my faith. Particularly the differences with my own personal faith and the Catholic faith as of late. I shared some of my feelings on it and am wishing I would have kept my mouth shut or a bit more censored...I don't want to create animosity within the body of Christ or make others stumble because of my own personal convictions. It's hard when I haven't completely reconciled all my feelings about it in my own mind.
My one big disclaimer is that I know true heart-felt, devoted believers who are Catholic, as well as many who are not. If you choose to participate in the Christian faith as a Catholic, I have no problem with your choice as an adult.
I have had problems attending mass myself and also watching some of my own family members raised in the Catholic church where there is so much difference and sometimes what feels like misleading information represented. I am quite thankful that my nieces have finally finished the Catholic rituals that require my attendance as a loving aunt. It was very difficult to sit quietly and participate in some of the rituals and traditions as a supporting family member.
A few years ago, I was able to connect with an acquaintance from high school on Facebook who is Catholic and ask her why they believed what they believed about infant baptism. Before that, no one was interested in explaining to me why some of their traditions and rituals were different than the protestant ones I grew up with. Basically, it comes down to theology differences and the passing down of beliefs from priests and Catholic scholars of old.
One single bible verse was referenced in a 15-minute long youtube explanation of the Catholic belief. The priest explained the interpretation from one of their earliest scholars and how the entire ritual and belief that baptism saves babies was based on it. No other bible verses were used as a reference or support for the given interpretation. I have always been taught that Scripture Interprets Scripture. To hear and see that an entire tradition and belief was based on one single verse and interpretation of that verse simply because the man who made the interpretation was a respected clergy member, made me realize that our foundational systems were quite different.
After that I stopped asking her questions (she was hoping I might convert), and let her know that I appreciated all her candid answers in helping me to understand some of the differences in our two Christian faiths, but that with differing interpretations of the bible, I didn't think it was wise to continue to debate our differences. The important thing remains our shared faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
That is one point a pastor made long ago that I really respected. Doctrinal differences will be solved in Heaven. As long as our foundation of salvation is belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the rest -while important- is not a determining factor for salvation. Arguing faith doesn't often result in non-believers coming to know Christ personally. Sharing your faith and personal testimony does.
My one big disclaimer is that I know true heart-felt, devoted believers who are Catholic, as well as many who are not. If you choose to participate in the Christian faith as a Catholic, I have no problem with your choice as an adult.
I have had problems attending mass myself and also watching some of my own family members raised in the Catholic church where there is so much difference and sometimes what feels like misleading information represented. I am quite thankful that my nieces have finally finished the Catholic rituals that require my attendance as a loving aunt. It was very difficult to sit quietly and participate in some of the rituals and traditions as a supporting family member.
A few years ago, I was able to connect with an acquaintance from high school on Facebook who is Catholic and ask her why they believed what they believed about infant baptism. Before that, no one was interested in explaining to me why some of their traditions and rituals were different than the protestant ones I grew up with. Basically, it comes down to theology differences and the passing down of beliefs from priests and Catholic scholars of old.
One single bible verse was referenced in a 15-minute long youtube explanation of the Catholic belief. The priest explained the interpretation from one of their earliest scholars and how the entire ritual and belief that baptism saves babies was based on it. No other bible verses were used as a reference or support for the given interpretation. I have always been taught that Scripture Interprets Scripture. To hear and see that an entire tradition and belief was based on one single verse and interpretation of that verse simply because the man who made the interpretation was a respected clergy member, made me realize that our foundational systems were quite different.
After that I stopped asking her questions (she was hoping I might convert), and let her know that I appreciated all her candid answers in helping me to understand some of the differences in our two Christian faiths, but that with differing interpretations of the bible, I didn't think it was wise to continue to debate our differences. The important thing remains our shared faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
That is one point a pastor made long ago that I really respected. Doctrinal differences will be solved in Heaven. As long as our foundation of salvation is belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the rest -while important- is not a determining factor for salvation. Arguing faith doesn't often result in non-believers coming to know Christ personally. Sharing your faith and personal testimony does.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Sunday, Fun Day!
We've had a fun and relaxing day so far today! After being sick with a yucky cold the past few weeks, I finally felt well enough to make it to church without spraying sneezes everywhere.
Our two oldest love their classes. They can't even explain it to me, just that they love their church class. I stayed with our toddler in his class today -his first time going. He was mad at first because he thought he was going to get to play toys and was very excited to play toys at church. It turns out that his new class for 2-3's doesn't play toys. They have a worship time, story time, snack and then a craft time. There is also a small bathroom in the class for kids who are potty training. Overall, he had a good time. He has some learning to do when it comes to the more structured activities. Being the only toddler at home, he hasn't had much experience with group things.
Everyone has been very welcoming and friendly to us there. I think it is a small enough church that they recognize new people. I kind of like that. It can be convenient and safe to fit into the crowd, but I want a church home where the people there are a second family. We might find that here!
After lunch and putting our little guy down for nap, we watched Ant Man & The Wasp as a family. It was really nice to spend that time together. My hubby has been struggling physically for a while and we haven't had much time together lately. A nice relaxing afternoon!
I just realized that I haven't posted much of an update on my hubby's health lately. He found a new dermatologist and a new rheumatologist closer to us. His dermatologist is amazing and I am so thankful for her! She reviewed his history and refused to simply accept his diagnosis as is. She did some tests and a biopsy on the infection he has been struggling with. All the cells in the biopsy are related to allergic reactions, and with the timing of the first outbreak, she (and we) think it might be his biologic injection that he took weekly. He's been off of it now for several weeks and we've seen steady improvement in his skin infection. Praise the Lord! May it continue to heal and disappear!
The unfortunate side effect, is that he no longer has the TNF blockers to help with his autoimmune disease. So he is back to using his cane and has had a few days where he couldn't handle it and had to work from home. Thankfully, his job allows him to work from home as needed! On the plus side, he is doing better than he anticipated. Yes, he has more pain and is more handicapped by it, but it is not as bad as past flares he has dealt with. Considering how bad he has gotten in the past, it isn't as bad as it could be. His new rheumy is working to get him started on a new biologic after the old one is completely out of his system. We are praying that he won't have any allergic reactions to the new one and that insurance will cover it!
Also on the doctors topic, we found a Christian medical practice nearby that seems to be more open to functional medicine, nutrition, and potentially vaccine delays too. I haven't met them in person yet, I still have to go through the introductory stuff, but I am hopeful. We are also praying things go well with this practice -they are in-network for our insurance!
Our two oldest love their classes. They can't even explain it to me, just that they love their church class. I stayed with our toddler in his class today -his first time going. He was mad at first because he thought he was going to get to play toys and was very excited to play toys at church. It turns out that his new class for 2-3's doesn't play toys. They have a worship time, story time, snack and then a craft time. There is also a small bathroom in the class for kids who are potty training. Overall, he had a good time. He has some learning to do when it comes to the more structured activities. Being the only toddler at home, he hasn't had much experience with group things.
Everyone has been very welcoming and friendly to us there. I think it is a small enough church that they recognize new people. I kind of like that. It can be convenient and safe to fit into the crowd, but I want a church home where the people there are a second family. We might find that here!
After lunch and putting our little guy down for nap, we watched Ant Man & The Wasp as a family. It was really nice to spend that time together. My hubby has been struggling physically for a while and we haven't had much time together lately. A nice relaxing afternoon!
I just realized that I haven't posted much of an update on my hubby's health lately. He found a new dermatologist and a new rheumatologist closer to us. His dermatologist is amazing and I am so thankful for her! She reviewed his history and refused to simply accept his diagnosis as is. She did some tests and a biopsy on the infection he has been struggling with. All the cells in the biopsy are related to allergic reactions, and with the timing of the first outbreak, she (and we) think it might be his biologic injection that he took weekly. He's been off of it now for several weeks and we've seen steady improvement in his skin infection. Praise the Lord! May it continue to heal and disappear!
The unfortunate side effect, is that he no longer has the TNF blockers to help with his autoimmune disease. So he is back to using his cane and has had a few days where he couldn't handle it and had to work from home. Thankfully, his job allows him to work from home as needed! On the plus side, he is doing better than he anticipated. Yes, he has more pain and is more handicapped by it, but it is not as bad as past flares he has dealt with. Considering how bad he has gotten in the past, it isn't as bad as it could be. His new rheumy is working to get him started on a new biologic after the old one is completely out of his system. We are praying that he won't have any allergic reactions to the new one and that insurance will cover it!
Also on the doctors topic, we found a Christian medical practice nearby that seems to be more open to functional medicine, nutrition, and potentially vaccine delays too. I haven't met them in person yet, I still have to go through the introductory stuff, but I am hopeful. We are also praying things go well with this practice -they are in-network for our insurance!
Monday, February 4, 2019
Finding a new church home.
I see a lot of people asking how to do this. For me it starts with praying for God to lead us to the right one, and then researching the church's statement of faith, how their services work, what opportunities they offer for families and kids since we that is a big part of who we are. Then I look into times of services and locations for what might work best.
We visited a local church. My youngest daughter enjoyed it, I enjoyed it, but my oldest hated it. We were going to visit another local church, but her attitude was so bad about it that I decided to try a church more similar to the church we used to attend. It's located in another town, but still just a 15 minute drive away.
She loved it, both of them loved it in fact! It also broadcasts the sermon live online so my hubby can receive the same message I do in church. I think we found our new church home. It is much smaller than our last church, but the way things are set up is very similar. They also have a homeschool mom's night out which is exciting!
I'll have many of the same challenges with my toddler and soon-to-be newborn, but this season of life is simply that, a season of life. We'll manage somehow. With my toddler, it's going to be all about the teachers in his class. If he can learn to feel safe with someone other than me, he'll be just fine. With the newborn, I'm expecting to spend more time out in the café area watching the tv screens, or leaving the baby home with my hubby. We shall see how it works out!
We visited a local church. My youngest daughter enjoyed it, I enjoyed it, but my oldest hated it. We were going to visit another local church, but her attitude was so bad about it that I decided to try a church more similar to the church we used to attend. It's located in another town, but still just a 15 minute drive away.
She loved it, both of them loved it in fact! It also broadcasts the sermon live online so my hubby can receive the same message I do in church. I think we found our new church home. It is much smaller than our last church, but the way things are set up is very similar. They also have a homeschool mom's night out which is exciting!
I'll have many of the same challenges with my toddler and soon-to-be newborn, but this season of life is simply that, a season of life. We'll manage somehow. With my toddler, it's going to be all about the teachers in his class. If he can learn to feel safe with someone other than me, he'll be just fine. With the newborn, I'm expecting to spend more time out in the café area watching the tv screens, or leaving the baby home with my hubby. We shall see how it works out!
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Trying new churches and a hot topic.
We were able to try one of the local churches last Sunday. They do things differently here. The older kids attend service with their parents and a Sunday school class with peers. We tried an evangelical church with its roots tied directly to the Swedish immigrants that came in the 1800's. I thought that was interesting. The pastor taught a good sermon on abortion and the heart of the matter that my younger daughter enjoyed, but my oldest lost interest and got bored. All the people were quite welcoming and friendly. Worship was more traditional, but I enjoyed the old hymns and songs I learned as a kid in church. The kids got excited during the offering because they thought it was communion. Our old church had boxes for tithing posted around the church and never took an official offering. I had to explain what an offering was.
Next, we plan on trying the church closest to our house. Its website seems like it will be a more tradition-following church, than the non-denominational we are used to. They had an open house we attended and of course, everyone again was quite welcoming. Both churches work together to operate a private Christian school. I thought that was a really neat thing to see in such a small town. I'm used to seeing competition and judgement in small towns and was pleasantly surprised!
The pastor's sermon on abortion was not one that you'd expect. His sister had an abortion in the 70's just a couple years after Roe vs Wade. He and his wife had offered to care for his sister and adopt her baby as their own. They were crushed when he learned that she had an abortion a few weeks later. He told of how he was in seminary school and searched for help within his church family and came to the realization that although Roe vs Wade was 2 years old, the church hadn't even realized it had a role to play in dealing with the effects of it all.
Later in life, his own daughter chose to have an abortion. Through both circumstances and many, many years of searching for God's heart on the matter, he came to the realization that how the church deals with abortion in general is (in his opinion) harmful at worst and negligent at best. It isn't a theological problem and can't be dealt with in that manner. Every woman who has an abortion knows she is killing a child. They are often in a crisis mode, striving to survive with the life-changing circumstances that being pregnant and adding a child would do.
I've known two women who were open about their past abortions. Both were/are good friends. They forever remember their abortion date, even more so than their due date. They wonder about the child and what might have been. They experience sadness, guilt, and have come to accept, that at the time, they made the choice they believed to have been best for all involved.
One was not saved, the other was. They don't remember their pregnancies and abortions as blobs of tissue or as a choice about their bodies. It was a lifestyle choice and a choice made in fear. Both were victims of rape, one was a struggling young woman dating men just to have a meal to eat. The other was a single mother of two, trying to escape an abusive ex-husband. Neither saw themselves in a place where they could manage a pregnancy, let alone bringing a child into the world. I can empathize with them, imagining myself in their shoes. It isn't about whether or not killing a child is wrong. They knew what they were doing, society makes the effort to remove any guilt-causing labels or judgements, but they knew and the emotional struggle didn't go away just because the situation did. Dealing with having an abortion took them years, and they will never forget.
It is a heart matter, as Christians we need to be loving these women who find themselves unexpectedly pregnant. Loving them in the moment, as they are -no matter how broken. Letting them know we are there for them...not there to save a baby, but there to love the women dealing with an unexpected pregnancy. Many are between a rock and a hard place. For his sister, her heroin addicted boyfriend left her and she faced a pregnancy 'alone' where she would give away her baby at the end. Her life as she knew it would end for the duration of her pregnancy and then she would label herself a failure as a mother for giving away her child. With the encouragement of others in her life, she chose abortion rather than facing the struggle. Near the end of her life, she broke down and asked her brother if God would ever forgive her. And the answer is yes! He is the author of forgiveness! He loves us no matter what!
Next, we plan on trying the church closest to our house. Its website seems like it will be a more tradition-following church, than the non-denominational we are used to. They had an open house we attended and of course, everyone again was quite welcoming. Both churches work together to operate a private Christian school. I thought that was a really neat thing to see in such a small town. I'm used to seeing competition and judgement in small towns and was pleasantly surprised!
The pastor's sermon on abortion was not one that you'd expect. His sister had an abortion in the 70's just a couple years after Roe vs Wade. He and his wife had offered to care for his sister and adopt her baby as their own. They were crushed when he learned that she had an abortion a few weeks later. He told of how he was in seminary school and searched for help within his church family and came to the realization that although Roe vs Wade was 2 years old, the church hadn't even realized it had a role to play in dealing with the effects of it all.
Later in life, his own daughter chose to have an abortion. Through both circumstances and many, many years of searching for God's heart on the matter, he came to the realization that how the church deals with abortion in general is (in his opinion) harmful at worst and negligent at best. It isn't a theological problem and can't be dealt with in that manner. Every woman who has an abortion knows she is killing a child. They are often in a crisis mode, striving to survive with the life-changing circumstances that being pregnant and adding a child would do.
I've known two women who were open about their past abortions. Both were/are good friends. They forever remember their abortion date, even more so than their due date. They wonder about the child and what might have been. They experience sadness, guilt, and have come to accept, that at the time, they made the choice they believed to have been best for all involved.
One was not saved, the other was. They don't remember their pregnancies and abortions as blobs of tissue or as a choice about their bodies. It was a lifestyle choice and a choice made in fear. Both were victims of rape, one was a struggling young woman dating men just to have a meal to eat. The other was a single mother of two, trying to escape an abusive ex-husband. Neither saw themselves in a place where they could manage a pregnancy, let alone bringing a child into the world. I can empathize with them, imagining myself in their shoes. It isn't about whether or not killing a child is wrong. They knew what they were doing, society makes the effort to remove any guilt-causing labels or judgements, but they knew and the emotional struggle didn't go away just because the situation did. Dealing with having an abortion took them years, and they will never forget.
It is a heart matter, as Christians we need to be loving these women who find themselves unexpectedly pregnant. Loving them in the moment, as they are -no matter how broken. Letting them know we are there for them...not there to save a baby, but there to love the women dealing with an unexpected pregnancy. Many are between a rock and a hard place. For his sister, her heroin addicted boyfriend left her and she faced a pregnancy 'alone' where she would give away her baby at the end. Her life as she knew it would end for the duration of her pregnancy and then she would label herself a failure as a mother for giving away her child. With the encouragement of others in her life, she chose abortion rather than facing the struggle. Near the end of her life, she broke down and asked her brother if God would ever forgive her. And the answer is yes! He is the author of forgiveness! He loves us no matter what!
Sunday, January 13, 2019
One step at a Time
It's funny how the life lessons we learn in one area pop up again in other areas throughout our lives.
Right now, it is "one step at a time" or "one box at a time". Little steps. Any progress is still progress, even if it is slow. We finally got our curtains ordered, arrived, and hung in our kitchen/living room. That was all my hubby was able to do this weekend. It took a lot to accomplish - we had to break out the big metal ladder just to reach the tall living room window.
Today was a pretty productive day for me. We listened to church online this morning as a family, and then I made a final trip to the local dollar store for the bins I like in our closet for organizing. Since we have a nice walk in closet now, we gave our dresser to the girls -it has a nice big mirror on it that they'll enjoy as they enter their teens. The trouble was finding ways to organize our socks, pj's, and other items that used to go into dresser drawers and couldn't easily hang in the closet. With the new bins, I was able to have a place for everything and actually get the majority of our laundry put away! Hurray! I also did some packing of clothes I won't be able to wear until after the baby is born and I lose some of the baby weight.
After nap time, I cut the girls' bangs and gave our oldest a trim. I can see their eyes again! I now officially cut everyone's hair (except my own) at home.
We tried a new dish for dinner -creamy garlic pasta. I added chicken strips and made two batches. One gluten free and milk free, the other regular for the rest of the family. It was pretty good and easy to make!
After dinner, my daughter and I worked to convert Little Man's crib into a toddler bed. He was so excited! At least he was excited until it came to bedtime. Then his little lip trembled and he cried big giant tears for momma. Aww. Breaks my heart to hear that cry. He was scared to go to bed in his new bed. Daddy helped him through it, and so far it sounds like he went to sleep. The real test will be 2:00am when he usually calls for me. Will he stay in his bed or get out? Will he fall out of bed at all? Time will tell...hopefully it is a pretty smooth transition. We're being given a twin bed at the end of the month that will be his big-boy bed, so we wanted to start now with the smaller size bed to hopefully help ease the transition.
Right now, it is "one step at a time" or "one box at a time". Little steps. Any progress is still progress, even if it is slow. We finally got our curtains ordered, arrived, and hung in our kitchen/living room. That was all my hubby was able to do this weekend. It took a lot to accomplish - we had to break out the big metal ladder just to reach the tall living room window.
Today was a pretty productive day for me. We listened to church online this morning as a family, and then I made a final trip to the local dollar store for the bins I like in our closet for organizing. Since we have a nice walk in closet now, we gave our dresser to the girls -it has a nice big mirror on it that they'll enjoy as they enter their teens. The trouble was finding ways to organize our socks, pj's, and other items that used to go into dresser drawers and couldn't easily hang in the closet. With the new bins, I was able to have a place for everything and actually get the majority of our laundry put away! Hurray! I also did some packing of clothes I won't be able to wear until after the baby is born and I lose some of the baby weight.
After nap time, I cut the girls' bangs and gave our oldest a trim. I can see their eyes again! I now officially cut everyone's hair (except my own) at home.
We tried a new dish for dinner -creamy garlic pasta. I added chicken strips and made two batches. One gluten free and milk free, the other regular for the rest of the family. It was pretty good and easy to make!
After dinner, my daughter and I worked to convert Little Man's crib into a toddler bed. He was so excited! At least he was excited until it came to bedtime. Then his little lip trembled and he cried big giant tears for momma. Aww. Breaks my heart to hear that cry. He was scared to go to bed in his new bed. Daddy helped him through it, and so far it sounds like he went to sleep. The real test will be 2:00am when he usually calls for me. Will he stay in his bed or get out? Will he fall out of bed at all? Time will tell...hopefully it is a pretty smooth transition. We're being given a twin bed at the end of the month that will be his big-boy bed, so we wanted to start now with the smaller size bed to hopefully help ease the transition.
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Discombobulated...
Not sure if that is even a word, but I feel very much like that! I would guess about 40-50% of our stuff is unpacked. Most of what is unpacked has a home, but a good amount still doesn't have a home. Part of the problem is that our basement doesn't have a way to anchor shelves to the walls yet, so we can't use all of our shelves until we at least get some framing up.
I love cooking in my new kitchen, but I have to say I don't like having granite counter tops. It soaks up oils and gets discolored, so it is hard to food prep and keep clean at the same time. I would have preferred plain old laminate or Formica counters instead, but granite is what the house came with.
Shopping is an experience to say the least. It is interesting to browse through new stores and see what each has to offer, but it is hard not knowing if or where to find the items I need. I've learned that the town closest to us does not have the one/two-stop-shopping that I prefer. One Walmart has my gluten free bread and the other has my butter, but neither has both. The best Walmart that has all my stuff and is fairly close to us is very busy and enormous. I actually like it a lot, but I need to find the opportune time to do my shopping to avoid the crowds.
On the plus side, we are adjusting to our new space. Little Man is finally comfortable enough to start sitting on the potty again. I'm hoping to start more serious potty training with him in the next few weeks! If we can get him out of diapers before the baby comes I'll be one happy momma!
I love cooking in my new kitchen, but I have to say I don't like having granite counter tops. It soaks up oils and gets discolored, so it is hard to food prep and keep clean at the same time. I would have preferred plain old laminate or Formica counters instead, but granite is what the house came with.
Shopping is an experience to say the least. It is interesting to browse through new stores and see what each has to offer, but it is hard not knowing if or where to find the items I need. I've learned that the town closest to us does not have the one/two-stop-shopping that I prefer. One Walmart has my gluten free bread and the other has my butter, but neither has both. The best Walmart that has all my stuff and is fairly close to us is very busy and enormous. I actually like it a lot, but I need to find the opportune time to do my shopping to avoid the crowds.
On the plus side, we are adjusting to our new space. Little Man is finally comfortable enough to start sitting on the potty again. I'm hoping to start more serious potty training with him in the next few weeks! If we can get him out of diapers before the baby comes I'll be one happy momma!
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