New Favorite

 

    It's official.  Mother's Day is my favorite day of the year.  I woke up to the biggest heart-shaped platter you ever saw of pancakes that spelled out "M-O-M" alongside sausage and eggs that were in the shape of "LOV".  I must say, my oldest two girls have become quite the little chefs.  Later Roman brought me in a gigantic Mother's Day card where everyone had written me a personal message.  I cried.  Then I went and sat in my brand new glider recliner and thought about how much I love my life.  Seriously, I did.

 

Motherhood is the best thing that ever happened to me. 

River

Thinking about this little life inside of me. I love to lay still and wait for the little flutterings in my womb and it never even phases me that something as small as my fist has the ability to fill up my entire being with excitement and love.

I signed the kids up to return back to public school this Fall. It was such a huge huge decision for me. It caused no small amount of anxiety and mental stress as I deliberated and went back and forth about it. I love being with my kids. I love watching them interact together as they create forts outside or play with math manipulatives. I love to see their eyes light up when they read a book for the first time or really begin to understand fractions or memorize the 6's in their times tables. I like knowing the details of their education. I like being able to choose the books they will study from and to have the liberty of designing just the right curriculum for each of them.
I love the flexibility of not having to fit my life to someone else's schedule but to be able to go and do or stay and study as we please. I appreciate knowing what and whom my kids are being influenced by.

But public school has its own set of benefits as well. I'm looking forward to just being "Mom" again. Not having to hound and harangue, nag and nudge. I am anxious to greet the kids after school with a slice of homemade bread and a glass of milk as we talk about their day and do homework together. Although it does cause me some trepidation, I am glad that the kids will be able to experience the social faux pas of the playground. For awhile I was filled with fear about how the world has changed so much and is scarier than it used to be. But these latter-day spirits are coming to earth better prepared and stronger than they used to be, too. They shouldn't be denied the growth of opposition and challenges that will surely come in a public school setting. And as their Mom I am ready for the challenge of doing all I can to prepare them for what they may come across and to support them and encourage them as do.

But all of that doesn't mean I will be giving up our home educating attitude. I still plan on reading to them about the wonders of the Creation in our astronomy book that we love. They can be sure I will be all over their homework and classwork, knowing exactly where they struggle and need more help. They will still be doing my favorite English lessons and reading The Classics at home and we will still work together on memorizing poems and scriptures. We will continue to go on family field trips and foster a love of life and learning every day.

And if it doesn't work out and I feel like we need to make adjustments, then we will. Because I am all about doing what's best when it's best and changing course when the journey requires. Ebbing. Flowing. Moving. Growing. Just like *River.



*-which incidentally is the name of our new baby...whether it's a boy or a girl. Pretty sneaky of me slipping it in there like that, don't you think?

"Lickstick!"

The other day I was enjoying a moment of quiet (always a risk when you have five children running amock) when I came downstairs and saw that a certain someone had been digging in my purse and found one of my golden tubes of (Este Lauder!) lipstick.

"Hi, Mom" She greeted me as she sat upon the couch. "I SO CUUUTE! See my Lickstick!"

Oh yes. I saw alright. After I took a picture of her (which come on, I really couldn't help doing!) I bathed her and dried her off, sent her to get a pull-up and was busy engaging one of the other kids when she came downstairs and looked like this.

Oh, toddlers. How I love them!

New Ticker

So, you may notice the little ticker at the top of my blog. Yep. We are expecting another teeny tiny Finey this Fall. October is my favorite month so how appropriate that our last little one will make its debut during that colorful season.

I know what you are thinking. I was SO DONE after Teagan was born. But, alas, I made a deal with the devil {ahem} Jimmy and agreed to invite one more little spirit to join our family. I kinda thought it might take a little while...like maybe several months...but this little spirit obviously was in a hurry to get here so we are welcoming it with open arms. We thought we'd share our exciting news with you. But do me a favor and don't tell my father-in-law. I plan on keeping it a secret from him until....November.

"I'm So Offended!"

I came across a great quote the other day while looking for some copywork
for my girls. I.love.this.quote. Life is about choices. We may not choose
what happens to us but we have control of how we are going to respond to it.
Oh, yeah. And we will doubtless be responsible for where that takes us and
how that affects others as well.

David A. Bednar:
When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel
insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy,
embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our
interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However,
it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend
me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally
false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted
or imposed upon us by someone or something else.

In the grand division of all of God's creations, there are things to act and
things to be acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:13-14). As sons and daughters of our
Heavenly Father, we have been blessed with the gift of moral agency, the
capacity for independent action and choice. Endowed with agency, you and I
are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To
believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or
bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be
acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to
choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation.

("And Nothing Shall Offend Them," Ensign, Nov 2006, 89-92)

Regaining my Vision

 A few weeks ago I developed a stye in my eye.  It began with a little bruised feeling on the corner of my eye.  Nothing visible, just a tiny bit of irritation.  A few days later I noticed a little red spot in that area that within just a couple more days had grown so large that my entire eye was swollen shut.  Oh, it was painful!  The constant pressure and throbbing was more than I seemed able to handle.  I.was.miserable.  Finally--after over two weeks--it began to shrink and subside.  I cannot tell you how happy I am that my vision has returned to normal and that big bad stye is gone.

 

I recently was experiencing a different 'stye' of sorts.  I am calling it my Homeschool Stye.  Like the other one, it began with little irritated feelings.  Annoyance that I never have time to clean my house like I want or exercise as much as I would like to, or even just have some 'alone' time.  After a few days this 'stye' began to grow as I fostered bitterness and frustration and feelings of inadequacy and before I knew it I had nearly lost my vision--the reason I began teaching my children at home in the first place.  I was miserable and felt completely incapacitated.  A few days ago I realized that something was terribly wrong.  As I talked out my symptoms with Jimmy I began to realize where this stye was coming from.  I lost track of my goals.  I was trying to re-create 'school' at home instead of following the guidance of the Spirit that had directed me to begin this journey in the first place.  So today I resolved to get back on track and I am happier than I can describe that my vision is finally back and better than ever. 

 

The girls do copywork as part of our learning experience and the copywork assignment for the day is a quote that I needed to hear:

 

Joseph B. Wirthlin:
I have known many great men and women. Although they have different
backgrounds, talents, and perspectives, they all have this in common: they
work diligently and persistently towards achieving their goals. It's easy to
get distracted and lose focus on the things that are most important in life.
I've tried to remember the lessons I learned from Coach Oswald and
prioritize values that are important to me so that I can keep my eye focused
on things that really matter.

I urge you to examine your life. Determine where you are and what you need
to do to be the kind of person you want to be. Create inspiring, noble, and
righteous goals that fire your imagination and create excitement in your
heart. And then keep your eye on them. Work consistently towards achieving
them.

Reason #651 Why I Love Homeschooling

Schedule, Schedule, Schedule

Tell me this isn't a benefit! Siblings teaching eachother.

Cooperating. Getting Along (if only for 20 minutes!).

Experimenting new things. Magnifying our time together. Growing and learning with each other.

And the kids are not only safe--they are loving it as well!