Continuing with my week on controversial, thought provoking posts,

Check out this article here.

While we have never defined ourselves or our family by the term "quiverful" and are not seeking to catch up to the Duggar's, we do believe children are a blessing and welcome the ones God brings into our lives.

For another viewpoint of quiverful, check out this video (or audio) done by Mark Driscoll on the topic of birth control. (Best if little ears aren't present.) I love that he is encouraging married church members to have large families and teaching them how to raise them well. Seems like a great balance. By the way, check out some of his other vidoes or podcasts. Sean and I love his boldness in delivering the truth and balance from scripture. You know he must be doing something right if feminists and right wingers are both angry at him.

Next week I promise more soothing photos of springtime in the countryside and cute kids and to step away from my soapbox for a while. Must be something in the air...

Thinking about this today....

"Some Christians believe that children are morally innocent and that it is not right to treat them as though they have sinned when they show immature behavior. But there is a theological problem with distinguishing between immaturity and rebellion. This means that sinful actions done by one class of humans (children) are no longer sin and makes a mockery of the sinful state of humanity and of God's grace in salvation - it means our children don't need Jesus; all they need is humanism (behavior modification) until they reach some age of moral culpability."
Nate Wilson

Conveyor Belt Education soapbox stint...

On a long road drive this past week my husband and I listened to some cd's from the 2008 NYS LEAH convention. The speaker was excellent (whose name I cannot recall and the cd's are in the van so I'll get back to you with that)! He was speaking about A Thomas Jefferson Education and conveyor belt educations, which you can also read more about here.My husband was floored, loved the info he was hearing and looked at me in amazement and said, "Have you heard this before?" I guess I didn't look as awestruck, even though I loved what I was hearing.

Yes, I have.
One thing I tell my husband often is that I could not parent so fully or educate our kids without the support of the homeschool community around me (love you all!) or the online support of like minded folks who understand the WHY behind home education.

For my husband, this whole idea was new because, to be truthful, he is a mans man. He doesn't read blogs with hearts or country ducks floating across the top of the page. He'll kindly humor me and read everything I pass on to him but I've yet to find a pro-home education blog directed at men that's done well. Do you know of any? He is however, very pro home education, even more so now.


I think one reason Sean loves this idea of being off the conveyor belt of education is that he spent much hard earned money for many, many college classes that he has not used once. He took programming classes and spent many years providing for our family by being a computer programmer but he learned more on the job and on his own than he did in college. And now, even with the housing market so slow and his business being directly tied to the market, he provides well for his household with wisdom and knowledge completely unrelated to his "formal" education.

I'm not bashing every school or every college, as I haven't seen them all, and I'm very glad my MD got her MD and has the knowledge to keep tabs on my health.

Sean and I have talked about and agreed upon the idea of teaching our children a trade as they get older, giving them something to always have as a way to provide for their families. If they want to go to a university, they'll be able to work a job more than flippin' burgers to pay for it.


One thing I highly recommend new homeschoolers to do is NOT copy how public or private schools teach. I've been in homes with the American flag hanging from the wall for the kids to stand and say the pledge to, desks lined up facing the front of a makeshift dining room turned classroom with a teacher's (mom's) desk up front. Home education is, can be, so much more! If the methods schools use were working, national test scores and the national drop-out rate wouldn't be so low. So we pull our kiddos from that environment and then duplicate it in our home, often times using curriculum designed for a conveyor belt education! It is a burr in my backside, so don't mind my soapbox for today. I really love you all. Even if you have a flag waving in the breeze of your living room.


I was so bored in school. I hated most of it. I annoyed my teachers by asking "how" I was going to use this information in real life. I stayed because that's what good girls did, right? My saving grace was being able to enter a nursing course between ages 16-18, doing that half a day and high school the other half. My schooling years took place in private Christian, public and state schools so I've seen a bit of it all. Ho-hum. Not impressed. To my mother's credit, she did ask me if I wanted to be homeschooled one year in high school. My only "view" of a homeschooler at that time was a socially awkward girl who wore very matchy outfits and matchy hats in pastel colors so my answer was an emphatic "no".

So check out those books, re-think your child's education and have a great night!
Blessings,
Hannah

The weekend

It's 9:30 and the house is quiet and still. Last night Sean took the two older boys and wee little Ella up to the cabin for a camp out with a good friend and his son.

They had a great time, tramping through the woods, eating Papa made food, and getting stuck with the truck in spring mud. I think we did that once before almost exactly a year ago?


While they were stuck, we partied on here bridal shower style for my younger sister Katie with Chase and Ella and lots of Katie's friends. It was a gorgeous 80-something day!


Meanwhile, up north, the same retired NYPD pulled Sean out with his vintage tractor. I think I owe that man a plate of cookies.
The kids came home covered in mud from hair to toes, tired and smiling all the while. Baths, dinner, and a slight breakdown into tears signaled time for bed.


So now the house is quiet. I've a babe to nurse before bed and a beautiful day of rest tomorrow, which I am greatly looking forward to. Aren't you?

Favorite Homeschooling Resources

I have a long list of files saved regarding home education. They include some of our favorite books, teaching resources, games and websites. Every once in a while, we'll be reading a book together from the library and I think, "oh, my, what a great book, I'll have to read this again with the little kids when they are older." And I'm terrified that I'll forget about it. Or which book it was.

So here is my list. I'm sure it will grown and evolve over time. Maybe you'll find a few treasures here too.

Ornithology

1. Bird Songs: 250 North American Birds in Song by Les Beletsky
I can't love this book enough. The kids have been learning, and loving to learn, asking to learn, a bird song a day. They imitate the call or song in their little whistle-y noises and run excitedly to find me when they recognize the bird outdoors.

Science

1. Zoom Science
2. Christian Liberty nature readers.
Creation based science readers in story format. These are wonderful, entertaining and very educational.
3. The Magic Schoolbus DVD's



History

1. Explore a Castle
2. Viking Exploration
3. Jamestown video and audio
4. Desperate Crossing: the untold story of the Mayflower
Interesting, fun story of the Pilgrims. One section toward the beginning that we skipped that talked about Pilgrims and "the birds and the bees".
5. The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer


Spelling and Phonics

1. Customized Spelling list and games
2. Fuzzy Lion Ears
3. Starfall

Grammar

1. Madlibs


Art

1. How to Draw with Pastels
2. Art Projects for Kids
3. Sketching Outdoors in Spring by Jim Arnosky

Scripture Memorization

1. Scripture Alphabet

Manners

1. Manner cartoons

Reading

1. Abby Mystery series by Pamela Walls
2. Little House on the Prairie website
3. Standard Bible Story Reader
4. The Diary of a Real Boy
(the library carries this one too)

Shopping Resources

1. Ambleside Online
2. Dover Publications
sign up for Dover's free samples. Every week I get a link in my inbox to printable samples of their books. My kids love these!
3. Timberdoodle Timberdoodle is a fabulous resource for not-dull homeschooling products. We love a lot of the games and art supplies they carry.

Gardening and fostering

Our soil here on the hill is pretty compact and clay-ish and rocky. Two years of tilling and gardening haven't been so hot. Lotsa tomatoes and lettuces, some zucchini and that's about it. Weeds too. Grrr...

So this year, in our continual efforts to raise our own veggies and put down more roots (figuratively and literally), we've put in raised beds. I'm hopeful.

A very nice horse farm across the back fields kindly gave us as much composted manure as we desired which we then mixed with soil. I think we're on our fourth truckload of horsey poo. Good stuff, it is.

Kiddos helped too. Each of them have a 4x4 foot garden in which to plant whatever they like. Andrew has already put in his peas and this morning we put in red cabbage and leek plants.

Annaliese Kaelin and Andrew spent a good hour helping me put in the potatoes, reds and blues and baking ones. I'm sure they all have proper, fancy names. We just pulled some sprouting ones from the bins in the cellar, cut out the eyes and plopped them in. The potatoes did great last year without any raised bed so we threw them in the same way this year.

This morning we walked into our first foster class and found the kindly horse farmer there too. He and his wife's children are grown and they want to adopt a teen out of the foster system. Isn't that a beautiful thing? I liked him instantly, having just met him. How could you not?

School lessons are winding down around here. Some math and reading we'll carry through the summer months so we don't lose the footing we've gained, knowing there will likely be changes around the house and in our family this fall.

Baby ducklings have joined the household once again. They have made a little home in a wading pool in the garage. We've placed one of our khaki campbells in there too, trying to convince her to be motherly to them. These are more of the Pekings. Girls we'll keep for eggs, boys'll be duck a'la orange and such.

As for fostering, as some of you asked, we plan on taking in kiddos under two, with intent to eventually adopt. We've been told that they try as much as possible to place legally at risk kids with folks who want to adopt and so this is the road we're on. From the time they were little, we've always talked with our children about the beauty and struggles of adoption, knowing this was something we intended on pursuing. So after all this time, the kiddos are excited to be starting the process toward a new sibling as well.
How is your spring? Are your gardens in?
I'm off to enjoy the sunshine-y day. It is supposed to rain all next week. :(

Peace.

We are blessed.
One by one this week our friends began lining themselves up to watch our kiddos one night a week so we can begin our certification to work with the foster care system. I am realizing the blessing of friendship and the beauty of having a community of friends, believers and fellow educators around us. Honestly, the foster care system, broken as it is, overwhelms me. Right now though, this is where we sense God calling us to get involved and we are excited to begin this journey.

As I sit here by the window, watching the children play outside, there is a lot on my mind. I am human and I am a far from perfect specimen. Part of me wants to be emotional and self-righteous and point fingers and shed light on the dark places where I think light ought to be shone. I'm being honest. I am really not a good person, struggling with what I am called to do as a Christian in this situation.

In prayer I felt called to ask forgiveness for my part. To leave things. Be quiet. Not to speak out in our defense. All this at the cost of losing relationship with people I really care about as opinions about me turn sour.

So maybe that is why I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for friends this morning. And for my family. For a husband who wraps his arms around me and prays. For kids to laugh with and pour love on. For warm dirt to dig in, plopping pea seeds one by one. For laundry whipping in the wind and peace in my heart.

Psalm 43 are the words God is whispering over my soul this morning as I pray the words within those verses. My hope is in God.

Walk in the field

I love being the Mama of three boys, never having had any brothers of my own. Boys are amazing. I love the way they think and I love their adventurous spirit!I love that they are passionate about playing hard but still cuddle for a hug or stop to pause and tell me that I look pretty. (That would be their Papa's training :)





Of course, girls are a whole lot of fun too. This one chased me all the way home, tagging me (oh, my, am I out of shape!) right before I got to "safe".

In which I contemplate the cuteness of our kiddos...

It's been one of those slow, contemplative weeks. I feel God's presence very close. I love His strength.

The kids and I sprung for a picnic in the park one sunny afternoon while wispy clouds lazily floated through the sky.

Rotating seasonal clothes for the kiddos, I am always amazed at how much they have grown and how differently in size, personality, and preferences kids from the same family can be. I love their uniqueness.
I love that our oldest daughter is giggly, loves telling jokes to the point of insanity(her Papa's), is constantly reading or crafting or creating or drawing and hates math. I love that she's grown inches this past winter and I can see forward to when she'll be looking at me eye to eye. I love listening to her answer questions about the gospel, asking to be baptized, living out her faith. I love that she nags me to have people, neighbors, anyone over...


I love Andrew's sweet spirit. I love that he is thin and wiry and I can barely pick him up anymore, that every ounce of his thinness is muscle-ness. I love that every object is magically transformed into weaponry and our yard is littered with bows and arrows and spears all of the homemade sort. He told me the other day that reading is almost his favorite past math now, an enormous miracle of which I am in awe of. Such a long road its been that I feel like belting out a Hallelujah Chorus~!

Pig-tailed Ella Catherine is silly and happy and full of hilarious antics. I love that she converses easily with adults, asks me what big words mean and then adds them to her vocabulary, and asks to read. I love how she accentuates the last syllable of the last word in her sentences.


This guy. How could all of us not be head over heels in love with this fellow, grins and hollers, wet open mouthed kisses and sneaky sharp bites, hysterical laughter and funny cry with a pouty lip flipping into a big grin as soon as he's picked up. I love that he's currently a Mama's boy.

Aiden Christopher. Today I was reminded of a night four years ago that I spent sitting on a hospital bed, him in my arms. When I closed our door to the rest of the noisy hospital he was two days old and showing signs of kidney failure and we were overwhelmed with the multiple diagnosis being tossed our way. He and I sat together all night and prayed and sang praises to God, interupted only by nurses intent on monitering him. And here he is.


I often joke to Sean that if only our kiddos were mean and wretched or if only they weren't so cute it would be a lot easier to not have any more. Think I'm crazy? Just scroll up and look at that toothy grin and shining blue eyes. Resistance is futile, I tell you.

Little Man

Hey, Little Man. Watcha doing?
Stirring dinner on the stove, I noticed Chase had become very quiet and looked over to see what he had found to interest himself.