Tackle-It Tuesday

 

 

It's easy for me to let my "to do" list get in the way of relationships.  I have been thinking about writing a blog about my husband, Darin, for a few weeks now, but just haven't gotten around to it.  This is an important blog entry to me, and I want to be sure it gets done, so this is my Tackle-It Tuesday job.

 

When Darin and I began homeschooling seven years ago, we were very naive about all that homeschooling would take.  I have a feeling that other new homeschoolers also have no clue about the extent of the commitment that homeschooling is.  It happens gradually as more kids come along, and as the older kids advance into higher grades.  I have heard that burnout among homeschoolers usually occurs around the seventh year and I feel very strongly that it is because of the increase in commitment that is required of the parents.  It can get to feel overwhelming - almost impossible.

 

I have never experienced these feelings of being overwhelmed for longer than a day or two and it is not because I am a cool cucumber.  ;-)  It is because I have the support of my husband in every area.  Let me count the ways.....(as if I actually have the room to tell you everything!)

 

1)  Darin does not think that homeschooling/child rearing only happens between the hours of 8:30 to 5:30.  He doesn't expect to leave for work, and come home to a spotless house or every school subject finished.  He understands that raising our children takes the ENTIRE day.  So when he comes home from work, he rolls up his sleeves and sets to work.  If I am in the middle of cooking dinner when he gets here, he does what he can to help me get finished.  During dinner he guides the conversation and keeps questionable body sounds (i.e., belches) to a minimum at the table.  After dinner he cleans the kitchen with the kids so I can slip off and work on a load of laundry, take a walk on the treadmill, or work on lesson plans.  He makes sure the kids get their baths, teeth brushed and are in their jammies.  You can imagine from this description of his evenings how I anticipate his arrival!  He is a blessing to me!

 

2)  Living on one income and homeschooling makes for a tight budget.  Darin has given up just about all the things he might do if I were out working and supplementing his income.  He doesn't play golf, go to hockey games, or buy every new computer game that comes out......we don't even have cable so he can't watch all the hockey that I know that he wants!  He does this so we will have what we need to purchase the books and curriculum needed for our three oldest that are schooling, as well as clothes, trips to the doctor......groceries!  Man, do growing boys EAT!

 

3)  There are many days that I don't see myself in the mirror after I get dressed in the morning.  I can look pretty disheveled by the end of the day and usually try to make it to the bathroom to update my ponytail before Darin gets home but don't always get there.  Then I don't think about it again until we have gotten the kids in bed and I'll say something like "Oh!  I must look terrible!"

Darin says, "No you don't.  You look good to me."

GOD BLESS HIM.  'Nuff said.

 

4)  Darin loves our children and desires to be a Godly example for our kids and works hard to do that.  He is never happy with the status quo and always seeks to improve his relationship with God so he can make a difference in the lives of our kids.  He also encourages me to be better in this area.

 

5)  Darin works at his relationships with our kids.  Without this, it would be extremely difficult to homeschool.  Darin is the anchor that holds everything we do together, and if the kids didn't understand that Darin loves them and expects a certain standard of behavior from them, my job would be ten times harder. 

The perfect example of his diligence in this area is his relationship with our oldest, Ben.  There are no two people more alike than Darin and Ben.  You know how it is when you're hanging out with someone with whom you have a lot in common - it can be a bit trying at times, and certainly Darin has expressed his frustrations with this, but he has never given up with Ben.  Now as soon as Darin comes home, Ben starts following him around, asking questions, wanting to play football/baseball/soccer in the backyard, watch the hockey game together.....anything.  He just wants to be with his Dad, and that is only because Darin has given what it takes to draw him close, rather than push him away with excuses like, "We will never get along because we're too much alike."

 

6)  He does chores around the house that are considered the "wifey chores" because he knows that I don't always have time to get to everything.  He cleans our carpets, ceiling fans, makes a darn good cookie, can cook a tasty meal, cleans our bathroom, cleans the kitchen every night.....all this in addition to his "manly chores."  Without his help in these areas, I would definitely become overwhelmed because I am a recovering neat freak (the kids are curing me of this problem ;-).

 

7)  Darin helps me teach the kids.  Again, it is impossible to squeeze every subject in during the day that we would like, so Darin has stepped in as our art teacher.  Two nights per month, he teaches them art, and not only is he teaching them art, but last week, just studied up on how to do a Picture Study with the kids!  (those of you who love CM know what this is) I have wanted him to do that for years.  This guy is so goooood!  I could just squoooosh him!  ;-)

 

I feel as if I could go on and on, but my blogging time is running low.  I am so thankful for Darin.  For the way we met, for the night when he proposed to me, and for the rainy day when we got married.  I feel so blessed.  Darin makes everything better with his sense of humor and his laid-back style.  He is the perfect guy for me.

 

Treasure Hunt

My friend, Julie, at At My Hearth, visited Firefly at Bioluminesence and read about the reading challenge she has posted on her blog.  Can you find five books in your house that you bought to read, but haven't read yet?  I haughtily told Julie on the phone that I had read every book in my house........well, I just went to make sure, and easily found five books that I've had for a while that I have not read.  So I guess I am going to join in with the others that take Firefly's challenge.  Here are the details:

(this button will take you to the original owner of the challenge. :-)

 

More...

"If you are anything like me your stack of purchased to-be-read books is teetering over. So for this challenge we would be reading 5 books that we have already purchased, have been meaning to get to, have been sitting on the nightstand and haven't read before. No going out and buying new books. No getting sidetracked by the lure of the holiday bookstore displays.

The bonus would be that we would finally get to some of those titles (you know you picked them for a reason!) and we wouldn't be spending any extra money over the holidays.

The time frame would be Nov. 1st until Jan. 30 and there will be some small, fun prizes awarded to random participants and/or those with clever review posts. There will be one random drawing for a prize to those who submit their list of books in the comment section by Nov. 15th but feel free to join any time. There will be another random drawing for those who submit five reviews by Jan. 30 for a small gift certificate to Amazon."

 

Here are the books I found on my shelf that I will read:

 

The Dark Tower and Other Stories by C.S. Lewis

Walking Wisely by Charles Stanley

Seasons of a Mother's Heart by Sally Clarkson

The Hospitality Commands by Alexander Strauch

Astronomy and the Bible by Donald B. DeYoung

 

It's late!  We've already lost 17 days, so we all better get to cracking those books!  ;-)

How to Teach Your Child to Come

Reading Michael and Debi Pearl's newsletter this month, I found a wonderful thing that I have put into place here in our home and I am already seeing the fruit!  Here is an excerpt from the article that I read, titled "Training a Child to Come".

 

"When Gracie was first born, every time I picked her up I would say, “Come to mama.”  This simple, cheerful command was conditioning my tiny baby to come to me in response to my voice. She came to associate the command with feelings of being close to me. Even though at one week old she had no idea what “Come to mama” meant, nonetheless, she quickly came to identify the sound, rhythm, and tone of my voice with the pleasure of being drawn to me.  I hoped that after she became mobile and heard my command to come, she would respond without hesitation, and at 22 months of age, it has worked beautifully. And it is a good thing I got the jumpstart on training, because everyone will tell you that Gracie is the most impetuous and independent of all the nine Pearl grandkids."

 

I started doing this with our 7-month-old about three weeks ago.  Everytime I pick him up, I say, "Come to Mama."  Then I give him a big squoosh when I pick him up.  :-)  And now when he's playing on the floor and I want him to come to me, I say, "Come to Mama!" and he takes off across the floor to me with a big ol' smile!  I never had this with our three other kids. 

 

Darin, my husband, has not been saying, "Come to Daddy" when he picks up Henry.  So to test this thing, Darin called to Henry to "Come to Daddy," but Henry did not come without a lot of coaxing.  Then a few minutes later I called for him to come and he came without a moment's hesitation!  Darin is now saying "Come to Daddy" when he picks-up Henry.  ;-) 

Tackle-It Tuesday

 

 

Our timeline for school has been through some rough times in the last few months.  Pieces of it have fallen down and ended up scattered here and there through the house.  This is the project I decided to take care of this week, with the help of my kids. 

 

The timeline pieces have been a cluttery mess on my desk for too long.  Never mind the stuff I had to clear off the desk in order to take this picture.  ;-)

 

 

And then of course there was King George III on my bathroom wall.....

 

Here is the timeline before.  You can see where it needs work!

 

I got my kids busy with this one, and we used this for our history lesson today.  First I had the kids take off the old, nasty tape from the pieces that were stuck together on my desk.  Then my oldest put the lines back in order on the wall (I was in charge of tape!).  Then I quizzed all three on each of the timeline figures before we put them back on the timeline.  I gave a clue about who the figure was, and they each tried to guess.  They usually got it right.  Then I had them each tell me one thing they remembered about each character.  I was amazed at the details they remembered about each person.  Don't anyone tell ME that textbooks are superior to living books!  ;-)

 

Here is the finished job!  I am so glad to have those stinkin' strips of timeline off my desk and on the wall!

Proverbs 18:19

"A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,

And contentions are like the bars of a castle."

 

The notes in my MacArthur Study Bible say, "There are no feuds as difficult to resolve as those with  relatives; no barriers are so hard to bring down.  Hence, great care should be taken to avoid such conflicts."

 

Who hasn't experienced this???  I see it in my kids every day, and have felt the pain of it myself with my own brothers and sister at one time or another. 

 

PRAY for your children.  PRAY that they will not EVER develop a rift that is too wide to cross to each other.  Their relationship as brothers and sisters will make or break their relationships with everyone else with which they will come into contact.

 

I like to pray using Proverbs 16:24.  It says,

"Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones."

I will say, "God, I pray that my children will understand that 'pleasant words to each other are like a honeycomb that will provide sweetness to the souls and health to the bones of each other."

 

Do know that prayers like this aren't always answered in a week's time.  It may take years to see the fruit of a prayer like this, but God is faithful and will answer!

Tie a String Around Your Finger

I'm finding that I have to learn the same things over and over again.  I am amazed at how I learn something and I think I will never be the same again and then a year or so later, I come across the same thing and say, "OHHHH, yeah!!!  I forgot about that!" 

 

I did that with an article that I wrote for a homeschool support group that I used to lead.  I was going through my old documents, reading some of the articles I wrote when I came across one titled Handwriting on the Wall.  I wrote about what our priority should be when it comes to homeschooling.  After a pregnancy, birth, new baby, and a new student in our school (our six-year-old, Jack), I was feeling the pressure of trying to get everything "done" (can that word REALLY be allowed in a homeschooling mom's vocabulary????) when this article reminded me to keep my kids and my vision pointed towards God.

 

But I guess God didn't think I remembered my lesson well enough.  The kids and I are going through a "Read the Bible in a Year" plan.  We just finished Exodus last week.  When we got to Exodus 35 I was hit with another "OHHHH, yeah!" moment.  Verses 30-35 say:

"And Moses said to the children of Israel, 'See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship.

'And he has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.  He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver - those who do every work and those who design artistic works.'"

 

Sometimes I start to worry about if the kids will have the skills they need to get a job and support themselves and a family.  I think about this mostly when I am reminded about the few outside activities our kids are involved in.  Here in D/FW, kids are run ragged from one event to another, and that is just not mine and Darin's style.  ;-)  We want family time.  We want dinners together.  We want our kids to have something in common beyond Darin and me being their parents, and they can only get that if they spend time together schooling, playing, working, being bored....but I still have moments of doubt, when I wonder if we should take co-op classes, Tae Kwan Do, sports camps, church camps, music camps, plain ol' regular camps  HA! 

 

But God is good to remind me that He is in control.  I know He created my children with a purpose in mind and that if Darin and I spend our time teaching our kids to seek Him, he will reward them and us with Himself and ultimately reveal His plan for our service and the skills to carry it out - one way or another.  My Dad told me about a man who became a preacher, but didn't know how to read.  Doh!  That would be important!  So he prayed and asked God to help him read, and God gave him the wisdom to read.  Gladys Aylward wanted to be a missionary to China, but was kicked out of missionary school!  Doh!  But God had already given her the skills He wanted her to have as a missionary in China.  She had been a maid in England, and when she finally arrived in China under her own steam, what did she do?  Maid duty!  Who knew?????  So kewl!

 

Two great books that are a wonderful encouragement in this area are Safely Home by Tom Eldredge and When You Rise Up by R.C. Sproul, Jr.  If you feel sometimes-inadequate as a homeschooling parent, these are the books to encourage you on your journey.  I hope I have also encouraged you!  :-)

Tackle-It Tuesday

 

 

Well, I can't seem to follow the rules and do anything the way it's supposed to be done, but I guess there is always a method to my madness.  I visited my friend Julie over at At My Hearth last week, and she had completed a Tackle-It Tuesday.  I loved the idea because this is the way I try to get to things in my house - a little at a time, since I always only have a little bit of time here and there that I can spare to special cleaning projects.

 

Anyway...

I was inspired to do a Tackle-It Tuesday, and was considering a few different jobs I could tackle.  But I kept thinking about the time it would take to tackle it on a Tuesday, which is a schoolday around here, and I just hated to try to find the time to set aside to get it done - in between regular chores, nursing the baby, helping the kids with their schoolwork, meals, and whatever else came up.  I kept picturing my kids floating around and being unproductive (can't have THAT!) while I was immersed in purging the clutter from my home. 

 

So...

I decided to do my Tackle-It Tuesday on Friday night while the kids and my husband, Darin, were at an Awana pizza party.  I stayed home with the baby.  Usually I would fill this "extra" time with scrapbooking, reading, knitting....something fun!  But I was determined to tackle the dresser in my bedroom.  It was piled-up with clothes that the kids have outgrown, a dress-up dress that needed mending, books, misc. papers, some of Darin's clothes that he had taken off and was going to put away "later."  There were also clothes in Target bags scattered around the dresser that needed to be stored for later.  Basically, a HUGE mess that I had been looking at all week, wondering when I would find the time to tackle the job.  So Friday night was the night.

 

But...

I sent our digital camera with Darin so he could take pictures of the kids while they were playing Awana games and hanging out with their pals.  That almost stopped me from doing the job because I really did want to have a Before and After picture, but I plowed on, and did it without a Before picture.  I only have an After picture, and here it is.  Doesn't it look GREAT?????  You'll have to take my word for it that it was a total, dreary mess.

 

 

 

I used the time I would have normally tackled my mess to spend outside with the kids.The picture below is Lydia, Ben and our dog, Joy.

 

This is Jack.  He doesn't like to get his picture taken, so I had to chase him down into the garage for this one.  If I hadn't zoomed in, you would have been able to see another Tackle-It Tuesday project for the future!

Be Faithful

A few years ago, while reading A Charlotte Mason Companion, I came across a wonderful bit of advice from Karen Andreola, and I have tried to follow it faithfully.  It has made all the difference in our home on Monday mornings!

 

"Years ago, I made the mistake of allowing my young children time off from certain good actions on the weekend before certain habits were solidly formed.  My failing became apparent to me when I discovered that - like the month of March - Monday morning came in like a lion!  To insure that Monday comes in like a lamb, those weekday actions of neatness, politeness, obedience, must be employed on the weekend, too.  A new goal for me was: Let good actions not become relaxed on the weekends.  Only then would these good actions become good habits." (73)

 

Our kids do have the regular daily chores on Saturday, but on Sundays we relax and only ask that the kids make up their beds, keep their rooms neat, and do their daily pick-ups (in our house, that means picking-up things in an assigned room and putting them away).

 

Sow an act, reap a habit,

sow a habit, reap a character,

sow a character, reap a destiny.

- Thomas a Kempis

Leading Little Ones to God?

Darin and I take our kids into the church service with us.  We don't do Sunday School.  We used to until about two years ago.  Two years ago we did not have a baby, and now, OH BABY! we do!  It's been easy to take him into the service with us until the last month or so.  He's now seven months, and is turning into a bizzee, bizzee, bizzee little boy.  So I did what any responsible little mama would do when preparing for church for a seven month old.  PACKED OUT the diaper bag with all the neatest and quietest toys we have.  But Henry wasn't interested in ANY of the toys I brought for more than 10 seconds.  So in a desperate move, I pulled out the tube of diaper creme.  Amazing!  He loved it!  That was a great distraction for about 15 minutes, so next I moved on to the little pouch-thingy that is in the bag to keep needed things dry, like extra outfits.  He loved it!  Out next was our insurance card and then finally the top flap of the diaper bag.  By the time his interest was waning in this, church was over.

 

So this week as I have been making my way through our house, I've had my eyes open for fun things for Henry to play with during church.  So far I've found a wristwatch that needs a new battery, a magnet that I have on the refrigerator that says, "Boring Women Have Immaculate Homes," and a plastic spoon that I found in our silverware drawer.  Maybe if these things don't have the draw I'm hoping for, I can fall back on the tube of diaper creme.  Any other suggestions?