A Lifetime of Love

I think Thomas’ graduation was such a special event that it deserves it’s own post with pictures. Enjoy! Before we left for the ceremony Dr. Gallman, one of his favorite teachers John Mugabe, a bright young man who is going to do great things in this world! Gabby and Tatyana- 2 girls from Youth Group who also attended school with Thomas. Both of these girls are beautiful souls and great friends to Thomas.  The Calls- good family friends who are always so supportive of us! His name on the big screen! Receiving his diploma A family from the school purchased fireworks for after the ceremony. It was amazing and such a thoughtful surprise for everyone. It was so touching as these Seniors truly had a memorable graduation ceremony. 

This week brought about a major life event, and truthfully I am still processing it.  My oldest child, Thomas, graduated from high school. He is officially an adult. My parenting journey with him is finished. At this point, I can only offer him advice.  He is fully responsible for the choices he makes, as well as the consequences.   18 summers. That is what we, as parents, are given to influence, mold, discipline, and train our children so that when the time comes, they are responsible, contributing members of society. It is an arduous task that at times seemed not worth the effort. But, looking back, there really isn’t much I would do differently except perhaps cherish the time we had together. While the days were so, so long, the time has passed quickly! I look back at old photos and the memories they invoke seems like they happened just yesterday. Homeschooling Thomas afforded me the gift of time with him, and if nothing else, that alone made the stresses of...

Thomas completed 5th grade and his third year of homeschooling, and Tanner completed 2nd grade and his first year of homeschooling. I am being completely honest when I share that, although challenging at times, this was the best school year yet! Adding Tanner to the mix meant some scheduling changes needed to be made, but once we established a routine that worked, our days passed quickly and the weeks, and inevitably the months, passed even quicker. 1st day of school- August 2012 I personally enjoyed watching both boys learn, grow, and mature over the course of the year. My favorite subject to "teach" them was history as we focused our studies on the Old Testament. I learned so much about God, the Israelites, and how it all relates to not only the New Testament, but to present day living. I know the boys did, too! After reading our daily passage, we often talked about how it applies to our lives today, or how we are/were like a particular person we read about in the...

My life forever changed the day you were born.  I had no idea how being a mom could teach me so much about the character of God: I have a better understanding of God's love for me because of the love I feel towards you; I also better understand God's ability to forgive because I've been both the offended and the offender.   I am better able to serve others because of the many ways I watch you serve: each week you look forward to going to the pregnancy center to gather up the garbage and take it to the curb. It's a job that seems so menial yet blesses so many people who work at and visit the center. It is an important job that must be done in order for the pregnancy center to function on its core task: to save the lives of unborn babies. You do your work purposefully and to the best of your ability, and you don't mind that you don't get recognition for it. It is a reality check for me as a mother because so often what I do goes unnoticed yet is so cruci...

Ta is finishing up his last week of kindergarten at our neighborhood school. His teachers have been wonderful, and he has learned and grown so much this year- I am very proud of his hard work!! Ta is a pretty social boy and has made friends easily. So far public school has been a good experience for him, and I am often asked if he will continue. The answer is: yes, at least for now. My plan is to have him finish up either 1st or 2nd grade and then bring him home depending on how he is doing. Th's 1st grade year was not very productive (at least the first half, until we moved him to our neighborhood school) and is the reason we decided to homeschool him. If Ta has another great year, then I will probably let him continue through 2nd grade and bring him home for 3rd. If next year does not go so well, then it will be his final year. I have loved homeschooling and am looking forward to having all of my children homeschooled, but the reality is with (soon to be) 6 kids, and only 2 in s...

Well, Th and I just completed our first year of school (at home). Third grade was challenging for both of us. I was nervous because it is a pivotal year in a child's education. The subjects contain concepts that are more difficult to grasp. For instance, multiplication/division are taught in math, higher-level vocabulary is used in reading, and various grammar concepts are applied in language arts. Th also learned to write in cursive this year, which was a rewarding experience to observe in and of itself. Besides his academic maturity, he has also grown in other ways. Spiritual: Th moved up from the Pee Wee Sailor's Club to join the Patch Club. Each month, he has to memorize passages of scripture (8-10 verses in length) to earn a pin for his hat. He made the transition in December and has earned 5 pins for the remainder of this year. He has also formed new friendships and strengthened old ones as a result of this Club change. Faithfulness: Th has shown ...

One day during his reading lesson a few weeks ago, Th read a story about a drummer boy named Alex who lived during the Revolutionary War. In the story, Alex's father joins the militia in fighting for their independence from the British. They were preparing to fight at Cowpens, and the story was based on an actual event (Morgan's men retreated because the signal boy, or drummer boy, gave the wrong signal). Morgan's quick thinking and decisive actions are ultimately what led to him winning the battle and forever etching his name in history. For whatever reason, Th really enjoyed this story and made a personal connection with the main character, Alex. So, to stay true to the beauty and character of homeschooling, I used Th's interest to my advantage and we did an entire study on the history of the battle, the men involved, and it's relevance to our lives today. Here are some pictures of his learning along the way: Completing a Venn diagram on characteristics of the 2 o...

I was thinking about (reflecting on, really) Th's eye injury when something occurred to me: the night that it happened, he just wanted me. He wanted me to hold his hand, draw his bath water for him, sit with him, basically be close to him and not leave his side. The next day, when he went to the eye doctor, he wanted me to take him and not TJ. But, now that he's feeling better and his life has mostly returned to normal, he doesn't "need" me as much. I miss being needed and knowing that only I was able to soothe him. Unfortunately, the above scenario describes how I've been with God. During the difficult times in my life, as I struggle to make sense of the hurt and pain I'm experiencing, I seek the Lord and cling tightly to His promises. However, once the storm passes and the fog lifts, I catch myself moving away from the Lord and not seeking Him so diligently. I can only surmise that He, like myself, misses the fellowship that comes with drawing close...

As a mom to 5 kids, it's never a dull moment in our house. It seems like someone is always sick or hurt. This weekend it was Th's turn to visit the doctor. Here's why: It's a long story but thankfully he'll be okay. The Lord's protection is evident as literally 1cm to the left and Th could have been blinded or more seriously wounded. Although it's gross to look at, he can see fine and is in only minor pain. Thanks for the prayers for his quick recovery!

I need to write Th's birthday post/picture, as well as share some pictures from our trip last week. However, a stomach bug has hit our family and in the past 24 hours, 5 of 7 family members have caught it. It's not fun living in this house right now! :(

Happy birthday, buddy! Stats: Height: 49 3/4 inches Weight: 56.6 pounds Favorite color: Red Life's ambition: to be a missionary and drive an R/V :) This past year has been marked by your baptism, along with changes to your education. You have excelled academically but more importantly, you continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Your love for the Lord spurs you to love others, and for that I am so grateful. You are a fabulous big brother, the kind I always wished I had when I was little. You are kind, caring, and take time to help and teach your younger siblings. You care about their spiritual walk with the Lord and are always sharing the gospel with them- a mini-missionary! The Lord truly blessed us when He gave you to us! We love you so much and are so thankful for your servant's heart!

Okay, I gotta tell you, I really like homeschooling. We just completed our first "full" week of school, and at times it was challenging, but we did it! It is obviously a learning process for both Th and myself as we figure out the best way to do school while my girls, particularly Teagan, are home with us, but we're getting there. Thankfully he enjoys school and overall Th has an easy-going personality so he doesn't mind when I switch things up a bit. But, Friday's routine seemed to work the best with having the girls home with us so that is what I will do on the days they don't attend preschool. Plus, on the mornings they do attend preschool, I think Th and I will be able to move through the material quicker since we won't have the distractions of an almost 4- and 2-year-old. Hopefully we can get ahead on those days and, if needed, relax a bit on the others. Our first field trip is scheduled for October 1st. We are going to a local historical farm and ho...

I realize it’s been a couple of weeks since my last post, and I thought I would take a moment to share what’s been happening around our house. . . Th lost another tooth so he is now missing both of his front teeth. He looks so cute!! They have both been loose since before Christmas, and he lost the first one a few days after New Year’s. Now that both are gone, some of his words sound strange and I kid him that Teagan now has more teeth than he does. He just smiles his toothless grin and gives me a hug. Teagan started speech therapy and I already love her therapist Susan. She is very much “special ed” so I get what she says. I can talk to her and she knows what I mean-- I love it!! Right now we are working on feeding issues, meaning we are trying to get Teagan to accept different textures of food. For instance, when feeding her peach yogurt, Teagan will manage to swallow the yogurt and spit out the tiny specs of peaches. I know it’s not related to taste because Teagan loves pureed peach...

A busy, fun-filled week is behind us and another one is ahead. Last week the little kids had their Christmas program at preschool on Wednesday and they all looked so cute! Ta and T.G. were both reindeers, and Teagan was an elf- precious! This upcoming week, the kids and I will be baking our Christmas cookies, having friends over for a cookie exchange, and just enjoy being together as a family. I am looking forward to spending time with them in the quietness of our house as we prepare for Christmas. Friday was Th’s last day at his school. When school resumes on January 4th, he will be attending our zoned school. It was a sad day as we both loved his school but I just did not think he was learning as much as he should under the supervision of his classroom teacher. TJ and I met with the principal to discuss our options and although she did offer to move him to a different classroom, I didn’t want Th to have to explain to his friends why he was being moved. Although moving to a new school...

TJ and I have decided to homeschool Th beginning next school year (when he enters 2 nd grade). This decision has been prayerfully considered for almost a year. Honestly, we never thought we'd put our children in public school, but because of my school schedule, Th was forced to start kindergarten at a public school. I began praying about homeschooling starting this year (2009-1010) but just did not have peace about it. He had such a fabulous year last year and his teacher was so WONDERFUL that it made the decision for him to continue in public school that much easier on us for this school year. However, everything has changed. The day after I found out the death of Twin A, Th brought a note home from his teacher. In this note, she told me that since the beginning of school he had not done any of his lessons. Just a little background: he attends a Montessori school. It is a great school and I love the philosophy behind Montessori. Basically the children are placed in multi-age cl...

My heart is still hurting, a combination of our loss and the pain I see in my children, especially Th. He is my child who is very compassionate and tender-hearted and has taken the news harder than the others. I think it's because he's older and he understands more, and truthfully TJ and I underestimated his level of maturity and understanding. He teared up when we told the kids, but he was able to keep his composure and not let loose. But, he did immediately ask about the health and well-being of the other baby and wanted to know, "What if the other baby dies, too?" That took me by surprise as I was not prepared for that question. TJ handled it well and simply said, "Then we won't have any new babies and it will live with Jesus, too." But, I know the thought is weighing on his mind as his teacher told me last night on the phone that he told her what happened. I hate that he has become distracted by this news; I don't want the kids to worry so I am t...

Today is Th's birthday. I can't believe how quickly the years have passed since the Lord blessed us with him. Some hallmarks to his last year include: entering and successfully completing kindergarten in public school growing tall enough to ride some of the "big" rides at Carowinds learning to read and enjoying it, especially when reading to his brother or sister figuring out to spell words when TJ and I don't want the kids to know what we're talking about :) a growing imagination that impresses me each time he uses it We are probably one of the few families who does not own a video game system. I am not into video games, and neither is TJ , so that has never really been a desire for us. Plus, I limit their television viewing each day. As a result, the kids play more and use their imaginations more. My boys love to build things, and play so well together for the most part. Th is able to see something in his mind and construct it out of blocks, train tracks, ...

While I was busy cleaning out the toys and such, TJ took the older kids so I could work without interruption. He dropped T.G. off at his mom's house and took the boys to a local fundraiser event in Greer, The Big Dig. For a fee, the boys were able to drive real construction equipment. Needless to say, they had a blast! Here are some pictures from the day. . . On the shuttle to the dig site (Ta's first ride on a bus- he was excited!) Ta operating the digger. . . Th operating the bulldozer. . . Th driving a road grader. . . Ta scooping up a pile of dirt in the front-end loader. . . It should be obvious how much fun they had- I wish I could have enjoyed it with them instead of de -cluttering at home, but Lord willing we can go as a family next year! =) *I am thankful for a husband who is so involved with his children.*

Not really much to talk about this week. I spent the day yesterday going through all the toys we own trying to make room for toys received from 3 birthdays and Christmas coming up in the next 3 months. I separated everything into 4 piles: keep, toss, sell, & donate. Although it doesn't seem like I made a huge dent in our toy supply, I donated 1 huge bag of toys, trashed another, and have 3 boxes and 2 piles of toys in my bedroom that need to be cleaned and priced to sell. I have registered for a local consignment sale next week, so I need to get everything finished between now and next Tuesday. If I work on it a little each night, I should finish. I am not looking to get rich, but it will be nice to have a little extra money to put away for the babies we need to plan for. I am excited for tomorrow. My sis is having an ultrasound to determine her baby's gender. She wants a boy but would be okay with another girl. I just want to know because I'm excited for her. I'm g...

I seem to be in a "funk" lately. I am just really saddened by the fact that my kids are getting older. Time seems to be passing so quickly, and I feel like I have missed so much of their lives, mainly Th's. It is hard for me to remember him as an infant, toddler, or 3 year old for that matter. Speaking with friends about this, someone told me it was because I have more recent memories of my other children. In other words, with each child I have, I have memories of the "newbie" and the older memories fade. I honestly think that's the case, and I wish I could capture the time and relive certain events again. I guess I am just struggling to find time for everyone, and I don't just mean the kids, but TJ, too. We spent most of the day together (with Teagan) as a friend of mine from church kept the other children so we could go Christmas shopping. We had a great time; I, of course, laughed more today than I have in a while because my husband is such a goof. ...