The 12-Week Holiday Planner

About a year ago, I received an email from Marilyn Moll at The Urban Homemaker that caught my attention. It was concerning a 12-Week Holiday Planner from Sheri Graham at Graham Family Ministries. It didn't take long for me to decide I NEEDED this planner!

Not only did it keep me focused for the holiday season in bite-sized pieces, but it was a LIFESAVER concerning the fact that I was due with little Micah right smack dab in the middle of it all!

I printed off all the pages (cuz it's an e-book ;o)), put protective covers on them, and put them in a green 3-ring binder labeled Holiday Planner. It wasn't difficult at all to keep up with and I had everything in one handy locale. Plus it motivated me to stock my freezer and pantry for the holiday and the baby!

In addition to the planner itself, you get a Jesse Tree Devotional from Ann Voscamp and recipes from Ann, Marilyn, and Sheri. (For more on the Jesse Tree Devotional, see THIS POST from last year.)

I cannot say enough good about this Planner! In fact, I can hardly wait until October 1 to pull it back out again!!!

If this sounds like something you could use this coming holiday season, consider purchasing your copy NOW! You can get a $4 discount from now through the month of September by entering in the code augsale at checkout.

Mmmmmmm....I think I can almost smell cinnamon and cedar in the air!

You Need One of These!

I saw these years ago, but never purchased one until recently (and only because a friend of mine had one and I could see first hand how they worked because I am a big baby when it comes to trying something new!)

Let me tell you what! This product is AWESOME!

Apparently, it was designed by a dad who's child almost choked to death. He wanted a way to allow baby to enjoy table foods without the fear of choking.

We picked ours up at WalMart in the baby section a few weeks ago since Micah still doesn't have the luxary of teeth (I have rather late teethers). Micah just loves it! We put all sorts of food in there for him and he just sucks away on it.

"They" call it a Fresh Food Feeder, but around here it is known as the Sucky Thing or Micah's Chewy. (We're real refined, huh?)

It is great to have along when we go out to eat or to a friend's house. Just the other day we took it to a minor league baseball game (a family outing for Ty's job) and Micah was able to enjoy a hamburger right along with the rest of us!

Speaking of that baseball game, the players were so nice to our kiddos. Each of my "littles" were given a game ball! They were thrilled!






It was worth the unbelievable humidity, my dislike of baseball, and the Jimmy Buffet theme night to see the excitement on their faces.

Some Days are Just Like That

I cannot believe it is only 3:30 pm. Time is surely standing still. My day has been full of one child after another needing some sort of discipline. In fact, *I* may have been the one in the most dire need of discipline!

Both of Micah's naps have been interrupted by another child's screaming outbursts. The guinea pig food and bedding has been vacuumed up 3 times. My 8 year old keeps telling me I'm not helping her as I stand right beside her explaining and explaining her school work until I'm pretty sure I might pass out. My 11 year old is upset by a family decision that has been made that appears to rain on his parade. And I am on sensory overload.

Mama seriously needs a weekend. Actually, I think we ALL need a weekend!

Alka-seltzer take me away!

(No real reason for this post other than to say just how very thankful I am the Lord created a day for rest!)

At The Well

I am so very pleased (ok, "ecstatic" might be a better word!!!) to be joining the At The Well team of writers! Please take a moment to visit the site, read through the articles, and sign up for their wonderfully encouraging emails on a variety of topics all pertaining to growing into the model of the Titus 2 woman.

(If you care to, you can read my bio HERE.)

Also, each Monday, At The Well hosts a discussion topic that bloggers can join in on:
http://www.titus2atthewell.com/2005/01/gathering-at-well-topic-and-discussion.html

Why not join us At The Well?

Mama's New Ride

Before Emily was born in 2007, we knew we'd eventually have to invest in a larger van, but when she died in 2008, we set that thought aside. It just hurt too much to think about the fact that we no longer *needed* a larger van.

Even when I was pregnant with Micah, we avoided the conversation despite the fact our 11 year old was the same size as his mama! A lot of those feelings were due to fear. I feared that if we talked of a larger van, we would NEVER have the need for one.

However, when Micah was born we happened to mention how cramped we were in our current van during our newspaper interview (Micah was the New Year's baby, so he was front page news!) We hadn't expected the reporter to print that little tidbit of info, but she did and we ended up coming home from the hospital to a couple of phone messages from a dearlership wanting to sell us one...one that was out of our price range.

It was then I decided to start praying specifics.

Now, specifics can be scary. You often wonder if you are being too picky or if God really will answer your EXACT prayers. Despite these concerns, I chose to trust that God could deliver.

Here's what I prayed:

15 passenger van
low mileage
low price
Chevy Express or a newer Ford (because of stabilization issues)
NOT WHITE

Let me tell you, that last request is pretty major because for some reason white seems to be the color of EVERY 15 passenger van. But I had a reason for wanting (not necessarily NEEDING) a non-white van.

Every vehicle we have bought since marrying 13 years ago has been WHITE...2 Bonnevilles, a Blazer, an International pickup, and an Oldsmobile van...all WHITE. I seriously needed a change of scenery. And since EVERYONE has a white 15 passenger van, my rebellious unique spirit wanted something different. I figured God could make it happen.

As time wore on and the amount of van selection seemed underwhelming, I wondered if I needed to change my prayer. Maybe my expectations were too high. It seemed like every van we looked at was either the right price with high mileage or white with low mileage and a high price or any other combination except the one I was praying for. Maybe God thought I was asking too much. Even though I continued to pray specifics, I began to look seriously at other options just in case the Lord wasn't wanting us to have exactly what I was praying.

Yet, nothing showed up.

Oh sure, we looked...some. Impulse buyer my husband is not. ;o) But everything we looked at was a royal disappointment. We even bid at an auction on one, but it went way too high.

As I kept squishing children into the van, I kept reminding them (and myself) they would have fond memories of all this togetherness. They kept reminding me that "togetherness" is wasted on the young. But who can blame them? I'm not sure I would last days, let alone years, of sitting wedged between 2 car seats filled with the flailing arms and legs of toddlers. Talk about sensory overload!

And then something happened that only God can do...

After watching three more vans fall through, I was worn out. My friend Sarah came for a visit and after hearing my lament over vans, she did a quick search of GSA auctions in the area. Her husband owns a small used car dealership so she knew the ins and outs of finding good deals on vehicles. In fact, they had been looking for a van for us for years without much luck (since we were kind of picky!)

Well, it just so happened there were one van up for auction in Omaha, Nebraska that fit our needs/wants. Now, Omaha isn't exactly in my backyard, but it just so happened my husband had some business to do up that way so we decided it was worth it to put in a bid. Sarah thought she could log in via internet and bid for us during the sale the next day. That's where we left it.

The day of the auction her daughter had a doctor's appointment at 7:30 am. No problem getting back to her computer by 2pm, right? WRONG. Sarah slid into home at 1:45pm, logged into the auction 5 vehicles before the van (these auctions go quick!), called me to confirm we still wanted to do this, and called back about 2 minutes later to tell me the van was ours! WHOA! (There's more to this story, but suffice it to say, this could only be a God-thing!)

So, without further ado, I introduce you to Mama's New Ride...

The Woven Wrap

I am soooo thankful Mandy left this comment on my post about Slingin' Babies.

Many of the DIY mamas on TBW have made wraps out of osnaburg material for a woven wrap supportive enough for a bit heavier baby.

The very next day I was out and about with Micah in the knit wrap when I realized it has been a while since I'd had him in there. He's now about 20 lbs and he kept slipping further and further down until he was about hip level! lol I immediately thought of Mandy's comment and trucked myself over to WalMart (the one on our side of town still carries fabric).

I ended up buying homespun for $2 a yard and cutting it down the middle to make a wrap for me and a wrap for my friend Ashley.

The picture isn't the best because I looked like an ogre that day and wanted my face kept out of pic and Micah was a man on the move. But, you get the idea...

By the way, I've since test drove this little number several times and I am thrilled with it! I didn't bother to hem the raw edge in case you are wondering. And I've updated the original post as well.

If you have any posts on slingin' babies, let me know and I'll add a section on the original post with a link to your post so others can see how you sling your babies! (I've already added Mama K's awesome baby carrier reviews post, so go check it out!)

My Favorite Biscuits

Many years ago, I found myself longing to learn the all-but-forgotten domestic arts. I would read Christian novels set in the "olden days" with the hopes of gleaning information on baking and keeping house that seemed to no longer be available to my generation. I endlessly bothered anyone and everyone who made jelly or pickled okra or knew how to make soap, begging them to teach me. (By the way, I'm still good at begging others to teach me things.) But one item of information I longed to know remained ellusive.



How to make the perfect biscuit.

I wanted something with whole wheat flour in it that wouldn't double as a rock once out of the oven. I wanted a nice and fluffy texture with a melt-in-your-mouth taste. Yet, no recipe I tried seemed to fit this bill. Then, I ran across this recipe...

Sky High Biscuits
2 c. white flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

2 Tbsp sugar

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c. cold butter

1 egg

1 c. milk

In a bowl, combine first 6 ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Combine egg and milk; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10-15 times. Roll out to 1" thickness; cut with a 2 1/2" biscuit cutter (or a glass). Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

yields 1 dozen melt-in-your-mouth biscuits

Micah Squared & The Dog Days of Summer

Growing up there were a lot of Amy's. It ranked right up there with Jennifer for all time popular name at my high school. A good friend of mine just happened to share my name and because we happened to be involved in many of the same classes and activities throughout our high school years, we were often called Amy Squared by our friends. (as in Amy²)

Fast-forward...Some friends of ours have a little boy named Micah who is 5 months older than our Micah. So, now we have Micah Squared! Aren't they just the sweetest?!






We've been getting together nearly every Sunday after church with Micah and his family. A few weekends ago, we went to our lake cabin (I use the term "lake" loosely..."mud puddle" might be a better description!)

We worshipped and sang songs, made homemade ice cream and grilled out, and talked and laughed all weekend long.
Oh, and the men (and the dog) took a nap!

And finally, one last picture I just had to share! My older children take piano lessons from Lynnette's son, Jared. Recently, while my children plunked away, Lynnette clicked away with her camera. Here's a really sweet picture of Micah she shared with me! (Look at those eyes!)

So, what did YOU do this summer?

Thrift Store Finds!

Friday was Ty's Granny's 82nd birthday (you'll remember her from the Whole Wheat Bread post) For her birthday, we went thrift store shopping! And boy, did I find some treasures!!!


Gurkee sandals $.50
(I own a natural pair of these in a different style and LOVE THEM!)

soft-soled boy shoes $.50
(hey, Aunt Kris! Tell Elia I finally found some!)

baby food grinder $2.00

(this looks as if it has never been used! Great size to keep in my diaper bag when I either forget to pack food or want to give Micah something from the table)

butter dish $1.50

(maybe this will deter little fingers from playing in the butter)

teapot $1.50

(because I want to have more tea parties with my girls)

coffee cups 5/$2.00
(sometimes you just need a coffee cup that makes you smile)

A new shirt for me and an awesome tie-dye for Micah as well! $1.50 total

and

2 shirts for friends...no pics of these because I've already given them away. One was purple (my favorite color!) and beaded, the other was a print and style that just looked like a friend's daughter (isn't that funny how we start to associate certain things with certain people?)

There were other finds as well (all things I really NEEDED...at least that's what I tell myself! lol), but these were the ones that really topped my list!

I wonder if I can get by with going again this Friday??? ;o)

When Health Care Thinks Outside the Box

The coop mentioned in the following clip is the ministry we are a part of. It is what happens when health care thinks outside the box.

Greek Pitas

This little number has fast become a family favorite, so I thought I'd share. (the original recipe appears in Whole Foods for the Whole Family Cookbook)

Greek Pitas
2 lbs ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp wheat germ
1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp dried mint
2 Tbsp oregano
5 Tbsp plain yogurt
6 rounds whole wheat pita bread, cut in halves

Brown ground beef with onion in skillet, stirring frequently; drain. Add wheat germ, sunflower seeds and herbs. Simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in yogurt just before serving. Spoon into pita pockets.

So, What Does My Day Look Like?

Probably the #1 thing homeschooling moms of many get asked is,


"How do you do it?"
The real question behind this question is,


"How do you find the time to take care of all the children, do housework, and school everyone all in 24 hours?"
Frankly, there are days when the answer to this question is,


"I don't."
But, let's just pretend that I *do* get it all done in 24 hours...what does that look like???

Well, here ya go...a quick, bare-bones run-down of my day:
(note there are no times attached because we are more of a routine family rather than a scheduled family. To read more about how this concept applies to you, CLICK HERE.

Wake Up
Morning Chores

Breakfast

Weekly Chores (more on that below)
School

Lunch

School
15 min. Tidy
Free Time (or other activities)

Dinner

Family Time
Nighttime Chores
Bedtime

Now, for things a little more spelled out:

Morning Chores
These consist of different things for different children, but basically they are :
Get dressed, Brush teeth, Brush hair, Make bed, Tidy room, Take care of pets, Laundry In/Out, and Read Bible

The only item on this list that probably needs some explaining is Laundry In/Out. I do laundry every day (even with a Big Laundry Day), so there is usually a full laundry basket somewhere that needs to be emptied so I can refill it. The girls have a laundry basket, the boys have a laundry basket, and Ty and I have a laundry basket.

So, Laundry In means they get those baskets from downstairs and put their clothes away. They are allowed to just throw their baskets down the stairs when they are finished. There is something very rewarding about throwing an empty laundry basket down the stairs! lol

Laundry Out means they take the dirty laundry from their rooms to the main laundry basket (a nice heavy-duty basket located in my bedroom). Usually from there, my oldest son takes the heaping basket downstairs for me (have I ever told you how much I LOVE having an 11 year old?!)

Weekly Chores
These are based off the Large Family Logistics site. (Scroll down a bit on the left-hand sidebar to see her list of "days".)

Our weekly break-down looks like this:
Monday ~ Laundry/Dust
Tuesday ~ Floors
Wednesday ~ Bed/Bath
Thursday ~ Basement
Friday ~ Van/Outside

I used to write down each person's chores on a dry erase board each morning (you can read more about that method HERE), but recently I decided to try making the list static and have assigned chores for each day that do not change. For instance, on Monday, Blake will always dust the dining room and living and Megan will always dust the bedrooms. I'm hoping this will eliminate some of my workload and keep children from arguing over who gets what chore.

Here I'll interject a bit about Breakfast & Lunch. I know many people have a rotating list, but I'm not one of those people (yet ;o) ). I keep a list on my refrigerator of potential meals and grab from there. Lunch tends to be fairly simple and something I can throw together quickly since we school both before and after lunch.

15 minute Tidy
This is just what it sounds like. I set a timer and we race around the house cleaning as much as we can in 15 minutes. You would be amazed just how clean a house can get when you have 5 people cleaning (well, 3 good cleaners and 2 who are good for about 5 minutes). I also do impromptu 15 minute Tidies whenever the house feels too messy to continue our regularly scheduled lives.

Free Time
This includes everything from playing outside to reading to computer time to whatever each individual person likes to do. School work has to be complete. This is my free time as well and the place where piano lessons fit in.

Family Time
This is the reward for a long, hard day. Sometimes ice cream, sometimes a walk in the park, sometimes a campfire or a family movie. Whatever it is, we're together enjoying the end of the day. (On bath nights, baths fall into this time slot either before or after the activity depending on whether it is an indoor or outdoor activity.)

Nighttime Chores
Same concept as Morning Chores. Things like brush teeth, tidy room, get a drink, go potty, and say prayers are part of this list. From there, it's off to bed...

Bedtime
Some nights, the children are sent straight to bed, but as often as I can, I let them have Rest Time before their actual Bedtime. A friend introduced me to the idea of a time of unwinding with a soft light on and a book or pen and paper in bed for each child. It gives them a chance to slow their pace and calm down. If we've had a particularly hectic day, I also give them some Chamomile Calm. After 15 minutes or so, lights go out and the day ends.

So, there you have it...a glimpse at my day!

Slingin' Babies

I LOVE slingin' babies! No, I don't mean throwing them around! I mean "wearing" them by carrying them around in a sling. Many of the fabrics carriers available on the market can be made by you at home quickly and rather painlessly (even for a sewing novice!). I thought I'd share some of my experiences with making and wearing these different types of carriers.

The first sling I ever made was a ring sling from the Maya Wrap instructions. I just grabbed some old fabric I had laying around and bought cheap rings from Hobby Lobby. I am VERY lucky the thing didn't break! I learned later that you shouldn't use these rings and you have to be careful about what fabric you use as well. When I learned about this, I bought "real" rings from the SlingsRings website. Wow, the difference! I also started using heavyweight fabric. I tweaked the pattern that MayaWrap gives because I felt it needed more fabric and I added a pocket near the end of the tail to hold a diaper and wipes container, or a wallet and keys, or even toys for baby.

Micah in a ring sling made from light blue toile

The next type of carrier I made was a Mei Tai (Asian-style) carrier. Many of you are familiar with my "Fancy Mei Tai", but prior to that I had a not-so-fancy one. I used a pattern from Sleeping Baby. (She had adapted the usual Mei Tai pattern to include larger straps--which I highly recommend.) I used a nice heavyweight cotton and it turned out wonderfully. I have since chosen to decrease the width of the pouch and taper it at the legs, as well as making the width of the straps just a bit less. I prefer the pattern with the rounded top as well. It gives a bit of support for smaller babies and can be folded down for older babies.


Keian "helping" Mama cook.


Emily enjoying a beautiful October day.


Micah in the "fancy" mei tai.

I didn't really like using either of these carriers with a newborn, so I asked around and was told a pouch was the best for little bitty ones. So, a pouch I did make! Once again, I used the instructions from Sleeping Baby with a heavyweight cotton. (that was also the first and only time I've made a French seam!)


Newborn Keian in a pouch

However, I never felt very comfortable with this carrier and it hasn't been used since the above picture was taken (that is baby #4 in there). It might be because my newborns are a good 10 pounds.

Finally, I arrived upon the best (in my ever-so-humble opinion) carrier for wee little ones...a wrap!


Emily at 4 months

A wrap is basically a long piece of fabric, wrapped around your body and baby tucked snuggly inside. For newborns, their heads stay within the fabric and right up against mama. For bigger babies, they can face in or out and if they fall asleep, you can tuck their heads into the fabric the way you did when they were newborn.

This has got to be the EASIEST carrier to make. You don't even need to know how to sew! My friend, Tina, and I "made" the carriers shown below in a few minutes. We had one for her, one for me and one for me to share with a friend! Three wraps in a matter of minutes!

Newborn Micah in my brand new wrap!

Micah in a woven wrap.

If you'd like to try making one of these wraps for yourself, here are the instructions...

Easy Wrap Instructions
Here's what you need:
5-7 yds of stretch knit fabric (think t-shirt material)
or
5-7 yds of woven fabric (basically woven is any material that is woven together so the threads look the same on both sides instead of a cotton that is printed on one side)
1 pair of scissors
tape measure

1. I've found it to be easiest to lay your fabric out on the floor if you can find an area large enough to work in (you don't have to be able to lay out the entire 5-7 yds either. Cutting on 2-3 yds at a time works fine) The reason I don't use a table is because knit stretches and that can make cutting rather interesting when you have that much length to work with. It seems to always end up hanging off the table and stretching out too much. You want your fabric to lay smooth as you cut. If you are using the woven, a table should work fine.

2. Knit is typically 60" wide, woven 45". Each wrap is 20" wide, so you will get 3 wraps from one length of knit and 2 out of the woven! (Honestly, I just cut the woven down the center) One to keep and one or two to give away! So, the next thing you do is cut the fabric at 20" wide up the entire length of fabric. When Tina and I made ours, we used her concrete basement floor and one of us scooted along with the tape measure while the other one scooted along cutting at the 20" mark. We had a dozen children standing over us watching us creep along--what a sight!

3. Do that one more time for the knit and you now have 3 wraps! Knit doesn't unravel like other fabrics, so there is no need to sew a hem. I've managed to find knit on clearance for as little as $1/yd! Even if it does cost you more than that, you're still saving a mint over the name brand wrap price! I found woven for $2/yd and as yet, I've not bothered to hem the other side.

4. Now learn how to carry baby! (ps-the reason I say 5-7 yds is because despite what many sites say, not everyone can get by with 5 yards and do ALL the carries. Consider your body size when purchasing yardage.)

Here are two of the best sites to teach carries for all of the above baby carriers:
Wear Your Baby
The Baby Wearer

You will find videos and step-by-step instructions on these sites. If you are uncomfortable experimenting with your baby in the carrier, use a baby doll until you are comfortable. I would highly encourage you to take your new carrier, stand in front of your computer with the videos on these sites and try the carries right along with them, rewinding as needed. I also encourage you to have a friend or your husband or older son or daughter nearby to be an extra hand or two when you are first learning. It can be tricky until you get the hang of it...especially the back carries!

And in case you haven't figured out just how passionate I am about slingin' babies, read my post on slinging Emily...it will give you some insight into just how much wearin' my babies means to me. May you be as blessed!

Links to more about Slingin' Babies!
(I'm starting a section in this post linking to what others are saying about slingin' babies. If you have a post from your blog or other great slingin' link, let me know and I'll add it here! To start us off is...)
Mama K with her fantastic Baby Carrier Review.
Baby Wearing for Beginners
Wrap-a-Baby

Fear

Last night my husband and I came face to face with the inevitable...a sick child who needed to go to the ER. It was compounded by the pain being abdominal (Emmy's illness was malrotation of the intestine) and the fact that this child does not speak very well, so we were working off what very little he could communicate to us.

As I watched my son cry in pain, I knew I couldn't just wait it out. My intincts have always been to watch and see, but I couldn't this time.

Ty took him to urgent care around 10:30 pm and I stayed home with the other children since I have a nursing baby who still gets up several times a night. Ty gave me a play by play from the moment he pulled into the ER's parking lot. I got to talk to Keian several times throughout the next 5 hours (yes, 5 HOURS), but it still broke my heart that I could not be there with him.

They checked for appendicits and UTI, but found neither. Blood tests and CT scan came back fine as well. There was some red blood cell spillage in his urine, but that can sometimes be perfectly normal. Diagnosis...unknown.

By the time they released him, he was feeling pretty good. He was still a bit pale this morning at his follow-up, but as the day wore on he looked better and better.

And I am okay with that. I don't feel stupid that we took him in. And I'm oh so thankful they found nothing (which frankly, doesn't mean there was nothing...it could mean the prayers of others were heard!)

At one point during the night, Ty called me and said, "There is a song playing over the loudspeaker here...it is 'I Can Only Imagine.'" This song was played during the slideshow at Emmy's funeral. We both lost it and Ty had to explain to the ER physician why he was so upset. The doctor showed nothing but compassion. He even offered to keep Keian overnight for our peace of mind. Our primary care doctor also expressed compassion when she said she absolutely understood why we took him in considering "all we had been through."

I saw something in myself last night that I had not seen in such a raw way in quite a while.

It was fear.

Losing a child does not come with a guarantee that you will never, ever lose again. It does not mean you have "done your time." It was this fear that terrified me last night. What if???

I had to keep reminding myself that fear is not of the Lord. I asked for prayer for K's healing and comfort for my fearful spirit. Those of you who prayed, thank you! I did begin to rest easy and Keian got better and better! Your prayers were heard!

I wonder if I will always struggle with this fear? It always seems to be just below the surface until there is a crisis point and it comes bubbling out in a panic. It may be that I will never be rid of these feelings, but as a dear friend said to me at Emily's funeral,

"No matter what you feel, His Word is still true."

So, with that in mind, here is a passage of Scripture that has become one of my favorites that speaks to my fears:

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
And through the rivers,
they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire,
you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you."
Isaiah 43:1,2

Seven Months, Six Days

I knew this day was coming. August 7. The day Micah turns 7 months and 6 days old. Hardly a noteworthy milestone in most families...momentous in ours.

Emily died at seven months, six days. No, I did not believe Micah would die at the same age, but for the past several months I have been watching him and thinking about all the things he is doing that Emmy never did. She was slowed developmentally due to her hospital stays, so Micah seems so much older than she ever did. Yet I would still find myself saying, "At this age, Emily..." and comparing the two...looking for similarities between a brother and a sister...searching for locked-away memories.


Tomorrow, there will be no more "at this age, Emily..."

Micah has always been Micah and Emily has always been Emily, but a mother who has lost a child never stops considering where she has been and what things might have been like had her child not died.



So, if you see me sitting and staring as I watch my children play I am thinking about what was and what is, what will never be and what will be someday.

Micah Emmanuel at 7 months, 6 days

Being a Titus 2 Woman, No Matter Your Age

I am one of those people who loves to learn new things. I see some crafty thing at a store or in a magazine and I immediately think, "I should try that!" If I tried to learn every new thing I think would be fun to learn, I would be busy 24 hours a day for the next 7 years.

Several years ago I had a friend who could frost a mean birthday cake. Somewhere in my quest to know all things crafty, I thought it was something I should try. I quickly realized it was much more profitable to patronize my local supermarket than to spend all day decorating a cake that had no chance of turning out looking like something edible, let alone something festive. It was then I discovered I did not HAVE to be good at everything in order to be a good homemaker, wife, and mother.

This is a difficult lesson for many of us. We live in a day and age when so much information is right at our fingertips. We open the latest homeschooling magazine or watch the newest craft show on TV and we somehow think everything there is necessary to our day. We believe we must know how to knit and crochet exquisitely, bake perfect pies and whole wheat bread, sew our own clothes, raise goats and chickens for market, reupholster our couch, paint a landscape, build triple bunk beds, throw pottery, tend a vegetable garden, tile a floor, change the oil in the van, play praise hymns on the guitar, and refinish the dining room table before we will ever be worthy of the title of homemaker. Until then, we just aren't quite good enough.

We live our lives in Someday Mode.
Someday, I'll know...
Someday, I'll do...
Someday, I'll be...

We think we have nothing to offer because we haven't mastered all there is to master in the homemaking realm. We live our lives as Jill of All Trades, Master of None...just skimming the surface and always feeling inadequate. We hope someday when we are all grown up, we will be able to be the women mentioned in Titus 2, but somewhere deep down inside of us, we're scared we won't ever measure up.

That simply isn't true.

Being the younger of the Titus 2 women doesn't mean we live in ignorance simply because we've not parented anyone older than 4, just as being the older of the Titus 2 women doesn't mean we suddenly know it all the moment we're sportin' grey hair. Being a Titus 2 woman means as we learn, we share. It naturally follows that an older woman will have learned more in her years as a wife and mother than a young woman, but it does not mean there is some magical age when we suddenly cross over from young to old, from nothing to offer to everything to offer.

2 Corinthians 1:4 tells us that our trials should equip us to comfort others in the same way we have been comforted by the Lord. Our experiences in the body of Christ are all different. We have been comforted in many different ways and through many different circumstances. We have learned different things and now have different skills. We share what we've learned as we learn what others share. In this way being a Titus 2 woman is not about age, but about experience.

God expects us to use our experiences to edify and comfort others. This is the essence of Titus 2...passing on what the Lord has taught us in a very purposeful manner.

And so what if I don't know everything about everything. I probably don't know everything about ANYTHING! But, just as Titus 2 women are teachers, Titus 2 women are TEACHABLE.

There will always be areas where I could use some learnin', but I had better know how to keep my ears open and my mouth shut during those times. And I might even have to work hard and root out some rather difficult behaviors in my life in order to implement the wisdom shared with me. Refining takes fire and fire is only pleasant when viewed from a distance.

So, this is my encouragement to you...

1. Don't hide the wisdom the Lord has cultivated in your life because you think you are too young to be a bona fide older Titus 2 woman.

2. Be teachable no matter your age.

3. Seek opportunities to edify and be edified by other women who strive to be godly wives and homemakers. (don't forget those young women who share your roof!)

4. Embrace your strengths and admit your weaknesses. Be satisfied with the skills the Lord has blessed you with and rejoice over the abilities He has blessed others with.

and
5. May the Lord ALWAYS be glorified by what you say and do.


A Titus 2 woman is not someone we will be someday. She is who we strive to be everyday no matter if we are young or old or somewhere in between. Teach and be taught, lead and be lead, love and laugh and grow. Be a Titus 2 woman.

Large Family Living

Have a large family?  Want a large family?  
Intrigued by large families?  

Here's your chance to learn more!

Life In A Large Family

"You've got your hands full!"

If I had a dollar for every time I heard those words, I'd be a very wealthy woman.

These are words that I would venture to guess every larger-than-average family has heard at least once. Some people feel very offended by comments like this, but honestly, I *do* have my hands full. And I'm not the least bit sorry.

Life in a large family is different than life in an average-sized family. Remember, I used to be an average-sized family. I haven't forgotten what it was like to feed lunch to two children or to bathe two children, or put two children to bed. We were a two child family for nearly 4 years, and yes, life is different now. Not a bad different...just different. In fact, I could make a good case for it actually being a *good* different!

Shortly after the birth of my second child, I adopted a large-family mentality. We were newly quiverfull and desiring to add to our little family (something God intended to delay a bit longer). I joined every forum and email digest I could find that catered to large families so I could learn just what it meant to be the mama of many.

I immediately put into practice much of what I learned. Things like a Bath Schedule and a Cleaning Schedule and how to teach children responsibilty and obedience.  Even though these things aren't just important for large families, it seemed the large families had the market on efficiency. Transferring to a large family mindset made my small family run much smoother.

Now that we are a large family by the world's standards (even though many days I don't feel like a large family at all), I realize that many of the tools and skills I was toying around with as a small family are absolutely integral to a large family. There has to be a Bath Schedule because without one, I would be in a perpetual state of soaking wet children. There has to be a Cleaning Schedule because without one, the clutter and every day dirt would soon overtake the household. There must be delegated responsibilities and obedience from the children because without those things, life soon becomes chaos. So, yes, running a large family household is different. And yes, my hands are full and therefore, busy. But, I wouldn't trade it for the world!

So, I invite you to take a moment to peek in at the world of managing a large household. There are many, many things here that are applicable to any size family!  A large family mentality is an asset...no matter how many children you have!


Why Do We Have So Many Children?

Becoming Quiverfull ~ 4 part series - Our Story: a conviction, not a movement

Enjoying YOUR Quiverfull - Find contentment with the number of children you are given

A Movement is Not a Messiah - from Pursuing Titus 2 blog




Large Family Living Tips

A Tidy Home
Cloth Diapering
Laundry
Homeschooling
Organizing
Recipes
Shopping
Sewing
Time Management
Vacations


You're Pregnant Again???

My Birthing Journey - VBAC and Back Again
Morning Sickness
Preparing for Baby
Mind Over Belly
Emotional Birthing
Keeping Up With the Snails
Why People Stop & Stare


Worthy Reading 
By, For, and About Large Families

"How to Exasperate Your Children" by Heather @ Sprittibee

"Family Closet" with Detailed Pictures by Tara @ Too Many Kids in the Bathtub

"15 Passenger Van Organization" by Betty @ Peace Creek on the Prairie 


A Few of My Favorite Things


The Family Homestead
The Dugger Family
Keeping the Home Blog
Purity Rings
Monkey See Monkey Do Videos on Cleaning & Organizing
Frontier Coop



Large Family Books

Large Family Sites:

http://www.quiverfull.com

http://lotsofkids.com







Quiverfull Blogroll
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