Learning to Be Mom

I am currently reading Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller and in just one chapter I've been majorly convicted on many levels.

Perhaps one of my biggest challenges of the past year has been in how to parent our teenagers. I found myself in a cycle of frustration, disappointment and anger as we worked through some new and challenging issues.

Instead of dealing with the heart issues, I spent a lot of time asking questions like, "Don't you know better and this? You were not raised this way, were you?" I think that having homeschooled our children for so many years I (wrongly, I might add) feel responsible for and entitled to children who would 99% of the time do the right thing.


When things weren't going "my" way, too many times I responded hastily and in sin. I'm thankful for the grace we can give to one another, because we have ultimately been given grace by God.

As the conflicts have faded into the past, I have been reflecting on what I've learned about myself as not just a mom, but as a child of God. Just as I'm still learning what it means to be God's child, I have so much more to learn about what it means to love the children God has entrusted me to mother.

The book's chapter was about the idols in Abraham's life and his willing sacrifice of Isaac. Here are some excerpts from the book that specifically challenged me:

"I must be able to say, 'My desire for completely successful and happy children is selfish. It's all about my need to feel worthwhile and valuable. If I really know God's love- then I could accept less-than-perfect kids and wouldn't be crushing them. If God's love meant more to me than my children, I could love my children less selfishly and more truly.'"

When a child is an idol a parent:

• Overdisciplines them/ Needs them to be "perfect"
• Underdisciplines them / Can't bear their displeasure

Then the child fails to meet expectations the parent becomes angry, cruel or violent because of their disappointment.

"God's rough treatment of Abraham was merciful- until Abraham had to choose between his son and his God he could not see that his love was becoming idolatrous."

"If anyone puts a child in the place of the true God, it creates an idolatrous love that will smother the child and strangle the relationship. "

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth

Elizabeth,

You can't be described in just a few words. From the day that you were born 10 years ago today you have shown yourself to be a girl who walks her own path. One would think that a girl who had three great older sisters would follow along in their shadow. But not you. You have your own style, your own ideas and an imagination that just keeps going. I love that about you.

Tonight as we ate your cake everyone shared what it is that they love about you:

Lydia: "Elizabeth is joyful. She always is smiling."

Hannah: "Betsy is friendly and always welcomes all people no matter who they are. She is also cheerful."

Joseph: "Elizabeth is wise. She always steps in when there is an argument and helps me get out of it. She my friend."

Rebekah: "She reads to me and likes to spend time with me and play with me. She makes my life fun."

John: "I like her hair and her face."

Daddy: "Elizabeth is friendly and smart. She brings others into our home and makes them feel welcome."

Me: "Betsy always thinks about others before herself. She's an example of living selflessly. She also is a quick learner and excited to learn something new and teaches her brothers and sisters."

Miriam: Well, Miriam just cried. Eventually she was able to say, "Elizabeth is my best friend and I love her so much."

I hope you know what an impact you've made on all our hearts in just these first ten years, sweet girl. Our lives are incredibly blessed because you are here.

I love you and can't even begin to imagine where God will take you in the next ten years. I can already see glimpses of a beautiful young lady shining through.

Love you, forever,
Mom

Tough Love

Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3)

They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:3)


Watching our children wade through the murky waters of teens is difficult. They are not perfect, nor am I. They are searching for purpose, direction, and identity in a sea of peers, expectations, new experiences, youthful desires. Their thinking is not always logical. Their decisions are impulsive. Their emotions run ahead of them.

What do I do when what initially appeared to be a childish decision has become a consistent part of their character? Am I to blame for not being persistent or jumping on it sooner? Could I have pursued another route or have I failed to see the heart of the problem too late?


If they were a toddler, the answer seems obvious. Immediate consequences. Restoration. Try again. With some young children the lesson is quickly learned. With others the reinforcement day after day is required, but with consistency and unconditional love it is received in time.

I am not willing to let our teenagers raise themselves. The world would be more than willing to scoop them up and carry them along. But I will face the conflict and the hurtful looks if that is what it takes. I will be the bearer of unwanted discipline and wipe away the tears if that is what is required. I will stay up all night and pray and repent of my own sin as it glares back at me. I will trust and stand of God's promises of fruitfulness, peace and life for those who follow Him.

Christ did not leave me in my sin to please myself. He reached down. Called me. Saved me from myself. Walks with me through this life. Molds me. Shapes me. Disciplines me as only a Loving Father can. Restores. Redeems. Rejoices over me.

That's tough love. That's what I'm living.

Each Moment

I am continually humbled by how God is using my teenagers to teach me more about what it means to live for Christ. Many a late night conversation which started as frustrated tears has ended with....

How will I know which is the best way for me to go?

Why do I keep making the same mistakes over and over again? No matter how hard I try I'm always back where I started.

Where do I fit? What am I good at? What makes me different?

I need my life to count for something- something outside of myself.

I want to do something important with my life.

I have struggled with these same questions and had to learn again and again that life is not about the destination. It's about the journey to get there. The shaping of one's character happens in the dailiness of life. The constant rhythms. The ebbs and flows. The unplanned detours. The subtle interactions. Relationships. Regrets. Lessons learned.

This week one of my daughter's classmates was tucked in bed for the night with the flu and went to be with her Lord for eternity.

This has spent my mom mind spinning in a million different directions. Much of my striving as a parent is to get my children to a certain point academically, socially, spiritually. A destination. It seems at times as though the clock is ticking faster and faster....

I'm convicted this night by my own words. Life is about the journey not the destination.

Were my words today kind and encouraging?

Does she know there is NOTHING she has to do to earn my love?

Did I look up and look into his eyes when he wanted to show me latest drawing?

Was I approachable or too busy to give affection freely?

Did I give my children the Truth today?

Tonight I'm thankful for another day in the life of my children. The privilege to walk beside them and be their mom is one that I never want to take for granted.

A New Season

We have our second teenager in the house! Last week our Lydia celebrated her birthday and we swept her away for a few days to Nashville, Tennessee. As only God could provide, Sean had a conference at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center. It was the most amazing hotel I had ever stayed at and it was especially delightful to share it with Lydia.

The pictures don't do justice to the beautiful gardens and waterfalls.

We were talking on the way and realized the only time we've spent with Lydia alone was when she was born and then last year when she had swine flu which meant she couldn't stay at the grandparents with the rest of the kids. There just are not many opportunities like these when in a family of nine. But when they do come along, these times are especially precious to us all.


We spent much of our time working through Passport To Purity. Let me just say, this was much easier the second time around! It thrills my heart to enter into this next phase of our relationship as mother and daughter. I know how much I leaned on my mom for information and wisdom regarding relationships. Many a late night was spent talking in the dark car in the driveway. She was always open, honest and approachable. I want to be that for my girls.

I was encouraged this weekend to be more mindful to pray not only about the purity of my children, but about the purity of their future spouses. There are countless traps and obstacles young people face, for sure, but our God has not left us defenseless.

We had some free time to explore the hotel, swim, get pedicures, watch movies....



Our trip ended with a special dinner with Sean. He gave her a purity ring, a symbol of our commitment to pray for her and to help her navigate through these teenage years and beyond. And, according to her dad, she is to wear it every time she is with a boy she likes.

This girl loves her dad.

When we arrived home the kids could hardly wait to shower her with their gifts.

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word. Psalm 119:9

Firsts

There are very few things changes in life that can be written on a calendar. Most of the time, change happens because new circumstances arise or things naturally shift a different direction. Sometimes change is so subtle that you don't even recognize it until much later.

But there are other moments in life that you can see coming from a mile away. You plan for it. You wait for it. You imagine what it will be like. You question if you're really ready. It a day that will stay in your mind forever as the day that....

A stepping stone
A fork in the road
A pivotal moment
A defining act

The day you were born
The day you moved away from home
The day you started you new job
The day you married

The day you first went to school...

Graduation

Dear Hannah,

It has been the joy of my heart to know you not only as my daughter but as my student. I cherish each and every hour that we've spent together sitting on the floor, cuddled on the couch, working at the table.... I can still remember so clearly the night I stayed up to cut out squares and laminate them before your first day of homeschool. On each of these I placed all of the letters and from them you soon learned to spell and read. I really didn't know what I was doing, but you were so responsive and eager to learn. You've had to lebe flexible and patient often waiting for a baby to eat or me to carve out time for your questions. But through it all, you've proved to be a diligent, selfless, focused young lady really teaching yourself this past year. Watching you learn and discover has been my reward. I wouldn't have traded these years for anything in the world.

It's true that I'm going to miss you immensely. My mind I know that you will be practically across the street, but my heart knows it's a letting go nonetheless. I'm letting go of you proudly, Hannah, knowing that you are going to shine for Christ. I'm excited to see what new things you will try, what opportunities will arise and what you will learn about yourself in the process. You can be certain that I'll be your number one supporter with my arms open wide each time you return home.


Loving you always,
Mom

Like Only God Can Do

I remember the total exhaustion of having preschoolers and babies who required just about every ounce of me every moment of every day. Those days were never ending (literally). I would fall into my bed at night knowing that in three hours or so it would be time to start all over again. Diapers. Hugs. Walks. Tucks. Feedings. Baths. Bed changes.

Life was a predictable ferris wheel coming back around to show me the same scene over and over again. Yet, there was a sense of control on my part. I knew what to expect. I knew how to fix the problem. If something was not working, I'd surely have a chance to tweek the routine a bit. Then, I'd just jump back on the wheel and life would go along smoothly.

Life has changed a lot. That oh so familiar Ferris wheel has taken the form of a roller coaster. Each day is a series of ups and downs. Each child is taking their own twists and turns as they come into their own. It's no longer answering the cries of a helpless child. Now it's answering the hard questions as the tears fall. "When will I have a best friend?" "What am I good at? What makes me special?" "Who will I become?"

I've found myself being at a loss for words when faced with these all important issues. For some of my kids, the answers are evident. For others it's a journey that can be hard for me to watch. I want to give them the answers and point ahead, yet it is in journey that the answers are actually found.

So I pray. A lot. I pray for the grace to know what to say when these questions come pouring out. I pray that God's answers to come to them individually in His time and in His way. Sometimes it feels like I'm sitting on my hands. I have to stop myself from jumping in and fixing it my way. Surely I could manipulate the situation to make it a little less painful. I've tried that before and my solutions fall far short.

Today was a watershed moment for me as a mom. I watched as Lydia was awarded the opportunity of a lifetime. I stood in the wings and shed my own tears of joy knowing that this was an answer to a question that she's been struggling with this past year. It was God's answer to her. I had nothing to do with it.

One of those moments....

Today we were sitting on the couch working together on Language Arts. Specifically, we were learning about adverbs.

I asked, "Looking at the word 'adverb', what do you think it is going to modify?"

The answers came tumbling out. "An adjective?" "A noun?" "The subject?" "A pronoun?" With each answer came more uncertainty and the tears began to flow.

"What is there to cry about? I'm asking a simple question. This isn't hard. What word do you see here?" I spoke back while underlining the word two times. (Obviously, I'm not a trained educator.)

"I just don't know what you want?! What are you asking me?!"

I had to stop and take a very deep breath. Taking off my glasses and rubbing my head I was stuck between feeling defensive and utterly defeated.

What have I done? What do I lack? How can I communicate any better? Why am I homeschooling? It's obvious that I'm not teaching her anything. I'm just frustrating her. I'm not good enough.

We directly closed that book and moved on to science. I was reading about the inner planets with a quivering voice. She quickly caught on (as did everyone else in the room) and there were many red faces and sniffles as I expounded on the clouds on Venus and the temperature on Mars.

"Mom, it's not that your a bad teacher. I'm just a bad learner."

That was like a knife in my heart. There were many hugs and soft whispers as I tried to reassure her that she is in fact amazing. She is gifted in so many ways and specifically made by God Himself to be unique.

As the tension lifted there was soon a giggle from across the room. Then a chuckle escaped from person hiding behind their book. Next the laughter finally broke through the tears for us all. We all agreed that there is certainly nothing to cry about when it comes to the planets.

Today I believe the was lesson for me, the teacher. More than anything, I was reminded that I daily need the Lord's help in shaping these young hearts and minds. I get so busy and caught up in getting it done that I forget to even ask for God's guidance. Homeschooling isn't about my capabilities. It's not about whether or not my kid "gets it" the first time around (or the second or the third). In the end, it's really has nothing to do with academic achievement.

It's all about a mind willing to learn, a heart ready to serve and a life that responds to the Truth. There's a lot more than Language Arts that goes into that sort of education- for the teacher and the student.

Tonight as I tucked her into bed we talked again about what transpired today. Her heart is still tender and the emotions raw. She is struggling to find her place, to know her strengths. I get that. I'm praying for the insight and sensitivity to steer her through these tough times as her teacher and her mom.

When I came downstairs to my bed I found a note on my pillow. It read, "I love you mom. You are a good teacher. A+."

I'm humbled by that sentiment knowing that I fall far short, yet, I'm thankful to know the greatest Teacher of all.

Do over?

It's been one of those days that I wish I could live over again...

Instead of defending myself, I should have held her.

Instead of holding on to my agenda, I should have made the time.

Instead of lecturing, I should have instructed with gentleness.

Instead of responding to my disappointment, I should have opened up.

I can't live this day again, but I can ask for forgiveness.

I can call out for wisdom.

I can tuck her in with a goodnight kiss.

I can know that in these tough days we are both growing up.

I can thank God for another day.

It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His tender compassions fail not.

They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.
-Lamentations 3:22-23

50% Safe

I've been on a cleaning spree lately. The kids keep reminding me that it's Fall, not Spring. "All the more reason to move the furniture and get rid of stuff", I say.

Today I was working diligently upstairs and after about an hour wondered what the children might be doing so quietly and independently. They were happily playing in the garage.

Later, Besty came and asked if I would like to see the "game" they made up. "It's 100% safe, Mom." Joseph interrupted, "Well, it's about 50% safe."

In case you can't tell, this is John and Rebekah on a sled on top of the chest freezer being pulled down onto a pile of winter coats and snowsuits. No worries, though, because Joseph is the "lifeguard." Besides, Rebekah tells John, "Trust God."

Coming of Age

Wow, has this past week been about the most fun ever! Hannah turned 13 on Wednesday, the day that Sean and I were scheduled to leave town. He was speaking in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday and I had purchased my ticket months ago in anticipation of joining.

Secretly, we planned to take Hannah along with us as a surprise birthday present. It's been hard knowing for months and not sharing the excitement. We even had her pack her bags for her friend's house. Once all of the other kids were dropped off, we pulled the van over and got out so that she could open her gift. It was her plane ticket and letters from Sean and I. She was shocked, to say the least. We made it to the airport just in time to board. So fun!!

Hannah's first flight. Playing Pass the Pigs.

While Sean was working at the Conference, Hannah and I worked through Passport to Purity. We giggled a lot, as well as had some deep, honest conversations. The Lord was good to provide us with such a special get-away to have these conversations. No pressures, no interruptions, no time constraints. It was perfect.

Florida sunset.

More than anything, we wanted Hannah to know how much we love and trust her. It's been our privilege to see her growing into the young woman that God has called her to be. We talked a lot about what life was like when it was just the three of us in our little apartment. Her daddy couldn't wait to get home to see her every afternoon. And I could not have asked for a better companion to pass the days.

At the completion of Passport to Purity, we met up with Sean for dinner at an Italian restaurant where he presented her with a pearl ring. *sniff*

The last two days we spent sightseeing around Fort Lauderdale and enjoying the incredible weather. I kept having to pinch myself.

The largest cruise ship in the world came to dock while we were there. We could see it from our hotel balcony.


This was the hotel pool. This is the kind of hotel that corporations pay to have people stay in- a far cry from our usual Residence Inn.


Hannah and I took this water taxi around and saw some insanely large yahts and homes owned by famous people.

At the beach.



Our last lunch by the ocean.

I could not have asked for a better way to celebrate coming into the teenage years. It's new territory for all of us. I don't doubt that we will have some bumps along the way, but I'm certain that God's Word will guide us through as well as a mutual respect and love for one another.

I walked away from this weekend more in love with Hannah than ever. She is a beautiful, determined, independent and Godly young woman. I'm truly blessed to be her mom.

Getting there and getting home again

I heard some words of wisdom from my brother-in-law that has really affected the way we traveled last summer. Basically, his mentality when hitting the road with the family is this: "Vacation starts when you leave the driveway and doesn't end until you park your car back in the garage."

There's just no reason to hurry up, stress out and make everyone's travels unenjoyable along the way waiting for the vacation to begin. Of course there are sometimes time restraints, but if these are expected the journey can still be enjoyable.

So here's some ways we've made traveling part of vacation this summer:

1) Listened to ALOT of Adventures in Odyssey together which we checked out from the library.

2) Enjoyed special-to-us snacks like stringed cheese and yogurt in a tube. Seriously, it's the little things. It doesn't take much.

3) Followed a billboard for a dairy farm in hopes of just stretching our legs and getting some good ice cream. Instead, we had a few hours of serious fun, a 4 D movie and a farm tour. Then we ate the ice cream. Go ahead- ask us anything about dairy production.




4) Stopped at a rest stop and ran off some energy on a playground.

5) With a little research on the internet, decided to stop by and visit an amazing kid's zoo for the afternoon.



6) Said yes, more than no.

7) Took a potty break at a restaurant with a play land and let the little ones race and slide for a few minutes.

8) Picked up some free maps at a rest stop. The kids colored and traced their way home.

9) Stayed in the last day to let the kids swim and play to their heart's content while I did laundry. Going to home with luggage full of clean clothes is a relaxing thought in itself! We also took a much needed nap to recoup from a week of non stop fun.

10) Grabbed bagels for breakfast on the way out town and left a meal ready in the freezer for when we got home again.

I know that our vacation time has been enriched with just a simple shift of thinking. Sometimes in the packing, planning and effort to get out the door, I've left something very important behind- the realization that I'm not blessing my family by stressing and rushing.

Life is not just the destination, it's the journey.

(Just so you know- we consider any time that we spend a night at a hotel 'vacation'. We usually take several short road trips around the Midwest tagging along as my husband works.)

This and other ideas can be found on WFMW at We are THAT Family!

The End of an Era

For the past decade in the corner of our living room has set this lovely basket, a gift from my mother-in-law. It has been there dutifully containing all things needed for changing diapers. The sound of its lid dropping is as familiar as the sound of the door closing. By my estimation it's opened about six times a day and then shut again.


Lately, the basket has been a bit neglected. Big John has nearly completed his training. I have to admit that after nearly thirteen years of changing little pants, I am a bit saddened by the whole thing. There's just something precious about those little legs and dimpled bottoms that I'm going to miss. But in another way it is a time of celebration. Independence. Growth. An important phase of training completed.

I woke up Sunday afternoon from my nap to quite a surprise! The basket was packed for its first
official picnic. The kids had done it all themselves- sandwiches, fruit, vegetables and even fresh baked cookies.
Many people comment what it relief it must be to no longer have to buy diapers. Honestly, it's been a strain at times to purchase diapers month after month. I'm figuring we have spent $7000-$8000 on diaper supplies through the years. But you know what? There's no price tag for the songs that have been sung, the trust that has been built, the bellies that have been tickled and the toes that have been kissed through the simple act of changing a diaper. Those moments are priceless.

Multitasking

At last. John and Rebekah playing together while we do school.

I've been of the opinion that multitasking is a woman's duty. You know what I mean- talking on the phone, checking email on the laptop, putting on a bandaid, scribbling a note to tell a child to practice the piano, cooking dinner and unloading the dishwasher at the same time. I mean, it's a necessity. Right?

Now translate that into a homeschool scenario- giving a spelling quiz to the 4th grader, getting out playdough for the preschoolers, helping the 6th grader with story problems while searching the Web for that elusive multiplication game. That's just a one room school house, right?

At the end of the last school year, I felt a bit frazzled. I was not so much burnt out and ready to quit, but rather on my last nerve trying to meet everyone's needs at the same time. I had instructed my children, that's true. But had I checked for understanding? Patiently answered their questions? Engaged them? Looked them in the eye? Acknowledged their achievements? Sadly, the answer would be no.

This frazzled state was carrying over into my housework as well. I could go room to room tidying up, but never get anything truly accomplished. I was moving the same piles around the house and never actually doing anything productive with them. I just about drove myself crazy. Why couldn't I just get it together? Oh, did I mention, that I was checking Facebook, blogging and cooking dinner while doing housework?

Worse yet, this frazzled existence was seeping over to my children. I telling them, "Do this, this, this and that and come see me when your done." Meanwhile, I would interrupt them while they were trying their best in order to add to their list. Craziness.

This summer I spent considerable time taking a step back to take an honest look at my life. I read several books on homeschooling, time management, household management.... These all basically pointed to the same problem.

There is no such thing as multitasking done well.

The time and focus it takes to balance so many plates at once is counterproductive to getting anything done and done well. Life is better spent (and more glorifying to God) when lived with purpose. People become the priority in place of activity.

So that's my mantra for this school year. (Borrowing from the title of a book I read) "Say Yes To No." Saying "No" to the expectations to get more done faster and "Yes" to accomplishing the one or two tasks in front of me.

To the best of my abilities, I'm striving not to multitask. When dinner needs fixed, I invite a friend in to help me and we do it quickly together. When the phone rings during school, I let the answering machine do its job. When someone needs a bandaid, I stop where I am to find out what happened. When it's time to clean, I engage the troops and we stick to it for an hour.

Life's not perfect, but there's a balance being established that has long been missing.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart..." Colossians 3:23

Love Languages

Fast forward one year.

School will begin in a week. We'll be shopping for school supplies, making sure there are shoes that fit, sucking the last life out of summer's freedom.

We'll be hitting a milestone as a family, too. Our first little bird will be leaving the nest to attend school outside of our home. The next year it will be another. And so it will go on.

I've been thinking a lot about what that day will be like. What is it that we need to accomplish this year to prepare for the next stage? What ground have we not covered academically, spiritually, emotionally, socially?

I'm no fool to think that there is a magic formula or a simple checklist. God has directed and equipped us. We've applied ourselves to the task- sometimes with great failure and other times with success. She belongs to the Lord. He will take her through her own roads of this life. We are trusting Him for the results.

The one thing has been on my heart recently is the need to focus on our relationship in this coming year. It is so hard at times to span the gap of ages. A three year old has drastically different needs than a preteen. It is very difficult to take off my micromanaging toddler hat and relax enough to actually listen and exchange ideas with the older kids. It would be much easier to treat them as one unit. I am guilty of this at times, yet they are growing into young ladies with their own opinions and dreams. The days of constant care are gone. Now is the time to build them up and send them out.

For this reason The Five Love Languages Of Teenagers caught my eye at the library. I was thinking that I'd just skim it through. I know my kids already, right? And certainly they know they are love.

Wow, has it been not only convicting, but instructive. It has made me much more aware of body language and responses that I am given. More than that, though, this book has brought to light my own assumption that each one of them interprets my love the same way. This simply is not true. Moreover, the things that I do not do (or do poorly- like tone of voice) actually has a negative effect on their perceptions of my love.

I've spent some time this week just asking them randomly about some of the content of this book. I've asked them two questions: "When do you feel most loved- the kind of love that makes you smile later when you think about it?" and "When/ or what has happened when you are not sure of my love for you?" They were honest with me and I am excited about the conversations that resulted.

Yes, we still have 180 of school to work through this year. There are still some loose ends that need to be tied up. But in the short time that I've been trying to love them a bit more intentionally, the response has been joyful for both of us.

Nashville

While Sean participated in a meeting of the minds last Saturday, the kids and myself sought to take in Nashville. We were there a few summers ago and saw some of the standard Nashville attractions. We only had about six hours so originally, I had planned to surprise the kids with a day of cowboy fun. The weather, however, did not cooperate.

Instead, we enjoyed the Frist Center for theVisual Arts downtown. The Medieval Exhibit was fascinating. We particularly found the sculpture series of the life of Jonah of interest. Also, the many broaches and earrings displayed were so ornate and individually beautiful. It was fun to imagine who might have worn these and what their lives would have been like. There were also manuscripts on display with perfect writing and scrolled designs in bright colors. When I explained that these were not printed off the computer, that a person actually worked very carefully to create these, the jaws dropped. Perhaps a little more attention will go into handwriting now.

This museum boasts about being family friendly and with good reason. The top floor is devoted to children’s exploration of visual arts. There were thirty different activities. The workers were themselves artist who shared their knowledge as the children worked. This was such a change of pace from our past art museum experiences where I spent the whole time shushing everyone and making them keep their hands behind their backs. And to even sweeten the deal, kids are admitted for free. If you ever have some time in Nashville, the Frist Center is a must.

After three hours at the museum, lunch was on the agenda. It was the Spaghetti Factory for us! We even got to sit in the trolley car.

The final stop was the Parthenon. Nashville has the only live scale model of The Parthenon. I’m not quite sure why that is, but it was fun to explore nonetheless. We decided to forgo actually touring the museum and it’s replicas of various idols and just stayed outside to watch the thunderstorm roll in. I might build on what we saw by using some lesson plans this summer on those rainy days or days that are just too hot.

When picking Sean up, we met some of his math teacher friends. One man was sharing about how his friend from another country has several children. In their home country the families did most everything together. If one child was invited to a skating party, than the whole family joined in. An opportunity for one was an opportunity for all. There was quite a culture shock when they came to America and the family was split in so many directions.

Again, I am thankful for the opportunity to homeschool and have these few years together as a family to live, explore and learn. I know that it might seem like a crazy hassle to make such a quick trip, but for us time is precious. These years all together in the span of their lives is very short, yet God has given them each sibling for a purpose. It won’t be long before schedules will be full and responsibilities greater, so I’ll embrace each opportunity we have now.

I often wonder what our children will look back and reflect on when they are older. Will they remember tracing each other’s hands to make prints? Or the Parthenon? Or laughing themselves silly over Shirley Temple movies in the van? Perhaps this blog will jog a few memories:)

I do pray that these times of togetherness builds in them a bond stronger than experiences. I pray that they truly do enjoy one another’s company. I pray that they are refreshed to see other parts of the world and it used by God to give them inspiration for their own lives. I pray that they will inspired in their own families to stay together and not be pulled apart.

**Sean and I have a fun time dreaming about what we want to show the kids. The discussion stems from this: “I really want to see their face when the see/experience (blank) for the first time." How would you fill in the blank?**