Mother's Daily Dose of Humility...

... in three easy steps.

#1- Suddenly notice a particularly large stain on the side of your skirt.

#2- Discover that the stain is, in fact, baby poop.

#3- Realize that the stain almost certainly had to have been placed on your skirt before you wore said skirt to church.

A 'brilliant' plan gone awry...

My stroke of genius for the day was to not allow Mary to nap today until we were on our way to Mass this evening. I figured she would conk out in the van and be too wiped out to even wake up when we got there, finally giving me a Mass of blessed peace and quiet.

Wrong!

She woke up when we were getting her out of the van, and would not go back to sleep despite me sneaking downstairs twice to try to nurse her to sleep. (Yes, *gasp* our little darling is still happy and doing well with her mother's milk.) Thanks to being overtired she was even more "vocal" than normal and resistant to my attempts at restraining her on my lap. So, not only did I not get peace and quiet during Mass, I cheated myself out of her usual nap time at home. There's a mistake I will not repeat next weekend!

Quick Update

We have had a pretty good week, although we seem to be fighting a cold so there's a lot of sniffling and just a bit of complaining going on around here. Everybody is fine, though, we completed the most important of our plans for the week, and now it is the weekend. We have been enjoying absolutely beautiful weather. Since it is getting dark earlier, the children are able to enjoy one of their favorite activities- running around outside after dark! Mary is toddling around a little more every day. She can now make it across the room fairly easily, and I see her walking probably more than she crawls. Earlier today she somehow managed to get a small piece of paper stuck to the bottom of her bare foot. I enjoyed the comedy as she tried to figure out exactly what to do about it. She finally plopped down on her bottom and took the paper off, examined it for just a second, then dropped it and stood back up.

Chuck is still working nights in Pennsylvania. We will all be really glad when this job is over!

I guess that's about all the update for now. I pray that everyone has a safe and blessed weekend!

Another Sign of the Season

They were heading due south, and then turned SW right over our house. The kids were very excited to see them... Geese!
We were dismayed to hear a gunshot from the hunting camp next door! Thankfully, he missed; he may not have even been seriously trying to shoot one. The children are well aware of what hunting is all about, but to admire these beauties and their song and then witness one of them shot down may have been traumatic...

We are blessed with another beautiful early fall day. God bless!

On my desktop...

I took this picture either yesterday or the day before, from the back yard.

Carnivore Baby

video credit goes to Raechel

Sounding Out

Just in case Danielle Bean ever visits my blog this message is for her: Thank you for this article! It made my morning brighter and my "drudgery" lighter.

God bless!

Mary's First Year

Here she was at just a few hours old...

First smiles, at about 2 months old...
Where did her hair go!? About 5 months old...

Mary and her Little Lamb are now world-famous! about 9 months old...
And here she is, one year old. Happy birthday to you, baby girl. I thank God every day for the smiles and joy you bring to our family.

Happy Birthday, Mary Mae!

Today we are celebrating Mary's first birthday!

I'll put pictures up soon... in the meantime, please pray for God's blessings on our little girl, today and always!

God bless!

Post-It Fun

Onward Christian Soldier

Thomas, to the would-be "robber": Halt, in the name of the Lord!

Mama's Old Sweater

I have a love/hate relationship with this old sweater of mine. I originally got it on clearance from Wal-Mart about six years ago. It used to be a lovely green, but the years have not been kind. The color in this picture is actually flattering, believe it or not. It is a terrible style for me. I refuse to admit it is anything other than the sweater itself that makes me look so frumpy when I wear it. Yet I love it because I live in it so many months out of the year. It is warm and cuddly, and always right there within easy reach.

When I noticed a large hole in it under the arm I was almost relieved. "Oh, good, now I can get another sweater." But, my tightwad conscience got the better of me, and this evening I pulled out my sewing basket to mend my sweater. Five minutes and about 50 whip-stitches later my sweater is as good as new. Well, as good as "old", anyway.

In the grand scheme of things, repairing an old sweater rather than replacing it hardly seems to make much difference. But it is satisfying to give new life to something old, to live by the old adage and "wear it out" rather than just buying a new (or used) one. I guess my old sweater and I are not ready to part ways just yet. Here's to another six years!

I can always tell...

...when my computer time is up.

Back to School

I put it off as long as I responsibly could; the children and I went back to our "school" routine today. It went well, but even on the best of days I am still outnumbered six-to-one, each of those six often requesting my undivided attention. Just when I settle on the couch to snuggle and read with Joseph, that's when two or three other children need help or redirection RIGHT NOW.

Homeschooling is not always easy, and there are certainly days when I wonder if I can do it another year- even another minute. But then I think of the school bus that whizzes by at 7:30 in the morning and doesn't show back up until 4:30 in the afternoon. I can't imagine how stressful it would be on the kids to "work" a nine-hour day, five days a week, 36 weeks a year. So one answer to the "why do you homeschool" question is that I value those 1,620 hours a year too much. Their childhood is so precious and fleeting, and I don't want to miss out on so much of it.

This evening when it was almost time to call the children in for evening chores, our neighbor came by with the exciting news that he had got his bear. He's been baiting for a month, waiting all week, and today the hunt was successful. He wanted to know if Robert and Daniel could come out with him to see it and help bring it in. What a pity if I would have had to say "no" because of homework or an early "school night" curfew! Why do we homeschool? Because it gives us the freedom to take advantage of every possible opportunity for real life learning. Any child can see a bear in a zoo, but not many get to see a bear that close and watch it be field dressed! (This is where living in the country and homesteading is an added benefit- science gets up close and personal!)

A significant part of the older children's schedule involves service for one another in the form of chores or spending time with their younger siblings. It is thrilling to me, as a parent, to see the genuine joy and excitement on their faces as they help Mary take her first wobbling steps. I love to hear them playing with each other, saying such things as "please" and "thank you" and "you can go first" and "I'll help you". Sure, there are not-so-nice moments, too. But even these present valuable opportunities to practice repentance and forgiveness- two essential building blocks of any relationship. This is a third reason why we homeschool; there is no question as to whether or not family comes first for them.

I am so grateful to God for blessing us with the ability to homeschool. It is truly a gift! (Somebody remind me of this post in March when burn-out sets in! *grin*)

Mary's Milestone

Not even quite a year old yet, but Mary is officially a toddler!

If you've wondered...

what it is looking like in the grand ol' UP these days, check out the picture I got for my Weather Log.

And you thought September was the end of summer! Up here, it is the beginning of fall...

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The message of the cross is folly to those who are on the way to ruin, but for those of us who are on the road to salvation it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 NJB

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Wood, and a new favorite hymn

We have still been busy with splitting wood from the huge pile that was left behind the garage. So far, this pile has yielded about a cord of wood (full cord, not face) and we're only about halfway done. There were limbs left behind by the previous owners- some are gigantic and many of them are knobby or from the "crotch" of the tree making them pretty heavy and tough. We were hoping to get the pile done before Chuck leaves on Friday, making tomorrow our last work day. However, with rain in the forecast, we've maybe done as much as we can do for now. Chuck will be heading to Pennsylvania after spending almost two weeks working at home.

I would like to share the words for my newest favorite hymn. Just as I Am, written by Charlotte Elliott in 1835. Isn't this how we have to approach Christ? It isn't like we can get all our spritual ducks in a row and then go before Him. We cannot wait until we are perfectly loving and charitable and patient and good, and then grow closer to Him. He knows we are weak and broken. He calls us to Himself anyway, because He wants to strengthen and heal us. "It is not we who chose him, but he who chose us." Anyway, I hope the words of this hymn give you some comfort and joy.

God bless!

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, tho' tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind-
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find-
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

It's a start...

It isn't much, but here are a few pictures I took on Saturday afternoon and evening. First we have The Darling all ready for church. She is only forced into shoes once a week for church (or less- she has gone to many a Mass barefoot!) and boy, does it drive her nuts! (Notice in the second picture how she won't put both feet down!)


We ate pizza for supper, and here you see my kitchen helpers. We make them three at a time: two for the meal and one to save to eat cold the next day. Cold pizza makes a great snack! Well, the kids like it, at least. I much prefer pizza fresh and hot from the oven!

We had a wonderful day today. We went for a hike on a trail down to some falls on the Baltimore River here in Ontonagon County. The trail is about a mile and a half, medium difficulty I'd guess. We got soaked by a good rain on the way back. I'm always impressed with how the younger boys handle hikes like that. They double the distance, since they pretty much take two or three steps for every one of mine. That doesn't even take into consideration the fact that they tend to run ahead, then double back, only to run ahead again.

Right now all six kids are in the living room with Chuck while he tells one of his crazy stories. He takes names and ideas from just about every book, fairy tale, story, song, movie, even commercial that you could think of, with a good dose of "inside" family jokes that only we would understand. It's been one of those days that makes my heart swell with appreciation for this family we have been given.

God bless!

A Strange Question

Dad, doing a double-take in the direction of the living room: "Where did the couch go?"

What we've been up to...

Well, one thing I have NOT been doing is taking pictures! We were very busy early in the week, splitting and stacking firewood. We still have a huge pile of "rounds" to split that have been piled behind the garage since before we moved. However, these will have to wait until freezing weather drives away the hornets! We split one open to find a nest that was, thankfully, no longer being used. I hate to think if there were still hornets in that one!

One afternoon Chuck and Daniel found a couple of wild plum trees. The children and I will be going back out there this afternoon if the rain lets up. Maybe this time we will pick more than we can eat and make some jelly!

Yesterday we went hiking out at the Porcupine Mountains. We first visited Lake of the Clouds and walked a little half-mile trail down to a bridge in the valley. We call this the "famous bridge" because about two years ago Chuck took a video of the children running down this bridge. We didn't have any way to take video this time, but they did "reinact" the "famous" scene. It was too much fun! After that we drove to another trail by some falls. That was the area we visited the very day before we found out our little Hope had died. It is such a beautiful place, and it was good to go back. Check out the pictures Chuck took while we were there!

It is raining this morning, but I hope it will clear up this afternoon. Still, we need the rain so I'm enjoying it! Okay, Grandmas (and others) I promise this will be the last update without pictures of the kids. *grin*

God bless!

Mother Teresa

Today is the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, now known as Blessed (and certainly someday "Saint") Teresa of Calcutta.

I believe she is a powerful intercessor for all families, and maybe in particular for homeschooling and homesteading moms and dads (or those who want to be). What could a "little, old nun" know about the challenges of raising children in today's world? Evidently quite a lot! (The following quotes, attributed to Mother Teresa, were collected from the Mother's Wisdom website... all added emphasis is my own.)

"To parents: It is very important that children learn from their fathers and mothers how to love one another--not in the school, not from the teacher, but from you. It is very important that you share with your children the joy of that smile. There will be misunderstandings; every family has its cross, its suffering. Always be the first to forgive with a smile. Be cheerful, be happy."

"Today we see more and more that all the suffering in the world has started from the home. Today we have no time even to look at each other, to talk to each other, to enjoy each other, and still less to be what our children expect from us, what the husband expects from the wife, what the wife expects from the husband. And so more and more we are out of our homes and less and less in touch with each other."

"Maybe in our own family we have somebody who is feeling lonely, who is feeling sick, who is feeling worried. Are we there? Let us know the poor in our own families first. We have old people: they are put in institutions [isn't it the case that most American children are also put in institutions?] and they are never visited; with less and less time even to smile at each other, with less and less time to be together. Love begins at home, if we can only make our own homes temples of love."

Dearest Mother Teresa, pray for us all, that our homes may become sanctuaries of grace, that our lives may shine as lights in the darkness, and that we may all love and serve the poor as you did. Amen!

Labor Day

We observed Labor Day and celebrated the end of summer with a lot of work, good food, and fun. We cleaned out the garage this morning, and Chuck and the kids split a bunch of wood this afternoon. We had a "summer feast"- hamburgers, homemade french fries, salad, watermelon, and homemade ice cream that ended up being slush but we ate... er, drank it anyway. It still tasted good!

I absolutely love these days where everyone works together so nicely; even the little boys did their kitchen chores without complaint and helped with stacking the fire wood. The garage is cleaner than it has been in a long time. I think we've learned to avoid ever storing hay in the garage; the stuff gets everywhere especially when you have kids in charge of feeding the sheep! But it really is one of those days I need to hold on to. God is good!

I simply cannot believe it is September already! We will be celebrating Mary Mae's first birthday in a little less than three weeks. Where has the last year gone?

God bless!