When I first began this blog, it was my intention to write atleast once a week.  Then I thought if I wrote once a month, that would be better than none.  So it is hard to believe it has been over 5 months since I last wrote.

I am always amazed, whenever I look around at others' blogs, how much people write.  I love to write- I really enjoy it.  But setting aside the time to do such is not an easy thing for me.  There is simply too much going on around here to do that with any frequency.  And I guess it really isn't that big of a priority for me because other things here at home are so much bigger.   Not that I don't enjoy interacting with others on the internet, I just find that during busy days, when I get some free time, I either can't get on the computer or I have something else more pressing.  And when it gets late at night, I can no longer burn the midnight oil like I used to.  I must rest.

So, what have we been doing around here since I last wrote?  Well, thanks be to the Lord, we were able to get our guest house built and furnished inside of our huge detached garage, (which also holds my husband's office).  This took place during July, August and September.  We have enjoyed company over those months as well.  We did some landscaping and some major cleaning -out of the garage that held years of stuff we had accumulated from my husband's 20 years in the Army.  We have been homeschooling.  We have been taking nature walks on our country property.  From daily seatwork to field trips to playing outside to cooking together and baking bread to family devotions to cleaning house together.  Together we live and learn and praise God.

And I guess because this life is so full and so satisfying, I just have to thank the Lord for the precious opportunity to homeschool our children.  Because we homeschool, we can do all of these things together.  I found a poem today that wonderfully describes my vision for our home and homestead in a book called The Country Mother's Cookbook, by Jane Watson Hopping:

                                        The Home At Peace

                  Here is a little world where children play

                     And just a few red roses greet July;

                      Above it smiles God's stretch of summer sky:

                     Here laughter rings to mark the close of day;

                     There is no greater splender far away.

                     Here slumber comes with all her dream

                     supply,

                      And frienship visits as the days go by;

                    Here love and faith keep bitterness at bay.

                     Should up this walk come wealth or smiling fame,

                   Some little treasures might be added here,

                    But life itself would still remain the same:

                    Love is no sweeter in a larger sphere.

                     This little world of ours wherein we live

                     Holds now the richest joys which life can give.

                                             - Edgar A. Guest

It truly seems to me that life moves along in seasons.  There is a time for everything, and now is the time to focus on nurturing the family.  It is time to pour my efforts into those precious souls and do my level best with God's blessing and help to nurture, nourish and disciple.   If my Lord Jesus spent his energies discipling 12 and then within that group even focused more on 3, I must know that it is going to take a good deal of focus for me to minister to 8 children and 1 husband.   Some people have more social energy than I do, and can do more outside of their home than I can.  And some have more external obligations than I do at this time in my life.   We all do what we have to do.    Having said all that, after a busy day,  if I have energy left over and can get to that computer before it is too late, perhaps I can add a blog entry.  If not, I won't.  That is all I can promise at this time!

May the Lord bless and keep you,

Chris