Trusting God Despite the Circumstances - Homeschool Blogger

A Month of Thanksgiving

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:25:00 -0600

I am thankful for the provision of wisdom and love. Neither of which I possess on my own.

The Lord has promised in His Word to give wisdom just by asking and He gives me the ability to love others because of His love for me. Without them my children would be lost to the world, I would be self centered and wise in my own eyes only. I am so thankful that I possess neither. I am so thankful that I must go to the Most High for His wisdom concerning the myriads of questions and problems I face. I am so thankful that His love is perfect and that He pours His love into my heart and into my hands so that I can love my neighbor, my family, my friends and my enemies.

If you'd like to participate in a Month of Thanksgiving please go to:

www.janetscountryhome.com/journal/2009/11/01/a-month-of-thanksgiving/

Honoring Little Amelia

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:23:00 -0600

It's been a year since we lost Samuel, and we were expecting to have a new little one this December; but she went home to be with the Lord after only being in my womb for five months.

For some reason many people think if you have a large family, somehow these lost babies aren't as significant because you're already so blessed. But I want to tell you, your child, each child, is different, is unique, had its purpose and place in everyones heart no matter how short the time. This is also a good time to dispel the idea that they are just globs of tissue... and don't really count. We lost Samuel at 16 weeks. Perfectly formed. Amelia just shy of 20 weeks. Perfect. Fingers toes, a body that looked just like their daddy's and sister Bella. These babies are just that. Babies. Magnificently made. Family. Yours. Ours.

When someone asks me how many children I have I hesitate. Of course they see six, but I see 12. How do you answer such a question? For me I want to say I am the mother of 12, and proudly so. But I know how awkward it is for others, and out of consideration for them I reply "6".

From conception I have prayed for my children to be happy, healthy, and beautiful. to know the Lord, to love him and serve him all their days, and I pray for the Lord to bring them and bless them with a godly spouse who will always be a blessing to them.

Someday,I will stand in heaven with 12 beautiful children.

Until then, I want to take today to honor the life of my daughter Amelia Jane Lyles.

Stay, stay at home... a favorite poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:16:00 -0600

Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest;

Home keeping hearts are happiest,

For those that wander they know not where

Are full of trouble and full of care;

To stay at home is best.

Weary and homesick and distressed,

They wander east, they wander west,

And are baffled and beaten and blown about

By the winds of wilderness of doubt;

To stay at home is best.

Then stay at home, my heart, and rest;

The bird is safest in its nest;

O'er all that flutter their wings and fly

A hawk is hovering in the sky;

To stay at home is best

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Samuel David.. A gift given. A gift taken.

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:26:00 -0600

For sixteen weeks I was the mother of a baby boy.

I didn't think I would ever have another son. Five daughters have followed my first born son 21 years ago.

When I realized I was pregnant this past summer I wasn't thankful for the new life given to me to love. I didn't receive the blessing. I didn't hasten to remember that I was blessed to have a womb that produced gifts from the Lord. I didn't hold onto the Word and all that it said in regards to the rewards these new lives bring nor how blessed a man is to have his quiver full of them.

I didn't go to the Lord with my worries and stay at His feet until His peace and truth renewed me. Instead I fretted, complained and worried.

I Worried about being overweight and unattractive to my husband. Worried that another baby would exacerbate the difficulties we face as a family. Difficulties that besot most families. Nothing special or unique. Just life.

To challenge me even more I suffered terrible morning sickness. The kind that last all day with no relief from one day to the next. The kind that last for four full months before you feel human again.

As I came up to my sixteen week mark I began to feel better. Enough so that I began to feel excited about the baby and looked forward to being a mom of seven come spring. But the joy I was just beginning to feel would be short lived.

I had an appointment at the Drs. office for a routine prenatal check. My third daughter decided she wanted to tag along in order to hear the baby's heartbeat like her other two teen sisters had already done at previous appointments. They have learned so much by being involved in my pregnancies. They will know what to expect when a life begins to grow within them as young wives starting families of their own.

Just before my daughter and I were about to leave for the Drs. all my kids presented me with an early birthday present which was a few days away. They wanted me to take time after the appointment to get myself some maternity clothes to accomodate my expanding tummy.

It was just a normal day. We rushed to get thru traffic and find a parking place with the hope I'd be on time for a change.

We laughed together and talked about the baby and mom and daughter stuff as we made our way thru the parking garage and into the hospital where the Drs. office was.

We talked about how thankful I was to be feeling myself again. We talked about what I would buy wih my gift card. We talked about why you have to pee in a cup at every prenatal appointment. She thought it was disgusting and I found her disgust amusing knowing one day it would be her. I told her about my last ultrasound and how cute the baby was during the scan. It was looking up and down, over and over again, relishing in a new talent and showing it's cute chin off to me. That memory is carved into my heart.

I was called into the examining room and my daughter made herself comfortable in a chair next to the exam table where I was laying while waiting for the Dr. to come and ask the routine questions and listen to the baby's heartbeat.

It was just a regular day. Everything had been fine. All my appointments and ultrasounds had shown a strong and healthy baby. But this day when the Dr. came in to listen to the heartbeat there wasn't one.

She assured me the baby was probably just tucked away somewhere and she would pick it up on an ultrasound machine. Fear gripped me while I waited for the scan. What I saw when the doctor picked the baby up on the monitor tore my heart in two. My baby's chin was no longer moving up and down but lying motionless on it's chest. It's heartbeat had stopped. All was still.

Tears streamed down my face and I wanted to cry out to the Lord and say not again Lord. Please God, make it all right. I want my baby.

Thru the tears I saw my daughter. I saw her pain and uncertainty of how to help me, how to make things right. She fought back tears.

I was sent home to tell my husband and to prepare to go to the hospital the following day.

My husband was napping when I came in. He turned and saw my face and new something was wrong. He held out his arms to me. I fell into them, and onto him. I cried into his neck and told him our baby had died. His body went limp for a mere moment, and then he strengthened his hold on me and held me for a very long time. He let me cry and waited until I was able to tell him about the appointment and what would take place over the next few days.

In the hospital I was given drugs to induce labor. I delivered the baby into my hands while sitting on the bathroom floor of my hospital room. I knew right away it was a boy. I was amazed about that and how perfect he was. Just tiny. His body was that of his dad's and sister Bella. Broad shoulders, long legs and big hands.

I wanted so bad for God to make things all right. I didn't want to let him go. I cried for days. I felt cheated. I wanted my son.

In all that pain I realized how petty I had been in my worry's and how I had taken for granted the miracle and blessings of a fruitful womb.

I learned my lesson. Children are a blessing from the Lord, no matter what the circumstance. I will never again complain about morning sickness or weight gain due to pregnancy. I will never again wish I wasn't pregnant.

If the Lord ever see's fit to allow me to be gifted with another child I will celebrate and thank God for the life he has intrusted me with.

This lesson was a costly one and a painful one. One I'll not repeat.

God's Word does not change for circumstances. It stands for all people, and all times and in all situations.

Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Psalms 127:3

It took pain and loss for me to not take this for granted.

Over the Summer... an excerpt from my journal

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:22:00 -0500

..Summer is in full swing at our house.

No school. Bedtime hours have faded into oblivion. Tia and Bella play outside until dark. They come in dirty, sweaty and exhausted. I don't cook every night. Lately it's been "fend for yourself nights" with the exception of the two little ones.

The front and back door swings open and forgets to be closed all the day long. Flies zip right on in.

I hate flies in my kitchen. I hate flies period. I pay 25 cents for a dead fly. Inflation. It use to be 10 cents.

Neighbor kids are in and out. I have to find the kids in order to have them help me with something.

Sometimes my wanting them to help me is just a guise for wanting some company.

I miss the routine of the school year. The order, and predictability. The having my house and kids and husband to myself. The menu planning and cooking.

I can't wait for fall. But until then... I'll enjoy sleeping in a little later, washing all the days fun off of my baby's hands and feet and visiting with the neighbors out in the yard.

A week at the parks, library, beach and home while the older girls were at camp.

Photo Journal of Our Summer

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:19:00 -0500

For my son Andrews 21st birthday, and daughter Gabriella's 13th birthday, we took them all to Catalina Island for the day. My sons best friend came along. He is living with us until he and Andrew find an apartment to rent near the school they will be attending in the fall, which happily is near us!

Everyone with the exception of the baby was responsible for their own packed lunch and back pack for the day.

It was 10am when they dived into their lunch:)

Walking towards that caban at the end there for the tide pools and for the kids to kayak around the island.

A Carnival cruise ship was in harbor for the day.

I love the freedom homeschooling offers us. Adventures and experiences... together. And on a weekday!

I am fortunate that my husband has a very flexible work schedule, and is always interested in finding things to do as a family.

We found a stable on a walk towards the interior of the island.

This one loves to travel and is always the first one ready to go with dad on an outing.

And this one keeps up with the big kids and finds everything amazing.

Catalina is just 20 miles from our home. It's a nice little day trip. We take an express boat over which is half the fun.

Instructions for kayaking around the island. I was a little nervous as neither my husband or myself would be going. We intrusted our daughters to our son and his friend Chris. They are good guys. Smart, strong and level headed... most of the time.

By the looks on their faces maybe I should be worried... co-conspiritors.

It was a good day...

A Photo Journal of Our Summer

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:55:00 -0500

I have not blogged in such a long time. I really do miss it. It has been hard finding the time ever since Bella arrived. I can't say I have any more time now, quite the opposite actually. The older kids are so busy with activities, classes and such, and well Bella... is quite the handful! She expects someone to participate with her in all she is doing. I suppose the result of having so many older kids in the family who dote on her along with Momma and Daddy . She can usually find SOMEONE to give in to her tugs and pulls and requests to sit and play with her. She is really quite exacting on HOW she wants you to play too.. anyway... I hope to start blogging again despite the busyness.

I thought a good way to jump back in would be thru a photo journal of our summer. Little writing required which takes the pressure off of writing the days top blog best seller :)

So stop by when you can and see what our family is up to. Take the time to say hello and introduce yourself. I look forward to getting to know you while your getting to know me!

Two days a week is violin practice. August is break time... I can't wait! (sshhh)

Archery lessons at the homeschool fair. My four oldest.

Left to right: Dominique-16 Gabriella-13, Andrew-21 (almost), Kadeeja- 14

At the homeschool fair, each of the girls placed first, second or third.

Tia-age 9, won both first place in photography, and also in bread baking!

Dominique, Gabriella and Andrew are all aspiring writers.

Summer is well underway at out house.

We are continuing with a few subjects (math, science, latin and writing), but the pressure is off. No lesson plans have to be prepared... YIPEEE! The kids stay up a little later, sleep a little longer, and everyone is beginning to RELAX.

The end of the year for most is the last day in December... for me, the last day of school seems to be the closing of our year. I look so forward to the break, but yet as soon as the lesson book closes, I begin to get exited about our "new year" and spend my summer plotting and planning; pouring over catalogs, buying new pencils and mapping out an idea of what next school year just might look like!

We started homeschooling in 1995 and I still look forward to the first day of "school" :)

Until then... come back and peek into what we've been up to this summer, and tell me how you and your family are spending yours!

Our updated photo's

Thu, 8 Nov 2007 22:19:00 -0600

My husband was able to help me resize the photo's so I could post them... thank you husband!

Julianna Bella Rose... we call her Bella

All of us except my oldest; and only son.

These pictures were taken aboard a Carnival Cruise line the first week of October. My husband planned this HUGE trip for us, and worked hard for a year to pay for it.

We cruised the Mexican Riviera and had shore days in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

It was an amazing trip. The first time my daughters had been on a cruise. There were so many things that made it enjoyable, but one of the most basic pleasures the girls and I wallowed in everyday was; Seven days of no schedule to follow, chores, school, cooking, cleaning or taking care of the dogs.

Seven days! I don't think I have ever gone seven days since having children of not doing laundry! It was such a treat.

It was also fun to have the time to primp and dress up. Very different from the norm :)

Bella did great even though she suffered some with her second tooth coming in. I have lots of pics I plan on sharing and different blessings that came prior to our trip and during.

I'll give you a little peek to one of those blessings.. A few months after paying for the trip our finances were cut drastically. We didn't know how we could manage to still go, but it was too late to back out. God provided for us in so many ways that allowed us to go and go in style!

It is so neat to see my daughters watch the hand of God move on their behalf. Even in the little things that are of little importance. But our heart desires, no matter how insignificant ,are never overlooked by our loving Father.

Have you ever had a thought, not really ever put into prayer, just a little heart desire for something like wanting to paint your dining room but couldn't due to limited finances? Then one day, completely out of the blue the Lord orchestrates events in your life and blesses you with that little, insignificant desire you had??? One that you hadn't even really spoken out loud about?

Those are the times that really make me feel known, looked upon and loved by my heavenly Father.

It is such an adventure to be a believer and watch the hand of God move in our lives and the lives of others.

Walking with the Lord, being loved and led by the Lord, is never boring.

Appreciation and Praise for Single Mom's

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 22:53:00 -0500

Last Sunday night I sat down and watched Extreme Makeover. It's a television show that selects families in varying need and circumstances, then blesses them with a new house.

Sitting still long enough to watch a tv show in it's entirety is a rare thing for me. But two things drew me to this particular episode: It was in Alaska, which I love ( I lived there for a short period in my early twenties), and the family being blessed was a single mom with a lot of kids whom she homeschools.

Most of you know I was a single mom for a long time with five children. As I watched this show I saw some of me, and many of the single moms I know, in this woman and the life she shared with her children.

I looked at what she was trying to accomplish while raising her children alone and with so little.

Materialisticly(sp?) they had very very little, but where there was a lack of things, there was an abundance in relationship, love, loyalty and family.

The time and effort this mom put into the raising of her children was evident in the children's countenance, their open love and adoration for their mother, and their bright, bright, minds.

While I watched I reflected back at what it took to have that with my own children and my heart went out to her, and to the other mothers out there who are living a life set apart, despite the trials, despite the lonliness and difficulties, to give their children their best.

By best I mean the giving of themselves; their time, their love and committment to raising honest, loving, caring, and godly children.

You know when you have nothing, sometimes the best there is to give of yourself is more readily given.

Maybe theres something to that?

After the show I knew I wanted to post something on my blog to encourage and praise those single mom's out there who are giving their life despite the hardships, to the raising of their children.

I know what it takes, I know the moments of despair, the lonliness, the fears, and even the hard physical labor it takes to do it all alone.

I'm praising you and thanking you for your love of your children, and your love and devotion to God. I'm encouraging you to hang in there to give those precious blessings the best there is to give:

Yourself.

You all are wonderful women. Your rewards will come and for many of us, they already have come by the love returned to us from our children.

Just that will make it all worthwhile.

Some women I would like to encourage, and praise publically for their love and devotion to their children are:

Lisa

Janet

MaggieRaye

Mary Jo

Theresa

These are just a few, there are many many in the world who deserve to be recognized.

If you know of one or some, take the time to love on them, praise them, and encourage them.

The line they tote is a hard one. Often times they feel overlooked and forgotten and feel terribly alone outside of their relationship with their children, and their God whom they hold onto desperately.

They are both mother and father, and have to be both man and woman in getting the daily needs met.

Don't forget them.

This is your day ladies. Any of you and all of you who are walking that road of parenting alone:

I'm remembering you.

Your labor and love are known and appreciated.

Your efforts won't be for nothing. Your reward will be great.

I love you and am proud of you all.

Hoping To Be Back Soon!

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 15:10:00 -0500

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to post an update and let everyone know I'm still near, though not quite here!

I shared with you all of our new expected blessing, and with that blessing came extreme morning sickness and fatigue.
The first trimester has passed, and the feeling better days are starting to out number, the not so good feeling days, praise God!

But I am so ever behind in my house, and keeper at home ought to's, and want to's!
I am hoping to catch up here at home, get school rolling by the week of Sept. 4th, and be back here blog writing, and blog reading!

I hope you all have had a great summer, and if your anything like me, your looking forward to a new season; and the routine of being closer to home, learning, teaching, and growing as a wife, mother, and family.

See you all soon