A Month in the Life

True Feminism Means Having Choices

Today we spent a "field trip" at Niagara Falls.
We all enjoyed taking the Maiden of the Midst right up to the
falls and getting wet on a 90 degree day!

One of the joys of homeschooling is having the class room
follow you all year long. Though school is not "in session",
this was very much a learning experience for the three girls.
It's fun when you can experience the mist of the falls on your face rather
than only a picture in a text book. No matter
how many times you see it in pictures, it never quite
measures up to a real life experience.

There are a few things I have not yet expressed
in blogging this month, and I realize my time is
becoming limited. I will use this blog to do so.

Stay At Home Moms
When Alivia was born I made the decision to give up
my career as a RN to become a stay at home mother. I
found it frustrating trying to "do it all" and not doing any
of it very well. My husband, Steve, was supportive of this decision
and took on the full load of financial responsibility. I respect
him greatly for this - not many guys out there would willingly let a
wife quit her $30 per hour job and choose to put her family first.

I believe it's God's design for a woman take the primary role
in caring and raising her own children. If God had wanted
daycare to raise our children, He would have made a
direct deposit into the daycare instead. No one can
love, nurture or provide the attention needed like a
loving parent. God gave our children to us, and we
are to cherish this gift and take our responsibility
seriously. After we have children, a mother's life is
no longer about her own desires, careers or fantasies
- it's all about investing into the lives we have
brought into existence.

Mealtimes
A woman wrote to me after the last airing of Wife
Swap, saying how the show helped her to reconsider her
own family, and the five days per week chicken nugget meals.
I believe it's so important for a
mother to set the tone in her home and make it a refuge.
Mealtimes are a vital part of that refuge and provide a
special time of family togetherness. The dinner table
provides more than just proper nutrition.

In my opinion, Wife Swap exaggerated my ability as a cook.
You don't have to be a great cook to make mealtime special - but it helps!

Homeschooling
Initially, it was Steve's idea for us to homeschool our children.
It wasn't until this past school year that I was 100% behind that decision.

American children are under constant influence and peer pressure for
seven hours of school and an hour on the bus, to and
from school. It's amazing to assume a child could withstand this kind
of secular pressure, with much of it being counter to Godly perspectives.
Then you add the average three to five hours a day
spent in front of a television - Wow!

The Bible instructs, when our children rise in
the morning, we are to be speaking of the Lord (not watching PBS).
The Bible instructs, when we put our children to bed at night, we talk about
the Lord (as opposed to falling asleep to Nickelodeon).

I am excited that my three "students" are exceptional in their
reading ability, (no joke, I have a 3 year old reading!)
math skills, and other schooling. More importantly, however,
they have Bible story time and prayer each day,
as well as scripture memory, and singing unto the Lord..
Seeing their spiritual sensitivity and development is
the true joy of home schooling. I have the honored
responsibility to train up my three girls to be
spiritual leaders for their generation.

Thanks for letting me share my passions!

Kristin


Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

Today was the large gathering of Steve’s family on his mother’s side. It was hard to believe the hundreds of people there, were direct decedents of Steve’s grandparents. Steve’s mother had 12 siblings and each of them have very large families as well. It was a beautiful sight…. It almost,… I SAID…ALMOST, made me reconsider whether I will give in to Steve’s wishes for having more children. Who knows, perhaps the cradle will “rock” again!

I remember the first-time jitters of attending my first family gathering. I was very careful to wear something plain enough, not knowing what to expect. Everyone was very friendly, and made sure I didn’t feel left out of conversation, even repeating things in English for my understanding.

“So, Kristi, do you like gardening?”
“No, not really.” I replied
“Do you enjoy sewing?”
“Uh-no.” I managed.
“How about cooking?”
“I’m learning, a little,” I answered.
“Do you enjoy canning?
“What’s that?” I stammered.
“Kristi, what do you do then?”
I went into some explanation of how I was going to school to be a nurse, but inside I was beginning to wonder if I would ever fit in this family.

Over the years they have taught me how to cook, can, and landscape. I am inspired at how much they can fit into a day. My mother-in-law has a lot of spunk, (you would love playing games with her) and she could out work me any day. Her sisters are near duplicates of her and it was fun seeing them together today.

I never fully appreciated the joys of being in this family until I had children. It is incredible my girls have this many cousins, and there is always another sister in law to call if I need a baby sitter.

My children enjoy being out on the farm gathering eggs, holding baby chicks, petting the horses and giving them handfuls of grass. It is awesome their cousins live even more conservatively than we do, and their minds have not been polluted. This has been such a good influence on my girls, and has taught me to enjoy the simplicities of life.

Kristin

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!