Today, I am going to the hospital...no, I am not sick! I am going to celebrate a life. A new life born into this world...a little miracle given by God.

You see, last December, a young lady from our church came to me full of enthusiasm. God had begun forming a new life within her. She was expecting and due in September.

I had my own secret...one I had not told anyone...I to was expecting. But, I hesitated to share my new. Why? Because this was to be my ninth. As excited as I was, at the same time, I had thought that my 8th was my last.

Questions swirled in me head: "a new one, nine, can I do this, I thought I was done"? As the time passed, and as my baby grew within me, the thought of a new little one I could hold, cuddle, nurse...became more exciting and real.

I shared my news with those loved ones around me; the little one inside me continued to grow and my stomach with him! :)

My due date was to be September 22, 2010. I was measuring bigger, so the doctor ordered an ultrasound. How can one explain the feeling of seeing a life jumping, kicking, sucking his thumb in the womb. A new date was set for September 9th...the same date as my young friend from my church.

A month after my Ultrasound, I starting bleeding. I will not go into the story, let's suffice it to say, little Zachariah Benjamin was born much to early on March 19th.

Over and over, I have repented of those early thoughts. God has taught me some hard lessons...ones I wish I did not have to learn.

In August, I had a positive pregnancy test. My heart was thrilled. Here was a gift from God, a month before Zachariah's due date. My thoughts were: "This would help ease the pain of Zachariah's due date." At the same time, I received a call from my sister that she was pregnant. I told her my little secret and found our due dates to be three days apart.

One week late I miscarried...

Now is the birth of Hannah Lynn...I go to celebrate.  What are my thoughts? I am excited to be able to hold a little newborn baby. No, she is not mine, but what a comfort to be able to see a new life, created by God!! As I jokingly told her, "I get the privilege of holding and cuddling, you can have her when she cries and needs to be fed!"



The Lord is good...nothing more can be said...

Any homeschooling family with more than one child knows the challenges of keeping "destructo" baby for destroying the house in ten minutes  during school hours! Nursing babies, fussy babies, and destructive, energetic toddlers.. what do you do with all of the little ones while teaching school?

Sometimes, if you were to walk in my house you would see groceries needed to be put away, 10 loads of laundry needed to be folded, supper not on the table; in fact, lunch is still on the table, babies crying, toys out, I am still in my jammies, beds not made, and chaos reigning.

On the other hand, on any given day, you could see the children set on our schedule, which keeps us all happy and moving along in a clean house, my 6 children doing school, all the laundry folded ready to be put away, my two year old napping, the 5 year old playing quietly, and supper in the crock pot ready for a family supper together.

Having a organized house is not the easiest goal to attain when raising a large family and homeschooling on top of it all...in fact, it's impossible... sometimes! But can it be done?

YES!!

We have set up a schedule this year that will hopefully prove to be a either a success...or...a Zoo!!

For those of you who want a peak into my schedule...hold on...are you ready?

1. Every one up, showered, and dressed by 7:00, to meet at the breakfast table for breakfast and prayer.

2. ALL children clean up the kitchen (more on our fast cleanup method later).

3. 7:45 -   all children 1st to 10th grade at their desks starting school.

Meanwhile...I straighten the upstairs and dress my 2 year old and 5 year old, throw a load in the washer, run the vacuum...

4. 9:00 -  start my kindergartener  on school and help all other children as we plod on...

5. 12:00-1  break for lunch and recess.

6.  Nap and rest time for the 2 year old and kindergartener.

7. 1:00 -  Autumn's music (violin)

8. 2:00 -  Joshua's music (violin)

9. 3:00-4 DO NOT BOTHER MOM TIME!!!! I need quiet!!

10. 5:30 - supper

11. 7:00  - Family devotions

12. 7:30  - bed time for 4 little ones.

13. 8:30 -  bed time for next 3 big ones.

14. 9:00  - Bed time for oldest.

15. ALL KIDS ARE IN BED!!!!!!

This is really my schedule...each child has their own charts and schedules they follow. This helps me keep up with cleaning, school, baths, etc.

Sometime I might share their chore charts and schedules...

Are we always organized!! Ha Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!  Can you hear me laughing?  The goal is to be...if there is not a goal, what would there be to reach for?


I can do all thinks through Christ who strengthens me!!