Back From Vacation!!! (Part 1)

Our family just got back from "the vacation of a lifetime" and I can't wait to tell you ALL about it! 

We drove to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with my sister's family...they blessed us with this amazing trip and they paid our way for the main purpose of this vacation: The "Defending the Faith Family Apologetics Conference" put on by Answers In Genesis.

But there was another very special thing about this trip...Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is where Ryan and I went for our honeymoon 7 1/2 years ago!

However, this time, we made the trip with two jam-packed mini-vans!  We had 4 adults and 9 kids for this 15 hour car-ride!  It was an adventure...to say the least!

So over the next few blog posts, I'll tell you all about our trip!  (Way too much happened for just one post!)

Here's us as we're just begginning our journey...

Lunch-time just outside of St Louis!

(making peanut butter and jelly's, our little girls in the pack and play, it was a hot, hot day!)

Trusten's reaction to seeing the St Louis arch...

After lunch, Liberty was "plum tuckered out" (as they say in Tennessee)

On the road...Following the Langhofers...

Ryan snapped this adorable picture at our dinner stop (Cracker Barrel-YUM!)

Now a funny story for you...

On day 1 of our road trip, our goal was to drive the majority of the trip in the first day.  So we drove from Kansas City to West Tennessee where we figured we'd spend the night.  It was getting late, the dads were tired from driving, so when we saw Nashville was just ahead, it seemed like a good stopping point.

As we pulled into the city about 8:30pm, there were cars EVERYWHERE. 

"Well sure," we thought "this is a really big, popular city."

But after we got turned away by the fourth hotel, Ryan finally asked,

"why doesn't anyone in this city have a hotel room available?"

The man at the front desk looked at him like he had a third eye and said,

"Um, American Idol is here this week for try-outs...there's not a hotel room available in the whole city...and probably not anywhere within 70 miles."

Well, he was right.  Everyone was booked.  Even in the far-out surrounding cities.

We got to the point, that we'd pull into a city and the minute we saw groups of teenagers singing in large circles outside the hotel doors, we just drove off!

We even had my sister Marjie in Kansas City on the phone with hotels trying to find us a place to stay!

Finally around midnight, we had driven far enough east that we found a place to lay our heads!  We were thankful to get 2 nice suites for both of our families!

Trusten said it best when we laid our heads down that night...

"It was just like Mary and Joesph when they couldn't find a hotel and everyone kept saying, "There is no room here for you"."

I replied, "That's true!... but thankfully we didn't have to sleep in a barn!"

Little did we know at the time, this "hotel adventure" was nothing compared to what we'd face on the way home!...

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Next blog post: Life at the cabin: 2 families, 9 kids, 3 bedrooms

Then: The conference

Then: Out and About in the City ~A CRAZY, Busy, Fun day!

Then: A Breath-taking Smokey Mountain Hike

Then: The Creation Museum

And finally:  The Saddest Day--Heading Home (and another hotel adventure!)

  

A Legacy Of Generosity

Often, my husband and I are blown away by the generosity of others.  Sometimes it's an anonymous gift in the mail, sometimes a bill or two given in a friendly, covert handshake at church...but most often it comes from family.

It's no secret that my husband doesn't make very much money...most people in ministry don't.  Technically, we're below poverty level, but have NEVER gone without...because the Lord is good to us...and so is our family.

Just the other night we were talking about how it just doesn't make sense that on our salary, our family is able to do all the "extra" things we do...eating out, going on dates, going to the movies, buying little extras at Wal-Mart, etc.  We don't always know where our extra money comes from...but sometimes we do...

My sisters are always so generous with Ryan and I--giving us money for dates, paying for us when we eat out, buying us little luxuriates like "continuous spray-on sunscreen", and big things, like a van (yes, one of my sisters gave us a van!) and the list goes on.

They have inherited a legacy of generosity...

You see my father is a living legacy.  He is one of the most generous men I know.  He will often go without, just to bless his family.  He and my mom live humbly when they could live lavishly and selfishly...why?  Because they consider others better than themselves.

I never knew why, but I have always struggled with an awful, judgmental attitude towards "poor livers"...not poor people, but I mean, people who live poorly, as in selfishly.  

Whenever I hear a family of 2 or 3 that makes twice (or more!) our salary complaining or acting like they have no money, they can't give to this, they can't help out with that, it just irks me.  Especially when I see them continuously adding to their wardrobe, adorning their house and sprucing up their cars.  It's judgmental and ugly, I know...I'm just trying to be honest here :)

Anyways, recently I was repenting of that attitude and wondering why I get so flustered by these "poor livers" when it hit me...that is just SO contrary to the legacy my father lives and breathes.

He is a giver.  

Here's a funny story just to let you know how serious this is:  I can still recall the first time my dad confronted my husband.  We had borrowed my dad's truck and before returning it, filled it with gas.  My dad was so mad!  He took my husband aside later and told Ryan to never fill his gas tank again...Ryan light-heartedly chuckled as he said "Okay".  Which drove my dad take a step closer to Ryan, look him in the eyes and firmly repeat, "I'm serious, don't ever do that again." 

Boy did my dad get his point across to Ryan that day!  Ever since then he has never even thought about trying to pay my dad back for anything...and that's just the way my dad wants it!

Only once in Ryan and I's dating/married life have Ryan and I paid for ourselves when eating out with my parents.  One time dad even let us pay for their meal...well, he didn't know until after the fact, but still, we got away with it!  :)

He (and my mom) have bought us a van, helped us out of numerous financial woes, paid my college loans off relieving a huge burden...

And yet every time we visit my parents we're given a stack of money..."a stack" you ask?  Yes.  "Every time" you ask?  Yes...Along with clothes for the kids, gadgets for Ryan, purses for me, etc.

In fact, after visiting them, my sons will often ask on a special trip to Target or at a "fancy" restaurant (meaning here is no drive thru!), "Did MooMaw and Papa bless us again?"

My kids know first-hand the generosity of their grandparents.  

And so do all the grandkids...it truly has become a legacy...and everyone is catching on!  From the little ones (Luke, Elliott, Hudson and more!) to my sisters and their husbands, we have a family that loves to give.  So many times my sisters CHILDREN have blessed Ryan and I with something we didn't deserve and they didn't need to give...now THAT is humbling! 

I believe it's because of my dad, that us girls married "givers".  Generosity is a tried and true trait among the "son-in-laws".  They are all givers.  Even my sweet husband, whether we can "afford" to or not always wants to find a ministry or person to give to...and we do and are blessed each time!  

But we weren't born this way, it's what we see modeled in our parents year after year...we are a part of a family that loves to give their things to others! 

All in all, among our family, you won't see very many treasures stored up on this earth.  Because we've seen it modeled in our father and in our husbands that "it is better to give than receive".

And just look at the potential this legacy has!...

I can't wait to see where the legacy of generosity takes this next generation!!!  I believe many believers will be blessed!

(Happy LATE Fathers Day dad!  Your family loves you!)

Why We Homeschool...

(Well, you all did it!!!  After my last post, your comments and e-mails brought on a burning desire to share with you our heart on homeschooling...so here ya go!)

"Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching." Proverbs 1:8

It doesn't make sense for us to homeschool--it just doesn't.  Primarily because my husband is the administrator at our small Christian School here in our town.  But there are other reasons too--most of our friends send their kids there, the teachers are amazing and very good friends of mine, it's less than a mile from our home, we would get a significant discount...etc.

Yet we choose to homeschool...why?

Well, I plan to *attempt* to answer that in this post...

First of all, let me just say that we did not come by this decision lightly.  We have toiled over this decision...honestly toiled.  At one point this year, we were all set to send our oldest son to CCA (our Christian school) come Fall.  But there was an unsettling feeling we couldn't kick.

We believe there are wrong reasons to homeschool, just as their are wrong reasons to choose private schooling...and we needed to find out where our hearts were...

My husband dedicated an entire day to fasting and prayer in regards to this decision.  The end result was the Lord telling him...

"raise them for my glory"

To which my husband asked, "So what does that mean, CCA or homeschool?"

and the Lord answered "YOU raise them for my glory"

Afterall, it's our job to raise them, right?  It's not the job of paid staff (no matter how wonderful they may be)

...Because I am the Lord's choice for my children.  I am their steward. 

"A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." 
Luke 6:40

When it comes down to it, I don't feel a peace about passing my responsibility off to another.  Sure, it's tempting at times...a whole day to myself, not fretting over whether or not they are learning all they "should" learn, knowing they are learning how to be polictically correct in their social skills (oh wait, that's actually something I DO NOT care about!)...but

~the opportunity I have to homeschool is not worth the sacrifice 

of sending their hearts off to another.

I do not feel like I can diligently (as scripture says) carry out some Biblical commands regarding my children without homeschooling them(for example Deuteronomy 6:5-7).

So, in essence, we homeschool because someday my husband and I will be accountable for the lives of our children.  How we trained them, raised them, led them, discipled them, taught them...I don't want to stand before the Lord and say, "we sent them somewhere else for most of that".

Because we know that more happens, in a 7.5 hour school day, than just education by the books.  They are sponges to their environments.  It's our job as parents (and stewards) to decide what is acceptable in that environment...

They are temples, they were bought at a price...so even though they may turn out to be "good kids" no matter what school we choose, we still need to keep a careful watch on what they hear, see, do.  That isn't being "controlling", that is our JOB, our role that the Lord has entrusted us with.

"My education was interrupted only by my schooling"
-Winston Churchill

If we were to send them to school, we would be entrusting 16,000 hours of their young, impressionable life to someone else.  In their youth, they would spend more awake time at school, around acquaintances than with their family.  In that time, they will be shaped and molded by not just teachers, but even-more-so by their peers.  

Sure, if they go to school, I can complain that so-and-so should not sit by my son...or ask that the teacher not talk to my son about this or that, or even throw a fit when another student describes something in detail to my son that will change the course of his life forever...

Or I could just homeschool them and know what they are hearing, seeing, doing.

My husband and I know first hand that a Christian school is not always a safe place for children...even for the littlest, purest of hearts.

I want to be clear though, that we don't homeschool out of fear.  That's not our drive at all.  We homeschool out of conviction and freedom.  Not fear, not legalism (I'll write about that one soon!).

Yes, I know there are other avenues in which they can be exposed to some dreaded things...not to mention bad attitudes and poor examples.  It may just be inevitable, but in the arena of school (the biggest arena for these influences), this is one less (huge) situation I have to throw them into not knowing what they will be exposed to.

Plus, it's simply just my joy and pleasure to teach my kids from our home.  Yes, there are stressful days.  No, I don't always feel capable.  But thankfully, the Lord is my strength and His mercies are new every morning!

What's more, is that I want my kids to know that I love being with them...that we were entrusted by God to be their stewards and we delight in that duty and don't take it lightly.

So there you have it!  That's why WE homeschool.  Maybe it's not right for everybody...in fact, it might not always be right for us...but right now it's what the Lord wills, so we happily follow the sweet, shepherds voice!

Oh, and did I mention I was homeschooled?!

"If you're so worried about socialization just do the following:
In the morning before school, pull your kids hair and make fun of their socks.

At lunch time, steal their milk money and tell them you don't want to sit by them (you have a friend you like better who you're saving that seat for).

After school, offer them drugs and call them a "momma's boy"...

and voila...your kid has been properly socialized for the day!"

~A quote from a "been there done that" MOMYS

So I haven't covered everything on why we homeschool and our thoughts/feelings on the entire subject (and someday I might add more of my other thoughts) but for now, I'll just add this last thing...

Why don't I think you're wrong for not homeschooling?  Well, first, I'm not going to stand accountable for your decisions, so I just don't go there.  But also, it's not for everyone.  There are families that because of unavoidable circumstances can not homeschool.  For others, they simply don't feel convicted to homeschool and the Lord has led their family in a different direction...thankfully, we're not called to be "cookie cutter Christians"!

Growing Weary of the Internet

I haven't updated in a long time, I know!  I miss my bloggy world, but at the same time, I don't miss the time I've had to do other things.

Honestly, I have a lot of thing on my mind that I'd love to blog about, but just don't have the desire to sit at my computer and hash them all out...

I'd love to blog about legalism...
-How I'm growing to hate that word...
-How I think it gets thrown around WAY too much...
-How sorely misused it is...
-How that word has made many of my friends turn conviction into excuses (ex: "I felt like the Lord was telling me to not XYZ anymore, but so-and-so said to not become legalisic about it, so I'll just be more careful instead of cutting it out all-together"--thus they still have footholds in their lives)
-How bitter it sounds when people use it in judging others...
(*Don't get me wrong, I know there is a real thing as "legalism".  It is hurtful and destructive...I don't want to down-play that!  But, almost every time I've seen it mentioned in the past few years, it has been used loosely and wrongly.)

I'd love to blog about my first upcoming year of homeschooling...
-Why we homeschool...
-Why it's not legalistic (see above) to homeschool...
-What the Bible says about education...
-What we're using for curriculum this year...
-Why I couldn't care less about socialization...
-Why our decision to homeschool will not "ruin" our children...
-What my schoolroom contains and look like...
-Why I don't think you're wrong if you don't homeschool...
-Why I can't buy into the excuse "they're having a hard time being away from home, but it's good for them...".

I'd love to blog about my growing desire for more children...
-Why my children bless me...
-Why trusting God with my womb is not legalistic (see above)...
-Why I don't ever want to let my selfishness get in the way of the Lord's will...
-Why I *thought* I wanted a "break"...
-How I'm learning that sometimes God wants more children (for Himself) and I may be His means to accomplish that desire...
-How I delight in my duty and call to "trust the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding"...
-How my body was "bought at a price" and how bearing children is honoring to Him...

So, I may get around to these posts someday...but for now, I really am growing weary of the internet...sometimes the Lord uses it to encourage me...but lately (as you can tell from the three examples above) it's been causing me to grow weary...

Though at the same time, it's also causing my eyes to be opened, challenging my mind to become sharper, and deepening my convictions through the Word!

1 Year Ago Today My 1st Baby Girl Was Born!!!

Last year, I woke up at 2:30am on the morning of July 4th to use the bathroom...my husband asked excitingly, "Are you in labor?!"

I answered, "Oh no, babe.  I don't feel a thing...I just had to go to the bathroom." and we both feel back asleep.

One hour later, I woke up with strong, consistent contractions and woke Ryan, and told him, "It's time!"

He said, "oh, let me set you up by yourself in the bed so you can just relax and rest..."

But I interuppted, "No!  We've gotta go NOW!"

We called our midwife to meet us at the Birth Inn and less than 3 hours later, Liberty Joy was born!

Last year:

This year:

Last year:

This year:

What a year!  I love my sweet baby girl!  I can't imagine my life without her!  She is a blessing and a treasure!

Happy 1st birthday, Liberty Joy!!!

(this post is linked to Wednesday's Walk Down Memory Lane at my friend Jenilee's blog!)