"You should write a book," I've been told over and over again. And, yes, I should. I would love to, in fact. The problem is time. Homeschooling seven kids pretty much consumes every hour, and most of it isn't even school-related. I won't go into the details of how a day (or weeks!) can be lost in laundry, cooking, outings, and life because chances are you already know. The point of this blog is to pass on memories, the joys and failures of being a mother and wife, and the lessons I learn through all of this. After all, one day the house will be empty and I know that I will long for just one more day of noise and spills (that's why God gives us grandkids, right?).
I figured that starting with an introduction would be good. I don't want anyone to have high expectations. Right now my dining room table is covered in Legos and sewing projects, a sink full of dishes is waiting for my attention, Nerf guns and wood blocks make a haphazard maze on my floor, and I'm trying to keep the baby entertained while I type. The kid is a handful; he's got a talent for finding everything he shouldn't have. Very much a normal day for me. Chores undone, projects that stopped as quickly as they started, and kids I try to have fun with, all sandwiched between cooking, laundry, school, and keeping things clean enough to keep my husband happy.
With that said, it's no wonder that people look at me in astonishment and proclaim profound statements like, "You must be busy!" Of course I am, but I am always insulted when they say it. Maybe because it is almost always said with disdain, like I've chosen a horrible way to waste my life. I never know what to say to them, and afterwards I feel terrible because I know I should have come up with some great way to defend my kids. I guess now is my chance to publicly proclaim that we believe children are a gift from God (Ps. 127:3), and that He has given them to us to raise for His glory. I am incredibly blessed to be able to spend my days with them, watching them grow. There can be so much stress that comes with taking the sole responsibility for your children's education, but so much pleasure in watching something they have been struggling with suddenly "click." In so many ways I fail, daily, to be the mother, teacher, and wife that I know God would want me to be, but I see His grace manifested in their lives and mine as we strive each day to "run the race that is set before us." (Heb. 12:1)
