Moments in our months

I was going to call this 'Moments in my daze...'
That's what it feels like sometimes.

Time just flies with all these little ones.
Little ones becoming big ones.

Even though we make great efforts to place boundaries on our time - to not sign up for too many activities - to keep our evenings for our family.

Still......time flies.

Still.....I feel so busy.

There is always so much that needs to be done. 
Another load of laundry...another meal to be made....
another diaper to be changed....another attitude to be dealt with....

I am purposing to capture more moments. 
Not just on camera.
In my mind...in my heart.....

Kawika (3)

Koa (9) who is laying little eggs?

Kili (5)

'Mom, what happened?'

Little ones baking with Kainoa (11), our resident baker!

Keoni (seven weeks)

Everyone got awarded their new belts

Lunch time!

Self directed nap time

Kaleo (17) with Keoni

Keoni joins us for evening family devotions.

Operation Christmas Child

This is National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child.
 

There is still time to get involved!  We purchased our gifts and packed and wrapped up our boxes in one afternoon.

Kids unloading and organizing gifts

A gal who was speaking at my homeschool group meeting mentioned that her family had been involved with this organization for years.  The stories she told of how a simple shoe box... filled with simple little gifts... could make a difference in a child’s life, were very inspiring.  When I read up on the organization and how the project works, I was very motivated to get involved this year.

The Samaritan’s Purse is the non-profit ministry behind this project.  Their website has fabulous video clips about how these shoe boxes make it from your house to the far reaches of the world...and to the children who are so thrilled to receive them.  

Kapena (5) filling shoe boxes

Two aspects that are really great and very important are:

1) along with their gift shoe box, each child will get a booklet with the gospel message in their own language

2) each child has the opportunity to participate in a 12 week discipleship program.  When they finish, they are acknowledged in a graduation ceremony, and presented with a New Testament.

Kainoa (10) and Kaleo (16) wrapped the boxes

Our family watched almost all of the videos they have posted. This helped all of us gain a better understanding of what we were doing. Our kids were very enthusiastic about this project.  The hardest part was trying to explain to them why they didn’t actually get to take the boxes and present them to the children....that was something they desperately wanted to do!

Maybe one day!  In the meantime we will pray for the children.... 

Drop off center - the map on the right shows the areas that our shoe boxes will be going

4,033 shoe boxes already collected at this location!

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Matthew 18: 1-5

There go our girls...

(Sigh)  They grow up so fast....

Our church had a Father & Daughter event recently.  What a wonderful opportunity for Dad to take his girls out and make them feel special.  The evening included dinner, a photo slide show, and some great dancing - including Civil War type dances!  


Keith isn’t exactly the dancing type, but the girls love it!  How I would’ve loved to have been a fly on that wall!  But alas, I was home with the boys.  We had our own fun which included ice cream and Star Wars.

Keith and I greatly desire to raise godly young women – who love the Lord their God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength... young ladies who desire to honor God in all they do and say, in how they carry themselves, in how they present themselves, in the people they spend time with, in how they spend their time, and in the choices they make.  


This is no small task!  And of course, we cannot do it in our own strength or wisdom.  It is only by God’s grace.  His grace towards them, and us.

The world has a wealth of lies to offer our daughters.  We must pray for them.  


Fathers – protect them!  Disciple them!  


Whatever you do – do not lower the bar.  Don’t give up, or give in.  Don’t relent because, well, everyone else is doing it.....

Voddie Baucham has an excellent message on Biblical Womanhood – with specifics in regards to our daughters.  Please consider investing in your daughter’s future, and taking the time to listen to this message.

Voddie Baucham is a clear, biblical teacher.  I promise, you will be challenged at least in one area.

It is 8 short parts on You Tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6uNj7lauhA


There are several excellent resource books as well:

Joyfully at Home by Jasmine Baucham
So Much More by Anna Sofia Botkin & Elisabeth Botkin
Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacy McDonald

(*All are available through Vision Forum – you can click on the Vision Forum catalogue above)

Kauikaleoaloha (16)

Kauikainoalani (10)

Kauikilimailani (4)

School is in full swing

As the summer was coming to an end, I found I was bracing myself.  Knowing what lay ahead for me this year, I was working very hard at not being overwhelmed.

Kili and Kapena

Two of our little ones will officially begin schooling this year.  Kili is 4 and Kapena is 5.  We told them they are both entering Kindergarten this year.  Hopefully schooling them together will make it a little easier for me.  Koa is in 3rd grade, Kainoa is in 5th, and Kaleo is a junior in high school!  

(I had to think about that, actually, because here at home we don’t refer to what grade they are in, so I can never remember. It is usually ‘what book are you in?’ or ‘what level are you working on?’  They are often in different levels for different subjects.)  

I am not a fan of leaving the house.  Many people think homeschoolers are so sheltered...being at home all day.

That’s so funny because the truth is, there are so many co-ops... and classes... and activities... and field trips....the challenge, is to actually stay home! 

And so, you learn that you can’t do everything.  I don’t like having a hectic schedule. I have been pretty good about protecting ours.  For the first time ever, though, I am leaving the home 4 days a week.  I never dreamed that would be the case.  I like to stay home!  

Both older girls have ‘outside the home’ commitments this year - more than ever before.  Each situation and opportunity was carefully and prayerfully weighed by Keith and I.  We had to say ‘no’ to some good things.  Especially knowing that our latest addition will be arriving in the spring, and I’m not much good to anyone during the last few months of my pregnancies.

Here’s why we’re are leaving the house on those 4 days:

• Tae Kwon Do – The beauty of this is that I was able to put everyone in one class!  I am not running 6 different directions so that everyone can have their own sports activity.  The older ones have earned their way into the more advanced class, but it takes place immediately following the beginner class, so I’m already there.  We also feel that martial arts teaches them a skill that will be beneficial for a lifetime.  Extra plus – this is a Christian studio, and there is a price break for additional kids.

• Co-op classes – both older girls have classes that take place at the home of a friend.  She does an excellent job leading small classes in Marine Biology and CA History.

• This is for me!  I attend a women’s bible study at a local church.  What is so great about this situation is that they offer a science class for homeschoolers.  So while I am having my time to study God’s Word with other women, and to be filled - I have 2 kiddos in Zoology this year.  The little ones have their own little class, where our oldest volunteers. 

• Our last day of the week is the busiest.  My 5th grader is in a morning co-op that I must attend.  Then she eats lunch in the car as we pick up my oldest and race over to another co-op where both girls take once a week classes.  My 5th grader is out first, and from there she goes to a (once a month) nearby science book club.  My oldest is out at 4pm, but helps clean up the classroom and is out by 4:30.  I usually have all the little ones with me and we are fitting in eating lunch  and running errands in between the older girls classes.  There is also a monthly park day with our homeschool group that we fit in.  This is the only crazy day like this.

 

I have had to take just a day or two at a time.  For some reason our lives - apart from academics -  always seem to be soooooo full – there is always something going on...and this year is no exception.  And so... all that gets mixed in with trying to get some school work done.   What has helped me immensely is being saturated with the Word of God.

 “I don’t know how you do it!  You have six kids....and you homeschool?!?!?!”

I hear this all the time...from well meaning people...shaking their heads, and smiling.

“I could never do that.  I wouldn’t have the patience!”

Well......neither do I!

Nor do I have the energy....

or the bandwidth....

or the organizational discipline required.  And because of my frailty (being human), I could be a basket case everyday.

(I have often thought about tallying how many times a day I have more than 3 people talking to me... all at the same time...which is better, I guess, than the times I have 2 or more children crying.... all at the same time.)

I have come to the end of myself many times, and am always reminded.....His strength is perfect.  I can't do this in my own strength.  It is only through Christ that we can do anything worth doing.

I have learned to move more slowly, more deliberately.  I can’t get to everything...that is a fact of life.  It can be frustrating...but I’m okay with that now. 

I finally started canning last year, but I have yet to make my own yogurt (which we eat by the truckload).  Homemade bone broth is a staple in our home, but I have yet to make my own sauerkraut.  One day laundry was so easy – I did a load every morning, then... suddenly it seemed to multiply and turned into this never ending, ever growing pile.  We planted our first vegetable garden last year – and it was fabulous, but I petered out towards the end, unable  to ’care’ for it as it deserved to be cared for ...and unable to continue on with a winter garden (okay, frankly, I am getting too large to maneuver in between the raised beds!)

I have lots of fabulous daily schedules and charts I have made over the years, but we never stick to one for long. 

Often the boys should be doing their lessons, but they have built an awesome fort – or caught somekind of creature – or are playing peaceably all together...and I just watch....unable to disturb those beautiful moments.  

Latest creature find

Baby gopher (middle, by the grass tuft)

Always fascinated

Often the girls should be doing their lessons or chores....but they are baking up a storm, laughing in the kitchen, and riveted to an audio drama, intent on making goodies for the neighbors.....and I listen....and I let them continue to have that precious time.

So....we tend to get behind in a lot of things.  

But I’ve decided they are not the most important things.

The most important things are...

 that we love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our might... 

 and that we glorify God, 

and enjoy Him forever...

U - pick 'em

Gorgeous setting!

On our way home from the tide pools, we stopped to pick some fresh organic strawberries.  The weather broke, so it was just gorgeous!  

Kawika (2) and Kainoa (10)

Everyone pitched in and had a good time.  Each child had their own box and was proud of what they picked. 

Kaleo (16) with the boys in the backround

Kili (4)

Kapena (5) was so proud of his 'beauties' as we were calling them

Keith preferred to supervise rather than pick

It made me feel better about the dismal harvest we had from our own strawberry plants.  There was no way I was making jam from what little our plants produced (granted, little ones nibbling here and there didn't help.)  But I could see here that there were not many strawberries on any one plant.  There was one, maybe two.  Seems you need a lot of plants to get a lot of strawberries.  On this day we made off with about 14lbs.