Why I Haven't Been Posting

Isla Grace Josephine joined our family nine days after her due date on July 18th at 7:58 pm! She was 9 lbs 7 oz and 22" long.

We were able to experience another wonderful home water birth. I truly believe Plexus supplements helped me have another great experience.

As some of you know, I started Plexus during my pregnancy with Gordon and it was the best pregnancy since my first few. Well, this pregnancy went well, too. What was an even better benefit this time is that the labor went better than the last few. With the last two I had more bleeding than before, but this time it was back to normal. Also, active labor was only 3 hours long and I only had to push a few times. Recovery is going better, too!😁 Gordon was smaller than the two previous him and Isla was even smaller!

I am sure this is because of my Plexus supplements. I feel so much better overall and love that I had such a great labor and delivery at my age.🥰

Plexus is still offering wholesale pricing for an entire year for only $9.95! Also, because I am so happy with how well my delivery went, I will be giving a free gift to the first three that decide to start their own journey to better health with me!😊

Happy Mother's Day!

This Job is a Gift

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day Giveaway!

I want to encourage all mothers to make sure they don't sacrifice themselves for their families. Sometimes, you need to take care of yourself, too!

Because mothers need to take care of themselves, too, I'm giving away a few things that help me take care of myself. Staying hydrated is a must for mothers, so a fruit infuser bottle helps make that enjoyable. A good cup of tea helps to relax. Journaling your thoughts help you clear your mind. Coloring can bring peace. And the lip balm--because it is my favorite and I wanted to share something fun!

Enter via the rafflecopter below. Prize will only be shipped within the states.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Motherhood

I received a book for Christmas that I have been wanting to read for a few years.

This book has been perfect for my time as of late because each entry is short and easy to read amidst the chaos of having a new baby. Since I have been a little sleep deprived, I haven't been able to read large chunks without getting tired and forgetting what I have read. This book has been refreshing in those short amount of times I have available.

I have followed Kelly Crawford's blog, Generation Cedar, for a few years and have found it uplifting, educational, and though-provoking. I knew that I would enjoy this book as well.

I wanted to share a poem from this book that I found thought-provoking and encouraging. In the midst of a busy life of raising children, it is a good reminder to slow down and cherish the time we have.

Mother, Take the Time

by Kelly Crawford

(shared with permission)

I used to race, I used to hurry,

I used to fret and frown and worry.

My children thought they had new names-

"Hurry Up" and "We're Gonna Be Late"!

Even when we were at home-

Laundry, cleaning, answer the phone . . .

I never had the extra time

to sit and cherish these children of mine.

But in His grace the Lord broke through

And I saw everything anew.

We have but only a few days here,

to love and share and pull them near.

And while there're things that must be done,

Our lives are like the setting sun.

While its light is burning bright,

Before we face, alone, the night,

Let's stop the madness of this race-

Let's take back a slower pace!

Look into those grinning faces, 

Plan your day with lots of spaces.

Grab a hand and take a walk,

Listen while your children talk.

Let them show you childhood things,

Take turns laughing on the swing.

Snuggle up beside the fire,

Kiss the hurt left by a brier.

Meet them with a morning smile,

Go out and fish a little while.

Choose carefully how you spend your time.

Don't wait until you suddenly find

The wrenching grief of a heart that aches

Who loved too little and found out too late.

Losing is Gaining

Matthew 16:24-26 KJV 

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

As I studied these familiar verses, I was thinking about the different ways Christ calls people to "lose their lives."

In some instances, He calls people to literally give their physical lives for being His follower. We call these people martyrs and admire their faithfulness, strength, and commitment.

In other instances, He calls people to give up the comforts of this world and go and be missionaries to remote villages or in violent countries. We admire these missionaries for their selflessness and care for others.

There are many other "smaller" ways He calls people to "lose" their lives, but one that sticks out to me right now is parenthood.

We recently announced to family and friends that we are expecting our 12th child (not counting the two who are already with Jesus). Of course, the comments aren't new to us, but they have started again.

We are crazy.

Better us than them.

Aren't we smart enough to know what causes that?

What about my health?

We can't possibly have enough to provide for all those children! (Of course, everyone's definition of provide is different. They are thinking of fancy vacations, college, cars for each child, etc.).

As parents, we are called to give up comforts of this world. We experience violence among our own people. Sometimes parents give up their physical lives for their children. However, unless it is done in some grand way (like saving a drowning child or saving a child from a fire), it is looked down upon. Why is it that losing this life, as the world sees it, for our own children is not seen as following God's commands? Why do we esteem sharing the gospel with other people groups worthy while sharing the gospel with our own children is wrong?

I am not bringing this up to try to gain pity. Nor am I seeking approval. I am bringing this up to encourage other mothers that although it may not seem you are doing great things for God, you are! you are denying yourself and "losing" your life for your children. When you are selfless, you are showing Christ's love to those around you. Be of good courage! Raising children is just as much a mission field as going to the remote villages of Africa or the land of Iraq.

In Thine Heart

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 KJV 

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

At the core of life is the knowledge of who God is and how to relate to Him. These two essentials form us and how we live.

The knowledge of who God is-We must study His Word and get to know God. We must form a personal relationship with Him. This leads to how we relate to Him. We must know His commands. We must make them a part of our lives.

Not only must we know His commands, we must share our knowledge with others, especially our children. We should talk about God no matter what we are doing. Our homes should be filled with His Word--not only read and spoken, but on the walls and doorposts. God, and His Word, must be the center of our lives.

As parents, we must be intentional about sharing God with our children. He must be a part of every aspect of our lives.

So many parents see these verses as directives to home school children. We are to "teach them diligently" (emphasis mine) at all times. How can we do that if our children spend a third of their day under the tutelage of humanistic thinking?

A Sleep Trick for Baby

I think I stumbled upon a little sleep trick.

My youngest is 5 months old and went through 2 weeks of waking every 1 1/2 to 2 hours at night and would only go back to sleep after eating. At first I thought that maybe this was a growth spurt, but then I realized that during the day she would go 4 to 4 1/2 hours so it must not have been a growth spurt.

Then it happened.

I remembered (after being back from vacation for 2 weeks) to turn down the thermostat before going to bed. You see, we used to always turn down the thermostat before going to bed but had gotten out of the habit while on vacation and had forgotten since returning home. Well, that first night of me turning down the thermostat, she only woke once. Then, the next night I remembered again, and again, she only woke once.

My guess is that just like me, she was getting too hot during the night and it woke her up (just like it did me). Getting up to eat cooled her down since she was out from the blanket for 10-15 minutes.

This isn't something that I would have even thought would affect a baby and it certainly wasn't a suggestion when I was asking around for advice on what to do for my baby that wouldn't sleep anymore. I figure that maybe it might help someone else who is as perplexed as I was.

The Way We Think

This is so important to remember in all facets of life and it applies to how we think about our children as well.

Chastening IS Love!

Proverbs 13:24 

He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

There are some people who believe that it is better to be their child's friend than to always be disciplining him. Scripture tells us the opposite--you show love when you discipline!

When you discipline, you are teaching your child you care more about their future than if they like you in the present. You want them to become a man (or woman) of God and follow His commandments. Discipline isn't always easy and is never fun, but it is imperative to correct a child now before something becomes a habit or he becomes insensitive to it.

Show your child love by chastening him!

Happy Birthday!

My oldest is celebrating her birthday today! She has grown into a wonderful young lady.

Usually I make (sometimes buy) a new church outfit for each of my children for their birthdays. This year, Dara was given a new shirt by a new friend and she had asked me to make a skirt to match it for her "birthday outfit". Before I had a chance to start on a skirt, another friend gave her a skirt that matched nicely with the top so I didn't need to make a skirt anymore. Instead, she asked me to make her a skirt out of some material she had picked out over a year ago but we never made into anything. Before I even started on the skirt, I found a top that matched it perfectly at the local consignment shop. A bonus was the top was 1/2 off and it only cost $1.75!

She chose the pattern/length for the skirt. She plans on using this for an everyday outfit.

My youngest celebrated his birthday just a week and a half ago! I still have a ways to go when sewing clothes for boys, but I wanted to make him something. Last year I made him a bow tie so the girls thought I should make him a tie this year and I wanted to try making suspenders. I found tutorials on Pinterest for both the tie and suspenders. I found the shirt and hat at the local consignment shop and the pants we already had.

Encouraging Creativity

Our family is sometimes criticized because of how we live. We do not have a television that is hooked up (we have one that we only use to watch DVD's), we do not have lots of electronic games (and those we do have are used sparingly), we do not have lots of toys/games, etc. We have chosen this lifestyle for a few reasons. 1. We do not like the influence that some of those things have on our children. 2. We live a modest lifestyle and honestly can not afford many of those things. 3. We encourage our children to be creative.

 Encouraging our children to be creative is what I want to discuss today. We believe it is important to allow children to have the time to pursue what interests them. We also believe in allowing them opportunities to be problem solvers. It is amazing what they come up with when given the chance!

Many of my girls like to sew. We currently have four sewing machines in the house so there is usually a machine available to them at all times. They have free range of anything in the scrap bins and many times I will allow them to use other material as well, but they do have to ask first to make sure I don't have plans for it already. One of my girls was digging through the scrap bin one day and found a part of a women's skirt that we had cut up to use for something else because of a tear it had that wasn't fixable. She took it and made it into skirt for her youngest sister (who loves it by the way!).

A few weeks ago, my husband was busy building me a summer kitchen and there were lots of wood scraps laying around. My girls had so much fun making things with those! Give them a few nails and a hammer and they got creative!

They made a table and benches for their dolls.

They each have forts in the woods on our property and this was a shelf
they made to hold their "kitchen supplies".

Here was a bench for one of their forts.

They made lots of crosses! One will be hanging in (or on) the summer
kitchen at some point, they have some for their forts, and of course they
have some they can give away (or try to sell).

One of my girls had seen a star made out of twigs at a friend's house so she made her own.

All of these creations were accomplished with very little help from me and some were done without my knowledge (until they were completed and they showed them off!).  My children have used problem solving skills to make sure they had the right height for their benches and the right angles to put things together. They were creative in deciding what to make and how to go about getting it done.

By "playing" they are learning skills that will benefit them greatly in years to come. I love when they would rather be creating instead of plugged into some electronic device.

I would love to hear about what your children have created!

Do As Unto the Lord

Luke 17:7-10

But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?  Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

As a mother, I often feel unappreciated. I work hard for my family--cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc., but very rarely do I hear a, "Thank you!"

For me, that has often discouraged me. I am sure since words of affirmation is a top love language for me that it makes it that much worse; however, I am sure all mothers would like to recognition for their hard work and sacrifices.

However, we read in Luke that we shouldn't expect thanks for doing what is commanded of us. Doesn't God command us to love others as ourselves? Does He command us to be keepers at home? If we, as servants of Christ, are just doing what has been commanded of us, then why are we seeking earthly praise?

Delight

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. ~ Zephaniah 3:17

When you are struggling in life, remember that "The Lord thy God . . . is might to save"! He will give you joy. He will give you rest. He will take great delight in you.

As a mother, I often would sing to my babies when they were troubled. I took joy in the ability to calm them with songs of praise. They knew that I loved them and would relax and calm. What a beautiful picture! Christ singing over me as I would sing over my children. He delights in me just as I delight in my children.

10 Responses Against "Concern"

My initial response to those with inappropriate "concern" after a miscarriage.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We know that care and concern were your reasons for writing; however, we were hurt by what was written. It may not have been your intention, but it made one of us feel as if you thought of us as ignorant and naive and belittled our faith. If there was any time we needed encouragement, it would be now. Instead we felt attacked and bullied by the "scare" tactics used. The only way scare tactics are going to work is on uneducated, ignorant, naive people.

Some of the following we have said before, but obviously they need to be reiterated. Some of the statements are information meant to educate. The rest of the statements are truly only our business, but since you are showing concern, we will share them with you.

1. We view children--ALL children--as blessings from the Lord. Whether we have children on this earth with us or in heaven waiting for us, they are all blessings. We are happy with how the Lord has blessed us to this point. If our nine girls is all He has for us, we are content. If He has more planned for us, then we will be content with that as well. We are not out to try to have as many children as possible. We are open to all blessings the Lord has for us. "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5

2. We have complete and utter faith that God will provide for us. If He brings us to it, He will bring us through it. He will never give us more than we can handle. "'Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things."' Matthew 6:31-34

3. We believe in allowing our bodies to work as God created them to work. He created a woman's body to "be fruitful and multiply". It is never dangerous to do something within God's will. We do not feel as if Darcy is in any danger and we have peace with what God is doing in our lives. "All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

4. Our sex life is just that--ours. It shouldn't be up for debate with anyone besides Chad, Darcy and God. When comments are made about when we have sex, how often we have sex, or how we should have sex, it is interfering with something that is to remain within the marriage. We don't go around offering "advice" to others on when they should have sex and we expect the same respect for our marriage.

5. Darcy has seen our Naturopathic doctor since discovering she was pregnant to ensure she was taking the supplements she needed. She saw her the day she started spotting and every few days thereafter. Her iron levels were being monitored and taken care of as needed.

6. Darcy did contact a medical professional to see if anything should be done after the miscarriage. She was told that unless she felt ill, the only thing that would be done is to check her iron levels and offer emotional support. Since her iron levels were already being monitored, we declined paying to have the same thing done (we were being wise stewards of our finances). Since your "concern", Darcy spoke with another medical professional who said that a doctor won't do a D&C on a woman who has had a complete miscarriage as she has.

7. Just because a woman has a miscarriage, it does not mean that her body is not capable of carrying a life or that it is a "sign" that she is to stop bearing children. Think of all the families that experienced a miscarriage on their very first pregnancy! What about Michelle Duggar who had a miscarriage after her first child and then went on to bear 18 more children without any problems. Here are some statistics about miscarriage.

• About 15 to 20 percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. Most of them occur in the first 13 weeks, or first trimester.
• For women in their 20s and early 30s, the chance of miscarriage is about 15 percent. At 35 the chance of miscarrying rises to one in four, and at 40 the miscarriage rate is close to one in three.
• Most early pregnancy losses are due to genetics and cannot be prevented. But losing a pregnancy doesn't mean that anything is wrong with a woman's health or that she can't have more children.

8. Just because a woman has a miscarriage, does not mean that "it is absolutely necessary to have a D&C" or she risks infection, get sick or even die.

• [D]octors sometimes offer women a choice of miscarriage treatment. The options are usually to wait for a natural miscarriage, have a D&C, or use medication to bring on the miscarriage bleeding.(emphasis mine)
• 80% to 90% of women with diagnosed miscarriage will miscarry within two to six weeks without complications.
• After a miscarriage, any remaining tissue may be removed by dilation and curettage (D&C). This procedure involves dilating the cervix and gently scraping the tissue from the lining of the uterus. (emphasis mine)

9. Our older girls are NOT raising our younger girls no matter what you may think. Chad and Darcy are the parents and we do not put our children in an authority role (except for Dara who is beginning to learn how to babysit just as I did when I was actually younger than her). Do they help around the house? Sure. It is called training. It is what God has called us as parents to do. We are a family and we act as a family. Christ came to serve, not be served. We are teaching our children the joy of serving others. We don't see how teaching them to be like Christ is a bad thing. "through love serve one another" Galatians 5:13 and "you shall love your neighbor as yourself" Leviticus 19:18.

10. People say, "God gave you common sense." We believe scripture when it says,

• "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, "says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."' Isaiah 55:8-9
• "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." Proverbs 14:12
• "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
• "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?. . . Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. . .But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty . . . that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1: 20, 25, 27, 31

No One is Perfect

I get comments all the time about being "Super Mom". I feel bad every time I hear that name because I am far from it. Here is a post that talks perfectly about being imperfect.

We're All Imperfect

Lessons from the Greenhouse

I read a wonderful post about lessons we learn from gardening to raising our children. Here is an excerpt:

Not all seeds germinate.
I have lost six babies in the womb. I refer to these little ones as my “Treasures in heaven”.
Seeds sprout in their own good time.
Several of my babies were born past their due date. One was over 2 weeks late!
Caring for plants requires daily maintenance.
Caring for children is a full time job, not only the “mechanics” of preparing meals, washing clothes, bathing, and meeting physical needs, but also instructing, correcting and building relationships.

Please head over to The Better Mom to read the rest of the article!

Motherhood is Holy

"The work of motherhood is holy.  Not just the teaching and discipling our children, but also the doing dishes and wiping noses and picking up toys.  It is not holy because of the skill required to complete the task, but because of the humility required.  The more I have to lay down my pride, the more I have to become a servant, the more He sanctifies my work and me through it.

This work is important.  Through it, I become a servant, and that is exactly what He has called me to be.  Is it always noticed and appreciated by my family?  No.  Does it always make me feel fulfilled?  No.  But if I submit to His Spirit, he uses it to bring to completion this good work He has begun in me.  And that is what this life is all about." ~ Aubrie Drayer

Learning Joy in the Middle of the Night

Last night was not a good night for my youngest. Not only is she dealing with teething and a virus which causes congestion, but we are staying at a friend’s home so bedtime routine was different, she slept in a different crib, and all of us were in the same room. She was up multiple times and most of the time that she did sleep, it was only because I was holding her. I think I got a total of 3 ½ hours of sleep.

At around 2:45 a.m. I was talking with God about the situation. I was exhausted and I was afraid of her waking everyone else in the house. I was blunt with God and told Him that I was trying to find contentment in the current situation, but I was having a hard time doing so. How stupid I was. He immediately reminded me of my friend who miscarried last week, of my friend who may have been miscarrying as I was whining, of my many friends who have experienced miscarriages before, of mothers who have empty arms due to still births, giving their children up for adoption, or heaven forbid, kidnapping. I was instantly humbled.

I began praising God that I had Tissa in my arms, that I was well enough to be able to hold her, comfort her, and pace the room with her. I thanked Him for herbs to ease her teething pain and clear congestion. I praised Him for the fact that the other girls didn’t wake up.

I also took the time to pray for my friends. I prayed for comfort for my friend who miscarried last week. I prayed for peace about His plans for my friend who is worried that she might be in the process of her fourth miscarriage. I prayed for my friends who have experienced miscarriage and/or still births before. I prayed not only for those mothers whose hearts may ached because they gave their children up for adoption, but also for those children that they may find homes where they would have a mother to love them, hold them, comfort them, and pace the room in the middle of the night with them.

I’m still on my journey of learning contentment and joy, but I am so glad I am not on this journey alone. The Lord is constantly by my side and as I learn to praise Him in all things, it becomes easier and I pray eventually it because a way of life. It is amazing how much I am learning about myself since committing to this journey. The Lord is truly opening my eyes to a number of aspects of my life that need changing and those changes are coming easier and easier as I become a more joyful, Christ-filled woman.

I encourage all of you to start on a journey to contentment and joy if you haven’t already started. I highly recommend One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp to get you started on that journey. Making your own list of one thousand gifts is humbling as well. I have shared some of the things on my list before, but I’ll share some more with you because it is always uplifting to me to hear/see others praising God for what He is doing in their lives.