Living something brings a keen awareness of how others view it. Until you are a stay-home mom, you may not realize how others demean that work by using words like “only” or “just” to describe it. Until my husband became a pastor, I didn’t realize the walls that sometimes are built in people’s hearts (as evidenced on their face) the…
The Perfect Homeschool Day
You know what we had this morning? We had the perfect homeschooling day. Well… …perfect *for us.* Probably not anything close to what you’re imagining in your head right now. You DO know that the “perfect homeschool” doesn’t exist, right? But here’s what our perfect homeschooling day looks like: We make forward progress in areas…
Do Your Kids Recognize Your Authority?
Elizabeth Krueger, mother of 10, and author of Raising Godly Tomatoes, is also a horse owner. She recently shared some great thoughts about training horses to recognize a rightful authority and how it can be similar with children. I thought Elizabeth’s observations were extremely insightful and she graciously agreed to let me share them here:…
11 Ways Mothers Change the World
If you are one who: loves Christ, desires to see people come to worship and know Him, and longs to find her purpose in the world, Let me commend to you the role of mother. If you are a young woman who: has been told all the horrors and sob stories of colic and tantrums…
What If the Littles Grow Up Different From the Big Kids?
One of the things I was at least mildly concerned about at first, in regard to having a big family, was the common observation that in a large family, the younger children often grow up in a quite different way from how the older children were raised. Accusations sometimes go along these lines: You were…
50 Things I Love About Newborns
Last week, I had baby #7, and 7 babies in, I can say this: newborns are AMAZING. Each and every one. Here are some of the things I love, in no particular order: How they smell. The way they punch themselves in the face with both fists when they sneeze. Their little noises— coos, sighs, satisfied…
The Proverbs Woman (No, Not THAT One!)
When prompted to think of “the Proverbs Woman”, anyone who has read a handful of books, skimmed a few blogs, or heard a sermon or two aimed at Christian women will automatically call to mind the Proverbs 31 woman. Land investor, wise guru, accomplished seamstress, careful shopper, generous philanthropist, and dependable wife and mother all rolled into one,…
How I Handle Ugly Comments (About Our Large Family)
To each large family mom out there, especially you who are on the newer end of being a large family and hearing ugly comments: first, let me say, I’m sorry for the rude comments/attitudes you’ve received. We’ve gotten all the typical comments too. Back before we were a “large family,” I’d read the articles or hear…
Thoughts on Day One (with a New Baby)
Our 7th child, Luke Ebenezer entered the world Wednesday night (2/11) at 7:19 pm. It was my fastest labor yet (4 hours, start to finish), and he’s our biggest baby yet (9 pounds, 8 ounces & 22.5 inches long). He is sweet and strong and much-adored. We’re all loving getting to know him. I had…
10 Ways We Make Time for Our Marriage (Amidst the Chaos of Large Family Life)
It can be difficult for parents in any season of life— with a newborn, with two or three little ones, with the time commitments of little league, with teens, or (as in our case) with a large family that bridges many of these “seasons”– to prioritize marriage amidst all the “busyness.” Here are 10 ways Doug and I purposefully work…