because she's 14~

Anna and I in the airport on our DC trip to do the historical thing 

as well as help out with a rally for 

Hope Again International.

In case anyone wanted proof that my oldest daughter is not an unsocialized homeschooler a very normal teenager, well here you go.  Unless of course you think these actually prove the first point, then nevermind.  

celiac question answered~

You said I could ask a question and since I'm new to your blog......is your husband a celiac? I've done a lot of research into it over the past two years. My son and I both suffer from intestinal disorders which I believe are related to wheat/gluten. One time we went off gluten for two weeks and life was grand (except we were so hungry). What prompted you to go gluten free?

-Jonine

Let's see. Yes, my husband is a Celiac. So is my oldest daughter. None of our other children really have any symptoms or problems, so they've not been tested. We did find out that Anna is a double-gened Celiac, meaning she got a gene from each of us, so we do plan to have our other children tested in the coming months as that greatly increases the likelihood that they could have gluten issues in the future. **update 12.2008** We found out our third son, Ethan, is also a Celiac. You can read about why we chose to have him tested next and how it all came about here.

For a little history on how we came to learn that he was a Celiac, you can read a pretty thorough description of how his symptoms started and how we learned it was Celiac here:

Lose 30 pounds in 30 days...Guaranteed!

The way his symptoms started was pretty sudden, and through a lot of research I've learned that Celiac can almost lie dormant or at least asymptomatic for years until it is triggered by something. I sincerely believe that at first Glen did have giardia (a parasite) that triggered the onset of the Celiac. He went along for 31 years being pretty much fine, other than having a weak stomach, and then all of a sudden, he got scary sick and literally lost over thirty pounds in a couple of months. He became violentlly ill. It was bad. We had some initial trouble finding a doctor that would investigate and didn't want to just treat his syptoms, but once we saw an actual GI doctor, he immediately ordered a colonoscopy (which was fine, Celiac affects the small intestine, not large), and a bronchoscopy. He immediately suspected Celiac, and it was furthur confirmed via blood testing within a week. Since Glen went off gluten, he has felt fine.

Glen and I also believe it was the Lord's mercy that allowed us to discover that Anna also has it. She has always suffered with stomach problems, but nothing nearly as violent or pronounced as Glen became. She was also always a big bread lover :o) Once she heard that Dad was going off gluten, she immediately thought maybe it would help her as well, and on her own, she went cold turkey. She also immediately felt better.

This was a big flag to Glen and me that something was up with her as well, as how many nine year olds do you know that will voluntarily give up homemade rolls, pizza, and a host of other wheat containing foods that she loves? She struggled through it a little, but as she felt so much better, she stuck it out. A few months later we had her tested via an online testing facility (that involved a sample collection I won't go into detail about, but didn't involve blood - haha. We also had her genetically tested which involved a cheek swab.) It was really a relief for her results to be positive as it gave an explanation as to why her stomach had been bothering her for so long.

As far as the hunger thing, it was and is an adjustment. Thankfully, there are a few factors that have made it quite a bit easier.

First of all, my husband is very easy to please. His Dad died when he was seven, leaving his mom with very little life insurance, and four children to raise. He grew up just thankful for food in general. He is not picky, and he doesn't complain. In all honesty, I've not heard him complain one time about anything he cannot enjoy anymore. Not once. He's a trooper :o)

Secondly, we live in an area that has a very big natural foods/organic community. Gluten free items are found in not only our specialty stores (Whole Foods, we're getting Trader Joe's, etc.), but there's a fairly good selection in many regular grocery stores. While it can definitely get pricey, it is available. I've also found that Amazon has excellent prices on the gluten free items we use most often. I've also found that Pamela's Baking Mix (I buy it in bulk through Amazon) can be substituted in almost any recipe for flour and the result has been great every time. This has allowed us to enjoy pancakes, biscuits, cookies, cakes, etc. that are virtually indistinguishable from their gluten-laden counterparts.

In addition, I am so thankful I live when information is available in seconds. The internet community has been a lifesaver. There are an abundance of gluten free cooking blogs and information sites.

The hardest things have been eating out and parties. Glen can manage just fine anywhere, but I have to remember to pack Anna her own snack for special things at church, friends' houses, etc.

I know that technically, when one is a Celiac, it is supposedly very, very important that one is 100% gluten free, and that some Celiacs can get seriously ill from literally a crumb of gluten. Thankfully, that is not the case with Glen or Anna, so it allows us a little flexibility. Our entire house is not gluten free. Our other children, as well as myself, do eat sandwiches, and regular gluten containing foods (pizza, macaroni, other treats on occasion) as they are cheaper, and then I only have to make/buy the gluten free treats for Glen and Anna. I have to weigh cost vs. convenience since I'm feeding a family of eight here. For some things, like main meals and baked goods, I make completely gluten free as it's too time consuming to make two kinds of spaghetti, two kinds of casseroles, two batches of cookies, etc. But for some treats (bagels, cinnamon rolls, pizza crusts, pretty much anything that is "premade") I buy separate as the premade things are very pricey. I guess basically, if it's something I can make, I make it all gluten free, but if it's something I have to buy premade, then I usually buy the regular and gluten free varities.

The transition to making gluten free meals was actually much easier than I anticipated. Much easier. If you can really tell a difference in how you feel when off gluten, I would highly encourage you to find a few recipes online that sound good, make a grocery list, and try it for a few weeks. You will also find that most of your regular recipes can be pretty easily adapted. I'm glad to help you in any way I can. Most of our staple meals around here that formerly contained gluten (casseroles, pasta dishes, pizza, etc.) were VERY easily adapted to be gluten free. And on a more serious note, if you truly are Celiac, and not just gluten sensitive or intolerant, as I'm sure you've learned from your research, it is important that you remove gluten from your diet as it can lead to a huge variety of health problems, including cancer.

And you know, since you asked and everything (ha ha) my current number one gluten free concern is that I really hope by the time Anna gets married, bakeries will be skilled in making gluten free wedding cakes :o) That is most definitely not on my list of talents!

Well, I've answered your question and a lot of other ones you didn't ask :o) I told you all I was bored. This kind of stuff has been really helpful for me in our transition to a gluten free lifestyle, so I kind of wanted to put it out there for anyone else who might benefit.

So there you have it....everything you ever wanted to know about our Celiac adventure....and then some.

on the occasion of her tenth birthday~

How time flies...

To My Dearest Anna, on your tenth birthday...

Do you know how much I love you? Do you know how proud I am of you? Do you know that I love you with my whole heart?

The day you were born was one of the most joyous days of my life. How I had longed for you and waited to meet you! Did you know I wanted to be your mother my whole life? You bring me more joy than any friend, any vacation, any book, or any thing. You are the joy of my heart and the light of my life. You are a treasure straight from the heart of God. You are my Anna. I am so thankful God allowed me to be your mother. I thank Him for you every single day.

I want you to know that you are always a delight, and a blessing to Daddy and me in so many ways. Sometimes I wonder what I would do without you. You are my right arm! It gives me joy to work side by side with you, spending time talking, laughing, and discussing fun things as well as serious things. Always remember that God gave us to each other. I am always here for you, to listen, to help, to encourage, and to understand. You can talk to me about anything. God intended mothers and daughters to be best friends, and you truly are one of my very best and very favorite friends.

You are also a blessing just by being you. The way you help our family is a blessing, but your light, your laugh, your hugs, your kisses, your songs, your poems, your dances, and just who you are is even more of a blessing! You bring such joy and life and laughter to all of us. We love you, Anna Rose.

As you stand here on the brink of becoming a woman, I want you to know what an important time of life you are entering into. It is now that your beliefs, your love, your heart, your God-given gifts and talents, your character, and your love for the Father will really begin blossom and grow. It has brought me indescribable joy and peace to see your passion for God, and your desire to know Him, to love Him, to honor Him, to obey Him, and to follow Him with your whole heart. I see your heart, I see your love, and I see your desire to please not only God, but Daddy and I as well. Daddy and I are so proud of you and your decision to trust Jesus as your Savior. We are so glad you are going to be in Heaven with us!

Anna, everyone makes mistakes, everyone has hard times in life, and everyone feels overwhelmed and challenged, but always remember that God looks at your heart. Even though you may sometimes fail, what matters is your love for God. He has only love toward you. He forgives, He helps, and He keeps His promises. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. He promises to work all things for good in your life. Even the hard things. The hard things in our lives are what God uses to make us more like Jesus. They teach us the fruit of the Spirit...to be patient, to be kind, to be gentle and faithful, to have self control.

It's the hard stuff in life that makes us grow. If life was easy, we wouldn't need Jesus! I encourage you to spend some time asking the Holy Spirit to give you some verses that can be for you. Ask Him to cause you to open His Word and see the verses He wants to give you -Words that speak of God's love, His faithfulness, and His promises. The devil, your enemy, will always try and tell you lies about God and lies that make you feel bad, that make you frustrated, sad, discouraged, and afraid. It is so important to know what God really thinks about you, to know what His promises to you are. I encourage you to start a journal where you write down what the Holy Spirit tells you and Scripture He gives you. Write down what it means to you. Then you will always have a weapon against the devils lies.

I love you, Anna. With my whole heart. I look forward to being best friends for our whole lives. You are a treasure, a precious and rare jewel. You are the only one like you, and God made you exactly the way He wanted you to be. It is mine and Daddy's privilege to call you our daughter.

Be joyful, Anna. Be happy. Be encouraged. Be loved. And be blessed. Trust the Father with every part of your life. Every joy, and every frustration. Daddy and I pray the Father will show you His love for you, that He will pour out His favor and His abundant blessings on your life. Walk with Him. Stay close to Him. Love Him first, above all else. He has saved you, and He smiles on you always.

Love Always,
Mama

(this is a letter i wrote for anna before we left. i gave it to her today along with a mother and daughter willow tree figurine. i wrote what is in my heart for my precious daughter, as even at the tender age of ten, she really is on the brink of entering her womahood. she is an old soul, and has always been wise beyond her years. some of it probably seems a little odd given her age, but it was written with much prayer and thought, and truly does speak to many things she seems to deal with in her life. i pray it brings her encouragement and opens her eyes to how much she is loved. and yes, out of all my children, she is the only one who calls me mama.)

anna's birth story~

I haven't been the best at keeping up with the baby books. I actually did pretty well up until Noah. I'm so used to typing that writing things out by hand seems to take forever. I do keep a handwritten journal, but it's sparse compared to here, so while I'm on my blogging roll, I thought for the sake of my children and myself when I am older (and all the birth story junkies), I would write out each one's birth story. I'll begin at the beginning....

Glen and I had been married six months. We had bought our first house a couple of months before and were planning on "trying" to get pregnant in January. Well, due to a certain someone not been very diligent with her birth control pills, one mid-January morning, I received a very pleasant surprise!

My original due date was 14 September. It was later moved to 4 September after a routine ultrasound showed her measuring bigger. I had a marvelous, uneventful pregnancy.

Around six weeks before my due date, I was dilated to 2cm. I hung out there for a few weeks, and gradually, at two weeks prior to my due date, I was dilated between 5-6cm. Being young and uninformed in the ways of childbirth, I agreed to be induced. After all, it was my first baby and I had been waiting to be a mother my whole life!

The following morning I arrived at the hospital around 8am. It took awhile to get things going, but around 10am or so I was having nice, strong pitocin contractions. Out the window flew my natural childbirth intentions (I really had no idea). Everything progressed nicely, and our sweet, red-faced, black-haired baby was born a few short hours later with only a few pushes. My entire family was there. My Mom, my aunt, my sisters, and my mother-in-law. Oh, and Glen. We can't forget Glen. :o) I did have a 3rd degree tear, but all was well. (Why didn't anyone bother to inform me that after pains, stitches, and engorgement could all easily rival labor???)

Anna Rose Hutchison weighed 8# 10 1/2 oz. and was 20 inches long. We went home two days later and thus began my journey.

A few other things I want to remember~

I got to labor and birth in the secluded, very large room usually reserved for celebrities. Anna thinks this is pretty cool and it allowed for plenty of room for my family.

My great aunt and grandmother were also both in the same hospital as I was. We were each on separate floors and my other aunt kept running up and down the elevator to check on everyone. As soon as I was discharged, we walked back into the hospital (after the formalities of being wheeled out, getting in the car, the nurse making sure we had an infant carseat, and re-parking the car of course) to visit my aunt and grandmother. We had to go up the elevator, and across the verrryyy looong crosswalk, and down the hallway. Did I mention I had a lot of stitches? Again, I ask, why didn't anyone warn me? I can't hold my sweet husband responsible as at this point in time he still had no clue :o)

The following week, I took her to Vandy for a well-baby check. I had to park in the garage. Across the street. Go up the elevator and down a verrry looong hallway. Didn't think I'd need the stroller. (think young, naive, super-mom...or so I thought) Dropped the blanket in the middle of the road on my way back to the car. Had to take the stairs in the parking garage. Did I mention I had stitches? Like, a lot of them. By the time I got there, I needed the doctor more than she did. She was perfectly healthy. I, on the otherhand, couldn't walk for two weeks. We soon changed doctors.

I was a compulsive breastfeeder. Kept track of which side, for how long, watched the clock, and was obsessed with "learning" how to nurse discreetly.

I am so glad I'm not a new mom anymore. Whew. Those days were hard :o)

everything you ever wanted to know about anna~

Here you go, I know you've all been waiting...the next installment of

everything you ever wanted to know....

1. Anna is our oldest. She was a surprise baby in that someone wasn't quite um...diligent in taking her birth control pills (before I knew the abortificant nature of them, by the way). We were going to begin "trying" to get pregnant within the next month or two, so she was a pleasant and much desired surprise. She was born 20 days before her original due date and weighed 8# 10oz (those Hutchison genes grow some big babies!) Her name is Anna Rose, and the meaning of her name is grace, gracious, full of grace. As mostly everyone knows by now, grace is pretty much the running them of my life, so when I realized the weighty implications of her name and how appropriate it was for her and our relationship, I was so amazed and thankful at how the Father had His hand all over her life before I realized the enormity of this journey of mothering.

2. Anna could live in pajamas. She probably has the same amount of pajamas as she does regular clothes. She would wear them in public I think if she were allowed. I am constantly having to remind her to get dressed.

3. Was recently officially diagnosed with celiac disease, just like her Dad. This is a big deal for her as she's had lots of just general not-feeling-so-great for a really long time. It's a relief to finally figure out what the deal has been as celiac can cause all kinds of not-obviously-related problems. Before she was actually diagnosed, she voluntarily went off gluten along with Glen as she could tell she just felt better. For a nine year old who absolutely loves pizza, rolls, and all things bread related, this was a gigantic red flag for us that there was something there. In the course of having her tested, we found out she is double-gened for celiac, meaning Glen and I both gave her a gene (at least one predisposing celiac gene is found in up to 81% of the general American population) and all of her children will have at least one. Her particular genetic material is only found in 9% of celiacs and is a more Southern European/Mediterranean gene. Just kind of interesting to know...

4. Loves to sing and dance, usually at the same time. She is pretty talented I think and has great stage presence. Yes, she does like Hannah Montana, but is not nearly so infatuated after learning a great lesson last summer about the dangers of obsessing and allowing something to take the place of God in your life. Although, she was quite interested to learn recently, that due to random chance, she was born in the hospital room at our local hospital generally reserved for celebrities. Her first questions was, "Soooo...do you think, that um, maybe, um, Miley Cyrus' Mom might have had her babies in that same room?" :o)

5. Has this awesome, infectious belly laugh not typically found in girls :o) Quite interestingly, Moriah has the same laugh. They get this from their Dad who can cause an entire room to burst into hysterics just by laughing himself.

6. Really, really likes to be in charge. A lot. I am greatly looking forward to the day when she has mastered this quality with grace.

7. Is my right hand man...um, er...girl. Her "job" around her is to help me. As she likes to be in charge, she mostly thrives in this role, but I do have to be careful to not put too much on her. I think we're doing okay, though, in that she has recently been talking, a lot, about when we will have another baby :o)

8. Is a math whiz. I wrote about it earlier in the school year, and am glad to say she is still doing great! The short version is that I decided to switch math curriculum last October and when I gave Anna the placement test, she tested into Saxon 7/6, which is a sixth to seventh grade math. Pretty impressive for a late-birthday nine year old just starting the fourth grade!

bonus #9. Is an absolute priceless treasure. There is something different about Anna. She is an old soul. Others have noticed it and I couldn't tell you the number of people that have sought me out to tell me there is something different about her. That she carries a weight and

grounded-ness not often seen in children. She has a tremendous calling on her life and is aware of the importance of a real relationship with God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and what that means in a way I did not understand until I was much older. She understands that all of life centers around our relationship with the Father. She gets what life is really about. Sure, she has her childish ways and has a lot of growing up to do, but she gets it. She is all about seeking God and learning to hear Him speak to her. I love that girl. She has my heart, all the way, 100%. She is awesome.

timely encouragement~

I went over to a very dear friend's (Heather Norman) house yesterday afternoon for lunch. It was just me and a few other ladies. At every seat, my friend had made beautiful scripture printouts that she had wrapped around the napkins with various Bible verses. They were all unique. She had asked the Holy Spirit to cause each woman to receive whichever verse was to be for her encouragement. This was what I received:

"God is able (Able is God) to make all grace abound to you,

that always having all sufficiency in everything,

you may have an abundance for every good deed:

as it is written,

"He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,

His righteousness abides forever."

Now He who supplies seed for the sower and bread for food

will supply and multiply your seed for sowing

and increase the harvest of your righteousness;

you will be enriched in everything for all liberality."

2 Corinthians 9:8-11

When I first read mine, I had a few moments of regathering my emotions (I'm awfully emotional these days). You see, just in this past week, since I last blogged, the Lord opened a door for Anna regarding her schooling that I did not expect and I am not sure quite yet how I feel about it. I had been excited and very at peace (relieved is really a better way to put it) with the decision to leave New Song and the idea of a year of having my children home to really focus on what is on my heart. All the details had not quite been worked out, but the Lord was imparting and focusing my vision and I was very excited about it. A lot of this desire and vision is married to sowing and reaping (that has been a recurring theme throughout my life, I've had verses and prophecy given to me regarding it, so that meant a lot.) Then, through a conversation with my sister in law, I found out about a different two day per week home school tutorial that begins in the 5th grade. I decided to just briefly check it out as her three older children go there and enjoy it. (I have always planned to eventually switch to this type set up as it is what I did when I was home schooled in high school, provided we felt that's what we were supposed to do at that point. A tutorial differs from New Song in that you choose which classes to take, whereas at New Song, you enroll into a grade and take all the different classes. You are putting yourself under the school's entire curriculum and calendar as opposed to picking and choosing which classes to take.) Anyway, through a series of a lot of things falling into place very quickly, including speaking with the director, taking a tour, all the classes she would need still having a spot for her as well as them scheduling her for an interview that same day, and just a general peaceful spirit there, I began to feel that this is what the Lord has for Anna this next year.

There is a lot going on in my head and my spirit right now, and lots of talking back and forth between me and the Father. This is a quick recap of some things I'm thinking and some things I feel like He has been answering and saying to me. This is still a source of ongoing conversation and is not decided for sure at all, but this is where I am in the process:

This does not fit into my vision for next year, so I began to talk to the Lord about whether this was His plan, if part of my vision was just that, my vision, and how it would all go together. I know without a doubt, a lot of things for next year are from Him. I just thought it would look a little different. I had planned on home being more of our focus, with one fun "school day" at Bethel on Tuesdays. This school would introduce the two day per week things back into our life. But...at the same time I have been really seeking the Lord for Anna and what she needs in her life. My heart was to accomplish some things and build relationship and I was thinking it needed to be accomplished through lots of time at home being together. But she is floundering kind of (not to mention hormonal..ugh...). She needs some focus and something to really put her energy into. She really needs something in her life she has some control over. I am very, very controlling. She is very, very like me, this causes for some tension and control battles. This would give her an area of her life that is her own, she would be the only one from our family there, she would be accountable to teachers other than me on a more grown up and formal level than New Song, and she would be responsible for learning to manage her time and complete her work the three days she is home. In other words...an area of her life that she has a lot of control in. Her own thing.

Now, this school thing is exciting to me also. It has a very sweet spirit. (New Song is sweet, and the families there are sweet, but it has a very strong spirit of authority and control. When you are there, it is all about what they are doing and you are expected to order your home school around their plans. BCA (the school Anna may attend) and Bethel are there to be in more of a supportive role, coming under your plans for your home school in a role to support parents. They recognize my place as my children's primary teacher and authority, and are set up in a way that allows me to prioritize my life according to how I see fit.) BCA also meets in an older part of a church in a hallway, which is exactly what my tutorial was like in high school. That just feels familiar and brings a level of comfort.

Anyone who reads this probably knows that I place high value on family life, togetherness, and discipleship. I think that is the foundation for bringing up our children to know the Lord. So a large part of me feels like I am giving in, like I am handing Anna over and abandoning what I feel is right. Like I'm giving up and haven't been able to accomplish in her what I feel is important with the methods I feel are right. So I am reevaluating some things. How much of what I believe is from scripture itself, and how much of it is from what other people I know (mainly the MOMYS thing) say is the right way to do things? We have to be careful to not idolize what other Christians say and really search scripture and seek the Lord for ourselves. I know a lot of why the Lord had me in such a secluded place in the early part of my marriage and parenting years was for me to learn to go to Him for all things and not rely on parenting books, other people I know, etc. and what they think is right. There is definitely a place for godly counsel, advice, and wisdom, but it should ultimately come back to what the Lord desires. There is a lot that is clear in Scripture, and a lot that is not so black and white as we would sometimes like to make it. We all have our pet causes, and I know I have to be super vigilant to be aware of where that line falls between what is clear, what is not black and white but what the Lord has for us as a family, while acknowledging that sometimes that looks different for other people. I have very high standards for myself, and that coupled with what my vision of success and the what road to achieve it should look like causes me a lot of frustration, guilt, and often feelings of failure if I don't measure up to my ideals.

So, my immediate reaction to the whole idea was basically, "I like it, it looks good, but God, this isn't really what I was picturing next year looking like. Is this from you? If it is, I really, really need You to show me, talk to me, confirm to me that this is right, because it looks different than what I thought you had already told me." I asked for some specific confirmation, as well as just a general awareness of His confirmation through open doors, the direction I felt the Spirit leading my thoughts and prayers, and for Him to show me the parts of my vision for next year that were maybe my own and not all His, or at least not necessarily His way of bringing it about. And He has done that. He has been faithful to honor our desire to follow His plans. He has opened doors and brought about some specific confirmation that I asked for. He has talked to me some about the fact that yes, my vision for next year was and is from Him, but parts of how I thought it should be accomplished were just that, how I thought it should be accomplished.

The final decision is not made, but at this point, if the doors continue to open, we are planning on Anna going there. There are still a few things about what I feel like the Lord had showed me for next year that I'm not sure how they will fit in, but I am just trusting Him and putting those things in the category of "His ways are not our ways and leaning not on my own understanding, acknowledging Him and trusting Him to direct our path." We are still going to have three full days with everyone home together, which is one thing that I was really feeling needed to be a priority. We are going to be in a place where what Glen and I think needs to be important can take priority without causing conflict with a school. Anna is going to get an area of her life to have an identity that is her own and allows her to have a measure of control. A bonus is that she is going to get to take at least two "fun" classes, possibly three (drama, art, chorus) that she has great interest (and some talent) in that she has always wanted to pursue, but is not really able to be incorporated into large family life very easily at this point while still maintaining the level and amount of togetherness time that is a huge priority for Glen and me. And I still get a day alone to clean, plan school, blog, whatever... :o)

So, going back to the verse that Heather gave me, I have just been really torn up feeling that my deep heart desires for my children, and particularly Anna at this stage of her life, depended a lot on what we are able to sow into them and that by sending her to another two day program was going to allow too much outside influence and culture (when I say culture, I usually mean something along the lines of too much importance on clothes, music, appearance, etc.) to allow for the amount of time I felt was necessary to build and cultivate relationship and the level of discipleship I was desiring to incorporate into our life. I have great concerns about outside "culture" being sown too much in her life. So, I had asked the Lord to talk to me specifically about those things while I was at Heather's house. I asked for two things, that someone would say something in the course of conversation that would stand out and I would consciously know was Him talking to me, and that He would talk to me, while I was there, in a way that I knew was from Him. So when I received that Scripture, I was floored. That said many different things to me, it was just generally encouraging in many areas of my life (by His grace I can have sufficiency and abundance for everything I need to do), but what it said to me specifically about this situation, what I felt like He said to me in that moment, was that yes, He would supply the seed I needed to sow into my children, as well as the spiritual bread I needed to feed them, and not only would He supply it, but He would multiply it and increase the harvest of righteousness in my children, and that He would enrich me in the sowing process so I could sow liberally and He would multiply. So even though I may have a little less time with Anna than I previously thought, He would multiply that seed and increase the harvest! Wow! Then, in the course of a totally unrelated discussion, a woman was talking about how they thought they were done increasing their family (one bio child, three adopted and had asked to be put on the inactive list for foster parenting), received a call one morning to place an infant that same day. She said, "God's plans are often different than our plans, when we thought our life would look one way, God actually had different plans." And God said, to me, "Here you go, you asked for it, here it is." This all happened without me talking to anyone about the situation. Except for Heather and one other friend, the other ladies were not people that I know. Needless to say, I came away from yesterday afternoon feeling encouraged. I've felt as if I've heard the Lord pointing out numerous other thoughts and highlighting comments from conversations around me and saying, "that's for you," which is also highly encouraging. He has been so faithful in gently talking to me about where my thinking and plans need to change to come in line with His big picture for next year.

So, that's what's going on this week :o) Now that I've been working on this all day, it's time to get dinner started. Citrus fish, rice and veggies in garlic butter sauce..yum!

the homeschool guinea pig~

A little bragging is in order around here. I just want to let everyone know how proud I am of my sweet Anna! She tested into Saxon 7/6 Math which is a sixth/seventh grade math! As Anna is only in the fourth grade, and often gets down on herself about math, I just had to brag on her a little!

I have decided, mid year of course, to switch math curriculums for Anna. I did very well in math, but I am very much a "just tell me how to do it and I'll do" kind of person. I don't really care that much why it works, just show me how. The math curriculum that I have been using with Anna since we started homeschooling is called Singapore Math. It has a tremendous track record and is very effective, but it is slightly unconventional. It focuses a lot on mental math and then moves to concrete "how to" kind of stuff. I really have liked it and it hasn't been too difficult for me to teach, I've just had to shift my brain from what is my normal way of thinking. This year, though, has been more challenging as Anna moves into slightly more advanced math. I was spending way too much time figuring out how to explain it to her. I knew how to do the problems, but they were presenting things in a way that was not conducive to how I thought about them. Make sense? Instead of being able to just teach her the way I understand, I was having to first teach myself how to teach her the way they were presenting concepts.

I have always planned on switching to Saxon Math as that is what I used from seventh grade on and liked it very much. I just wasn't sure when I would switch. I really believe the verses in the Bible that talk about asking for wisdom and that the Lord will give wisdom when one asks for it, so I have developed a habit of just asking the Lord for specific wisdom in different aspects of parenting, homeschooling included, and just watching for His direction and answers. He promises to give it, and He has never failed me. It has always been quite interesting, actually, for me to be actively watching for His leading and seeing how He sends it!

So anyway, I decided to switch, gave her the placement test, and was blown away when she tested to be able to skip two Saxon books and move directly into the 7/6 book!

The other side of this is that I am feeling a great sense of relief and very settled regarding math right now. I feel my decision to use Singapore at the beginning has proved successful, and I have a renewed sense of confidence in my ability to teach my children. I think the concern lurks somewhere in the back of the minds of many homeschool moms if they are really doing a good job, if their kids are really getting it, if they are really on track, etc... Vindication... Such a wonderful feeling...

And not only am I at peace, Anna also now has a sense of pride and accomplishment that I could not give her without it just coming across as "mom being encouraging", she has been able to see it for herself, and to a homeschooling mom, that is priceless...a little self confidence can do wonders for a nine year old girl :o)

my birthday girls~

I've been a mother now for nine years already, I can't believe it! While Moriah celebrated her 4th birthday last Wednesday, Anna celebrated her 9th birthday the day we left for Florida.

Anna had her two girl cousins come over and have a girls' night slumber party where we had all the other kids (except Haven) off spending the night with family. We took them out to eat, came home and made chocolate oatmeal cookies (yum!), and then pretty much gave them free reign over the upstairs. Anna wanted a karaoke machine for her birthday, so the three girls spent pretty much the whole night singing, dancing, doing skits, plays, stand up comedy, and who knows what other fun girl stuff. As a side benefit, Glen and I pretty much got to have a date night with everyone gone. Lots of fun! The next morning was church, and as we weren't meeting my sister to pick up everyone else until later, we got to have lunch out with just Anna at our favorite Chinese place. Let me tell you, once we realized we weren't going to have everyone else, the three of us all immediately thought...Chinese! We can all fix our own plates!

Moriah hasn't had an official party yet as all we usually do is have an extended family kind of thing where we celebrate several at once, so in the next few weeks, we'll have a birthday party here for Moriah, Anna, Glen, my sister Kristen, and my sister Dyana.

Moriah's birthday is extra special as she decided to come 15 days early so that she could not only be born on Rosh Hashana (the Jewish new year), but also her daddy's birthday.

So....Happy Birthday....to my two sweeties,

May the Lord pour out His sweetest, most fun blessings on you in this coming year. May He speak to you and draw you ever closer to Himself. May you know with your whole heart, mind, and spirit, how much He loves you.

Love,

Mommy

she's getting it~

one night, after anna had been in her room for awhile, she came down with a piece of paper. on it she had written what she felt like the Lord was saying to her...

"I know the plans I have for you, Anna, for I am the Father God who you love. I have not abandoned you, Anna, for you love me and I love you. You have opened my eyes and set my new day full of blessing that I pour out on you. I love you with all the love I can ever give you. You are loved so much you can't imagine it. You have very few sins compared to a lot of people. Go and tell the world about me and my love for you and all people, and I shall prepare you and your family for lots of challenging adventures. I love you, Anna."

~is that amazing or what? glen and i were amazed. i will admit, we smiled a little at the few sins compared to most people part. at first i thought, "well, that is probably a little of anna coming through in that part," but the more i thought about it, i realized that nope, that probably was God. that is exactly what she needs to hear and He knows it. she is so sensitive, and tries so hard to please and do everything right. she is by the book. she needs to know that He sees her efforts to obey Him and please Him, and gee...she's a child. she does probably have fewer sins than most people :o)

i love it that she is learning to hear God, that she knows He loves her and wants to be friends with her. that He likes her and wants to talk to her. that He wants a real relationship with her. that He is not a big guy up there ready to squash her when she screws up. i'm still learning that.

now about that challenging adventure part....?