SNOW DAY!!!

Last week we got snow...okay, so not very much snow. But enough that the kids were SOOO excited. I love their excitement as the first few flakes start to fall. They squeal with delight. I love it!

Since we homeschool, my kids don't get the fun of having an "actual" snow day from school. We just go on with our normal activities. I had told the kids that once they finished ALL their school for the day they could bundle up and head outside. (I didn't want to let them take their normal break to head outside because I knew it would take MUCH longer to get all 4 of them bundled up only to have them come right back in). They got their breaks but it was for inside play not outside. My kids FLEW through their school work. Not saying they didn't learn anything, but they didn't waste ANY time getting their work done. They even wanted to work thru their breaks. They were done before lunch! So after lunch we bundled them up and let them out into the frigid, cold air. They had a blast even though there was very little snow. I enjoyed watching from inside the warm house.

I am not cut out for this!

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

So many people have made the comment to me "I don't know how you do it! I could never homeschool!" I promise you I do not have some magical power that enables me to take on this difficult task. Nor do I have a special gifting for homeschooling. I don't have a ton of patience either. That is something I'm learning each and every day. Most days I feel at some point or another that I failed at something. I say "I am so not cut out for this!" Some days I feel so unadequate. I feel uncertain how to juggle a 3rd grader who struggles with staying on task, while trying to work extra with a 1st grader learning to read, an eager to learn preschooler, a very active toddler and adding a new baby to the mix soon. I really wonder, "Do I really have what it takes?"

But you know, that is where God wants me to be. What role would God have in my life if I felt I could do everything without Him? I must find my strength and energy and confidence in the Lord.

Sometimes its seems so simple to give up. But when I feel that way I need to turn to God and let HIS power give me the strength. It's only by God's grace that I can do what I do. So I am not anymore capable of doing what I do than the people who say they could never homeschool.

So if you think that you could NEVER homeschool know that with Gods help you can. If it's something you desire in your heart go for it! Or if you are homeschooling and feel inadequate know it's okay because you are inadequate but that is where God comes in and makes you adequate to complete the task.

This is something I have to CONSTANTLY remind myself of. Some days go so well, and then there are very hard days that follow. I have to remember that God is with me and will help me through those times. I need to let Him work thru me. It's only because of HIM that I can do what I do. So it's true...I am SO not cut out for this. But thankfully God's grace is sufficient for me.

M.O.M - Mom of Many

I'm in the process of giving my blog a facelift. It also includes a new blog title. "Pieces of Me" just wasn't quite doing it for me. So I have come up with a new title. "Thoughts from a M.O.M"

Am I REALLY a "Mom of Many" now? When I think about it...I would answer "No". I mean...I'm ONLY on baby #5. Is that really a lot? I guess by societys standards today that is a crazy amount of kids. To me, well, it's just my life (which I LOVE by the way). I was thinking about this the other day when I heard what sounded like a herd of elephants running thru the house. It seriously sounded like I had 20 kids running...but nope..only my 4 kiddos...which is just 8 feet running around. Then I got to thinking about when #5 is running around. That IS many children...so I suppose I can say I am a "M.O.M -- Mom of Many!".

Then I was thinking about all the things that go on in one day at our home with so many little ones running around. I'm sure I have a crazy experience I could share on a daily basis. No day around here is ordinary...well, I suppose it's OUR ordinary day but perhaps not the typical day others would find ordinary. I mean, seriously when do you have one child break a snow globe and have another child fall on the glass and cut up their foot and then while going to get the broom to clean up the glass hear a big CRASH and realize your christmas tree was just knocked down by the 4 yr old hiding behind it. Then when you go and try to put the tree up it falls down the other direction. And by this time 4 children are crying and saying Christmas is ruined and the 4 yr old that knocked it over is hanging his head and wandering around the house singing "we wish you a merry christmas" in a sad, sad tone. I can't make this stuff up people...THIS is my reality. This type of stuff happens on a daily basis.

So I have done much thinking with this blog. It was getting boring to me. It wasn't heading in the direction i wanted it to. It started out as a place for me to update my friends and family. Then I wanted to share new things I was learning and trying out. And other times I wanted to just share my thoughts whether deep ones or just silly ones. Most of them have to do with being a mother. So I found that a new title was needed for this blog so that is where "Thoughts from a M.O.M" came from.

So there you have it.

It's a......BOY!! (and other quick updates)

So to quickly update all of my blog readers (are there even any out there?? lol...no biggie if there isn't...i tend to write for my own enjoyment...readers would be nice...but not a neccessity..lol).

We had our ultrasound yesterday to find out the sex of baby #5. I had in my mind that it was a girl. I mean, what are the chances that we would stick to our pattern of boy, girl, boy, girl...but this baby stuck to our pattern! BOY! I am happy, but just shocked really.

We brought all the kids to our appointment. We decided that it would be enjoyable for them to get to find out what the baby was. They really surprised me at how well they all enjoyed watching the baby on the tv. The baby even sucked on his hand and the kids got a kick out of that. And after we found out it was a boy the boys were cheering and all of a sudden the baby threw his arms up in the air almost as if he was cheering with the rest of his "boy" team! Very cute!

So that is our latest baby update. I've been feeling REALLY well. Definetly feeling the second trimester now as I have more energy and I'm not extrememly huge at the moment so i can still move around quite well.

I'm hoping for a HUGE blog facelift to take place after Christmas. I have new ideas for this blog and hopefully ways to make it more enjoyable for all those that read it. (which very possibly could only be two of you..lol.)I enjoy blogging about as much as I enjoy reading blogs (blogs are one of my favorite things to read--if you could see my whole blog list of the blogs I follow and read..you will see I have TONS of them..i love reading other people thoughts) I have been slacking on blogging a lot lately. I'm blaming it on how tired I was at the beginning of this pregnancy or just the busy that life brings. I'm working on that though. Time management...a goal of mine. I decided I need to get my butt in gear because if I don't think I have time now...what will it be like when #5 arrives??? And I'm not talking about just time to get the neccessities done but also leaving time for some hobbies of mine (blogging, crocheting, crafting etc). But anyways..that is all sounding like a new blog post..so I'll just stop there and say hang on...changes are coming to my blog (good ones I hope!).

Merry Christmas to everyone (as I'm guessing I won't get a new post written between now and christmas). Remember the real meaning of Christmas. Our Savior Jesus Christ. Enjoy time together with family. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas,
Shawna

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Coming in Spring 2012....

Another precious Gift from God will be entering our family this spring. Sometime around the end of April beginning of May. We are VERY excited to go from a family of six to a family of seven. I thank God every day that he has chosen to bless us with another precious blessing. It's crazy to think we will have 5 children...wow. FIVE! But it already just seems like a perfect number..just like four did when we added our 4th.

I'm a little over 12 weeks pregnant. As some of you may remember from my previous pregnancies I have a VERY rough time. I get super sick. Non-functional sick actually. Laying on the couch for 2 1/2 months sick. I throw up and faint numourous times a day. It's horrible. BUT thankfully I have been able to get some good meds this time that have ACTUALLY helped me. I'm taking zofran and it's a MIRACLE drug. I am fuctioning and not getting sick at all. I have been SUPER tired though and having very little energy but I can handle that. These past few days I have started to have a little more energy. I'm sure since I"m on the verge of being in the 2nd trimester has a lot to do with it.

The kids are so excited. I think Gracie is the MOST excited. She is OBSESSED with babies. SHe asks me every day if there is still a baby in my tummy. She pats my tummy and talks to the baby already. She can't wait to meet her little brother or sister that is going to make her "a big sissy". SHe keeps telling me that she won't be a baby sissy anymore..she's going to be a BIG sissy! It's SOOO cute! The other kids can't wait to find out if this baby will break our pattern of boy-girl-boy-girl. Most of them think it will be a girl and break the pattern...we shall see.

So there you have it! Our exciting news!