When we had "just five" children, we were asked very often, "are they ALL yours"? It’s now even funnier when we have 4 or 5 with us, and people ask us if they are all ours, I can say, "Well, this is only HALF of our children – the other half are at home." Of course too we are asked, "which are yours, and which are his." It’s almost as though it just is unimagineable that we could have parented all these children!
Yes, this is my family. My husband and I will be married 21 years in June. We had our first children after we had been married almost 2 years. My husband works at home doing small engine repairs – mostly lawnmowers, tillers, snowblowers, etc. He has done this as a side business since we were first married, but the last couple of years has gone to full time.
Our oldest Stephen (19) and is now in college taking automotive & welding courses. He graduated last year from homeschooling all his years. He was the child that made homeschooling easy. He caught on to everything very easily. He is now working for his teacher who owns an automotive repair shop, and he just got his first, official "real" report card with all A’s and a 9.34 average. We are very thankful. He’s worked hard. It’s pretty neat as homeschool parents, to see these accomplishments come through.
Matthew is our second born son, and also our son that died just 17 1/2 months ago. He was not interested in repairing things. He had a heart towards missions, and seriously was considering going to a local missionary aviation school. He also had worked a few months for a variety/dime store and was looking forward to taking classes in business and possibly accepting a managerial position there some day. Matthew learned of a horrible game – the choking game – that killed him. Since, we have learned this has touched many Christian, homeschooling families – and at least 500-1000 children’s deaths per year because of this. Many dreams were broken, and it’s been a long time of healing since. Matthew’s birthday is Sunday, so I will share more about him then.
Jayson (16) is our third oldest son. Every classroom has to have a "class clown" and apparently even homeschool families need one too!! He fits this role well. He is good with engine repairs, but for the last year has been seriously considering being a police officer and checking into classes for that. Just yesterday he was talking to a cop and told him, it’s because of his brother’s death he is thinking of this, because he feels he could help families. We never know know the whys of it all, but we see God continuing to lead. Jayson has also been self-teaching himself to play the guitar and has just recently played along with singing in our church. It’s neat to see them mature and grow.
Heather & Heidi are our 14 year old twins. They are my right hands with helping me with changing diapers to making meals and cleaning floors and laundry. They are now doing more outside jobs with some babysitting and gardening. Heather really enjoys drawing and Heidi likes to sing. They are quite close as sisters (most of the time) yet very opposite in many ways.
Benjamin (12) is my baby boy. He is also my husband’s right hand helper in the shop. He really enjoys working with the engines and comprehends them much better than I can probably spell carburator! He has a deep concern for people, and a very loving boy. I sure hope it does not change as he enters the teen years!
Jessica Joy (9) fits her name. She is a joyful child, and a daily reminder that miracles still happen. She was born with severe heart defects and just over 13 months of age and two open heart surgeries in 12 weeks period of time, all of that time in PICU. Since these surgeries we were told she’d need surgery every 3-5 years, and we are, by God’s grace, 8 years post-op and she is doing great. She is petite for her age and is beginning to notice more of how she is "different" because of her size and the "hump" on her chest from the chest wall not healing well. She has to be careful with being on coumadin (blood thinner) but again, by God’s grace, it has not been any serious problem. Several years ago Make-A-Wish sent our whole family to Disney in Florida. It was quite the dream vacation, with two limos picking us all up and being in Disney for that time of such wonderful family memories. Later after Matthew died, we found he wrote in his journal "it was the best family time ever." We never know how God allows the pieces of the puzzle to fall together, and wondering how long we’d be blessed with Jessica – and the memories were made very special for Matthew and for us that he treasured it so.
Angela Hope was our beauitiful stillborn daughter we only held for a few hours and then said good-bye to her. She was born still because of a placenta abruption that took her life & nearly mine. Had we not been next to the hospital for a post-op check-up for Jessica, I would have not made it. She’s a sweet memory of what heaven holds for us, and now she’s with her big brother.
Melody Grace (6) is our daughter with a true melody in her heart and mouth. She flutters around like a butterfly often, singing away. After missing Angela, God did put this new little life into our arms – a new melody because of God’s grace. She is our one that misses Matthew the most outwardly, and relates to things often with him. Her heart was truly broken, and it’s sure hard for mom to fix that one. Bandages can make most owies better, but now this one. She has a sensitive heart, and it will be neat to see how God uses this in her life.
Katie Rose (5) came next and again, her name fits here. She has the rosiest little cheeks and the biggest beautiful smile with dimples along with it. She has the giggliest of giggels and yet the one that probably is like the "middle" child of the last three, and needs extra luv’ins. She wants to do schoolwork and emensely loves her baby dolls.
Bethany Faith (3) – the baby – need I say more?!?!?! Oh, yes, the spoiled one – the one each of the children laugh at and if we need to discipline her, she has many siblings who come running to her aid. The "naughty things" are just "so sweet". Can you hear them – "awwww, come on mom, she’s just a baby!" She knows the full alphabet and can recognize many of the letters. She’s a cuddly one.
With these 11 blessings, I am indeed a blessed woman.
Homeschool mom of 8 children, Mary at Owlhaven, had a list of Ten Significant Words Beginning with J, and did a wonderful post on this. I asked her to assign me a letter. I thought this would be a great idea for Writing Wednesday. So, I am going to assign to each of my schoolage children, the letter their names begins with, and write as many sentences as they are old. 
only way to entertain them now. What happened to table games? Do kids know how to play 
Our birthday "princess" last week loved playing dress-up with her sisters. For her birthday we gave her an "elegant" party dress. It’s out-dated – but has ruffles and frills and spins wonderfully – perfect for tea parties. We also gave her a set of four sunglasses to share with her sisters. These dollar store jewels went a LONG way . . . I don’t know who had more fun, us watching them being SO silly, or them giggling til . . .they had to run for the bathroom!
