a crazy bunch

Well, that's us. I guess I should begin my blog by telling about my simple and nutso family. I am the mother of 7 precious arrows, one of whom is already in heaven with the Lord. More about our angel baby later.
My oldest is Mariah and she is 17 and in college. She began college just 3 months after her 17th birthday. Such is life as a homeschooler. She shot through her curriculums faster than anything I've seen, finishing her "senior" year the fall after her 16th birthday. My husbands exasperated solution? "Graduate her!". She, in two months, prepared her audition pieces to attempt to get into the theatre department in the only school on her list, the only school she ever talked about. The result was her getting a scholarship into that school. She is now focusing her efforts on doing her best so she can spend her junior year overseas as a exchange student and her final Goal for her academic years? To get into RADA. You guessed it, her dream is to live in Great Britain. I'm not one of those mothers who want their children to stay near home and focus their efforts in staying near me. My dream is for my children to pursue their dreams, to live a life for God and to do what they love to the best of their abilities. If she is a starving actress in England and that is her dream I will be happy for her. If she was making money at it that would be even better, haha.
My second oldest is Francesca. Francesca is my second first baby as we like to call her. We call her that because she is my husbands first biological child. Fran is basically my clone. We love the same things and she is learning to be as weird as I am. She is entertainment to say the least. Fran's passion is baking. She is 10 years old. Fran has been called, at a very young age, to missions. When Fran was 6 years old we read a book about Gladys Aylward, a missionary in China beginning in 1930. After hearing about the beheading of several students at a university in China, who refused to deny their faith, by the communists, Fran declared, "I would never be a missionary!" and began crying(Mrs. Aylward herself was not killed during this raid). About a week later Fran woke up and came to me to tell me that she had had a dream that she would be a missionary in China....and that was what she was going to do. That was the first time(and not the last) I saw the hand of God touch one of my children. Because of her love of baking her goal is to go to culinary school in Maine, stay with missionary friends of ours, and then begin her mission to China. Gods peace is always abundant. I'm excited for my young daughter to begin her life living for Him.
Cosette is my 3rd child. She is still my baby. She loves everything and everyone and loves to do anything exciting. She loves to learn new things and was reading chapter books right along with Fran at age 3. Since she loves everything she has no clear thoughts of the future except to try everything she can get her hands on. Her favorite things right now are crocheting and baking. She loves to wrestle with her brothers and build legos. I am so excited to see what God has planned for her future. Right now it is all about learning, exploring, experimenting, creating, and having a ball.
Christian, my first son, is 7 years old and also has been called my God, but for him he has been called to a life leading Gods people as a Pastor. I find this very interesting as he has a quiet, goofy, and sweet spirit. We always say that Christians wife, should God choose to give him a wife, will be the luckiest lady on the planet. Christian is gentle and loving, but fun and hilarious too. Christian is my challenge for homeschooling. Again, something I will get to later.
Caleb is my freaked out 3 year old. With a temperament much like Cosette and the face of an angel, he has been somewhat spoiled by his Dad(ok, ok by me, too!). Caleb is funny, loud, rambunctious, and head strong.....but is so loving and empathizes with others who are hurt or sad. He will make an excellent leader one day. I cant wait to see how God works in him!
And lastly is my baby Josiah, who is 1. Josiah is so precious to me it is hard to write it down on paper...but I think that is how it was with all my babies. How can you put into words an angel that God gave you to care for and nurture, who still needs you to hold him close whenever he comes to you with his arms up, to drop your broom and go to the couch for a Thomas book, who needs to be in your bed, snuggling, falling asleep on your face, knowing he is safe, that you will be there when he wakes up? There are no words. Only a precious couple years where their entire being is dependent on you to know what is wrong, to laugh when he laughs, to watch him sleep. So that is where I will leave it today. I'm off to snuggle with my kids and maybe watch some Never Ending Story.

My dearest Lord, my Heavenly Father,
Please let me never again forget about the time it takes to raise children who love you and put you first, that I never again keep a hold of that broom when I could be holding on to something much more precious. Please let me never forget what each of my children were like when they were babies, so when they are grown I can look back on those times with happiness and joy. Please let each of my children grow to love You, to do Your will before anything they have planned for themselves. And, Jesus, I pray that while I teach them in the way they should, that You guide my words and actions so they will learn from both, as your Word tells me.
In Your loving name, Jesus,
Amen


Song for a Fifth Child
by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, oh Mother, come shake our your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat-a-cake, darling and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping's not done and there's nother for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby
                and babies don't keep.