Moriah’s Birth Story

It was a Wednesday evening.
My due date with Baby #7.

I was feeling so very big and pregnant; uncomfortable and dearly ready to have this baby. Contractions had been on and off starting in the late afternoon, but that wasn’t unusual.

With my history of prodromal labor for the past 3 babies, I was always leary of calling it “the real deal” until I knew for sure. In fact, one of my most often-prayed requests to God the past few months had been wisdom and clarity for knowing when I was in actual labor since we had an hour-long drive to the hospital for the first time in our history of having babies. (Yes, despite my absolute love for home births, we needed an option that would be covered by insurance in our new state of Pennsylvania, so a midwife-delivered birth at a hospital friendly to natural methods was the best option I could find.) I dreaded the idea of labor petering out on the way or upon arrival and us having to return home empty-handed…only to wait for another day, another long drive, another arrangement of childcare help. But I also didn’t want to wait too long to call things real and then risk a baby being born in the car!

So there I was in my bed…on the couch…on the floor working through contractions. Wondering. Watching the timer. Listening to music. Trying to relax. Trying to be wise. As the night ticked by, the contractions kept on. No major changes in timing. No clear signs like water breaking. But things were moving. My hopes started rising that maybe this was it!

After several hours of steady contractions, all of a sudden, they started spacing out. No longer coming every 10-15 minutes, they slowed down and I found myself actually sleeping on and off. I was disappointed but also grateful for rest. It was just me and the Lord and Baby Girl for most of the night on the living room couch. The gas fire flickered. The clock ticked.

And then quietly, without fanfare, those contractions picked back up. Slowly, steadily, then more quickly they came again.
Is this it? Is it for real? Should we head to the hospital? Should I call Gwyneth to come care for the children?
Lord, give me wisdom!

As I agonized over the decisions, a thought entered my mind. Remember Josiah’s birth.

So I dd. Josiah, my second born. The one whose labor involved no dramatic changes in contractions until the very end. The timing stayed steady for most of 9 hours; not getting closer together, not getting longer. And thus it threw me off and I miscalculated where I was at with progress because I watched the clock instead of listening to my body and tuning in to the increasing intensity. The midwives arrived a mere 3 minutes before I pushed him out!

I remembered. And in so doing, I recognized a similar pattern. The intensity of my body’s efforts was quietly increasing.
It was time.

I woke Nathan up and he started packing the car. I called my friend, Gwyn, sometime between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m. She answered after the first ring or two and agreed to head our way as soon as she could gather her things and her sleepy 1 year old.

As I waited for her arrival on the couch, contractions spaced out yet again, almost to the point of stopping. My heart plunged into dismay that maybe I had miscalculated after all!

But given how things had been proceeding up to that point and that the hospital was quite a ways away, I decided to stick with the plan to head that direction. With Nathan at the wheel, I utilized the entire backseat of our tiny Subaru Forester with blankets and pillows, lying down most of the way and only getting up on hands and knees to work through a handful of contractions as they came. Few though they were, they were strong, and even Nathan could tell they were “good ones” by how I had to moan my way through them.

I called the number for my independent midwife group while on the way, and one of the three, Emma, answered. I explained where things were at and could tell that based on my contraction timing, she was a little skeptical that I was close enough to delivery to be heading for the hospital, but I reminded her of my track record with Josiah. She agreed that I knew my body best and would meet us at the hospital within a half hour.

We arrived around 6:00 a.m. and got checked in. Emma was with us shortly thereafter. She checked me, and if I remember correctly, I think she assessed that I had dilated to a 4 or 5, which is what I had guessed as well. I told her how contractions had been pretty steady much of the night but that they had slowed down some right before leaving for the hospital and during the drive there. She offered to sweep my membranes in order to see if that would jump-start labor again. I had never had my membranes swept before, but was eager to see things progress forward, so I agreed. Emma was great with the whole procedure, and it was over in just a few seconds with only minimal discomfort.

They moved us from triage in the ER (standard procedure for anyone checking in before the hospital’s daytime operating hours begin) to a room in Labor and Delivery where we met our assigned nurse and got settled into our room. It was a large, spacious, and cheery room with morning light spilling through the windows. I was so grateful the hospital staff was accommodating of my various requests for dimmer lighting, a birth ball to bounce on, permission to lay a thick comforter on the ground in case I needed to work through contractions on the floor, and other such details.

I wore my own clothes, set up some trusty snacks and hydrating beverages nearby, and plugged in my laptop to start the pre-selected playlist of labor music going in the background. I think during this time of unpacking, contractions started picking back up, but I definitely remember them kicking into steady gear again once we were settled. Much to my delight and tremendous relief, the membrane sweep had worked! It was time to have a baby!

The nurse was in and out periodically and the midwife on call switched at 7:00 a.m. to one named Courtney who came to check on me once her day at the hospital began, but otherwise, it was just Nathan and me for most of the time leading up to Moriah’s birth. It had never been just the two of us that way before as I had always had my mom, midwife teams, or friends surrounding me for labor in the past (which were all wonderful experiences!), but for this final baby of ours, it felt pretty special to me to be “just us.”

I spent a lot of time on the birthing ball, finding that the gentle bouncing and wide-legged posture was helping to keep contractions moving along. At one point, I remember hearing a song from my playlist come on called Yet Not I, But Through Christ In Me by City Alight. I began to sing along, but didn’t make it very far before my voice got choked up and tears spilled down my cheeks. It was such an emotional moment of worshipping the One who had carried me so faithfully through a pregnancy that had been difficult and challenging on every level. These words ministered so much joy and peace and help to me as I neared the finish line of that journey:

What gift of grace is Jesus, my Redeemer
There is no more for Heaven now to give
He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace

To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
For my life is wholly bound to His
Oh, how strange and divine, I can sing, “All is mine”
Yet not I, but through Christ in me

The night is dark, but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Savior, He will stay
I labor on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need, His power is displayed

To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me
Through the deepest valley, He will lead
Oh, the night has been won, and I shall overcome
Yet not I, but through Christ in me

When I wasn’t on the birthing ball, I found that I liked standing bent over the hospital bed some of the time. Eventually, though, I needed some rest, so I climbed up onto the bed and was able to lie quietly on my side until a contraction would sweep over me. Then, I found help in gripping the side bar of the bed as hard as I could for a degree of resistance force against the intense work of enduring the contraction. Nathan was right there by my side speaking words of encouragement and stroking my arm which felt really good.

Around 10:00 a.m. and Nathan and I could both tell I was hitting transition. There was a definite, unmistakable switch into high gear with contractions coming faster and longer now. The next time Courtney checked on me, I told her I didn’t think it would be long.

Sure enough, around 10:45, I felt the need to start pushing. Surprisingly, I found it most comfortable to stay on the bed (something I had never done before) up on my knees facing the inclined head of the bed where I could still use the side rail to grip. As Moriah made her descent through the birth canal, I couldn’t help but notice how aligned by body felt (thanks, I’m sure to the chiropractic care I had been receiving in the weeks leading up to birth) and how easily she seemed to slide down and out, especially when I moved my right leg into a runner’s pose like I had with Micah at the very end. Courtney was a fantastic “coach” at this point, standing behind me and ready to catch the baby. A couple of nurses were there as well, but I only remember interacting with Courtney and how encouraging her words of affirmation were to me as she continually told me how well I was doing and that the baby’s head was out, then her shoulders, then her whole body slipped out with a gush!

And just like that, Moriah was born! Labor was over! Pregnancy was done! I had crossed the finish line and was so, so grateful!

Excitedly (and gingerly), I turned around to get my first glimpse of our baby girl. She was beautiful, tiny, and offering a healthy little cry to the world! I settled in against the raised up incline of the bed and brought her to my chest with all the emotions of relief, ecstasy, and gratitude to God. There is no feeling in the world like that one!

Right away, I noticed that one of her ears was shaped just like mine – an “elf” ear as Nathan and I call it. I also noticed that she looked so much like Micah with her chubby little cheeks. Up against my chest, she was easily comforted and settled in for soothing snuggles and warmth as our attendants covered her with blankets.

I think the time was around 11:00 a.m. How glad I was that we had gone to the hospital when we did! The timing had worked out as perfectly as it could have – all glory be to God! And the birth had gone as smoothly as it could have – another huge answer to prayer! It ended up being one of my easiest overall.

We named this little one Moriah Grace.
Moriah was actually a name Hosanna had picked out for her after hearing it in an audiobook, and the more I thought about it, the more it grew on me. I liked how it sounded, but especially what it meant: “Yahweh has chosen.” Though we thought we were complete after 6 children, God obviously had other plans. He had chosen for her to have life and to place her in our family. Moriah was also deeply significant to me because of it being the location where Abraham was commanded to sacrifice Isaac to the Lord. In my mind, it marked a place of surrender in Scripture; first for Abraham and later for Jesus, since He was crucified on Mount Moriah. Considering how much this pregnancy had been of a walk of surrender and trust for us, Moriah seemed a very fitting commemoration of that journey.

The middle name of Grace took me back to the moment I was lying on the table getting an ultrasound, watching my baby on the screen, and learning she was a girl. “This is grace,” were the words that flashed across my mind in that moment. Grace – undeserved favor – that this unexpected pregnancy that had been so hard for me to come to grips with was going to result in another daughter. Knowing she was a girl softened the roughness of nausea and discomfort, of starting back over at the beginning of the marathon race line. Though we would have welcomed another son with open arms, having a second girl just made everything a little more sweet, and was especially exciting for Hosanna who had been praying so faithfully for a sister! I wept a little on that table. God was so good!

After Moriah and I were given that blissful “golden hour” of immediate connection following birth (something I had never had with Hosanna – my only other hospital born child), the baby was taken to be cleaned up a bit and weighed. She ended up being 7 pounds, 15 ounces, and 19 3/4″ long. Not as small as Hosanna but not as big as most of her brothers!

We were eventually transferred to a recovery room where we spent a couple of days resting and getting to know Moriah before we were finally cleared to go home! (It took a little longer for us than is typical since I had refused antibiotics during labor after testing positive for Group B Strep. They have a policy of keeping the baby an extra 24 hours to monitor for possible signs of infection.)

Moriah had been born on March 20, the first official day of spring, and signs of spring were starting to pop up all around! It felt amazing to be outside again in the fresh air and headed for the comforts of home!

It has now been a year with our baby girl!
Though her birth had been so smooth and peaceful, the first few months were a bit rocky, fraught with sickness, nursing struggles due to tongue/lip ties, numerous appointments for body work with a chiropractor and CFT therapist, and unexplained eczema that necessitated major dietary changes for me.

Thankfully, those issues all eventually cleared up and we hit smoother waters by the end of summer.

It has been a joy to see Moriah’s personality blossom as she has grown. She is spunky, smart, stubborn, curious, determined, and a real go-getter! She can crawl, climb, and cruise with confidence and comes up with new words or ways to communicate all the time. She absolutely adores her older brothers, Isaac and Josiah, but gets excited to see any of her siblings when they wake up in the morning. Nursing is a favorite activity as are baths, playing outside, and grabbing for anything interesting she can reach from my hip. She still does not sleep through the night as consistently as I would like, but we are working on that.

We are thankful to the Lord for the gift of Moriah Grace and the way she completes our family!

When God Sends You A Curve Ball (I Mean An Arrow)

~ A journal entry originally written at the beginning of July. ~

“The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

I hear or read this verse from Job quoted regularly whenever there is some kind of loss involved with the emphasis being on the part about something being taken away. Miscarriage. Loss of a job. Death of a loved one. The circumstances vary, but the verse is, understandably, a lifeline for those walking through sorrow and difficulty while trying to cling in faith to the Sovereign One.

Interestingly, I rarely hear this verse used when the first part of it rings true. The Lord gives.

For me, I am finding that part to be the lifeline right now. 

Because sometimes, God gives a gift you didn’t think you wanted. 

I didn’t think I wanted another child.
Yet, here I sit, unexpectedly pregnant with baby #7.

It has been an emotional few days. 

You see, we were content with our six, feeling full and feeling done. I liked being part of the “half dozen club,” as I called it. Six felt just right.  

The Bible is clear that children are a blessing, that God is the One who opens and closes the womb, and that He, as Creator, knits together every person fearfully and wonderfully. 

There are no direct commands in Scripture when it comes to “family planning” other than a general directive to be fruitful and multiply, but what that actually looks like for each family is going to be different based on convictions, desires, health, and medical conditions. 

The famous song in Psalm 127 is a wonderful, poetic metaphor about children and why they are good gifts. “Blessed is the man who has his quiver full of them; like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth.” (Obviously, having many arrows when going into a battle is a good thing. Yet, it doesn’t say how many must be in the quiver to be full, so we should take care not to build a doctrine on this one poem.)

From the time of my teen years, I have held fast to these biblical beliefs about children, promoted the positive aspects of large families in a society that sneers at them, and admired greatly the mothers and fathers striving to raise such families well.

Nathan and I went into marriage desirous of a large family, and God graciously granted our desires. The babies came quickly. Every couple walks a different road when it comes to fertility. Our road has been easy in the sense that we have never struggled to conceive; challenging in the sense that we have never struggled to conceive. 😉 

Because we don’t feel comfortable with most forms of birth control, “family planning” has mostly been of the natural kind, which, in our experience, leaves plenty of room for surprises.

We have tried to maintain the balance of being open to children in God’s timing while using wisdom to recognize our limits and steward well what we have been given.

So there we were, blessed with six and ready to close the chapter of child bearing so that we could fully move into the chapter of child raising, especially as our big kids get older and the needs change. I was not only at peace with this decision, but happy to be done with pregnancy, nausea, labor and delivery, nursing, lack of sleep, diapers, and all things baby.

Before we moved to Pennsylvania, I gave away all our baby clothes and gear except what few things we were still using for Micah. Mentally and emotionally, we crossed the finish line of the child bearing marathon, but because we were also not comfortable with sterilization of any kind, there was always the underlying thought that if God wanted to overrule this decision, He certainly could. 

But surely He wouldn’t, right?
Didn’t He know how content we were with the six He had already given?
Didn’t He know how full we felt in the stewardship of these six young souls?
Didn’t He know how ready we were to move into the next chapter of parenting?

He knows.

And yet, “The Lord gives.”

Blessed be the Name of the Lord.
Blessed be the One who is carrying me right now when my surrender to Him is being tested.
Blessed be the One who gently leads those who are with young.
Blessed be the One who will give us grace one day at a time to bring another life into the world.
Blessed be the One who is trustworthy when He opens and closes the womb according to His sovereign choosing.
Blessed be the One who will strengthen me when others criticize or don’t understand the choices we have made that have led to this moment.
Blessed be the One who has created this little life for a purpose planned from the beginning of time.
Blessed be the One who will provide for us in the face of an unexpected financial commitment.
Blessed be the One who will walk my body through the hardships to come.
Blessed be the One whose ways are higher than my ways and whose thoughts are higher than my thoughts.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your steps.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“Thou wilt give him perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.” Isaiah 26:3

Dear Little Bonus Baby Growing Inside,
You are a gift from the Most High. We receive you with open arms. May you always know how much you are loved.

The Arkansas Years

In case you missed the news, the Minnesota opportunity we thought we’d be pursuing long term for extended summers while still maintaining our home base in Arkansas ended up not working out for a lot of reasons. Knowing that working indefinitely in the construction/remodeling industry was not a good fit for Nathan either, we began researching other options for full time ministry type jobs that have the focus of discipleship at its core. To make a long story short, God has provided a position for Nathan that looks like it’s been custom made for him! The only thing is, it’s in eastern Pennsylvania.

And so we find ourselves once again on the cusp of a big, cross-country move and transition to a new place. We are excited to live at a Christian camp where Nathan will be working as the director of a young men’s discipleship/gap year program and where we all will have opportunity to plug in and serve in various ways! We are also sad to be leaving the incredible life we have built here in Arkansas, the deep community we have been privileged to be a part of, and the many beautiful places we love to spend time outdoors. As we move on to new adventures, we are so thankful for the steadfast love and faithfulness of the Lord. Every move we have ever made has been good because He has made it so! The move to Arkansas was so good in so many ways. And we are confident that the move to Pennsylvania will be too!

In commemoration of our delightful three years here in the Natural State, I wanted to compile a post of pictures highlighting some of the people, places, activities, “firsts”, and other memories that are special to us. (This is by no means exhaustive – just a brief reflection of our life here!)

So much beauty to be found everywhere! First hike at Wilson Lake!

Loved having my friend, Maddy, in town to help me settle in until the rest of the family arrived…and meet a certain eligible guy friend! 😉

The first wave of our Ohio group (plus Maddy) at the Yellow Rock trail overlook at Devil’s Den State Park!

He was so little when we first moved!

Hiking with the whole family!

The best picnic spot.

First day back to school after the big move.

Hosanna’s 1st Birthday!

First date night in Arkansas. Market Place Grill did not disappoint.

Impromptu “field trip” to the newly opened Crumbl Cookie shop!

Checking out Compton Gardens in Bentonville with Daddy on his lunch break.

Creekside Park in Farmington quickly became one of our favorite hang out places! NWA has so many fun parks!

Ninja Warrior training course.

So many cool swimming spots too!

Backyard fun at our rental house. I loved seeing the boys’ constant creativity!

The many prayer walks on the campus of the U of A for students I was yet to meet and students I would never meet.

First camping trip as a family – Withrow Springs State Park!

First time being in a homeschool co-op.

The Braum’s Book Buddy ice cream reward program was a hit!

Starting the 1,000 Hours Outside challenge that became a lifestyle.

The most gorgeous fall I’d ever experienced.

Daddy getting into disc golf.

The Gathering Place in Tulsa, OK – a definite favorite “special outing place” for our whole crew!

Nathan working hard in construction (and home inspections) to provide for our family!

Christmas at Fayetteville square.

Lake Wedington waterfall hikes – big time favorites!

First snowfall in Arkansas.

Hiking…always hiking!

The coolest library in America!

So much fun was always had at the Amazeum children’s museum!

Sharing our love of Lake Wedington with friends!

Finding a cool stick fort on one of our hikes at Mt. Sequoyah was a highlight for the boys!

Homeschool PE class.

Getting into furniture refinishing and flipping!

A visit from Mom and Dad Britton

We bought a house!

Painting forever.

And ever.

The marriage of Jacob and Maddy. (Yay!)

Home church baby buddies.

That day we went strawberry picking to save Mom’s sanity.

Silver Dollar City-ing it up in Branson for our 9th anniversary!

Endless hours of fun in the creek behind our house!

Entrepreneurs hard at work!

Look who flew in on their own plane to come visit us!

Fossil mining at the Creation Museum in Branson.

Birthday parties with neighbors and friends!

Delightful memories at Devil’s Den State Park

Fun times with cousin Carson who moved to Fayetteville for college!

A visit from the Steeles! Such happy times!

The Wilson Park castle – a favorite!

Top Golf with the pregnant mama crew!

My biggest furniture flip of all!

Homeschool field trip at the fire station with our Gathering Day friends.

Sweet little snow bunny.

The family is growing!

Park school is cool.

Meanwhile, back at Lake Wedington’s waterfall…

Crystal Bridges Art Museum

We got chickens!

Joining the church family at Howe-Savoy Bible Church.

Blueberries for Hozy!

Josiah got baptized!

Micah Jameson joins the Brigade.

Thankful for help from Mom and Dad!

Isaac got baptized!

So much fun at the Boys and Girls Club pool!

Free apple picking? Yes, please!

Connecting with international students from the U of A.

Our “adopted” Nigerian girls!

The beauty of the Natural State is just incredible.

Sweet Naomi, my first U of A friend and amazing resource in the community!

More wonderful friends!

Gorgeous morning walks around the neighborhood.

Hiking yet again at Devil’s Den State Park! This time with all 6 kiddos!

So many cool places to bike abound here in NWA!

A visit from my sister and her family – all the way from Ukraine!

Baby’s first Christmas.

Look how they’ve grown!

Hands-on history at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.

Bible study pancake breakfasts.

Tanyard Springs beauty in Bella Vista.

Serving as moral support during Hannah’s labor and delivery was a dream come true!

SO many stick forts in the backyard!

Lincoln Lake hiking.

Snow fun!

The skies can be breathtaking!

Neighborhood adventures.

Golf ball collecting.

Josiah’s first basketball experience – champions!

Hiking with more sweet friends!

Josiah’s flight at the Springdale municipal airport. He was in awe!

Tulsa zoo memories!

Mt. Kessler hike and bike.

Swimming fun in nearby West Fork!

Celebrating 11 years at Mt. Petit Jean State Park!

Beaver Lake beach baby.

Homeschool night at the Rogers Aquatic Center. We had a blast!

Hiking yet again to Yellow Rock, this time with Grandmommy and Granddaddy!

Field trip to Rocky Branch one room schoolhouse.

The princess and her throne.

Friends are like flowers!

Teaching the Word again. Revelation in 3 hours.

Arkansas will always have a special place in our hearts!!

Merry Christmas from the Britton Brigade!

Dear Friends and Family,

We bring you greetings from northwest Arkansas where we are continuing to love life in “the Natural state!” 2022 has been full of changes and new experiences for us. Here’s a quick year in review! 

In January, we disbanded our home church and joined up with a small Bible church in the area. 

In April, we planted a garden and got chickens!

In May, Nathan and I celebrated 10 years of marriage on an epic trip to CA where we were awed by God’s creation at Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, Muir Woods (a Redwoods sanctuary), and the coastline of San Franciso. Meanwhile, the boys had a blast at Grandpa and Grandma Camp in Ohio and Hosanna stayed with trusted friends.

In June, Josiah made his faith in Christ public by getting baptized. What a joy! 

In July, our sixth child was born – Micah Jameson! Isaac also decided to be baptized! 

In September, we “adopted” three international students from Nigeria through a program at the University of Arkansas. 

In October, Nathan accepted a staff position with a camping ministry up in MN – Whetstone Adventures – that will begin next summer and eventually lead to him becoming the director of a new Biblical training program for young adults as well as the camp administrator. (We will live here in AR for the majority of the school year and spend extended summers up in MN.) We began fundraising for this upcoming chapter of our lives and have been so blessed by God’s provision through some of you! 

In November, we enjoyed the visit of my sister’s family whom we hadn’t seen in four years due to their service as missionaries in Ukraine. We also made a quick trip to Texas to connect with family over Thanksgiving.

In December, I had the tremendous joy and privilege of serving dear friends as an unofficial “doula” during the birth of their second son. 

Tucked in and amongst all these “mountain top moments” were, of course, the everyday life moments (and challenges!) of homeschooling, child training, baby care, Nathan’s construction job, discipleship, Bible studies, preaching opportunities, piano lessons, hosting friends and family, and time in the great outdoors. We have so much to be thankful for! Now for a little update from each of the children:

Micah:
I was born at home on July 5 and immediately became the favorite brother! I have been greatly loved and doted on by all my adoring family. I am able to roll and can almost sit up on my own. Jumping in my jumper is one of my favorite activities. (But of course my very favorite is nursing and riding on Mommy’s hip.) She says I have the chubbiest cheeks of all the babies! I am the first with a dimple in my cheek, the first to suck my thumb, and a cuddly, happy boy.

Hosanna:
I am three fingers old! I like to play the matching game “Memory.” I also like to play with friends and with Magnatiles. I have been learning my letters in preschool. We read books and paint and make things in the kitchen that are really good. I like cupcakes and cookies. I like presents at Christmas and eating candy canes. Jesus really loves me. Merry Christmas!

Silas:
I am 5 years old. I like helping fix things. I am in preschool right now. So far, I have gotten to the letter O in the alphabet. We play games in preschool and read books. I am making a tee-pee with my neighbors by the creek behind our house. We’re using two hand saws and hedge clippers. I went to a Christmas parade where I saw my favorite type of truck: a firetruck! I want to be a firefighter when I grow up.

Adoniah:
I went to Minnesota this past summer with my daddy, my brother Jo, and some church and work friends. While there, I fished and camped and canoed and ate yummy food! I caught two small fish! When we got back, we celebrated my 7th birthday. I invited my friends and ate a dinosaur cake. In school my favorite things are math, language arts, and reading. I also really like listening to audio books. Sometimes we go swimming at the Boys and Girls Club. I like to go down the slide with the water! 

Josiah:
I love sports, climbing things, baking, drawing, and reading. Some of my current favorite books are the A-Z Mystery books and the I Survived series. For a library reading program prize, I got to go to an old fashioned arcade where I played old fashioned video games. At our church, I was in a Christmas play about The Tale of Three Trees and in one about the birth of Jesus. Oh, and I am eight years old!

Isaac:
I am nine years old. I like playing sports with neighbor friends – especially soccer, basketball, and football. This winter, I’ll be playing basketball on a local team in our community. Some of my other current interests include archery, Lego stop motion, drawing, and puzzles. I really enjoyed going to the Gathering Place this fall (a giant playground in Tulsa, OK). Playing on the castle structure is my favorite thing to do there! My baby brother, Micah, was born this past year. He is fun to play with!

We think of each of you with fondness and gratitude! May this Christmas season be a time of rejoicing in the coming of Jesus to be the Savior of the world, and may the new year ahead be full of anticipation for His return!

In His Grace,
The Britton Brigade
Nathan, Katrina, Isaac, Josiah, Adoniah, Silas, Hosanna, and Micah 

Addendum to our Christmas letter (from my heart to yours!):

In November I received a phone call from my mom notifying me that my Aunt Mary, one of her older sisters, had passed away unexpectedly and for no known reason at the time. It was a sobering reminder that our days on this earth are fleeting and that any one of us could pass from this life at any time. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. 

Ever since her death, I have felt an urgency to share with others, especially people I care about, this reminder that our days are numbered. More importantly, I want to ask you these questions: When your time comes to die, where will you be spending eternity? Are you 100% certain that you will be in heaven with God? Why or why not?

The first time I was asked these questions, I was a teenager. And they rocked my world. I had to be honest with myself and admit that I was not 100% certain of my eternal destination. At first, I would have said that I hoped I would go to heaven because I was a “good kid.” I believed in God. I went to church. I tried to obey my parents. I read the Bible (sometimes). And I asked forgiveness of my sins when I did wrong. Would these efforts be enough?

Suddenly, I wasn’t sure. But I wanted to be. Was it even possible to know for sure where you were headed when you died?

Around this same time, I encountered these words of Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23:

Many will say to me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (emphasis added)

For the first time in my life, I began to question my eternal destination. What if I was one of those people whom Jesus would turn away…even though I called Him Lord and did good things? My performance-based religion was not holding up very well in light of this Scripture.

Little by little, exposure to God’s Word brought conviction to my soul about the true nature of my heart and life. I realized that I was only calling myself “good” when compared to other people and cultural expectations. But when my character was compared to that of the Lord God of creation, the One who was perfectly righteous and holy in every way, I came up dismally short. In reality, my heart was filled with pride and secret rebellion. I was selfish at my core. I had broken God’s laws more times than I could count. (For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. James 2:10)

Up until this point, I had heard and believed in a head knowledge sort of way that Jesus was the Savior of the world and that He died to save us from our sins. But it was such a generic statement and really held no meaning to me personally. (Notice that my answers to the Big Questions above contained nothing about Jesus. It was all about me and what I could do to *maybe* earn heaven.) Now, however, I was beginning to understand that I, personally, was a sinner. I, personally, had broken God’s laws and done evil in His sight. And therefore, I needed a personal Savior if I was to have any hope of eternal life.

Romans 3 has a lot to say about the human race and its corruption. In one place it declares that “there is none righteous, no not one.” And in another: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Imagine for a moment that every wrong thing you’ve ever done, every dirty thought you’ve ever had, every unkind/profane word you’ve ever spoken was played for all to see on a giant movie screen. Perhaps this imagery makes it easier to understand the seriousness of our sin before a holy God who sees and knows all and before whom we will be judged.

Romans goes on to tell us that this sin has a penalty. “The wages of sin is death…”

Death. That horrible, awful word no one likes to think about or talk about. The death referred to in this verse isn’t just a physical departing of the spirit/soul from the body but an eternal death. A forever separation from God in a place of torment. That is how serious sin is to God. Not something to be glazed over or excused away. Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

As God began to convict me through the Holy Spirit from His Word about my sinful condition, I began to hunger and thirst for righteousness like never before. I began to read the Bible because I actually wanted to, not because my mom made me. And as I did, I was inwardly crying out to God for answers and for assurance about my eternal destination.

About a month later, I came to the book of 1 John and there in chapter 5, verses 12-13, the truth could not have been any more clear. “He who has the Son has life, and He who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”

It was like a line in the sand had been drawn. All people fall on one side of that line or the other. You either have Jesus as your Savior, or you have yourself. You either trust in His finished work on the cross where He died to pay the wages of sin and take upon Himself the wrath of God in your place, or you trust in yourself and all your religious attempts to appease the Father. It’s either/or, not both/and.

God showed me in that moment, through the truth of His Word, that I did not have the Son and therefore did not have eternal life. But I could have Him, simply by receiving the gift of salvation through faith and trust in Him! There is a second half to Romans 6:23: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is the gospel – the good news – that is for all people!

When we went to Texas a few weeks ago to spend Thanksgiving with my family, my aunt gave us the gift of a beautiful stocking she had crafted with love for our new baby. It’s one of those fancy stockings with felt pictures and sequins, the kind that takes time to make. What if I had offered to pay for that stocking? Do you think she would have wanted to accept money for it? Of course not! If I had paid for the stocking, it would no longer have been a gift. And nothing I could have paid would have accounted for the love, time, and effort that was put into this cheery work of art.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 There is absolutely nothing we can do to earn the gift of a Savior or pay for salvation! If we did, it would no longer be a gift.

Our world is full of performance-based religion and always has been. Therefore, we have been conditioned to think that if we can just do enough good and check the right boxes (baptism, church attendance, prayers, giving money to charity, keeping sacraments/ordinances, being kind, etc.), we will earn God’s favor, forgiveness for our sins, and eternal life. If our good deeds will just outweigh our bad deeds, we’ll have our golden ticket to heaven. But according to the truth of God’s Word, performance-based religion has no place. “If righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Galatians 2:21

Think about that profound truth! If we could earn heaven by our own righteousness, our own attempts to keep God’s law, then why in the world did Jesus go to the cross and suffer its horrific agonies? Why did He shed His blood as the sacrificial Lamb of God? Jesus’ harshest criticism was for the religious elite who thought their bloodline, their circumcision, and their keeping of the law gave them superior standing before God. “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

John 1:12: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

That unforgettable day in September, 1999, when I finally understood that I did not have the Son of God as my personal Savior, I turned away from my failing attempts at righteousness and received by faith His gift of salvation from the penalty of my sins! He became my Savior and Lord! I was born again as a child of God and made into a new creature, one who wore the righteous robes of Christ instead of my own filthy rags. Now, if you ask me where I am going when I die, I can tell you with 100% certainty that I will be with Jesus in heaven, and when He comes back to make a new heaven and a new earth, I will live with Him forever on it. My assurance is not based on anything I bring to the table, but only upon His finished work on the cross and His resurrection from the dead! His promises are sure and unchanging. His grace is sufficient.

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us… that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7
(The word hope in Scripture means assurance!)

I urge you again to ask yourself if you know for sure where you will spend eternity! Nothing is more important than making sure you have eternal life before you leave this earth. As was the case with my aunt, none of us know when we will breath our last. That is why Scripture declares that “today is the day of salvation.” We are offered peace with God through Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Believe on the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved! And then let good works be the outflowing of a life transformed by and surrendered to Him, the FRUIT of His righteousness in you!

Fall Update and Exciting News!

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

Greetings from Northwest Arkansas at the time of year that is truly a feast for the eyes! As a native of south Texas, where fall colors were barely existent during my growing up years, I don’t think I shall ever tire of seeing the reds, golds, yellows, and oranges of autumn that grace the trees and bushes right now! The days have been mostly warm and sunny, the nights cool and crisp, which I understand contributes to especially brilliant colors.

Since the time of my last writing, things have been going well for our family. The children are making good progress in school and Micah is growing like a weed! (A cute, chubby weed!) In September, we received our match-up with an international student for the year. Her name is Mercy and she is a graduate student from Nigeria. Our interactions with her quickly expanded to include her two housemates, Elizabeth and Shalom (also from Nigeria). We have been able to see them almost once a week, take them shopping for necessary items, and have them in our home for a meal and games. It has been a blessing to get to know them and encourage them in their Christian faith while they are so far from home and family.

This fall has also brought some exciting developments regarding future hopes and plans that we are eager to share with you!

As you might recall from our last letter, I had asked for prayers regarding Nathan’s future.  He had reached a point where he was considering a return to full-time vocational ministry of some sort but did not know what exactly. Though he was grateful for the job the Lord had provided in construction/remodeling work, and though he was making the most of the opportunities that had opened for teaching God’s Word to various young men, he was restless at the thought of things continuing as they were indefinitely. He wanted to do more with his skills and gifts. I, myself, began to wonder why it was that God had so clearly brought us to Northwest Arkansas – much as we loved living here! Surely there was a greater purpose behind it all…but what?

We began to have conversations about the future and what it might possibly hold. Training young people in the knowledge and application of the Bible was always central to Nathan’s desires as well as long-term discipleship opportunities. 

Then, in September, Nathan’s boss, Ron Fuhrman, called to tell him how much he valued Nathan as an employee and that he was going to give him a raise! (This alone was a huge blessing with inflation hitting hard!) He also told Nathan that he would like to officially invite him to be part of the ministry he runs in the summertime up in Minnesota called Whetstone Ministries. (More on that in a moment.) Nathan was excited at this possibility since he has twice participated in week-long adventure trips with Whetstone for the last two summers along with a couple of our boys and enjoyed them very much. Ron was interested in having our family come for 1-2 months next summer so that Nathan could help with various aspects of the ministry. We started discussing how we could make that work logistically and financially…

A week or two went by and then there was another conversation with Ron during which the possibility of joining Whetstone as long-term staff in subsequent summers was discussed. Mention was also made about Nathan becoming the new administrator of the whole ministry when Ron (who is in his 70s) is no longer able to run it!  Since then, the Board of Whetstone has met and agreed favorably to move in this direction. Whoa! What a gift of possibilities was being dropped into our laps so quickly! We both felt deeply blessed by all that was transpiring in answer to our prayers for direction and open doors from the Lord.  

Let me pause for a moment (because there are yet more developments to share!) and tell you a little bit about Whetstone.  Whetstone Ministries, from here on referred to as WM, facilitates wilderness camping experiences on the Boundary Waters of northern Minnesota. The Boundary Waters are world renowned for fishing, beautiful wilderness, and wildlife. The current focus of WM targets men of all ages, especially fathers and sons, providing an opportunity to get away from the busyness of life and spend undistracted time in the Word of God while out in creation. The base camp location includes a bunk house, a bathhouse, and a main house where Ron and his wife live and serve meals from. Groups of 8 or 9 per week come to utilize these facilities and receive guidance in canoes on the Boundary Waters. Some groups stay onsite the whole time, but most paddle around the waters and make camp at rustic sites throughout the week, fishing along the way. Some groups bring their own leader to teach from Scripture and some want WM to provide the teaching.

Nathan’s role as a staff member with Whetstone starting next summer will be to help wherever needed.  Current aspects of the ministry include preparations for incoming groups, maintaining the facilities, leading Boundary Water trips, teaching the Word to incoming groups, and developing additional possibilities for the future. Some of these possibilities include expansion of the facilities to accommodate couples and families. He has also been given approval by Ron and the board of directors to begin plans for a brand new “biblical life application training course” for young adults called Beyond Basics that they hope to launch within three years. 

The vision behind Beyond Basics is to develop biblically literate believers who:

– live confidently in the faith, not confused by whirlwinds of doctrine 

– learn how to properly apply Scripture in their daily lives, no matter what their specific future holds

– are useful and fruitful in all walks of life

– train others in these truths

The initial plan for the program is to bring in a small group of young adults to the Whetstone property for 4-6 months. There they will receive Bible training, have opportunity to both take and assist with trips onto the Boundary Waters, serve in local churches through organized outreaches like VBS, sports camps, etc., help with building projects on the Whetstone property and family camps, and have opportunity to travel on optional learning and/or mission trips. It is hoped that graduates of the course will go forth as leaders who will interpret Scripture well and live life with certainty about their role in God’s story.

As we stand on the cusp of this new chapter of our lives, we are both humbled and excited to see God’s hand so clearly at work! Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps.” It is clear to us that the Lord is the one who has been directing our steps here to Arkansas, allowing our paths to cross with the Fuhrmans, and now opening doors of opportunity for being part of Whetstone Ministries! We eagerly look forward to what He has in store for the future, though there are yet many unknowns. 

In order to live in Minnesota for a month next summer and then for increasing amounts in following years, it will be necessary for Nathan to step away from income-producing work during that time. While Whetstone Ministries does charge a fee to groups coming to use its facilities, it is also financially supported by individuals and churches in order to keep these fees reasonable while still covering costs and allowing for expansions. By agreeing to join the staff of Whetstone, we are now in need of raising support to help cover our own cost of living during the times we are away from Arkansas and are humbly seeking financial partners, both for this upcoming summer and future efforts. (During the rest of the year, Nathan will return to working construction with Ron’s local company.)   

Much to our amazement, God has already graciously brought in some of what we will need for next summer through a couple of generous individuals! “Where God guides, He provides.” We are still in need of $3500 and would be so thankful for any gift toward this amount! If you would like to contribute, donations can be made online via PayPal at https://www.whetstoneministries.com/contact or via check to:

Whetstone Ministries
PO Box 1657 
Farmington, AR 72730

All donations to Whetstone Ministries are tax-deductible. Just note that your contribution is in support of the Britton family. 

For anyone interested in keeping up with the ongoing developments of the Whetstone facility and ministries, Ron and Joyce would love to include you on their newsletter list as well! (Email or hard copy options are available.) Please respond to this email if you would like to receive these regular updates.

I am including pictures below from the trips Nathan has taken to MN thus far so you can get an idea of what the adventure trips look like on the Boundary Waters. 

If you have any questions or would like more information about what we are hoping to accomplish in the next many years, please reach out! We would love to schedule a phone call or video chat with you to explain more. It is always a delight to hear from you!

Thank you for being such faithful friends and family over the years and over the miles! Thank you for all your prayers for us up to this point. Please continue to pray for us to walk in God’s will, to have wisdom for future plans and programs to be developed, and to stay strong in our relationship with Christ and with each other! Learning how to juggle life in two locations will be a stretching experience for me as the homemaker, so I would appreciate prayers toward that end as well. (For those wondering, we will plan to live in an RV on the Whetstone property next summer. Future summers will hopefully see the construction or renovation of additional housing.)

We can’t take this step of faith without encouragement and support, so please know how truly grateful we are for you all!

With much love in the Lord,

Nathan, Katrina, and the rest of the Brigade

Homeschool Choices For The New School Year

We are about 5 weeks in to the 2022-2023 school year, and I wanted to take some time to document the curriculum we are using this year, the rhythms and routines we have established, as well as a couple new elements we are including for the first time that are working out really well! I love reading what other homeschool families use and do (especially when juggling a number of different ages), and often glean ideas from such sharing…so now it’s my turn! 🙂

If you are new to my blog or our family, you can read why we choose to homeschool here.

Before diving in, let me speak a word about “style.” One of the many beauties of homeschooling is the freedom to choose a style or combine several different styles that you like for teaching/learning. When I attended my first homeschool convention 6 years ago, I picked up a free DVD from one of the booths in the vendor hall that I found extremely helpful in understanding five of the main styles out there (Classical, Charlotte Mason, Unschooling, Unit Study, Traditional/Text Book). That same brief video explanation can now be viewed online here.

In The Call of the Wild & Free book, several other styles are also added to this line-up including Montessori and Waldorf. In fact, the author of the book has now coined the term “Wild and Free” as a style in and of itself. Maybe that is the style I would fall into since I combine several different methods and approaches based on what works best for us!

I lean toward a Charlotte Mason style in many ways by being literature based, utilizing copywork and narration, and making time for being in nature (although we don’t really do formal nature studies at the moment…or fine art studies for that matter). I also really love unit study approaches that tie all the subjects together as much as possible. For these reasons and more, the Sonlight curriculum we use is a good combination of a Charlotte Mason and unit study style, while also being very global/missions-oriented, which I love! For math and grammar, we are straight up text-book users!

One thing the Sonlight program taught me is to divide our day between “couch subjects” and “table subjects.” The couch subjects are the ones we do together, family style. For us, this includes Bible Time, history, read-alouds, art, and science. The table subjects are the ones done by each child individually based on their own pace/grade level such as math and language arts.

Another topic I want to address is preschool. Interestingly, preschool has become somewhat of a controversial topic in recent decades. While American society at large has experienced a huge push toward starting formal academics at the tender ages of 3 and 4, many within the homeschool movement have given a lot of push-back to that way of thinking, citing boatloads of research demonstrating that play-based learning is the best way to teach little ones. Delaying formal academics (such as the type that require pencil and paper) until they are developmentally ready has proven to be much more beneficial.

In our home, I have taken this research to heart and adopted a hands-on, play-based model for my preschoolers that is also rich with literature. That said, I have also catered to the individual interest level of each of my kids when it comes to academic readiness. Isaac was identifying letters/sounds of the alphabet and sounding out simple words at age 2 1/2 simply because we played regularly with wooden blocks that had letters on them. He was a bright, inquisitive, and eager learner who was stimulated by more formal learning earlier than other of our children. Silas, my current 5 year old, on the other hand, struggles to remember letter names from one day to the next. I have learned to be relaxed with the preschool years, taking a gentle approach to learning that keeps it fun and simple and recognizing that each child will learn at his/her own pace…even if that means they don’t learn to read until age 7 or 8.

I have also found that my little ones are usually eager to “do school” with me because they see their older siblings doing various activities and don’t want to be left out. Filling their cups at the beginning of the day and giving concentrated time to them helps tremendously with a smoother school day for everyone else when my attention needs to go elsewhere.

I will be the first to say that the preschool years don’t need an actual curriculum. Lots of good books, puzzles, educational play things, time in nature, and every day life activities are sufficient! However, using a curriculum can also be really helpful for giving ideas to implement with young ones. That was certainly the case for me! For the past 6 years, we have used a curriculum from the Homegrown Preschooler called A Year of Playing Skillfully that I have absolutely loved! However, I must admit that after teaching it for so many years in a row, I was burned out on it. Going into this school year with Silas and Hosanna as my current preschoolers, I knew I needed something new to teach in order to recapture the enthusiasm and energy they deserved from me.

Enter The Peaceful Preschool.
This curriculum, published by The Peaceful Press, has been a great fit! Honestly, I am quite impressed by everything I have seen come forth from The Peaceful Press, though this is the first time we have actually utilized their materials. The Peaceful Preschool is a literature and project based curriculum that focuses on one letter of the alphabet each week. Since learning letters is what I especially wanted to focus on with Silas this year, The Peaceful Preschool seemed like a really great choice. We are all enjoying it so much! From the great picture books to the recipes we make and the art projects we tackle, the ideas given in this program are perfect for us right now!

I also love ideas that I pick up from the Busy Toddler Instagram page for those occasional days when I need something extra to give to little hands for a special activity they can work on while I school the older boys.

Okay. With all that introductory material explained, let’s dive into our curriculum choices for this school year!

Bible Time
This is something we started at the very beginning of having children once Isaac hit the toddler age. Before “Morning Time” or the “Morning Basket” was really a “thing” spoken of in nearly every homeschool circle, Bible Time was an anchor to our mornings. I have not seen the need to add composer or art studies into our “basket” simply because Bible Time is rather full as it is and by the time we get through all that Bible Time includes, the children’s attention spans are expired and they need a break! (This is one of our couch subjects that we do all together.)

Over the past many years, we have read through a total of 5 or so different children’s Bibles or pictorial Bibles in an effort to provide a strong foundation in knowing the chronological flow of Scripture and the overall narrative. Some years, we have used the Bible portion of the Sonlight program, reading whatever passages straight from Scripture that were suggested each day and discussing them.

This year, I had the desire (and saw the need) to focus on learning/building specific character qualities. Since all good character is rooted in God’s character, I was praying about the best way to do a character study from Scripture and He led me to the book of Proverbs. Of course! In my teen years, reading a Proverb a day was part of our daily rhythm. Now that some of my children are older and more readily able to understand the passages, reading Proverbs seemed like a good fit, and it has been!

We all gather in the living room where we read and discuss the Proverb of the day (or part of it as some chapters are too long to get through in this season with so much explanation taking place). Then we work on Scripture memory, which right now is various Proverbs about topics like self-control, telling the truth, and using our words well. We will also typically review past passages we have memorized. I try to leave enough time to read a short chapter from a book called Wisdom and the Millers, which ties applicable stories in with the Proverb of the day (sometimes we skip this, though, or move it to our afternoon read-aloud time). Then we sing a hymn or two and end with prayer.

I decided this school year to focus on one character quality per month and one new hymn per month. Since September’s character focus is obedience, we are learning all the verses to a hymn by the same name. 🙂

If I ever feel the need to pull hands-on project learning into Bible Time, I like the looks of the (free!) Kids of Integrity lesson plans put out by Focus on the Family.

Math
In the past, we have used two different curriculums for math including both Math-U-See and Mathematical Reasoning from the Critical Thinking Company. Since we school year round, the children would do one book from each company for each grade level. There were different benefits to both programs, and I liked using both for a well-rounded math education.

However, starting last semester, I pared things down to just Mathematical Reasoning for the time being. I needed to simplify my life by not having to make copies of the Math-U-See lessons each day, set up the DVD lesson, etc. The Mathematical Reasoning workbooks are very open and go, colorful, interesting, and solid with some unique critical thinking activities built in. I have been pleased with them overall and plan to continue for the foreseeable future until we hit higher levels of math that I know I will want those Math-U-See instructional DVDs for again. 😉 We still use the MUS blocks when needed, though, and when Silas starts a formal workbook, I will use the MUS Primer book at some point along the way because you just can’t beat MUS Decimal Street for learning place value!

History and Literature
For these subjects, we have been Sonlight users from the beginning and are happily starting our 5th year (Core E) with Sonlight’s living book recommendations! It is the second of two years focusing on American History. We have been in the pioneer era of westward expansion thus far and are soon moving into the Civil War period. Later in the year we will also cover the time periods of World War 1 and 2, which my boys are excited about!

We have encountered SO many good books using Sonlight! I often wonder how many of these we would have missed had we not gone with this curriculum. I will sometimes tweak the book list suggestions by subtracting or adding to it as necessary, but for the most part, I stick with what is laid out in the curriculum. (The main thing I have adjusted is the history spine book itself. When we did world history, we used Story of the World books for our spine rather than the one suggested. With American History, we dropped the spine, which I felt was too high level/dry, and are just focusing on the living books.) And now that we are in upper elementary/early middle school levels of books, I am pulling some younger, easier readers on the same topics in for my younger kids. This way we are all still tracking along the same time periods in history with stories that are engaging for all ages.

History and read-aloud time in the afternoons is a favorite for all of us!

Isaac and Josiah also use the literature readers the correspond with their Sonlight language arts segments, but more on that below.

Language Arts
Language arts includes so much from phonics/learning to read, handwriting, spelling, composition, and grammar!

For the first few years of formal academics, we use and love the Logic of English Foundations series (LOE) which is all inclusive of most of those components. This has laid a very solid foundation for my boys in learning to read, especially, as well as early spelling abilities. While I appreciate the fact that LOE encourages learning cursive first (which we have chosen to do), I am not a fan of the handwriting instruction LOE gives. Instead, I have the children learn to form letters with a dry erase tracing book and then practice with copywork as it comes up in the LOE workbooks or with thank you notes, Bible verses, etc.

Isaac completed levels A-D which is the entire Foundations program. That took him through second grade. For third grade last year, we used the Sonlight language arts program that came with our Core D curriculum. I was very pleased with how it taught him creative writing and how to organize a paragraph in simple, doable chunks that made his least favorite subject less overwhelming and actually enjoyable to him (for the most part).

Since we also had the language arts component of Core E for this year already on hand, I decided to go ahead and give it a try to see how we’ll like it. I might also pull in some creative writing supplementary material from The Good and the Beautiful that I am interested in for Isaac. (In the future, I hope to use both Wordsmith Apprentice as well as the Institute for Excellence in Writing, which are two programs I used as a student that helped shape my writing for the better.)

Josiah got about 3/4 of the way through Foundations D last year but rather than finishing it this year, I have bumped him into Sonlight’s grade 3 language arts just like Isaac used. I am hoping for similar results with Josiah!

Adoniah is still in level C of LOE so we are plugging ahead with that! He is making steady progress and is slowly gaining in reading fluidity. In addition to LOE, he reads Bob Books and other phonics-based readers out-loud to me for extra practice.

Since LOE and Sonlight are both pretty light on grammar, Isaac and Josiah are also using Easy Grammar worksheets for grammar instruction and practice twice a week.

Spelling
For both older boys, I switched them to Spelling You See this year instead of continuing with Spell to Write and Read (which we had used the last couple of years and which corresponded with LOE phonograms). Spell To Write and Read was just too teacher-intensive for the season we are in and nobody enjoyed it much last year. Plus, I wasn’t impressed with the longterm results I was seeing in either child.

Spelling You See, on the other hand, has proven to be a great choice so far! Once Isaac and Josiah got the hang of the lesson format, they have come to really enjoy it! I love that they can be independent with the assignments until the dictation day at the end of the week. I also appreciate how SYS teaches spelling within the context of written pieces rather than random lists. Lots of copywork is utilized for this program, so they also get handwriting practice out of it. And best of all, I am already seeing major improvement in their spelling abilities! Because Logic of English was our foundation, I change a few of the vowel/consonant “chunks” to line up with the LOE phonograms. Therefore, I think SYS is a good follow-up to LOE.

It just so happens that all of Isaac’s copywork/dictation passages focus on American History right now, so that works our perfectly with all the reading and learning we are doing in that department! Josiah’s copywork/dictation passages utilize well known nursery rhymes and poems that he is mostly familiar with. The next level he moves into will be all about animal information. Since he loves animals so much, I think he will enjoy those passages!

Science
We have tried several different science curriculums over the years but had not found one that was a good fit for our family until we did a unity study from The Good and the Beautiful this past spring on the topic of space! Finally! A science program that was cohesive, easy to use, engaging, hands-on, thorough, great for multiple ages, and beautiful to boot!

We will definitely be using more from TGATB in the future, probably come spring or summer (when we usually do deep dives into science). I have my eye on two or three different units I think the boys will really like!

For this semester, however, science is happening in the kitchen! Each boy has a different day assigned that they are the meal helper for all three meals. I hope to help increase their confidence and capability in the kitchen while teaching them the basic chemistry of cooking. 🙂

Typing
Isaac started learning to type last semester with the free program from typing.com. He loved it, he could do it by himself, and there are games that go along with the program, so it was a winning situation all around!

Isaac just finished up all the lessons in the program and has progressed now to longer practice pieces. He also gets to type most of his compositions.

Josiah just started typing with the same program this semester and has declared it to be his new favorite subject!

They do typing two days a week on the days they don’t do extra grammar.

Music/Piano
I have been my children’s one and only piano teacher from the beginning, and it has been rough. It is hard to be consistent with lessons, it is hard for them to respect me the same way they would another teacher (they often goof off during lessons), and until I implemented a “music money” reward system, it was hard for them to want to be diligent about practicing. For some reason, teaching reading and math is much easier than teaching one’s own children a musical instrument!

However, providing private lessons with a different teacher has not been feasible with our budget. Plus, that would involve time driving to lessons and waiting with little ones, etc., so as hard as it has been to teach my own children, I have stuck with it year after year because it is important to me that they receive musical training.

This year, just for grins, I decided to look into the Hoffman Academy, which offers all of its online video lessons for free! I had never understood before how one could learn to play an instrument without an actual teacher providing instruction and accountability, but I thought it would be worth a try. And wow! I have been SO impressed with the lessons from Mr. Hoffman! The kids also LOVE them! We actually all sit together for about 15 minutes after Bible Time to watch the next lesson.

Even though the initial lessons are very beginner and more geared for Adoniah who is just now re-starting, I wanted my older boys to watch them too in order to learn the ear training and solfege aspects that Mr. Hoffman emphasizes. They also continue to practice music of their own interest and I check in with them periodically to offer advice or “pass” them on a song. Overall, I am hugely thankful for the Hoffman Academy and how it has provided an “outside teacher” to do the instructing (for free!) while I simply provide oversight and help when needed!

Art
We are trying something new this year by dedicating time once a week to what I am calling “water color journaling.” This simply means using water color pencils to sketch a picture depicting something we have been learning/reading about in the week and then going over the colors with a water brush to get a more painted look. The pictures are all then placed in a binder which will provide a birds’ eye view of what we studied throughout the school year. I try to join the children on this practice each week too! So far, everyone is really enjoying it!

Besides the water color journaling, the boys regularly watch YouTube drawing tutorials on their own and practice as they watch. We also do various crafts throughout the year.

That pretty much sums up the gist of our main subjects. “What about extra curricular?”, you may ask.
These change from semester to semester. Currently, we are participating in a monthly book club with a few homeschool friends, the occasional field trip or play date, and swimming for recreation at the local Boys and Girls Club where we have a membership. Isaac would like to play basketball this fall/winter. Josiah is being trained by a man at our church in hunting and is hoping to take down a deer in November that he will then learn to process. Come spring, we will probably have a few boys in soccer. In general we try to keep extra curricular activities limited and intentional in order to leave plenty of time for good ol’ fashioned outside play.

Rhythms/Routines
Now that you know what curriculum choices we have made for the year, let’s talk about rhythms and routines! All children do well with structure and routine to their day. But I have found it is especially essential when schooling multiple ages in order to get around to everyone’s needs.

This year I have been using checklists for Isaac, Josiah, and Adoniah in order to help them become more independent with their daily responsibilities. It is nice to be at the point in life where they are able to do quite a few things on their own (especially the older two), and it helps them to know what the expectations are for each day. They have a lot of freedom to arrange their day the way they wish outside of couch subjects and are learning the beginnings of time management in this way.

We seek to accomplish our main academic load Monday-Thursday and leave Fridays for “Friday Fun Day,” which can include field trips, outings to the library or park, hikes, book club once a month, or other special activities. This is also the day we do our watercolor journaling. Isaac and Josiah have their spelling dictation days on Fridays (which are similar to tests) and we may do some out-loud reading, but most of the other academics are laid to rest.

For our Monday-Thursday routine, here is a breakdown of each day:
7:00 – rise, tidy rooms, personal grooming (they have to pass a room inspection each day)
7:15 – breakfast, followed by morning chores (each child has the same chore assigned every morning such as unloading the dishwasher, wiping the table, or sweeping).
Free play (outside or inside) or freedom to start on independent work
8:30 – I try to start preschool sometime between 8:30 and 9:00 with Silas and Hosanna (older boys do independent work which includes math, handwriting or spelling, literature, grammar or typing, and piano)
9:30 – everyone gathers for Bible Time in the living room
10:15 – Music lesson on the computer and/or snack
10:30 – I start my rotation between the three older boys focusing on language arts and any questions they have had with math. I do a half hour of one-on-one time with each one. Meanwhile, the others are playing or doing independent work.
12:00 – lunch prep, eating lunch (during which we sometimes listen to a school-related audiobook or watch a video on YouTube), after lunch chores

The afternoon has a bit more of a flexible feel to it depending on when we finish lunch and what remains in the day. They may go outside for some recess or work on Lego stop motion videos while I help clean up the kitchen, put Hosanna down for a nap, or help a child finish a school assignment.
At some point, we will gather for our final couch time during which we read our history, poetry, and read-aloud selections for the day. Sometimes this is before “Quiet Time” and sometimes this is afterwards. Quiet Time means everyone resting in their own space with books or audiobooks or taking a nap. It lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour for the older crew (including me!) and longer for Hosanna.

Two days a week I teach piano lessons in the afternoon, so Quiet Time takes place during these lessons and reading together usually takes place afterward.

Most days, we are done with school by 3:00 or 3:30. Of course mixed into this whole routine is lots of nursing of a baby which I do alongside whatever activity or teaching moment is going on at the time.

Each day of the week is one particular child’s assigned laundry and meal prep day. They wash their own clothes, hang them up on the clothesline out back, and put them away at the end of the day. They also help prepare all three meals that day. To keep things simple, we start on Monday with Isaac, and work in age order down the line throughout the week. I love that they are learning practical life skills in this way!

New Additions To Our School year
In closing, I am excited to tell you about a couple final “new additions” that I have been quite pleased with!

Based on the need for focusing on character building this year and in an effort to include Nathan in our day a bit more, I typed up a report card document that gets filled out for each child and turned in to Daddy at the dinner table each evening. The children get to fill out one for me too! The report cards have 7 character qualities listed that I saw a need for working on in various children:
– obedient/respectful to Mom
– kind words and hands toward siblings and friends
– immediately put things away after use (orderly)
– thorough with chores
– willing/cheerful attitude toward school work
– self-controlled (especially in regards to anger and impulsiveness)
– did not complain or whine (content)

These character qualities also line up with the ones we will be focusing on each month.
My report card is similar but slightly customized for what I wanted to work on!

Next to each category are 5 blank stars. The stars get filled in based on how well each child did that day with each category. One star means very poor, five stars mean excellent! It has been so good for all of us (especially me!) to have this accountability. And it gives Nathan a good understanding of how our day went in the behavior department. If there is ever a day when everyone has 4 or 5 stars for everything, we get ice cream!

Along with the report cards, I also write up quiz questions for Nathan to ask the children based on topics they covered in school that day. Some questions are for the group and some are tailored for an individual child. It’s become a sort of trivia game that everyone enjoys participating in and it’s made for a lot more conversation around the dinner table!


Well, if you’ve made it to the end of this extra lengthy post, kudos to you!
When I envisioned writing this article, I honestly didn’t expect my explanations to be this long-winded…but I should have known better! Ha! I view homeschooling as an extension of my mothering, all of which is my full time job and something I am passionate about. Talking all the details about curriculum and methods that are working well is kind of a favorite. 😉

I wouldn’t be where I am as a homeschooling mother today if not for the many voices that have spoken into my life along the way sharing encouragement, inspiration, helpful ideas, and practical tips. Beginning with my own mom and continuing with books, friends, and a few select Instagram accounts, I am truly thankful for the opportunity to have learned from so many! I hope to be a similar voice for others as well.

What a privilege it is to share life alongside our children in this way!

The Home Birth of Micah Jameson

After being locked out of my blog for over a year (for some unknown reason), I have just recently discovered that I am able to log back in and compose posts once again! What better way to re-inaugurate this space for writing than by telling the tale of my 6th baby’s arrival into the world!

In some ways, it seemed as though Micah’s birth was the longest one yet, even though active labor was technically only a handful of hours. As has been the pattern with my previous three babies, though, I experienced prodromal labor for weeks leading up to his actual birth. Prodromal labor is different than Braxton Hicks. Sometimes called “false labor,” prodromal labor feels like the real thing with real contractions that build in intensity, get closer together, sometimes are even painful and require concentration to work through. However, after a few hours, they eventually dissipate and all returns to normal.

The hardest thing for me about prodromal labor is the mental aspect. Since there is always the possibility that it could be “the real deal,” I gear up psychologically for the mental exercise that labor involves. I get my hopes up that maybe this experience will end with me holding a baby in my arms and crossing that finish line of pregnancy and delivery at last!

When instead the contractions just fizzle out and I am left still hugely pregnant, uncomfortable, and waiting yet again for the unknown timing of this highly anticipated event, it can be exhausting on many levels…especially when prodromal labor eats up multiple hours of my night and prevents sleep. I try to comfort myself with the knowledge that each round of prodromal labor is preparing my uterus for the future day of actually bringing Baby into the world and is doing its job moving him lower into place. But even with these pep talks, I find prodromal labor one of the most challenging aspects of the final weeks of pregnancy. Then when “real” labor finally does kick in, I second guess myself the whole time wondering if this is just another practice round and if I should actually call the midwife or not.

With Micah’s birth, I experienced 4 solid rounds of prodromal labor starting at week 38; the most yet! The first time it happened, though, I really did think it was the real thing, past patterns notwithstanding. Not only had I been having real contractions that were getting longer and closer together (over the course of 6 hours), I also had some “bloody show” as my mucus plug was starting to come out – which has ALWAYS been a sure sign I was in actual labor! So I called my nurse-midwife, Phebe, and we decided it would be prudent for her to come to the house along with her assistant in case this labor went quickly. An hour later, about 5 minutes before they arrived, however, my contractions stopped. My heart sank. I had been down this road before and was now suspicious that this had only been a round of prodromal labor after all.

Phebe got all her gear set up anyway…just in case. She took my vital signs and then did a cervical check just to gauge progress. I was only dilated to a 2 and effaced about 50%, which didn’t surprise me since my contractions had not progressed into active labor stage yet. I was, however, disappointed when contractions did not start back up for the whole rest of the morning.

Thinking still hopefully that delivering an early baby might yet be a possibility, I tried multiple attempts to cultivate an ideal environment for kicking things back into gear. We dropped the children off with nearby friends. Phebe and her assistant left the house (but stayed in the general area) to eliminate the feeling of pressure I had to do something while my birth staff was on hand. I tried some natural methods of moving things along. I rested. But alas, all was quiet with my body and I finally had to come to the conclusion that for the 4th baby in a row, prodromal labor was my reality. The midwives left after one final check on me and we chalked the morning up to a practice round.

As the week progressed, I continued to lose my mucus plug which was definitely out of the norm for me. I also had another round of significant prodromal labor. These two factors combined prompted me to connect with my friend, Sarah Jane Jameson, who was scheduled to arrive from Texas on the evening of July 5 as a helper during and after birth, just to see if she might be able to come early. Despite the false alarms, I had a gut feeling this baby was going to come over the next weekend or early the next week before she arrived. (Turns out he came at dawn on the following Tuesday, the morning of the 5th!) She said it was no problem to come early and quickly booked a ticket to arrive two days later, putting her here on Thursday, June 30.

I was hopeful that having Sarah Jane here and in place would give me peace of mind that no matter when the baby decided to come, our caretaker for the children was present, and that is exactly what happened! She was able to have five days in our home before the birth to get re-acquainted with the children and the flow of our days, the location of everything in the kitchen, and even our town and surrounding area before she took over many of my duties while I recovered from birth. We had both prayed for wisdom about the timing of her two weeks here and I definitely saw the hand of God in directing the decision for her to come early!

As the weekend progressed, I had two more rounds of prodromal labor (several hours each) that felt pretty intense at times and was beginning to wonder if my little guy was ever going to be born! I was so very ready to meet him! To be done being pregnant. To be done with the mental exhaustion and physical exertion of false labors that kept fizzling out.

The 4th of July arrived; the day Nathan had been predicting his birth (he was due on the 9th). It was a “quiet” day on the labor front. Nathan and Sarah Jane took the boys to a nearby friend’s farm for fishing, hot dogs, and fireworks that evening while I stayed home with Hosanna so that both of us could go to bed on time. I turned my light out at 9:45 p.m. and felt what was to be the first contraction of *real* labor! Of course, I didn’t know this at the time. Ten minutes later, another wave of a contraction washed over me. Ten minutes later, another one came. Each time, they were strong enough that I had to get up on my hands and knees to work through them. Then, I would lay back down and try to rest, only to repeat the experience ten minutes later.

Eventually, Nathan got home and came to bed…and the contractions started to get closer together as the fireworks went off outside. I set a thick comforter on the floor next to the bed to use as padding and moved my laboring down to the ground where it was a little easier to move around. As the night wore on, I continued to feel the surges of my uterus at work and wondered for the upteenth time if this was it? I started praying for wisdom again, that the Lord would help me to know for sure if this was real and if so, when to call my midwife. I definitely didn’t want to wake her up in the middle of the night and have her come on a 40 minute drive to my house for nothing…again!…but I also didn’t want to cut things too close to an actual delivery if this time my contractions were going to lead to a baby being born!

Somewhere between 12:30 and 1:30 a.m. I threw up. This was my sixth time being in labor and never before had I thrown up or even had the slightest hint of nausea during labor. But I’ve heard of other women who did, especially as they hit transition. After losing all my dinner and probably some of my lunch, it dawned on me that despite this strange new move for my body to make, it might be a clue that this was indeed the real deal! Sure enough, after that episode, my contractions picked up in intensity. I found that I needed to turn my crockpot on and start using warm compresses across my abdomen to get a bit of relief.

By 2:00 a.m. I felt shaky and in need of companionship, no longer desiring to labor on my own. All of these clues working together gave me confidence that I was definitely experiencing real labor this time, and had in fact hit transition, which was a huge answer to prayer! The Lord gave me the wisdom I had asked for! I woke Nathan up and asked him to help me. He was happy to hear the baby was finally coming and immediately got up to finalize preparations in our room, which was the room in which I had chosen to deliver.

At 2:30 a.m., I called my nurse-midwife and told her I was ready for her to come. She and her assistant arrived a little over an hour later. In the meantime, Nathan phoned our good friends and neighbors, Matthew and Hannah Hock, to ask for Hannah to come over who was lined up to be my doula support. With great relief that all of our birth team was in motion and that very soon I would be crossing the finish line of this marathon, I continued to labor peacefully on the floor of my room with soft music playing in the background and a warm ambiance from our electric fireplace flickering in the dim room.

Hannah arrived within minutes and got right on crockpot duty. From that point until Micah was born, she faithfully prepared one warm cloth after another and pressed them up on my belly no matter what position I was in (usually hands and knees), or how much physical exertion it required out of her to do so. At this point, those warm compresses were an absolute necessity and significantly cut the pain and discomfort of contractions in half, so I was tremendously thankful to have her help in this way! She also offered many words of encouragement and comfort as labor progressed and even made us laugh multiple times in between contractions when I had a bit of a break. I was really glad to have her present and for the uplifting, joyous environment she contributed to.

Around 3:40, Phebe arrived followed shortly by Brittany, the nurse assistant, and Sarah Jane who had heard the door bell ring and came to join us. By then, it really did feel like a party! I was surrounded by a wonderful team who all played a role in helping bring Micah into the world and whose loving support helped get me across that finish line.

Phebe did another cervical check and we rejoiced to know I was 8 cm dilated! The end was in sight!

For the next two hours, things continued to ramp up in my body. Though I tried various positions using Nathan, the birth ball, and the floor by turn, my favorite position continued to be a hands and knees stance. I remember lots of murmured prayers asking God to give me strength, keep the baby’s heartbeat strong, keep the cord from causing any problems, allow my placenta to be in the right place, and to keep us both safe during this process. I also quoted my “birth Bible verse” quite a bit: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him and I am helped, therefore my heart greatly rejoices and with my song I will praise Him.”

As I had joked earlier in the night, my song must have sounded like that of a cow in that moment with all my loud groans and deep guttural sounds that bellow up out of me during labor!

Finally the time came to push. As is always the case, my body let me know when it was time with those involuntary urges, and I buckled down for this last and hardest step of delivery. By this point, I was in “the zone” with my eyes closed and full concentration given to the task at hand. Phebe was invaluable help as she coached me through the pushes, telling me when to take a break and when to do a little one versus a big one. Her goal was to help me slowly bring the baby out one small step at a time so I stretched gently and didn’t tear. As I worked both with her advice and my body’s cues, Micah’s head crowned, then was born, then we moved my foot up to a runner’s position to help bring out his shoulders and body. In a flash, his whole body slipped out into Phebe’s waiting hands and the finish line was crossed! According to Brittany’s meticulous notes, I had pushed for about 10 minutes and he was born at 5:48 a.m.

I wish I could adequately express the rush of emotions that a woman experiences after that final push, but it’s hard to put into words. For me, it is a combination of grateful relief, joy, and love. I instantly fall even more in love with that wet little baby starting to take its first cries in the world outside the womb. I also feel so happy to be done with labor and to have the chance to hold the tiny person who has been kicking around inside of me for so long!

After Micah came out, he was handed up to me and I was helped to my bed a few steps behind me. It felt so good to lay down! A rest well deserved after laboring all night long. I held Micah to my chest trying to snuggle him as well as get a good look at him. The nurses did their routine examination of me at that point to check my bleeding and for any tears. This part is always my least favorite and one of the most painful, despite their gentle handling, just due to the nature of being sore and tender. Thankfully, my bleeding was under control and I had not torn at all, which was happy news indeed!

The next step was to birth the placenta…also not my favorite experience as it means dealing with more contractions. While we waited for that to happen, Nathan went to wake the children up so they could meet their new brother and so they could witness his cord being cut. They were so sleepy after having been up late to watch fireworks, so their response to this momentous occasion was definitely on the quiet side, but I could tell they were pleased to see the baby. Hosanna, especially, had the biggest grin on her face when she was placed on the bed next to me and she saw the baby! It was a priceless moment I will never forget.

We announced the baby’s name to be Micah Jameson. Micah means “Who is like God?” and Jameson means “son of James.” I love the book of James as well as the noble and masculine ring that Jameson has, plus we wanted to honor our dear friends, the Jameson family (Sarah Jane’s family), who have been such faithful and encouraging supporters in our lives. I see wisdom as one of the sub-themes in the book of James, so it seemed appropriate to me that over and over throughout the weeks and hours leading up to Micah’s birth, I was asking God for wisdom in decisions relating to his coming.

After the cord was cut, the children trickled back to bed to get a little more sleep before breakfast. I tried nursing Micah to see if that would help stimulate contractions and move the placenta out. He latched on easily and seemed eager to suck. I am always amazed at this phenomenon that God built into newborn babies! Finally, the placenta was born (it was huge!) and my duties were officially over! I could now just rest and enjoy my baby.

We spent the morning cuddling, nursing, taking an herbal sitz bath, and resting in bed. At some point, Micah was weighed and came out to be 8 pounds, 9 ounces, or so we thought. But it turned out there was a discrepancy with converting grams to pounds on the calculator that morning and we later found out that he was really 8 pounds, 15 ounces! My second biggest baby! His length was 19 3/4 inches. I marveled at his dark, wispy hair that reminded me so much of Josiah’s and at his long, long toes!

The Lord was so gracious to give a “yes” answer to all our prayers surrounding Micah’s birth and to grant me the desire of my heart for a redemptive birth experience after the traumatic time I had with Hosanna’s (which you can read about here). I love the new term Phebe taught me that they use in the midwife world for such a smooth and ideal birth experience: a butter birth; meaning smooth as butter! It really was as ideal as it could have been.

My recovery has been swift, which has also been such a blessing! Having wonderful help in the house and with the children from Sarah Jane and then my parents for three weeks definitely contributed to this. Plus, my body has bounced back a lot faster than with some of my other births and I have been feeing really good overall despite the lack of sleep and exhaustion that comes with the newborn phase.

Micah is now one month old and greatly loved by the entire household! He is a real snuggle bug who delights in being held and of course loves to eat! It was a painful experience to nurse for the first few weeks due to him having a tongue and lip tie. Thankfully, we were able to get those revised early on and as he has been healing and learning how to suck with greater tongue mobility, the pain has finally gone away. He has also made progress learning how to sleep in his own bed at night and now pulls 4-5 hours stretches when he is first put down. Nap times are still something he fights when he’s not being held, but sometimes will sleep in the swing. In the meantime, a soft wrap baby carrier is proving to be a lifesaver with this baby! Slowly we have been finding our routine and settling into a new normal.

Sometimes it’s hard to believe we now have 6 children! God has been so good to us. How we pray for grace and wisdom as we strive to train them well in the nurture and admonition of the Lord!

Do the Next Thing

The day started at 1:30 a.m.
Yes…as in 4 hours before I normally wake up!
All because a certain 3-year-old needed help getting his covers put back on his bed correctly so he could sleep. I dragged myself out of sleepy bliss to help him.

By the time I returned to my own warm blankets, however, my brain had fully awakened and seemed to think it was time to start the day! No amount of falling-back-to-sleep techniques worked!

Finally, around 3:00 a.m., I headed to the living room to try to read in hopes of convincing my body and mind that it really was time to sleep! After an hour, back to bed I went to try again. Only to toss and turn for another two hours before finally getting up for the day.

Have you ever had a frustrating night like this?
I can’t remember the last time I woke up so early or got so little sleep! It was really strange.

Naturally, one of my first thoughts was, “How in the world am I going to make it through this day of mothering, meals, homeschool lessons, and all.the.things?!”

I was tempted to get overwhelmed. I was strategizing about the best way to tackle the day. Do I cancel school and just let the kids play? Do I try to fit more than one nap in? Do I forget about getting us outside because of all the energy it takes?

Instead, I just decided to breath.
To pray for strength.
And to do the next thing.

I know that sounds simple…but simple was what I needed!
Just focusing on the next immediate action sounded manageable.
I realized I didn’t need to have the whole day figured out. I could take it one hour at a time and make decisions as they came up. Just do the next thing.

So first, I spent time in God’s Word.
Once everyone was up, it was time for some baby snuggles and little boy hugs.
Then, I took my morning supplements because I knew I would need their support of my bodily functions more than ever!
Next, I made breakfast for the kids and packed lunch for Nathan.
Then, it was time for my own breakfast while I took care of some messages on the computer.
(I’ll admit, I did skip my usual 20 minute strength-training exercise!)

The kids all played SO happily and harmoniously during this time (which isn’t always the case), that I delayed getting us started on morning routines or school.
Slow is okay sometimes.
At least, that is what I kept telling myself! Because honestly, slow is hard for me. I am a driven person. There is always something to do and I’m not one to sit around when that’s the case.

But this morning, I tried to savor slow. To be okay with not having a perfect day or an ideal schedule. It certainly fit my mental state since I felt like I was a bit in a fog.

Finally, though, it was time to do the next thing.
Tidy up the kitchen.
Change the baby’s diaper and clothes.
Start children on morning routines (get dressed, make beds, brush teeth, do chores).
Get myself dressed and bed made.
Begin school lessons.

And so went our day!
Once we got some momentum, the fog started clearing. My energy piqued. I felt pretty normal all day – much to my surprise!

God’s grace never ceases to amaze me. Thanks to Him, I was not overcome by overwhelm. I was not stressed by the slower pace or the fact that we didn’t get to all our normal schoolwork load today. I was at peace with the idea that one of the reasons we homeschool is so we can be flexible on days like today when needed, and to remember that we don’t operate on a clock. We can always finish that history reading in an evening or on the weekend. We were learning, doing, and enjoying being together – and isn’t that what it’s all about? We even made it outside for our daily walk in the cold! 🙂

I am thankful for the reminder from my Heavenly Father to “just do the next thing.” Sometimes, that is all we can do. And it is enough.

Little by little, the daily, ordinary “next things” become a beautiful picture!

Family Christmas Letter

Dear Loved Ones,

My dad has been known to say, “The only thing certain is change.” That would definitely be an appropriate description for the year 2020!  I am pretty sure just about every family on the planet has been affected in one way or another by all the changes COVID-19 has brought this year. We rejoice that even when the physical circumstances of life get shaken up, God is still on His throne! The changes of this year have not taken Him by surprise nor is He worried about the future. We would all do well to look to Him and trust that His goodness will prevail! The children and I have been memorizing various Biblical “foundations” this year and the one we are working on now, based off Colossians 3:1-2 is, “Set your mind where Christ is and on all that is good and true.” When we do this, there is peace!

For quite some time now, I have been in the habit each new year of choosing a word as a theme to remain focused on or a goal to strive for. For 2020, however, I couldn’t pick just one word, because God was teaching me so much and giving me several desires to focus on! So I adopted a phrase as my anthem for the year: “Joyful calm, restful mom.” I want to be remembered by my children as a joyful mom who smiles and laughs and takes delight in them! I also wanted to work on remaining calm in the face of frustrations, irritations, and things that happen which can ruffle my feathers. Lastly, I knew I needed to incorporate more rest into my days and nights because burning the candle at both ends benefits no one.

Who would have known that this phrase would also serve to help anchor me when the winds of change blew so heavily? Well, the Lord knew, of course! I praise Him for the stability of His good, unchanging character and for His Word which never fails to strengthen and guide! From a significant shift in mindset for Nathan that led to a different ministry focus coupled with a move across the country, the sale of a beloved home/farm property, difficult goodbyes, and new beginnings…all during the specific challenges that Covid brought with it…joy, calm, and rest have been greatly needed this year, even more than I realized!

Honestly, though, this year has been a gift. We have enjoyed more time together as a family. We have been stretched. We have grown. We have known uncertainty and sorrow. We have tasted the blessings of obedience. We have been blessed beyond measure.

Here is a little summary about each member of the family as 2020 comes to a close:

Hosanna – This girl never ceases to bring joy and delight to each member of the family! She is doted on and greatly loved by everyone. It has been so sweet to watch the boys interact with a sister! Hosanna has had her own set of challenges to work through from birth onward, but she is a warrior princess who has conquered each one. Nothing slows her down; and she is even about to walk without assistance! We love to hear her sweet voice learning to talk! Besides Mom, Dad, and her brothers, Hosanna loves dogs, Duplo blocks, and going outside.

Silas – The fire in this boy’s red hair has come out in his personality this past year! He is developing into a deeply passionate, feisty, and determined little boy who knows his own mind! Despite only being 3, Silas often comes across as older, both because of his tall stature and his maturity. That said, he still really likes snuggles and being carried around like a baby at times. His favorite thing to play with is play dough and you can often find him busy with new creations during school time. Otherwise, he loves to be in the kitchen at all times helping cook!

Adoniah – This year has been a break through one in regards to our blonde boy with the big, blue eyes! We came to the conclusion that we think he has many of the signs of ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder which has finally made so many things click for us regarding why he is the way he is. Removing gluten from his diet has made a huge change in his behavior, and we have been figuring out better ways to parent a child with special wiring to the brain. It is a continual process of learning for all of us! Adoniah has done very well in kindergarten this school year! While table time lessons have to be kept short and sweet, his ability to sit and listen to books is unlimited, and he is by far the best one at retaining information from our group lessons on the couch in subjects like history, Bible, science, and literature. Adoniah is gifted with a delightful imagination and a strong sense of justice. He has been very happy to make several new friends in our homeschool groups since moving!

Josiah – No one who knows Josiah now would believe that he used to be such a shy, sober little boy! He has really blossomed over the past year or two and become a charming, outgoing, hilarious kid with a constant twinkle of mischief in his eyes! He has developed his own sense of style which includes tucking his shirt in always, his pant legs into his sock sometimes, and slicking his hair over. Josiah has excelled in 1st grade and especially enjoys math. Some of his personal interests include riding his bike, climbing (anything) and physical strength training activities, artwork, and playing pretend. He is Isaac’s constant companion and a big help with Hosanna! 

Isaac – The family chatterbox with big ideas who often has me questioning whether he is 7 or 17…that’s Isaac! This boy knows no limits to dreams and ambitions! His current dream is to have a YouTube channel featuring trick shots like he sees from Dude Perfect and That’s Amazing. Most of his free time is spent practicing such trick shots, building Lego creations, or making stick forts outside. Isaac has also taken up disc golf this semester with Nathan and other friends on our team here. In school, he is making great progress and has developed into a devoted bookworm who reads stacks of books every week. He and his brothers participated in a homeschool co-op this fall where Isaac took classes in science (his favorite subject), Primitive Skills, and drama. He is incredibly creative as well as very helpful! I look forward to seeing where his big ideas lead him…

Nathan – Life has definitely changed for Nathan this year as he has gone from being a pastor to a “tent-making missionary,” from living in the north (Ohio) to living in the south (Arkansas), and from being a night owl to an early bird! He has handled all the change extremely well, though, and is truly thriving in this new season of his life. He now gets up at 4:45 a.m. every morning to tutor international students in English classes online through the VIP Kid program (he often teaches in the evenings too), and he also works part time for a local landscaping/construction company. Nathan’s ultimate goal career wise is to co-run his own home inspection business. He went through the training for that in November, took the necessary examinations, and is waiting for paperwork approval to confirm his certification. He and his partner, Nic, have also been diligently working all fall on the logistical/administrative side of setting up their own business. Hopefully, come the new year, they will see Watchmen Home Inspections start to take off! In addition to work, Nathan plays disc golf multiple times a week as a form of exercise, relationship-building, and ministry opportunity. He co-teaches from Scripture during our home church gatherings and continues to pray for men to disciple!

Katrina – that’s me! I juggle a lot as always, but have really enjoyed getting back into three things this fall that I had previously put on the back burner: reading lots of good books, various writing projects, as well as Plexus business endeavors. I’ve also enjoyed getting outside with the children as much as possible, thanks to the inspiration of the 1000 Hours Outside movement I started keeping up with in January. Moving to Fayetteville has made that really fun thanks to all the parks and trails that are here! I am thankful for new friends, both from a peer standpoint as well as women in whom to potentially invest spiritually! My word for the new year is boldness, especially in regards to sharing the Gospel!

This holiday season, and as we head into 2021, we pray for the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ to be yours! He IS our peace!

With much love always,
The Britton Brigade
Nathan, Katrina, Isaac (7), Josiah (6), Adoniah (5), Silas (3), Hosanna (16 months)

P.S. There are lots of ways to keep in touch! Find us on Facebook or Instagram (@brittonbrigademom), or let us know if you’d like to be added to our email list for ministry updates!

Fall 2020 Book Recommendations

Confession time: I LOVE to read good books, and I LOVE to write! But I DON’T love to write reports/reviews about the books I read. <wince> I don’t know what it is about trying to take a great book and condense it down into a summarized description that fills me with dread…but that’s exactly what happens. Now you know.

That said, I feel like I hit the reading jackpot lately and have quite the list of books I’d love to recommend! My paltry descriptions won’t even come close to doing justice to these titles, but this is the best I can offer for a quick run-down on some worthwhile good reads!

There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Kenos McGurk

This book literally rocked my world when I read it at the beginning of the fall. It is written in memoir style by a Swedish woman who married an American and is raising her family in Indiana. Throughout the book she compares/contrasts both her growing up years in Sweden coupled with the Scandinavian parenting mindset to what she has learned and observed about the American mindset, especially when it comes to spending time outside. I found her observations fascinating, and I deeply resonated with the mindset that is built into Swedish culture, not just in the importance of being outside but also in how we educate and parent our children. 

I felt like this book equipped me with rock-solid reasons for working everyday to get my crew outside as much as possible, ideas for how to do that well, clothing ideas to make it work in all kinds of weather, and also gave me confirmation for how we are going about our kids’ education. I started following the 1000 Hours Outside movement back in January and have been greatly encouraged regarding the importance of getting outside, but this book added tremendous fuel to the fire for my own personal motivation and filled in a lot of the reasons why this is so crucial for our well being! I would rank There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather as one of my top reads for 2020. I may even post some quotes from it in future blog posts!

Disclaimer: This book is not written from a Christian perspective, so there is an entire chapter on caring for the environment that comes from a secular viewpoint. I am not against caring for the environment since God entrusted mankind with stewardship of the earth, but I try to view everything through a Biblical lens, and that means I believe that the earth will one day be destroyed by God and re-made. Therefore, caring for the environment is not a be-all, end-all issue and must be kept in balance with putting our priorities where God wants them to be.
 

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

A few months ago, I put out a call for help on FB regarding fictional book recommendations since I was dearly in need of breaking up my long streak of non-fiction reading with a good story. My friends did not disappoint, and within hours, I had a list of dozens of titles to start looking for at the library. One title that was recommended more than once was The Blue Castle. I checked it out and began reading it along with several other novels that had been suggested.

For the first seven chapters or so, I found this book to move slowly. It was also almost depressing to read about the main character’s dreary and miserable life under the tight control of a domineering mother and cousin. But then as the story line picked up, my interest was piqued and I realized that those first 7 chapters were crucial to laying a foundation for character and plot development. It wasn’t long before the book had my undivided attention and I could not put it down!

I enjoyed this story largely because of the personal journey of growth the main character embarked upon, but also because it is full of beautiful descriptions of nature and the outdoor wilds of Canada! As someone who loves being outside and is especially motivated to make time for being outdoors with my family every day, these descriptions were delightful to read. They were not as wordy as the ones I remember from Anne of Green Gables, which was nice, as it allowed the story line to move along at a good pace (after those opening chapters).

What would life look like for you if you knew you only had a year to live, but felt like you had never really lived much of a life at all up until that point? This is the question the main character grapples with when she learns of a fatal diagnosis she has. Deciding to make the most of her last year of life, she finally finds the courage to break free from the bondage she endured her entire 30-ish years of life and really LIVE. She moves out, gets a job, finds joy in serving others, and even falls in love! To see how she blossoms and thrives after living in misery for so long is truly enjoyable. And it begs the question, if I were to find out I had only a year to live, what would I want to do with my limited days on earth?

The surprise ending to this book made it especially fun!

City of Tranquil Light, by Bo Caldwell

Out of the handful of fictitious books I checked out from the library following my FB request for recommendations, this book was my favorite. It reads exactly like a missionary biography, and is in actuality based on the lives of the author’s maternal grandparents who served in China in the early 1900s.

I found the story deeply challenging and in many ways convicting. It was not always an “easy read” due to the things this Mennonite missionary couple experienced; the suffering, poverty, sorrow, and discouragement they endured on many occasions was sometimes hard to read about because I know these to be real things that many, many Christians and missionaries go through every day all over the world. I was reminded just how easy we have it here in America and was challenged by the devotion of this couple to stay faithful to their mission field under “impossible” circumstances. Their obedience to Christ in the midst of hardship was inspiring. Yet, they were not made out to be super-saints who never struggled with normal human emotions. On the contrary, their struggles with faith and trust were honestly written about, making them out to be very real and very raw at times. Reading about the way God used them in the lives of the Chinese people was such a joy! The story follows their lives from childhood to old age and is written in an engaging, narrative style full of interesting twists and turns.

Disclaimer: I do think the author could have done a better job of explaining how the husband came to salvation in Christ. Her description of that moment made it seem almost mystical and based off a mere “feeling in his heart” (though he had been raised in a Christian family, so the foundation seemed to be there?). I was glad, however, to see that once he got to China, learned the language, and started preaching in the market place, his message was solidly Biblical and Gospel-based with all the important components to salvation simply presented. So it almost redeemed the conversion description that was decidedly lacking in a clear explanation of salvation…but not quite.

I highly recommend this book for those who want to be challenged in their faith walk and reminded of what devotion to Christ can look like even in the midst of suffering and hardship.

The Ministry of Ordinary Places, by Shannan Martin

This book was a timely read, meeting me right in my season of life and even my new location of neighborhood living! I will admit, it started out a little slow, and when I saw the denominational/theological perspective of the author, I proceeded forward with some degree of reservation as to what I would discover in the pages to come. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of practical inspiration and ideas for ministering to people right in my own literal backyard/neighborhood. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the engaging way she wove parts of her family’s own story/experiences of moving to a “neighborhood on the other side of the tracks” in with encouragement to build relationships and extend hospitality.

I think one of my biggest take-aways was to not view every person I meet as a potential ministry “project”, but to be open to a genuine friendship with them, one that involves both giving and receiving, learning to be be a good listener who is available for the long haul, and demonstrating the Gospel through everyday-life love. I also appreciated the example from the author’s life of not being afraid to get involved in the lives of “down-and-outers” who have messed up, broken lives…because they are people too! I may share some quotes from this book in a future blog post soon…

This book was very similar to what I remember The Gospel Comes With A House Key containing (which I just started re-reading!), but is lighter on the Gospel.

Disclaimer: I agreed with the author in regards to her support of a life-on-life discipleship ministry model, however, we are a little different when it comes to the importance of actually speaking the Gospel to people too. Living like Jesus did, and winning people to him through home cooked meals and coffee shop conversations definitely has its place, but so does sharing the Gospel verbally even without a two-year relationship being built first. And that is why I am thankful for the next book I am going to tell you about that pairs nicely with this one for a more complete, balanced focus regarding “missional living”…

One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven, by Mark Cahill

I can’t remember how many times I have read this book now, and it still nails me with conviction and inspiration every.single.time! Mark Cahill is a definite evangelist with a tremendous passion for telling every single person he comes into contact with about the Gospel of Jesus Christ! His passion is contagious and bubbles over from every page that is filled with story after story of his witnessing encounters over the years. His desire with this book is to encourage and equip all Christians to be bold in sharing the Gospel with anyone and everyone! He gives very practical tools for doing so, and even some helpful apologetics. I love Mark’s down to earth writing style as well as his humility and compassion for people. It is obvious from the chapters in this book that he loves Jesus Christ and loves unbelievers, longing to see them in eternity one day!

Disclaimer: Mark and I differ to some degree on the Biblical definition and explanation of repentance, which he weaves into every Gospel presentation, so I am not necessarily endorsing that aspect of the book. Also, Mark puts a huge emphasis on our personal responsibility to share with every person we can about Christ. How much we are going to be held responsible for sharing versus how the Spirit of God may or may not be drawing a person to Himself is a much debated topic, so just be aware that you may differ on this point…but there is still a lot we can glean!

I am so thankful for this book and the reminder it is regarding what will truly matter 150 million years from now. It has me working on writing my own tract as well as praying daily for boldness. If you want to be challenged and inspired to share the Gospel with strangers and friends alike, and to have your compassion for unsaved people deepened, definitely check this book out!

The Call of the Wild + Free, by Ainsley Arment

I had seen this book recommended on various homeschool Instagram stories and FB groups more times than I could count, so I was delighted when a copy finally became available from the library! As I started reading it, I found it all pretty basic and definitely in line with what our beliefs are regarding home education, so I wasn’t sure there would be much take-away. However, I was again pleasantly surprised to find many gems waiting to be discovered in this book! Not only were the chapters rich and inspiring (more so as I kept reading), but the photographs and artistic additions to the pages were a true delight along the reading journey! They definitely captured the beauty, simplicity, and wonder that this book sees to inspire in us homeschooling moms!

I found this book to be both refreshing and confirming of the journey Nathan and I are on regarding the raising of our children. It had interesting information in its pages about educational options and reasons for making certain choices, as well excellent reminders about what we are all about in this endeavor. (And of course, I loved the chapter on being out in nature and how much that contributes to our children’s brain and bodily development!)

I think my biggest take-away from this book is a renewed sense of relaxation in homeschooling. Rather than being concerned about checking all the boxes each day, finishing books at certain times, or graduating my kids from one “grade level” to another on a particular schedule, I am feeling more free to keep the rhythms and routines that give structure to our day while allowing a less hurried pace in “getting through” everything in order to make space for life-lessons, character development, and wonder. I was also encouraged to truly enjoy my children along the way!

Disclaimer: While it seems obvious from subtle references throughout the book that this author is a Christian, there is not a huge emphasis on faith or the spiritual upbringing of our children. I understand that she is striving to reach a larger audience than only the Christian one, and she has excellent things to say about homeschooling in general and all its benefits, no matter a person’s faith walk. However, as Christian homeschooling parents, one of our biggest reasons for making this educational choice is to provide a Biblical foundation and worldview for everything we do and believe, so that is going to be a huge part of the homeschool journey for us which was not touched on a whole lot in this book.

However, that brings me to my next recommendation….

Raising Tiny Disciples, by Phylicia Masonheimer

This e-book is hot off the press and was just made available recently through one of the Masonheimer’s periodic “pop-up shops.” When everything went on sale the last day of the shop being open, I jumped on this book! Earlier this fall, I had listened to Phylicia’s Instagram live video on this topic and was excited to hear she was writing a book going into more detail.

The e-book did not disappoint! It was short and succinct, but chalk-full of helpful, Biblical wisdom for raising our small children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. As a mom of three ages 5 and under, Phylicia sought to share right from life in the trenches regarding what she and her husband are doing that is working well based on the foundational passage for teaching our children to love the Lord from Deuteronomy 6. I loved how she broke down each phrase from that passage and fleshed it out in every day life. For example, “When you sit down,” was a phrase she used as a spring board for discussing discipleship around the table and what that can look like. “When you walk by the way” was a spring board for teaching our children about God while out in nature. “When you lie down” discussed ideas for bedtime routines that bring their focus back to the Lord. And so on. I don’t know that there was much new material in this book but the way the points were organized so clearly in relation to Deuteronomy 6, and the reminders for simple things in our daily lives that can have profound impact on our children’s upbringing was excellent. 

I highly recommend this book for Christian parents with little ones!

Digital Minimalism, by Cal Newport

My sister had gifted us with this book last year for Christmas, but I held off on reading it until I was in a position to actually do something with the conviction I knew I was likely to receive from it! And wow – what an eye-opening book this proved to be!

I found myself underlining so much in the first half of the book especially about the science and psychology behind addictive phone habits, social media platforms and how they are designed to work, etc. It was quite scary, actually, to read how easily we as a people have sold our souls to the digital world without even realizing it or necessarily meaning to. This book was clear, to the point, easy to read, and so helpful in taking a step back to evaluate where my time is going when online and how to be both limited and intentional with it. 

I appreciated the advice in this book and have since striven to make major changes regarding how I use my phone and social media. It is an ongoing journey of figuring out what I truly value from time spent online and what is just a waste, while also juggling a business that is largely run from online platforms. I definitely don’t want to be a mom who is remembered for always being glued to a screen, and I realize there is a much bigger world out there beyond the world of Facebook…a world of trees and mountains, flowers, real life people, music, art, books, meals, and new skills to learn! Yet, I also value my friendships with people whom I only connect with online…so I haven’t given up social media altogether, but this book definitely has helped me set stricter boundaries and make the most of my time online. I have the feeling I will be re-reading this one in the future!


Okay, I admit…writing those recommendations was more fun than I thought it would be! 😉 If you stuck with me through it all, you are to be commended, as I also was more long-winded than I anticipated about each book. (Are we really surprised, though? Ahem.) I love to share about what is blessing my life, so I do hope you will find these reviews helpful and perhaps can enjoy one or many of the titles on this list!