The Five Senses Week (Day 2: Smell)

The Five Senses Week

Day 2: The Sense of SMELL

Thankful today for the sense of SMELL and all the things we can savor with this sense.

I am thankful today for the smell of warm toast with melty peanut butter, my favorite tea brewed strongly, the shampoo from Ella's freshly washed hair, homemade cookies from Grandma, summer flowers blooming, peppermint tea at a friend's house, my childhood quilt my mom made me when I was ten, the smell of soap while scrubbing hands and feet after a fun day's play, minty toothpaste, and the many, delicious smells of my precious baby, Sophia...the smell of baby soap lingering, the smell of her sweet breath, and the hopeful smell of diaper cream healing her sad, little rash.  I am thankful for the smells coming in through the windows on this cooler, summer day, and I'm thankful for the smell of recently-cleaned floors.

Micah noticed smells throughout the day, too, both good and bad, including his morning toast, his ice-cream-cone-dessert, and his baby sister.  We enjoyed looking for the gifts we can count with our noses.

Thankful for our sense of smell!!!

Our Five Senses Week (Day 1: Hearing)

The Five Senses Week...

Micah has been learning about the five senses and has had a particular interest in this the past few days.  He asks people, "What is your SENSE?" meaning...what is the sense you use the most/strongest in your life?  I told him, for example, that his SENSE is his hearing.  This boy manages to hear EVERYTHING that comes out of my mouth, even when I think he is far out of earshot.

We decided this morning to have a Five Senses Week, and each day we are going to focus on a different sense, paying particular attention to that sense and all the gifts from God that we find in that sense.  Our first day is HEARING.  We are listening to the sounds of our life today and are thanking God for the gifts that we HEAR...

Care to join us on this journey??

Here are some of the gifts we HEARD today that we are thanking our good God for...

The gifts Micah heard today...
I hear Sammy, and I like Sammy.  God gave me Sammy.
I hear everyone in my family.
I hear myself, too.
I hear you typing.  God gave you a computer. (And I use it, too.)
I hear Sophia breathing.  God gave Sophia her breath.
I hear your phone ringing.
I hear the sound of the car going over the bridge.

The gifts I heard today...
The birds chirping outside our windows.
The tea kettle whistling.
Veggie Tales worship in the background.
My children giggling at each other.
Sophia's sweet nursing sounds.
The sound of singing voices blending together to bless a beloved mom and nana on her birthday.
The planning of cousins working together to dig in the sand on a beautiful beach day.
The mix of chatter and comfortable silence of my sons reading books together on a blanket under the tree.
The bathwater running, ready to bathe away the dirt of a full, summer day of play.
The squeal of a vivacious one-year old.
The hum of the monitor telling me that children are finally asleep.

What are the gifts you heard today?

Convention Take-Aways

I am a brand-new homeschooling mama, so I know I will be working hard to create my new rhythm for this new job of mine in the fall.  Attending the Illinois Christian Home Educators State Convention was my first official "launch" into the journey that is home educating.  Homeschooling is something we feel particularly called to for our family and our children; therefore, I am excited to see what fruit and joy will come from this.  I wanted to spend some time going through my notes and thinking on some of the things that stuck out to me so I can learn and grow as much as possible both as a home educator, but also as a parent.  There were so many wonderful speakers/parents pouring wisdom into us on the joy of schooling, the reminder of how relationships and character are more important than academics, and that it is ALL for God's glory.  Here are some of my "take-aways" (in no particular order)... 

Have a vision for your family: Ask yourself what purposes God has for the relationships in YOUR family. Your children are in your family for a reason.

Set [measurable] goals for your child...intellectual goals, physical goals, spiritual goals, social goals. 

Have realistic expectations for yourself (do NOT compare) and know that you have your own gifts, limitations, families, and situations.

Seek out godly families.  Watch them in action and ask them questions.  (We are blessed to know some AMAZING families at church that I want to learn more from.)

When your children have a problem or a need, have them go to the Word for their answers.  That is where there is power!  When your words aren't working, go to God's Words.  Teach your kids to think God's thoughts.

We tend to look at discipline as an interruption, but we need to look at it as an opportunity.

How do kids learn character?  WE have to set the example of godly character.

Our goal in life: LIVE to LOVE.

The value of a person isn't what you can GET from them...The value of a person is that they give you an opportunity to LOVE as you have been LOVED.  It is a privilege to love others.

Relationships are at the heart of education.

Character is the MOST important.

Remember: You're a family, not a homeschool.

Don't apologize for homeschooling.

It's not an issue of how many arrows are in your quiver but if your quiver is FULL.

Daily quiet time alone (for everyone in your family) is essential for serenity and growth.  Resist the intrusion of noise.

Make time for beauty.  Create beauty in your home.

Our house is clean enough to be healthy but messy enough to be happy.

Find something to remind you of your vision for home life.

And my favorite take-away, which is so well-said, for the same vision Zach and I have for our family...

The Vision: When our children reach adulthood, we want them to be men and women who are mighty in spirit, equipped to love and serve, and skilled for the glory of God.

Homeschooling is not the answer...Jesus Christ is the answer.

Only as one lives out of the fullness of the riches of a relationship with Jesus Christ, can one become mighty in spirit, love and serve, and be skilled to the glory of God.  Jesus incarnates this kind of life to cope and perform.

(These words are from the following speakers: Vicki Bentley, Janice Campbell, Norm Wakefield, Kathie Morrissey, Kevin Swanson, and others from the ICHE convention...Thank you, ICHE, for a great "start" to my homeschooling journey!)

Popcorn for Dinner

After four days of every hour being scheduled in a busy, busy weekend and then eating a late lunch at a family event, and with Daddy working, the kids and I decided it would be a good night to watch a movie and have popcorn and grapes for dinner (with cookies for dessert).  I am all about the family meal, cook most every night, and am [mildly] obsessed with my kids eating fruits and vegetables...but tonight, popcorn just seemed to be the right choice.

  

It started out as a relaxing time but quickly became disastrous with a drink being knocked over, a water bottle being spilled on the couch, grapes smooshed on the floor, and popcorn ALL over the floor and couch! (Note to self: popcorn on the couch with a one year old is not the neatest of activities.)

It was a messy activity but a fun one.  So I worked at choosing to let the mess be and to enjoy making a memory with my kiddos.  

This is the way we roll.  

This is they way we must roll.

Thankful Thursday

I am off to a homeschool convention for three days, so I'll be anxious to process here later about what I learn! One of my dear friends from Canada is flying in for it, so we are creating a girls night to catch up in between conference days, I have a birthday party to attend, a baptism to attend, and scheduling to manage for my husband's work this weekend and my children and babysitters, etc.  So lots of moving parts around here these days.  Trying to take it a day (...and a list) (...and a load of laundry) at a time.

So for now, I wanted to briefly pause before the whirlwind to remember our Thankful Thursday.

Today I am thankful for summer...for sunny days, watermelon, sidewalk chalk, backyard meals, picnic lunches, park time, playdates, splashpads, sand tables, sunglasses, hats, crocs, lemonade, ice cream, and barbeques.

I am thankful for the opportunity to attend the homeschooling convention and am excited to soak up information that I will use in schooling my first year with Micah in first grade and Samuel in preschool this fall.  I am thankful that God has called us to this opportunity and thankful that my sons will be home with me.

I am thankful for my best friend, whose birthday was yesterday, and thankful God has blessed the world with her and has given her to me.

I am thankful for my children's creativity and joy for life.  The highlight of my day yesterday was watching them reenact scenes from Veggie Tales, mostly of David and Goliath (or Dave and the Giant Pickle).  Even Ella was joining in on the fun, punching her arms in the air towards the Philistines and all of us cheering when David defeats Goliath...(I wonder what our neighbors must think of us??)  I love the way they laugh and smile and bring deep joy to my heart.

I  am thankful for my husband's support of my role as a stay-at-home mama.  He so gets my rhythm and encourages me constantly to be present in what I'm doing, to take it a thing at a time, and that I am working in the greatest calling as a mother.  He is also extremely willing to serve our family, modeled this week in taking two days off work to stay with our kiddos so I can attend the convention (except Sophia, who gets to come with me).  He truly is the most amazing man I know.

Micah's Thankful List
I am thankful that we got to go to Veteran Acres yesterday.
...that it is summer break.
...that I am having school at home.
...that T-ball is going to start soon.
...that I get to go to T-ball at night.
...for the movie Elf.
...for Sophia.
...for my dream (I beat the Ninja version of Angry Birds!).

Samuel's Thankful List
I am thankful for...
...the splash pad.
...that Daddy gets to stay home today.
...for T-balll.
...the Hi-Ho Cheerio, Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, and Ladybug games.
...that I get to hit the ball.

Ella's Thankful List
I am thankful for...
...Daddy.
...Mommy.
...Daddy.
...Mommy.

What are you thankful for today?

Sweet Sophia

If you know me well, you know that I love, love, LOVE babies.

And this time around is no exception.

Sophia Elaine Schmidt is my fourth baby, and I am head-over-heels in love with her.

She is precious in every way.  Her pudgy, baby-chub body is absolutely incredible, her skin is smooth and soft, her hair is this sweet strawberry-blond, and her eyes are so round and a piercing beautiful blue.

The minute you connect eyes with her, she smiles.  And sometimes, it doesn't even take that.  Sometimes I catch her smiling at the walls, the ceiling fan, or just at the sounds of family life around her.  Her smile is the kind that lights up her face, her eyes twinkling, and her chin lifting just a tad.  And she is so wonderfully generous with her smiles, bringing smiles to anyone who stops to take the time to look at her and have a chat.

I love my sweet Sophia, and I am amazed at the way my heart continues to grow and swell and burst with the love that spills from my heart for each child I have birthed.  

Some may create conclusions that a fourth child is not getting as much attention as the others did, and although life is busy and there are many needs to be met, this fourth child seems quite content with the live theatre happening around her (starring Big Brothers 1 and 2 and larger-than-life Big Sister), the baby carrier where she stays safe on my chest, and the quiet time after her siblings are asleep when her daddy and I sit in her personal space and gush over how precious and perfect and wonderful she is.  I love these sweet times at night because I know that I know that I know that being a fourth child is not taking its toll on her.  She has her loud, happy, busy, sibling-lovin'-time during the day (amidst snuggly nursing sessions and adventures to the doctor's office, store, parks, etc) and her sweet mommy and daddy time at night where we pass her back and forth and love on her as best as we can.

She seems pretty happy to be a part of this loud, crazy, full-of-life Schmidt family, and we already can't imagine our lives without her.

Love you, Soph.

My Latest Mothering Discovery

I am certainly no expert in the world of mothering.

But I do know that I can often get overwhelmed with or frustrated by my children's less-than-perfect behavior.

I realized recently that in some of these moments of exasperation, I have made a small discovery...

I need to stop and study my children.

Study them...observe what they're doing...stare at them...learn about them...drink them in.

And, in these moments, after a minute or two of just pausing and pure observation of a particular child, my emotions turn to tender for that small son or daughter of mine.

At lunch today, Sammy was frustrated that his noodles weren't working on his fork and began to whine in [what I thought was] an excessive manner.  Micah decided it would be a good time to prop his plate up with his fork and see what happens, and Ella thought that the volume level in our house definitely needed to be turned up a few [or ten] notches and put much effort into making that happen by herself while Sophia attempted to peacefully nap in the baby swing.  Someone needed water.  Someone wanted pears.  Someone had to go to the bathroom.  And someone started playing with his carrots.  And at that "AHH!" moment in the middle of our day, I stopped and started watching Sammy, then watching Ella, and finally, Micah.  I just quietly observed them and who they are and the effort they put into their everyday tasks of eating and talking and whining and laughing and I. just. melted.  My heart immediately softened and my emotions swelled and I felt that fierce surge of love and affection and protection for my precious littles.

It was both a simple and amazing moment.

So as my days unfold and I start to get overwhelmed by the chaos around, I am going to try to practice my own tip of stopping and drinking in the beauty that is my children.  I am certain it will start to soften my emotions at that moment, and I will make effort to this end.

a few observed moments I am drinking in of my children...