I am so excited to finally be heading to my first Teach Them Diligently Homeschool Convention of the year!  It’s been a leap of faith with a lot of obstacles in the way, but every time an obstacle came up, we prayed through it and felt strongly we were supposed to keep going.

I’m going to be honest.  Sometimes, I’m a quitter.  I don’t really like adversity.  I had to deal with this in faith, and that isn’t always the easiest thing for me to do.

It’s important to me that I bring a faith-filled message to the conference.  I want to shine a light of faith and hope in Christ for homemakers and homeschool moms.

My topic?

Scheduling.

That’s right – the very thing that nearly held us back from going is the very thing I am speaking on.

Interesting, huh?

For those of you interested, here’s the schedule for the Nashville convention.  I speak at 9:30 am (Central time).  I would appreciate prayers for the session, if any of you feel led to do so!

The convention is taking place at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.  This place is amazing!  The photo above is INSIDE the hotel!  There is a boat ride (Ty and I are hoping to carve out some time for that), fun shops and restaurants (even one that spins!)

Going back to the Opryland Hotel is something of a sentimental journey for Ty and I.  5 years ago, shortly after Emmy’s death and while I was pregnant with Micah, Ty and I took a business trip to the Gaylord Opryland.  It was a wonderful time, and we have very fond memories of our time there.  We are so thankful to be going back!

If you’ll be in Nashville with us, be sure and find us!  We’ll be the ones with the fuzzy-haired baby.

If you won’t be there, but would like to purchase the conference on CD or mp3, you can visit Resounding Voice and order online!  And be sure to follow the conference Twitter feed via the #hsttd hashtag.

2 weeks from now, Teach Them Diligently will hold their final big convention of the year in Omaha (I’ll be there too!), so if you can possibly make, I’d highly encourage you to do so!  (You can register here!)  If not, I want to make sure you know about the Teach Them Diligently Marketplaces:

These events will be held in 9 locations this summer, so there’s a good chance there is one near you!  A family pass is just $15 and you get some great deals on vendors as well as refreshment from various speakers!  You also have the option of tacking on a Real Refreshment Retreat from Apologia!

So, if I get to see you this weekend, FANTASTIC!  If not, maybe in Omaha?  If not there, I might be able to swing one of the Marketplaces (which one should I choose?)  No matter what, I would love to meet you and your family, so hopefully somewhere down the line, we’ll run into each other!

Have a blessed weekend!

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So what do you think? Would you like to be featured on Welcome Home Wednesday?

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Today, I have a very special offer for you!

Blogelina is offering her very popular 4 week Blogging Class for FREE!

If you sign up for this free class, here’s what you’ll get:

• A class manual – packed with 60 pages of information that will help take the overwhelming out of starting your own blog
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Classes will be held in June on Tuesday nights at 8 pm EST., but if you can’t make a session, that’s ok – the notes will be emailed to you!

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It was an article entitled “Studying Geography via the Great Commission” by Amanda Bennett (you know, the unit study lady) in the 2011, Issue 2 edition of Home Educating Family.

For some reason, that article jumped out at me, and I ripped it out of the magazine before getting rid of it in a hotel room in Washington, D.C. (we knew we were going to be overweight with our checked bag, so everything I could think of was hitting the trash!)

I read it through once, passed it onto my husband, and continued to hang on to it to reference later.

A few weeks went by, and while looking through old bookmarks on my computer, I ran across this…

Ann Dunagan was offering her mission-minded curriculum absolutely FREE online.  Something about it kept drawing me to it.  I saved it in Pocket and found myself pulling it up on my iPad every so often…just to see what was included in it.

Then there were the YWAM biographies my children so adore, and my daughter’s love of languages and other countries that seemed to be begging me to take them into account.  And I couldn’t get rid of the voice of a friend from years back asking me what I thought of an entire homeschool year centered around missionary books…

Lord, what are you trying to tell me?

So, while this is not at all what I had in mind for the upcoming school year, I am praying and listening.  At this point, I’m still planning to finish Tapestry of Grace Year 2 before diving into something new, but honestly, if God says NOW is the time to switch, that’s what I will do.  I thoroughly enjoy TOG, but there might be a need to take a year and focus on missions.  God may not tell me WHY that need is there right now, but I cannot ignore all the signs that are pointing to this change of focus for our homeschool.

It’s scary for control-freak homeschool moms to allow God to change plans.  We like things to be smooth and calm; no waves, no craziness.  It’s already crazy here, Lord!  Please don’t add to it!  But, we have to let go of that need for control.  We have to jump out of the box and trust.

So, that’s what I’m doing…

How about you?  Is God changing your plans for the upcoming year?  I’d love to hear what He’s doing in your homeschool!

(affiliate links included in post)

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Creating the Perfect Schedule
at 9:30 on Friday morning.

Hope to see you there!

I wanted to quickly say that I did reach my Mother’s Day weight loss goal and I am officially the lowest I have been since my daughter passed away 5 years ago!  This is a huge milestone for me.  Keep praying I can overcome any emotions this might bring to the surface.  And sorry there aren’t any photos.  I looked as bad as I felt this week.

Another big event!  We ordered our daughter her very first DSLR camera based on the recommendations we found here: Carlie Kercheval Photography.  It is double the megapixals of what she’s been using, so expect to see some stunning photography on Raising Arrows very soon!  She’s a fantastic photographer for only being 12 (she does all the photography on the site), so we are very excited to be furthering her aspirations with her first “real” camera!

I also have a brand new Swagbucks code.  Swagbucks is such an easy way to earn cash and fun gift cards (you could fund an entire date night on Swagbucks!), so if you haven’t signed up yet, here’s a code that will give you

100 swagbucks right off the bat!

ARROW
expires May 31, 2013

Use your Swagbucks toolbar every time you search, and you will be well on your way to earning some awesome prizes!

And don’t forget all through conference season, you can get 15% off your DrinkBands order using code:

DBCONFERENCE

And one final special from Blessed Nest:

All customers who place ANY size order from Shannon’s site during the entire month of MAY will receive a gift certificate in the mail for 10% off their next order!

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Today, you can find me at Raising Homemakers writing more on the topic of Raising Strong Daughters.

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I wanted to let you know about some wonderful FREE resources at See The Light’s blog (yes, they have a blog!).

This month, their Art Project DVD, featuring the work of Georgia O’Keeffe is on sale.  They have put together an awesome set of freebies in honor of her work. (? see the link to get the coupon code for the DVD!)

Additionally, you’ll want to look around the blog for things like:
How to draw a rocket launch
How to draw landscapes

and don’t forget their amazing Pinterest page:

There are tons of resources there that are perfect for everything from an impromptu art lesson to a well-thought-out unit study.

By the way, if you’re a blogger and a fan of See the Light, why not sign up for their affiliate program?  They are a really great company to represent, and they would love to have you on board!

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I used to get up at 6:30 am every day, sit on my front porch and drink coffee while I read in my Bible and prayed.  Back then, I had 2 small children and my husband was deployed.

Six kids later, mornings are filled with breastfeeding and diapers and preparations for school that day.  I hit the ground running and don’t slow down until about 2 pm.

But you’re not allowed to have Quiet Time at 2 pm are you?

Oh wait.  It’s not exactly quiet at 2 pm either…or 3 or 4 pm…or even 8 or 9 pm.  And once I have the children in bed, there’s time with my husband that needs to find its time slot too.

What’s a busy mom to do about Quiet Time?

Well, first of all, don’t go looking up the words “Quiet Time” in your concordance because they aren’t there.  While I understand the reasoning and heart behind Quiet Time as a specific event, I think women have made it a hill to die on.

Wrong hill, folks.  Climb down and let’s talk.

Time with the Lord is not supposed to be something you check off a list or turn on and off at will.  Quiet time isn’t a measure of your worth or your holiness, and we shouldn’t feel the need to look down at our shoes and mutter something guilt-ridden when asked about our “Quiet Time” by another well-meaning mother.

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy
1 Peter 3:15a

Jesus came down the hardest on the Pharisees, who went through all the outward motions of being followers of God, but whose hearts were anything but the Lord’s.

No, I’m not calling people who have a set Quiet Time Pharisees, but I am saying that Quiet Time is not what personifies a holy life.

I believe you should have Quiet Time all day long in order to lead a holy life.

I know a few of you are wondering how in the world you are going to manage that if you can’t even find 2 seconds of quiet in your day.  This post is especially for you:  the weary mom who feels guilty over not doing the Quiet Time thing right.

No More Guilt

Quiet Time in the traditional sense usually involves reading your Bible, meditating on the Scripture, and praying.  The purpose is learning about the Lord, seeking His wisdom, and drawing closer to Him.  All of this put together is worship.

Worship Where You Are!

I want to encourage you to learn about the Lord, seek His wisdom, and draw closer to Him all day long.  Yes, have Quiet Time all day long!  Here’s how…

Moms (and especially homeschool moms) have a unique privilege of teaching Scripture to their children during the daytime hours and in every day life.  While I believe a father should be the guiding force of the faith in the home, the mother gets to be the one who nurtures her children in the faith.

As we teach, we learn about the Lord!

Your Bible Time with the children should be deep and rich.  Noah’s Ark as a fun story about a flood and a rainbow is totally missing the point and potentially starving you and your children of the meat of the Gospel.  Your time spent in the Word with your children can be just as rich and rewarding as a 6:30 am Quiet Time.

Resources for Bible Time:
(includes affiliate links)
You need a good Bible for every child, even the non-readers.  We recommend:

A deep devotional.  For younger children, we like:

For older children, we like the FREE resources from Paul Washer.

What About Meditating on Scripture?

One thing I am starting back up with my children is memory work.  I have not done a good job of this in many years and I need to get back to it.  I intend to work on the same Scriptures my children are working on so we can hold each other accountable.

A great resource for Scripture Memory is this series from Grace & Truth Books:

Other ideas:
Place Scripture around your home.
Sing Scripture songs.
Listen to Bible teachings during the day.
Ask your husband to read Scripture to you.

What About Prayer?

Someday I will have more time to devote to prayer, but that doesn’t mean my prayers will be any more sincere and heartfelt than they are right now.

I have become adept at seeing or hearing of a need and stopping right that second to pray.  I pray as I write, as I send emails, as I bathe the children, and as I cook dinner (remember my apron prayers?).  The Lord doesn’t somehow hear me better in a quiet house.

There is No Formula.

Mothers naturally lean toward a guilt-ridden state of mind because we fear doing something wrong.  Please know that just because you aren’t following some formula you’ve somehow “messed up”.  God is not keeping a tally of how many times you had Quiet Time and how many times you failed to make it out to the porch with your Bible and coffee.

God doesn’t want your 6:30 am sacrifice.  He wants your entire day!

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I know not everyone is as crazy about asparagus as our family is, but this has recently become our favorite way to serve it.  I wanted share not only the recipe, but the story behind this George Washington Asparagus Ragoo. (note:  “ragoo” is an antiquated spelling of the word ragout)

Every year, we watch for the first signs of asparagus peeking up from the edges of our garden.  On particularly nice spring days, you can go out in the morning and find them just starting to poke out of the ground, and by night they are ready to pick!

When I don’t have enough in a picking to make a meal, I place them unwashed in a glass of water and put them in the refrigerator.  Every day, I gather a few more until I have a meal’s worth.

This ragoo recipe helps stretch the asparagus and makes a nice hearty side dish.  You could use it as a main dish and even add hamburger to it if you were feeling particularly adventurous!

So, how did I come across this recipe and why is it “George Washington Style”?

While in D.C. this past April, we visited Mount Vernon, George Washington’s country home.  This was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.  The grounds are gorgeous, the home is amazing, and the museum nearby is wonderfully informative.

In the museum was a display based on the cooking of Martha Washington, and you could pick up recipes used by the Washingtons.  Asparagus Ragoo was one of these recipes.  Apparently, George Washington like asparagus as much as we do!

I did modify the recipe just a bit to use ingredients we typically have on hand.  I don’t buy endives, so I wasn’t going to make this with endives, and I decided to use Romaine instead of Bibb or Boston lettuce because I buy Romaine on a regularly basis.  (All you real foodies can commence shuddering, as if my photo of the ragoo on a paper plate wasn’t offensive enough!)

Asparagus Ragoo {George Washington Style}

3 pounds asparagus, cut into thirds
5 TBSP unsalted butter
1 medium onion
1 Romaine lettuce heart, cored and shredded
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 TBSP all purpose flour
2 c. chicken stock

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil over medium heat.  Add the asparagus, reduce the heat, and simmer until the asparagus is barely tender.  Drain thoroughly, cover and set aside to keep warm.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until they begin to soften.  Stir in lettuce, salt and pepper and continue booking until the vegetables are tender.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, and stir to blend well.  Gradually add the stock, stirring until it begins to simmer and thickens slightly.

Add the asparagus and heat until warmed.  Serve immediately.

We served this recipe as a side dish.  My husband chose to eat several helpings of this rather than the main dish, and there was still plenty to go around in our family of 9.

Thanks, George!

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When my oldest was a little boy, we would spend the day with friends and after coming home from a very full and fun day, he would promptly ask,

All I could do was stare at him in disbelief.  How could he possibly want to go somewhere else?  How could he be so ungrateful for the time we spent doing fun things the entire day?

But, over the years, I began to see this wasn’t a matter of being ungrateful.  It was a case of what we call in our house The Let Downs.

We all have events in our lives that create memories, cause adrenaline rushes, are super fun or even super stressful that once over, cause us to feel let down.  We don’t know where to go from here.  We feel directionless and perhaps even a little sad.

Pregnancy and delivery feel a bit like that to me.  Once it is over, even though I have this wonderful little babe in my arms, I find myself wondering, “What now?”

My husband feels like this after vacation.  He throws himself into vacation, soaks up every minute of it, and once back home, he has a hard time going back to the day to day.

As adults, we know life can’t be all fun and games, but children get the “let-downs” and don’t know why or what to do about it.  It’s helpful to let them know what they are feeling and what they will be doing once the big event is over so they can see that life isn’t going to just stop, but it will be different

I have to be honest with you, I’m sitting here writing this with a case of the Let Downs myself.  My focus last week was the big ebook sale.  I was so excited about it and it consumed a lot of energy, but that is over.  Of course, I have a million and one things to do next, but I’m finding myself thinking, “What now?”

So, today I’m going to take some time to regroup.  I’m going to look at these areas:

• Home
• School
• Blog

and jot down some of my thoughts, make myself a Next Thing List and get going.

So, how about you?  Ever feel like you have the Let Downs?  What do you do to overcome it?

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