The Compassion Experience

Not long ago, I heard of something called The Compassion Experience.  I had seen that other homeschoolers were visiting it and I became curious.  I went to their website to find out what it was all about.  (You can find out more information about it HERE since they have locations nationwide.)  It is an organization that helps people see first hand what it is like to live in a 3rd-world country, and how people from well off countries can help these people with basic needs like education and medical attention.  The Compassion Experience lets you walk through several rooms that show what people's homes, schools, etc. look like while you listen to a child's real life story.

First, Lily, Skyler, and I walked through Kiwi's story.  Kiwi is a girl from the Philippines.

She lived in a hut made of bamboo.  Her father was an alcoholic.  Kiwi was the 4th child born to her parents but the first to survive because of their lack of good medical care.  Her mother's third delivery was a c-section without anesthesia.  Her mother somehow survived.

They never had enough money to buy any food other than rice.  They didn't even have enough money to buy rotten fruit.

One day, Kiwi was sponsored by a family in Australia.  She was able to eat healthy food and get an education.  Her family found Christianity.  Her father stopped drinking.

Kiwi moved to the US to go to college and is now working as a physical therapist and is married.

Then we got to listen to Jonathan's story.  He is a 7 year-old boy from the Dominican Republic.  He wasn't able to go to school because he had to help make money to eat by selling homemade juice.  He lives with just his mother.

Jonathan's father abandoned him when he was a baby and when Jonathan found him, his father was furious and said that Jonathan was a mistake.  His father had a new family.

Jonathan was sponsored and was able to go to school.

"Chicken?!  Only rich people eat chicken!"

"When you spend all your time and energy making enough money to eat, you easily overlook things like learning how to brush your teeth."

Jonathan knew that Christ always forgave others.  So he knew he had to forgive his father.  Eventually they ended up having a great relationship.

Jonathan now works at a Christian church for youth in the Dominican Republic and will be going to school to become a lawyer to help his country become better.

When you walked out of the tour that had lots of packets hanging from the wall.  They each had a picture of a child in need of sponsoring from different parts of the world.  Lily and Skyler were going through a little bit of culture shock and didn't know exactly how to express themselves.  I asked them what their favorite part was, but all they would tell me were things that made them sad.  It was my intention to let them see what is a reality for so many children around the world.  My kids want for nothing, but their life is normal to them and so they don't realize how blessed they are -- but now they understand a little bit more.

On the drive home, we talked about everything we learned and how it made us feel.  We decided that the kids could do some bigger than normal chores and submit the money they earned to humanitarian aid at church.  This experience was definitely another homeschool win.  We will definitely visit again when they come back to Raleigh.

Snow Day!

When a winter storm was put in the forecast last week the kids and I started going crazy.  We were so excited!  In NC, it is a true treat to get winter weather since we only get it once or twice a year.  The storm was supposed to start first thing Friday morning and continue through Saturday.  So without me saying anything, Lily and Skyler did some of their Friday schoolwork on Thursday so that they would be able to enjoy their "snow" day (really, it was a day long ice storm with a couple of hours of snow after that).

We weren't able to play outside on Friday because it was either sleeting or pouring freezing rain.

But Saturday was a different story.

After we had a yummy family breakfast, we all geared up to go outside.  Normally Ben has to work from home on these special snow days so were excited that it was a Saturday.  Ella wasn't feeling too great and she decided to stay inside for the first hour and watch Little Einsteins.  But it was Thad's first time playing in the snow and he LOVED it.  

 He had no fear at all sledding down our neighbor's driveway!

Look at his snow covered honeys!

Our neighbor Tommy sliding down his driveway sans sled.

Skyler would only sled from halfway up the driveway.

Thad took after Tommy -- trying to slide down the driveway without a sled.

But I definitely beat both boys.  I fell on that driveway 4 times and could not walk up it to save my life.  I had to climb up the grass to get to the top.  My poor body is feeling it today.

But if you really want to see something funny, you have to see THIS.

Ella finally came out to play and Lily stayed with her.

Today church is cancelled and so we are enjoying a nice day of rest.

And today the sun is out which means all the ice is starting to melt off of the trees and they glow.  It's so pretty!  I love this weather!

The Joy of Homeschooling

We are in such a groove now with homeschooling that it hardly takes any effort.  Lily and Skyler typically start the work that they don't need my help with (handwriting and grammar) before I even finish my breakfast .  Then I tutor them one-on-one with their individual math lessons.  Then they practice their spelling words and do their assigned reading.  But that's only their MWF schedule.  On Tuesdays we attend our Classical Conversations classes and on Thursdays we study science, art, music, and social studies.

It sounds like a lot, but when you live it, it is so so simple and I am spending about as much time with the kids in their schooling as I was helping them with their homework because I would have to reteach them everything before anyway.  They are mostly done with their work by lunch time because they have learned that the sooner they start their work the sooner they end it, and that means lots of time to play.  I took these pictures today when they had finished all their schoolwork by 10:30 AM.

I am by no means criticizing those who choose to send their kids to public school.  Every family's needs are different.  But I'm now seeing first hand how much my kids were actually being held back by public school.  Lily's reading skills are so incredible now and she can easily read the scriptures, even if she doesn't always understand what they're saying.  Skyler is grasping math so quickly that I'm sure by next year he is going to be needing classes more advanced than even Lily (he's only 8 weeks behind her in math right now anyway).  They both have so much joy in knowing that they are expanding their strengths because they are free to move at their own pace.  

I don't wish that I would have started homeschooling sooner because I learned a lot from the kids' teachers when they were in school.  And I'm also thankful that it gave Lily and Skyler a comparison.  They told me this week that they don't miss school at all, especially not having to ride the bus and dealing with sometimes cranky teachers and bullies.

But I think my two favorite things about homeschooling have nothing to do with schooling itself.  First, the kids are free to be kids.  And second, we have so much more family time.  It warms my heart when I see the kids coming up with their own games upstairs, or building lego creations together, or learning new skills.  Lily's started learning how to cross-stitch and Skyler has obviously just mastered bike-riding.  

I thought that homeschooling would be a little taxing on me because I would never get to see the day when I have the house to myself.  But I actually feel like I have so much more freedom now because I don't have to volunteer every week and I'm not constantly being pestered to contribute to a different fundraiser every week.  I don't have to look through daily folders and I don't have to sign up to buy different items for the classroom that the government won't cover.  I never thought I'd say it, but homeschooling has been one huge sigh of relief.

A Little Scare

Warning:  this post is about girly things.

On New Year's Eve we were in the car just a few minutes from home when I started having labor like pains out of the blue.  I gripped onto the passenger door handle and my arm rest and squeezed until the pain passed a couple of minutes later.  The rest of the day I was cramping enough that I spent most of the day in bed where the kids wouldn't be jumping all over me.  I didn't know what was happening at the time.  I thought it was a fluke incident.

The next day I started bleeding.  And the cramping got worse.  I stayed in bed on New Year's Day too (except, of course, I went outside to take pictures of Skyler riding his bike).  And the the next day.  And that's when the hemorrhaging began.  I started passing golf ball sized clots.

The next day was Sunday and it was really important that I was there because it was Ella's first day being a Sunbeam, Skyler was sharing his favorite scripture story during primary, Lily's first day in senior primary (what?!), and Thad's first day in nursery by himself -- not to mention I had still had to teach my CTR 5 class.  So even though I felt absolutely miserable, we made our way to church.  We got there a half hour early so that we could figure out where all of the kids' different classrooms were and how we would pick them all up after church.  

That morning the blood clots I was passing were much bigger than the previous day.  They were the size of tennis balls.  I was passing one about every 30 minutes but once I was at church I was making trips to the bathroom every 10 minutes because I could feel another one coming.  I talked to my friend who is a labor and delivery nurse and I also called my doctor and both of them told me that I needed to leave church right away and go to the ER.  Before we left (right as Sacrament meeting was starting) I was able to get a priesthood blessing.  A few different families took care of our kids during church and brought them home while Ben and I were at the hospital.

Fortunately I didn't yet need a blood transfusion or any other procedure.  Apparently I was the only person in my family who hadn't even had the thought of a hysterectomy.  So it was a relief that all I needed was to get on an IV to re-hydrate me after my major blood loss.

I was discharged and told to take it easy.  After looking back on the days before, I noticed that my bleeding and hemorrhaging was much worse when I was standing, moving, and sometimes sitting.  But every time I was lying down it would stop.  I stayed on bed rest through Wednesday.  The kids went to my parents' on Monday and Wednesday and Ben watched them at home while he worked on Tuesday.  I am not wholly better yet, but I am getting there and am functioning again.

One of the major questions I keep getting is what caused this?  This isn't something people usually announce, but I had previously had my Mirena IUD removed.  My hemorrhaging was a delayed hormonal reaction to not having a constant dose of estrogen.  To be fair, I am the only person I know of who has cursed the Mirena and has had a terrible experience with it.  Everyone else I know who has had it has loved theirs.

We were blessed through the whole experience.  We have had so many people help our family and offers to help our family.  I guess that's what happens when you leave Sacrament Meeting in tears and have mascara smeared across your face to prove something's wrong.  But really, if you are reading this and you were one of those who reached out to us, thank you.  We are so grateful.

Vacation and the New Year

Ella and Lily both received flying fairies from Santa.  Naturally they're both scared to death of them and so Skyler plays with them.  Naturally.

Sometimes, after Christmas, you need a break from all the shiny new toys, and you need to get back to playing with the good old sticks, er, branches.

In case anyone was wondering, Ben doesn't act like he's 32 on/after Christmas.  I like that about him.  I'm not sure how many hours he's poured into playing with hot wheels and legos in the past week.

The night before New Year's Eve, Ben and I confessed to each other that we felt slightly guilty over the fact that our kids have no idea what New Year's Eve means.  So we told them we would have fun that day.  We went to Costco for lunch and, curse you Costco samples, we ended up bringing home a chocolate mousse cake.  We've been Costco members for years and this was the first time we've given in to something we didn't need because it was too good to pass up.

My New Year's Resolution is to never eat a Costco sample again.

(I'll let you know when I have failed at my attempts next month)

Me:  "Say cheese!"

Lily:  *posing her wacky face*

Skyler:  *smearing chocolate frosting all over his face*

And people wonder why we never have our family picture taken...

We knew we weren't going to let the kids stay up until midnight for several reasons.  The kids' bedtime is 7, so they wouldn't make it even if they tried, we've all been sick with a few different things, and the biggest reason of all?  Ben and I really just wanted a quiet night.  There.  I've said it.

But we told them what people do on New Year's and how it's crazy and everyone parties.  So we found a countdown on Netflix and let the kids celebrate.  I sure hope your celebration wasn't as out of control as these guys!!!

Judging from Skyler's, "That's it????" after the countdown, Ben and I decided that maybe we won't try again for a couple more years...

We put the kids in bed and Ben and I made our own special dinner to enjoy by ourselves (which is something we do a couple of times a month in lieu of date nights out).  A few weeks ago, one of Ben's co-workers casually asked for our address.  A couple days later a package arrived on our porch from her that was filled with a couple hundred dollars worth of Omaha Steaks as a thank you for all Ben's work this year.  We were thrilled!  So we grilled up some steaks and watched Netflix/read, and went to bed at 10:30.  We fully realize how UN-exciting we are, and we are more than okay with it.  :)

This past week has been so unseasonably warm and RAINY.  The creek behind our house has been overflowing at times.  Ben and I had a goal to get Skyler riding his bike sans training wheels during the break.  Why we always tried to help our kids during the scorching heat on Summer days is beyond me.  This morning (the first time we weren't being poured on this week) I told Skyler, "I think today is the day."  He wasn't eager to try, but as soon as he got on his bike with Ben, it was like magic.  I think it took maybe 30 seconds for him to ride by himself?  It's gonna be a good year, y'all.

I was on make-sure-Ella-and-Thad-don't-roll-into-the-street-as-discreetly-as-a-toddler-can-roll-into-the-street-on-a-plasma-car-duty.

Between Ella and Thad's different, yet both hilarious personalities, I count my blessing that I get to call these two crazies my own.

What is he doing?

Why is he rolling into the grass?

Doesn't he realize how un-fun that is?

He can hardly roll.

Crazy kid.

Guess he's gotta learn that at some point.

Wait.

THAD GET OUT OF THE STREET!!!!

Clever kiddo figured out how to escape my ever looming presence at the top of the driveway.  Such a Thad thing to do -- to have this mastermind idea executed with a completely straight face.  Gah.  I love him anyway.

His masculinity isn't threatened when he rides Ella's pink butterfly unicorn balance bike.

Lily has been eagerly awaiting this day.  I think she was just as excited that Skyler can now ride his bike as he was.  Now they can ride around the neighborhood together.

Way to go, Skyler!  What a great way to ring in the New Year!

Christmas

My parents wanted to be here when the kids came down and saw what Santa brought them.  We decided that we would come down at 7 and that's when my parents arrived.  But naturally, since most of us were sick, Thad was up coughing at 4 AM and didn't get back to sleep.  By 5:30 AM all the kids were in bed with us watching Charlie Brown's Christmas.  We called Ben's parents in Hong Kong since it was an ideal time to call them.  And then we heard our garage door open and the kids went flying out of our bedroom because they knew they were finally allowed to go downstairs.

When your kids are eager for the presents they've been waiting months for, you're only going to get blurry shots because they wouldn't stop moving.

Skyler got the marble run he asked Santa for.  "I really got a marble run that has booby traps?!"

We also found out that it took Santa 2 hours to put together.  What a nice and patient old man.

Lily got the jewelry box she wanted.  It was full of stick on jewels to decorate it with.  I have to admit that I was worried, because she wanted it to be filled to the brim with jewelry but she didn't even care that it was empty once she saw that she got the jewelry box she wanted.  Good job Santa.

Thaddeo got Magformers and they have been one of the most coveted gifts this year.  Everyone plays with them, especially a 32 year-old man I happen to know.

Ella got the ballerina doll she wanted.  They have been inseperable the past few days and I don't know how many times she's changed her outfit (thanks, Mom and Dad, for the outfits).  I asked Ben if as a teenager he would have ever envisioned his older self changing doll clothing like it's nothing.

Also, that motherly look on her face makes me melt.  Ella and Lily are both such mini mommies.

The kids were so excited to get "life saviors!"

Oh, I mean light sabers.

My parents also got Lily a similar jewelry box that she had to put jewels on.  Both boxes were completed on Christmas day.  Am I surprised?  Negative.

Papa ran the babies around the house and let them "fly."

Skyler's biggest hope this year was for a Hot Wheels track.  He ended up with two.  I should have only bought him one.  Why do they not clearly label the package as saying that they are massively huge and will take up all the space in your entire downstairs???

Ben and I decided to do a simpler Christmas this year.  Each of the kids got quite a bit less than in Christmases past, but fortunately none of them noticed or cared.  I did all my shopping online on Black Friday and didn't buy anything else afterward.  Lily and Skyler were also given library cards as one of their gifts because they've been begging for them for months.  As silly as it sounds, it's actually a huge deal and I was happy that it was free.  :)

We spent the day playing with toys, taking naps, and coloring in our adult coloring books.  It's funny because I bought some for $2 each in Hong Kong for the kids for Christmas, and unknowingly, my mom bought one for me too!  There have been a few times when we have all sat down and colored in our coloring books together.  Lily has suggested that we form a club.

Dinner was delish and this was the first time my family has ever made a turkey on Christmas.  Traditionally we have always done ham, but in the most recent years, we've done steak to appease my former pregnant appetites.

As a kid I remember being so excited about Christmas during the Christmas season.  As soon as Christmas music played on the radio, it was on 24/7 and it never got old.  As time has gone by, I have felt that excitement disappear a little each year.  This year, I decided to try an experiment.  I created a Mormon Tabernacle Choir Pandora station and almost solely listened to religious Christmas music this year (this also includes Pentatonix and The Piano Guys, because, come on).  My Christmas spirit did a 180 and I appreciated Christmas so much more this year than any other year.

We hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas, too.  We are so thankful for our Savior who was born for us -- who lived for us and died for us.  I am so thankful that we have the Christmas season each year to refocus on that wonderful moment in history.