The Homeschool Hop #2

This week the theme is: Your Family

Our's is a blended family. My three older children are from a previous marriage. They all attend public school, as their dad wouldn't let me homeschool them. Steven is a senior, who is struggling right now with his senior/graduation project. He is my musical one, is in band, chorus, jazz band, show choir and our church's worship team. He plays trumpet. He has been accepted to college and he is engaged. Floyd is my middle son, and he lives with his father. He is the artist in the family. (The art and music skills seemed to have passed from my parents to them, skipping me. My father was quite the artist and my mom plays piano, which I have been trying to teach myself.) He is now looking at using his skills for future financial gain. Krystal was my baby (okay she is 13 now), never thought I would have any more children after the divorce. She also participates in band and chorus. She loves to bake and is constantly asking if she can make something.

Four and a half years ago I met my husband when I chanced to sit in his mother's car at a Koinonia event we were both attending. Somehow, through the conversation his mother and I were having, we both discovered the other was single, though with children from a previous marriage. Similar circumstances within those failed marriages seemed to draw us together. We ended up getting married 7 months later.

Hubby is an LPN who works night shift in a nursing home environment. Of course, this means his time with the children is limited. He gets an hour or so with them when he gets home in the morning and then eats dinner with us before leaving for work. The children love getting to wave to him out the window. He is an avid Buffalo Bills fan, I would use the word "obsessed." Though I am not a huge football fan myself, I have learned to enjoy the game a lot more since he has explained the game and rules to me. Though my team has to be the Giants, as that was my father's team. The only time this will cause conflict is if our two teams are playing against each other, as I will root for the Bills otherwise. DH also enjoys hockey (Buffalo Sabres, and no conflict here), and NASCAR.

As mentioned, dh does have children from his previous marriage. The thing is, we hardly get to see them because of his new work schedule. He doesn't get a full weekend off anymore, only the Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday, making it impossible to get them down here (they live a couple of hours away). His oldest has graduated from high school and last we knew is looking into college. The twins, girls (I know, I am not using names as I am not sure how well received that would be by their mother) are the same age as my Floyd. And his youngest is 15. And I feel terrible that I really don't know them well enough to mention anything about them. Obviously it is hard to form a relationship when we hardly see them. Though I was hoping for more before the wedding.

Let's see, my precious babies, babies we never thought we would have. I know Tabitha is not a baby anymore having just turned three, but I can't stop calling her my baby girl. Tabitha amazes us with her verbal development. At two and a half she was talking in 11 word sentences. So different from my older children. Her vocabulary is amazing, she shocks us when she uses words like perforation in the correct context after hearing it only once or twice. She is excited to have just started Sunday School. When we drive by the church she will ask if she will be going to her "class." And I have to remind her that church isn't until Sunday. She is very imaginative and loves teaching her little sister.

Amelia is our miracle from God. When I was only 10 weeks pregnant we were told there was a problem during a routine ultra sound. We were sent to a specialist who informed us that due to the extra fluid behind the head and neck, meaning most probably that the lymph system wasn't developing properly, the baby would die in utero or soon after birth. The only option we were given was termination of the pregnancy, which we vehemently refused. The prayer chains were started after our return home, though my faith was quite shaky. At our follow up visit 6 weeks later the fluid had diminished to an acceptable level. Praise God. The specialist had the nerve to tell us, "That happens sometimes." Though we were given no hope at the initial visit. When Amelia was born she was a healthy baby. And she has developed normally these last 20 months. She loves having lesson time with sissy, especially when coloring and gluing is involved. She also loves music and dancing. Amelia is definitely more of a handful and their are many times I have to remind myself she is my "work of the Lord." Which is what Amelia means. God gave me this name after my initial doctor visit where we confirmed the pregnancy. I was driving home and the name Amelia Joy just came to me. It wasn't until I got home and looked it up on the internet, that I discovered the meaning. She is quite the climber and she is into things that were quite safe with Tabitha.

Both girls love going outside to play, we are fortunate to have a park right past our back yard, though it is closed in the winter.

God has blessed me with a wonderful family. We are looking forward to the birth of baby Hannah in less than two months. Tabitha already loves her baby sister. She will rub my tummy, get really close and say, "Oh,the baby is sooo cute." She got a doctor kit for her birthday from grandma (who was actually looking for a nurse outfit so Tabitha could be like daddy). She will listen for the babies heartbeat using the stethoscope that lights up with a heartbeat sound. I also get shots regularly from both girls.

Check out Our Worldwide Classroom for more homeschool hop stories.