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I know. This book is all I can talk about lately. I wrote more about it, though, for Latter-day Homeschooling and thought I might as well share it here, too. (Don't forget to sign the petition...See the end of the post! Thanks!)




Stand for the Family by Sharon Slater

If you've followed Latter-day Homeschooling for a while, you know I'm a serious book-lover. What you probably don't know about me is that I am a rather mellow, laid back kind of person.

There are a few things, though, that I feel very passionate about. Family is one of them, and more specifically, defending the family, as explained in this book.

Stand for the Family has called me to action. Have you ever wondered what it means to 'stand/fight for the family'? I have. I had the desire to do it, but I didn't know how.

Stand for the Family clearly states how each one of us can fight for the institution of the family (and make a real difference!), as well as why it is important.

Speaking of important, there are several books that I consider Must-Reads (The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille...), but I don't think any book I've ever read is more pertinent for our generation as parents. It opened my eyes.

I know. It sounds like I'm bearing my testimony or something. I guess I sort of am.

My husband and I went to hear Sharon Slater speak last week. Before the event, my husband was really dragging his feet. H

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For obvious reasons, I talk a lot more about motherhood than fatherhood. Truth is, they go hand in hand. Literally and figuratively. My Robby is an angel in my life. He is just right for me. Much more right than I knew when I said I'd marry him. I didn't know, but the Lord did.

And now I realize that he is also just right for our kids.

For Father's Day, I took him out for sushi (per his request). We had a wonderful night. Giddy as two teenagers feeling love for the first time...yet so much more too, you know? I'm grateful that he still reaches for my hand when we are walking together. I'm grateful that he can still take my breath away with an adoring look.

I'm grateful that he is the father of my children.

He is My Forever Love. A rock in my life.

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Just before I had Baby Y-Y, I was concerned about the transition to three children. I was worried about my older two feeling neglected (and possibly being neglected) especially with thoughts of home school floating through my brain.

I voiced my concerns to one of my aunts, and she said, "The Baby is the Lesson." It was just the thing I needed to hear. I have thought back to that simple statement many times.

Here are a few lessons we have learned in the past year because of having a baby in the house.

• Tenderness. Because of the fragility of babies, everyone practices being gentle, showing affection through tender strokes.
• Selflessness. Babies often get first priority. When Mom's nursing, others must wait. If the baby wants your toy, you let him have it, because he's just a baby.
• Patience. You have to wait your turn for Mom's attention. Also, the baby may scream during a long car-ride, and you have to wait it out. Complaining doesn't make it go any faster.
• Mothering/Fathering skills. How to deal with a baby. Older kids watch Mom as she bathes, changes, feeds baby, etc. often modeling the same behaviors with dolls (if they're young) or helping (if they're a little older). They also watch Mom as she sings, rocks, and caresses baby.
• Heaven. Where babies come from. The Spirit that they bring into a home is a testament that there is a loving God who sends them into our homes.
• Difficult tasks are worth doing. As we cheer on little Y who has recently learned to walk, I think about the older children. Cheering for his accomplishments, seeing his struggles, helping him through them, and knowing it is all worth it.
• Love. Love for the new little one. Love for each other. Love is taught through serving others. Children also learn that a Mother's and Father's love are not lessened with another member of the family to share it with. The family love only grows to envelop another little being into the family whole.

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Once again, we made a fort under our kitchen table, complete with twinkle lights.

It's amazing how a cozy, little space can rejuvenate our spirits. It provided an inspiring place to snuggle and read, as well as a great location for our Family Home Evening.

What's Family Home Evening? Well, on Monday nights, we spend the evening together singing, discussing, and playing (and usually tr-eating).

We start with family business. Everyone shares something going on in their lives. Then we pray and sing a song together. Next, one of us grown-ups gives a lesson that we feel is pertanent to our family at the time. Following the lesson, we have an activity (usually some wild rumbus of a game made up by my crazy hubs....) And we finish with a treat.

The kids never let us miss.

But it's especially bonding when we huddle together in our fort.

(FHE is a Mormon thang...)

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"All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel mother. I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life." -Abraham Lincoln

"Heaven liveth at the feet of mothers." -Muhammad

I have an angel mother. As a child, I used to sit on the sewing machine cover next to her while she sewed. I liked to be with her. When she came to tuck me in each night, she'd often spend an hour on the edge of my bed. Listening. Advising. Just being there.

My mother still makes herself available when I need her.

I'm feeling grateful for her, as well as for other amazing women who I look to as examples.

That's the thing about mothers. Nurturing is in their hearts.

I still enjoy sitting at the feet of great women and relishing in their spirits, in the way they define motherhood as the holiest of callings. I feel perfectly content, kneeling on the floor, looking up to these women who I am lucky to call friends, lingering as long as I can, hoping that their greatness will rub off on me.

Today, happiness is nurturing and being nurtured.



*One of the wonderful mothers that inspired this post, Shauna Dunn, has recently been named the Utah Young Mother of the Year. For lots of good ideas, check out her new blog, Utah Young Mother 2010. Be sure to scroll back far enough to see her portfolio answers!*

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Shauna Dunn (one of my new favorite people) from That Amazing Dunn Family spoke on Saturday about how she encourages a love of learning in her home. She had so many amazing ideas. I don't know how she does half of them!

-Once per week, she meets with her husband for a SPICESS meeting. They talk about the spiritual, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional, skills, and social well-being of each of their 5 kids. Twice a year, they go on a SPICESS retreat, where they discuss how they are doing in each category and go out to a spicy restaurant.

-She wakes up each child with individual read-aloud.

-Once per week, each child gets a Daddy Day in the morning. It may be running an errand or doing something simple, but it's alone time with Dad.

-Scripture Snack- Everyone gathers for family scripture snack and a treat before bed. (It's the only treat of the day, so if they miss scripture snack, they don't get one.)

-Decide what you want your family culture to be and work toward it intentionally.

-On the day of each child's birthday every month, they get a birthday date with either mom or dad or both.

-Family Clappings: When someone does something good, they get to stand on the counter and everyone claps for them.

-You are the expert in you own home.

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I know there are lots of mushy books out there you could use. This book, You and Me by Martine Kindermans, works well because the simple color scheme is used throughout the book.

It was a fun project. Bubs and Welly didn't even realize they were practicing their writing and spelling.   ;)

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In the intro to Stephen R. Covey's book, EVERYDAY GREATNESS, he says something that I love, something that I quickly put up in my kitchen. He says, Live Life in Crescendo. Do you know what a crescendo is? It looks like a less than (<) symbol and is used in music to show a gradual increase in volume.


To live in crescendo, someone must be constantly progressing, improving, learning, growing. Many women believe that becoming a mother is the end of their personal lives. They must fit as much 'life' in as possible before starting a family.

But I believe that you can be a mom and live richly, deeply.

In Proverbs we read, "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. She worketh willingly with her hands. With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor. Strength and honour are her clothing. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."

It is easy to think of ourselves as "just moms", but we must remember that we are doing important work. Mothers should be cherished above rubies.

President Gordon B. Hinckley of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has said, "Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels."
 
I agree with this. My mother is an angel.
 
I am grateful to be a mother. It is hard. It is wonderful. It is challenging. It is rewarding. It is exhausting. It is exalting.
 
My hardest mothering moments are when all the kids are upset. My favorites are when we are happy together, whether we are laughing, reading, eating, or just being.

I hope to model to my children a life lived in crescendo. A life filled with a love of learning and an ever increasing love of those around me.

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I hated to crash the party, but I said, "We can't mess up other people's property," and Bubs (being the tender heart that he is) realized he was in the wrong, and started crying. But then, he made the right choice. He put his snow gear back on and trudged outside to clean off the mud.

Daddy and I were proud of him.

"Everyone makes mistakes," Daddy said. "It's not what you do, it's what you do about it."

And while I pondered Daddy's profound statement, he put on his snow gear and trudged out to help.

I love those guys. I really do.

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Bought a beautiful diamond ring

I offered it to the sweetest thing I know

And she said she would take it.

We started making some wedding plans

She looked at me and she took my hand and said

Do you think we can make it?



I said my granddad's still in love with my grandma

I said my dad still thinks my mom's the sweetest thing he ever saw

You see I come from a long line of love

When the times get hard, we don't give up

Forever is in my heart and in my blood

You see I come from a long line of love.



The years went by and we had a son

Now he thinks he has found someone for him

And they're planning a wedding

He called me up on the phone today

Just to see what I had to say to him

Did I think he was ready?



I said what his grandfather used to say to me

It's been handed down for ages

It runs in our family.



Son, you come from a long line of love

When the times get hard, you won't give up

Forever is in uour heart and in your blood.

Son, You Come From A Long Line of Love

Yes you Come From A Long Line of Love.





For the most part, I'm not a huge fan of classic country...unless, My Bebe and I are in the mood to play hicks. This song, A Long Line of Love, is one I remember singing countless times in the car with my dad.


I've been thinking lately about the chain of love I come from. My mom's birthday was last week. She is truly an angel on earth. Even as a teen, I used to say that if we didn't need her, she'd be taken straight to heaven. I called her on her birthday and told her what a wonderful mother she is. After blowing off the compliments, she began complimenting her own mother.

They are the kind of mothers that keep mothering long after their children are out of the home. They are always there. My mom called her mom "a mother through and through".

This is the line of love I come from. I feel so blessed. I feel like mothering is what I was made for. I love it and find my fullfillment in it. I owe this to my mother and the long line of love before her.

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It has become a tradition for us to go the tumbling gym when my youngest bro is in town. This time, they added sumo suits to the fun.

And on a completely unrelated note...It's really important to me to be close to family. When I hear people say that they don't want to be too close (as in where they live) to their parents/siblings, it makes me sad. I hope my kids will want to live nearby when they are old and grown.

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