When "Life" Gets in the Way...

    Homeschooling is such a blessing, but it can also bring a lot of questions and concerns to a mom's heart.  We want what's best for our children, and when things don't go as planned, it can cause us to wonder if we are doing right by our kids.

    Life doesn't stop just because we have school scheduled in our planners.  We're learning this all too well with a newborn in the house.  While we're slowly making our way through our lessons in this season of life, it doesn't mean the kids are missing out on learning.  Quite the contrary.  They are learning all about what it means to selflessly care for another human being.  They are learning patience (Mom can't always jump up and cater to them while nursing the baby).  They are learning even more so about what it means to be a family.  They are watching how mom and dad handle big changes in life (imperfectly so, but they can also see what not to do when experiencing such changes).

    Living life is learning, and I need to remind myself of this concept daily, because right now, we have those days where the books need to be put back on the shelves and the pencils need to be placed back in the drawers so we can live such a life.  We need to remember to take things day by day and to not sweat the small stuff, because there's a lot of small stuff that comes up.

    Take advantage of summer and holiday breaks... if you need to play catch up with your lessons, don't be afraid to use those days.  Having a horrible day and need to throw in the towel?  That doesn't mean your entire school year has gone down the drain. Use the day to just "be."  Cuddle on the couch with your kids with a good book.  Take them to the park or library.  Use that day to veg out and watch movies as a family.  Forgive yourself for not running your family as a school, and know that those lessons will be waiting right there for you when you are ready to come back to them.

    As an adult, I'm realizing that I have been learning more through living life than I ever did in a classroom.  This is such sweet validation for the way I've been treating our homeschool journey the past year or so.  Life teaches us so many valuable lessons, so why resent it when it throws unexpected happenings at us in the middle of our school year?  Embrace life.  Embrace the breaks, the alternative ways of learning, and embrace the freedom that comes with your choice to teach your children at home (or at the park, or at the museum....).

    This very post is being cut short, because life is calling... in the form of a tiny little baby who needs to eat.  Be blessed, fellow homeschoolers!  You are doing a wonderful job and your kids are so blessed to be learning all about the things that are truly important in life.  Pat yourself on the back and smile knowing that you're a-okay!

The best sort of "distraction" ever. :)

~Em

My Homebirth Experience

    It's been a little over a month since I had my fifth baby.  I've been enjoying our little babymoon.  He is absolutely precious and I can't get enough of him.  Here are the most recent pictures of my sweet little guy ~

    I think he looks just like his Daddy.... and I see all the other kids in there somewhere as well.  He just melts my heart! 

    With my other kids, I had hospital births.  Each was pretty unique... two were quite similar, but all took place in a hospital bed.  There weren't any traumatic events, all went well.  I was quite pleased with them, yet I didn't have a clue about what I was missing out on in giving birth at home.  Wow, am I ever a fan!

    I am all about women giving birth in a place that makes them feel safe, secure, comfortable, and relaxed.  If a woman feels better at a hospital, by all means, plan a hospital birth.  If you feel better at home, don't step foot outside your house! If you want to make the trek to The Farm in Tennessee.... I'll be mighty jealous, but have at it!  I even hear of women giving birth in the woods.... more power to them, those mighty, brave, magnificent creatures! 

    I had heard a bit about homebirthing throughout the years, but never saw myself doing that.  It just isn't what we do these days, or so I thought.  I was content with going to the hospital like the majority of women I know.  It was the normal thing to do, so that's what I did.  This time around was different.  I just wanted to stay home.  I am comfortable at home.  It is my safe, happy bubble.  Home is where my husband and I raise our children.  It is where I teach my children.  It is where I snuggle my husband.  Home is where my heart is, so why wouldn't I want to have one of the most special experiences of my life right here in my cozy little nest?  

    I never expected to love my homebirth experience as much as I did.  I mean, I was blown away!  I found an amazing midwife who shares my beliefs in so many areas of life that I truly believe God led me to her.  She came to my house for all my prenatal appointments.  I had my ultrasounds right on my very own couch.  I didn't have to change out of my jammies for my appointments if I didn't want to.  The kids were able to get to know the midwife, my hubby was as well.  It was a wonderful several months of bonding and I will forever cherish those times.  

    It's really a good thing I chose to birth at home, because my labor was so..... strange.  It was strange for me anyway.  I always had clear tell-tale signs of when I needed to go to the hospital.  After a couple weeks of "false alarms," I really didn't believe I was in labor.  My contractions weren't strong enough to cause alarm, although they were pretty regular.  I don't think I really felt I was truly in labor until my midwife was 10 minutes out from our house.  

    The night before I had Wesson (that would be the baby, yes!), I woke up not even a handful of times every couple hours with what I thought were braxton hicks.  Around 8/8:30 am they started picking up speed, and quick.  I called my parents shortly after and told them that today could be the day, but I wasn't making any promises.  I sent my kids to stay with them, and honestly thought I'd get them back a couple hours later when my current bout of false labor ended. lol  

    Soon after the kids left, I texted my midwife to let her know that today might be the day, but I wasn't sure.  She called about 20 minutes later (ballpark) to talk with me and see how I was doing.  Around 10 am or so, we decided that she should head over, as my contractions started feeling a bit more real.  Nothing to be alarmed over, but hey, might as well be safe.

    About ten minutes before she arrived, I was contracting hard enough that Jeff decided to call and see how far out she was.  By the time she walked through the door, I was sitting on the couch with tears in my eyes and she knew I was close.  She arrived around 11:40.

    All this time, my birthing pool was filling up in my bedroom (what a great husband I have. He was on top of things!).  I got into the pool about 20 minutes after my midwife arrived and set up her supplies.  It felt wonderful!  I love hot water.  I love hot water even more as a way to relieve pain!  Jeff brought my diffuser filled with a couple of my favorite essential oils into our bedroom and got that going. You really can't beat hot water, essential oils, scriptures plastered all over your walls (the kids made them colorful for me too!), and being in your own bedroom.  It is the best, I tell ya! 

    I felt pressure probably 5 minutes after I hopped in the pool.  5 minutes after that, Wesson was here, in my arms, precious as can be.  I birthed him through two contractions, virtually without pushing.... it was a beautiful thing.  His cord was wrapped around him three times, and I hadn't a clue until after the fact because my midwife was such a boss that she untangled him with lightning speed.  He was born healthy, happy, and safely in the comfort of our own home.  

    I often hear people say that homebirthing is a trend.  I find that silly.  If you think about it, hospital birthing is a trend.  Women have been birthing from home since the beginning of birthing.  There is nothing strange about giving birth in your own home if you so choose to go that route.  Our bodies are made for this, and as long as you aren't experiencing a high risk pregnancy, I see nothing dangerous or weird about it at all.  

    I was accompanied by people who loved me and cared for me.  One of which was my husband who handled the whole ordeal like a rockstar!  He served me hand and foot from the time I went into labor until today, even.  He's been cooking, cleaning, child rearing, grocery shopping, you name it while I've been recovering.  

   I'm doing a whole lot more now, as I just can't help myself, but I did make sure to allow myself to recover well for the first two or three weeks.  This has been new for me, as I only gave myself maybe three or four days of rest before trying to tackle the world once again.  I have yet to see those baby blues I experienced in the beginning each time before.  I had a couple weepy moments, out of sheer exhaustion the first couple days, but other than that, I've been pretty level headed, and I attribute that to my following my midwife's orders of sticking to my couch/bed like glue. ;)  

  That other person who loved and cared for me was obviously my midwife.  I love that she errs on the side of caution.  I knew that the second a sign of trouble arrived, she would have packed me up in the car and raced me to the hospital.  That sense of security was absolutely essential for me.  She knows what she's doing, so I had full faith that Wesson and I would be A-okay.  

    God had His hands all over this experience.  I am so grateful to have gone on such a journey, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.  I'll leave you with a few pictures of my sweet boy.  Our whole family just loves him.  It's really hard sharing him with four kids and my husband, but oh, does it melt my heart to see each of them hold and bond with him.  He is the perfect addition to our family.

Be prepared for a photo explosion..........

That, in a nutshell, is why you haven't heard much from me lately.  There just aren't enough words to describe the feelings flowing through me at the moment.  My cup overflows. 

~Em