Purple Day

March 26 of every year year is know as Epilepsy Purple day. This is something I have learned since Lauren was diagnosed with Epilepsy in August of 2011. Prior to Lauren's diagnoses I sadly must admit that I knew nothing of this day, nor did I really understand or know what Epilepsy was and I find that very common among most people. Since Lauren's diagnoses our family has gained so much knowledge about Epilepsy and how it effects so many more people than something like breast cancer, yet the foundation is under recognized and doesn't receive much funding or community fundraising beyond those who are or know someone with Epilepsy. Epilepsy sadly isn't the only foundation that is under recognized but it is a condition that effects more people. Every 4 minutes someone is diagnosed with Epilepsy and the life they once knew is forever changed, I know ours has.

It is becoming clearer and clear what my mission is with being blessed with a daughter who has Epilepsy and I'm seeking God through prayer and stillness for the steps he wants me to take. I know our God has big plans for all that we are enduring and I plan on staying faithful through the end, especially during the times it gets rough and praising him each step of the way.

I am asking each of you to please honor my sweet princess Lauren and the millions of others effected by Epilepsy by wearing Purple on March 26th!

Looking Up and Moving Forward

Wow what an awesome two weeks we've had. It's so amazing how things fall into order when you put your priorities in order and most importantly STICK to it. The kids and I have learned so much these past two weeks and are loving all our new curriculum. Lauren has been participating so much more and is catching on so fast.

I've also decided that I will be committing another year to homeschooling both the kids (we agreed to take it year by year). I've already went ahead and bought all the curriculum we need to continue through the summer (its far too hot to play out side in the summer here) and onto the next year. It's the curriculum we've already begun to use and we are loving all of it so far.

I know homeschooling is what is best for our family right now and I know its what God has called me to do, and although I still have my doubts and my fears, I'm waking each morning giving our day and school to the Lord and following his lead. I know I'm not equipped to teach my kids but God is and since he has called me to it he is equipping me through it.

Raising Money For Epilepsy

Please help support our efforts in raising money for the Epilepsy Foundation in Lauren's honor. We will be participating in an Epilepsy walk on March 24Th.



http://eftx.donordrive.com/participant/LaurensHope

Aries Herrera

Just some fun pictures of our sweet four legged family member. She is such a gentle giant and our hearts are filled with joy now that she is apart of our family.

Headed to her new home in El Paso, Texas

Playing with her new toy

Loving on Ethan

She found daddy asleep on the couch and she thinks he needs to wake up

She thinks she is a little lap dog

Our beuatiful gentle giant Aries Herrera

Putting what's important first

Since the last time I posted I have been battling myself and the enemy for many things, but mostly on my decision to continue homeschooling or not. Last year around this time I felt God calling me to homeschool my kids, but I had a ton of personal reservations and I fought him on the idea, but eventually I saw it his way and chose to homeschool the kids this year. The year was going great until about the beginning of December late November when things took a turn for the worse and we hit a brick wall. The first two weeks in December where so rough I decided we should take winter break early and revisit homeschooling after the holidays. Well during the break I decided it was our curriculum that was making us all crazy so I decided it was time to let go of it and try something new. We got back from break and I went out and bought several new work books and we went to work, but things did not go as I had imagined them to, and we found ourselves still in the same position but with the added stress of a new curriculum. Our happy fun days had turned into tearfilled screaming matches and lots of sit down and do this or else. Homeschool had become they very thing I never wanted it to be and I found myself so stressed out that I wasn't even sure how we would finish out the year. Then I decided, by emotions, that homeschooling just wasn't what God called me to and that I must have heard him wrong. I went and started looking at schools for next year. I could see the heart break in Ethan's eyes but I was so over how things had been I didn't care if going back to public school was what he wanted or not, I only knew I wasn't fit to do it another year, couldn't do it another year.

During this time our Sunday service message had been on the "First" since it was a new year. He talked about how busy we have all become and he demonstrated with the help of rocks in a jar that when we try to put God, family, and serving last there isn't enough room in the jar for everything else in our day, but when we put what's important in the jar first, God, family, and serving then we have plenty of space in the day for everything else. This message hit me hard and I had tears in my eyes through almost every part of this series. I began to feel God tug and pull at my heart about my choice to quit homeschooling but I sadly tried not listening to him because the enemy had already begun his work in showing me how "easy" life would be if I put the kids in public school next year. He suduced me with the one thing I don't hardly ever get (unless I stay up super late) time do the things I want to do. I went back and forth every day, and sometimes every miute of the day. I found myself trying to convince myself and friends who have been on this journey with me that I really didn't hear God and that it was my flesh that chose to homeschool. I told Eddie that I wasn't going to continue homeschooling and although I could see and sense his disappointment he didn't try to talk me into continuing but instead tried to talk me though what I was feeling and thinking. I knew he wasn't happy with my choice of not continuing but the gracious man he is never told me I had to continue even though he knew homeschooling is what is best for our family.

I continued to pray and seek God through bible study and soon came to a clear reality that I was called to homeschooling and that it wasn't working because I removed the very reason I began homeschooling in the first place. I got so cught up in trying to be like other homeschool families that I felt the pressure that my kids were behind, so I stopped doing morning prayer time for myself and with the kids, I stopped having the kids do Bible because all the other subjects such as math, science and english were so much more important to get completed. It hit me, when I removed God, the reason I homeschool, from our day everything else didn't fit. I was no longer putting what was important first! The very reason to homeschool my kids was to allow them to grow closer to God, yet I their role model only taught them how to get caught up in the things of the world.

I knew at that moment my chains were broken and I knew I was called to homeschool and if I would put God first and teach according to the way he has called me everything else in my jar would fit. I knew I had to change my daily schedule and remove some things we had been doing in order to put what was important first. This week we stuck to that schedule. I had my morning quiet time with God, the kids had their prayer and Bible study and you know what the rest of our day and week was joyful.

Father, how easily we can become distracted by the things of this world. Forgive me father for I have fallen short and fell to the temptation of the world. Thank you Lord for always gently correcting me and never leaving my side. May I always remember to put what is important first. In your name I pray Amen!

Starting Over

I've decided to cut out our homeschool blog and just keep up with our family blog since they really go hand in hand any ways. So I thought I start off with a quick update on all of us.

Eddie-
What can I say more than I am one blessed woman to be married to such an amazing man. A man who is so dedicated in all areas of his life. He is a man of God, a loving and respectful husband and father, and a man dedicated to his job and protecting our country. He really is an amazing man. He loves his job and we love having him home with us all the time. He is learning to become a handyman as he fixes stuff around our house.

Ethan-
Our little man turned 10 on December 24th and man is he growing into a wondeful young man. He has such a heart for people it's truely something amazing to see and it couldn't make us prouder to be his parents. This year we ventured into homeschooling and although it has brought our family closer I'm not so sure it's working out for us. We plan to finish out the year and then figure out this summer what is best for all of us. Ethan is very much into building things out of Legos and he is actually very good at it and has great imagination and creativity. He has recently learned to skate board and is having fun learning new tricks and stuff, even if me, his mom has no clue why the tricks are so cool. He is very much a 10 year old boy and is trying to find his place in this world, but really is a great kid who always makes us laugh.

Lauren-
Our little princess turned 5 this year and is growing into such a young lady, a sometimes sassy young lady but a beautiful sweet one at that. In August of 2011 she was diagnosed with Epilepsy, it has been a rough adjustment and a long road for her and us. She has had to learn that she has limitations to things she can and can not due in order to protect her from causing herself to have a seizure or to protect herself from injuries if she should have one. Following these limitations hasn't been easy but she is adjusting to them and becoming more aware of if she is going to have a seizure. She was put on a medicine and for about 2 months it seemed to have been working but then things changed and she stopped responding to the medicine. Recent test results show she is having frequent seizure spikes. This was hard news to swallow but we have changed her medicine and are praying this is the right one. Despite her condition she hasn't allowed it to define her or slow her down. She is still my adventurist and loves doing new things and learning new things. She loves to sing and dance and is such a social butterfly. She has also been doing homeschool but doesn't stop talking about going to a real school next year. She is such a joy in our life.

Me-
It's been a rough year for me with so much change. I have grown so much thanks to my Lord and Savior who refuses to leave me where I am. He has taught me so much through all we have dealt with, with Lauren. He continues to use everything, the good and the bad to grow me up and closer to him. I am so grateful to have a Heavenly Father who loves me so much. Homeschooling the kids this year has given me the chance to grow closer to the kids and to learn who they are in a way I've never known them, I am truely grateful for this time we have shared growing closer as a family. Although I have enjoyed this time with them I'm not sure if this is what is going to be best for us to continue next year, but I'm praying about it and seeking God's guidence and direction. For now I will enjoy finishing out the school year with my kids. Even though this has been a rough year I give God all the glory because he hasn't left my side during any of it and infact he has been there holding me up and moving me forward and for that I'm so grateful.

Aries-
She is the newest member of our family. She is a 9 month Bullmastiff and is huge, but such a snuggle bug. She really is a great dog and is adjusting well in our home. She loves us all so very much and always want to be around us. She is very smart and doing well with the training Ed is working with her on. We love having her and look forward to her growing with our family.


Well that is our update although it wasn't as quick as I thought it would be...LOL

Parenting

In the Bible there are verses that use the word "rod" in the context of discipline, and the Bible uses the "rod" as a picture to help show us how to discipline our children and to help us understand the importance of our job. So figuratively we are shepherds of our little ones, and we need to carry our shepherd's staff, our rod. It's a sign of authority, and God has given parents authority over their children. And just as it is crucial that a shepherd not lay aside his rod, it is crucial that parents not lay aside the rod of authority and discipline. This does not mean, though, that we are to hit our children -- on the contrary. A good shepherd does not hit his sheep with the rod, but rather reserves hitting for the predators who attack his sheep. In like manner, we as parents should not use the "rod" to hit our children, but rather we are to protect them, guide them, and defend them.

I have always been confused on if I should hit my children as a way to discipline them. I will admit for some time I thought spanking was the way I should discipline but only because that's what most of us are taught to do. In the many times I used spanking to discipline it always felt wrong. I didn't understand nor get how inflicting pain on my child would correct them, and as I began to observe my children I realized it didn't discipline them but instead it made them afraid of me and because they were afraid they would behave better for a time. I also learned that spanking wasn't teaching them anything but to hit when they got angry at what someone did to them, or if someone didn't listen to them. I found my self spanking my kids and saying hitting is wrong and it hurts. So I started questioning myself why it was OK for me to hit them when they did wrong but it wasn't OK for them to hit someone else when they thought that other kid was doing wrong. They were only doing what they were taught. I began to pray for direction and wisdom on how to go about discipline in a Godly way. After some prayer a good friend (I will leave her name out ) of mine began to talk to me in a gentle way on spanking. She referred me to a wonderful site called gentle christian mothers and I began to learn new things. I then read a book called Biblical Parenting and it changed my views on parenting and spanking. I haven't spanked my kids in over a year and instead I have been using the same discipline on them as God uses on me, grace and mercy. The change in discipline wasn't easy and I would slip up at times, but I learned to ask my children for forgiveness when I did spank and told them that hitting them was wrong and I am working on changing that. I realized very fast that in those moments I taught my children something important and that is that we all make mistakes and doing something new takes work and if we fail the right thing to do is admit we are wrong and ask for forgiveness. I've learned that I am not my children's boss, but that I am their teacher, their comforter and their protector. I am not here to rule them but instead guide them and teach them how to be good Christian's with a heart to love, forgive, give mercy and grace to others as our heavenly father gives to us.

Discipling without spanking has taken a lot of work on my part but it's been the best change I've made as a parent.