Question and Answer Post :)

Many of you have asked questions and have been so patiently waiting for an answer. So while baby and I hopefully hang in here for a while, I wanted to use some of my unlimited “time in bed” :) to answer those questions. I realized a few of the questions recently asked have been addressed before, thus another project I have been doing from bed is applying labels to all our posts. Once that is done, I will put a label index on the side bar so you can easily find what interests you.
This will probably be long, so you may just want to scroll down and read what interests you…or if you are confined to hospital bed rest, you may want to read it all :)! So here we go:

-Curriculum and Bible Time- We love textbooks! I know many people scoff at them as an inferior way to learn or say they hamper a child’s creativity/potential, but they have proved to be the opposite for us. Not only do the children enjoy them, they have been a blessing to me as they assure I am covering what I need to cover with each child. They can, of course, also be supplemented by other books and projects.
We have mainly used Abeka along with some other things here and there. I posted what we used in more detail a year ago and you can find that post here.
Our Bible Time is done as a family each morning and evening. Morning Bible time is done during breakfast. We read a chapter from a book (missionary biography or stories or other book that encourages us in our walk with the Lord). Then Daniel reads a chapter from the Bible and we talk about it and then have a time of prayer before we begin our day.
In the evening, we love to start by singing. Each child picks their favorite song and often we try to teach new ones too. Then Daniel will either read from the Bible and teach or sometimes we will have all the children grab their Bibles and we’ll go around the room having each “reader” read a verse or two of the daily passage. Then everyone. starting with the youngest and going to the oldest , prays out loud.
The children have their own person Bible reading/prayer time in the morning before breakfast and then work on Scripture memory passages during school time.

-Are you and the children bilingual? I am definitely still learning Spanish, but I can understand and communicate enough to work my way through most anything now. The older 2 boys speak pretty well now (in Spanish). The younger ones understand some and we’ve heard them use simple words and sentences, but as they are home with me much of the day and we speak English in the home (so they’ll learn it), they are bit slower at picking up Spanish. As they get older and go out more with Daniel (like Timothy and Elijah are doing), they seem to pick it up rapidly.

-Our schedule (Managers of Their Homes or MOTH by Steve and Teri Maxwell)- I have written an entire post on this and am so thankful for the Lord using this book in my life as it has been a vital part in enabling me to accomplish what He has called me to do each day…care for my hubby, children and home and home school. You can find that post here.
A few have asked if they could see a copy of our schedule and we have always been happy to send that via email (in a PDF file) to anyone who would like. Of course, with the situation of me being in the hospital, we are unable to follow that schedule as normal right now, but it is what we normally do/were doing. Just email me if you are interested (email at the bottom right hand side bar.)

-Potty Training- Wow…that’s a big subject. Basically, what as worked for me the past several years is that as soon as I feel a child is ready to use the potty (each child is different- this has been anywhere from 18 months to around 2 ½) we begin. The blessing for me is, I don’t really do much of the training anymore. The hardest thing about potty training for me was remembering to ask the child if they wanted to use the potty. Usually, my children have been very excited about the whole concept, and they would often go when I would put them on….but I would be busy with something and would forget to remind them.
Now my older children potty train the little guys. It works great. I simply announce that “so and so” are going to begin using the potty. Everyone claps with glee. Then I take everyone into the bathroom with the little one in tow and explain the process (sitting, pulling down pants, wiping, washing hands ect…) . Then I remind them that whenever this child does a “pee” in the potty he AND the child that took him get 1 treat from the treat jar (anything from an M & M, peanut, raisin, ect) and if the child does a “poo” he and the one who too him get 2 treats. So all day long, the older ones are constantly taking the little one into the bathroom. Some get the entire training done in just a couple of weeks and others take a while longer.

-I am no longer nursing Eliseo. I have a difficult time nursing my babies after I am pregnant, so I usually nurse them as long as I can and that depends on when a new little one is on his/her way.

-Cooking with little ones/stove safety- I love having my children in the kitchen with me (well, not all of them at once, but a child or two or three each meal)! I love their excitement for helping/cooking/learning and I enjoy the time we spend chatting together while we work. Plus they have learned so much and are able to now do much of a meal on their own. I have let my children from the age of 6 on up use the stove but of course the younger ones are FULLY supervised at all times. The little ones like to help stir something and I will make sure they are safe, explain safety rules to them and just watch. As they get older, they are able to cook quite proficiently as they show themselves responsible. I still keep a close eye on my older children as they cook and I do not let any of the younger ones go into the kitchen if an older one is using the stove.

-Cake/cooking class- This comment made me smile…someone wanting me to give cake decorating or cooking classes. As far as cakes go, I usually just look up online an idea for a cake for each birthday to go along with the theme of the party. I have always thought they turned out cute to just okay. But they taste good at least J
I do intend to post many more recipes once we get back home and back into the routine of things. I have posted a few and will get those labeled soon too.

-Winter with the Moodys- Someone asked if we are the Lockwood family, the missionaries to Mexico, in the children’s book Winter with the Moodys by Sarah Maxwell, and if Daniel really did lead Mr. Maxwell to the Lord ( as Mr. Lockwood leads Mr. Moody to the Lord in the book).
Winter with the Moodys (along with the other 3 books in the series) is a children’s fictional book written especially for home schooling children as the family in the book is a home schooling family who loves the Lord and believes children are a blessing from him. So while it is not a true story, Sarah uses some of her own life experiences and other things and implements them into the story.
She surprised us and used our family name in the book and I will never forget our children’s reaction when I read it outloud to them! No, Daniel did not lead Mr. Maxwell to the Lord. The Maxwells are dear friends of ours whom the Lord has used to grow us so much in our walk with Him and in bringing up our children. I encourage you to check their website at www.titus2.com. They have several books and other resources that will be a tremendous blessing to you.

- Someone asked what I am working on memorizing in the hospital right now. I am working through Psalms 119. I have completed through verse 14 now. I try to memorize 2 verses a day, although occasionally I take a day to just review. This is a bit faster than I normally memorize verses, but I have extra time right now and want to fill it with things that will glorify the Lord and help me keep my mind on Him.

-Someone asked me about children getting the stomach flu…how often this happens, how do we deal with it, and if everyone gets it at once. I remember being very nervous about this too when I was younger as I wasn’t sure how I would handle the “mess” as I have a sensitive stomach, especially when pregnant. But the Lord gives grace in each and every situation as needed!
We have had “good” years and and ones when it seems we pick up more bugs. Often, most all the children will get a bug if someone starts with one. The younger ones especially seem to pick up whatever is going around; sometimes the older ones don’t get sick and Daniel and I usually don’t get it.
When the flu does it, we just make everyone as comfy as possible….towels on the beds, a bowl or lined garbage can nearby in case they get sick (even my young ones can make it into the bowl usually) and lots of liquids available for the sickies to sip on as able. I keep my washing machine running and always remind myself that “this too will pass!”. After the bout of the flu is through, I enjoy airing out the house, cleaning and disinfecting everything, washing all bedding ect… Then afterwards it feels nice and clean and refreshing.

-Support Level- Someone was curious as far as if we need to raise more support each time we have a new baby. The Lord has always provided for us through each an every need we’ve had. Sometimes we just need provision for our daily food and gas, other times we have needs for the children, and then other times we have greater needs . But we have seen His faithfulness over and over! We have been on the field for over 5 years now and have purposed to let our requests be made known unto God…our heavenly Father who cares for us so much. And we have seen His loving hand care for us, His children, time and time again. He is so good!