Hello Again!

Eight years ago I introduced myself on this blog.  Wow!  Seems like a million years!  Life is a funny thing.  It travels both at the pace of a turtle and at the speed of sound.  One minute we are bogged down in the mundane day to day duties, the next minute we are marveling at the fact that a kid was just born yesterday and today she's turning 22.  It happens that way, sadly, all to often.  We complain about the nit picky things that we must trudge through daily, then find ourselves sobbing at the fact that it's been 7 years since I last posted on my blog!  (Please tell me it isn't just me!)  So very much has happened to us since my last blog post...and since I know you are dying to know...let me just share a bit of our life... even though I'm not the "milkmaidmama" anymore, it is still very much a part of who I am today, so I'll just let that name stay for now... anyway, happy reading!

2017 was a tough year for our family.  Our beautiful 2 story home, the one that my husband built with his own 2 hands, burned.  We lost every material thing (except for some things that were downstairs that didn't get damaged from either smoke or water).  We were all safe, but the house had to be demolished.  We lived in a rent house for around 14 months, where we welcomed the arrival of Baby Number 8, while Darrell converted his workshop to a home for us.  While we were in the rent house the Lord laid it on our hearts to minimize, so we sold all our milk cows and milk goats.  It was hard to let go...it felt like letting go of our way of life, but it was something that we knew the Lord was leading in, so we knew there was a purpose.  

The rent house was a challenge, especially for me.  Nine months of the time we were there I was pregnant and emotionally a MESS.  The house itself was old and not built to accomodate a family of 8 soon to be 9.  The hot water tank was too small.  We had to make sure all laundry was washed by 3 pm and we had to make sure the dishes were done by 5 so that we would have SOME hot water for folks to take showers...which had to be super quick.  Then we discovered that the septic tank was also too small.  One evening, while showers were going, the sewage began coming up in the kitchen sink!  Can you imagine the response of a pregnant and totally stressed out mama???!!!  Yeah, that was me. 

We did manage to survive and happily moved into our new house...er, shop...er shouse.  Really it is just our home.  We've done what was needed to make it comfortable, and it fits our family.  Yeah, we still have concrete floors, but hey...when you spill water...you don''t have to worry about getting it up immediatly! I never cease to be amazed at my husband's abilities...he can do anything!  He can not only create the vision, but he has plenty of ability to envision the vision!  Here are some of the lovely things he's built...

My sewing corner... I LOVE it so much.  I've made some changes to it since this pic...but you get the idea.  Take note of the tiny vintage sewing machine in the corner on the crate shelf...that was my grandmother's!😍

This...oh my, I am so proud of and in love with this!  (And the guy who made it!)  Beautiful and functional...who wouldn't love this?!

We don't have cows or goats anymore, but we have some super friendly feathered friends...

One thing that I am very aware of is that right now, our world is in chaos.  I saw it coming...not because I have special abilities, but for some reason the Lord chose to show it to me.  We have insanity running amuck everywhere.  We need to be alert and on guard, but I tell you what...I am so thankful for the world we have built here...our sweet family of 9...surrounded by lilac bushes

 and apple blossoms...

 it is our heaven on this earth.  

A few nights ago we were blessed with a spring thundershower.  If you live in a place where spring = pollen, you know how welcoming those showers can be.  Darrell and I took a walk after the storm had past.  It was just before nightfall.  The chickens were starting to make their way to their roosts for the night.  The roosters (of which we have WAY TOO MANY!!!) were still crowing and fighting, but they too had begun to seek their nighty night spots.  The ducks were waddling around, looking for a little snack in the puddles made from the rainstorm and the night creatures were starting to sing their songs...the frogs were especially loud!  The sound of the water flowing through the creek 

and the sun going down behind the clouds that were remaining was so peaceful...and oh, the smells!  If I could have somehow captured the smells that were brought to life from the rain...the wet cedar trees, the oils from the grasses, the lilac bushes and apple blossoms... in the midst of a world in chaos, I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father, for giving us this little piece of heaven on earth.

Trials are coming my friends.  Those who are among the true church are bound for persecution of the likes we have never seen before, so take in the peace while you can.  Let me go a bit further and encourage you to get in tune with the Prince Of Peace...seek Him now while He may be found.  Get your house in order and prepare for that time that Jesus warned us of.  The time when His people will be hated and persecuted for His Name's sake.  

❤ Deb

Super Powers

So Number 6 comes up to me while I'm sitting at my computer deeply concentrating on the vast amount of research I was doing...ok, not really...I was reading The Pioneer Woman - Ree Drummond's blog. But anyway...he comes up to me and asks: "can I have one of those kinda round things that are straight and goes like this" (making hand motions) Immediately, my mind shifts to real life and does a 6 second inventory of what is in the kitchen. I ask him "where is it?" “It’s in the big fridge” (we actually have 2 fridges…one, the big fridge, is in the kitchen and the other is the milk fridge in the storage room. The milk fridge is where we usually keep our extra 12 gallons of fresh jersey milk, hence the name milk fridge. But I digress….) So my mind does another quick 6 second inventory of what’s in the big fridge. I ask “what color is it?” His response…meat color. Bingo!! Meat sticks…the hot spicy meat sticks made from grassfed beef…”Yes, Buddy…you can have some!” What can I say? I’m a parent…deciphering strange languages is one of my superpowers! Now excuse me while I go change a diaper!!

No Poo On the Carport

Life on a farm is never boring to say the least.  Life on a farm while raising and homeschooling 6 children is even more exciting. Add to the mix free range chickens that aren't satisfied with 2 acres to roam and scratch in, and life becomes even more interesting!

Who doesn't love farm fresh eggs from happy healthy chickens who have all the room to roam that they need?  And who could resist throwing in a picture of the cutest little egg gathering farm hands ever?!

Recently I achieved a tiny little victory that to some may seem, well...insignificant, but to me it was like conquering Mt Everest.  Let me explain....We've worked hard to create a self - sustainable life and part of that is raising free-range chickens.  That really may not seem like a big deal but free-range chickens become very smart and they become very attached to the humans that care for them. If they can hang out with you....they're gonna!  (I know that's not proper English but hey, I'm from Arkansaw!)  

Our chickens have had unlimited access to literally hundreds of acres to forage for food and do you know where they camped out?!  Our carport!  Our front door has glass that comes all the way down and they would come right up to it and just watch us. While they were watching us, no doubt waiting for us to exit the door with the scrap bucket in tow, they would poop!  Right there!  On the concrete right outside our front door!  SERIOUSLY????!!!!!!!  (Thank you Sheba for keeping the hens chased off...NOT!)

And not only that but then they had the nerve to roost on my children's play equipment!  Too many times have I said, "no baby you can't play on that. The chickens are roosting there and it's all poopy"  :-/

Oh but the determination has hit me to conquer this giant in my land!  So I went to Walmart and purchased a $20 fish dip net and came home with a mission....to catch every single chicken and clip her wings and put her in the pen for good!  Now mind you some of these hens had never been caught and were quite wild and very fast.  I took 4 of my 6 children and we headed out to get the job done!  Dear chickie on this side of the fence....your days of freedom are over! 

In hindsight I honestly wish I had filmed the whole thing because I'm sure it was quite hysterical.  I have considered doing a full reenactment just to film it all. The first 5 minutes were terribly frustrating but I put my happy pants on and determined to have a good time. We chased and trimmed and laughed and chased some more...and we got all 50 something chickens (including the rooster) trimmed and locked up.  There were 2 that somehow managed to fly over the fence but we promptly caught them again and trimmed the other wing. 

Right after all the birds were secure in their pen we set out to clean off both the front and back porch.  For the first time in years there is NO POO ON THE CARPORT! It's been over a week now and not one bird escaped...until today.  One child (who shall remain un-named) walked out of the gate with an arm load of eggs (should have taken a bucket)... (am going to purchase a lovely little, um...not so little egg basket designated specifically for gathering eggs and will severely punish anyone who takes said basket to use it in their play!) and couldn't lock the gate but forgot to go back out and lock the gate and WHAAAAT!!!!!!!  Chickens roaming everywhere!  You see I had gone on a walk with my sweetheart....checking hay and all the critters big and small and came back to the gate wide open and chickens on the loose!  Wonderful....

Fortunately for un-named child, we were able to wrangle every single loose bird without any poo landing on the carport!  Really...don't judge. Life on a farm has brought about so many changes in my life, changes that would never have come any other way....and this, my friends, is part of life...my wonderful, beautiful, exciting, no poo on the carport life on a farm! 

Now have I ever told you about the time my hubby and I spent 6 hours one day chasing loose cows all over our neighborhood? Well...that's another story! 

***UPDATE: As of now, Dec. 24, 2014, only 1 more chicken escaped.  We quickly caught her with that awesome dip net, clipped her other wing and set her back in the pen.  The little chickies have discovered they can go in and out of the wire...but soon they will be too big for that and they will have their wings clipped as well!!!!

***UPDATE #2:  Guess what??!!  The little chickies have now discovered the carport....back to poo on the carport...lovely!

And folks say farm life is dull...

Moments With Mother Culture®: Charlotte Mason's Method of Narration

I have read Karen Andreola's work for many years now.  She has been such an outstanding advocate for the "Gentle Art of Learning" always pointing to the teachings and writings of Charlotte Mason.  

As a young mother and brand new homeschooler, I would read Karen's book, "A Charlotte Mason Companion", over and over again to get that "gentle" feel of education as a lifestyle and empty my mind of the hum drum way of "doing school" that I grew up in.  I've ebbed and flowed in the Charlotte Mason method for many years...and now with a 15 year old, 11, 9, 7, 5, and 2 year old, I am reconnecting with that gentle art of learning.

Take some time to pop over and visit Karen's blog, Moments With Mother Culture and be encouraged in your homeschooling journey.  And I couldn't recommend highly enough Karen's book, "A Charlotte Mason Companion".  It was my homeschool bible...or perhaps more appropriately my study guide to Charlotte Mason's Homeschool Series.  Those books still sit on my shelf, waiting patiently for the time when I pick them up again.   Sadly, I loaned my " C M Companion" to someone several years ago and it was never returned to me.....I'm thinking it may be time to reinvest.

This time of year is such a beautiful time to slow down and take a walk outside and so I thought how wonderfully appropriate to write about the gentle art of learning!  The past few days have been an exciting time here on the farm as some hens who were quite broody have successfully hatched out some little chickies...I think the last count was 11! 

My kids have been in awe as they've actually witnessed the chicks emerging from their shells...I can barely drag them away from the chicken coop.  They run in to tell me what color the next chick is and how one hen only had one chick so they moved some chicks from one nest to another and how Mrs. Cluck-a-Lot gladly accepted the new chicks.  They have embraced the gentle art of learning...and they don't even know what they're doing!

It's easy for me to stress because my kids have spent more time outside then in the house working on their school...but...well, it's just refreshing to have Moments With Mother Culture pop up in my inbox!  Go on over and read what Karen has to say.  You won't be disappointed!!

This one was named Coffee!  They all have names!!!

Anti-conformity

Cows are creatures of habit.  They find comfort in same, same, same.  They walk the same path wherever they go.  You'll see paths etched out in the landscape everywhere our cows are kept.  There's a path that leads to the gates, a path that leads to the hay feeders, a path that leads to the water trough. Even if they've been out of a pasture for several months...they always find their paths.  They walk the same path to the milk barn every morning. 

They have the same routine for getting into the milk stanchion and when they've been milked they back out...same thing every time.   Most of the time it's even the same order...Honey first, then Wendy, then Joy...unless Honey stops at the water trough for a drink and Wendy runs on in.  Joy is always last...timid little Joy.  This is her bring up the rear.  

They like to be milked at the same time every day...I should really do a better job at getting out there on time!  When I was on the ball and out there every day at the same time (3 kids ago) they would wait for me at the barn.  If I was even 5 minutes late they would start bawling at me as soon as they saw me.  It's kind of embarrassing to be fussed at by a bunch of cows...but they not only like their life same, same, same. ..they expect that of their leader as well!

We can be like that as Christians, can't we?  We find comfort in getting up and doing the same thing every day.  Read my Bible for so many minutes then spend time praying.  Go to Sunday school then worship in the sanctuary.   Listen to the preacher speak exactly 30 minutes and don't you dare start late or go over or somebody's gonna be bawling at you!  Eat lunch, take a Sunday nap then church again at 6...

I'm gonna rock the boat a little bit because God has been speaking to whomever will listen and you know what He's saying?  He keeps telling us He's doing a new thing.  Life as we know it is changing all around us.  We've been seeing it take place right before our eyes.  We can deny it all we want but the fact is that our world is crumbling.  It seems as though it's all been turned upside down...good made to look evil and evil made to look good.  Violence, chaos, sin abounding....but God...BUT GOD.  The spiritual realm has shifted.  In Hebrews He says He's going to shake up the world one last time before Jesus' return.  He's shaking our foundations until all that remains is that which cannot be shaken.

What do you have that you're holding on to?  What do you have that cannot be shaken?  Where is your focus?  Where is your place in God's Kingdom here on earth?  He has warriors strategically postitioned...just waiting for the call to come forth.  They are being trained right now as I type.  They have been called out and set apart.  They are in this world but not of this world.  They listen to the voice of their Master.  He's giving them the battle plan.  He's placed within them the battle cry and you know what it sounds like???  "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!!"  "WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN!"  "GLORY AND HONOR AND POWER BELONG TO EL SHADDAI!"  He says that our worship is our warfare...the enemy has no defense for it!  God doesn't want us to be creatures of habit.  He doesn't want us to be stuck in the old ways of "doing church" and "being a Christian".  He's breaking us out of the molds we've created in the name of religion and He's bringing together the Jew and the Gentile...ONE NEW MAN!  

My friend if you have found yourself in the middle of a storm and you feel as though your world is about to crumble to pieces, sound the battle cry!  Worship your God!  Stand with Him and He will war for you!  Worship the Lord for He is worthy to be praised.  Break out of the box you live in and be willing to do something new with the Lord!

I'm telling you, things are about to get exciting!  Hang on because if you think life has been a roller coaster....WOO HOO!!!!!  

Homeschool Schedules...Don't You Just Love Them??!!

If you're anything like me, you enjoy reading over other homeschool families' schedules...hoping to get a glimpse of their day in order to tweak your own.  I like to see how other families operate their normal daily tasks in addition to the homeschool routine...so I read and read and tweak and tweak.....

Not too long ago the Lord called us out.  He told us that we would eventually be in the ministry but hasn't given many specific details.  One thing I know for certain is that He told me to simplify our schooling schedule.  I have had to let go of a lot of curriculum...most of it never really got used anyway...but I develop bonds with my books and it's hard to let go....

I sat down and through much prayer I developed a school routine that will be (hopefully) a whole lot easier for us to follow and will allow time for ministry....

We'll be sticking with the 3 R's: Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic!  I gleaned a bit from the Robinson Curriculum and tweaked it to fit our lifestyle. 

Reading will be 2 hours per day split 1 hour in the am and 1 hour in the pm.  I will read aloud from The Mystery of History (we're on Vol. 3) to all kids...hoping that Baby Number 7 will be able to sit still long enough to be a part of it.  I may also require my older readers to read different lessons as well...just so I can stay on top of their reading skills!  We will discuss what we read then I will have my older readers read their Bibles quietly to themselves.  They will also be encouraged to keep a list of words they come across that they have trouble with or that they don't understand and they will be required to research them so that they can fully understand what it is they are reading.  This includes word studies with Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and our Webster's Dictionary from....well...it's the old one from a long time ago!!  There will also be required reading that will be assigned by myself.  These are books I've gotten off of the Robinson Curriculum reading list and others I've come across along the way.  This will be how all other subjects outside of the 3 R's will be covered.  Writing assignments will be derived from the required reading as well!  I will work with my younger readers teaching phonics or just listening to them read aloud.  I will also work with my pre-schooler just in learning his letter sounds and recognizing the letters.  If he is ready I will begin teaching him to write his letters...but I won't push him...we'll take the gentle approach!

Writing will be 1 hour daily.  I will have my older children fill out a writing assignment sheet where they choose the type of writing they will do each day for that week.  The younger students will have simple sentences to copy and/or dictation.  For my pre-schooler, again, I will start with simple letter writing if he's ready...

Math will also be 1 hour daily and will be done first thing while their minds are fresh!  We have an array of curriculum we use for each student, basically because we're using what we have.  I know that isn't very scientific or anything, but that's what we're doing.  One will be doing Teaching Textbooks, 2 will be doing Math U See, 1 will be doing Christian Liberty Press, and my pre-schooler will be doing simple counting, number recognition and some adding and subtracting with manipulatives.  They will all do flashcard drills and they will each have time where they do oral math with me.  I downloaded the Ray's Arithmetic Series for free off the internet and have printed out lessons for each grade.  I like the old books and encourage people to go snooping all over the internet to look for these old 19th century schoolbooks...they are great sources for word problems and I think they really exercise the brain!

So that's it.  Simple.  I will next work on a spreadsheet chore chart that will hopefully simplify chores and incorporate their lessons with it so they can mark off what they've accomplished.  It will be divided into sections of AM CHORES, MATH, READING, WRITING, PM CHORES.  Again...keeping with the "keep it simple this year" theme!!

I hope this helps someone just a little bit...especially if you are feeling overwhelmed and unprepared!  The world says that luck favors the prepared, but I say when we feel the least adequate for the job and terribly unprepared we can take a moment to completely empty ourselves of our own strength and allow Abba to fill us up...even in our homeschooling journey!  I believe by far that your worst day homeschooling is better than their best day at public school!  Enjoy the journey!!!

A Prophetic Word From Abba

Our Father is speaking to us, His children.  His heart is to have us turn to Him...to seek His heart.  Are you listening?  Do you feel Him tugging at your spirit?

The Lord is saying that I know your heart is for Me and you're doing the best you can in your own strength.  You have a passion for souls and winning souls to the kingdom but you're doing it in your own strength.  I want you to begin to do it in My strength.  Not by might, not by power but by My Spirit says the Lord.  You must allow My Spirit to work through you.  Surrender yourself to the Holy Spirit.   Allow Me to have My way and you will see a flood of the harvest like never before.  There will be great rejoicing for when My Spirit is allowed to flow freely, when My Spirit is allowed to connect and interact with My people unhindered, who can resist My Spirit?  There are some pastors who seek fame and glory, they seek to be acknowledged among their peers.  They want to be well known for the amount of people they have saved.  But there are some who's heart is genuinely for Me, who's heart is genuinely for the lost and their sole desire is to bring people into the kingdom...to save them from hell and see them with Me in eternity.  Do not concern yourselves with the ones who seek glory for themselves, for I will bring them low.  But encourage one another, uplift one another, share the burden.  Work together to bring in the harvest.  Awaken your spirits to the Living God.  I will use you when you surrender to Me, when you seek to do things My way, when you seek to let Me have My way.  Then I will see that your heart is truly for Me and I will work through you .  I will draw people by My Spirit and you will see a great harvest.  Now is the time for awakening, turn your eyes to Me.  Seek My Holy Spirit. Cry out to me and I will hear your cries.  I am just waiting for you to cry out to Me.