Why I'm choosing to be a homeschooling mom...

When I tell people I am going to homeschool my kids (part-time), I often get asked why… Here's why(and I could go on and on but here's the gist of it)I am choosing part-time homeschooling because I feel it fits my kids and myself best. Not only are they very social but I believe social interaction is so important... CONVICTION Motherhood is a blessing and gift from God…He has chosen and trusted me (and Deven) to raise and train up these children in His ways, to bring Him glory. We are called to “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) I read this verse as a command from God and it convicts my heart to do ALL that I can do, with all that I know, to raise these children for Him…This verse also gives me hope. Hope that by “training” up my children in His ways, they will continue down the narrow path for the rest of their lives. TRUTH The choice to homeschool, for me, is similar to the choice to be a stay at home mom…I want to raise my children, I want to teach my children OUR morals and values that are based on the Bible, not the world. I don’t want someone else to have that job, and I certainly don’t want people teaching them “truths” that are not truth in our home. With that being said, I also don’t want to shelter my kids. I want them to be aware of the ways of the world and it’s “truths” however, they won’t be taught as truths like they are in school and I want to decide when I introduce those subjects, not the state, not the school and not a teacher in the classroom. KIDS WILL BE KIDS Plain and simple, I don’t want my kids sitting in a classroom for 7 hours a day, followed by a few more hours of school work when they get home. I want them to be able to learn but I also want them to enjoy and experience their childhood to the fullest. I want my kids to be kids! Also, I love that by homeschooling, my kids can be taught in the ways that they learn best. I already see differences in Kolby and Kamryn in how they learn and I don’t want them to struggle or to lose interest in learning because they don’t fit in the “box of learning” that the classroom provides. I absolutely LOVE how one homeschooling mom put it into perspective…consider our children as disciples. We are training and ministering to our children and teaching them to be disciples of the Lord through the Word of God. My ministry (provided by God) is 3 adorable kids named Kolby, Kamryn and Kolyn. My life, my love, my responsibility.

Kolyn Faith

On March 8 we welcomed our beautiful baby girl, Kolyn Faith! She weighed 6lbs 7oz and was 19.5in long (my smallest baby)We are so in love with her...the kids adore her, I seriously have to pull Kamryn away from her sometimes (it's so cute!) It's been going well but definitely a new experience...I noticed that she was pretty gassy but once she hit week 3 it was clearly colic...along with the terrible tummy pains, there was lots of spitting up (vomit a couple times) diarrhea and even a rash on her forehead that sort of looked like baby acne but I knew it wasn't that. After a week of no sleep, lots of bouncing and crying (both mommy and baby) I realized I had started drinking soy shakes in the morning and it coincided with her colic getting worse, I obviously quit drinking them and she got a bit better but still constantly having tummy pains and never just content so I looked up baby allergies and found that infants can have soy allergies (and apparently the soy proteins pass easily through breastmilk) I decided to cut soy and dairy out of my diet (still don't know if there is a dairy allergy but for a few weeks, its out, then I will add it in and see what happens) I soon realized soy is literally in EVERYTHING we eat, from seasoning salts, to crackers, to breads. God works in amazing ways and about a month prior to her birth, my sister discovered she is allergic to soy so she was in the process of learning all about it as well so she helped me learn what to look for in my foods as well as go to the co-op to get food that I can eat. The Hollemans are now in the process of becoming soy free (for the most part) I am not going to make separate dinners every night so I will be learning to cook different and hopefully find some healthy, tasty meals! I am actually excited because after reading about soy, it's not very good for us (never crossed my mind before)The only thing I am pretty bummed about is that I won't be able to eat out (most restaurants use soy in their cooking) and unless someone is making a soy free meal, I won't be able to eat oustide our house! But it's all worth it for my baby to be feeling better...today is day 6 of being soy free and Kolyn sleeps good, eats good and no more spitting up/diarrhea and best of all, no more terrible terible tummy pains. I have a feeling this blog may turn into a blog about parenting/cooking soy free meals but I pray that in some way, it may touch another mom out there...I NEVER thought my kids would have colic due to a soy allergy (kolby was also colicky-wonder if that was the cause)so this will be an adventure for me and maybe it will bring awareness to another mom struggling-I seriously have to wonder how many "colic" babies have food allergies and by mommy changing her diet, baby will be cured! I know with Kolby I was never even told about soy/dairy being a possible cause.... Anyway, here are some pics of Kolyn at 2 weeks! Will post more photos soon, she is filling out and a cute little peanut!