Welcome! It's a Bloggy Party!

It's truly a great week over at 5 Minutes for Mom where it's time for the annual Ultimate Blog Party. As a first time participant, I want to take this opportunity to thank all my bloggy readers and commenters--all five of you! Heehee! Truthfully, I've been blessed and honored that you might share a little interest in the chaos and mayhem that surround my little bitty bloggy life. (I'm really just trying to see how many times I can use the word "bloggy" in one post! :))

To introduce myself for you new visitors and friends, my name is Melissa and I'm homeschooling and taking care of my family in a very cold, not quite spring but almost, Indiana. We've been on the homeschooling journey since the first born son (now 8) was in the womb. I also have a daughter that is now 4 and loving learning. Husband was actually the catalyst for my interest in homeschooling as I was previously career driven by my family's business. Thank you, Lord, that you know better than me! We are in this for the looong haul. The big question I'm always asked? "How far will you go with THIS?" My answer: "Alllll the way!"

The Lord has blessed us as we've learned, challenged us to grow, and stumped us with some big questions but He is ever present and for this we are grateful. I've been a believer since childhood; growing up in the church and I even served on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ a million years ago (except that I don't believe in millions of years! How 'bout "thousands!")

Our days are someone ordered--getting better all the time. I find routine is key. We always start our day with prayer and singing. We are hymn lovers at heart. Just one of the areas that the Lord has used to speak to us. We teach all kinds of subjects, with all kinds of curriculums, but with them all we focus on the Biblical Principle Approach methodology. This keeps us and all that we learn grounded in God's Word--after all, that is the one source that we can not argue with!

I've spent the last year learning about treating my family with a more natural God-prepared approach. We haven't had much success with over the counter meds, chemical cleaners, or prepared foods in keeping us healthy, so why not see if natural works better. To my utter amazement, so far it has! It's a fun, confusing, trial and error kind of thing, but we're sticking to our guns. I'll always share our successes and our failures too. I'm like that.

In the past year I've also reclaimed my Grandma's roots and begun enjoying a few of my more creative inclinations: baking bread, crocheting, playing music. I have a list that I'm working on including sewing, needlework, more music! I'm getting there. Just wish I had more time, like we all do.

We are book lovers to the MAX! Can't get enough and only settle for the best. I'm a picky Bibliophile! After all, it's either "living" or it's "dead". Case in point..."Disney" is not an author! Eeek! I frequent book sales and collect out of print books (the cheap ones!). I've got one avid reader already and another learning her phonograms! It won't be long.

The husband is my constant support and encouragement. He runs his own business, so is somewhat flexible to sign on for things like duty with the youngest when oldest has a field trip baby can't attend. He is a fabulous spiritual leader for our family and a fabulous dad to boot. Nothing about the children scares him--fearless. Well, there is that little matter about four year old girl hormones, but he's adapting! :) He does, however, think this whole "bloggy" thing is nuts. Such a man! Just can't get a clue about SOME things!

I try to blog daily, but that doesn't always happen. You know...life?! Sometimes, shamefully and with a bit of embarrassment, I'll blog 5 or 6 posts in a day--like today--but that's NOT usual! I'll blog about whatever I want to remember, share or think about. I'll share someone else's brilliance when I feel it's just too brilliant to keep to myself, and I'll even blog about the weather. Have I mentioned I don't like dark, dreary weather?! I find blogging a bit therapeutic, a bit challenging, sometimes hard as a crutch and sometimes the icing on my cake! How's that for covering my bases?!

Well...I hope you like my little home in "bloggy" land that reflects a bit of our day to day. I've enjoyed all of you that I've "met" and hope to know more of you! Feel free to comment to your hearts content--I love that!--and email me if you want to gab more. A new friend recently wrote me that sometimes emailing back and forth with a new friend that you share something in common with, is like having a cup of tea with them (right Beth?!). I really like that. So consider this your permanent invitation.

I'll leave you with one more bit of my inspiration:

Be sure to step in over at 5 Minutes for Mom and join in the party fun and meet more moms.