In the summer of ‘98, a little girl got married in a small country town in Texas.
That little girl was me, and I wasn’t really a little girl. I was a month shy of 20, and I felt much older than nineteen-going-on-twenty seems now. Now,…well good heavens y’all, I was a baby!
There in that little Southern Baptist church on that sweltering August day, we exchanged our vows- for better or for worse. And boy, it has been better, and it has been worse, but we are still here! Little did we know how much life would throw at us so soon. It’s probably better that way, don’t you think?
We found out for our first anniversary that we were unexpectedly expecting and nine months later, our family grew to three. That wasn’t in the plan! But we couldn’t help but be excited and she completely stole our hearts. With the birth of our girl, Catie, I went from working-wife to stay-home-mom.
Three years later my husband said: “I want us to homeschool.”
Homeschooling wasn’t something we had every discussed before! Me? Chronically late, terrible at keeping house, no time management skills, basically lacking in self-discipline all around… Could I? I thought, “Well,. . . we can just do preschool and kindergarten I suppose, and give it a try. I can’t screw her up TOO bad.”
And just like that, like Alice down her hole, I suddenly found myself on a journey of self discovery and a new identity. That’s not just a clever metaphor. Homeschooling has taught me as much or more than I’ve taught them. I hadn’t planned it, but I embraced it immediately.
And I haven’t screwed them up.
Kindergarten turned into first grade, first into second, and so on. We added another girl and a little boy to our family. Three kids, almost three years apart each. And now our “baby” girl is nearing the homeschool finish line! That young twenty-something mama doing ABC’s with her three year old daughter seems so far away, so long ago.
We have all grown since then.
My Catie is a fine young woman–compassionate, kind, respectful. She’s quirky and artsy and fun. My Arielle is a sweet young lady: passionate, sensitive, and thoughtful. Music and dance are in her bones. And Alexander, my “Buddy,” my boy, is clever and creative. He’s a thinker and a philosopher and a class clown rolled into one. They’ve made me a better person, a better mom.
NOTHING exposes your faults like having children (except perhaps marriage–so being married AND having kids will expose ALL THE THINGS.) If I didn’t already know it, I know it now: I’m far from perfect.
I married a computer nerd. True story. Skinny, glasses, the whole package. =) But James has a real knack for computers, and a true skill for dealing with customers. Over the years he has become quite the computer guru, expanding his skills into things like website building and online marketing and all kinds of things that are Greek to me. Watching him start coding a site from scratch on a blank page boggles my mind.
James recently became a pastor. God has done a LOT in his life in the past seven years or so. This is a new chapter for us and not without it’s challenges, but overall it’s a blessing.
And me? I still struggle with time management, having a clean house, and self-discipline, but I’ve improved a lot. As I’ve grown older, I’ve added other struggles: PMDD, depression and anxiety are frequent visitors, and I’m pretty sure my adrenals are shot, too.
I’ve been trying to make more quality time with friends and family, and more down time. I think that’s what my mind and body need.
I realized recently that I haven’t been spending much time on hobbies–unless you count Netflix or Facebook (which you probably shouldn’t count, right?) Sometimes I read for fun, sometimes I play guitar. Sometimes I draw or paint. Sometimes I play board games with my kids. (Actually, I probably do that one more than any of the others.)
I drink coffee every day, though, two cups every morning. If that counts as a hobby, then I’ve got that one down. =)
Marriage, my kids, homeschooling, faith, and home making. . . these are the things that are important to me. The challenges that we have faced over the years only make them more important and more special to me. So these are the things I write about.
I love to write. I love words. I love telling stories, encouraging others, helping people. That’s something about me which has never changed. (My family will back me up on that one.) Of course, I would prefer talking over a cup of coffee in a cute little coffee shop. But my little blog in my little corner of the blogosphere will do.
I love peacocks and hummingbirds, tulips, petunias, all shades of turquoise blue and teal, any kind of coffee, hot tea, and dark chocolate. I prefer pie to cake, I love the smell of rain coming or going (Petrichor!,) and I am happiest when I’m singing. I have a thing for British tv shows apparently, and I love a good mystery (book, tv, or movie.) I’m a little geeky – being a Doctor Who fan and a Star Wars fan. And I’m a total word nerd. I like to plan get togethers with friends and I like to stay home and chill, too. I love living in the rural country on our piece of Texas, and one day, I hope to have chickens again. But I never wear cowgirl boots or hats, because I’m country, but not Country. 😉
It’s a weird eclectic mix, but all these things make me Me. Whether you’re like me a little, a lot, or not at all, you’re welcome here. Welcome to my blog.
My mission statement:
Classic Housewife is about being the best wife, mother, homemaker and homeschooling parent that I can be –and encouraging other moms to be the same. It’s about seeking to glorify God in all that we do, whether working, playing, learning, loving or just simply living life.
Connect with me! I’m on Facebook a lot, and Instagram, too. Sometimes I’m on Twitter and Pinterest also. I have a Google+ page, though I don’t use it often. And don’t forget to subscribe to blog posts while you’re here.
Email me: amber{AT}classichousewife{DOT}com
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A Mom’s Summer Reading List
