Thankful for my Children...

I'm thankful for the opportunity to stay home with my children. Keeping them out of the rat race and other ills of public school is very important to me. Learning in a safe, forgiving, encouraging, and rich environment is where kids learn best. Living in Texas, we have no controls over what, when, and how we teach our children. This allows for us to follow a much more relaxed form of homeschooling, called Unschooling. That isn't to say that they are not learning or being taught, it is just in a way that most people wouldn't find familiar or associate with "education".

Along the same vein, I'm also thankful for my wonderful kiddos. They are clever, resourceful, kind, and good. Most of the time they are delights to be around and they get along very well together unlike many siblings we observe. My job as a parent is exciting, rewarding, and easy because of their wonderful personalities.

****edited to add a Soshie update****
She peed this morning!!! Yeah! We decided to help her win the battle going on inside of her. There is no way we can afford a vet visit for her, it would probably be hundreds of dollars for testing and xrays and so forth. Mark isn't wanting to give up on her yet so we're doing as best we can to make her comfortable and provide her with easy to digest food and water. I'm giving her both by syringe since she hasn't tried to eat on her own since Monday night. It is making a difference, her hair looks much better and she seems not to be in pain. She is still very weak but the food stuff I'm giving her has vitamins and such to help her regain some energy. I'm hopeful that she'll snap out of this soon and begin eating. Now for the pictures!

Ryan, Amy and Sarah watching tv many years ago, maybe late 2001?

Kids at the pumpkin patch, October 2004.

Girls with Buttercup, early summer 2007.

Ryan, summer 2007.