Please understand that I'm am not judging your choices at all but I am coming from a practical standpoint. I have noticed several of your girls are named some thing with Anna involved. What was your reasoning on not picking something different? Doesn't you trip over them and call them the wrong thing? I have seven and I call them the wrong name and they are no where near alike so I am just wondering about that aspect of your life.
January 21, 2011 3:59 PM
Great question. Who would have thought that we would end up with an Anna, Annalyn, and Anastasia. It just turned out that way. See.... we have not changed any of our kids' names when they joined our family-- well let me take that back. We did change Anna Lynn to Annalyn because we did already have Anna and we changed Alosha to Alex, and Pasha to Paul, and Nastia to Anastasia but that was just changing their names to the English translation so we don't really count that. You can read more about why we didn't change their names here. But to clarify a bit, Anna is pronounced Anya and why we didn't spell it that way--well that is all my fault because I read her Russian name wrong and once I figured it out, it was too late in my opinionto change it. And to be honest, I trip up on all my kids' names even Paul's and Caleb's-- always have, always will. And it drives me nuts that I do it because it reminds me of my favorite Aunt Tanya who always called me my Mom's name by accident. Boy did I tease her about that when I was younger-- so now it's my turn. :)
Sara P. said...
Hi Christine, I have a few questions:1. How did your kids react to your decision to home school? Now that you've done it for a few weeks, how do they feel?2. Are their special friendships between certain sets of siblings? 3. You have several teens already and are the brink of having many more. Any special rules about dating driving, etc.?I enjoy your blog!
January 21, 2011 4:18 PM
Our family has embraced homeschooling much more than I thought they would. We are involved with an amazing charter school-- and I know that makes all the difference. Today I took Sveta for her first RSP/Speech session and visited the Resource Center. I could have spent hours and ended up walking away with three armloads of curriculum and books. Tonight the kids began their new art class which is a part of the charter school too as was the horseback riding-- two things we would have never done if they were in public school.
As for special friendships between siblings-- of course they pair up. Thankfully though they all get along too. Usually who the kids share rooms with are the ones they are really close with so I try to mix up the rooms on occasion.
Since I haven't changed much, you can read about my thoughts on dating here, and here, and here. I will say that the topic comes up often and my girls are always asking about when I started dating. I am honest with them although I have not shared everything because I think they are still too young-- but I will. And as I share I remind them how I wish I could go back and do somethings differently but that I can't live in the past-- so I encourage and teach and pray that they will make better choices as they grow up. Thanks to my friend Beth, soon I hope to go away for a weekend with a few of my girls to do this with them.
And lastly-- driving. Oh boy-- I didn't see that one coming. Adam already has his learner's permit and should be driving himself around this summer. Had he not had good grades, a respectful attitude, and shown a good deal of responsibility he would not be. Just because he got to start at 15 1/2 doesn't mean that all of my other kids will-- because they won't. There are just too many factors to consider when making such a big decision-- and not every child is the same. Most likely, Sveta will not drive at any point in her life-- but that's okay.
julie said...
how do you make time to spend with each child individually?
January 21, 2011 9:22 PM
To be honest, that is hard to do all the time. And yet, I don't think they are suffering because if and when I feel they need the individual attention-- they get it. It might be a trip to the store with me, or a walk to the mail box, or reading a book, or wrapping presents, or braiding hair, or baking a cake, or giving the dogs a bath, or sleeping together. It just depends. Now with homeschooling, the kids are getting lots of extra attention that they were not getting before. The other night I had some quality time with Andrew, Jonny, Galina, Anna, and Rachel. I was in incredible pain and they took care of me. Yes you read right. The tables were turned and my kids took care of me. Galina and Rachel brought me warm water and Ibuprofen, and all the kids took turns cuddling with me and my heating pad. One of them even massaged my feet. It was good for Galina to see me at a vulnerable time. When it was bedtime and they each saw that I was near tears in pain, they asked if they could sleep on the floor next to our bed. So yes, I had the five of them plus Alex and Dennis sleep in my room-- and they all thought it was special.
Anonymous said...
I don't mean this in an offensive way, but I am really curious how you guys afford all this??? I believe you are a SAHM? And your husband is the sole provider? Do you guys ever worry about money??
January 21, 2011 10:54 PM
I worry about money-- my husband doesn't. Not so much anymore because I am learning to trust God more and not feel like I have to control everything, but it is not always easy. My husband does have a very good job, which is a huge blessing, and I try hard to manage it well. Over the years we have both changed so much how we do things-- and tithing, that is a big part too. I wish I could say more on the topic of money but really, we just include God in all that we do with it. Often times I wonder, "Why do we have so much while others have so little?" I believe that we have to do more than just wonder-- and actually help those who have little. At the same time, I am still learning what that looks like.
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Tonight my kids had their first art class. Look at what they drew! I happened to sit next to Sveta and Anastasia-- the other kids wanted you to know. :)
13 inspiring thoughts:
Wow, those drawing are GOOD! Looks like you have some seriously artsy children! :O
I also really enjoyed reading your answers to some questions. :)
Wow, what awesome artwork!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for answering questions! And tell the kids I really enjoyed their artwork! Unbelievable that all of them would have such great artistic talent and be living under one roof!
Cindy from Ohio
I laughed when I read Grace's question, just because I have two younger sisters and every time my mom called one of us (especially if we were in trouble) she'd just go down the list~ Penny, Bambi, Becky~ "you know who you are." Then I, being a smart alec, would say, "Yeah, but you don't." We've all done it and the names don't even have to be similar. lol
I notice in your post you made a comment that Sveta might not ever drive. I am more curious about this since I too have a child with FAS and he has a sibling close in age.
How will this affect her when she is 16 and not getting her license like her siblings?
I might be worrying too soon. However, I have two boys that are 4 months apart. The FAS boy is older and is in a higher grade.
I enjoy reading about Sveta with all of her accomplishments. It is amazing what they will accomplish and learn at their own pace. It just takes longer as you say not ever it is just when. My son is struglling with math however, they say he does not have a learning disability. But like you I have days when I think he will be fine and then the days when I hope and pray he will be able to live on his own. So I do wonder at this time in his life IF he will drive.
So I guess the real questions is how does Sveta handle things when her siblings younger than her can do things she can't or isn't allowed? Is she aware?
At this time in our lives we are teaching the boys the more resposible they are the more they will receive and able to do. They are learning how to earn things but also it is becoming more aparent to them that they are different and handle things differently... we have a ways to go.
Wow, I'm impressed, you have some seriously talented artists in your family! Sveta's is particularly good!
I love that the kids are on board with the homeschooling, though it doesn't really surprise me . . . you have neat kids and they all seem to be thinkers, so I can see how they would enjoy being at home with more opportunities to do things AND a chance for more time with you!
I have a few kids who won't ever be driving either. They'll just have fewer options where they eventually live as adults since they'll need to be near public transportation. You have to take that issue very seriously. I would feel guilt forever if I put a teen or young adult behind the wheel of a vehicle that I knew was easily distracted or lacked the common sense or cause/effect thinking needed for that responsibility. I think I took for granted that all of my kids would have the same exact opportunities, but I'm finding that it isn't the case at all. Just give each kid what they "need", not necessarily what is the mainstream norm or legal minimum standards and you won't go wrong.
Great artwork - I wish we had a program like that here. My kids would love the horse riding lessons and the art classes, but it'd cost us the equivalent of a house payment every month to do it. Enjoy it!
Wow, great art pictrues...frame those up!!
The charter school...so are there kids attending this school all throughout the day, and you and the kids can just go in for certain classes, or to use the library? I'm curious. Or is it kids and families coming and going all day long, on their own schedule? Do you stay or drop them off? It sounds neat.
Thanks!
I agree with you on driving. Jessica is a great help in driving people places. Tyler has his permit but due to his aspergers hates driving and won't. Adam is old enough but I need to see responsibility in the little things before putting someone behind the wheel. Also his grades are very low.
LOVED seeing "Galina Reed" written on the paper. How sweet for her to already be taking that in, understanding that she is a Reed!
Those are all spectacular drawings! I couldn't do that right now, let alone as a kid.
In regards to dating, I have a question. This isn't meant to be offensive at all, so please don't take it as such! What would you do if one of your kids turned out to be gay?
I come from a very devout family, and one of my cousins was terrified to come out for a very long time. He is a sweet, intelligent, God loving boy who is saving himself for when he's in a forever-relationship, but once he did come out a lot of our family were still really upset. He talked a lot with our pastor, and he said he's prayed about it and ultimately, he feels at peace because God loves him and no one could convince him otherwise.
I personally don't see an issue with being gay, but I know a lot of religious people do. What are your opinions? Would you be ok with it, or very upset at first and eventually get through it, or would you disown the child? (I know some people who have been disowned for it... very sad. Thank God for elderly church ladies who have attics to rent and lawns to mow!)
Anna is the proper Russian spelling, but "Anya" is the typical nickname. Likewise Nastia is the typical nickname for Anastasia. My Anastasia was convinced for years (I'm not sure she isn't still convinced) that Nastia was her "real" name and Anastasia a nickname.
Anya and Nastia would be the names the children are used to - like a Margaret might very well always be called Beth, and Theodore might always be called Ted.
Pasha is the nickname for Pavel, the Russian version of Paul.
To illustrate my last comment on another post, I was really DETERMINEDLY righteous about keeping the children's Russian names. Yet my most serious and thoughtful son Sergei just told me the other day that he wanted an American name. All the more surprising since he has totally positive feelings about Russia. I guess you just never know! When I told him I would have named him "Silas" and he liked that name, I felt badly. He thinks it is too late to switch over now.
I find so MUCH encouragement from your blog! I often wish I had your wisdom, since I am a mom of 13 kids, 8 bio, 5 adopted. I wish I could know you personally. Please be encouraged. I think you are a wonderful mother. God's wisdom shows through the ways you mother your children quite clearly to me. You remind me to go to Him, more than I sometimes remember to myself. Do I ever need Him every moment!
I decided to comment here because we have a: Katarina (bio), Michaela (bio) Katelyn (adopted, original name) and Kendra (adopted, original name). We definitely trip over these names, but somehow, no one seems to mind. God bless you as you have blessed me!
Susan
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