Day 1

I put off blogging for a long time. 

A looooooooong time. 

Why?

1) Because everyone said I should, which of course, means my stubbornness kicks in and I say no.

2) Because I never follow a trend just for the sake of following it. And if I do see an actual benefit to something trendy, I usual wait until the trend is over so that I don't appear as if I'm doing something for the sake of being trendy. See #1 above.

3) Because I don't do anything half-way. All or nothing. That's me. So if I start something, I don't like quitting.
4) Because at the time I had four kids, which means that I hardly have time to sit and write, and also, it means I feel that I have very little to write about. I don't think people want to read about how I spent my day cooking, washing, teaching, and reading to the kiddos.

Then you're probably wondering...what made you change your mind?

I realized that I do have something to write about, or at least, attempt to write about. I am a follower of Christ, a wife, and a mother, navigating my dinghy through the treacherous ocean of this world. I am trying to raise my children to know God, and I am trying to love my husband like Christ loves me. And since you've already caught a glimpse of my personality (reread #1-#4 above if needed), you know I'm not going to do anything conventionally unless it's absolutely worth doing.

So I decided I'm going to write about my life as I am learning to truly live, while juggling children, marriage, work, and the American suburban culture knocking at my front door. Other quick notes about me, just to break the ice:

1) We don't watch TV, cable, or satellite anything. We do have a television set now, after 8 years without one, but only because a friend gave it to us. It's not a flat screen or hi-def anything. We use it for DVDs.

2) My husband is a pastor (since 2012), we live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we are mainly a one-income family, which means we are ON A BUDGET. I bring in a little extra cash by teaching piano and attempting to publish my writing.

3) We are trying to eat organically, and I do make many foods from scratch. More on that later.

4) We have seven children (since August 2016), and we are a homeschooling family. More on that later too.

Some topics will be light-hearted and encouraging, others may spark controversy. Either way, I want to hear your thoughts. Just be kind; I'm tough on the outside but soft on the inside.