We’re still full on doing school. I think I mentioned that with all the appointments and such this past year, we took many days “off” and thus will be schooling through the summer.

No worries though. Beautiful days, parks, good stories; the tots and mama enjoy it. Sure, we have some bookwork here and there but in JK / SK it’s very minimal and they enjoy even that too.

Mind you, not all days are blissful. Some days are chaotic, some days we’re battling sickness…

The other day on a mom group on facebook there were some questions about homeschooling. There were a LOT of socialization comments and a lot of comments {from non-homeschoolers} about how you need to be super organized and dedicated. Well, I chuckled to myself.

• Most of the socialization that happens in school is a socialization I’d rather my children miss out on. They have plenty of play time with other homeschoolers, they are in Sunday school and a kids church program on Wednesday nights and there are always children at the park and our neighborhood children. We often battle with cutting back on socialization because I often feel we have too much.
• As for the organized part? Well, I wouldn’t say I was but I wouldn’t say I wasn’t either. Definitely not a Martha Stuart {or whomever is her homeschooling equivalent}. I’m just an average sort of person. That being said, I LOVE schooling with Sonlight because everything is mostly done for me.  Sure makes it easy!
• The dedicated part? Absolutely! I’m dedicated to loving and teaching and instructing my children whether or not I homeschool anyway. From the moment that they are born, we are teaching them. Up the stairs 1-2-3, ‘show mommy the blue ball. now show mommy the green one”…you get my point. Homeschooling is just an extension of that.

So those are some rambling thoughts for today. Now I am off to enjoy the rest of the day! Hope you are too

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Once Upon A Homeschooling June Day is a post from Beautiful Calling.

You all know I love chocolate and that I’m a huge fan of Kinder chocolate? You also know that I’m a #Kindermom and I’m a big fan of the company because they support the Children’s Miracle Network.

The topic for this month? Uniqueness!

We have three little tots: Chloe (6), John (4) and Isaac (2). All three are amazing and amazingly unique.

Chloe, my first born, is giggly and happy. She’s independent and full in ingenuity. John, my middle man, sticks closer to home. He talks a lot, loves sticks and army men and is in a clumsy stage right now.

And then there is Isaac.

Isaac a most unique little person. After suffering a stroke in utero, then having  other health complications, Isaac isn’t your typical child. His second birthday was this week and we are so proud of him that he is able tot sit up; a huge accomplishment and milestone for him just in time for his second birthday. He doesn’t speak, nor is he able to do sign language as of yet, however he communicates so much in unique ways via facial and body expressions. He is one of the happiest, most delightful little people in my life.

Being able to sit up on his second birthday.

Last week we received a box of delicious eggs in the mail – with the new pink toys!! The timing is perfect. We will be delivering them to the NICU nursery nurses in honor of Isaac’s second birthday.

The Kinder® Surprise® Pink have over 30 new playful toys inside so I think we’re going to nip a couple eggs before delivering the box. Chloe and John just love the little toys and they are perfect for road trips and little play things while camping this summer.

In case you haven’t heard the big news – Kinder has a big old contest going right now on their facebook page. You don’t want to miss it. You get to brag on your tots and the chance to win some cash just in time for summer.

Facebook Contest:

Starting May 29th, for three weeks, your readers will be able to participate simply by becoming a friend of Kinder Canada and telling Kinder Canada what makes their child so unique! A member of your community could be lucky enough to scoop up one of three $250 VISA gift cards! Contest will be live from May 29 to June 19.

So, what makes your child unique?

• #KINDERMom
• Disclosure: I’m part of the KINDER® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. On Being Unique and a Kinder Contest! is a post from Beautiful Calling.

A few weeks ago, we decided to make a tire swing. Our previous home was in a new subdivision with NO trees. Our current home as wonderful, big maples and elms – just begging for a tire to be hung.

I visited our local Canadian Tire and asked if they had any used tires that they were throwing out. Apparently they have a whole lot and are happy for you to take them off your hands. Yay for free tires. The rope cost me $7 and we raced home to put it up immediately.

Since I had managed to score 50 ft of rope for $7, I had enough to go through the swing, over the branch and repeat. I would like to interject here that despite what my husband said in his post {link below}, this swing was very, very secure!

The children had a blast and spent the remaining day and the following days swinging away. But when DH got home that evening, I wondered if perhaps we could put a hook and a metal ring in the set up so that we could remove the swing if we wanted. DH took up the challenge and found the perfect hardware for the job but I’ll let him tell you about it…

My husband put up a post about the logistics of our swing here.

{But just to reiterate – my initial swing was completely secure and my children were never in any sort of danger!}

I had a tire swing as a kid. How about you?

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Making A Tire Swing is a post from Beautiful Calling.

Two years ago today, I woke up in the wee hours of morning in labor. {With all three children, labour started between 1am and 3am – neat huh?.}. I was beyond excited. Chloe’s labour was 36 hours start to finish but John’s was less than 5! I was expecting Isaac to arrive soon so I jumped out of bed, prepped our room for the home birth and hopped into the tub.

DH sat in the bathroom with me during the wee hours while I lounged in our ensuite soaker tub and we talked and dreamed dreams for this little boy that we were soon to meet.

Contractions started picking up so about 6am  we called my parents to come pick up Chloe and John. We also called the midwives. After waving goodbye to the tots, assuring them that they would have a wonderful swim day at Granny’s house and would come home later to meet Isaac, we sat down to wait for the midwives. Well, there were so many women that went into labour that weekend that Angela, the midwife I had seen throughout pregnancy, was unable to come. On call for me was Katie, beloved Katie. {I had called the Hamilton Midwives the day I received a positive pregnancy test and tried to book Katie but she wasn’t available in May, which was initially when I was due.} Katie is the lovely midwife who helped me birth Chloe and John at home, so I was beyond excited to see her smiling face and bright red hair at my front door for baby #3 as well.

By the time Katie and her student arrived, the contractions slowed and the intensity had dropped.  DH made bacon, toast and delicious omlettes for the us and the midwives. We had tall glasses of orange juice and snacked on muffins and cookies I had baked the day before. The morning passed slowly and leisurely, with the laughter and sweetness of women preparing to welcome a new life into the world. I walked around the room, up the stairs, down the stairs, leaning on a chair to sway as the contractions started to become stronger. Still we chatted and laughed, sharing stories.

At noon, a third midwife arrived to help with the birth since Katie’s companion was a student. We decided to break my water and get things moving. I was anxious to meet my sweet baby. After we broke my water, I moved into the bathtub again, knowing these coming contractions would start to hurt as I began to labour in earnest. The student, I can not for the life of me remember her name, gave me back rubs and kept me laughing with her tales.

I moved from the tub back into my room to rock on the birth ball as a change of pace. As I felt the urge to push, the midwives allowed me to, knowing I had done this before. But for whatever reason, I had the urge prematurely as I still had a little ways to go. Baby’s heart rate dropped a bit. I moved to the bed, laying on my side – a good position for my sweet baby but a bad position to manage pain. Not being able to rock, sway, move – those minutes seemed like an eternity and one painful contraction flew into the next. DH lay beside me. Those moments, I can’t recall very clearly. It hurt, it was hard and I was just so focused on making it through…

And I did. It was about 3pm, almost 12 hours after the first contraction, and it was time to push – hard and fast to bring him out. And there he was, on my chest. Cold, blue and beautiful. I snuggled him and I cried. And he did too. Gradually his color appeared. Introducing Isaac George VanderPloeg weighing in at 8 pounds 5 oz and 22.5 inches long.  We called my parents to bring the tots home and grab pizza for dinner.

I had a small repair – same as always – so I ate chocolate snacks from my hospital bag while they took care of that. Then they helped me into the shower to clean up and I popped back into bed, nursing my sweet baby. Except that I kept passing clots and the bleeding wasn’t stopping. I got up to go to the washroom and once there, everything began to swirl. I was dizzy and it began to go dark. I called to Katie as I began to go down in slow motion. And she was there – always there, my Katie. I laid on the floor as she stuck a needle in my thigh and started an IV while another called 9-1-1.

By the time the ambulance arrived, the bleeding had stopped and I was feeling fine however they insisted on taking me in and carrying me down the stairs though I felt perfectly capable of walking. I kissed my baby and off I went. And my Katie came with me. Once at the hospital, they asked that I stay for 4 hours for monitoring and then could go home.

Meanwhile, back at the house, just as the ambulance pulled away, my tots pulled up with the pizza. Everyone had a pizza party and met Isaac and then Daddy, and Isaac came up to the hospital.

With a big hug, I said goodbye to Katie, who I am sure was hungry since she had missed the pizza party!

Isaac, daddy and I hung out at the hospital for the required amount of time and then headed home for a good night’s sleep.

Sunday morning Daddy went to church while mommy and Isaac slept in. Shortly afternoon, Chloe and John arrived home from Granny and Grandpa’s house, just in time for afternoon nap.

At 3pm, Helen, a midwife that had helped me birth John, came out for a little visit. We marveled at how sweet and alert Isaac was. He had been nursing well and while she noted that his head circumference was 5cm bigger than what was written down at birth, she otherwise was pleased with him. We chatted and snacked and then said our goodbyes.

But 3pm was the last time Isaac nursed. As the evening progressed, he grew more and more sleepy and lethargic. Then he wouldn’t wake up at all, even when I took him in the bath. I called Katie, who said she would have Tonya come out and have a peek at him. Once she saw him, she called our local hospital, spoke to the pediatrician on call and then we headed to the ER.

When we arrived, Isaac wasn’t responding to anything. They checked his blood sugar levels and they were 0.1. So many doctors and nurses were racing around and I stood back in the corner watching my limp little baby be poked and prodded as they tried with no success to get an IV into him. Finally they put an NG tube in and gave him some sugar and some formula to get his sugars up.

Eventually they got an IV in on his little head and had that running. Even to this day Isaac has tricky, wiggly veins and is hard to do bloodwork on or run IV’s into.

Anyway, we spent a few days at the local hospital then were transferred to a neighboring hospital where they had a neonatal unit. Isaac’s hospital stay lasted over 5 weeks. Day by Day became our song. I sung it to Isaac, I sung it to the Lord in prayer and I tried to live it. I still do.

Isaac’s First Birthday was a day of celebration. A celebration of his life and his accomplishments. He has developmental delays and it was so exciting for him to be able to roll and lift up his head.

Today is Isaac’s second birthday. I’m going to post about that on Thursday as that’s his party day. But I thought I would write out his birth story in honour of his birthday.

Isaac’s last MRI was several months back. I thank everyone for the emails and for your prayers. We did meet with neurology on May 6th regarding the results, which were not at all what I expected to hear. We are {im}patiently waiting for some further tests and then we’ll wait on those results. “Wait and see”is the norm with him.

Please continue to pray for my sweet little boy, that God will be glorified in his life.

• Want more homebirth stories? Read Chloe’s Homebirth Story (and more) and John’s Homebirth Story here.
• Want more information on homebirth? Browse through the Simply Baby series

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Isaac’s Birth Story is a post from Beautiful Calling.

The past many months have been somewhat unordinary and the lazy, daisy days and routine that we once possessed had flown out the window. We had houseguests for many months {welcomed of course!} and many, many extra appointments. It seemed as if we were constantly on the go and never at home.

The challenge to never being at home and constantly on the go; a lack of routine which means piano didn’t get practiced, school didn’t get done and mama was constantly behind on basic cleaning and laundry. Always scrambling, always going and always falling short.

I often fall short of my expectations {which is OK as I learn to let it go in light of priorities} but when it becomes a daily occurrence, it sure can take a toll.

But all of our guests left two weeks ago. The house felt empty. I cried. I was lonely. And then I was thankful.

Thankful that the season of guests had passed and we were entering back into a season of routine, of sameness, of not busy-ness.

Today we tidied the kitchen, washed some laundry, practiced for Chloe’s piano recital, made some no-bake macaroons and licked the bowls clean. We read stories and went for a walk.

We had time to discipline – the right way – the way that takes time and energy and prayers and hugs. We ate hamburgers for dinner.

And it was a balm to my soul.

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. A Day in the Life 5.27.13 is a post from Beautiful Calling.

I cried as I read a story by Michelle Lyn from A life surrendered. Then I cried as I read this:

Though I struggle, it’s not about release from the struggle, but allowing Him to change me through it.

Though I fail, it’s not about the mistakes I’ve made, but what He’s done to redeem me of them.

Though I’m faulted, it’s not about my weakness, but His strength made perfect in it.

Though I lack, it’s not about my inadequacy, but His adequacy.

Though I’m flawed, it’s not about being perfect, but allowing Him to perfect me.

Though I fall, it’s not about my failures, but his accomplishment on the cross, and that He meant it when He declared, “It is finished.”

~ Motherhood Redeemed Part 1 at One September Day

Is this not the most incredible reminder? I needed this today. Because I’m feeling like a failure today. Because I need to remember my life isn’t about me at all. It’s about Him. Sometimes I forget that.

In my life, Lord, be Glorified today!

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. what it’s not about is a post from Beautiful Calling.

Physio and occupational therapy have been a part of our lives from the very beginning. June 2012 Isaac turned one year and it was time to set our therapy goal for the year. Our goal seemed lofty: Isaac to be able to sit by his second birthday. At the time, Isaac was just rolling over and had mastered relatively good neck control so imagining the time when he would be able to sit seemed far off indeed.

Well the past year has been filled with hard work, fun play and lots of progress but as the months ticked by, it felt like we weren’t getting any closer to our goal of sitting.

At 20 months, while he was able to do a little army crawl and get around the house like crazy but core strength to hold himself upright? No way.

Well, last month his core strength improved by leaps and bounds and over a few more weeks, he was sitting up with propping and then on his own. It started as a few minutes and last week, he sat up for a whole hour during his speech/OT appointment.

Isaac, my big little Isaac, you are the sweetest, happiest, most determined little boy. You will be 2 years old in two weeks and my wonderful boy, you did it!!! You’re sitting – You are Sitting!!!

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Reaching Goals: Isaac Can Sit! is a post from Beautiful Calling.

So hot…quite hot…with some rain. Interesting.

Praying for good weather while at Disney World but regardless, *God Reigns and the Son still Shines*!

Only 2 more sleeps until we leave…

• {*dad saw that quote that on a sign somewhere}

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Orlando, Florida is a post from Beautiful Calling.

Last year we build the back yard playground and this year, we’re still finishing it up. This year, we’ve built the frame and have been busy hauling the chips in to fill it. I really wanted to put some nice woodchips around the area but didn’t want to pay an absolute fortune.

Did you know that often the county has a stockpile of woodchips from chipping up trees etc. that they have had to move for whatever reason? I simply contacted the municipality and they pointed me in the right direction.

But more about that later.

Tonight? I’m packing for Disney World! Just a few more sleeps to go and I’m not sure who is more excited. The tots or mama.

I’ll see you next month!

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Mulch for the Playground is a post from Beautiful Calling.

Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ~ Mark 11:9

Good Friday is such a bittersweet day. The day we remember His death at the cross. The day He may very well have been thinking ‘better me than you’.

There’s a song reminds us that He could have called ten thousand angels. It amazes and humbles me that He chose not to.

                       He chose death. He chose me.

Easter Sunday. Resurrection Sunday. An empty tomb that means all the world to me. How incredible.

      He lives! Up from the grave He arose.

            He has victory.

                          We have Victory. Victory in Jesus!

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!

• Chloe copied out a verse we had on the chalk board a few weeks back. I meant to post it for Palm Sunday but you know how life goes. Happy Easter my friends!
• At the Cross, Victory in Jesus

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Victory in Jesus! is a post from Beautiful Calling.