Sams 1st Year!

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Call it nesting, call it "I better get this done before they both blend together"...either way it's DONE!   

Warren School of Awesome

Many of you I've had a lot of conversations, tears, laughs and prayers over this...others of you are just now catching on that we are {gasp} homeschooling.   I first want you to know that this was not a light, easy or quick decision for us.   Not only was my mom a teacher in the public school system but it was where I started and paused my professional career for 6 years.   I also went on to pursue my masters in Educational Administration in hopes of one day becoming a school administrator.   This is not done by someone who does not believe that the public school system holds value or benefit to families or children.   We just had to make a really hard decision based on some really hard circumstances sprinkled with a lot of encouragement about this educational path for our family this year.   I know it's crazy.  I know we are about to have a baby.  I know this means I am "stuck" at home with 4 kids.all.day.long.   I am instead choosing to trust in a Lord that loves me and did not close this door for me like I asked him too, a husband who walked through this decision with me and my own personal convictions.   Does this mean we are going to do it forever?   Dare I say "I hope NOT!"  We are going to take this 1 school year at a time and continue to make the hard decision every year.  Can I just say I am so thankful that I have the freedom, resources and support to be able to make this decision?   If you want to follow along on our adventure I am posting pics via instagram using #warrenschoolofawesome .   This is not to make everyone think it is all sun and roses over here, but to share (mostly to myself) what is good and true about my life esp when I'm banging my head against a wall.  If you ever want to hear the bad or ugly I'm sure I will need an ear to vent to so feel free to ask ; )   

Here is a quote from one of my favorite bloggers (Ann Voskamp) and hits home to what I feel about our decision to "do school at home" and why it's not because I think its the "Christian" thing to do.  It truly is just a personal decision for our family and not a "prescription" for anyone else's.  

"So to say from the outset, that I do not think in any way that homeschooling makes a family virtuous — and there are a myriad of very good educational choices.

Homeschooling is not a formula for perfection, nor is homeschooling a panacea for all the sin in this world.

We’re all messy and fallen and sin-scraped. We and our children are born sinners.

Homeschooling will not fix any of that. Only Jesus and His grace can.

It’s scary to share that we homeschool.

But it’s part of who we are and I am praying for your grace, in just taking us anyways. And we’re all big, gracious folks here. Learning from each other, knowing we are all called differently, but all for the singular purpose of His Glory.

May  we all be gracious and supportive of educational choices? Mamas are all just really trying and need so much encouragement.

Three of my closest personal friends, all ardent Christ-followers, have each chosen the public school route; so this is descriptive of our lives, not prescriptive for anyone else. I humbly and fully believe that Father Himself leads each family" 

Spring 2012: Looking Back

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Took advantage of a free Shutterfly code today...I'm a bit behind but LOVED looking back at these cuties and seeing how much they've grown!!

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Sam I Am turns 1!!!!

We had so much fun planning Sam's 1st Birthday.   It was a whole family affair to make sure this cutie had a memorable first!   

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House tour...the guest room

So...month and some change later I'm on to the next room... The Guest Room (aka the room you'd be restfully staying in if you came to visit).   We have also been known to lay out chocolates and fresh local soap.   (Ok maybe that was just one time when we were on our "A" game, but still totally worth chancing if you came to stay).  This room is directly across from the living room and is to the right when you walk in the front door.   

As you can see from this next picture you get to see the beautiful Texas sunrise without getting out of bed.  (But do remember to close the blinds when you change). 

You even get your own full bath (not really its the only bath on the first floor), and if you're feeling crafty you're in luck the craft closet is also located in your room!   Glue?  Sequence? Buttons?  We have it all at Chateau Warren.    Xoxo 

House Tour...the first room

This post is mostly for my friend, Jewels, who claims she may never come for a visit but needs to see my house.   I love her for so many reasons and honesty is one of them : ).  So, Jewels, this "series" (look for tag housetour) is for you!  Lord willing I am going to take you room by room through my house each week.   I'm over trying to have it "done" for these posts and will just try to have the pics be "as is" if you were to hop on a plane right now : ). (Ok looking back I probably would've fluffed the pillows and moved the piano music stash next to the couch). Xoxo

So this first room is the living room...aka the cleanest room in my house because no one is ever in it.   So naturally I thought I'd start here (and its the first thing you see when you walk in the door).   The commentary is exactly what I'd say as if you were here too!  You know me and my disclaimers : ).  (Btw I spared you  the rundown of where I acquired each piece and how much it was. ie the green chair in the corner was free from our neighbors who were "downsizing" into the house next door).  Almost everything else is unchanged from our house in Maplewood.   

Wish me luck on feverishly tidying up the other areas!   (Want to make you feel at home!) 

#thankful2014

So lately I've been feeling the winter/I'm stuck at home with an infant blahs.   Not as bad as I've had before but I felt them rearing their ugly head.   That feeling of being unsettled, discontent, wanting more.    All feelings that if I did a hard stop, I would realize, aren't worth it.  Each child reminds me that sacrificing of self for others is hard!

  I read a book last year called "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp and it takes you through the journey of how giving thanks each day really changed her outlook on life.   Now I don't think there's a magic pill, or set of rules that we can follow to live the ultimate life (at least this side of heaven).   There are going to be hard days and hard seasons that are just...hard.   But, I do think there is something to be said for not dwelling on those hard things.   Is it possible that if we were to just look around we could see all that we have and things just wouldn't seem so... Hard?   

Ann voskamp says " Live like life’s an emergency and your soul ends up dead. Life is not an emergency. It’s a gift. Why race past the gift? What else are you trying to get to — the presence of God is in this present moment.

Slow and see and unwrap the gift of your life — or your life will unravel."

So I've decided to take her up on her "joy dare".   I hope that "at the end of a year, over crumpled pages counting One Thousand Gifts — I can choke it back, brave and defiant straight into the wind, because my very cells know now forcertain who God is… and I know for certain who I am: God is unwaveringly good — and we are unfathomably loved".   

Some things to keep in mind:  "And don’t confuse the idea of personal pride with radical gratitude. You aren’t actually thankful for something if you think you actually earned it. That’s pride, not gratitude.You are only actually grateful for something if you see it as actually a gift -– as anunearned gift that was bestowed unexpectedly upon you."  -Ann Voskamp

I will be sharing my gifts on Instagram not only because I hope they encourage others, but also to keep some sort of a log that I can then print at the end of the year.   Also pictures are easy : ) Right now my posts are private, but if you want to follow send a request to leahwarren via Instagram. #thankful2014

...and now it's (almost) February...

...and I am finally writing a blog post : )  Totally wish I had something EPIC to say, but I don't.  Just wanted to tell my future self and kids, and the 3 of you that look at this, what's happening in our lives right now.  The picture above perfectly expresses it.   The 3 of you...Sam looking concerned, Eli being silly (sometimes to the discomfort of others) and Anna smiling and enjoying life's moments (until the wind blows the wrong way)....and an ironing board in the background.  No, I don't iron.   The only reason it's out is because I was doing a pinterest experiment and haven't had a chance to put it away....4 days later.   I never thought I would live moment to moment.  I thrive on a schedule and a plan for my life.  You however have shown me that sometimes moment to moment is better, and COMPLETELY OUT OF MY CONTROL.

Here is my daily "to do" list.   (after of course doing the most essential, truly life giving thing.  Spending time with Jesus and His Word over 2 + cups of coffee an hour before you wake up).  I've learned that 3 things is all my list can handle at the moment, if it's going to be realistic at all.

1) Keep the three of you alive and functioning like human beings (clothes on, fresh underwear/diapers, boogers wiped from noses, shoes on, not killing eachother)
2) Working out.   (For so many reasons, but one of them being so that I can do #1 the best I can)
3) ....this one is variable... sometimes its making that phone call I've been meaning to make, sometimes it's taking you on a field trip, sometimes its responding to an email and sometimes its putting the ironing board away, and sometimes (once every 3 months) a blog post : )  

Everything else is just BONUS.  Sometimes I'm able to get a ton done because you are all acting like angels, and #1 takes 0 effort.   Sometimes #1 takes most of my time and I can barely get #2 and #3 done.  

I keep on waiting for this season to end and having all the time in the world to do the things I dream of doing (pedicures, hair cuts, scrubbing the grout in my kitchen, coffee with friends) but rather than just sit and long for the future I am trying to be present in the now and not only ENJOY it, but be THANKFUL for it.  I hear these days go quickly and I believe it.   I wouldn't trade it for anything. (except maybe a trip to the Bahamas for just 3 or so days...)  

143,
Mom.