Survive and Thrive Theory

If you think about it, we do not choose our parents OR our children. We can only choose the partner we create our own family with and then pray to God for help and comfort as we travel along life's path. I think families are God's way of organizing the world!

He sends us with a group of people that we can become our very best with and learn the very most from. Family love grows from the shared experiences and service to one another. After watching my six children navigate life's experiences and my woefully inadequate responses at times, I came up with the "Survive and Thrive Theory" to explain life's unfairness to my children.

Bumper Beus Crop

I believe that God knew exactly which spirits to send us. He knew which little packages of intelligence would survive my faults and thrive under my strengths. 

3 boys then 3 girls = ORGANIZED! Thank you Heavenly Father!

Heavenly Father sent me three boys and then three girls. Although their personalities and needs are all so different, it was nice to have the sports uniforms all gradually replaced by dance clothes. I have to admit that our house was definitely one of great confusion at times though, especially after the twins were born. Many things fell through the cracks. One of our second son's points of grief is that we did not send him to an Ivy League school. He decided he wanted to attend one his junior year of high school. He was bright enough, no doubt about it, but came to the examination tables a bit unprepared, having decided to study HARD a few weeks before the tests. He applied though, and was remorsefully philosophical upon the rejection letter's arrival. He ended up going to college early, applying skills he learned in spite of life's "unfairness" and graduating in Illustration. His first book will be published this year. It just goes to show ya....

Work projects to earn money

He LOVED practicing ;)

You can learn so many things from gardening!

Their first dance leotards... see how they love each other!

All three daughters took dance. All types of dance. This required many, many, many trips to the dance studio in town. I joked that I could find my way there with my eyes closed. Although I cannot do the splits... at all... I have an unbelievable tolerance for carpooling and keeping track of dance class accessories. It all worked out and we enjoyed many performances through the years. Their love of a broad spectrum of music stems from the many hours spent practicing. You're welcome kids!

A mother's delight. :) Although I made many mistakes, I am confident that God will help them thrive if they seek His help. In the meantime... like any other mother... I'm still praying...

Lucky is the child with a lot of cousins to learn from as well!

These thoughts are following my post on Organized Religion - Click Here to Read