Becoming a Mother and a Teacher of Ten Children Life as a Homeschooling Mother of Many

To become the mother I wanted to be, I found it necessary to study my own childhood. I wanted to make decisions in childrearing based on choice, not on automatically doing what I had seen my mother do. On the other hand, I also wanted to repeat for my children what I found to be the very best of growing up as my mother's daughter. To discover both, the good to embrace, and the not-so-good to alter, was one of the most soul-stretching and self-actualizing journey of my life. Along the way, I was influenced by my mother-in-law, the woman who raised the love of my life. And above all, my children taught me daily who I wanted to be in their eyes, deep in their hearts, and in their memory. Marshall taught me to face my fears and embrace my children today. I only have a short time as a mother of children and then they are away from my care, to raise them so that our family has every chance to remain united forever. Chani taught me to cherish the time I have with each individual, to look forward to where we are going, and to keep our steps solidly on that eternal path. Ben taught me to love and to see all the best things when looking at my children, to face the unknown with courage, and to laugh. Chamrie taught me that my children will always love me, defend me, and grow because of me, and to face opposition with understanding. Chiya taught me to trust myself, and to trust the Lord's plan for our family, to enjoy my family as a whole and to enjoy the quiet and alone time. Nathan taught me to be clear and careful in raising my children, to surround myself with light and laughter, and tenderness. Ryan taught me to delight in life, to allow my heart to sing with joy, and to have the abundant faith needed to walk through the fire. Cheyanne taught me that I am not just a mother of many, but I am a mother of one - ten times, the only mother for every one of my children. Chalae taught me to relax and know that all will be well, that as surely as day follows night, the righteous patterns of family life brings the blessings of eternity, that the Lord is pleased, and our family will survive in tender confidence Chrystal taught me the true nature of pure sacrifice, of remembering where we come from so we can anchor ourselves to the future we want to obtain, of holding onto each precious moment and not rushing to the next. They have all taught me that I'm raising my peers in eternity. If we don't enjoy each other now, what makes us think we'll enjoy each other then?