6th, 5th and 3rd

We have had a great start here at The Dorminy Academy of Higher Learning.  I change the name every time I write a silly sentence like that….School is going great so far!  That’s what I really mean.

I’m honestly still amazed that this is how we school.  Home schooling is just one of those things that was totally not on my radar for all of my life until some time between the day Ruby was born and when she was about four years old.  I can only explain it as a God-thing.  He put it in my heart, placed me in a city with so much home school support, and allowed me to cross paths with tons of amazing families that home schooled.  It all became crystal clear, and I am so thankful for these days that have turned into years that I have been able to spend so much time with my kids.  It’s really my main reason for home schooling—to be with my kids.  I know, pretty simple…but that is the truth.  If I wanted them to be geniuses, I would definitely not be their teacher (though I do actually teach them real subjects and lessons!)

I’m learning more about each of my children and their individual giftedness, and I pray often that I would be a mom and Josh would be a dad that sees how God has gifted them and encourage them in the purposes of God in their lives.

I also have been praying for my family using the recent encouragement I have found in Priscilla Shirer’s FERVENT book (I’ve mentioned it several times on the blog, and I sure hope it is encouraging some of you to get the book). I’ve been praying daily that my kids would each take God seriously and find a refuge in Him and His Word.  I am asking God to teach them how to walk in His Truth every day of their lives.  I am praying that no unwholesome talk will come out of our mouths, but only words that build up and give grace to those who hear it.  I pray that God will build up a fervent love for each other and help us serve one another without complaining.  I ask that God will help our family pursue peace and the the building up of one another…not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving blessings instead!  He is faithful and all of His promises are true.

I am hopeful and expectant that God is going to use this school year to bring glory to His Name.  I am looking forward to how He will grow each of my kids in their relationship with Himself.  I am definitely hoping that they learn and love to learn over these next weeks and months.

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Also, I’m hoping this year I won’t have to say, “Don’t be a fool!” and quote Proverbs 1:7 when they complain about their work and despise my instruction.  But I will say it if I need to.

dormany family_-82My Ruby girl.  She is 11 years old and entering 6th grade.  She still loves to read and tell her sister and brother what to do.  She starts piano lessons this year.  She still serves on the Kidzplace worship team at church, and she loves to sing! She likes to play wrestle with Mack, though he is getting stronger and will soon easily overtake her. I often find her playing with her doll house, and I love her imagination! Her favorite food is probably potatoes, with hamburgers a close second.  I love hanging out with Ruby…she is more laid back than the other two when we are together.  She talks when she wants to, but never goes crazy with words, words and more words.  She is content to sit on the couch with me while we each read a book.  She says she would like to be a teacher or a reading tutor when she grows up. I say she should get a job reading books out loud for books on cd!  She is a great reader!

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Sweet little Molly.  Love this girl.  She is still a constant do-er and mover.  It truly is amazing how the toddler’s personality stays with the child…she has always had to be in to something.  While the other two can sit mindlessly in front of a movie, Molly cannot.  She can be found making lists or making forms that she can fill out.  She still shows interest in handicapped things, but it isn’t quite the obsession it once was.  Maybe breaking her arm earlier this year took the fun out of it.  She loves babies and toddlers and will go up to random families at the pool to see if they will let her play with their baby (I’ve had to talk to her about this one).  She has enough hair on her head for ten little girls, and she wants it to grow to her feet. She wishes her hair was straight as a board….she got the wrong parents for that wish to ever come true.  She loves her friends and looks for any and every way to try and be with her friends.  She is great in the kitchen—can scramble eggs, make toast, cook a pizza, cut vegetables and make spaghetti.  She is often-times found serving Mack his breakfast.  She is so independent and doesn’t seem like just a nine year old, almost 10 year old.  I love her spirit, her persistent nature and her endless list of ideas…though sometimes it wears me out, I know these are good qualities. She says she wants to be a nurse or an orthopedic rehab person. I want her to keep sewing and have her own business making modest swimsuits, but I’m not sure that idea is gonna gain any momentum with Molly.  We shall see what God has planned for her!

dormany family_-93And Baby Mack!  Such a tender-hearted boy. (If you’ve stayed with me this far, you must love me and the kids or else you would have quit reading me tell how wonderful my kids are.) He will play Flag Football again this season.  He is showing an interest in the drums, but I am just afraid that I don’t want to go there yet.  He still loves Legos!  Do boys ever out grow them? His favorite place to be is home.  As he walks around the house, he usually has his hands full of something—a toy, guns or swords or tape and scissors with paper or a box nearby.  He absolutely keeps us laughing; he always has an audience at the dinner table, so that’s usually when he says all manner of things.  He talks a lot.  Like, a whole lot.  And he has the most sensitive heart!  He is quick to come to us and apologize and ask for forgiveness when he says or does something he shouldn’t have.  He says he wants to be a fireman when he grows up.  I think he will be a preacher or some type of public speaker…maybe a comedian…who knows!?!  He was super impressed that Tim Hawkins gets money for making people laugh.  And even though right now he says he wants to live with us forever, I do feel certain God has great plans for this boy that will call him to venture out of his mom and dad’s house.

So, there you have it.  The Dorminy kids whom I love so much.

Now let’s get to learning.

Kids Tell the Truth Sometimes

Kids have a way of saying what is on their minds.  It’s sometimes loving and kind…other times I may not want to hear it.  Like when Mack would squish my upper arm and tell me he likes how my arm is so soft. Or when Molly tells me one tooth of mine looks a little darker than all the rest.  Gee.  Thanks, Molly.

This afternoon I took the girls to a practice they had at church; Mack and I were hanging out together.  I walked in the parking lot of the church while he rode on his scooter and talked to me.  I was enjoying just being together.

We took a water break, and he started rummaging through my purse.  He was looking specifically for two coupons to Sonic he earned from VBS.  All the while he was digging through my stuff, he is saying, “Oh, Mom…come on, let’s go spend some time together.  I just want to do something with you.”  He holds up the precious coupons and grins that sweet little grin.  And I cave.  Off we go to Sonic since Mack just wanted to “spend some time together.”  I was enjoying our little walk and talk, but he was out for more.

On the way back to church he was thanking me for going to Sonic for him.  He is such a sweet kid.  We parked to wait for the girls, and I pulled up the live Senate floor vote on Defunding Planned Parenthood.

The man was calling the Senators names and then saying “aye” or “no.”  I explained to Mack what they were voting on and what “aye” or “no” meant.  I didn’t go into grotesque details of abortion, but I am pretty frank with my kids.  It’s killing babies while they are in their mother’s womb.  He asked a few questions–“Who all says it is ok to kill babies in their mommy?”  “Why would they vote “no?” “Should we stop paying taxes if the money goes to killing babies?”

I answered him as best as I could.  We kept hearing the caller say names of Senators and “no” or “aye” in the background.

He was playing with a toy from his Sonic kids meal, and I could see his little brain working.

And he looked right at me with his piercing blue eyes and those sweet freckles spread out all across his cheeks and nose and said, “Well, I’m glad you didn’t do abortions….because…well, I wouldn’t even be here if you did.”

Kids tell the truth sometimes.  And this was definitely one of those times.

After a few more minutes he said, “Hey, let’s pray for them to only say “aye” for the rest of the time.”

And he prayed, “Dear God, I pray that they would do all “aye”s for the rest of the time.  And I pray that one day abortions would not be ok anywhere in the whole world. Amen.”

Amen.

Here are each of my kids in my womb.  I have these framed with Psalm 139 typed out under their sonogram picture.  A reminder that God formed them and knew them intimately in the womb.  He has a plan for each of them, and He is so glad they are here.  And so is this mama!  Thank you, Lord, for my children.

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Ruby

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Mack

“Squirrel!”

I think we’re familiar with the UP movie and the easily distracted dog.  A sighting of a squirrel and his focus is gone.

I can relate.

I’ve prayed and chosen curriculum, and then I hear about another math someone is trying…”squirrel!”

We have budgeted and made goals for our money and then we see pictures from someone’s beach vacation and start to doubt that we have made the right decision…”squirrel!”

I am so easily distracted.  As a wife and mom we hold a lot of things in our heads…there’s the husband and then each kid and each of these people have needs and words they want to share with you, they each require of me in very specific ways, they each have their special interests and places to go with them or places to take them, they each lose things that only wife/mom can help find, and you never know when one of them will decide they really need to talk to you about something right now….lots of stuff to juggle in the wife/mom brain!

So where was I?  Oh yes, how to ignore the squirrels in our life.  The distractions…not that the way my family needs me are distractions, mind you…I’m just saying that we have a lot going on in our lives, and we want to be sure we keep FOCUS on what is most important.  Keep the background blurry and put into FOCUS what God has set out for me.  It is quite likely that what I think is the main thing to FOCUS on might not be the main thing at all.  His ways are often times so very different than our ways.  His thoughts are most definitely higher than our thoughts.

Just this morning I was reading from MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST by Oswald Chambers and read Luke 18.  Verse 31 says that Jesus said to the twelve, “We are going up to Jerusalem.”  He had a FOCUS on pleasing the Father.  Nothing would distract Jesus from that purpose.  Chambers says, “The great thing to remember is that we go up to Jerusalem to fulfill God’s purpose, not our own.”

Ever since I read the chapter in FERVENT by Priscilla Shirer on “Focus,” I have been praying a prayer every day and have seen the enemy try his best in these little discreet ways with careless words or tiny little moments here and there to knock me off of my feet and lose my FOCUS.  My insecurities are where he shoots for most days.  The enemy thinks that if he can get me focused on what I don’t do right or how I don’t measure up, then I am certainly going to live life OUT OF FOCUS.  And he is right.  But I am an overcomer and a child of God, the Creator and Ruler of Heaven and Earth.  I need not walk around with blurry vision or a foggy brain.

So my word for the start of the school year is FOCUS.  Focus on God and seek Him daily, pursue HIS purpose for me, and pray against distractions.

Here’s a little part of my prayer.  Maybe you will write one down of your own to pray!

“…..I am asking, by the power of the Holy Spirit, for help to focus and to pray at all times in the Spirit, to pray specifically, strategically, and personally.  Help me to know Your love fully and to know that nothing can separate me from Your love.  In my home, I pray that You will arise and scatter enemies.  Let all those who hate You to flee at Your presence.  Thank You that my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.  Revive me and save me against the wrath of my enemies.  I pray that I would focus on YOU and clearly see Your purposes for my life.  Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.  Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  YES, You are able to give me laser-like focus and ability to pray specifically against the schemes of the devil. …”

I {heart} my family!

We are wrapping up our summer and turning our heads and hearts toward a bit more of a routine.  I am still not anxiously looking forward to starting school work with the kids, but I feel certain that once we get started, we will be ready for whatever comes our way!

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First of all, THIS happened.  Ruby went to The Middle School building for Sunday School today.  Wowza! I remember like yesterday taking her to Ms. Shirley in nursery as a 6 week old baby!!!!  I could not imagine then what a joy Ruby would be to our family.  She is absolutely my favorite 11 year old girl in all the world.  I love her personality—how God has made her.  And I am so excited for her time in Middle School as she makes new friends and develops the friends she has had for so many years at church.  I pray she is a good example, a strong leader, and a compassionate friend.

We came home and listened to each of them tell all about their new classes over lunch.  Sweet times.

Then, I did some deep cleaning this afternoon, which makes me so happy.  A clean house is my love language…even if I am the one that has to do the cleaning.  The accomplished feeling I get after blinds have been cleaned and base boards have been washed is fabulous! Toilets sparkling and mirrors shining….amazing.  I did bribe the kids with a trip to Bahama Bucks after Molly started helping me.  I could see how much faster things would go if everyone pitched in, so I told the kids that after Dad woke up from his Sunday afternoon nap, he would take them all for a regular sized shaved ice!  And off to work they all went.  A little piece of heaven was happening upstairs in my bedroom and bathroom and their bedrooms.  And the bonus was that no one bothered Dad while he slept (though none of them ever bother their Dad while he sleeps).  They have no problem waking me up though, of course.  This reminds me of a story.  Mack, very assuredly, said to me the other day, “Mom, how is it that you are always wide awake when we come in during the middle of the night?”  Josh got a kick out of that.  I mean, really?  Does Mack really think I am just sitting in the bed, wide awake and ready to talk at 2:30am???  Crazy boy.

Anyway, back to whatever it was I was talking about…..

The house is clean, laundry is going strong, and we plan to soak up some sun tomorrow to put a cherry on top of our “wrap-up” of summer.

I’ve decided that we will start Tuesday with Bible, Reading, Math and Science and do that each of the following days of this week.  We will add Language Arts and History the next week.  We have to take it slow so that I don’t burn out in week 2.

Another bright spot of our weekend was time taking Family Photos!  I must say that I can see much spiritual growth in Josh’s life in how he reacts to Family Photo Day.  I schedule a family photo every two or three years.  It’s not like a quarterly endeavor, or even annually!  But Josh did not complain one single second about Family Photo Day.  He actually was quite chipper about it all.  I was so appreciative of him for not making it a laborious task.  The smiles were all genuine!

dormany family_-121Audrey Grace Photography took the pictures.  Audrey is a sweet young girl with lots of talent and a sweet personality!  Her family is very dear to us…we are so thankful God has allowed our paths to cross during this season of our lives.  From raising daughters advice and wisdom, crafts and funny stories and more, The Jones Family is very special to us.

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Love these little boogers.  

dormany family_-106Because don’t you also stand in the middle of a country road as a family?  Well, either way, I love how this one turned out!

dormany family_-139This is when Josh propped his arm on the barn wall and said, “You come here often?”

dormany family_-141I laughed at him.  I love him so much….he is such a great husband.  I seriously cannot imagine life without him.  He’s just the best for me.

We aren’t good at those longing looks while someone is snapping pictures of us….we save those for other times….but I’ll keep that information off this family blog.

So, that is what has been going on around here.  I mean, I did leave out last week when we, somehow, thought going to DollyWood in the summer was a grand idea.  While the water park was a good idea and they all enjoyed the rides there, the amusement park was beyond HOT.  I was basically melting as I walked around the park holding the bags and cups and waiting for them to ride all the crazy rides they love.  I admit, by Thursday late afternoon I was getting annoyed.  I was miserable and didn’t mind letting Molly know I would ride the Fire Chaser with her once more, but then we were going home because I said so!

Then, on the way home we were searching for a good radio station and heard the country song, “You’re Gonna Miss This.”  I cried. And for a second I wished I could go back and end our little adventure with a smile…..but I couldn’t.  But I mean, who writes songs like that????  It is such a sad song.  Very true, but very sad for this mama on that hot summer day!  Thankful for new mornings…..and cool mornings.

I do love my family!  Thankful for the time I have with them.