Homeschool, Harvest & Homemaking: Survival Mode

Well guys, here I am, in the thick of it as they say. Once again I find myself deep in the trenches of solo parenting while my husband works sun up to past sun down to get the crops off (we're farmers in Saskatchewan).

I’m not going to lie- THIS. IS. HARD! 

But it’s amazing how much I have grown since our first child was born 8 1/2 years ago. 

Our first son, Carter, was born right before seeding started so my introduction to parenting hit me like a ton of bricks right in the face. I went from freedom and independence to sleepless nights and colicky days with a newborn and no husband (he was in the field). 

I remember thinking we wouldn’t survive the first six months. If you’ve been there, you know! If you haven’t, I won’t even try to explain as I don’t feel there are words that do the situation justice. 

But the thing is- it was just us two, me and baby.

Fast forward 8 years and here I am, 4 kids deep and HOMESCHOOLING on top of it all! Oh, and why not toss in a small business on the side because I need something to keep me busy for those little pockets of time where I find myself bored (SARCASM!) 😆. 

Had you shown mom-of-one Sarah my life today I would laughed obnoxiously loud in your face and bet my few possessions on the fact that YOU WERE SO WRONG! 

But here I am, 8 1/2 years later and surviving. I’m not going to say thriving because that wouldn’t be accurate. More like not drowning. Picture someone who’s almost drowning, but their lips are still far enough out of the water to get just enough air to keep them alive- that’s about where I’m at… but I’m alive! 😂

I’ll save the details as to why we chose to homeschool for another post, but it has definitely added an element to our life, specifically mine. 

You see, right now I’m on maternity leave, I’m a teacher! And most mom’s on maternity leave have the luxury of sending their school-aged children off to school and they get a break for a bit. Nope- not me. I chose to pull our children out of the public system and keep them at home with me! My husband thinks I’m a few marbles short, and these days I’m thinking maybe he’s right because between nursing a teething baby all night, dealing with a tantruming 4-yr-old while trying to educate said 4-yr-old plus his two older siblings, keeping them all feed and watered with clean clothes to wear and a house that doesn’t look like it was hit by a hurricane- I’m definitely feeling a little in over my head. 

Oh and that teething 1-yr-old, he’s walking, has been for 2 months! So it’s a bit of an understatement when I say he’s keeping me busy. He has learned how to use the couch to get onto my desk- found him perched up there yesterday. He no longer has a high chair because I can’t get him to sit in it (nope, the 5 point harness didn’t work) so after finding him STANDING ON THE TABLE of the highchair, said high chair was relocated and the baby now sits with me where I can hold him down. If we forget to close the bathroom door, the toys get a bath in the toilet bowl and my houseplants are, in his mind, his own personal sand boxes. 🤦🏼‍♀️  Good thing he's so darn cute!

But here’s the thing. They say God doesn’t hand us anything we can’t handle and that no matter what we’re going through, He is always there to carry us. I believe this SO MUCH because I have felt His presence with me in harder times when I’ve need Him. 

So right now, even though I’m taking life one hour at a time and spending MANY MINUTES of those hours praying for patience and sanity, I know that not only will God guide me through this, but I am going to come out of this season, just like I have all the ones in the past, stronger and better for it. 

So while I impatiently wait for my husband and father-in-law to get the crops off (I’ve asked them to speed up the combine, 4 miles an hour seems a little slow to me 😜) I’ll try to remind myself that this- the exact life I’m living right now- is exactly what I once prayed for … be careful what you wish for, haha, jk🤗... and that I am so truly blessed. 

The struggles that are brought on from our children are because God has blessed us with 4 beautiful, healthy children and I am flying solo because God has blessed us with bountiful crops.  My blessings are many and for that I am so grateful. 

So even though I am in the thick of it right now, I am grateful to be here. ❤️

If you’re a farm wife I’d love to hear from you! What do you find your biggest struggles are during this season? 

Thank you all again for taking time to read my little post, I really appreciate it! 

God bless, 

Sarah ❤️🥰❤️