Endless Entropy

 My house is a science experiment. Actually, there’s no experiment. Our family life has already proved the theory of entropy. No more theory. It’s law. Chaos is inevitable — especially when Mom needs a break.

The Reading Race

I love books. From my earliest memories I recall snuggling next to my mother while she read from “Charlotte’s Web,” “Little House on the Prairie” and “Pippi Longstocking.” My older sister and I became friends with Sue Barton, Nancy Drew and the Boxcar Children. Our winter evenings were rich with family reading times, and our lazy summer days were filled with library trips and stacks of books all around us. My favorite pastime is still curling up with a good story. However, too much of anything can be, well, too much!

Sisters and Sun

I went on a getaway with my sisters last month: that’s six sisters leaving 32 children and six supportive husbands to spend time together in sun country during the grey winter weeks. Since all of us are busy moms, we set the date months ahead of time and bought plane tickets. The flights to Phoenix were relatively cheap, and we pictured ourselves basking by the pool in the lovely warmth, miles from our usual snowy abodes.

Moms and Magic

Nobody comprehends what takes place in a mother’s day. But I’m here to tell you, it’s unbelievable — like magic. I remembered this fact after I survived yesterday — a day my husband was out of town.

I woke up at 6 a.m. There wasn’t a minute to lounge in bed because it was time to start breakfast, rouse the kids and get our morning moving. By 6:45, I had cooked eggs and toast, mixed juice and was packing lunches. (This was in between getting nine kids out of bed, reminding one to switch her laundry, putting a Band-Aid on a stubbed leg [how does that happen?] and resolving conflicts over which shirt was “cold-weather” appropriate.) By 6:55, I had sent my first batch of students out the door.

Choosing Children

I have a lot of children. More than normal, to be exact. (I assume that makes me abnormal, but hopefully in a good way.) Despite my large posterity, I’ve recently had some new insights about the value of children. Ideas I likely should have understood earlier, but nonetheless, just occurred to me. Call me a slow learner…

Of course, bearing and raising children is a highly personal choice, made by each soul (or souls) in their own sphere. Without standing on a soapbox, or attempting to push my life philosophies on anyone else, I want to share three significant things I’ve recently concluded – principles I have learned from choosing children.

Christmas Changes

During December of this year we read “A Christmas Carol,” for our early-morning family scripture study. Don’t worry, we’re not apostatizing. We continued to study from the Bible; but my husband also wanted to share Dickens’ touching tale with our children.

I loved hearing the story as I made breakfast each day. The old English terms and phrases were delightful and filled with humor and meaning. In fact, as Dickens wished in his original preface, the tale haunted our house “pleasantly” during the month.

Papa's Song -- The Story Behind the Story

The Hunsaker Family, Christmas 1993

It was December of 1993 when Papa's Song happened.  I was a junior at the university and life was coming to a bend in the road.  During the Christmas break, I had several touching moments at home with my family.  The most memorable was on Christmas Eve, when Papa rocked me by the tree for the last time, singing a song he had sung to me every Christmas for as long as I could remember.