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A Blessed Birthday Surprise that radically changed our homeschool
A Blessed Birthday Surprise
I remember a time when I felt like my kids were all drifting—not just from each other, but from me, too. Even though we were home together every day, it felt like we were living separate lives. Everyone was doing their own thing, and we hardly spent any time truly together.
Homeschooling had always been about learning side by side, growing as a family. But somewhere along the way, that togetherness seemed to fade. My heart ached for connection.
So on my birthday, I asked for just one thing: I wanted all ten of my kids to go on a walk with me. Just a simple walk along the trail behind our neighborhood. That was it.
Now, you have to understand—my kids are strong-willed and fiercely independent. If they already had something in mind, convincing them to change course wasn’t easy. But when I told them that was all I wanted for my birthday, they (reluctantly) paused their video games and other distractions, put on their shoes—no small task!—and joined me.
As we walked down the street, I realized we probably looked like a small parade. Not that anyone was around to see it—but it made me smile.
The trail led us past the flooded woods, typical of that part of Illinois. These woods were more like swamps, not the kind I loved to explore. Still, we took it in. Patrick said he’d gone back there before, but it was a little spooky.
We all began noticing the beauty around us—wildflowers, buzzing insects, tall grasses swaying in the breeze. I love nature, and I’ve passed that love on to my children, so this became an impromptu nature walk. My soul felt full again. It had been too long since we’d all done something like this. Just being together. I was so happy.
Then I noticed some plants that reminded me of milkweed—the kind I remembered from Ohio, where they were thick and plain. These were different: slender stalks, delicate pink blossoms that reminded me of the Ohio milkweed flowers but prettier. But something in me knew—they had to be a kind of milkweed.
I paid attention because years ago I had raised Monarch caterpillars, feeding them milkweed leaves. My daughter Katie noticed the plants too and picked a few to take home. She pointed out a tiny caterpillar clinging to one of the leaves. I was mildly curious—until we got home.
When I looked closer, I realized—it was a Monarch caterpillar.
Excitement bubbled up. I placed the plant in a jar, and sure enough, the little guy started munching away. Soon we needed more leaves, so Patrick went back to the swampy trail and brought more. The caterpillar grew quickly, gaining bold black, white, and yellow stripes. He was beautiful—and definitely a Monarch.
We started researching again—how long until a chrysalis? How long inside before the butterfly emerged? It had been years since I’d done this.
We learned it would take about two weeks for the caterpillar to form its chrysalis, and another two weeks until it became a butterfly.
All the kids were suddenly invested. They checked on him daily, made sure he had fresh milkweed, and tracked his progress. This little caterpillar became our family pet. When he finally formed his chrysalis, everyone celebrated. We couldn’t wait for the butterfly to emerge.
That tiny caterpillar brought us all together again. It became a shared family project that filled our home with wonder and joy.
And I knew—it was no accident.
God had given me a special surprise for my birthday. He heard the quiet cry of my heart and answered it in the sweetest, most unexpected way. He didn’t just bring us together for one walk—He gave us something beautiful to share for weeks afterward.
Sometimes life feels stale. Ordinary. Disconnected. We can feel disappointed or discouraged—especially when things don’t go the way we hoped.
But God is always good.
He never leaves us—not even in the quiet, messy, weary seasons. And sometimes, He sends a little surprise—just to remind us how deeply we’re loved.
So if your heart feels heavy today, tell Him. He’s listening.
And keep your eyes open. Look for the small signs of His love—like a caterpillar on a milkweed leaf.
You never know how He might bring joy back into your life.
If you let Him.
See a limerick I wrote about this story HERE
And you can get a journal page that goes with this too HERE
An Interview with the Founder of Safe Haven Homeschooling
My son and daughter-in-law interviewed me about my thoughts on homeschooling. I homeschooled my son, Shawn, all the way through high school and beyond. We still read books together up until he got married and left home!
And now he reads books aloud to his wife, Brandi!
Needless to say, he considers his homeschool experience a very successful one.
I also homeschooled his 9 brothers and sisters, so I had lots of homeschool experience!
Shawn and Brandi are experienced podcasters, so they wanted to do an episode with their mom to talk about what homeschooling is like.
This is the result of that interview.
https://penneydouglas.substack.com/p/an-interview-with-the-founder-of
And here is their podcast Partnership Vision Podcast.
Proof in the Pudding: An Interview with Melanie Young of Raising Real Men
Proof in the Pudding: An Interview with Melanie Young
I am doing an interview series called “Proof in the Pudding”.
This interview was perfect to start a series by this name. Because I literally got to taste the pudding! My husband and I went to a Marriage Retreat called “Come Away” hosted by Hal and Melanie Young of Raising Real Men ministries. And Hal and Melanie’s sons catered the event! Three of their six sons cooked the food and served it to us in a most excellent way. It was all delicious, and the service was exceptional! We were very blessed by all of their efforts. My husband loved it! Food is definitely the way to his heart. I daresay that might be his dominant love language.
I took advantage of the time I had with Melanie to ask her some questions, and she graciously granted me an interview. I asked her about her philosophy of homeschooling, the overall approach and style she used, and how her children have turned out so far. She is a very honest, candid person, and it was an honor and privilege to interview such a gracious leader in our Christian homeschool movement.
She and her husband, Hal, have written several books, including “Raising Real Men”, and “My Beloved and My Friend: How to Be Married to Your Best Friend Without Changing Spouses”. I bought the second book and am currently reading it. It is very good. You can find many other family, parenting and marriage resources at their website at Raising Real Men.
You can see our interview here:
And here’s another interview I did with Melanie:
What if Homeschooling Could Feel More Joyful, Natural, and Purposeful?
What If Homeschooling Could Feel More Natural, Joyful, and Purposeful?
—A Gentle Introduction to Lifeschooling
Dear Homeschooling Mama,
We pour so much heart into our homeschooling. We choose the best curriculum we can find. We make schedules. We set goals. But sometimes—if we’re honest—it still feels like we’re just trying to recreate school at home.
What if there’s a better way?
What if homeschooling could feel more like living and less like checking boxes?
What if we leaned into the freedom we have—the freedom to really know our children and tailor their learning to who God created them to be?
That’s what lifeschooling is all about.
Lifeschooling is a refreshing, life-giving approach to education. It embraces real life as the classroom. It recognizes that learning isn’t limited to textbooks and lesson plans. It happens while your child helps with breakfast, builds forts, asks big questions, creates art, and tags along to serve a neighbor.
It’s about noticing what they’re drawn to… what brings them joy… what comes easily… and even what challenges them. It’s about helping them grow—not just in academics, but in character, creativity, faith, and life skills.
You still teach the basics—but you’re no longer a slave to the curriculum. Instead, you’re free to follow your child’s natural curiosity and the gentle nudges of the Holy Spirit.
If this idea stirs something in your heart, I want to share a beautiful resource with you:
Lifeschooling: Learning to Think Outside the Curriculum Box by Danielle Papageorgiou.
This book will open your eyes to a whole new way of doing homeschool. A way that honors our children’s individuality. A way that brings peace instead of pressure. A way that lets life be the lesson.
If you’ve ever wondered if there’s more to homeschooling than just bringing school home… there is. And this book will show you how.
💛 Read it.
💛 Reflect on it.
💛 Try just one idea—and see what happens.
With grace and hope,
Penney
"Oh that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is placed in her bosom to be nursed and trained! Could she have but one glimpse in to the future of that life as it reaches on into eternity; could she look into its soul to see its possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of its life, and for its destiny,--she would see that in all God's world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers, and she would commit to no other's hands the sacred and holy trust given to her." -JR Miller
