The kids in Williamsburg at Homeschoolers' Week. Yes, I made his jacket and the girls' dresses.
Hi, I’m The Political Housewyf. I’m married, with three kids, a German Shepherd, and a whole lot of homeschooling, gardening, sewing, cooking, and crafting projects! I think housewives should be just as interested in politics as everyone else, if not more. After all, this is our kids’ futures we’re talking about. There will be lots of politics and lots of housewifing, so, if you don’t feel like reading today’s post, check the rest, because I plan on the topics being fairly eclectic.
I graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a BS in history (hence the interest in history and the archaic spelling of housewife). I was a surface warfare officer for about five and a half years. I served on a guided missle destroyer and an aircraft carrier, before transferring to a shore assignment. Unlike many of our Navy friends, we have stayed put in Virginia, partly because my husband is a military contractor.
My three children are all adopted. After a lot of painful praying and struggling with infertility, I can now say, without gritting my teeth anymore, “It wasn’t our Plan A, but it was God’s Plan A.” Our first two adoptions (a girl and a boy) were both domestic and transracial (i.e. my kids are black, my husband and I are not, and they were born in the U.S.). Why transracial adoption when some people argue against it? Because we couldn’t tell a baby looking for a family, “Sorry, we were looking for something in pink.” Yes, there are ongoing concerns about raising a black child in the U.S., and I’ll probably comment on that at length at some point; check the “adoption” category. My youngest was adopted from China earlier this year. If my husband would agree to let me use their names, I’d tell you the cool stories behind their names… but we’re pretty sure we’re the only family in the country with this name combination (we didn’t exactly use Ava, Emily, and Jacob!), so the DH (dear husband) doesn’t want me using names for privacy concerns. *sigh* Instead, on the blog, they will be Crash, Empress, and Diva.
I think I have the cutest kids on the planet, even when they drive me crazy, but I may be a little prejudiced. 
This page has the following sub pages.
If I could re-title this piece by Judith Warner at the NYT, I would call it:
“Liberal Writer Attends McCain-Palin Rally, and Learns Something.”
It’s a riot.
My sister in Fairfax attended this rally and had a phenomenal time.
NOBAMA!
Marvelous, God bless you. I am troubled by anyone who would allow race to get in the way of loving a child.
My sister died many years ago, along the way I decided to let my cousin and her husband adopt 2 of the girls. Debra wanted children badly and could not do it alone and the girls loved her. We are African American and her husband was Italian.
There were problems from others, but we got past that. Along the way, my cousin died of cancer. However, by that time my two nieces had such a rapport with their “father” that we agreed to allow them to stay with him.
Their father eventually re-married again an African American woman, both of whom raised my two nieces. The girls are now hard working, honorable, loving adults who adore their father.
P.S.: Your children are beautiful.
Thank you! I’ll tell them you said so.
They think it’s cool they’re on mommy’s blog.
I do understand why people shy away from transracial adoption; the agencies and social workers paint it in such an awful light. Sort of like how doctors paint Downs Syndrome as the end of the world, resulting in 90% of children diagnosed in utero with Downs being aborted. It’s sad when you can’t trust the “experts” to give you good advice.
Hear, Hear! Well said! Thank you for your service. And as one political-homeschool wife/mom/business woman/Christian to another- Glad to meet you!
God bless you for following God’s Plan A for you! What a lovely way to phrase this blessing!
Any couples that are struggeling with infertility I would recommend Dr. Thomas Hilgers in Omaha, Nebraska. http://www.popepaulvi.com/
He is one of the leading authorities on infertility and is completely follows the teachings of the Magesterium of the Catholic Church. Many women who were told they had no chance of conceiving have had success with Dr. Hilgers. Keep up the good work!
Your children are adorable! You’re so blessed!
Interesting… I was in VA-46 aboard the JFK in 1974 (?) when we collided with the Belknap in the Med.
Very beautiful story,
Im a new stay home mom to my 2mth old. I LOVE the idea behind your blog, Ive known I wanted to be a stay at home mom forever..i come from a big catholic family!…but Im very into politics and such so Im totally excited about the balance you are offering with your blog!
Congratulations on your three beautiful babies!
Congratulations on your baby, and thank you for the compliments!
I didn’t know I wanted to be a SAHM; it was the furthest thing from my mind entering college… and then it became the best decision. The longer I was in the Navy, the more I felt the pull to home. I was good at what I was doing (very good at parts of it), I enjoyed it, I loved travelling around the world, but my heart was always at home.
My kids’ previous pediatrician decided to quit the practice she was part of. I said we’d miss her, and I asked what her plans were. Somewhat as if she expected yet another criticism, she said, “I’m going home.” I smiled and told her I knew exactly what she meant; that’s what I told the other officers in my last duty station, and they kept asking, “Yes, but to do what?”
In our pediatrician’s case, she was going home to be there more for her teenaged children. She said she’d realized that she could come back to practice medicine, but she was only given so much time with her own children. So, she decided to make the most of the few years left before they moved out for college.
“I’m going home.” It sounds so simple, yet encompasses so much.
I just happened across your blog, I love it! I am also a catholic, homeschooling mom and all of my children joined our family through adoption.
Welcome! Hope you enjoy my blog, and I will be sure to check out yours more thoroughly when I have time.
I just happened upon your blog. I love it!! I also adopted 2 African American chlidren domestically. I agree with your views on IVF. I know not many people do. How do you do it with 3 …..and homeschooling?? LOL I have enough problems with 2! And one of mine is in Kindergarten full-day now! I just tell people that we didn’t care what race the baby was. We just wanted a BABY!
Bless you!
Marcia Bohn
Michigan
Some days, it just works… and some days, it doesn’t go so smoothly! (and, on those days, I attempt to remind myself that people do this with six and more kids)
I try to organize their day by checking my lesson planner to see what they need to do, then arranging it so that, for example, Diva is occupied with math worksheets (minimal Mommy input) while I’m doing reading with Crash (full-up Mommy involvement). As one finishes, they’re redirected into their next subjects or playing or reading to Empress. It gets easier as they get more independent; having Diva and Crash one grade apart made things difficult when they both needed intense reading attention.
God bless you, too, and welcome!
Long-time reader, first-time commenter. A friend (who also homeschools) shared this video on Facebook and it made me think of you.
Hi PH…
“*sigh* Instead, on the blog, they will be Crash, Empress, and Diva.”
I’m thinking those are 3 pretty cool ‘nick’ names without knowing their real names.
Beautiful children…hug and kiss them everyday…they’ll be grown and gone before you know it.
You are hilarious! Thank you for your blog. I wish it were mine! Instead, I will take your inspiration and hopefully enrich my homeschooling family with a bit of peace, laughter, and a little more organization. I found your site when I was looking for more about Mrs. Seuffert because I cannot attend her talk at the conference this weekend here in Houston! Your tag came up first. I will buy her tapes and re-read (and put into practice) Rule of Life as well. Thank you for sharing your faith, amazing family, and your humor!
Aww, thank you!
I’ve been horrible about keeping things up here on the blog lately, because “peace, laughter, and a little more organization” are easier to write about than do!