Thank you! Congratulations on successfully teaching your five kids - that's a great accomplishment.

Yes, I hadn't even touched on those issues! To us, there are so many reasons why we feel confident and relieved to be keeping our kids with us that it's hard to even count all of them - but every once in a while something jumps out at me and I say, "That! That right there is why I'm so happy they won't be leaving yet."

Of course, there will be a day when they do go - after all, we're raising adults, not permanent children or servants. But when I see my children off, it will be after the ties are formed and the foundation is built and they are strong and capable women (and maybe men if we ever end up with any boys around here...). And if God is very kind, they won't go far and we will still be able to have lives that stay closely-knit.