Getting to this first post on our new blog has been weeks coming, and by golly, I have butterflies!! We’re so excited to get blogging! I have to tell you, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when we finally decided to really set up a blog. Naturally, my clear visions and particular-ness lead to extensive customization. In the last couple of weeks, I have been to technical places I’ve never been before (and never wanted to!). But thank goodness for a sweet-little-know-it-all in MO, who helped me through the more in-depth technical stuff a great deal. Through her big heart, she has given me her time and ingenious technical knowledge, with the charity and patience of a saint.

I’m sure I’ll be the main blogger of our family, although our oldest daughter would like to submit posts now and then as well. Michael, my husband is not fond of typing, but is often over my shoulder with his own input on what he wants to say, or any input he has on mine. (Which I love, by the way). I, personally, tend to be wordy. I am working on the skill of brevity, but I can’t promise much. lol. I am an artist by nature, and frankly, details and clarity are important to me. But I can promise LOTS of photos along the way! I couldn’t help myself there if I tried, and thankfully, I don’t want to.

It occurred to me to start blogging about our life at the beginning of the traditional school year. The thought really intrigued me. But truthfully, I was far more excited to LIVE the carefully planned out coming months of what was going to be an exciting homeschool year for us. (Adding to our oldest homeschooled daughter, our 3 new Kindergartners!). Looking back from this point in time, I wish I had, because there’s so much I would have loved to share along the way. But blogging about it now would be an overwhelming task. Perhaps in a future post I can share some photos of our most exciting pre-blogging events.

Here’s what’s behind our blog name: House of Joyful Noise.
Of course, it is in Biblical reference to Psalm 100.
Does it mean we are all 100% happy, 100% of the time?  Ummm….no.   While it is true that there is LOTS of joyful noise in our home, such as learning, laughing, conversing, singing, pretending, playing, rejoicing, reading, planning, and creating, (I’m sure I missed some), of course we also have days when someone is feeling, well, less than ‘joyful’. Sometimes more than one of us, or even all of us, all on the same day! With everyone having a mind of their own, and I think some kind of gene thing, that urges us to passionately express everything, it’s bound to be loud around here. On those days, my husband and I try to remind ourselves, that our home is crazy and noisy, because there are children in it! How blessed we are; for a perfectly quiet home, would be a home with no children. So there is joy in the noise for us – if we can simply remember to remember that. (That’s the trick sometimes.)

Our multi purposes for blogging:
1) For our supportive and loving family and friends in our life, some long distance or as busy as us, who care to be updated on a more regular basis, as to the little things we have been up to.
2) To offer something back to other homeschooling families, some of whose blogs inspire us with their thoughts for the day, creative projects, or blessings in their own lives.
3) As another way to record our daily family memories and history, as we learn and grow together in so many ways, and help us reflect on a somewhat daily basis, the little things in life worth celebrating, and just taking a moment to give thanks, and in a way, ‘say it out loud.’  Naturally, these will be bits and pieces of a given day, and not everything happening in our life. (That’s just impossible.  And unnecessary.) I hope to find the time (if I manage my time well) to blog at least a few times a week.

As a family, we strive to live as simple of a life as possible. But there are mundane tasks and business agendas that have their place in every day, too. There is also the stress that life can bring, that can only be dealt with as gracefully as possible. But this blog will be focusing on the blessings we have been given, the learning and growing that we do, the moments we cherish, and the glory in the details of life, that no matter what, CAN be found in each day, if one is only willing to look for, and see them. It’s the little things, that put the ‘happy’ in our hearts.

– The Richard Family