When people ask what I "do," it is often hard to give a straightforward answer.
I am a homeschooling, stay-at-home mother of three. I am also the full-time caregiver for our sweet son with special needs. Oh, and did I mention we live on a farm? We have livestock and poultry to care for and a garden that requires a lot of attention. I wake up at work and go to bed at work. And when I’m not “working,” I’m still on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. When asked how I “do it all,” the truth is I don’t really know. All I can say is that the Lord gives me daily grace, and with that grace, I greet each day as it comes. It is a wonderful life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
My husband and I have the unique privilege of being full-time caregivers to our special needs son. Our boy is such a blessing to our family, and the work that is required to properly care for him is a responsibility we all gladly carry — even his siblings help where they can. Given his diagnosis, our son is completely dependent on us for everything. Not only do I get him dressed and assist him with all of his transportation and hygienic needs, but I also administer his medications throughout the day, feed him, and take him to all of his various therapy appointments. We travel out of state for most of his medical care, so I also keep up with scheduling doctor’s appointments and do my best to keep up with medical insurance and billing.
When it comes to feeding, our son uses a G-tube or “feeding tube” in order to receive his nutrition. We quickly found that the standard method of G-tube feeding (by way of formula, enteral feeding bags, and pumps) simply did not work for our family. Our son did not tolerate this type of feeding well, and it often made him sick to his stomach. We found he tolerated receiving formula best at night while sleeping, which meant I was often up throughout a good portion of the night checking on the status of his pump and formula bag while ensuring he was well. As one can imagine, this lifestyle was not ideal, so after much research, we discovered feeding him real food using a high-powered blender and bolus syringe is a much better option for our family. He now enjoys his meals alongside all of us at the table.
Our son also has epilepsy, and if he is going to have a seizure they almost always occur at night. Sometimes he is able to go right back to sleep after having one, but other times he becomes restless, and either my husband or I stay up with him until he is finally able to relax enough to fall asleep again. Thankfully, we currently have his seizures under control, so our late nights are reducing. But we still never know what a night may bring. I sleep lightly, always prepared to spring into action should the need arise.
My workday begins soon after sunrise. This is the time of day when I feed and tend to the livestock and poultry and work in the garden. It doesn’t take long for little hands and feet to soon join me outside, and together we finish up the chores. I consider the task of home education as a true profession and take my career as a home educator as seriously as others take on their various careers. Many of our waking hours are invested in education, and learning does not cease once the school day is “done.” Rather, it is an ongoing atmosphere that we strive to partake in throughout the day. The children and I also work together to prepare meals, keep the house clean and free from clutter. We do other fun things such as exploring and playing outside, doing arts and crafts, playing games, and of course reading excellent books. As full as all this may sound, this is still only one aspect of my day.
Living on a farm, raising children, and giving specialized care is certainly a full-time, around-the-clock job. I spend my vacations and holidays with those for whom and with whom I work. Our schedules and days are full, and there are a lot of people and animals who depend on me for their care; therefore, I do not take my responsibilities lightly. Though I put in many long hours, I know that the work I am doing is important. It is a job worth doing, and I pray I am doing it well.
Liana Swarengin
I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with an Emphasis in Literature from New Mexico State University. My husband and I have been fortunate enough to call Artesia our home for the past decade and we thoroughly enjoy raising our three children here. I love living the farm life, home educating our children, sipping hot cups of either coffee or tea, snuggling cozy blankets, and reading pleasant books…preferably ones with hobbits in them. Soli Deo gloria!
