One of my greatest privileges and joys here on TommyMom, is the opportunity that I have been afforded to meet new people through blogging. There are so many of you that I wouldn’t know, if it weren’t for this adventure into cyberspace.

You are amongst my greatest treasures.  Today’s interview highlights one such individual.

I met Amy through TommyMom and asked her if she would agree to be interviewed.  She said “yes!”  One of the reasons that this is so significant, is because Amy and her husband Steve have 18 children!  You are not reading a typo. E-i-g-h-t-e-e-n.

We conducted our interview on Facebook with one another, as it is difficult for her to talk on the phone.

Please put your clicking keyboards together, and welcome Amy Maus!

And don’t forget to leave a comment…

Hey, Amy!  How are you?

Just heading the kids off to quiet–just a second.  Okay–ready.

I’m good!  How are you?

Just finishing a post to the Dead Aid colloquia, and I’m good, thanks!

I wanted to read that, but I have too many other books piled up that I am reading right now…

It’s a very thought provoking read…

I do understand; but hope that you will come over and see the discussion.

I will do that–thanks!

Amy, when I first started getting to know you and I read that you had 18 children, I thought that I was reading a misprint!  Did you start giving birth at 12?!

We have 5 biological children that are 17, 15, 5, 3, and 1.  We began adopting in 1996; following that path because I was briefly in foster care as a child and God gave me a burden for kids in that situation.

We have adopted four times, all sibling groups but 1; so 13 of our children have come to us through state foster care.

We have various special needs ranging from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome to Reactive Detachment Disorder; along with various medical issues.

Fifteen of our children are still living at home, and the age range spans from 21 years down to 17 months.

I have always wanted to ask someone in your particular circumstance; what having the diversity of background does to affect the family dynamic that you and your husband have in place.

It’s good in ways and hard in ways.  We had a major crisis two years ago because of some behaviors a new group of kids brought in that was pretty damaging–it took a long time of recovery for all of us.  But, our kids are all learning the meaning of giving up your life to help someone else.

My brother, Tim, has a long history of working with at-risk youth.

That is awesome!  So many adoptive families that I know are in crisis because the system is pretty messed up…It’s great that Tim has dedicated himself to that.  So many kids have no advocates.  When birth parents are abusive early in life or the kids are taken away who shouldn’t be; the damage is life long.

I so admire what you have done!

Thanks.  It is hard, but it’s what God gave to Steve and I as our mission…

We haven’t always had support from those around us.  I think mainly because they have realized the pain involved in our decision.

That’s an excellent point!

Okay, so you’re “going along” in life, and God is adding “groups” of people to your family. How do you adjust?  I’m asking from the standpoint of scheduling and also, if your large family was an impetus for your agrarian push on life?

Well, Teri, God blessed me by making me very organized.  I schedule everything!  This is a huge bonus.  Adjustment always takes at least 6 months.  The last adoption that we did was nearly 8 years ago, so we haven’t been through that in awhile.  Our agrarian life came about in a strange way.  I have always been very interested in nutrition and healthy eating.  In fact, my husband and I met in a health club where I worked.  After I read Jordan Rubin’s book, “The Maker’s Diet”, I wanted to try some dairy goats so that we could have raw goat’s milk.  At the same time, one of our adopted sons wanted some chickens.

The farm work ended up being so good for the kids and they all loved the animals so much; that we have just grown from there! Now we raise goats, cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys; all mainly heritage breeds.

I was excited when I read “Leadership Education” and I realized how important they thought agrarian life was
to this model of education!

How did you come to the Leadership Education model, Amy?

We have home educated almost from the beginning–nearly 16 years now.  In the last couple of years, our children became involved in the Trivium/Classical model of education; but I still felt that something was missing.  I have always felt that you can’t make a child learn something that he or she wasn’t interested in.  I remember from my own school experiences.  I was an excellent student because I had a good memory.  Not much of what I learned really stuck with me! Last year a friend told me that I should read “A Thomas Jefferson Education.”  We loved it, and it put into words so much of what I had already been contemplating!

I want my kids to always keep learning…just as I do now.  I have learned so much in the last 5 years or so because I wanted to learn it.  I want my kids to know that graduation never happens around here! We believe that our main purpose as parents is to do as Deuteronomy 6 says about guiding your children.

Then, so much of what they learn will be what God is directing them to learn for their life purpose.

So…how do you do all of this?

Well, our children really do love the security of “rules.”  And Steve and I have the same family rules for ourselves.

Every child has a schedule that they must follow, as do I.  All of the kids have chores.  Some teach younger kids subjects they have mastered; or subjects they need extra help on.  Our older children have jurisdictional areas; of which they are completely in charge.

For example…

One daughter plans and makes dinners for all of us and also has a paying farm job.

Two other girls are responsible for house cleaning chores each day, etc.

I have a mandatory 2 hour quiet time during the afternoon; and this is a must for me.  It’s when I read my Bible and also read the books that I am studying.  I write in my journal then as well.

I also rise an hour before everyone else does; so that I can read some blogs I enjoy and Facebook entries.  Finally, quilting and sewing are a passion of mine and I fit them in wherever possible.

May I ask what Steve does for a living?!

He is a special operations helicopter pilot in the Air Force.

Holy Cow!  You live with Jack Bauer!

We own our little farm, but realized after we got here, that it is too far from Steve’s work and isn’t quite enough land; so we are selling it and looking for a bigger one.

What are you currently reading?

“Table Talk” by Martin Luther, “Christianity and the Constitution” by John Eidsmore, “The Mother at Home” by John Abbott, and “The Sovereignty and Goodness of God” by Mary Rowlandson.  Oh!  And I am quickly reading Ira Stoll’s book on Samuel Adams so that I can get it back to the library on time!

May I ask how in the world you found TommyMom?

I think it may have been through “TJEd for Teens.”

Have you ever been to hear Dr. Brooks speak or attended Face to Face?

No, but I’ve taken a Great Books course with him.  He hasn’t come to our area…yet.

It’s no secret how much I love and admire him and his family.  Talk about organic TJEd in action!

And if you can find time for a Great Books class….who can’t?!

What it is that you particularly love about the Leadership Education model?

I love that Leadership Education does several things–it frees me to allow the children to follow their natural bent without feeling guilty.  I love that it allows me to study without feeling guilty.  I like that its main purpose is in teaching the love of learning, because as I said; there is no graduation.  You should always be learning.  Most of all, I love watching my children be excited about what books they are going to put on the library list next…

Beautiful.

Anything else?

Just remember that children are a blessing and God has given them to us for such a short time.  Make the most of every day, love them lots; and above all guide them in His paths.

I want to know what time you get up and what time you go to bed!

Wake up and bed time?  6 a.m. for the kids… 5 a.m. for Steve and I.

And 8:30 is bedtime for us all!…I’m usually fried by that time!

I can’t even imagine!

May I ask what steps you take to “cement’ your family identity?  Especially with the diversity of backgrounds in your kids.

We all attend church together. No breaking up by age groups for us.  And Steve leads the kids in a nightly study and Psalm sing.  They love that leadership from their dad.

Amy, you are honestly one of my heroes!

Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, Teri.

Thank you for being willing to be interviewed!  And will you please thank Steve for defending our freedoms?  I appreciate his willingness to do that so very much!

Well, thank you for considering me–I’ve never done an interview before.

Gee!…

I wonder why?!