Just a year ago, I was sitting in this very place on a much-needed vacation up north being interviewed by Diane for her Facebook group to share my journey with GeerLINKS Educational Therapy. We had a lovely conversation reminiscing about our friendship and the difference her program made in our family with various learning scenarios. Many years ago, we became fast friends sharing our similarities with our families, both with five children, homeschooling and our own love of learning alongside our children. What’s best is she became a mentor to me, just that little further ahead on the motherhood journey. Patiently, she listened to my struggles and successes. Prayerfully she spoke life to me when I needed it most. Homeschooling was our chosen educational path, and with that comes the uniqueness of each child that may need something different than the others. Diane became an educational guide so I could provide what was needed most. Creating a space for five different learning needs was a challenge. We all learn differently, and it was time for me to find out what more I could do to create a space for optimal learning in my home. With gratitude, I look back on the journey, although not easy and see the difference it made. Today, it is my joy to welcome Diane to Seasons of Motherhood! She is a woman of wisdom, strength, commitment, joy and sincere love for God, family, friends and her students. In the weeks to come I look forward to sharing our interview. I will keep you posted when it is available.

“Teaching is my passion, but seeing students discover their potential is my absolute love!”

∼Diane Geerlinks

 

Diane Geerlinks is wife to Harv for 42 wonderful years, mom to five married children, and grandma to 14 grandchildren. After 25 years of homeschooling, Diane trained as an NILD Educational Therapist and has since continued to pursue her passion for learning with a particular focus on the neuroplasticity of the brain and how we can improve our capacity for learning. She is the director of GeerLINKS Educational Therapy, supporting students that learn differently and coaching parents as they support their children.

 

 

 

 

 

The Gift of Mothering
By Diane Geerlinks
July 2023

The day I held my first newborn baby in my arms is forever etched in my mind! Her silky skin, her fresh smell, her wet hair, her flailing arms, and her frantic cry flooded my soul, revealing the absolute wonder that I was her mother!

Multiply this experience five times. And fast track 40 years.

Now, a mom to five adult children and fourteen grandchildren, I can’t help but reflect and stand in awe of all that God has done in and through me throughout these years. And guess what? Mothering continues…for a lifetime!

Mothering is such a gift. It is the privilege of caring for another life, holding space deeply in your heart, hurting when they hurt, celebrating their accomplishments, advocating for them when things get tough and being their greatest cheerleader. This gift, when unwrapped, shimmers in the light and reflects such beauty. But the raw truth is that, like the stuffed bunny in The Velveteen Rabbit, as you give and receive love, you become more and more real.

“Real isn’t how you are made. It’s a thing that happens to you.”

This thing that happens to you as a mother, as you become more real, often includes sleepless nights, selfless giving, and sheer exhaustion.

Because mothering is hard work!

Real motherhood is not exactly the fairy-tale, picture-worthy glossiness that you see on social media or in family photos, or read about in books. Rather, it’s the daily interactions, the never-ending serving, the ongoing guidance, and the late-night discussions that ‘rubs your fur off’ and as a result, deep relationships are built that last a lifetime.

“As I look back over all my years of mothering and continued mothering, let me assure you that it is worth every lost minute of sleep, every ounce of energy, and every missed career opportunity.”

All for the JOY of being a life giver; of doing ‘life’ with your kiddos and helping them to be the best that they can be. What a privilege!

I loved my journey as a homeschool mom. I loved seeing the glimmer of hope in their eyes, watching them achieve their goals, cheering them on as they followed their passions, and now supporting them as they parent and homeschool their own children.

Of course, there were a fair share of challenges. There was my husband’s terrible car accident that left him in a trauma and rehabilitation centre for several months. There was caring for elderly parents and then moving my 90-year-old mother into our home with us. There was the challenge of homeschooling children with different learning needs. There was the pioneering of enrolling our homeschooled children into the university and college of their choice. These years were challenging years, but hindsight is clear sight, and I can see the ‘footprints in the sand.’ I can see how God gently walked alongside me and carried me so that I could do this mothering with His strength.

When we began the homeschool journey, I cross-stitched a Bible verse on my life planning book.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.” Prov. 3:5,6

I had no idea that this verse would become my pillar; that I would repeat this verse over and over until it was deep in my spirit. And honestly, I am still reminded of this verse as I continue to mother my children and care for my grandchildren. God is faithful and He loves me and each of my children even more than I do! How incredible is that?

A few years ago, as a graduate homeschool mom, God opened doors for me to continue my education and train as an educational therapist. Another opportunity for me to trust God with all my heart! I opened an educational therapy practice and now have the privilege of supporting moms and students that learn differently. It is my absolute joy to support other moms as they walk the journey of mothering their children, especially those with diverse learning needs. I love speaking truth into these younger moms’ lives!

The truth is that mothering is a gift, but it seems to take every ounce of your patience and energy. It’s a challenge to meet each of your child’s needs, and at times, it feels impossible. Becoming real actually does rub your fur off, doesn’t it? Your children see the best and worst of you. But remember this: your home is a training ground for your children. They are learning important life skills. They are learning how to manage relationships. They are learning the responsibilities that come with living as a family. And this training is hard work!

Mama, I see you!

You are giving and receiving love, and your fur is being rubbed off in the process. But you are becoming more beautiful and more real with each passing day.

One day at a time. One hour at a time. One minute at a time.

GeerLINKS Educational Therapy