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Snow, Books, and Giveaways

By Thursday February 17, 2011

Just because he is super cute

It is another beautiful snowy day here in Idaho.  This is better than cold and gray, at least it is bright and white, the downside is that it just takes longer to get where we are going.  Russ had to plow our driveway with the tractor two mornings this week and we’re just barely getting the girls to school on time.  The upside is that my homeschoolers are having lots of great snow play for PE each day.  It’s a warm, wet snow, so the drying rack is piled with dripping snow gear, but they are having fun.

Our trip to Seattle was great – good driving conditions, four reasonably happy kids in the car, time with good friends, and very good therapy sessions.  I have a few tasks to work on

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Sharpen the Saw

By Wednesday January 19, 2011

With the beginning of a new year, I’ve been thinking about the things that are most beneficial to my life, and “Sharpen the Saw” is at the top of my list.

A number of years ago I read the book, The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People and learned some principles that are still valuable to me today.  The one with greatest application to my life as a mother of teens and young adults is, “Begin with the end in mind” but that is a topic for another day.  Today I want to mention a different Habit, “Sharpen the Saw.”

Covey gives an illustration of a man laboring to cut down a tree.  Someone suggests that he take a break to sharpen the saw since it will make his efforts more effective.  The man replies, “I don’t have time to sharpen the saw.  I’m too busy sawing.”

He goes on to write about the four dimensions of self-renewal: physical, spiritual, mental, and social/emotional. All of the areas are important, but I wanted to share briefly about something Russ and I do to “Sharpen the Saw.”  It’s very simple.

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Bones

By Tuesday December 28, 2010

Dimples and Sunshine have dental appointments today.  Sunshine has two teeth that need to come out to make room for the permanent teeth crowding her little mouth.  Dimples has a small cavity that needs to be filled.

Fortunately, I was able to schedule them back-to-back this morning and Sweet Pea is coming along to help.  I asked her which girl she wanted to be with during their procedure and she said, “I’ll go with Dimples.  I don’t think I can handle tooth extraction – I’m afraid it will bother me – especially since it is my sister. Besides, I don’t do teeth – they’re gross.”

This from my daughter who just finished her surgery rotation!

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My Learning Curve: Setting It Aside

By Thursday November 18, 2010

I have a very dear friend whose family is also fortunate enough to see our wonderful adoption therapist.  The great thing about this is that we get the double blessing of learning from each other.

My friend, K, has a son whose school situation is not ideal for him.  They have met with teachers, counselors, principals, doctors, and the therapist, all trying to find a solution.  K. has spent hours on the phone and internet researching school options and simply trying to find the best solution for her son.

But, she is tired.  The hours her boys are in school had been her respite from therapeutic parenting, but her days are now filled with trying to solve this problem.  It has taken a toll on her health and she is worn out.

Can you relate?

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Wounded Children, Healing Homes

By Saturday November 13, 2010

I am impatiently waiting for my Amazon box with these two books to arrive.  The first is a recommendation from two people I respect, Deborah Gray (my personal hero) and Michael Monroe from Empowered to Connect, Wounded Children Healing Homes: How Traumatized Children Impact Adoptive and Foster Families.  Doesn’t that sound relevant?

The very title grabbed my interest and I hope I love it.  I really want to love it.

The second is a book that I’m sure many of you have read, Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches.

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Tears and Jackie Robinson

By Thursday November 11, 2010

My young homeschoolers, Sunshine (7), Eby (5), and Little Man (3) have a special time each morning when we gather on the sofa to read our One Year Children’s Bible, followed by a story or two out of The Children’s Book of Heroes, and then some picture books.  It is a restful moment in the midst of a busy day.

Today I opened our Hero book to the story of Jackie Robinson.  The intro at the top of the page read,

Here is the story of an American hero who won his fight using self-control.  Often, bravery means keeping your cool and doing the best you can in a bad situation.

As I read those words aloud, my heart sank and I knew I did not want to read this story.  My beautiful brown-skinned boys were looking eagerly at the illustration of Jackie in his baseball uniform and the last thing I wanted to introduce them to was racism.

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Ruby and the Booker Boys

By Thursday November 4, 2010

The top of Dimples' dresser this morning.

One of Dimples’ favorite birthday gifts was a set of Ruby and the Booker Boys books.  She won a copy of Brand New School, Brave New Ruby in the library reading contest this summer and loved it.  Imagine my delight when she asked for more Ruby books for her birthday!

Ruby is a spunky African American third grader who has a loving family and lives in a friendly neighborhood.  Today I read Ruby Flips for Attention.    There was warm interaction between extended family members and loving older brothers (the Booker Boys) and parents.  The overall message was that it is more important to love and serve others than to strive for your own self-importance.   Very nice.

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Unexpected Gifts

By Wednesday November 3, 2010

Sweet Pea and her little brother, Rusty.

I don’t want to let too many days pass before I write about going to see Beth Moore with Sweet Pea.  It was a completely unexpected blessing and I still can’t quite believe it worked out, but it speaks to me about God’s love.  He knew I needed this particular message, at this particular time, with this particular child of mine.

I couldn’t possibly tell you all of the great things she said, but let me hit a few highlights.

  • Beth Moore was different than I expected, in a good way. I expected a speaker, what I got was a teacher.  It was the biggest Bible study I’ve attended in my life, and it was very wonderful.
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Time to Get Happy!

By Friday October 29, 2010

Enough of the heavy stuff!  There is plenty to be happy about today and it would do me good to make a list.

  • I just got an unexpected invitation to see Beth Moore in Spokane tonight and tomorrow.  The ticket and hotel room are already paid for.  Can you believe it?  The great thing is that I had been hoping to go with a friend, but in the end we weren’t able to pull it together, so we canceled, BUT, I had left tonight and tomorrow open on my calendar all of these weeks.  I only got the call an hour or so ago, so Russ and I are hammering out the details, but it looks like I’m going!
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Books, Brianna, Babies

By Wednesday October 20, 2010

Yes, I stole this from Brianna's blog. They just look so cute.

Yesterday brought the stomach flu and today brought recovery.  Sunshine greeted me with a big smile this morning and said, “Mommy, I’m all better!”  The day has been filled with warmth, sunshine, playing outside, two phone calls from friends, a visit from another, and some especially encouraging words.  I also thoroughly cleaned my kitchen (while talking to a friend), put laundry away, and tidied up my room. It feels good, very good.

I also have happy news to share.  My friend, and co-worker at From HIV to Home, Brianna, is in the process of adopting two little sweethearts from Ethiopia.  Both of the little girls have Down Syndrome.

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