Baby Girl is LOVING the Christmas Tree

Christmas Reading

This is a wonderful book. I started reading it today, and I've already read through the first 98 pages. It's a delightful book with several Christmas stories & excerpts from Christmas stories, some of which I was familiar with and some of which were new to me. Two of the stories--both of which I'd never read before--that I truly loved are "Old Pierre's Christmas Visitors" and "Aunt Cyrilla's Christmas Basket." We'll be using this book in our Children Around the World/Christmas Around the World studies. I'm really looking forward to sharing all of these stories with my children!

Keeping our focus on Christ this Christmas

With so much to do in December: Christmas parties, Doodle's birthday, Baby Girl's Forever Family Day anniversary, hubby's & my wedding anniversary, etc....it could all pass by in a whirlwind with no time to reflect on the miracle of the Savior's birth. This year, I'm determined to keep my focus on Christ. We are doing some advent activities as a family, plus I'm reading a wonderful book/Bible study/devotional all-in-one. I'm LOVING it so far. I highly recommend it. It's called Preparing My Heart for Advent. I'd love for you to join me!

Adoption Awareness Month

November is officially Adoption Awareness Month, but each month holds that awareness for me, as it should for all Christians. We are commanded in Scripture to care for the orphans. For some, that means adopting a child; for others, it means donating to an adoption agency; for others it may mean sponsoring a child; it may even be visiting an orphanage to spend time with the children there; it could mean speaking in various churches or other organizations about adoption; it might mean being led to speak out about ethical adoption practices.....the list could go on. For me, it means a combination of those things. What does it mean for you? What is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart? As we enter this season of celebration, take some time to reflect on how God would have you meet the needs of orphans. You are all called to do something.

Turning Blue & Graduation

Homeschooling Year 2010-2011: Weeks 9 & 10

Investigating anthills

Holes made by woodpeckers

Simply enjoying nature

Closeup look at a butterfly

Germany worksheets

A couple of books about Germany, plus Baby Girl's book for the week

Collections from our nature walk & journal pages

Poland worksheets

Geography review

Octoberfest in Germany

Germany pages

We visited Germany & Poland in our studies & of course continued with our nature study. We had a great week!

"You Have Your Hands Full"

Hmmm.....I don't always know how to take this comment. I get it a lot now that I have four (GASP!) children. Sometimes it's said with a smile, other times it's said with a condemning tone. Last week it was even followed up with, "You look like old mother Hubbard." Which, by the way, was the wrong reference....Old Mother Hubbard had an empty cupboard, while it was The Little Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe who had so many children she didn't know what to do. But, back to my original point............what is a person's intent when they say this kind of thing? Is it critical, or is it admiring? Either way, I don't care for it. I am blessed, abundantly & overwhelmingly, by each of my children. I don't feel harried or stressed because I have four; I feel grateful that God has seen fit to share them with me. Also, I'm no supermom or someone to be put on a pedestal & admired. I'm uncomfortable with that status, too. I'm simply living my life, loving & nurturing & raising the children I've been given. And as far as how to respond to the comment in the title, I was given some great advice by two dear sisters in Christ, who each have a quiver full of their own....respond to those comments in a way that blesses the person who spoke them, whether they had good intentions or not. Great advice. Now I'm looking forward to putting that into practice.

"Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate." Psalm 127: 4-5