Dearest Valued Village, We immensely appreciate your compassion for our big kids over the past year. Really. And while compassion is still certainly in order, let’s not confuse compassion for pity. Compassion will keep your challenges to them kind while pity will allow them to take advantage of you. Consider this written notice that the pity...
I am more than a mother and a teacher. I am a brown belt. I am a photographer. I am a blogger. I love dancing. I pursue justice. I am an engineer. I am a friend. I love to travel. I am a trainer and speaker. I am a wife. I love massages. I am a...
“He’ll grow out of it.” “He’s just all boy.” “Isn’t he only 3?” After bringing home a whirlwind of a toddler at age 2 1/2 from Korea, these phrases were the backdrop of many conversations I had with friends and family about our youngest, Ty. The problem was that he wasn’t growing out of it,...
You guys ask hard good questions. I’m going to answer them the best I can as things stand now. DISCLAIMER: If you ask them again in 6 months, the answers may be different. I’m also going to milk this Q&A thing by answering one or two questions at a time. We adopted three children –...
Welcome aboard vehicle <license plate number>. I will be your captain. Our estimated time of arrival is ________. For your safety and the comfort of others, please turn off all outside voices and keep your hands securely folded in your lap at all times. This vehicle is equipped with safety belts which should be worn...
The kids and I have been reading through Contemplating the Crossduring this year’s Lenten season. The reading level is advanced but I’ve really enjoyed the way we’ve been able to camp on the Easter story. One verse, one day at a time. Mostly, I’ve been challenged by how it relates to this season in our...
One of the conveniences of homeschooling is that we don’t often have to rush in the morning to get everyone up, dressed, groomed, fed, together, and out the door. However, when there are six kids in a family, mornings that have commitments need to be carefully orchestrated. Of our six, two have a phenol sensitivity,...
“Get your running shoes on, ladies. You can run while I make lunch.” This was The Bad. I probably should have warned them ahead of time…like at breakfast. That’s how it started. We have this weird lag while I make lunch, and I thought it would be a great time to fit in the girls’ movement....