Despite my best intentions, I am being sucked into the Jen Hatmaker vortex. My first intersection with Jen’s writing was through the adoption community. I instantly connected to her sarcasm and sense of humor. It was kind of like she’d been inside my head and was articulating my life with the humor and wit I wish I had.
Honest truth? The middle schooler in me was jealous. We were clearly like the same person with the same thoughts but her writing came out WAY better than mine and she was handling her adoptions with much more finesse, faith, and grace. Then the adult, Christian woman stepped in:
“You have a lot going for you. Seriously!?!? Get. Over. Yourself!”
“You do not want as many blog readers as her. You could not handle the criticism.”
“If you read between the lines, adoption has probably messed her up as bad as it’s messed you up.”
So, I was resisting Jen because, rather than being a grown up and letting her be her and me be me, I knew I would probably just spend my days fantasizing about how I could write my next blog post to sound like her. #stillinmiddleschoolontheinside
Besides, it’s not like my “to read” list or my feedly needed any more growth. I barely have time to do the basics like brushing my teeth let alone the extras like reading for pleasure. #canwepretendthisistherealreasonididntfollowjen?
But, then, I threw caution into the wind and started reading her blog because the adoption community kept telling me I was missing out on some good stuff, and I need all the humor and solidarity I can find when it comes to adoption these days. The next thing I knew, we were EFF’s (you probably don’t want to ask if you don’t know), I was reading For the Love, had joined an online book club, and had her other books on hold at the library.
28% into the book at “location 836” (thank you Kindle for the ability to quote such awkward statistics but not give a blessed page number) she makes this comment about what Ann Voskamp would do and I was head-over-heels in love. Is that awkward? I’ve always felt this totally not-of-God guilt about how I cannot get on the Ann bandwagon. Anyway, I’ve decided there are two types of Christian women in the world…Jen Hatmakers and Ann Voskamps. I pretty sure Jen and I would be instant BFF’s (besides the fact that we both already have BFF’s). We would sit for hours and talk about the pros and cons of Gourmet Club versus Supper Club and about our latest back patio gatherings. On the other hand, I would make Ann cringe as we do not have a meditative sand box in our front hallway or cute, framed, printables announcing the daily menu. #howisthatforstereotyping?
All that to say, if you are a Jen (not an Ann), tend toward edgy instead of safe, or just want to know what my inner monologue sounds like, pick up a copy of For the Love.
In all seriousness, the content amidst the humor is spot on. Once you stop laughing, don’t forget to be challenged to action in the ways you:
See Yourself
“You don’t need to wait another day to figure out your calling. You’re living it, dear one. Your gifts have a place right now, in the job you have, in your stage of life, with the people who surrounded you.”
Love Others
“Boundaries come after grace, because compassion minds the fragile places but boundaries keep them from compromising the rest.”
Parent
“If your [kids] mercy radar is strong now, God can do anything with [them] later.”
Do Church
“Instead of waiting around for church to assemble a perfect group of dynamic People Who Can Meet on Tuesdays, maybe just invite some folks over…I’ve left a friends’ table as sanctified and renewed as any church service. If you have a porch, then you have an altar to gather around.” Preach it!
Have you read the book? What was your favorite part?
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We’re heading into our fourth year in Classical Conversations which means this is our second time in Cycle 3. Much has changed since the last time I was thinking about Cycle 3. The amount of kids I’m schooling tripled, and I cut my available school planning by at least twice that. However, I also have increased my understanding and trust in CC which led me to a simpler game plan for this year.
Because Ty needs lots of structure still, he’ll need a little more planning, so we can all stay sane. I was not super-excited about finding time to plan for him which is why I was ecstatic when Colleen at Solagratiamom.com offered me a copy of her Cycle 3 Teaching Plan to review for you all.
First, be sure to read her intro. Neither of us want to promote that all she suggests is necessary. Her grid is filled with suggestions should you (or, more importantly, your kids) want to go deeper. Please, don’t get all Type A (like me, three years ago) and stress you, and your kids, to get “it” all done.
Colleen also publishes a Wonderful Wednesday curriculum containing ideas for hands-on activities. They can be incorporated throughout the week or, as recommended, you could set aside a “fun learning” day. She even has ideas for how to do this as a community or group.
The only thing I wish she had done was left the specific days off of the columns since not all communities meet on Mondays. Headings such as Community Day and At-Home Days 1 through 4 would be better for non-Monday families.
Have you used these Teaching Plans before? How have they worked for you?
Want to enter to win a free set? The bundle includes Teaching Plans, Wonderful Wednesday, and Pin Map printouts.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy in exchange for this post.
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Tadeo Turtle is a charming story of a little turtle who desperately wants to be like his friends who can jump and run. Through a dream, he realized how special God had made him and why. It’s a short story but the water color illustrations are captivating. The book also includes unit study type activities to supplement and enhance the story. This book would make a great book to work into your routine on a regular basis as a ritual to remind your children how special they are.
About the Author
Janis is a wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. Her adult career has consisted of stay-at-home-mom, small business owner, public school teacher, painter, and writer. She also has tried pottery making and is currently relearning how to play the piano. She enjoys trying anything at least once (but maybe not bungee jumping!). A former Martha type (Luke 10:38-42), Janis is learning that her Mary spirit is more important to God and His purposes than maintaining control of everything. She loves to spend time in the Word, reading, praying and simply listening to Him speak. Janis has a blog where she writes about her life and how God speaks to her.
As a mom who’s in an “explosion,” I really appreciated the perspective the moms who contributed to the book. They are a group of women who “get it” but still challenged me to not get swept away in the day-to-day challenges of parenting hurt children. Not all of the sections apply to everyone but the letters tend to draw you in and make for a quick read.
Here are some of Allison’s thoughts about the book.
What spurred you to put this book together?
Honestly I think again this is a God thing. I had written 3-4 letters that I was planning on putting together as a book for a friend to use in her welcome basket. She found out about the idea and ran with it, and asked others to contribute… I have more letters, so I’m hoping to get book 2 out as I get enough letters.
This book is specifically aimed at women. Do you have any special advice or encouragement for foster or adoptive fathers?
Honestly while this book is written towards moms there are very few letters that a father couldn’t get just as much from. The reason this book is written for moms is because they are the ones on the battle front almost 100% of the time. Dads come home and they’ve missed 2/3rds of the day. Moms are usually the ones that get the brunt of a child’s frustration. This being said I would encourage dads to love their wives and always pick their wives’ side. They will have to live with their wife long after the children are gone.
What other books have helped you through your adoption experience most?
The Great Behavior Breakdown by Bryan Post
Click here to buy a copy of Allison’s book, Navigating the Explosion, and come back to share your favorite part. This also make a great gift for any adoptive family in your life.
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Brain Bubble TV is a YouTube channel that contains 60 second educational clips. New clips are published every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Themed compilations of 40 to 60 clips can be downloaded via their website.
From the Brain Bubble TV website:
All of our Brain Bubble video clips are professionally narrated and produced by the Emmy Award-winning production team at Venture Media.
Venture Media is a leading non-fiction media and documentary production company founded in 1979. Our company has produced informational broadcast series and documentaries for Discovery Channel, Discovery Latino, Travel Channel, Armed Forces Radio & Television Service, the National Park Service, the US Navy, Readers Digest Home Media, Knowledge TV, the Just The Facts Learning Series, and many others. Over the past 35 years our writers, producers, directors, and artists have won dozens of Emmy Awards, Addy Awards, Telly Awards, and numerous accolades from film festivals and foundations.
In the 1990s, we pioneered the concept of “short attention span theater” informational video clips that both educate and entertain in a short :60-second timeframe. Updating the idea for our Brain Bubble YouTube channel and website was a natural fit.
These clips remind me of Brain Pop. They are full of fun trivia and little-known facts. They are perfect for future Jeopardy players of America.
I try to limit how much we use video media for school but I can see these being a fun morning addition routine. I wish they were tagged for easier searching so I could plug them into specific weeks of CC material. I also wish there were more science-themed clips.
On the plus side, all the videos can be accessed for free at the YouTube channel so you really have nothing to lose! Check them out and see what you think.
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I was recently received a complimentary copy of the book Born from the Heart by Berta Serrano to review.
It’s described by the publisher as “is an emotional journey of two people becoming parents through the process of adoption, showing how some children may not be born from bodies, but were carried in their parents hearts.”
The story creates a quirky parallel between a biological pregnancy and an emotional pregnancy. There are even clever (or awkward) illustrations of the mother’s heart growing as the “pregnancy” progresses.
Maybe it’s the ages our children came to us (1 as a toddler and 3 as adolescents) or maybe it’s the way we’ve been open about their stories (including the multiple “moms” in their lives), but this book did not really resonate with my kids. Out of the six of them, only our 10-year-old even figured out it was about adoption. The rest of our kids still process things too literally.
Judging from the interview with the author during the book trailer, this book seemed hugely therapeutic for her. Perhaps, even though meant to be a children’s storybook, this book would ring stronger to the adoptive mom population.
Alternatively, if you’re trying to avoid the “Where do babies come from?” question (we aren’t…our 6 year old already knows about sex), this could even be a cute story for children who aren’t adopted.
While conceptually the book is peculiar, the illustrations are bright and beautiful.
Have you read this book? I’d love to know your thoughts.
Need a copy? Enter below to win a free one or purchase it here.
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Stacy Manning is a mom of six teenagers, 3 biological and 3 adopted, and is the author of Adoptive Parent Intentional Parent: A Formula for Building & Maintaining Your Child’s Safety Net. She is also a post-adoption family coach and educator who has worked with hundreds of families with adopted children, including those struggling with difficult behaviors due to trauma, RAD, FAS, and grief. Stacy specializes in empowering parents to be the healing force their child needs with education, support, and tools to use in everyday life. Stacy works one-on-one with families across the United States, coaching them via phone, Skype, or in person, teaches workshops/webinars, and offers training to families in the process of adoption. Stacy believes that adoptive parents are their child’s best chance at healing and her goal is to teach them how to be intentional parents who are armed with the specific knowledge and tools they need to best help their child. For more information, visit www.tohavehope.com.
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Vocabular Spelling City features:
- Over 42,000 spelling words with customizable sentences and definitions
- A REAL person who says each word and sentence
- Free home pages for teachers and parents to save lists
- Teacher training videos
- Free printable handwriting worksheets
- Free teaching resources with lists and lesson plans
- Twenty-five games to play online or to print such as: Alphabetical Order, Unscramble, Parts of Speech, HangMouse, Crossword Puzzle, WordSearch, and Vocabulary Test.
- A free forum and newsletters
While there are some free activities, there’s a premium version that unlocks many more features. I had an opportunity to review the premium features last month. The kids who are doing spelling really enjoyed them. My favorite part of the premium membership is the ability to assign activities to specific children and track their progress. The premium membership also unlocks additional spelling games and activities (specifically writing and vocabulary games).
Additional premium features include:
- Student progress tracking
- Vocabulary development activities
- Premium Games – SpeedySpeller, Parts of Speech, MatchIt Definitions, Word-O-Rama
- Differentiate Instruction with our student and list grouping features
- Student access from home and school, no commercial ads, and much more!
I’ll be honest. We only scratched the surface during our one month, but what I saw, I really liked. Head to www.spellingcity.com to see for yourself.
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I’ve been given a Premium Membership to VocabularySpellingCity.com for a candid, personal, online review.
VocabularySpellingCity helps students study word lists using 25 different learning activities such as Sentence Unscramble, Handwriting Practice,WordSearch, and FlashCards. Parents can create their own spelling lists, find published lists already available on the site, or use any of dozens of free teaching resources on topics such as Synonyms and Figurative Language. Be sure to come back in three weeks to read about my experience.
There might be more free memberships available for bloggers. If you’re interested, find out how you can review VocabularySpellingCity.com.
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It’s an entire year-at-a-glance.
The possibilities are so endless, I haven’t decided what to do with mine yet.
Do I simply check off the days in 2013 as they fly by to give my Ethiopians a better sense of time?
Do I leave it blank and let them use it for elapsed time problems?
Do I use it to visually mark everyone’s Tae Kwon Do progress?
Do I use it for our business and non-profit we are launching to goal plan?
Do I use it to just keep track of everyone’s extra curriculars? I could even color code it!
Here are some things to note about it:
Two-sided. One side is landscape for an area like above your desk. The other side is portrait. Perfect for the back of a door. Ours is currently hanging landscape in our front hall.
Surface. Available in a dry-erase surface or uncoated if you want to be more accountable for your goals.
It’s academic. They recently added an academic version. This could be an invaluable tool for us homeschoolers.
No Gaps. “Unlike other calendars, this one has no space between months. The philosophy here is that the week is the currency we think in, so this calendar focuses on presenting 52 weeks, rather than 12 months. This feature helps you plan across months easily, and see clearly the distance/days between any two dates in the year. It will also motivate you to see weeks passing, deadlines approaching and goals accomplished.”
Weekends. At first I was annoyed that the weeks started on Monday. Then I realized that this design puts all the weekends together. When you pair that with the no-gap design, you get a great visual of just your weekends. Perhaps in a future design, the weekends could be lightly shaded so they stand out.
Are you ready to try one?
For the next week, you have the chance to win one.
If you don’t win, click here to get your own and use the code “thecorkums” for 30% until December 31st.
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