Big Families are the New Green

I came across a great article on big families and being green. The article is written by a Roman Catholic about the carbon footprint of large families. It makes for a very interesting read. Come back here and let me know your thoughts.

Got a big family? Then you already know that you’re crazy, a traitor to feminism, and a slave to the pope; you’re neglecting most of your kids and robbing the rest of their childhood; you’re a burden on the system in general, and you probably don’t own a television set.

But wait, there’s more!

FINISH READING: Big Families Are the New Green :Reduce Your Carbon Footprint, One Baby at a Time

Learning Curve

My friend, Valerie, has done it again.  She has gone and written another helpful homeschooling book!  This one is entitled Learning Curve-Unveiling the mystery of brain dominant learning behaviors.  In this book, Valerie describes learning difficulties that she has experienced in her own family and the journey they have traveled in tackling those challenges.  She has done a lot of research in her quest to help her child and she shares that in her book.  There is a big focus on determining the dominant part of your child’s brain and the best strategies for teaching in light of brain dominance.

She discusses the different ways the brain processes information based on left or right brain dominance.  She discusses learning styles and how to choose your curriculum to work with those learning styles.  She shares their journey through vision therapy and visual processing struggles.  She also tackles the issue of how to deal with children in multiple grade levels.

Even if you do not have a child with learning difficulties this book would be beneficial.  It will allow you to become a more effective teacher by tailoring your teaching to the way they learn best.

She closes the book with a great chapter!  Those of us who do deal with children who have learning difficulties or even learning disabilities realize how overwhelming things can become.  She ends her book in typical Valerie fashion, filled with encouragement.  She gives tips and encouragement for keeping your family focused and grounded on the things that are most important.

The book can be purchased at Weblink Education and can be purchased in paperback or e-book form.   For more information and more testimonials pop on over.  When you are done reading make sure to purchase your own copy.  It is well worth the small price!  Just click on the title below or the book cover!

Learning Curve, Unveiling the Mystery of Brain Dominant Learning Behaviors

Sweet Sixteen

We have another sweet sixteen birthday around our house. Our third child is turning sixteen years old today. She loves to ice skate, run, and play the piano. Her dreams are to one day open her own piano studio. She has grown so much since those days when we sat and cuddled watching Barney videos. I miss those days but not Barney! ) Happy birthday girl, we love you!

A View of Afghanistan

My hubby is getting settled in Afghanistan.  He is busy at work cleaning and organizing things that should have been already done when he arrived.  He held his first worship service this past Sunday.  He has had opportunities to minister to others already.  I thought I would share a bit with you what Afghanistan looks like from my hubby’s perspective.  Sorry, I do not have any photos.  I wish I did but for security reasons where he is located he cannot take them.  Here are a few of his descriptions.

On the way to his location he sends this message:

I was able to see Afghanistan from a helicopter today.  Beautiful but desolate country.  It is desert mountain with streams of green in every other valley.  The towns look like mud brick buildings, houses surrounded in walled complexes – very much like what you see on the movies or think of when you think of ancient Jerusalem.

Once arriving at his location he shares this.

This place is beautiful. There are rose bushes, flowering trellises, fruit trees and because it is elevated (on a hillside) a beautiful view of the river valley to the south and north.  Everything now is green and it isn’t too hot.  If it weren’t a war zone I’d say this is a wonderful vacation location!

After sharing some of the war with me, just some things going on and his role in them. (injuries and the like) He shared the following.

Even, in all of this, I am glad had brought me to this place in Afghanistan.  It is an oasis in the midst of this war.  I continue to pray God will give me the wisdom and ability to see opportunities to minister His grace, mercy and love in this place.  Tomorrow is Sunday – my first service here.  May the gospel be clear.  May God be glorified.  May the lost sinner be converted.  May the saints be strengthened and encouraged.

There is your sneak peak into my hubby’s first week in Afghanistan…….Please continue to pray for our armed forces and for peace in that region. Pray that those there will have their eyes opened to the truth of Jesus. May God be glorified!

Children, An Open Door to Share the Gospel

Yesterday, I spent five hours at the hospital.  Between an OB appointment, an occupational therapy appointment for my injured thumb, scheduling, the lab, lunch, and the pharmacy it was a really long day.  Of course having two different doctor appointments I received the, “How many children do you have?” question more than once.  It tends to be a generic conversation starter.  Of course my answer always brings a strong reaction.  Sometimes I am blessed with someone who even though shocked is happy and excited for us.  Sometimes I get a not so happy response.  Often times though, once they get past the shock and have determined through questioning if I am really serious, they ask other questions.  “So, how many are you going to have?” or “Is this the last one?” or “Are you done now?”  or even “How old are you?”

My answer is always, “Whatever the Lord blesses us with we will be happy to receive.”  But, I often wonder what gives people the idea that it is acceptable to question me on that front. They would likely be offended if one questioned them in such a manner.  I do realize though that our family is not the accepted norm in our country and that most are truly interested.  Sometimes in shock, tact can go out the window.  I acknowledge that and try to be gracious in my answers even if I may be a little annoyed.

When I spoke with my hubby yesterday, he said he an interesting encounter on this same issue.  He had an Afghan, who is working as an interpreter where hubby is, approach him.  He mentioned that he had heard that we were expecting our 10th child.  The man was amazed.  He was really in shock.  He said, “That is normal here but not  in America.”  My hubby assured him that we were not the only ones but that he was correct and that it was not normal in America.  The man proceeded to ask him if it was because of our religion.  My hubby told him that yes, in a way, it was.  That children are a gift and blessing of the Lord and who was he to reject that gift.  Hubby said the man just stared at him in amazement for several moments.  He could not believe he was hearing those words from an American!  It has also opened the doors for my hubby to share the gospel of Christ with the man.

The blessing of our children has opened doors even in Afghanistan.  Pray for those that my hubby encounters, no matter the nationality(there are a lot of Americans that need the Gospel too), that the Gospel of Christ will be advanced.

Thank you Lord for the blessing of children and for the opportunities to give witness, praise, honor, and glory to your name.

My Daily Sunshine

One thing I have learned living here in Alaska is the value of the sun.  Sunshine is something that you have to learn to live without for a while.  One thing for sure is that I appreciate the sunshine more now than I ever have in my entire life.  When the sun is out I will find myself just stopping and soaking it in, like I did the other day when it was actually above 50 and sunny.  But I remember it might not last long.  April here is a hard time for me.  It seems more like November in the midwest.   Right now, it is in the 40′s, slowing melting, mostly dirty, yucky looking snow, and LOTS of brown!!  It is cloudy and gray!  It is mostly rainy and just icky out at the moment.  The thing is, the weather forecast says it is going to like this for at least another week!  I am definitely in need of some sunshine!

To add to the dreariness of the weather, I am not feeling well.  That is to be expected.  When one is feeling yucky and needing to just lounge it adds to the blahness one is already feeling.  The children are starting to feel the effects of daddy being gone.  The younger ones really do not realize that is why they feel the way they do.  But they act out at times and are grumpy, whiny, tearful, and sometimes even mean.

Life can sometimes seem to be filled with clouds.  Literally and figuratively.  One must always remember though that clouds come with a silver lining.

Even when the sun outside isn’t shining I still receive my daily dose of sunshine in different forms:

• Knowing the great God I serve and his grace, his mercy, his love, his providence, his protection, his holiness.
• Knowing that the literal sunshine will soon appear.
• Knowing that after April comes May.
• Seeing my littles dance and play in ballet shoes, high heals, and pretty little crowns.
• Knowing that when they are down I can cuddle and comfort them.
• Hearing from my hubby and seeing him on Skype.
• Listening to my children play beautiful music on the piano.
• The phone call from a friend when I needed it the most.
• The vitamin D I can take when skies are gray.
• The joy of new child on the way.
• Being able to laugh with hubby who is on the other side of the world (Skype is great).
• The knowledge that my first trimester is half way over and better feeling days are ahead.
• Comments of encouragement from my great blog readers.
• friends who stop by with lunch and a birthday cake
• friends who come over when I am out and clean my house and do my laundry
• more time in prayer
• Hearing a little one say “mommy I love you”
• many, many, many other things………………………………..

There are so many blessings one can miss if you are focused on the clouds rather than looking for that ribbon of silver that is woven throughout the gray.  Who knows, the sun may shine sooner than the weatherman thinks!  God IS indeed so very, very good!