Why We Chose Classical Conversations

In my last post, I wrote about why we decided to home school this year. And because I know you are all on the edge of your seats and dying to hear more, I wanted to spend this post elaborating on why we chose the particular program that we did. We are just four weeks in and I am already so in love with Classical Conversations. Here are just a few reasons why:

1. On a totally joking yet completely serious note, I think it appeals to my inner self... you know, the part of me that feels more like Laura Ingalls Wilder or Dr. Quinn Medicine Women than my obviously misplaced Millennial self. I truly think I belong on a prairie, wearing bonnets and pioneer dresses, driving covered wagons, and teaching in a one room school house more than I do existing in the here and now. Not that this program is outdated by any means, because it most definitely is not.... but there is something about the model, values, curriculum, parent-led instruction, and small classroom feel that just appeals to the New Worlder in me. I seriously wish I lived in the 1800's. I mean, doesn't this just look so charming and wonderful?!

2. It's Classical. Let's be honest: the term "Classical Education" was super ambiguous to me until just a few months ago. Kind of like how "Spiritual Leadership" feels in Christian circles, where everyone knows it's important, but no one knows what it's supposed to practically look like (amiright?!). That was me and Classical Education until just recently. For the longest time it felt like a cool club that I wanted to be a part of without even knowing what the club was. Since, though, I have learned that in terms of education, the word "classical" in it's broadest sense just means that the method is timeless and proven. It has been effectively used for over 2500 years and is the model that great minds like Aristotle, C.S. Lewis, Plato, Thomas Jefferson, and Helen Keller were schooled by. It's history, repertoire, and alumni alone are super impressive to me. 

3. The Trivium. Classical Conversations also implements another important facet of classical education: the Three Stages of Learning, also known as the Trivium. These three phases are Grammar, Dialectic, and Rhetoric and they appeal to the developmental stages of learning that children naturally go through. For the sake of space, I will only focus on Moses' phase in this blog, but you can learn more about the entire Trivium here. As for us, we are currently in the Grammar phase which is basically just memorization, memorization, memorization. In this phase of development, children learn the vocabulary, rules, and facts associated with any given subject. Kids are not yet understanding how or why this information matters, they are simply memorizing the terminology through repetition, songs, chanting, and rhymes. If you have spent any time with a young child, you know that they are brilliant. Their minds are sponges which is beautiful and fascinating, but also terrifying for me because Moses doesn't forget all of the crazy momma moments I wish that he would. I'm just waiting for the day when he says, "Momma, remember the day you acted like a fool and stomped your foot at me?!" or, "Momma, remember that time you were so frustrated that you screamed bloody murder at the top of your lungs like a crazy mad woman?" Yes, these things happened because I am awesome at momming. And yes, they are things that I desperately want to pretend never happened all the while knowing that they are seared in his brain forever. Lucky me. On a more positive note, he has easily and quickly memorized 4 weeks of New Grammar like it was his job so this program knows what's up. He can tell you what happened in American History from 1492-1776, has memorized his multiplication tables up to 8's, and can define what an infinitive, present participle, and past participle are. He may not have any context for those things, but that thought hasn't even occurred to him; his development stage of learning is primed for memorization and he is perfectly content to just soak up the terminology for now. One day he will need to apply this material, and when that day comes he will already have the terms and facts memorized and will easily be able to plow ahead into understanding and application. Also, it is fascinating how much he is seeing his curriculum play out in real life. If we are reading a book and it randomly mentions Delaware, he proudly exclaims that the capital of Delaware is Dover, something he has learned in Geography (who knew?!). This morning he hit Jones on the head and when I gave him a look of warning, he happily told me that he had hit his brother's cranium. I mean, it's just hard to get mad when he is adequately identifying the axial skeleton. The other day we were reading a book on church history and without it even being mentioned, Moses was able to pull from context that Anne Bradstreet was a Pilgrim who came over for the same reasons as those on board the Mayflower. A quick google search confirmed that he was right, and I was amazed. His face lights up with glee at any mention of Christopher Columbus, the Mayflower, George Washington, or Thomas Jefferson, which who even realized these things were talked about in real life anymore but he sees and hears things that remind him of school all the the time and can't wait to tell you what he has learned about those people and subjects... it is so fun to watch him connect the dots and to enjoy learning.

4. It's cyclical. Classical Conversations has three cycles in their grammar stage and they fascinate me. If we stick with CC, Moses will go through each cycle 3 times before he graduates to the dialectic stage. Not only does the repetition appeal to his developmental stage of learning, but it will also help ensure that the information sticks. Here's a brief look at each cycle. I get giddy just looking at it.

5. I am redeeming my own education. As a student, I made good grades but I wouldn't say that I was well educated. I was taught to memorize something long enough to pass a test and as soon as I did, the information was forgotten. It was never truly memorized, repeated, or brought up again. I see this play out in my daily life even now, in that as soon as I complete a job it is out of my mind and I forget about it altogether. Even worse, I see how this has made it difficult to study, learn, and memorize scripture because I don't know how to truly study, meditate on, or memorize anything. So forget Moses, I have learned SO MUCH these past four weeks and I am loving it. Classical Conversations doesn't teach you what to think, it teaches you how to think and there is a big difference. As for me, I feel like I am understanding the world with great clarity for the first time, particularly when it comes to history. I am learning about how our nation was formed and from Christopher Columbus to the Pilgrims to the Boston Tea Party and the Declaration of Independence, I see how these events are all connected and a part of what made our nation form. We are learning about the world's timeline from creation to current day and I am fascinated to see how biblical & world history intertwine. I also love how Classical Conversations doesn't shy away from secular ideas and information. We have been introduced to different philosophers and world religions and get to have small conversations about what other people believe all the while pointing back to the one true God. (Side note: Moses may or may not refer to Confucius as Confu-shits, and I am pretty sure I will never correct him.) I love to write and for the first time I feel like I am getting a grasp of true grammar rules and how to properly structure sentences (no judging my post, please. I'm still learning and only on a four year old level). The other day I was really sick and felt like I was able to identify and pinpoint exactly what system in my body was not functioning properly, all thanks to CC teaching me all about tissue, muscle, the axial skeletal system, the nervous system and more. It is amazing. I feel like I am enjoying education for the first time ever.

6. It's an international program. I love that CC is literally everywhere, but my favorite part is that my best friend is doing it in D.C. and no matter where you are in the world, the information being taught is the same. My friend and I talk all throughout the week about the lessons and share ideas and activities with one another and it is just one more way that our lives are intersecting even from states away. In a few weeks me and the boys are going to visit her family and because we are doing the same program, our Fall Breaks align and we get to vacay together without anyone's kids missing school. Our kids will have been learning the same things and will be able to relate to one another on that level, which will be fun to see. And, if we ever were to move, we could pick up and find a local CC group near us without missing or skipping a beat because the information taught is universal no matter where you are geographically located. Score.

7. It's Christian. Everything about this curriculum points to God. It seeks to find truth, goodness, and beauty in all that is taught and it points to God as the Creator of all that can be studied, discovered, and known. For a momma who tries to live out Deuteronomy 6:6-9, this curriculum only better helps me to do that and that is a huge win.

8. It's done in community. I'm a little too black and white to be thrown to the wolves and trust myself to home school ALL BY MYSELF WITHOUT ANY HELP. That sounds terrible and like a recipe for failure. I need something to follow, and people to do it with. Mondays are our Community Day where Moses sits in a classroom with a tutor and 8 other students. He is getting the traditional, modern classroom experience while I learn from the tutor and become better equipped on how to continue teaching the material the rest of the week at home. This program allows for mommas to not only share ideas and activities with one another, but to get together and tag team on schoolwork throughout the week. Bonus. Plus, almost all of the curriculum is provided for me and all I am having to supplement this year is Reading, Writing, and Math. I feel like that is totally doable for an amateur momma like me.

And though the curriculum may seem rigorous, don't think we aren't having fun over here. School takes us two hours at the very most and includes a lot of fun & games. Moses is learning his states and capitals by placing chocolate chips on a map, and for every correct answer he and Jones get rewarded with chocolate. What's not to love?! We learn about fine arts by drawing 17th century merchant ships, painting abstract art, step-by-step drawing, and blob mapping. Today we made a spinal cord out of candy and there is a lot of running, jumping, throwing, and hop scotch involved as he learns his numbers, vowels and syllables. And we read a lot! There are a ton of fun children's books on all the history, science, and art lessons we have done. But let's be honest, I think I'm having more fun than he is. 

Here are a few pictures of school so far this year. Jones participates with us too but because he is usually in his undies, I'll save him the shame.

 Abstract Art

Spinal Cord Candy Craft

Drawing the Mayflower

 

Today's Nervous System activity. Confession: I may have yelled at my kids in the making of this project. I mean, they were traipsing over and ripping the paper BEFORE WE EVEN STARTED. My controlling nature just cannot deal. We had to stop to pray, confess, and repent of momma's sinful heart before the fun even began. Nothing but real life over here. This activity was actually really fun and helped Moses to learn how the nervous system works. And, because we like to keep things saucy over here, we added undies to our guy. Modesty first, ya'll.

Science Copywork on three kinds of muscle

Moses' first free hand drawing of the United States

 

Using bean bags to count syllables

 

Some of our favorite books so far this year are below. Click the pictures to be taken to the Amazon link.

 

 

Not that you can tell by the length of this, but I really am trying to weed out my words and shorten my posts so that people can actually hang in there and get through them without falling asleep. So even though I could go on and on and on about why I am loving CC, I think I will stop there. If you ever want to know more, please ask me and I will gladly talk your ear off about it.

Love,

Courtney

Why we decided to Home School this year

Let me first start off this post by saying that I in no way think that me and DJ have the whole education thing all figured out. I mean, hello, my oldest is only 4 and this is our first year and we are only just getting our feet wet in the world of homeschooling. My goal for this year is to take it easy, not push it, test the waters, and get a realistic idea of whether or not this is the trajectory we would like to continue on for Moses' elementary years. We do not think our decision is the best way, or the only way, and we have zero judgment on anyone pursuing a different route than us. I have attended forums where Christian families talk about the type of education they chose for their children and I am fascinated every time. Some of the most God-honoring families I know have chosen the various routes of public school, private school, and home school for their children; each one has done so based on the direction they felt God was leading them in and each of their reasons was encouraging, holy, and commendable. Me and DJ both grew up in the public school system, most of my closest friends have their kids in private or university model schools, and until recently I knew almost zero families who home schooled. And yet, it is the decision that we have decided to pursue for our family and I could not be more excited about it. This post is simply about us and our journey and why we have made this decision. My next post will be about why we chose the Classical Conversations program so stay tuned for that, because obviously this is a topic worth being on the edge of your seat about.

One more little caveat: the title of this blog post suggests that we, me and DJ, made the decision to home school, but the reality is that DJ has entrusted nearly the entirety of this decision to me. Can I just brag on my husband a bit? Because over the course of our marriage, I have proven to feel very strongly about a few number of things that he cares much less about, but he has taken the time, thought, humility, and care to consider my stand point and has come out encouraging and supporting me every time. When we were pursuing a family, I felt very strongly that I wanted to stay at home to raise our kids and DJ did not see the value in it at the time. We both had working moms and were raised in day cares and we turned out fine so he didn't see the necessity to pursue me staying home if it did not make sense to do so financially, which believe me, it did not. Adopting Moses really helped aid our decision in this because we felt strongly that my staying home would expedite his bonding and transition into our family, but over the course of time DJ has valued my presence in the home so much that he now says he will do whatever he can and make as many sacrifices as we need to before I have to go back to work. Then, when we got pregnant with Jones, I felt very strongly that I wanted to pursue a natural, mid-wife assisted delivery in a birth center, and again DJ did not feel strongly one way or another about the kind of care I received. Hospital births were all he knew so it was completely outside of his realm to consider otherwise. But when I proposed a natural birth outside of the hospital, he took the time to watch documentaries, listen to the research I acquired, heard why it was important to me, and suddenly became an advocate for it himself! And again, with home school, can I just be honest and say that we were the people who made fun of home schoolers? Like, we thought they were awkward and dorky and anti-social and basically committed ourselves to never home schooling our own children. And then as I have seen how Moses is wired and grown in my role as a momma, I have become more and more drawn to the idea of educating at home. And DJ entrusted the decision to me, acknowledging that to do so would put a ton of weight and responsibility on my role as a wife and momma and that if it was a role I wanted to assume then he would support and encourage my desire to do so. I am not one to have strong opinions. Like ever. But I am thankful that when I do have them, my husband listens and honors and encourages and supports them. As I often sing Salt N Pepa style in my home, whatta man, whatta man, whatta mighty good man have I married. He is truly the best.

Anyway, on to my original point. Without further ado, here are the primary reasons that we are trying out Home School this year:

1. Crafts & Creativity. DJ bought me a laminator to prep and organize all my school supplies. I am in laminating heaven, you guys. This is 100% reason enough to Home School. I'm kidding. Kind of. Here is just one of the things I got super craft happy about: Our morning board!! See that blank spot on the right? I welcome all of your ideas for what to incorporate there.

2. Peace. The school question is one that lead me into serious anxiety. I could not have a conversation about it without having a questionable amount of pit sweat. And to be honest, home school actually started off in the top running simply by the process of elimination. I had some hesitancies about the public school system and private school was just not going to be a financial decision we could realistically afford. These two things alone made home school stand out as a top contender, but even then I was uncertain and overwhelmed at which route to take. And yet, the more I learned about home school and researched the various models and programs that are out there, the more confident and encouraged I felt. And gradually, my pits stopped sweating and all that was left was peace and excitement. Peace goes a long way and in this case, it felt like confirmation.

3. Time, flexibility, and simplicity! These are all values that our family prioritizes. For your sake,  I'll break these three up in order to make this post appear shorter than it actually is. You're welcome.

As for time, I love that home school allows for so much togetherness. A lot of family time is never a bad thing so we want to get as much of it as we can, especially in these little years when their minds are hearts are still so very formative. Not only that, but I think it is hard for any momma to send her 5 year old off to Kindergarten, but in Moses' case, we have only had him for (less than) three years and I am still soaking up every minute with him and still making up for so much lost time.

Home school also allows for a lot of flexibility. I am not naive that home schooling can be difficult; I think in many ways it can be the harder route. But I also appreciate that school will allow us to take breaks when needed, to blow off steam and frustration, and to let my crazy boys burn off all their energy. I've heard that it is hard for young boys to sit still for long periods of time and that they learn well through action and activity so I like that this method will both give me opportunities to train them to sit still, all the while allowing them to learn while zooming cars or shooting a basketball or running laps through the house when needed. I also appreciate the flexibility of getting outside to enjoy nature, learning in the backyard, having play dates with friends, getting to run errands and continuing to do normal life, all in the midst of our home school day. I don't think that education is separate from the rest of life and I look forward to continuing to teach while grocery shopping, baking a pie, doing laundry, or whatever else I am doing that I can invite them into. And, let's be honest, rushing out the door to get my kids to school on time sounds a little bit like death to me. I can do it, but I cannot do it well and probably not without yelling at and harping on my kids. I love our slow mornings and easing into our day. I love that home school will allow us the space to build our own schedule. With a baby on the way, flexibility is something we need to strive for and be okay with.

And simplicity! We strive for so much of this and it is like swimming upstream in today's culture. But I really do think that home school will allow for more of this and will keep things chill and low key, less competitive, and will hopefully reduce the pressure I would inevitably feel to "keep up with the Jones'" if we were invited to 25 birthday parties a year and had to be in all the sports and camps and activities that all the other kids were in. I'm going to ignore those things a little bit longer, yes please.

4. Gifting & Skill Set. I have surprised myself as a mom. I think I thought I would be super fun and would play all the cars and build all the legos and take them all the places, but I kind of suck at those things. But I have seen that what I most enjoy and am most strong in and gifted at is teaching. Who would have thought?! Any opportunity to teach, disciple, read, and converse with my kids is where I thrive and find joy and these are the things that I feel surprisingly good at. I just never knew this about myself. I worked as a Children's Ministry Assistant for 7 years and not once felt confident, at ease, or in my comfort zone when the opportunity to teach a room full of kids presented itself. But it turns out that I stored up all of those years of children's doctrine in my heart, and they flow out with so much joy onto my children. I am so excited about the opportunity to teach my kids, and I actually think I might be good at it. I want to leverage that opportunity and gifting while I can.

5. Moses' wiring. When we got Moses, his foster family told us that he was bright. And because we had never spent any amount of time with any two year olds, we didn't know what that meant, but goodness, their words have proven to be true. Almost immediately we discovered that Moses had a gift with words, transitioned languages so easily, and spoke with such great articulation and maturity. He is four years old and reads at a first grade level, which I don't like admitting because I think it sounds braggy, but honestly I think this has very little to do with me and moreso is just evidence of how he is wired and that he is able to see letters and easily connect them into words. I appreciate that the home school model that we are doing will allow me to keep him alongside his peer group, as well as teach him at his level without being confined to a standard one size fits all curriculum. I want to continue encouraging, challenging, and cultivating these strong suits and I fear that he would end up being neglected by teachers and grow bored with reading if we were in a more traditional setting. At the same time, we have spent almost zero time learning other normal things for kids his age, so I think being in a class with other 4 year olds will help him to stay on track with what he should be learning at his age.

6. Christian education. I love that home school allows for God to be a part of our learning experience. In the program that we are doing, God is central to every subject that we will discuss. Everything my kids will learn will point to God and His good and wise design. I don't think that faith & education can be or should be separate entities from one another and I love how the home school experience will allow us to practically live out the command in Deuteronomy 6 to talk about God diligently with my children, from the moment we rise in the morning until we go to bed at night. A 7 hour day without mention of God or the opportunity to pray or to talk about His world and His ways and His wisdom may one day come, but while my kiddos are so young and impressionable and formative, I hope to integrate God into every aspect of our life as often as I can.

7. Protection. I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say that protection and fear had a little something to do with our decision. Obviously, I feel both of those things to a certain degree, although I really don't think it's the primary motivation behind our decision. And, I also do think that wisdom is mixed in there somewhere as well. I desire to teach my kids about the world and to expose them to secular ideas and worldviews, but I also want to be the one to first introduce them to those things. I want to teach those things through the lens of the gospel, talk through them in a way that I know they can understand, and provide a safe place for them to ask questions and give honest answers. I am not ready to put them in the hands of friends and families and educators who do not share our same beliefs and values and trust that they will teach and expose certain things in the ways that we want our children to first learn and hear about them. I want the opportunity to be able to define terms and explain how and why God created and designed things the way He did without entrusting such monumental details to strangers that I have never met. And, Moses in particular is a follower through and through. He pays attention to what others say and do and longs to fit in with the crowd. He is easily influenced and while I most definitely want my children to learn to be in the world without being of the world, Moses for one is not ready to be thrown to the wolves. I hope to spend these young years cultivating certain traits in him so that if and when the time comes to put him in a more traditional setting, he will be equipped to be a leader or influencer or missionary or wise follower in that place.

So there you have it.... our reasons for pursuing home school this year, and that's all that they are: our reasons and no one else's.

And just for free, this is a great podcast to listen to in this regard. In it, two godly mommas are interviewed and talk about the reasons God lead them to public school verses home school and they discuss how they have faithfully followed God in each of their decisions.

Much love,

Courtney

On Discontentment; Part Two

This month marks three years since we moved to Garland. The very week that we moved, I sat under the teaching of a local pastor (not my own, lest you try and figure it out!) who was describing the kind of people that Jesus chose as his disciples. You know, the uneducated, blue collar, money stealing kind of folk that nobody else liked. To give us a bit of urban context and to help us really understand the kind of people that Jesus chose to dwell among and befriend, he referred to them as..... the Garlandites. At the time, I actually remember being really encouraged despite this negative and fairly inappropriate analogy. In the moment that it was spoken, I was able to cast those words aside and instead chose to model after the example of Christ; if Jesus Himself wasn't embarrassed of His city or the people in it, then neither would I be. But over time, that pastor's words left their mark and an identity settled over me that I haven't yet been able to shake. I mean, really. If not even a local Dallas pastor can have a heart for Garland, then what did that say about me?

Three years ago, my discontentment started small: with my city, my neighborhood, and my home. Since then, it has only grown. It has included everything from my image and fashion (or lack thereof; see my previous post, On Being Girly), to my social circles and the uncertainty of where I belong (hello, why did nobody tell me that I would still struggle with this in my thirties?!), and has extended well past our home and on to the things we fill it with. This last one? It's the thorn in my flesh as of late. And it is never-ending. I have become convinced that things like comparison, jealousy, and discontentment are where the soul goes to die.

Somewhere along the way, I totally bought into the American Dream. I thought that the older you get, the more stuff you have and the nicer that stuff is. Nevermind that this myth is in complete contradiction to real life, because at least in my case, the older I've gotten, the more kids I have and the more they eat all our food and ruin all our stuff. I believed the lie that when you are in your thirties it's no longer stressful when your heater breaks or your car needs maintenance or your kid gets a virus and you buy all the medicine from all the stores hoping to make it go away. For some reason, I thought money fell from the sky like manna and that real grown ups in their thirties would laugh in the face of unexpected expenses because they would obviously have all the resources to handle it. And perhaps the biggest lie of all? I have come to believe that homes are less about shelter and safety and family and community and hospitality and memories and rest and more about a place to showcase all my trinkets in hopes that they would paint an amazing picture of who I am. And by who I am, what I really mean is who I want to be.

It's all lies. And quite honestly, I have believed them good and well. I'm not even sure what my deal is because DJ and I are doing perfectly fine. We have all that we need. We eat too well, go on dates, take little trips, have a lot of second dinners, and have a lovely home that the Lord miraculously provided for us. We are not struggling or hurting or anxious, and like Paul mentions in Philippians 4, we have walked through seasons of plenty (hello freshly married two income couple without kids! We were rich and didn't even know it!) to seasons of need where it literally felt like God was stripping our money like Gideon's army (hello two layoffs that we didn't know were coming and how they ended up being the best times of our lives!). And in both times of abundance and times of uncertainty, He has provided more than we could ever imagine and Has cared for each of our needs in full.

But just because we have all that we need and then some doesn't mean that my heart isn't always longing for bigger. And better. And more. And it certainly doesn't mean I don't struggle to want all the stuff I don't have. Or to be more accurate, wanting the appearance of being able to afford those things even if I don't actually want them myself. And just because we are doing okay, doesn't mean we aren't making sacrifices. Because we are. A lot of them. Choosing to say yes to staying at home with my kids means that we are also choosing to say no to a plethora of other things and it's not always easy. In fact, it can be really hard. So often I find myself just wishing to get to the place where buying the kids clothes and paying school tuition and getting my nails done just for fun could feel less like things that make my pits sweat and more like things I can do with a kind of carefree spirit that lets us do all the fun and extra things without it feeling like they are such a big decision every time. And each time I have this thought, I feel like the Spirit intercedes and reminds me that maybe we will never have that kind of freedom with money. Maybe we will always be kept in a place of having just what we need, with little to nothing more, so that each decision is one we have to take before the Lord and ask for His wisdom and guidance and direction rather than moving on without considering Him at all. Which is exactly what I would do if I were in the position to do so.

God is teaching me a lot about discontentment and the love of money these days. He is showing me things like...

The bible has so much to say about finances and possessions and none of it sounds like the American Dream to me. From what I am learning, and as Melissa Kruger has so eloquently put it, the biblical expectation of the Christian life is not one of upward mobility, but of humble service. It is not presented as a life of ease, but one of toil and struggle; a life frequently compared to that of a battle, a marathon, or childbirth rather than a climb up the corporate ladder into a cloud made of money. I've never fought in a battle because I'm not interested in dying, and I've never competed in a marathon because I don't like signing myself up for hard on purpose, but I have experienced natural childbirth and that example alone is enough to help me understand that my short time here on earth is perhaps more about labor and strife than I want it to be.

The bible also says that riches and honor and the earth and everything in it comes from God, but that each of those things are to be used for Him and His glory instead of on myself. Just a little PSA: that's not my natural tendency with money. I want all the clothes and all the date nights and all the food. All for myself, and a little bit for DJ. And none for my kids, because when it comes to food I agree with Joey from Friends:

God warns us not to put our hope or peace in our wealth because it can dwindle in a moment, but to put our trust in Him and His Kingdom, both of which will last forever.

Even more contrary to popular belief, the bible says that the more we give away, the more we will have, the more our riches will increase, and the more joy and peace and contentment we will find. If I didn't believe the bible was the absolute true word of God, I would think that might be the biggest oxymoron I ever heard, because everything in me thinks that sounds just a little bit backwards and I have a hard time following through with that command and believing in what it says.

The bible goes on. It says that the righteous give freely and do not hold back, but this is also a hard one for me because everything in my heart seems to scream otherwise, similar to the way a toddler yells "MINE!" when faced with the dilemma of sharing or hoarding. The truth is, I really am just a big toddler at heart, it's just not socially appropriate for me to behave like one in public.

God also counsels us that wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but that saving little by little leads to great growth, which is good news for us, because little by little is all we have.

Proverbs 15 alone had a lot to teach me about discontentment and love of money. It says that the home of the righteous has much treasure, but my favorite thing about this is that I'm pretty sure that treasure has nothing to do with bank accounts and material items but everything to do with peace and joy and comfort and love, all of which truly are the greater treasures, are they not? That passage goes on to say that it is better to have a little with fear of the Lord, than a lot of money and all the trouble that comes with it. Even more convicting is when it says a simple dinner with friends and loved ones is better than a fancy dinner full of hatred. Do you want to know an honest little secret? My heart has responded to Pinterest and social media and magazines and real life friends by actually becoming embarrassed of my home and no longer wanting to have people in it. Because my home doesn't look perfect and it's not lovely or the most up to date or look like everyone else's and apparently I'd rather shut myself in and become a recluse than let people see my unfarmhoused home. Not only am I tempted to stop having people over, but I also struggle to go to others' homes as well because apparently it's a breeding ground for the discontentment in my heart. It turns into a battle every time, as I look around at what others have and how fresh and pretty and trendy their homes look compared to mine, and I come home feeling like I'm just not cool or rich or decorative enough.

My heart is ugly and yet there is further instruction for me still. God says that wisdom and understanding are better than money and integrity and that a good name is better than riches, but sometimes I truly believe that wooden counter tops and white cabinets and new furniture would be better than dealing with the intricacies of my heart.

God tells us that one's life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions, that the things we have do not last, that we cannot take them with us when we die, that the point of our possessions is to share with those in need, and that it is possible to find peace and contentment in even the most limited and lacking of seasons.

He tells me not to be afraid when another man grows rich or the glory of his home increases and reminds me that no one takes any of it with them when they die, but afraid and jealous and comparing is exactly what I do despite His sound instruction that encourages me otherwise.

There are many warnings to the rich, such as how hard it is for them to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, how easily it can lead to greed and stinginess, how it can actually result in great lack, how riches are unable to satisfy, how money can lead to oppression, and how with it many are tempted away from God. And yet I want all those things despite the red flag warnings that come with them.

The bible probably says a lot more on the subject, but these are the ones I'm working through right now. Obviously God has a lot to say about this struggle of mine. And obviously I still have a lot to learn.

I've been doing Jennie Allen's bible study called Stuck and in it she refers to this blog post from Katie Davis Majors. It was so good that I thought I'd make my own similar list of sacrifices we are making and joys we are finding in this season. Things like:

• I want a nice yard with beautiful landscaping, but even more than that I am thankful that my husband chooses to devote a simple hour and half to yard work each week that keeps the yard nice and trimmed, rather than spending the entire weekend in the yard making it beautiful while we are in a season of littles who need their daddy and a momma who needs his help. I keep reminding myself that a day is coming when the boys will be older and bigger and can help their daddy in the yard and it will be a win win that they can bond and make the yard beautiful at the same time, but right now it's more of a win to have daddy helping inside rather than out and I am more than okay with that. We may not have freshly planted flowers but we do have weeds and sidewalk chalk and muddy diggers and that's just the reality of what our life looks like right now. 

• I really, really want a pretty rug on my living room floor, but more than I want to spend several hundred dollars, I've settled on introducing my kids to the joy and simplicity of pallets made of blankets because that's what my mom did for me and I have the fondest memories of being cuddled up and watching TGIF with her for the entire duration of the 90's. And let's be honest, the pallet is more comfortable than a rug anyway and has led to countless hours of snuggling and reading and wrestling and pillow fights and good father-son time, none of which we were having near this much of when we were palletless. It's hot pink and ghetto and it's become a permanent part of our living room so don't judge us the next time you come over. Plus, Crosby (and probably my kids, too) would just pee on a new rug anyway so the pallet life is here to stay for now. 

• I would love to go shopping whenever I feel like it and have a date night out once a week and get my hair and nails done and have all the massages in the world and DJ keeps telling me that I can have all these things and more if I want them. I just need to go and get a job if so. But more than I want those things and the job that would allow me to buy them, I want to stay at home with my boys and raise them and educate them and disciple them and watch them grow up because it really does happen in the blink of an eye. It's a blessing to stay at home and I want to be more thankful for that than all the manicures money could buy. Except just kidding because if I went and got a job, I couldn't afford manicures because I would be paying for child care. Duh.

• More than all the promotions and all the money, late work nights, business trips, and increased hours that comes with them, I praise God for my husband who has willingly put a cap on how high of a position he will take in this season because he values being at home with our family and wants to spend the little bit of time he has with our boys before its time to tuck them in at night. Also, I am so thankful for his heart that has found so much joy and fulfillment in ministry and non-profits even when the corporate world clearly has so much more to offer. He's choosing to make big career sacrifices in this season and that is something I don't want to change for the world.

• It'd be really great to have new furniture, but more than that I don't want snot and pee and flattened cushions that inevitably happens when living with children and I am striving hard to just embrace the older, perfectly fine, decently cute, and comfortable deep cushioned couches we already have. 

• I really wish I had chosen neutral paint colors for my house like everyone else has, but instead of re-painting the walls I am trying to be content with the color that we have. It might not be featured on Pinterest, but I want to remember that color is fun and breathes life into space and that it's okay for my home to look like me instead if like you, even if I secretly wished it was the other way around.

• I'd like to have a never ending supply of play money. When we were young marrieds, we each got about $200 spending money a month, but now that we are parents with two kids and live on a single income, we each get $30 which sounds laughable in comparison but has proven to be plenty. Really, when all I spend money on is books and the occasional dinner with friends, I'm pretty sure that the little I have is more than enough and I am grateful. For every season that God has stripped us down, He has proven that a little is all we really need. 

• Sometimes I feel pressure to sign my kids up for all the things but I don't know why when DJ and I don't even want to spend our time or money on those things right now. So instead, I will fight to be thankful for simple days where we get to stay in our PJ's until 4:00 and never feel rushed to be out the door by any certain point and have nobody's schedule to adhere to but our own. I know that the days of schedules and games and classes and places to be are one day coming and I'm not in any hurry to get there. 

• A pool! It would be really fun to have a pool in our backyard. But the reality is that we cannot afford a home with a pool so we've settled for the blow up kind. And it's ugly and embarrassing, but my kids don't notice or care and I'm trying not to either. Sometimes we put water in it. And sometimes, we just fill it with blankets and wrestle around instead. Just making the most of our money, ya'll.

• Oh, and I really really want a clean house. Before we had kids, I cleaned once a week and freaked out any time I saw footprints on our floor. But now? The house is picked up and it's the most I am willing to do in this season. Because if I mopped the floor, I would never let my kids play in the sprinklers or dig in the dirt because heaven forbid they drag those kind of footprints through the house and make my work be all in vain. I would also never let them eat because my lanta, crumbs galore. So instead, I choose not to mop and my house isn't spotless, but my kids are (hopefully) having fun and I have got to learn to be okay with that for now, even when a little bit of me really does die inside over every grain of sand or bread crumb on the floor. 

I could go on and on (and on) (and on) but I think I've made my point: Discontentment is a beast and contentment is a discipline that I am discovering is hard to obtain. But I am trying. Between fits of jealousy and late night tears and all the comparison that I battle in a day, I really am trying. And little by little, I am coming to appreciate this season, and all the simplicity and joy and pallets and white trash blow up pools that come with it.

Much love,
courtney

On discontentment

I wrote this post almost exactly three years ago and I am embarrassed to admit that almost nothing has changed in my heart since. I have struggled with discontentment since moving to Garland and only recently have become really convicted and weighed down by and flat out tired of the shame and lack of gratitude that dwells deep inside my heart. I have been thinking a lot about contentment lately and I hope to one day soon write out all that I am learning, but before I do it may be helpful to know where I am coming from. Below is a snippet of the past three years of my life and the daily struggle of not being grateful for or happy with where I live. It has not been a fun place to be. I am so hopeful that peace and joy and contentment are coming, but I am learning that those things are disciplines to fight for. And the struggle is real, ya'll.

This post has zero to do with adoption, but because these are the thoughts of my heart as of late, I decided to share them anyway....lucky you!

Since my last post, a lot has changed in our little lives. DJ has started his new job and we have moved.... to Garland. Garland is an area that I knew very little about (and still do, seeing as how I am only 12 days in), but I had gathered enough from people's responses to get that it wasn't the most sought after area. Whenever I mentioned to people that we were moving to Garland, the response I often received was something of a shudder with an aura of "Ewww, Garland." For someone who was perfectly happy in their pretty little suburban life while equally being terrified of change and all things new, this was a less than encouraging vibe to receive from others. My heart responded to it with a ton of fear and shame. Don't get me wrong though;  I am guilty of doing the same thing.  I know for a fact that every time someone tells me they are moving to Houston, my response is all too quickly to say "Eww, Houston. I hate Houston." But I am going to try to stop that.... because I have learned that it's not the most comforting thing to say to someone in the midst of chaos and transition and moving, all of which are scary enough on their own.

My first week here was hard and I don't think I am out of the woods yet. I think I will struggle for a while. Apparently I hate change so it's been hard for me that everything is new and different. It's not nearly as nice or pretty or well kept as Flower Mound. It's older, run down, lower income even. The houses in my neighborhood are fine, but it's not like where I came from. There is a lot of variety. Some people care about their yards; others don't. Some people want to upkeep their homes; others don't share that same priority. In Flower Mound, everywhere you drive is pretty and clean and expensive looking. And while there are some nice areas around my new home, there are also some not as nice areas. So I'll just be brutally honest and say that my pride has been disgustingly exposed since coming here. I have been ashamed to tell people that we live here. I am embarrassed to admit that I have actually said things like, "I don't want to be associated with this town. I want to be associated with the pretty, well kept, cookie cutter suburban life with beautiful yards, where everyone looks and talks like me. I want to give people the {false} impression that we have money and are well-to-do and have it all together." And my flesh does want those things.... right now.... because that is what feels normal and comfortable and safe to me.

I was talking to my counselor the other day (and complaining and crying about all of these things) when she simply said, "It sounds to me like the Lord has given you all the things you prayed for." And the light bulb went off. She is right. As much as we love (LOVE) our old area, we felt like the Lord was leading us out of it. The suburbs are not bad; in fact I love them a little too much. But in recent years we began wanting out of the suburban, mostly Christian, mostly Caucasian bubble. We desired more diversity, less perfection and pressure. And now we have all these things. But just because it's an answer to prayer does not mean that it has been easy. I long to go back home to familiarity. I miss my friends who are no longer five minutes away but are now forty. I fear making new friends; I literally, no joke, don't believe that new friendships will exist here. And I just want things to look pretty and perfect because I think that says something about me and somehow I feel glorified in it.

My heart is ugly, ya'll. I have walked in arrogance; I have thought that I am better than this place. And yet in all this change and despite all my pride, Jesus is teaching and correcting and covering me in so much grace. I am identifying with Him in new ways that I am so grateful for.  Most specifically that He is the God of the universe and yet He stepped down from the glories of Heaven to enter into this broken world. He did not come in as a pampered, pompous or privileged ruler like He deserved to. Instead, He was born in the humble town of Bethlehem, a small, quiet, insignificant town that had little to boast of. He grew up in Nazareth, the backwoods, trailer park part of town that was less than significant or sophisticated... so much so that when Phillip told Nathanael that he had found the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael's response was, "Ewww. Can anything good come from Nazareth?" But get this: Jesus was not ashamed to be from those places. He dwelt among the people there, and in humility and meekness He associated with, loved and served them. He identified Himself as one of them. I wish my heart could possess even a sliver of that kind of humility.

I am obviously not comparing the suburbs to Heaven, but in my current state of mind, they honestly do seem to be just as glorious. So I have been thinking about Jesus in this a lot lately.  John 13:15-17 tells me that I am not greater than my Master, that I am to follow in His example, and that I am blessed if I walk out in what I know. So, if Jesus can leave Heaven to enter into the lowly brokenness of this world, then I can leave the glories of Flower Mound and embrace my new, less than sought after, city. If Jesus didn't enter the world with pride and arrogance, than I shouldn't enter Garland that way either. It has not been easy, but I am fighting to love my new city with humility, joy, genuineness and gratitude. I am daily having to remind myself that my identity is not in my city, but in my God. It's been a wrestle, but in it I have found joy and peace.

This perspective has slowly begun to help me to get over myself and my fears and try to learn (and love) Garland. Secretly,  there are a lot of things that I have actually even enjoyed here, though a lot of times I am too fearful or cautious or prideful to admit it. For one thing, there is diversity. And a lot of it. My new Walmart is full of the nations. Different religions, cultures, and languages are evident as I walk down each aisle. My new neighborhood is equally as diverse... both in ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Various languages float over the fence and fill our backyard, and while it is new and different and sometimes uncomfortable, I also think it's good. Because we are about to be a transracial family and if I say that I value it in my family then I best value it in my community too.  Diversity is good and God-given and I am genuinely excited that Moses will grow up with the nations in his backyard. Other little gems that I have come across: We have a pretty amazing coffee shop that feels like Roots in Highland Village and just being there makes me exhale a little bit and tell myself that I will be okay, that I will survive here, because they have a cozy little coffee shop with local artists and live music and good coffee (praisethelord). There are antique shops and a community theater and a cute town square, all of which feels like Denton but much less hip, which is okay because I'm not hip in the least. And, can I just say that the people here are so dang friendly?! They are probably friendly in Flower Mound too, but I never needed to notice because I felt safe and comfortable there. But here, I walk around petrified nearly all of the time, and the friendliness of a stranger is oh so welcomed. One of my dearest friends is ten minutes away, a new friend even closer, and a local church, though farther out, has already reached out and embraced us with such love and care. I have found a CS Lewis book club, a Christian based pregnancy resource center, and a Bible Study Fellowship, which might not sound like a big deal, but guys, I was believing the lie that Christians didn't live in this city, so I have been relieved to see Jesus in it's midst. Also, there is a Target, which just makes life better no matter where you are. On top of all of this, the story of buying our home in and of itself is evidence of the miraculous provision of God. I am so grateful for my new home, but my fear has tainted it on many a day.

And so, starting now, I am resolving to walk in gratitude, humility and joy.... not shame or pride or anxiety. I know that there is much, much to be thankful for and excited about; lots of new adventures to have and memories to make in this new place I am calling home. I may just need you to remind me on the days that I am trapped in fear.


with love,
cmh

Books we love

Here's a little secret. I struggle with believing that I am not a fun mom. I am not a Pinterest mom because pretty much anything that requires the slightest amount of prep, creativity, or clean up is overwhelming to me. I don't like the park because I don't like to sweat. I'm more frugal than I knew and apparently it's hard for me to spend money on fun things (or any things, for that matter) without first breaking out into hives. And playing and pretending are some of my hardest hurdles as a momma. It sounds terrible to admit, but these are things that I don't enjoy or do well. But reading? Reading has become a favorite pastime of mine in the past two years and is something that I want to pass on to and enjoy with my children. Kids love stories and I have found that this is a simple and sweet activity that we can easily do together. It encourages time together, bonding, cuddling, and great conversation and it is something that me and the little Hofmenn love to do. Eh? See what I did there? Hofmenn. It's what we call our littlest men around here.

I value reading out loud more than I thought I would. I'm telling you, I don't recognize myself as a mother. I am nearly 100% opposite of what I thought I would be. But it turns out, that I really care about reading with and to my kiddos. I was recently listening to a podcast where Sally Clarkson was interviewed and on the topic of reading out loud she said something along the lines of allowing children to be bored, exposed to adult conversations and interests, and reading lots of books is what creates genius in a child. And everything in me responded with a resounding yes! These are things that DJ and I strive for in our parenting, yet often feel alone in, so hearing it said from a woman that I love and admire felt so confirming to me. I think I desire reading out loud together so much because I want my kiddos to be well rounded and informed, in love with learning, drawn into story, able to concentrate and focus on written and spoken word, and exposed to people, things, and ideas that we may otherwise be hindered from introducing them to. Most importantly, I want them to love the word of God. My greatest hope in cultivating a love for stories in them is that they would one day love and delight in reading the greatest Story of all.

Reading aloud comes fairly easily to us because we don't do a whole lot. Apparently I'm kind of a homebody. But still, there are seasons where it is a struggle. Currently, I have been exhausted and in an overall funk so reading out loud has required more energy and time than I have desired to give. Not to mention, Jones is 18 months old and unable to sit through more than 2-3 books at a time and is quite the expert at interrupting the books I try to read with Moses. But, there are a few things that have helped me to read aloud to my kids when it otherwise feels easier not to:

• Sarah Mackenzie's podcast, Read Aloud Revival. This little gem has great interviews, helpful statistics on the importance of reading aloud to your kids, and offers simple tips to making a culture of reading aloud so feasible. She also has a great email subscription that will link you to amazing books suggestions that you can read with your kiddos as well as resources to encourage you as you strive to do so. What I love about Sarah Mackenzie is that she is no joke--- she takes reading seriously and encourages her listeners to read Shakespeare and classic literature to children-- yet she does so in a way that is totally doable and supplies you with abundant resources on how to do this easily and well. 
• The library! Ya'll, no pun intended--- the library is a novel idea. Free books. FREE BOOKS! Why are there not so many other places like this? Somebody please invent the kind of store where I can check out clothes or ice cream for free. A huge plus to the library is that the books are typically due back before I grow tired of reading them. Huzzah!
• I buy or check out books above my kiddos' reading level. The reason for this is twofold. One, the higher the reading the level, the more I enjoy reading it myself. And secondly, I have found that the more advanced reading I do, the more robust Moses' vocabulary becomes.
• Structuring reading time into our day has made it that much easier to do by default. Almost always we set aside time to read after breakfast and again before bed. If it happens at other times throughout the day, it's just an added bonus.
• I have reading dates with the kids. Sometimes me and Moses will pack up books and games and head to the coffee shop. Other times we have poured ourselves a glass of Italian soda and read on the front porch past his bedtime. The other day I let him forego his Room Time and made him a smoothie so that we could read together just the two of us. Making reading special mom & kid time, makes it that much more appealing to them.

Not only do I try to encourage reading together, but I have also tried to encourage their own love of independent reading. Here are a few ways I have done that:

• By reading my own books in front of them. I thought this would be harder than it is. I am 100% unable to multitask and I like peace and quiet when I read. I thought it would be impossible to try and read my own books in front of the kids, but more often than not I have found that they will follow my example and go pick up a book and sit down quietly to read on their own.
• I do my own thing! I have found that when I sweep the floor or do the dishes or make a phone call or have a FaceTime date, that my kids will quietly climb up on the couches and look at books. For a long time. Win!
• Moses is super high energy and all boy. At times that I just need him to settle down, I tell him to go read on the couch.
• I try to buy books that have fun covers and colorful, vibrant illustrations. Where they can't yet read the words, I want them to be drawn into the pictures.
• I have only done this once so far, but I really want to get into the habit of having Reading Time at home. Our library books are in a basket on the fireplace and I want to be more intentional about setting aside time for them to enjoy a special drink or snack while they look at books. I want it to be a time that they look forward to and enjoy in hopes that reading will be fun for them rather than something that they despise and think is only done for school.

Gosh. Who knew I could say so much about reading? I'll stop now. Without further ado and in no particular order, here are books that me and the boys love:

• Korean authors & books. I'm obviously a little biased, but this section is important to me since we have a cute little Korean boy in our family. I really want Korean literature in our home and at his fingertips so that he can read their stories and see their work and look up to artists and writers that look like him and share his home country.  I buy Korean books for Jones too because I equally desire for him to have a special love for Korea. Here are a few of our favorites:

 Bee-bim Bop by Linda Sue Park

The Green Frogs by Yumi Heo

A Book Of Sleep by Il Sung Na. 

(I actually love all of his work. His illustrations are beautiful!)

My First Book Of Korean Words by Henry J. Amen and Kyubyong Park

• Wordless books: I love how books without words can so still so clearly tell a story and how it encourages the use of imagination and original story telling. These two books by Mark Pett are the cutest, and I adore how his characters cameo in each other's stories! 

The Boy And The Airplane by Mark Pett

The Girl And The Bicycle by Mark Pett

• Boy Books: These have been a favorite with my kids! 

Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld. 

(Also worth checking out is their book Mighty, Mighty Construction Site.)

 

Diggers Go by Steve Light

(And actually, any of the books in his "Go" series are amazing and so much fun. I give Steve Light all the credit for teaching me how to make all the appropriate car, train, plane, digger, and boat noises.)

Old MacDonald Had a Truck by Steve Goetz

Demolition by Sally Sutton.

(Her other books Roadwork and Construction are equally as fun.)

• Favorite Rhymes: Andrea Beaty wins my vote for best rhyme schemes and patterns! Her adorable books about curious and smart children who delight in knowledge and possess a desire to invent and create are told in the most delightful rhyming manner.

 Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty

Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty

• Books with humor and perspective that adults can enjoy: I think these little gems are the cutest! 

 Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

(She also has a book called Chopsticks that I really want to read but haven't yet gotten my hands on. But I may be partial to Asian utensils....)

 

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith 

Stick And Stone by Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld

The Giving Tree by Shell Silverstein

(The first time I read this as an adult was when I first read it to Moses. I was moved to sadness, but when I looked over at Moses I was surprised to find that he was moved to actual tears. Never underestimate a child's ability to pull deep meaning from books.)

• Books that show the world, diversity, and introduce other languages: 

Say Hello by Rachel Isadora

Mung-Mung by Linda Sue Park

(I also want to check out her book of people sounds, Yum!Yuck!)

Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw is a cute book about pen pals in NYC and India who share with each other what their homelands are like.

For You Are A Kenyan Child by Kelly Cunnane

Besos For Baby by Jen Arena. This is my favorite book to read with Jones!

Because Amelia Smiled by David Ezra Stein. This is a recent find and I adore it! It is about how a single, simple act of kindness can have ripple effects across the world.

One Plastic Bag by Miranda Paul

• Dr. Seuss: I'll be honest: I don't love Dr. Seuss books. I don't love that they make up words to make a rhyme work and the way most of the rhymes are written makes them difficult for me to read aloud. But, there are a few exceptions. I really appreciate the Cat In The Hat's Learning Library books for Moses--- they are so educational and have taught us both so much! And for Jones, I think a few of the body part books are super fun to read together, too.

There's No Place like Space by Tish Rabe

Oh Say Can You Say What's The Weather Today? by Tish Rabe

 

The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss 

The Ear Book by Al Perkins 

The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss

• Books about real people & events: I love exposing Moses to stories about real people and events in history. The Ordinary People Change The World series is great as well as these others:

I am Albert Einstein by Brad Meltzer

Fun Fact: We were delighted to find this page hidden within the book! Moses does this very same thing--- whispering words under his breath until he has them memorized and perfected. Maybe we have a little Einstein on our hands!!

I am Amelia Earhart by Brad Meltzer

I am Helen Keller by Brad Meltzer

The William Hoy Story: How A Deaf Baseball Player Changed The Game by Nancy Churnin

Rolling Thunder by Kate Messner is a book about the significance of Memorial Day.

George Washington's Teeth by Deborah Chandra and Madeline Comora is a fun read based on Washington's letters & diaries that explains how he lost all of his teeth. I seriously learn so much from children's books.

• Books that show what life used to be like before technology and instant gratification (or is still like in other parts of the world, and even in our own city): 

Pancakes, Pancakes by Eric Carle shows how pancakes were made before grocery stores and processed food.

The Last Stop On Market Street by Matt De La Pena introduces children to life and wisdom in the inner city.

• Audio books: Ya'll! I need to tell you about this little gem I have discovered. I want Moses to listen to audio books but I refuse to buy them because I am a cheapo. Insert OverDrive. This amazing app syncs up with your local library and lets you check out and download audio books straight to your device. When the book is due, it automatically deletes off your OverDrive account so there's no chance of any late fees. The one downside is that my libraries don't have most of the audio books I have hoped to get for Moses, but here are the few that we have gotten that he has enjoyed: 

James And The Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

The Young Amelia Bedelia's Audio Collection

The Mouse and The Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary

Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne

• Christian books: Here's a secret: We read almost zero books about our faith. I'm not sure why, but I think it's twofold. I surprisingly don't know about many and I am just always skeptical when it comes to children's books on faith. I fear they will be watered down or full of poor doctrine. But also, we make up for this in other ways. We talk about our faith all throughout our day, do memory verses, family devo's, sing hymns, and read the bible, so in a way I don't feel like this is an area that is lacking. However, I will take recommendations on any that you love!!! Here are the few we have that we enjoy:

The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones is read almost nightly in our home.

The Gospel Story Bible by Marty Machowski is a bit advanced for Moses but we do refer to it for stories that are missing in the Jesus Storybook Bible (like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace. This story should never be missing from a bible!)

The What Is God Like? series by Dr. Craig is an amazing resource on the attributes and character of God. Highly recommended!

What Does God Do? by Hans Wilhelm

(My parents read this to me as a child and the visuals were so adequately aligned with the scriptures that I remembered them well into my adulthood. It's hard to come by, but thankfully my mom saved it for me and I now enjoy reading it with my boys.)

Setting Their Hope In God: Biblical Intercession For Your Children by Andrew Case

(Not a children's book perse, but a book of prayers that I read over my children often.)

Hosanna Loud Hosannas by Barbara and David Leeman

(A great little resource to introduce your kiddos, and yourselves, to hymns of old.)

• Adoption books: I am pretty much the antithesis of an adoptive momma. I read almost zero adoption books to my kiddos because I don't always love how adoption is explained and I find myself changing the words as we go. But, there are a few that that we enjoy, such as:

Tell Me Again About The Night I was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis. And PS: Jamie Lee Curtis is such a fun author! We thoroughly enjoy many of her other books as well.

A Mother For Choco by Keiko Kasza

My New Mom And Me by Renata Galindo

My Father Knows The Names Of Things by Jane Yolen

(To be fair, there is nothing about this book that mentions adoption in the slightest, but what I appreciated is the illustrations, depicting a Caucasian father with an Asian son... not to mention that DJ is brilliant and really does know everything so this book seemed fitting for our family.)

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

(Okay, this also is totally not an adoption book. BUT, it was such a sweet resource to us when Moses first came home and we had to slowly and diligently train him to be okay in his room alone. Not to mention, Llama Llama's bedroom and hallway set up so closely resembles our own home that it made a sweet connection for our family. I think this book is worth a read for any adoptive parents working to break the co-sleeping habit their kiddos may have come home with.)

• Books that coincide with experiences: These are fun reads that you can couple with outings or projects!

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey is a great book to read on a blueberry picking outing. Follow it up by making Shauna Niequist's blueberry crisp and you're golden.

Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco is a sweet story about one little girl's Babushka who helps her to overcome her fear of storms by making a cake as the storm rolls in. Recipe included. (Bee-bim Bop, which was previously mentioned, also includes a recipe.)

Dim Sum For Everyone by Grace Lin. Moses has been begging to go try Dim Sum ever since we first read this book.

Play, Mozart, Play by Peter Sis. We listened to Mozart after reading this book. I think it was my first time to ever even hear him because apparently I grew up under a rock.

• Character books: I don't know why I don't know about more books that teach and refine character traits so I'll take any suggestions, but here are the very few that we have read and liked:

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires is a wonderful book that is referred to over and over and over again in our home as Moses gets frustrated with trying to build and construct things.

Llama Llama Time To Share by Anna Dewdney.... because sharing is caring, ya'll.

Holler Loudly by Cynthia Leitich Smith is a super fun read (especially with a country accent) for those of you with SUPER LOUD CHILDREN who need to learn the right times and wrong times to use their elevated volumes.

It's Tough To Lose Your Balloon by Jarrett Krosoczka is a simple read about seeing the bright side when things don't go our way.

I am always, always looking for new books for the kids so I would really love your recommendations on favorite books that your family loves. Please share!!

And, just for free and for the adult mind, here is what I have been reading lately:

• Hope Heals by Katherine and Jay Wolf. Their precious memoir about her devastating stroke and life thereafter.
• Every Secret Thing by Patricia Campbell Hearst is the riveting true story of the SLA's kidnapping of Patty Hearst in 1974. I could not put this down.
• The Turquoise Table by Kristin Schell is a beautiful and simple read providing super practical ways to develop community in your own front yard.
• The Leavers by Lisa Ko. A novel that addresses issues of social justice, adoption, and immigration.
• Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance was an eye opening read about a man who grew up as a part of the Appalachian Hillbilly sub culture, yet left this community to eventually became a graduate of Yale Law School.
• Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. The story of a Greek family over many miles and generations that explores the topics such as incest and intersexism.

What are you reading these days?!

Much love,
courtney