Remember Today

I hope your weekend has been full of good food and fun with family and friends.  It's been a nice weekend for hanging out by the pool end enjoying Hubby's BBQ.

I just want to dedicate this post to the men and women who have sacrificed their very lives for the freedom we enjoy in this country.   Thank you.    Also, to those who are serving now and to their families who could be away from them today.   Thank you. 

No, I Don't Complete My Child's School Projects

My girl had a school project due today.  Last night as she finished up the diagram of a flower - roots to petals, she looked at it proudly and deemed it "All Finished!"  I could tell she was proud of her work and I was too!   It was colorful, 3-dimensional, neat and labeled in all the right places. 

Today, when she came home I asked her about the project.   Her disappointed response was that it didn't compare to everyone elses who looked like their parents completed them.    I thought surely not but she shared that some of her classmates told her that the parents did help them ...A LOT.  Some even completed them!     

To be fair here, we do help her.  We run through ideas together, I purchase supplies if needed and I even have drawn out a map that was too difficult for her to do with her last project.  But to actually put the work in the project and complete it for her?  What is the point?  What could she possibly learn by me doing that?


It's one thing in Kindergarten to help my little guy complete one of the million projects he came home with this year.   I needed to find pictures of the family for one and help him get it organized.  But even with that one, I let him cut and paste. 

So, am I wrong to not help my kids more with their projects?  Personally, I think it's important that my kids learn the lesson being taught by doing a project.  That they are graded on following directions and the work completed based on their ages, not the work of a 37 year old man or woman.  

Even with homework, I am simply a helper, an observer - only there to step in when they get stuck or need to review for a test.   

Why then, do so many parents complete the projects for the kids?  How about you?  How far do you go in helping your child with projects?

Go!

I want to share the story of a very good friend of mine. Her name is Chris and many of you that are local know her. She is the awesome photographer who took my profile picture.

She is a very special woman in my life.

Well, she is going on a mission trip for 11 months! I'm happy for her and her family because they have been praying for a long time that God give them an opportunity like this. As a matter of fact, their story is quite amazing. It's a story of patience through tough things in life, trusting an almighty God, listening to His spirit and moving when he calls you.

She has a new blog, Through Open Doors, where you can read all about her and her family's new adventure in moving to the Dominican Republic.  Her call to Go!

They are selling pretty much everything they have to make this happen.     If you feel so inclined there is a place you can donate to their trip.   Most importantly, please just pray for them.  We love them very much and know that they are ultra-excited for this to happen and to be a part of growing God's kingdom in the Dominican Republic.   Selfishly, I also want them to be safe.


Through Open Doors - the story of one family's call to GO to the Dominican Republic.

The Bump - 29 Weeks

Well, I thought I'd show you the bump.    I have to tell you that I do not normally like pictures of myself when I am pregnant.   I pretty much get pregnant everywhere.  Let's just say, you can tell I'm pregnant from the back and I'm not wearing a bikini to the pool.  Although, I will say that going to the pool and not having to hold in my stomach is an unexpected blessing.  It is almost as if my entire self changes to the point where people that have not seen me in awhile really don't even recognize me. 

But I've had some requests from family and friends that I have not seen in awhile to see me preggars with child # 3.  

So, here goes.

Here I am almost 29 weeks pregnant with our baby boy.  A very busy little man - kicking all the time and sending up heartburn galore.    I'm getting very excited to meet him!