Our Newest Arrival: Baby Boy!
C'est un garçon! It's a boy--and he arrived this last Sunday! He was four days past his due date, so we were all feeling ready. Here's his birth story:
Read MorePredictions, Patience, and Peace in 2015
I'm predicting some changes for our family in 2015--good changes, but startlingly big. There's the little one who's due date is today. (Whenever you're ready, little one, we'd love to meet you!). There's a summer-long stay in France that may extend into autumn if I stay a few weeks longer with our children. And once we're all home, we may begin building a house if God opens the door to some land that we'd like to purchase. All of these changes hold so much hope! Just knowing that they are possible reminds me that we are extravagantly blessed beyond anything we deserve.
Read More39 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #3: Thoughts & Actions
Happy New Year's Eve! Today marks the 39-week point in my pregnancy with our third child, so in addition to reflecting on the past year and the possibilities ahead, I'm also highly aware that our family is about to embark on the adventure of birth and postpartum adjustments. It's like being at the front of the line for a roller coaster that you haven't actually seen. I'm not fearful, only excited, but I also have the sense that the next few weeks and months could be quite a ride!
Here's what I've been doing in these days before baby's birth:
Read MoreSimple Christmas Crafts & Activities for Little Learners
C'est la saison de Noël! This December I've enjoyed the gift of time with my children to do some simple crafts and activities: beeswax candle rolling, making gingerbread houses, and biking the Christmas lights at Portland International Raceway. If these experiences are new to you like they were for us, you'll appreciate a few details about how they worked and what we learned.
Read MoreOur First Autumn Homeschooling: Rhythms & Realities
Winter doesn't officially arrive here in Oregon until next month, but strangely, we've already had our first light snowfall and an ice storm, so it feels as though autumn is already past. In addition, my daughter has started learning a Christmas song on violin, so I've been reflecting on how our first autumn of homeschooling went now that we're transitioning into winter.
Read MoreReturning to the Heart of Discipline
This month is bringing the harder days of parenting--days when the children wake too early, when fatigue coils around us a bit more tightly each hour, when tantrums have the power to bring a wave of anger or a rim of tears to my eyes. But the struggles are teaching me to reflect on my responses, particularly those that proved unhelpful. On occasion, when I put my children to bed, I have to apologize for my meanness and for reacting too harshly. I pray aloud that we can be more patient with one another.
Read MoreRaising a Toddler Boy: On Patience, Expectations, and Joy
My son is two-and-a-half. At this age he is a challenge and a joy. (I expect he always will be, only in different ways). When I'm seated, he delights in hugging my neck from behind, nearly choking me. He insists on pouring his own rice milk, opening the garage himself, and starting each day with a formidable pile of books to be read to him. He plunges underwater fearlessly during swim lessons but refuses to kick or follow instructions.
Read MoreSuzuki Violin Lessons at Age Four? One Year Later
If you've read my blog for a while, you might remember that my daughter started taking Suzuki violin lessons last fall at age four and a half. She had expressed an interest in learning violin after listening repeatedly to a fictional story featuring Vivaldi's music. I was concerned that formal music lessons might require too much rigor for her age, but we took the leap after talking with friends who had started Suzuki lessons at a young age. Now, a year later, I'm thrilled that we started lessons when we did, and my daughter has loved playing! Here's my quick summary of the Suzuki method and what I've learned about music lessons as a parent:
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