The hard:
- James (our 6 year old who has autism) has not adjusted to the time change. Since we fell back, he’s been waking up close to 4:00 each morning. Lee and I are trading off the early morning shift, but we sure are praying he adjusts soon!
- David (our 8 year old) has been even more of an emotional roller coaster than usual. I’m trying to be predictable and steady to help him feel anchored.
- Joel (our 5 year old) is in China. We are currently waiting for our I-800A to process. You would think after three years of waiting, the waiting would be easy by now. It’s not.
- The weather is getting colder, which means less time outside. Which means more time inside. Which means more mess to clean up, or, more screen time than usual.
- Legos. Every where.
The easy:
- James loves school. He got a new TSS (who is like an aide, but isn’t employed by the school) last week and they are pairing well together!
- David is making great progress in reading. His dyslexia makes it hard, but we’re pushing through! I think we finally found ways to decrease the stress and increase the enjoyment.
- Joel’s teacher emails me every week. I know they are taking such good care of him! Even if he can’t be with us yet, I’m so thankful he is where he is.
- David and James are playing together more often. David is finding ways to interact with James and they are truly both enjoying it. Even though their play time doesn’t look like typical siblings’ play time, they are both happy with it, and that’s all that matters.
- James learned to smile when I take his picture. It’s a big deal to me. I love capturing his huge grin!
Parenting is always that way, isn’t it? Hard and easy all happening at the same time. The e-book bundle of the week this week will help with the hard/easy job of parenting. It includes five books on Christian parenting. Read more about the books included and click on the picture below to buy your bundle! (affiliate link)
In Parenting from the Overflow, Teri Lynne offers a biblically-based framework for living in the abundance God has for each of us…and modeling that life for our children.Rather than focusing on tips and techniques, she explores how our lives can overflow with qualities such as love, patience, grace, and courage — all rooted in God’s work in us, not our efforts or abilities. This is a practical and encouraging ebook, filled with honest stories from her own journey of learning to lean into God so the overflow of Him pours onto those around her.
Devotions, Advice & Renewal for When Motherhood Feels Too Hard by Kelly Crawford
Motherhood is hard. That’s a fact. It’s labor-intensive, requiring the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of women who know much of their labor will not receive earthly accolades. Mothers are the “wind beneath the wings” of the next generation. If a group of people needs encouragement and help, it’s the mothers of our day! Kelly’s Devotions, Advice & Renewal for When Motherhood Feels Too Hard is a book you will want to read over and over, written in small snippets for daily renewal. It is refreshing and inspiring, casting a vision for motherhood you may have never known and offering practical “survival tips” for the overwhelmed mom.
The Heart of Simplicity by various authors
Today’s typical lifestyle is marked by busyness, consumerism, and stress. We, as women, often complain that there’s not enough time to “do it all.” Do we suffer from a lack of time? No. We suffer from a lack of eternal perspective. How we invest our time on earth will impact eternity in a million ways. In The Heart of Simplicity, more than a dozen Christian women share their experience simplifying their lives from the inside out to build homemaking foundations focused on Christ. When we are faithful to focus on what is truly essential in our homemaking, we can build an eternal legacy…one simple day at a time.
Refuel Your Inner SuperMom by Rosann Cunningham
Refuel Your Inner SuperMom offers practical advice and encouragement for the mom who strives to do and be her best but who, due to the often overwhelming chaos of life, has simply lost her focus, her motivation and her groove. Take the journey with Rosann as she shares the depths of her heart and her own failures in motherhood, marriage and life, while taking positive, intentionally focused steps to getting her SuperMom groove back. This isn’t your average “How to become SuperMom” book; it’s written and designed in a way that allows it to be more of a journey of self-discovery and intentionally focused lifestyle change — for the better. And all for the glory of God.
The Family Table by Arabah Joy
The Family Table is a beautifully designed ebook packed with over 50 ideas, activities, games, and recipes to spark intimacy, connection, laughter, service, hospitality, and making memories as a family. Arabah gives you a sneak peek into what other families are doing to revolutionize their time around the family table as well as the tools you need to approach your mealtimes intentionally as well.
