Cool History Cool Dudes

They were the cool dudes at the Great Homeschool Convention in South Carolina this past weekend.

 



 

The best dimpled salesmen we had in our booth!!

 

 

Seriously? Who wouldn't want to buy from them??

 

 

They LOVE going to conventions!

 

They LOVE helping us set up the booth. 

 

 

They had a BLAST doing the children's program.  They think hotel living is living the high life!

 

 

 

I love having them with me. It makes going away so much sweeter when I'm not leaving my entire family at home.

 

Though it was a long drive down to South Carolina and back, doing it with Rob and the boys was a nice way to start the year.  I don't get that pleasure often enough this year so I don't take it for granted.

 

I'm heading to Tennessee to the Teach Them Diligently Convention this next weekend but sadly won't get to take these silly boys or Rob with me.

 

Happily, Ben will be working by my side, so I get another weekend soaking up time with family!

 

 

We recently received a letter from someone who uses BiblioPlan AND who has adopted a bunch of treasures and I just wanted to share parts of that letter here.

 

 

Julia,

Just had to share with you how wonderfully BiblioPlan is working for our family.  We finished up our first round of history this past fall, did a short unit on our state history, and then started on Ancients about 8 weeks ago.  We are loving it!   We love the Companion, the associated Bible readings, and the Victor Journey Through the Bible along with the living book suggestions.  The maps are so much easier to use because you have the instructions printed right on the map.  With five kids doing maps, this has been a huge help since each child has their own set of instructions and they don't need to refer to the teacher's book.  They are able to do the maps on their own once I briefly explain them as a group. 

 

The Cool History questions are great for review and your timeline images are very nicely done.  All of my kids have special needs which include ADHD, intellectual disabilities, CP, and dyslexia and BiblioPlan works for all of them. 

 

 Now that I have five children, I no longer have tons of time to plan out my own history curriculum but that is no problem since BiblioPlan requires so little planning.  For the first time ever, I think I can stay on schedule and we are all enjoying the program.  Thank  you for you, your husband, and your sons' hard work on all of the parts of this wonderful program.  You have done a fabulous job and I finally have the history curriculum I have always wanted.

 

If you homeschool and are looking for a history and/or literature curriculum, please check us out! Especially check out our newest book!! Anyone who is doing Classical Conversations this fall definitely needs to look at this book!!!!

 

 

BIBLIOPLAN

 

 

The Faceless Ones

They are the ones we don't see.  The black silhouettes that we quickly scan through.

 

 

They are unseen and the least likely to be picked.

 

The faceless ones.

 

March is the 21 Days of Hope for Reece's Rainbow

 

 

An opportunity to raise funds for the operating costs of their ministry.  Their Voice of Hope fund.  21,000 in 21 days. 

 

But of course Reece's Rainbow is all about getting the children seen so it's 21 days of Hope for 21 children in the midst of raising funds for the operative costs.

 

For every 1,000 raised in the Voice of Hope account, a selected child will receive 1,000 in their grant account.  21 children have been selected.

 

This year they picked the faceless ones.  The ones we tend to pass right over.  The ones that no one ever really sees.

 

 

Usually during Voice of Hope it's been pretty easy for people to jump on board and raise the money each day for the selected children.  Their little faces beaming out at you make it hard to turn away.

 

This year has been slow.  Very very slow. 

 

 

Vinn, Denise, Laina, Keira, Angelica, Mia, Jasper, Kael, Prince, Shelley, Cara and Danton.

 

12 children who are listed on Reece's Rainbow but because of country rules are faceless. 

 

 

 

 

It's hard to get excited about a silhouette.

 

It's hard to rally when 12 of the 21 children are just names. 

 

But behind those black and white pictures are little boys and little girls who need  families just as much as the rest of them.

 

Please SEE these faceless babes.

 

Please see the other 9 children who also have a chance to have their grant accounts increased!

 

Please CLICK HERE and make a donation to keep Reece's Rainbow running so that these children have a voice.

 

It's 21 days of hope.

 

For every 1,000 raised in the Voice of Hope... 1,000 will go into a waiting child's account.

 

Will you give some hope to the Faceless Ones this March???

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATE TO THE VOICE OF HOPE HERE

 

 

Fatherless Friday

THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who poured into Michelle Barrett's grant account yesterday.

 

You gave and gave and within a few hours she met her 5,000 grant and on top of that met another 250 grant that someone gave her!!  She is so close to being fully funded. Yesterday, Michelle was given the precious experience of watching God move in hearts on her behalf. Adoption is scary and hard and often times rather lonely. Thank you for surrounding Michelle and letting her know that she isn't alone.

 

If you didn't get a chance to give you still can... Her grant account is HERE.

 

----------------------------------------

 

It's Fatherless Friday.

 

There are so many babes who are waiting for their families.

 

It makes my heart hurt sometimes to think of all the waiting babes out there.

 

This week a fellow blogger asked her readers to notice Elizabeth.

 

 

Elizabeth

 

Oh my goodness she is a precious, precious love!!

 

Let's be real. Her diagnosis is sad. It's gut wrenching.  She's dying. She has a disease that is ominous. I don't even begin to understand all of it but just doing a quick google search makes me beyond sad.

 

Anyone who adopts her has to go in with their eyes wide open recognizing that according to her diagnosis her life on this earth is short.

 

Let's be even more real; if she stays where she is then it's even shorter.

 

They don't have the medicine or the medical expertize in that country to care for her. 

 

She's a little girl.

 

A little girl who should not have to spend her short sweet life alone and lonely. 

 

Oh Please - Is there anyone out there who is willing to pour into a child even knowing it may be for just a short period of time?

 

Is there anyone out there who can love deeply knowing they may have to let go? Is there anyone out there who is willing to write Elizabeth into their life's story? I guarantee you your story will be enriched beyond words!

 

Look at her. She's just a little girl.  A little girl waiting for a Mama and a Papa who will throw caution to the wind and race to get her. A Mama and Papa who will fight for her.  Care for her. Love her.

 

Please someone love Elizabeth!!

 

 

Jesus, they say You walked upon the water once
When you lived as all men do
Please teach me how to walk the way You did
Because I want to walk with You
 

Jesus, they say You taught a lame man how to dance
When he had never stood without a crutch
Well, here am I Lord, holding out my withered hands
And I'm just waiting to be touched
 

Jesus, write me into Your story
Whisper it to me
And let me know I'm Yours

 

 

 

She Didn't Make It

This morning these words caught my eye in my Facebook newsfeed...

"We didn't make it."

I read on. Here is what I read...

"I'm heartbroken. I've been trying for months to raise the funds to bring my daughter home. As a single mother it has been hard because there isn't another person with income in my house, there are only 3 grants single applicants can qualify for, and there is only one person to do all of the paperwork and fundraising. I had someone offer a $5000 matching grant and I had until yesterday to raise the funds. I didn't make it and now I am that much further away... from my fully funded amount and I leave in two weeks. I'm traveling alone (which I am quite nervous about). I was $2867 away from the matching grant. I didn't even make it halfway. I'm so disappointed.

I leave in two weeks to pick up my 11 year old daughter with Cerebral Palsy from China."

http://reecesrainbow.org/88964/sponsorbarrett-2

Okay.  Who's in???

THE DONOR HAS CHANGED THEIR MIND AND IS GIVING AN EXTENSION.

Friday night.

That's tomorrow.

$2867.00 is needed.

The grant on Reece's Rainbow needs to read 5728.00 for her to get her matching grant!!

Who's in???

We can't let a Mama who is days away from travel miss out on a $5,000 matching grant!! 

Will you help?? 

CLICK HERE TO BRING LAURA HOME

Remember the Days

We have been hunkered down these last few months.  Writing. Editing. Formatting. Re-writing. Editing some more. Over and over and over again.

 

Each week I have taken our words and shared them with the students at the local Christian School where Aaron and John attend.  Each week I have come home and we have analyzed, considered and edited some more.

 

 

We are done.

 

We are so excited.

 

This is the first book in a series of books called Remember the Days.

 

 

Remember the Days.

 

A series of books for children in grades K-5/6. 

 

Story-style history from a Classical Christian perspective.

 

We wrote Book Two first. It's a bit strange to start a series at Book Two but it was a decision we made based on several factors.  The Christian School was doing BiblioPlan's Year 2 - Medieval - so it made sense to start there. We also felt the need was the greatest for a Medieval book for the younger students. 

 

The added bonus is that all the families who are doing Classical Conversations this year will be able to easily move right into Medieval Days: Book Two!!

 

We are done.  The book is in our hands.

 

It is officially for sale starting today.

 

If you homeschool PLEASE PLEASE check us out.

 

BIBLIOPLAN

 

If you are in a Classical or Christian school take a look. 

 If you are doing Classical Conversations Cycle Two this fall you need to see this book!

 

 Remember the Days!

 

We are pretty excited about this book in our little house in the woods!

 

Check us out!

 

BIBLIOPLAN

 

 P.S. BiblioPlan's website and all the graphics for our book covers and banners and buttons have been designed by Lucille Brown at Penelope and Lane

 

 

The Weesome Threesome

Three wee little boys looking for their Mamas...

As my dear friend Rosemary Marshall called them - The Weesome Threesome.

That name fits.

On this Fatherless Friday I wanted to take a moment to show them to you again.  We met two of these three little boys.  They are currently living in John's institute but THEY ARE GOING TO BE TRANSFERRED OUT SOON!! The director cannot keep them.  That facility is now a rehab facility for children who have families and these three little wee ones do NOT have families.  So they are going to be taken out of that place and moved. 

 

 

 BYRON. 

 

 

 

CHESTER. 

 

 

 

JOEY. 

 

 

 

 

Three little boys who need Mamas.

 

They can all be adopted together or separately.  Three little loves.

 

Our Weesome Threesome

 

Byron. Chester. Joey.

 

He sets the lonely in families....

 

 

 

Lord, When?

‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’



I was alone and feeling very lonely.  I was sick of travel and just wanted to be home. Bonding with our newest son was so fragile at that point and being away was killing me. I was working a convention where the vendor booths were set up too far for the attendees to walk between sessions and so I spent the majority of the convention standing around talking to the other vendors in a near-empty hall and feeling like the entire trip was a complete waste of my time.

 

In the midst of my loneliness and depression they came to get me.  In their big Marr Van with their beaming children.  They pulled up in their van and I climbed in and for a few hours all the worry, all the sadness, all the questions about why I was there so far from my family melted away. 

 

Though we had never met in person before, we share a special bond.

 

Our sons.

 

Our Aaron and their sons Jonathan (Sasha on RR) and Benjamin (Alexei on RR).

 

Three boys who all lived in a sad and lonely place across the ocean.

 

 

Both our families spent time in a village out in the middle of nowhere, finding our sons behind those ugly green gates.

 

They loved two boys behind those gates but only one of them came home with them. The other died before they could get to him. I wrote about him HERE.

 

 

 

Our hearts broke with theirs when we found out. Why Lord? Why?

 

We share a bond - their family and ours.  A bond filled with grief and sorrow and great joy.  Their Benjamin - full of life and mischief.  Holding him was sweet sweet indeed!

 

 

For a few hours last summer they came and chased away my loneliness. Their children - each one unbelievably precious - lifting my spirits and giving me reason to say to Rob later that just seeing them for that short period of time was worth the entire trip.

 

 

They are adopting again.

 

Another boy - Timothy - with limb differences like Jael (the sweet little girl I have my arm around in the picture).

 

 

He's four. He's precious and they hold in their hands their Letter of Acceptance so their adoption has a total green light for them to GO GO GO!

 

Except one thing.

 

Money.

 

They urgently need $2,570.00.  Like yesterday. They can't sign their Letter of Acceptance without it. After that they are going to need around $12,000.00 before they travel in 8 - 10 weeks.

 

This family is amazing. Their children are amazing. Timothy will thrive with them. That somber little face is going to glow when he is surrounded by so many who will love him so well. 

 

Oh please would you consider sowing into this adoption??  Now??  Not in a few days or a few weeks?  I haven't asked for much lately. I'm asking. They need $2,570.00 NOW!

 

To donate to the Marrs you have 2 options - They have a YOUCARING page where you can donate directly to them. It is not tax deductible. This is the fastest and most efficient way to get to them what they need NOW so they can sign their LOA.

 

They also have a tax deductible account with their agency:

 

Wasatch International Adoptions

Attention: Marr Family Adoption

1140 36th Street #204

Ogden, Utah 84403

 

Write the check to Wasatch International Adoption and put in the check memo line for the Marr Adoption.

 

Their need right now is urgent.  Please consider helping!!

 

Their blog is HERE

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

I have one more family that is also in urgent need.

 

They are IN COUNTRY.

 

They are adopting 2 very sweet treasures. 

 

Celina and Frank

 

 

 

This family is also brimming over with kiddos - and are coming off 2 rounds of 2 separate adoptions of some precious precious treasures!!.

 

 

Lucien and Sydney

 

Veronika and Emilija

 

They are in country and waiting for court and are about 4,500 short of being funded.

 

That's what they need to pay their final fees and come home.

 

Their need is NOW too!

 

Their RR grant account is HERE.

 

Two amazing families.

 

Twelve adopted children between the 2 families and one more in heaven.

 

Their needs are great. Our God is greater.

 

If the Holy Spirit prompts on this day... please... Listen. Give. Pray. 

 

Support the Jenks HERE and help bring Celina and Frank home.

 

 

 

Support the Marrs HERE and help bring Timothy home.

 

 

 

 

THANK YOU!!

 

Thank you!!

 

 

‘Lord, when?

 

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

 

 

 

 

 

My Garmin Is Too Nice!

I'm sorry for seemingly falling off the earth last week.

 

Note to self.... Check the weather forecast before leaving the hospital. If it is supposed to pour down rain for the entire day then just stay put!

 

I didn't check.

 

The night after surgery was rough.  John spiked a fever and between that and his utter hatred of the cast we barely got any rest.  We were being discharged the next day so by 4:30 am I was a  bit frantic for some kind of sleep because I didn't know how I would handle driving home with no sleep for two nights in a row.

 

John was beyond ready to go home. He was mad about the cast and was missing his Papa and brothers. When he realized that he could still walk with the cast he was much much happier. 

 

Before we left we had the sweet sweet opportunity of meeting a very special young man.  Those who have been hanging around this blog since 2012 will remember him.  Igor on Reece's Rainbow. 

 

 

 

Joseph. We yelled. We prayed.  We raised money for him in our Mulligan Stew.  We yelled some more.  He had arthrogryposis like Aaron and was the same age.  We wanted a family for him so badly it hurt.

 

I got to meet him and his awesome mom.  Joseph is so much like my boys I can't stand it. I wish they didn't live so far away because I know the three of them would be best buddies. It was precious and amazing and way too short and I wished I had read the weather forecast and just stayed there on Wednesday so we could have had more time.

 

We left.

 

It was NOT raining when I pulled out of the Shriners parking lot.

 

Sprinkles started as we pulled out of Philly.

 

I was hoping it was just a passing little raincloud that would clear up quickly.

 

Oh how wrong I was.

 

It started raining when I pulled onto 95.  Serious rain.  The kind where you can't hear yourself think.  The kind where you are grateful for the drugs they gave your boy before we left so that he wouldn't want to talk to you because you couldn't hear him over the pounding of the drops on the roof of the van.

 

It rained.  And rained.  The Winnie the Pooh kind of rain.  The kind where you think your van is going to start floating down the road. 

 

I was so exhausted and tense and wanted so badly to just pull over and find a hotel for the night. I kept focusing on getting to one more exit.  Then one more.  Then one more. 

 

John needed food and a bathroom break so right outside Baltimore we stopped at a rest stop.  

 

Note to self....When heading HOME you go SOUTH.  SOUTH!!

 

I didn't listen.

 

I wish I had a Garmin that yelled at me.  One that screams out in a loud and obnoxious voice that I just went the wrong way. One that doesn't just sweetly and quietly recalculate.  One that LETS ME KNOW that getting off at the next exit is IMPERATIVE to getting home. 

 

My Garmin is too nice.

 

My Garmin is way too nice.

 

I didn't figure out I was heading in the wrong direction until I was quite a few miles up the road and 7 miles from the nearest exit.

 

I cried.

 

I cried and called Rob and cried some more.

 

John was in and out of a drugged sleep back there in the back seat for which I was deeply grateful.  I couldn't have handled a talkative little boy at that stage of the game. 

 

Between pounding rain, heavy traffic, getting caught behind a serious accident and total exhaustion, each exit threatened to be my last all the way home.

 

I passed a hundred hotels and each one was calling to me.

 

Home was louder.

 

Rob had supper on the table when we pulled into the driveway. I love my husband!

 

I am sorry for falling off the earth last week but that trip did me in for quite a number of days. 

 

John is doing great. His first outing after surgery was to a White Elephant styled Winter/Christmas party. 

 

 

 John gets the cast off next week.

 

Rob is taking him.

 

I am staying home.

 

I am most certainly staying home!

 

P.S. - The Pattersons are adopting again.  A sweet little girl with arthrogryposis who was left on the side of a road in a black plastic bag as a newborn because of her disability.  Break my heart!!  Look at her??  How could anything think of ever throwing her away???

 

 

Please consider sowing into their adoption.  Their process has been rough and I know they would deeply appreciate whatever you have to give to help them bring Vienna home. I was so blessed to be able to spend time with them and cannot wait for their little girl to be home and safe in their arms!

 

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE PATTERSONS

 

 

 

Post Surgery

Shriner trip tips from Julia. 

 

Getting a hotel room with a king-sized bed that is cheaper than the room with two doubles is not necessarily a wise decision.  Especially when the little boy sleeping next to you does not stick to the 'stay on your own side of the bed rule.'

 

Make sure to wear football padding if you do try to save a few bucks because you will need it. I left the padding at home.  Not smart. Little boy is a nightmare to sleep with!! 

 

Checking the quality of your windshield wipers before you leave would be smart. Make sure they pass the 'constant smattering of melted snow on the windshield while you drive down the interstate test'.  Mine didn't. It was a LONG night last night driving in the drizzle from above and the spray from below.

 

Make sure NOT to leave Pooh Bear behind in Rob's truck or you will have one very sad little boy.

 

Make sure to get a wonderful nurse who is willing to hunt all over the hospital to find that same sad little boy a replacement bear.

 

Make sure NOT to say anything at all when the bear given to your sad little boy happens to be a Philadelphia Eagle bear.  Just grin and bear it!!!

 

 

 

Sweet boy is through surgery. Everything went well - plate is out. Plate is in.  No major complications.

 

 

We were hoping to go home cast-free but his surgeon decided to put one on as a precaution.

 

 

That means we get to come back up in a few weeks...

 

 

John's doing well although smiling for the camera is NOT on his agenda at the moment.  Getting something to drink and eat are much higher on his needs list.

 

We will be here at least one more day....

 

Thank you so so much for praying for us.

 

We are so grateful to have so many loving and caring for our little guy.

 

Philly Bound

John and I are leaving tonight for Philly.  I have to teach today so we are leaving as soon as I teach my last class. We won't make it all the way up but we are planning on getting within an hour of the hospital.

 

Tuesday morning we will leave early early from the hotel and go the rest of the way.

Rob is staying home to hold down the fort and to work on a house project that has been on the to-do list for years!  He's ripping out the carpet in our bedroom and laying down hardwood.  The carpet in our bedroom is over 20 years old and is so ready to be ripped out of there!  I voted he do it while I am gone so I don't have to live in the mess!

 

Aaron is excited that he will get to help his Papa after school.

 Our little boys are already missing the fact that they won't be together for a few days.

I'm not sure what Summer is thinking...

 

 

 We would definitely appreciate prayers this week.  Surgery is on Tuesday.  We are hoping to only have to stay in the hospital one night and home on Wednesday.

 

I will try to blog and post on Facebook if I can about how surgery went for John...