Mother of Seven + 2

God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren is a sweet book that any parent wanting to explain to their child in simple words the story of their birth will want on their bookshelf.  It is a board book for ages 0-3.  The story opens with Mama Bear tucking Little Cub in for the night.  Little Cub asks, "Mama, where did I come from?"  Mama Bear then tells her their story of how "God gave us you."  The story is told from a Christian worldview and does a great job of conveying to a little one how precious they are. Mother Bear takes Little Cub back to the time when it was just papa and her.  She tells how they wanted a baby.  She shares their excitement of finding out she was growing inside her.  She continues with how Little Cub grew bigger and bigger in her tummy, how her papa talked to her, and how she prayed for her.  Then Mama Bear concludes with her birth day and how they marveled at the miracle of "incredible you." I am a strong advocate of...

Everything Romance is as it's subtitle states "a celebration of love for couples."  It is a delightful collection of quotes, short stories, poetry, trivia, recipes, date and gift ideas, and the do's and don'ts of romance.  It is a fun book to flip through and read. The quotes were probably my favorite part of the book.  Many famous people's words about love are quoted throughout the book.  Mother Teresa said, "It's not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving."    Dr. Seuss said, "You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."  Albert Einstein said, "Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute and it seems like and hour; sit with a pretty woman for an hour and it seems like a minute.  That's relativity."  These are just a few of the quotes that will keep you turning pages to look for more. The book contains nearly 20 short stories that will...

The first time I read As Silver Refined by Kay Arthur was over ten years ago.  There are phrases from the book that I have never forgotten and have often quoted.  One such phrase was, "Nothing could reach me unless it was filtered through his fingers of love."  That stuck with me and has helped me through struggles that have come my way.  I gave my copy of the book to a friend but many times had wished I'd kept it.  Recently I was excited to get another copy of the book and have the chance to read through it again. As Silver Refined contains Biblical answers to handling life's disappointments.  Kay Arthur opens the book with a vivid description of a silversmith putting silver to the fire and bringing it to perfection.  She then compares the refining process to the work of God in our lives to mold us into his image through the trials and "heat" of this life. The remainder of the book outlines a Christian's response to the struggles of life. Kay ...

To become a foster parent in our state one has to attend thirty hours of classes.  The purpose of the classes is to equip the parents with the tools needed for foster care and adoption.  Many of these hours are spent going over legalities, learning how to fill out all the necessary paperwork, and being certified in administering First Aid.  Quite a bit of time was spent in role play situations to help us understand the child's perspective.  This was helpful. However, once we received our children, I felt poorly equipped.  My husband and I made it a point to go out every other week by ourselves.  We wanted to protect our marriage during this time of high stress.  But I didn't know how to take care of myself.  I didn't even know I needed to take care of myself.  I learned a lot by trial and error. Good news!  There is an e-book out that is extremely helpful.  I recommend it as a must read for any foster or adoptive family.  I...