the 12 days of giving at home

I heard it estimated that if Americans were to take 1/4 what their Christmas spending and use it for other causes, it would be enough to end world hunger!  Whether that is true or not, I don’t know, but doesn’t it make you stop and think?

A few years ago, I did The 12 Days of Christmas with our kids where each day for the 12 days leading up to Christmas, they would receive a little gift.  It was usually something that they needed anyway like pajamas or maybe a new puzzle or game that we could open and enjoy together.  Then, on our huge rolled-out sheet of paper taped to the wall, the kids would draw what they received and we would sing our own “12 Days of Christmas” song substituting their received items.  It was very fun and I recommend it to stretch out gifts or treats or time together.

But this year, I started thinking about the value of giving.   I want to raise givers, don’t you?  Givers leave behind a legacy of giving.  And the heart of a giver, according to the Grinch and good ol’ Scrooge, is an open heart – a big heart that is open to receive the greatest gifts like joy and peace.   No doubt our One True God is the greatest giver of all time – in creativity, thoughtfulness and magnitude!   To be given a Savior?  From all of this grinchiness and scrooginess?  Incredible.

Is it more blessed to give than to receive?  We are aiming to find out!  And we welcome you to join us!

How to do 12 Days of Giving with your kids:

1.  Make a giving list. 

The kids and I made a list of all the people, groups or organizations they felt like helping out.   They wanted to help Daddy, their teachers and a few organizations we know about.  I helped them think of ideas and as we were out about town, we would write down the opportunities to give that we saw (like a mitten tree, Toys for Tots, etc.).   The giving couls be all for neighbors and people close by.  It’s all about intention.

2.  Give your kids a giving budget.

Nash started to worry about using all of his truly hard-earned allowance and I assured him that we would give each child a giving fund.  Take all or a portion of what you would usually give this year and let your kids help spend it.   Our kids particularly love the giving catalogs, like the one for Compassion International, where you can shop by price – $55 gives a family clean water for life, $10 gives a child school supplies, etc.

3.  Spread the giving bug!

Share what you are doing here or on your blog.  Share the giving bug with your child’s classroom, school, your family, church.  Set a group goal for one of the days and be creative!  After all, caroling is a gift.  Cleaning windows is a gift.  Not screaming at your siblings (self-control) is a very peaceful gift.  Even with zero dollars, we all have many things to give!

For Day One our kids decided to forgo allowance.  And these kids work hard for allowance!  Each time they help out by cleaning, taking care of a sibling or anything else that is sincere and helpful to the function of our home,  they get a sticker or two.  At the end of the week, they cash in their stickers for 10cents each.  It’s our way to recognize their hard work and their call to responsibility.  They reasoned that by skipping allowance, they would be helping Daddy who works so hard to provide for our family.   “And that’s the most stickers I’ve ever even had!,” exclaimed Hattie.  It was such a sweet gesture… and of course we let them experience the joy of giving that big of a gift to him.

happy birthday, sweet harriet

The question we get asked most often of Hattie is:  Is she always like that?

And the answer: Yes!

Always fiercely passionate and dreamily pleasant.

Always unleashed in thought, action, speech, volume and laughter.

As comfortable in a crowd as she is on the couch at home.

Free as a little bird.

Gives the best compliments one could ever dream.

Spends over 60% of her time in her imagination.  And usually, in costume.

Makes up new songs everyday.  Forgives effortlessly.  Equally adores mud pits and pink tulle.  Never sees a bad side to anything.

She is a true character – one not easily forgotten.  And we don’t deserve her or the thoughtfulness, joy, enthusiasm, hilarity and sweetness that shines through her actions and into our lives every day.

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Here are some Hattie quotes in celebration of her 5th year!

- “When I’m not mad and I try to make myself mad, I just can’t be mad no matter what I do!  I can try and try like ‘errrgh!’, but it just doesn’t work.  I’m still not mad.”

- “Well, mom!  I have changed my mind.  I have changed it to choice that I am going to let myself grow up.”

- “Whatcha up to, boys?”

- “I know you are supposed to be old, like a grandma and everything, but you’re really pretty.”

- “That sure is  ‘fewph’!” (as in ‘a relief’)

- “When I grow up, I want to be a paleontologist.”

Gifted in hospitality, born to take chances – may the Lord we serve protect you as you rise to set changing foot in the world you so love.  Happy birthday, sweetheart!

zoya’s “gotcha day”

Happy Thanksgiving one and all!  Today, we can all be extra thankful about Zoya’s Gotcha Day, as it is widely referred to among the adoption community!  I took flowers to the orphanage director this morning, said good-bye to the staff and children (through tears), dressed Zoe in a snazzy looking outfit and off we went!  Just like that.

She is sitting here on m”y lap so I’ll let her say a few words:

” jcvnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnv vbvvbvbnmhbbnnnnnnnnnnbbbbbbbbbbbbb                nfnv7777777777777777777777777766l,uh”  Well said, Zoe!

We are off to the store to buy some important things…like candy, and to see if a US umbrella stroller will actually roll on these sidewalks.  But, first I wanted to share some photos!!!!!

An orphan no more. Bye, bye Zoya's bed.

First car ride! Wow!!!! First gander at what lies beyond the gates.

First, she had to check her email.

Serious business....

We had our first Thanksgiving meal. Soup, apples and bread.

I don't think she'd ever used a fork, but she caught on fast

Sacked out for a 2 hour nap! Go, Zoe! Love this girl. Such sweetness.

jet arrives at 2

The boy who climbs to the greatest heights has arrived at 2…and right on time.

To the little one who brings the big peace in the middle of chaotic days.

From the day you were born, it was like the word peace was spoken over you.  Easy going, delighted in things pure and simple, steady-paced, never bent out of shape with that ready-to-laugh spark.  I adore you. We are grateful to have you.  We love you!

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live mocha

I have recently become a Live Mocha mama!  If you are wanting to learn or practice a language that you don’t use very often, I highly suggest checking it out.

Live Mocha is an immersion learning program that starts you out with words, as opposed to letters and numbers.  I guess they think you’ll figure that out for yourself.

For Russian, it certainly requires some outside study to jump into reading and writing with the Cyrillic alphabet.  So, I’m learning Russian pronunciation and letter sounds from other online sources.   Being a bit of language geek, I would drown myself in languages if I had the time and the calling.   My heart leaped out of my chest when I typed that first zhe (ж) with a Russian keyboard!   I almost called someone to share the excitement, but who?

When we began this adoption journey, language didn’t even come to mind. But God is full of unending grace and can’t keep himself from giving good things.  By his love, I have been given the most awesome, justified reason in the world to dive into a new language – a daughter!   This kind of love takes the cake.

I botched my way through my first Russian writing exercise, submitted it and  Live Mocha asked me to review a beginning English learner’s submission.  She was from Japan, I think.  Then, four or five native Russian speakers reviewed my writing and now I have Live Mocha friends who are native Russian speakers to whom I’ve already been asking questions.  They are from Russia, Ukraine and Georgia.  I’m helping them practice English, too!

Here’s to Stas, Melina, Miari, Kostya and a very special connection, Alina, for helping me learn Russian.  Alina is learning Chinese and has a high proficiency in English.  Her grandmother’s name was…get this…Zoya.   Zoe!  Again!

I’m thrilled to pieces with my new language resource…and of course, my reason to learn.

P.S.  I encourage the use of www.livemocha.com – and I also encourage you to friend with caution.  For instance, I will not friend a guy that is not married, has been on there a year and only has female friends.  No thanks!  Use caution as you proceed in becoming multi-lingual.

life in 10-minute increments

I have succumb to living life in many 10-minute-increments.

Blog for 10 minutes, tend to a scraped knee.  Paint for 10 minutes, put an ice pack on a forehead.  Fold clothes for 10 minutes, band-aid a paper cut.  Hmmm…seems like we have a lot of injuries going on around here.  Growing kids, no matter how coordinated, can’t keep up with the changing length of elbows and knees.  It’s true.

Let me try again.  Sans injuries.

Ahem…clean up dishes for 10 minutes, unbutton a dress that is stuck on one little girl’s head.  Check email for 10 minutes, remind said girl to put on a different dress.  Pick up toys for 10 minutes, help said girl into new dress that has confusing straps.

You get the picture.

Surprisingly, my 10-minute increments these days are way more productive than my 2-hour increments of days past.  Efficiency – the necessity of motherhood.

our family

sweet kiddos on a little piece of land + music, gardening, love and serving Jesus = the good life

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sweet kids