From Poppyseed to Pumpkin: Rutebaga Week

I've never knowingly eaten a rutabaga in my life. I didn't even know what one looked like until I looked it up just now. But apparently my little baby is approximately the weight (1 1/2 lbs) of an average one.

She is starting to lose her lean look and pack on some fat these next few weeks. The baby, not me...silly. That happened to me several weeks ago. And she is developing her taste buds this week. Fascinating.

I am feeling about normal. Nothing new to report. Still having numerous braxton hicks contractions throughout the day and still taking my weekly progesterone shots. Everything that is supposed to be closed up is still closed up. According to the doctors office, I have gained 15lbs so far...which is right about where I was at this point with the others.

No cravings to report. If anything I have seen a big decrease in my appetite as my stomach to uterus ratio continues to diminish. I'm still sleeping relatively good although it is getting harder and harder to turn over at night and Jeremiah is enjoying himself a little too much at my expense trying to imitate the sounds I emit while turning over. I am also learning how handy it is to have a willing 5, 4, and 3 year old at my bidding to pick up anything I drop. Who knew?!

This weekend holds The Great Room Re-Arrangement and Toy Purge of 2011 in our house. Also known as giving into the nesting urge. I'll be sure to document this riveting event for you.

And, without further ado...She has a name now:

Zoe Elizabeth

No, I am not asking for your opinion on her name. Unless it's a good one.
And yes, I am aware that we are breaking the E streak. We have our reasons. (Which may or may not be stated at a later date.)

Only 15 more weeks to go. Bring it!




































** I just noticed all the fingerprints on my mirror in this picture. Geesh, who is the housekeeper around this place?!**

Thursday Thoughts

Thursday already. My oh my.

I fear Ella has developed an unhealthy fear of cavities. We let her go with Eli when he got the last of his cavities filled, to "help him be brave" and I think it rather traumatized her. She brushes her teeth numerous times a day trying to rid any "sugar bugs" that might be considering taking up residence in her mouth. I can't decided if this is a good or bad thing.
















I went to Harris Teeter with all three littles last night to take advantage of a few of their super double deals. Mostly for the things I didn't want to miss...you know, important things like ice cream, coffee creamer, and french toast. I paid less than $9 for everything pictured. Booyah. I was beginning to think I should remove the "frugality" part from my tagline...I have been sadly sadly sadly slacking in the couponing department. Sadly.
















Have you watched that extreme couponing show? I watched it for the first time last week and oh.my.goodness. some people are just crazy. Really. Why does a single family need 300 tubes of toothpaste stockpiled? Or two extra storage garages just to hold stockpiled stuff? I'm all for saving money and being a good steward of our resources...but really people. Get some perspective.

Speaking of getting a grip. My children (namely Ella) are allowed to set a cup of water out on the counter at night for the off chance they get thirsty in the middle of the night. I think it may be getting out of hand...
















I got to keep good pal Tasha's kids this week. It really is quite amazing how good all six of our kiddo's (ages 6 and younger) get along. We even managed to get in two days of school...if I may pat myself on the back.
















Sadly, I can't say the same effort went into laundry and I fear I may never get caught up. But having clean underwear is highly over rated anyways.

Happy Thursday!

Homeschool:(sort of) End of Year Wrap Up

While we technically still have another month of school to go...Ella has officially met all of our kindergarten goals for the year. And if we are going to be technical about it, Ella has done so much more than just met our goals...she has excelled in them! So now we get to have fun reviewing and...well, just have fun.

And in case anyone is wondering where I got those goals, I made up our list from the North Carolina Kindergarten standards. And this list too was most helpful.

When we first started the year I have to admit I was very overwhelmed with the whole idea of homeschooling. There was just soooo many options, so many opinions, and so many unknowns.

How in the world would I find the time in my seemingly already busy day?
How do I involve the boys? Or entertain them while I teach Ella?
How do I schedule my day?
How do I plan my weeks? Days? An entire school year?

And of course, the weight of being solely responsibly for the education of my child (I don't get to pass the buck to the school system) wasn't something that weighed lightly on my shoulders.

But as time went on we found our groove, readjusted our groove based on the normal daily interruptions, and really readjusted our groove based on the not so normal life interruptions (along comes baby #4). I've refined my philosophy of education. I learned that my teaching method isn't nearly as important as my attitude. I've come to love the holistic approach to teaching at home, making the most of every opportunity to learn and to be excited about learning. And I discovered so many pleasant surprises along the way. I could go on and on but here are just a few:

#1 - I actually really LIKE teaching my children.
#2 - It hasn't been near as hard as I expected.
#3 - It hasn't taken near as much time as I expected. (Our "normal" week includes 3 days of formal teaching, around an hour each day)
#4 - The boys have learned way more than I expected.
#5 - I have learned way more than I expected.

Now, lest I paint a perfect picture...we had our moments and we had our days! And I am realistic in realizing that this was kindergarten and Ella is a really eager learner. I don't expect every year to flow along the way this year has. But this year has given me confidence that we can do this. And that the benefits outweigh the sacrifices.

And, because no post is really considered complete in my mind without some pictures...here is a little collage of pictures from our first school year.

Favorite Photo of the Weekend

all the cousins.
ginger and smokey too.
snuggled up with grandma.
waiting patiently for the eggs to be hidden.

Weekend Recap

I had a very big weekend. VERY big. The highlights included a weekend visit from Jeremiah's family, a surprise 30th birthday party (in which, for the first time in my life...i was actually surprised), a great Easter service at Elevation, a fun family easter egg hunt, and the awesome opportunity of experiencing Eli's first Easter with him.

The lowlights of the weekend included a late night plumbing emergency that brought out a plumber (who is now our good friend, Steve) to our house at 11pm.

So, of course I spent today resting up and recuperating.

Right.

Or maybe I spasmed into a pregnancy nesting spurt and cleaned the entire house, mowed the lawn, and put in our vegetable garden.

Lest you think I am superwoman or had my kids tied up in the closet all day, I should divulge the information that I did have help as Jeremiah had the day off today.

Man, it feels good to have a productive day. But goodness I am crashing now so all those pictures I have to download and edit will have to wait for another day...

Holy Week

This is my favorite week of the whole year. For reasons I've stated before.

And we like to live it up around here. Although, admittedly, I was not near as organized or planned as I've been in previous years...alas, we are still making the most and (hopefully) soaking in some lessons.

You can read about some of the special ways we have celebrated Holy Week in the past here and here and here . And we've incorporated some of those same ideas into this week...as well as branched out into some new things, namely some new arts and crafts.





















We have a lot more planned for the weekend...and are excited to be sharing our Holy Weekend with Jeremiah's parents, sister, and niece and nephew!

And finally, a great read for a reminder of what this weekend is all about.

Happy Easter!

Thursday Thoughts

My trip to Asheville with my bud Briana was a blast. The laughs, the conversations, the food (ohhhh, the food), the sleeping in, the shopping, and the experience of a new culture (yes, Asheville is a very different world than Durham. I've never seen more hippies in my life!) was the best. My favorite part of the trip (besides the company, obviously) was our discovery of the French Broad Chocolate Lounge...a sacred place for chocophiles. Two words: liquid truffles.

A perfect way to ring in the third decade of our lives...and celebrate our friendship that has spanned more than half of it.




































I am currently compiling a list of things you should NOT say to a pregnant woman. Unfortunately this list is a direct result of some of the personal interactions I have had recently. Some of my top favorites:

" I only gained (insert crazy ridiculous number) when I was pregnant."

" Was this a surprise?"

And my personal favorite:

" Are you sure this isn't twins?!"

Really people. FILTER your words. You are dealing with tender emotions here.

I had my first "official" photo shoot for people other than my family this week. I was really nervous going into it...but overall, after looking through all the photos collectively I was happy with how they turned out. More to come on that at a later date.

I also had a much less official photo shoot with my three favorite little people in the world. Here are a few favorites:




































































Happy Thursday!

milestones (of the non-sensical variety)

We maxed out our allowed number of books from the library this week. That is a first for us. It might have had something to do with the fact that all three kids insisted on picking out "their" own books this time. I thought our bag seemed extra heavy.

Ezra has officially entered THAT stage. Yes, that stage. Except he is taking it to a whole other level.

Eli has 100% attached...to his pillow pet. I'll count that as progress (I think?) and try not to let myself get so jealous of his furry friend that gets more love and affection that all of us combined.

Ella has become pre-hormonal at the ripe old age of five.

Jeremiah has resigned himself to the fact that while having a six pack again is possible...it is not probable.

I have resigned myself to the fact that while Jeremiah having a six pack is possible...it is not probable. But then again, this is coming from the girl who at the moment is struggling to see her toes over her belly when standing up. Judge not lest...

future blackmail #17

The funny thing is...I don't think he would have even noticed had I not pointed it out to him, ha!

Perspective: barren wasteland vs. heavenly playground

We had our entire septic system replaced a few weeks ago and the aftermath to our backyard is quite an eyesore at the moment.

To me, that is.

To my boys...it is a heavenly playground of dirt and rocks just perfect for breaking in their new tonka trucks.

Not Me Monday

I love being a mom. Love. Love. Love it.

At all times and at all times.

Therefore, I am not struggling to re-transition into my mommy mode after three days off duty.

(Three blissful days of sleeping in, eating entire meals without getting up once, and abundant adult conversation.)

And I definitely did not inwardly groan and put a pillow over my head to drown out the sounds of my early risers this morning.

Nope. Not me.

Thursday Thoughts (on Friday, again)

I had to ran errands all day long one day this week. And I do mean ALL day long. I had the kids with me and they were awesomely awesome. To reward their awesomeness we stopped off at a park on the way home and I told them they could play to their hearts content. There were several other kids there all around my kiddo's ages...and they all combined to make this giant preschool party. Somehow Ella, Ezra, and another little boy came up with the idea that the giant tunnel was a spaceship that was about to take off.

Their takeoff countdown sounded something like this: 15...14...13...17...11teen...9...8...7...3...2...1

Cracked me up every time. Which was a lot because they were quite entertained by this game.

By the time we made it home we were all woofed. So I quickly did dinner, bath, and put a movie on for them.

That's when the highlight of my day happened. Actually, the highlight of my last 9 months with Eli. Especially considering the week we had with him last week.

He climbed up in my lap (or should I say, what is left of my lap) and snuggled into me. And then promptly fell asleep.


























In the past if he was really tired he would just conk out on the couch or even go back to his bed by himself. But this time he wanted me. And I'm so glad he did.

I leave this morning for a birthday girls (our 30th, yikes!) weekend getaway with my best gal pal, Briana. We go waaaay back...to freshmen year of high school. Goodness, the dirt we have on each other.
















I don't even know if I'll know how to act. No kids and no husband. Good thing I'm preggers or else I just might get a little wild, ha!

It's also a good thing I have an awesomely awesome husband whom I never even think twice about leaving the kids with. Seriously. And an awesomely awesome friend who is helping out with the kids on Sunday so that my stay can be extended for the whole weekend!

Happy Friday!

hey, good looking...

Here are two of my favorite recipe's lately. They never fail me and everyone in our family loves them (which is no small feat!)

1) Pepperoni Pasta

I have no actual measurements for this recipe. It involves a lot of "eye balling", which is kind of how I cook. This is especially good for those nights when I forget to defrost any meat. I usually serve it with a side salad and french bread. From start to finish I can have this ready in 15 minutes!

Ingredients:
1 box of noodles (I usually use angel hair, but have done penne and bow tie as well)
Olive oil
Pepperoni slices (I usually use about 1/2 a package)
Parmesan cheese
Garlic Salt/Italian seasoning
Roma or grape tomatoes
Red Onion/green onion
Optional: Black olives

Directions:
Cook noodles. Add in sliced pepperoni's, salt/seasonings, tomatoes, cut up onions, and olives. Sprinkle liberally with olive oil and parmesan cheese. Mix and serve!

2) DeeDee's Coffee Cake

A favorite from my best friends mom. I remember eating it at her house as a high schooler...and now everyone in my family loves it as well! Especially good with coffee on a lazy Saturday morning.

Ingredients:
1 cp butter
2 cp sugar
3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 cp milk (soured with a little bit of lemon juice - and let sit for a few minutes)
1/2 cp applesauce
1 heaping tsp of baking soda

Directions:
Mix butter, sugar, and flour on low speed. Set aside 2/3 cup of this mixture for topping later. Add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, milk, applesauce, and baking soda to remainder of mixture. Top with set aside topping. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

streaker

Streak-er (noun)
: to run naked through a public place.
_________________________________________________________________

So...it wasn't necessarily a public place.

But it was the front yard.

the icing on the cake

In my life I have a lot of icing...

A great loving family.
An incredible husband.
3 (and a 1/2) awesome kids.
My health and the health of my family.
Loyal friends who "get" me.
A comfortable home.
And just about all the accoutrements that I could ever want or need.

I don't worry about where my next meal is coming from.
I have plenty of clothes to wear, appropriate for all weather.
I can take my children to the doctor anytime they need it.
I don't have to choose between feeding my children or paying my bills.

I even get icing on top of the icing...

Reese eggs.
Good books to read.
My camera.
Vacations.
A comfy (paid for) van to drive around in.
Painted toenails.


But I was reminded by Lynn Cowell (Proverbs 31 ministries) during a recent conference that no matter how much icing I am blessed with in my life...It is no substitute for the cake.

Christ is my cake. My fulfillment. I find my completion in him. I find my identity in Him.

And he is good.

(After all, if the cake isn't any good...no amount of icing will satisfy.)

And this is what he thinks about me (about you)...

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

The King is enthralled with your beauty; honor him for he is your Lord. Psalm 45:11

He will fill me up. (Ephesians 3:19)
He wants to satisfy my desires. (Psalm 103:5)
He is my treasure. (Job 22:5)

Sometimes I can just get so focused in on the icing that I forget about the cake. Good things: my husband, my children, my family...all very good things. But they are no substitute for the substance of my life. And if I let them define me then I am easily up or down depending on their behavior, my relationship with them at the moment.

But when I find that completion in Him, in Christ...the icing on the cake is that much sweeter.

And to carry that even further...the absence of icing doesn't rock my world because I am already filled up and am satisfied by the cake.

So, I encourage you today...are you focused on the icing (or lack of) in your life? Or on the cake.

Take some time to really ask yourself where you are finding your completion today. If it is not the cake...if it is not Christ...consider how he feels about you. How he longs for a relationship you.
And not just a boring life, but a satisfying, fulfilling, passionate, and purpose giving relationship!

man boobs

For the record, his are the only set of man boobs I will ever consider cute.

From Poppy Seed to Pumpkin: Spaghetti Squash Week

Our little girl weighs in at over a pound now (still doesn't explain the 11lbs I have gained...) and is about a foot long. Or just imagine a spaghetti squash.

Mmm...I could really go for some spaghetti squash right about now.

She is VERY active. The most active baby I have had. And she has developed a pattern of being VERY awake at night...around midnight she gets into her aerobics.

Too bad her mommy is such a slacker at doing her aerobics. Oh wait...its called the keeping up with 3 other children workout.

I am feeling mostly good. As good as a pregnant woman can feel, I suppose. Still sleeping good and having some crazy dreams lately. I've been craving watermelon and Reese eggs. And let me tell you, it is a good time of year to be craving Reese eggs. If I lift anything heavier than 5lbs or run the vacuum or push a cart at the grocery store my back really lets me know...but I am learning to accommodate and Jeremiah is an excellent massage therapist.

Nesting. Oh, the nesting. It is settling in...and I crazy bad want to go ahead and move kids rooms around and get everything ready. But it is going to be a major reorganization of kids and rooms and toys and things and we are going to need to designate a few days to the job...so it probably won't happen until May. Until then I have settled for reorganizing my tupperwear drawer.

Before and After:





























And going through all my baby clothes. I even gave away all my baby boy stuff...sniff.

















And, last but not least...the belly shot:

Not Me Monday: middle of the night edition

My husband did not accidentally knock over a glass of water on his nightstand table in the middle of the night with his unwieldy elbows.

And it was not a very tall and full glass of water.

And he most definitely did not sit up in a panic, disoriented at the sound of trickling water, and ask me if my water had broken.

And of course I didn't tell him that he wasn't allowed to have a drink in the bedroom anymore unless it was in a sippy cup.

Nope. Never happened.

Thursday Thoughts (on Friday)

My silly boys worked hard at attempting to "cross their eyes" this week...






































































Eli has had a few better days since I last wrote. Slow steps back.

I didn't write yesterday because I was on my way up to my family in the north. And for any robbers that might get any ideas...don't. even. bother. I left my ex navy seal husband at home to bach it for the weekend. Along with a team of septic tank workers who are finally filling in the swimming pools and backyard jacuzzi's. We are sadly losing our redneck status.

What was supposed to be a 5 1/2 hour trip ended up taking almost 8 hours. I might have had to stop to pee every hour. Not the kids. Me. And I was less than an hour away from arrival when I saw a sign letting me know that my road was closing up ahead due to a catastrophic automobile accident. I got off on a side road, hoping to divert it, and ended up sitting on a small side road for almost two hours instead. Fun times. Oh, and I had to pee (again). I was seriously considering pulling out one of Eli's pull ups. I cannot brag on my kids enough though...they did AWESOME. I seriously don't think I heard one complaint come out of their lips.

(For all of you parents of really small kids...road trips really do get easier! I promise.)

We are one gigantic step closer to choosing a name for the little girl be bopping around in my belly. We actually found a name that we both like. And here's a shocker...its NOT an E name. And to be cruel...we are not sharing yet. We want to try it out for a little while to see if it sticks. Although I'm pretty sure you could get it out of Ella with a little pressure. (She likes bubble gum.)

Happy Friday!

the ugly face of regression

We have been having a week of regression with Eli.

Darn it. Darn it to heck. And back.

Just when you think things are moving along and everything is peachy keen and you let your guard down...I am reminded that there is no learning curve for adoption parenting. Heck, there is no such thing as a learning curve for any kind of parenting!

And my favorite (strong sarcastic tone) reminder of all times: I cannot control my children.

Much as I might trick myself into thinking this for 1/2 a millisecond.

He was all but 90% potty trained. Now we are having accidents.
He was becoming braver about trying new physical things. Testing his limits. Going down slides and jumping on trampolines like a conqueror. Now he is timid and unsure again.
He was affectionate and always underneath my feet. Now he prefers to play alone.
He was happily initiating play with Ezra. Now he is frequently whining if Ezra even throws a glance in his direction.

It doesn't matter that every single adoption and attachment book and expert warned that this thing called attachment is a roller coaster ride...and three steps forward is almost always followed by four steps back. It still confuses. It still frustrates. And it still hurts.

I don't know what is causing this.
I can't think of any change, break from routine, or new environment that is triggering this.
And, most frustrating...I can't control him and I can't make him trust me. I can't make him believe that I am not ever going to leave him or abandon him. I can't get into his psyche and pound my love into him.

I can only be here for him. Starting over from what feels like 6 months ago.

I can step back and use the word of God to fight against the frustration and anger that rises up in me. And I can also master the art of hiding in my closet and breathing slowly for 60 seconds until my anger has past!

I can offer an unconditional love that is fueled by the example Christ has loved me with. Fleshed out daily in patient words and extra reassurance of his important position in our family.

After all...

I don't love him for who he will be someday.
I love him now.
Today.
Potty accidents and timid ways.
I love him because he is my son.

And I am trusting that we will work through whatever emotional need he is dealing with and we will all come out of this 5 steps ahead at the end.

All about the Ella

It is time for an Ella update. And be officially warned that this is a gratuitous free for all of mushy biased pride and love for my first born.

First of all, let me state that I am loving the age and stage of five. Loving it. No, she isn't a baby anymore...but, then again...she isn't a baby anymore! She is self sufficient and independent, yet still asks me to lay with her and rub her back at bedtime. The best of both worlds.

Her world has exploded to include the realms of kindergarten and extra curricular activities and watching her grow and learn and develop is absolutely the most amazing part of being a parent. She loves school and is very easy to teach. I know I am biased (remember I warned you)...but the girl is smart. Really smart. She has picked up almost every new concept we've worked on this year with ease and has a memory like an elephant. She has made me love homeschooling.

We started a reading chart for her a few weeks ago...with a goal of 20 books to read. I let her choose her incentive (with a few parameters...no, we cannot go to Disney world!) for completing her chart and she choose a trip to chuck e cheese. (Sidenote: That place is my idea of hell on earth.) I set up a few rules (no counting the same book twice, etc.) and told her that this chart was going to be completed on her own initiative...no begging or prodding from me.

And I sat back and thought I'd get at least a few months out of this thing.

Nope. It was finished last week.


























So we had a date and went to hell on earth last weekend. And set up a new reading chart with a goal of 50 books.

She finished up her first session of gymnastics this week and man, she has loved it! She normally can be a bit quiet and shy in new group settings, but this did not apply here. She walked right up to the front of the class from the very beginning and never looked back.


























She is also taking piano lessons from our good friend Kristen and while she had a traumatic start (she fell backwards off the piano bench and hit her head on the corner of a rocking chair on her first lesson!) she has grown to love it. I am of absolutely no help to her on this and refer to her Daddy for all help with homework and practicing.

She is my sleeper and still takes a nap 1 or 2 days a week and is always the last one up in the mornings. She is not a picky eater...just a dainty one and only eats about half as much as her brothers. While sweet and fairly easy going she has a very strong competitive streak that surprises us at times. It is a great source of frustration for her that she has not lost a tooth yet. She loves fairies and horses and climbing trees. She is working hard at mastering a front flip on the trampoline as well as braiding her barbies hair.

We have seen her relationship with the Lord deepen as she has grown in understanding. She genuinely desires to do her "Bible time" and fastidiously copies letters and sentences in her journal. And how completely humbling it is to realize that she has set the standard within our family on how to love Eli.

No. She isn't perfect and has her penchants for bossiness, manipulation, and occasional meltdowns. (The apple doesn't fall far...)

But she is the best first born five year old daughter I could have ever been blessed with.

Not Me Monday

I did not write the following apology note to Jeremiah this weekend:




































1) I never do anything to warrant an apology to my husband.

2) Especially something as ridiculous as what the note said.

I mean, come on. Really? Who does stuff like that?

Not me.

**disclaimer: permission to share was given by all parties involved **

Memory Monday: One Thing

Luke 10:38-42

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha", the Lord answered, "you are worried about many things, but only ONE THING is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Homeschooling: Colored People

We studied skin colors this week in our home school. And not just in the "that is the way God made you" kind of way, although I do believe that.

Remember the late great DC talk song, Colored People?

Pardon me, your epidermis is showing,
sir I couldn't help but note your shade of melanin
I tip my hat to the colorful arrangement
Cause I see the beauty in the tones of our skin...

Man, that song brings back some memories.

But I digress...

I do believe that song. I do believe that God is a creative God and we as his creation reflect His artists heart.

But Ella has been asking the deeper why questions. Why is Eli's skin darker than hers? Why is Ezra's skin lighter than hers? And at the age of five, I am incredibly proud of how observant she is. How discontent she is with just a quick answer. She keeps us on our toes folks. And, you might remember that my vanilla son was caught licking my chocolate sons skin a few weeks ago. So, I better include them in this weeks lessons as well.

I found a great resource when planning this weeks lesson here. In fact, I basically copied most of their ideas as I found all of them to be perfect for the ages of my children. I also utilized our library and ordered several books related to the subject. The kids favorite was this one.

We cut people out of magazines and made a collage out of them. We looked at our world map and talked about how different skin colors are (generally) found in certain countries. We did a fun and super messy (therefore, they loved it) experiment to visually show the four main components that make up all our skin. We mixed paint to "match" our individual skin colors and painted our traced hands. We looked at several Bible verses to learn about what God has to say about us:

We are created in His image. (Gen 1:27)
He is enthralled with our beauty. (Psalm 45:11)
We are to treat our neighbors (regardless of skin color) the way we want to be treated. (Gal 5:14)

And, I must confess...this was one of those weeks that I think I learned as much (probably more) than the kids did!




















As a transracial family I feel it is important to be intentional in talking about race and skin color and our differences. But regardless if your family is transracial or not, I think it is an important lesson for any family. The old belief that children are basically color blind is just not true. Kids notice differences...from the earliest ages they are taught to classify (shape sorters, etc.) and as their parents we are their primary source of information! By not talking about these differences we potentially send the message that different is bad...however unintentional that message is. How important it is that we explain the way God views all people and to teach them the reasons for the differences.

Then different doesn't become bad in their little minds...it just is different.

A piece of canvas is only the beginning for
It takes on character with every loving stroke
This thing of beauty is the passion of an Artist's heart
By God's design, we are a skin kaleidoscope...