Recent reads 8/11/16.

I basically get all of my book recommendations from blogs I read, in case anyone was wondering. I like reading reviews from people who've read them already. Here are my three recent reads:

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion- I enjoyed this book. It was an easy read that flowed well and kept me entertained. It's about a man who has Aspergers but doesn't know it, and he comes up with this really long, intense questionnaire he asks girls to fill out in order to find the perfect partner because he doesn't like dating and wants to avoid the small talk by already learning about them before meeting them. As in the title, he meets a girl named Rosie, who is nothing like what he thought he wanted, and helps her find DNA samples from men to determine who her father is. I won't spoil the ending, but you can guess if they end up together. :) I would recommend.

Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Book Store by Robin Sloan- I had heard several people talk about this book, so I was excited to read it. I'm not sure what I was hoping for, but it was not what I thought it would be at all. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't my favorite. It's just really weird- there were a couple times where I thought about quitting it, but then I would get too intrigued and have to keep going. It's difficult to even describe the plot- it's about a guy named Clay who ends up working in this bookstore, but he starts noticing weird things. There are hardly any customers, but the ones they do have are repeats and he starts tracking that they are checking out obscure books and trying to break some sort of code, which leads him into this whole spiral into trying to figure out what's going on. It was definitely interesting!

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter- This book felt a little long to me, but good enough to keep going. It was good, but not great. It follows several different characters over about 50 years and goes back and forth through time, so each chapter is about a different person at a different moment in time. It sounds confusing, but it really wasn't too hard to follow. It's basically about a man names Pasquale Tursi who has this woman come stay at his inn, and he loves her, but they are separated due to different circumstances and it's about how all these character's stories are intertwined. I saw this sentence on a book review site and thought it was captivating: Beautiful Ruins is a novel that highlights the apparent insignificance of a single life while exploring the many ways in which one person can unwittingly impact the lives of many others.

Norah's first swimming lessons!

Norah had her first swimming lessons last week! We signed her up for the introductory parent/child swim class. I'm glad we did! Norah loves to swim, but she didn't love the class like I thought or hoped she would. I think being in a large group setting with a teacher made her nervous. When we take her to the pool, she usually doesn't mind getting her face wet, and she even pours water on her own head in the tub sometimes and laughs, but she did not want to get her head wet or do some of the activities. 

Thankfully we were able to distract/encourage her and I think she mostly had at least an okay time! There were a few parts she loved, which were getting a stick (one of those things that sinks to the bottom and you just keep throwing it and getting it), playing ring around the rosie (which she just calls "rosie" and still brings it up), and going down the slide.

This was when she was supposed to be getting her face wet, but she's just standing by the side waiting for the teacher to give her a stick. Ha.

Ring around the Rosie! Norah's friend, Ainsley, took the class too and she loved to hold her hand.

I love her face! Is there anything better than watching your kids be so happy?

Getting her treat and certificate. She thought she needed to eat the treat immediately (a bag of skittles), but thankfully she was completely content after one and then forgot about the rest. I will treasure these glory days because I know when she gets older she'll want the entire bag!

Congratulations Norah! I know this isn't a huge deal, but since I'm your mom I get to blow everything up into a big deal. Way to be brave and finish your first swimming lessons!

Toddler toys wish list.

Hello! Hope you are having a great day. Here are a few things that are on my wish list for Norah from Learning Resources- they have great educational toys! (Maybe some ideas for Norah's 2nd birthday in October- can't believe it!)

-Learning Essentials Magnetic Counting Garden Puzzles- I have a magnetic white board hung low in our hallway right outside our kitchen and rotate different magnets (I definitely do not trust Norah to use whiteboard markers yet, at least not without me sitting right there), and these would be perfect for that to practice numbers and puzzles too!

-Learning Essentials Ocean Wonders Build & Spin- They also have a really cute flower/garden one too! This would be a fun, different take on a puzzle that also adds a problem solving element of having to connect the pieces together to get it to spin.

-Learning Essentials Magnetic Letters, Numbers, & Shapes- These look fun! Norah has these jumbo uppercase magnetic letters already, but these would be fun too and also have numbers and shapes.

-Smart Snacks Counting Cookies- Norah is a huge fan of cookies, so I think she would love these!

-Smart Snacks Alpha Pops- They also have these Snap and Learn Alphabet Alligators that look neat too! What a fun way to practice upper/lowercase matching.

-New Sprouts Style It- Norah loves to play with my brush and straightener (turned off/cooled, of course) in the bathroom when I get ready, so I think she would like this. 

-New Sprouts Bushel of Fruit- Norah already has the bushel of veggies, and the fruit would be great too! It's such nice quality. When I taught, some of the play food we had was so cheap that the second it got bit or squished it never looked good again- doesn't happen with this!

-New Sprouts Cure It My Very Own Doctor Set- Norah has a infant doctor kit that's very basic, but this would be a fun step up. Norah loves to play with the thermometer, so I think this would be a hit too. She is also scared of going to the doctor, so this would be a neat way to prepare her for that and practice what they do there.

-Smart Snacks Number Pops- I know these are similar to the alpha pops (above), but I just love them, and what a good way to learn to match the number of dots to the correct number and to learn that the actual number is a representation of that number of objects.

-Smart Snacks Shape Sorting Cupcakes- Norah is big into matching things right now, like her shape cube or puzzles, so this would be fun!

Utterly remarkable things.

I read this book (Notes From A Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World by Tsh Oxenreider) a few years ago, and this quote has still stuck with me and I still sometimes think about it:

No, the beautiful thing about living a slower, richer life is that you can impact others in the most surprising ways. You may have more wiggle room in your bank account to support a nonprofit doing amazing things, or when you hear of a friend in need, you an quietly slip some folded cash under her door. But a slower life could also mean picking up a figurative (or literal) plow and tilling the fields where your help is desperately needed, taking time out each year to serve in a part of the world that could change both your family and a slice of humanity for the better. It may mean supporting local farmers whose businesses would otherwise fold. It could mean choosing not to turn a naive eye away from the starving and the bought-and-sold around the world because you're spending your time reading a book that reveals what's really going on inside your door, instead of who's being cut from the latest reality show. Or it could even mean simply cultivating a home life so that one of your children grows up to do something utterly remarkable because she is keenly aware of how blessed she really is. 

I include the whole paragraph so you can get a little taste of what came before, but the last sentence is so striking to me now as a stay-at-home-mom. I am very content in this season of life- I love staying home and would never want to trade it for anything- but as in all seasons, there are far too many times where Satan tries to speak lies. Lies like maybe I'm not doing enough, helping enough, impacting enough, etc.

But that is not true. I may not be changing many lives right now like some are, but that is perfectly okay because this is where I am called for right now. Changing the life of my child (and future children) is a most honorable calling and gift. Young children are demanding, yet people need in their life a few who truly and deeply invested in them in order to thrive and have healthy attachments.

When I think about how much my parents have impacted my life, I am so grateful and I hope that Kley and I can do that for Norah. To think that I have the opportunity to teach her about Jesus and that she could grow up to do something utterly remarkable because she realizes how blessed she is by Him makes me cry and get goosebumps.

Norah, you will do utterly remarkable things. I know it, because you already have to me.

Summer weddings.

We have had lots of weddings this summer! Our good family friend, Erica, married JD and they are off to Arizona to both be teachers. Erica is my sister Karlie's best friend, and Erica's sister Stephanie is my best friend. Our families went to church together and did lots together growing up. It was fun to celebrate!

JD's two sisters, my sister, and Erica's two sisters were the bridesmaids.

Parents praying over them.

I love this picture and love my siblings!

I was going to include pictures of my cousin's wedding in this post too, but our flight got cancelled and we ended up not being able to make it. Bummer! We were sad to not be able to celebrate and see family, but it was nice to have a quiet weekend at home too. And we got to see Elizabeth (Kley's sister) because she was in town, so that was nice!

Favorite toddler toys.

Doing baby/toddler reviews is probably one of my favorite things! Here are some of Norah's favorite toddler toys:

-Magna-Tiles- These are pricey but so worth it. It's also worth it to spring for the big box (which is what this link is (100 pieces vs. 32). When I taught preschool, these were by far the most fought over toy. They work very well for both genders and a lot of ages. Norah is still a big young for them- she still likes them, but she just stacks them all together instead of building things. I'm excited to watch her grow into them and build things later! They also maintain interest for a long time, which is amazing.

-Kid O Pattern Stacker Toy- We got this at this amazing children's store in Sioux Falls and I really love it! We previously had the Melissa and Doug Geometric Stacker, which was good, but it just didn't withstand the test of time to me. The paint was chipping off all over and it was wooden. I like this one better because it's plastic and super durable. Babies can put them in their mouth all they want and it won't chip or break, or older kids can use it to make designs, practice patterning, etc.

-Learning Resources Jumbo Uppercase Magnetic Letters- I've actually researched magnets for a long time, because it's hard to find ones big enough that aren't a choking hazard, that are durable, plastic, and won't break. These are great! They are big enough for little hands, and are great for working on all kinds of skills- letter recognition, letter sounds, beginning spelling words, etc. They have lowercase letters too! Norah definitely needs to grow into these, as we have been practicing letters but she doesn't really know any yet and basically right now they all just end up in a scattered pile on the floor. Every time I put them back on our magnet board hanging on our wall, I tell myself letter exposure is a good thing, even if she doesn't get it!

-LeapFrog Learning Friends Preschool Play Set- Norah got this for Easter from her aunt and uncle, and it's one of her favorite toys. I figured she would enjoy it, but it's probably one of her favorite toys! She will play with it independently better than a lot of other things. I love it because it simulates a lot of what actually happens at preschool, so it's preparing her without her even knowing. There are a lot of different musical sounds/stories that play, and there are different settings, like free play, story time, music time, etc. Each animal actually has it's own personality! I think this is good for Norah because she has pretty bad separation anxiety and I think she will have trouble going to school, just like I did, so this is a good toy to help her with that! 

-Melissa and Doug Shape Sorting Cube- Norah has enjoyed this for awhile now. It's very developmentally appropriate- there are 12 shapes, which is more than most other shape sorters have, and it's hard enough to be a challenge but not so easy they can do it quickly.

Funny story, it actually is challenging because there is a parallelogram and a diamond, and they are both yellow and shaped very similarly. Norah was getting frustrated once because it wouldn't fit it, when she had the wrong one, but it was so close and looked so similar! It's good to practice names of shapes too!

-Ikea Animal Finger Puppets- Norah has these finger puppets, along with a few other kinds, and is just getting to the age where she enjoys putting them on her fingers and practicing animals/sounds. They are also really nice for diaper bags/travel since they are small!

-Learning Resources Stacking Shapes Peg Board- Norah's version is older (hers are all circles) since we got it from a retiring teacher, but she loves it! There are many things you can practice with this- shapes, colors, counting, stacking, patterning, etc.

-Melissa and Doug Ice Cream Scoop Set- This is one of Norah's favorite things in her kitchen.

-Green Toys Tea Set- This set is such nice quality and so durable. Norah loves to serve tea!

-Melissa and Doug Pots & Pans- Norah got these for Christmas, and they are a favorite. She will sit there and make imaginary food for a long time. She loves to put the pans in the microwave (in her play kitchen), fill them with water in the sink, and stir. She will stir, which is just her rattling a spoon around in the empty pot, for so long and then look to proud and give me a taste. They are also excellent quality, and fun that the look so real.

-Hot Wheels Cars- Whether you are a boy or girl, Hot Wheels are just a classic I think. Norah loves driving them around. These are also a perfect diaper bag/travel toy!

Big news: We're doing foster care!

Wow, what a title. Yes, it's true!

We haven't shared this news with people besides family and close friends, but this part of our journey has been unfolding behind the scenes for awhile now, so we felt it was time to share as the time of it actually happening is getting closer. Here's how it came about:

I have always been interested in adoption. I feel that works well with the gifts God has blessed me with in teaching/kids, helping others, and empathy, and has always been a desire of mine. I believe I even wrote it on a list of qualities I wanted in my future husband when I was about 12. Woah.

(In case you aren't familiar with our back story, Kley and I have been married for 6 years in August. Our first year was in Minneapolis while I finished school, then we lived in Des Moines for 3.5 years while Kley went to law school and I taught preschool, and we have lived in small town NW Iowa since Christmas 2014. We have one daughter, Norah, who will be 2 in October.)

While adoption had always been on the back burner of my mind, I hadn't specifically thought about foster care. We started talking about it when we moved here. I was feeling drawn to it first and I kept thinking about it, but Kley wasn't feeling called, so we didn't talk about it for awhile. We both felt that it was very important to be on the same page, so if he wasn't feeling it like I was, then we weren't doing it/the timing wasn't right.

Foster care kept coming up to me/us in our devotionals and in some studies our life group did about spiritual multiplication and sharing the Gospel in your marriage, and it kept coming up. Kley started bringing it up a couple times on his own, without me saying anything, and we started talking about it. We both felt like this was something God was calling us to, so we started taking steps to make that a reality (I'll talk more about that later). I will always remember the conversation we had in the car after life group one night where we both knew this was it and we were doing it.

Now that I am staying home, I was really praying when we moved here about what I could do with my time and our home that would be of eternal value and that would share His name. We really wanted to find a way to tangibly and practically share the Gospel with others and use our time and gifts in ways that made a difference eternally. That looks different for everyone based on God's calling for you, but for us, we feel we can do that through foster care. It's very scary, but also brings a sense of peace to be obedient, even though it will be challenging at times. We know it will be stretching and consuming, but we've been feeling really convicted that we aren't supposed to life an easy life as Christians. If serving Him isn't hard sometimes, then we are doing something wrong. Serving Him should expand us. Foster care will be hard, yes, and it will be demanding, but we know we are called to do this and we want to be obedient and faithful. He has been so faithful to us and we know He will give us the strength we need.

So, for now, we are still in the process of making it official (we have to take lots of classes), so it will be a couple months until we actually could have children in our home, but the intense part of our classes is underway, so we are excited and anxious to learn a lot. We are becoming certified for foster care and adoption, but in the foreseeable future we are not actively pursuing adoption. We want to be certified for it because we would like to do it someday and want to be ready in case we would have a situation in which a foster child became available for adoption.

We will keep you updated, but wanted to share the initial news! We absolutely do not share this news as a "pat on the back" to us in any way, because that's not what we are looking for. It's actually really scary to post because we know some people's responses might not be overly positive- because there is a lot of brokenness involved with foster care and it's tough. The most common question people ask in response to the news is, "Are you so excited?" Truly, the answer to that question is no. It's quite scary with a lot of unknowns, but we need to follow where He leads. We were talking to friends who are taking the class with us (which is a huge answer to prayer to have people to talk to about it that understand!), and she said that there is nothing about foster care that is actually attractive, there is a lot of hardships involved, but if Jesus were here on earth now, He would be doing something like this. I thought that was beautiful, because serving others often isn't attractive, but His sacrifice for us was so complete and selfless, that we know He will give us the tools we need. We also share the news because we have to be very selective in what we can tell others, so we wanted you to know that we are doing foster care so you know what's happening when "random" kids start to come live with us. I use quotations around random because it will appear that way, but we have been praying for whatever kids will come into our home for months already, and know that His placements will not be random at all. Whenever we get a child, we aren't even supposed to call them a foster son/daughter, we are just supposed to say that a friend came to live with us. So, we wanted you to know now because we can't disclose much information later.

What a journey!