DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

My oldest child turned 12 this week and my youngest is 5. We have officially moved out of the baby years in our household. There are many blessings to that, but I do miss those toddler voices. We are incredibly blessed to be living in a time where audio and video recording even exist. What I wouldn’t give to have recordings of my grandparents and the stories they would have told. The product I’m reviewing today, The Voice Library - Audio Book Creator from The Voice Library, is something every family could find beautiful uses in preserving those little voices or epic memories for posterity.

What We Received:

We received a one year subscription to The Voice Library.

How It Works:

The Voice Library is known as a digital storytelling platform that allows the user to record audio up to 15 minutes per file. Those files are then available to download and/or stored for listeners to hear at any time. You can make recordings through their website or mobile apps available for android and apple products. In the program you can download a file, as well as upload one. If you have audio editing software, you could download a file, edit it, and then upload the edited file onto the Voice Library database. Through the subscription, there is the option for a recorder login or a listener login. As the recorder and owner of the account, I can share listener access information with whoever I want. If I wanted to allow others to record on my same account, I could give them my recorder access information as well. For example, if I was working on a family history project it might be convenient to have others make recordings of family members who are a long distance away. Another way allowing for multiple recorders would be a birthday or anniversary gift that includes messages from love ones all over. The company is a big proponent for encouraging storytelling and increased relationship connection as well as increasing our attention spans. The projects and uses for this product are truly endless.

What We Thought:

There are several ways to access the program and it was my experience that not every one of my devices worked the same. On apple devices, I could upload photos to attach to each audio file, but not on the website. My android phone would record, but you had to be careful with how close the person speaking was to it or it would just sound like static. There are also phone numbers you can call to make recordings that way, but I didn’t try those. Once I tried everything out, I found what worked best for me and it was easy after that.

When I first received this product, I had several ideas on how I could use it. The first big one that came to mind was to record my mom and dad’s commentary on the various recipes they make regularly, since they both are very active cooks. I can’t tell you how many times they have commented how much they would like to ask my grandmothers questions about how they did things with various recipes, especially around the holidays. I thought how nice it would be - for me and my kids especially - to have their own advice documented. I still may attempt that as we are heading into holiday cooking, but I didn’t have the time to dig into that. Aside from general storytelling, my next idea that I actually acted on was just to get my kids voices and reactions saved and what better way than about our recent trip to Florida. It was like an audio scrapbook. I showed them pictures of a particular day or destination we stopped at and then recording what they thought about it. Some of it was very plain, but a lot of it just captures where they are in their life right now, which is moving so fast. Being able to save it and be reminded of those precious voices is such a gift.

Follow The Voice Library on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVoiceLibrary
Twitter: https://twitter.com/voicelibrary
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevoicelibrary/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thevoicelibrary/
YouTube: https://youtu.be/ovVepv493OI
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/703528895

Wouldn’t it be interesting to learn about how other families used this product? Click on the link below to read their reviews.

How are you spending your time? Are the things I’m consumed with today worth my time, considering I only have so much? When your children move out, what values will they carry with them? When they start their families, what priorities will they have learned from their years in your house? When their marriages get difficult, finances get rough or medical hardships overtake their life, will they have learned strong and resilient lessons from watching you climb your own mountains? When I am finished with my life here on earth, will my loved-ones carry regret over how much time I spent looking elsewhere for contentment or satisfaction? Will the relationship with God that I model throughout my life be one they are trying to imitate or will it be the “What NOT to do” guideline they live by?

As the busyness of school, sports, holidays and just life gets stirred up this time of year, our priorities can get really jumbled. The list of HAVE-TOs are largely made up by expectation and peer pressure when you really think about it. So many things we do are good or nice, but when we let them get in the way of what’s important, they’ve become a problem.

It is so easy to fall into have to mode before you’ve even really thought about it. Honestly, that’s hard any time of year. Music, committees, programs, sports, social clubs, co-ops, and jobs of all kinds can be very good for our families. We are heavily involved in several of these things in my family right now. They are valuable on so many levels. But it becomes a problem for my marriage if our involvement in anything eliminates all the downtime for just us. Or these activities become a problem if we are always missing time with family or worship because a job or sports team takes up the majority of our life. If my child moves out of my house and can’t fill a dishwasher, do a load of laundry or change a tire because all of his extra activities always came first, then I believe that’s a problem. If another child aces every test she takes, places first in everything she plays, and racks up a full ride scholarship to the best places, but can’t say a kind word to anyone or has no real appreciation for what Jesus has done for her, then there is a problem. No matter what we’re talking about, there’s always a line where really good things, can become a problem.

So, the purpose of a November Reset for Priorities is to eliminate or prevent those kinds of problems creeping in. In this year alone Randy has coached 2 soccer teams for 2 seasons and 1 season of t-ball in the middle of it, I have taken on a significantly larger responsibility at our local co-op, all 3 kids have joined the homeschool choir (which is a big driving commitment), and we’ve taken several trips on top of regular life and school stuff. All those things are good things and largely things we don’t regret in time spent. But there is a constant nagging in my brain that says, “Did we get to all the important stuff though?”

When I think about resetting my priorities, it looks like taking stock of the next several weeks and boiling them down to what’s really important. If 6 weeks go by, what are the most important things I hope to accomplish or facilitate? In 6 weeks, I could change the course of a relationship, establish new routines, eliminate bad habits, learn a new skill, and so many other things. We say we can’t get to things, but the truth is many of those can’ts are just non-priorities. We haven’t decided they are more important than the things we do get to. We all prioritize choices every day. The question is are those the important ones.

And after looking at your life, maybe you’ll come to the conclusion that you ARE prioritizing the important things. What a comfort that is! But, maybe like me, you see some things that you wish were different. The reminder I need is that it isn’t too late to grow over the next several weeks. Whatever needs tending to or refocused on, we can push a reset button and commit differently this time. One of the ways I want to adjust is my internal dialogue and how that affects how I think about my family. Here’s an example. When I get sick, I wish Randy took care of me the way my mother does. He will largely do anything I ask, but I have to hand out the instructions, which I wish I didn’t have to do. There isn’t a big right or wrong here but simply preference. We got sick over the weekend and I did have a bit of resentment over wanting to just burrow further into my bed and instead needed to get up and cover all the bases somehow. But today, that husband of mine offered to run an errand (with kids) for me so that I could have some time to myself. He even tacked on extra library time mostly just to give me extra time. He knows I need it and that I need to write. My mental commentary leans heavy to the negative. I know it. I’m pretty certain it’s genetic in more ways than one. The point is this. I should appreciate the good good man that I married for what he is, rather than get hung up on what he isn’t - especially when we’re talking about preferences. I don’t do that enough, but what if I set an intention for the next six weeks to dwell on and appreciate the things he does out of love. If I really tried, couldn’t I strengthen our relationship and encourage him as my partner with a more positive outlook directed at him? Lord willing, no matter where the kids go and what they do, my husband will be my constant friend. Why wouldn’t I want that dynamic to thrive every chance I get?

Maybe you simply want to walk through the holidays with peace and calm. Maybe your health is in a crisis and you need to make changes. Maybe there’s a project or skill that you’ve neglected for too long. Perhaps we’ve just let all these things in life to take our eyes off of Jesus and what He wants us to be doing. Whatever it is, let’s take stock and reset our priorities.

Exercise is something I really don’t feel like writing about, much less doing right now. So, that probably means it needs a reset in a major way. I always feel better when I exercise, even though I hate doing it. Yes, I know I’m complicated! Did you know physical activity is one of the top treatments for ADHD symptoms? Since 4 out of the 5 people in my household struggle with symptoms from time to time, it would be pretty foolish to ignore the value of exercise in our life. That’s one of the many reasons we incorporate sports into our kids’ lives regularly. Furthermore, healthy movement just makes everything work better. You sleep better. Your brain works better. Your mood is better. Circulation improves. Strengthens bones and muscles. It’s just really important to a healthy mind and body.

I know all this and I suspect you do too, but it is so incredibly easy to neglect exercise when we get busy or tired or stressed or…just about any reason. This summer I focused on coping better with stress. One of the big things I did was to incorporate yoga as a main source of exercise. Mr. Butler did it with me, which made it even better. I do much better with an accountability partner. Since the fall semester started back up, it has been hard to sync up our schedules and I’ve just been busy. Not an excuse, but it is real life. So, we’ll walk a few miles when we are both home in the day, but I have not been diligent with myself in any way. All hopes for a healthy exercise routine isn’t lost just because the vitamin D potential starts to decrease. I know it can feel that way, but that just means my body needs the immune boost even more this time of year.

Maybe you have a gym membership and don’t use it like me because of logistics. We have a Y membership, but I never want to bother getting the kids out. Since they are all old enough and trustworthy to put in the child watch/older kid hangout, maybe I should pick one day a week to at least switch it up? I know that I’m going to try to utilize my bicycle and stationary bike more, get back to yoga regularly and walk with Randy as much as I can. I’ve just not had any reason to follow through. I know that sounds silly, but my ADHD friends will understand. Since I’m writing about it and telling the universe to look at what I’m doing so to speak, well I’ll carry around some guilt if I don’t follow through! And I certainly don’t need anymore of that.

Getting exercise in every day is one of those all or nothing temptations for me. If I intended to do a particular activity at a particular time and then something messed that up? Well, just forget it. The day is lost. That’s the wrong approach of course, but it is sooo tempting to my brain that craves order and over reacts in the most rigid of ways. For this exercise reset, I’m striving to include movement - even if it isn’t what I intended when I woke up that day - every day. Tomorrow I’m going to use my watch that’s been dead for a month and haven’t bothered to find the charger until tonight. I’m hoping I’ll have an easy 10,000 steps without too much work, but I haven’t been tracking for a while so I’m not sure. Either way, having a minimum goal and then trying to improve upon that will hopefully jumpstart my motivation.

More than anything, a reset is intended to help us focus on what’s important and valuable rather than what is convenient and thoughtless. Finishing a meal and then sitting for another hour until bedtime is thoughtless and convenient, but it isn’t necessarily important or valuable. Playing soccer as a family for 20 minutes or walking to the pond or doing some yoga not only feeds the health of your physical body, but it can connect you to those around you, get you outside in many cases and bring joy into you’re life too! Do you have a good workout routine? Are you recommitting to one this week? It would encourage me to hear about it so let me know how it’s going!

The curse of being young is that you don’t know what you don’t know. There’s no way you could. The curse of age is that you now know what you didn’t know but have no way of going back. Maybe there is something about maturity that teaches you when it’s time to let go of those regrets you can do nothing about. Today as I type, the changes are circling my life. Some things are speeding up, like the growth and activity of my children, and other things are winding down, like my use of a stroller or teaching the ABCs. My oldest is going to be 12 in a month and my baby isn’t a baby at all at 5 years old, learning to read. My marriage is 16 years old and still we’re learning how to show up and be better together than we have in the past. I’ve spent several years reviewing homeschool curriculum but that is changing in the near future. We have been active in our co-op for a few years but this year it has increased drastically. All three kids are in our local homeschool choir and 2 of them get the chance to be part of a state honor choir this year. Mr. Butler and I had the unique chance to sing in choir together in college and it is one of our favorite memories together. Our kids getting the chance to experience a taste of that and loving it makes me a bit weepy, I’ll admit. Learning about ADHD a few years ago and now having the ability to recognize what system is failing and why in order to remedy meltdowns and outbursts is a little surreal. So much is changing while there’s so much I wish I could go back and do differently.

There was a time when I longed to be married, to have children, to be an accepted adult. Oh, how I wish I could talk to that girl and reassure her of a few things and teach her many more. There are relationships that I had that I wish I would have nurtured differently. There are opportunities that I wish I hadn’t been so afraid of. There are choices that I wish I had responded differently to. That regret has eaten me up at times, especially when I worry that my choice might have neglected someone. I have worried about or felt responsible for many a foolish choice by people I love. They were never my responsibility, but my heart has resisted accepting that. So, as the leaves are changing and the weather is cooling off, my spidey sense knows things are changing elsewhere too. One of those big changes is a choice I’ve delayed in making for far too long. Those regrets, those missed chances or balls dropped, I am going to let them go. The foolishness of youth can’t be deleted in the scheduled future. There are only the wise priorities of maturity and age that matter today. When my daughter was 2, I fought with her a lot on taking naps. She would throw fits and I would get so worn out and stressed. I should have just laid down with her to help her sleep. I regret all the stress that I experienced and caused because I didn’t understand what was going on with either one of us. I feel responsible for that stage in her life that could have gone better. It is tempting to lean in to the misery of regret. I should have done so much better, but I can’t do ANYTHING about it now. But I can take joy in how often that same girl wants to sit next to me or hold my hand as we walk. I can be forever grateful that I now understand how important it is for her to stay home sometimes or not go too long without eating. She and I don’t do big roller coasters. She takes comfort in knowing that she can decline any ride she wants because I will always stay with her and then ride milder ones with her. I need to let go of the inflamed part of our relationship from a few years ago and cling to the beautiful one still unfolding in front of me.

There are relationships that I’ve been waiting on to turn around and fill my needs too. There are boundaries that I’ve hoped others would respect without much of a word from me. There are responsibilities that were never mine to begin with that I’ve carried far too long. It’s time to embrace and appreciate what is instead of living in agony over what isn’t. Change is never easy but sometimes you are given gifts that help you know it’s time. My mama heart for having more kids was convicted otherwise after my 3rd pregnancy and all of its challenges. The perpetual pain of rejection can push you into moving on eventually. There just comes a time when you realize there’s no use in wasting anymore time on the things that aren’t serving you or other people. I’m thankful that I’m finally turning that corner.

Due to all the changes in my life, my personal writing has taken a back seat and I’ve only taken time to focus on reviews lately. As things are shifting even more, I hope to spend more time using this platform for personal writing purposes. I miss it. I need it. It’s where I really started anyway and I’m ready to go back there. Writing about what happened helps you process and learn from what happened. It’s a truth that I’ve gotten away from in the name of busy-ness but I’m learning I need to get back there to keep it all together. Here’s to change…

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

This week our co-op classes are starting up for the fall, soccer season has begun and our family is attempting to get back into the swing of things, but it can be hard. Being on the Homeschool Review Crew adds another layer of responsibilities and deadlines to the mix and it can make me weary. I’ve been asked before why I don’t just quit doing reviews since I’ve done it for several years now. Today’s review is a perfect example of why I still continue to do them. We live on one income and there isn’t a job I’ve found that will not take away from my family in a major way and while my husband provides for us very well, there’s no way we would can afford to just buy all the homeschool things on the regular just because they might be interesting. Jonathan Park is something I’ve seen advertised for probably a year or two, but have never investigated it. Today we’re reviewing The Adventure Begins, Series 1 from Jonathan Park and I’m happy to say it is a family favorite right now! I continue to participate in the Review Crew because I get a unique opportunity to explore resources - that often reinforce a Christian worldview - that I rarely would spend money on not knowing if it was worth it.

What We Received:

We received The Adventure Begins, Series 1 from Jonathan Park which included 4 audio CDs. Each CD contains over an hour’s worth of listening time.

How It Works:

This adventure series is intended to be listened to in order as it follows Jonathan and his father on adventures in a dinosaur graveyard. The conflict of a creation-based perspective and modern science’s big bang ideas is acknowledged in throughout the episodes as the characters work to preserve the archeological finds for a creation science museum. A Biblical worldview is well-represented while the characters also have to deal with realistic negative reactions from outside perspectives. It has all the markers of a great adventure with good guys and bad guys, Bible studies and dinosaur bones!

What We Thought:

For this review, my kids were 11, 9 and 5 years old. After listening to the first episode, they always asked to listen to the next one. That’s always a good sign! The characters provide a little something for everyone. My oldest (a boy) likes the Jonathan character, my daughter likes Jesse, and my 5 year old just likes the dog and finding all the bones! We aren’t finding dinosaur bones in our yard, but it is always nice to hear characters and stories my kids can relate to. Wrestling with circumstances where people don’t always see the world the same is our daily life in so many ways. I love that my kids can get a balanced understanding of that from places other than me. As a homeschool mom, there’s always more to do than time enough to do it in, but finding excellent resources for my family andt he future is worth a few extra deadlines!

Follow Jonathan Park on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JonathanParkAudioAdventures

We are just one family and might not see everything the way you do. Check out the rest of the Crew’s reviews through the link below to see if they felt the same way about Jonathan Park

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

When money is tight, settling for a cheaper imitation is often the best we can do. When handling our children’s spiritual health and eternal future, we can’t afford to feed them watered down truths. There is a lot of spiritual parts floating around in our society, but it’s really hard to build the full picture from any of them. Learning to study the whole Bible and allowing scripture be the basis for all understanding takes work. As a homeschooling family, we are familiar with being the most important advocate in our children’s lives in so many areas, but their spiritual education is the biggest job there is. So it brings me extra joy to share with you a resource that brings students directly to scripture. For today’s review we are looking at 14:6 - The Way from Scripture Memory Fellowship, a scripture memory course on salvation.

What We Received:

We received 14:6 - The Way, a scripture memory course on salvation. It is a spiral-bound note pad with sturdy cardstock pages. The text recommends downloading an app, VerseLocker, to help with memorizing, which we did for free.

How It Works:

This scripture memory course is made up of 7 units of four lessons highlighting concepts of salvation. In each lesson there are 3 verses to memorize that address the study on salvation. Each lesson has a particular icon that can help you remember the subject of the verse. On the backside of the verse page, there is a Consider the Meaning page where the verse is dissected a bit more with context and comprehension questions. All is taken directly from scripture, not loosely based on it. There are different paces (Green, Orange or Brown) and levels (Bronze, Silver, or Gold) that you can expect out of yourself or students. Depending on your time and ability, these are the recommended pace options:

1 verse weekly = Green
2 verses weekly = Green + Orange
3 verses weekly = Green + Orange + Brown

To determine your level of success in reciting your verses, Scripture Memory Fellowship recommends:

Bronze - two helps

Silver - one help

Gold - zero helps

The ultimate goal that is included in each lesson is encouragement to share what you are learning with others. One of the other things it recommends is the free app VerseLocker. This app allows you several ways to work on verse memorization including picking the next word out of a list, remembering with only initials of the words or just typing it out on your own with the app correcting you. The app itself offers ways to connect with others if multiple friends are using the app too.

What We Thought:

The notebook itself is quite sturdy and promises to last beyond a first use. With one book and a whole family (most of which do not have their own devices), we used this program audibly a lot. It was easy to assign a verse to be written out and then discuss the meaning questions together as a group. With the grouping of verses in a topical format not only does this program support memorization, but it sets you up for Bible study alone or in a group. With the app added to the mix, there are so many resources to support learning and memorization. The final question is how can you use them best for your needs! There’s not wrong way besides just not using them and not growing in scripture.

Follow Scripture Memory Fellowship on Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScriptureMemoryFellowship/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYz3gXtiXvHbGAKZ4A13kuQ

We used the English Standard Version of this program, but did you know that Scripture Memory Fellowship offer other versions? Check out the other reviews to see what else is available.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

One of my favorite things about the life we get to lead as homeschoolers is the constant overlap of information and learning. In one morning we can learn about who Shaq is, Joshua and the battle of Jericho, what a harlot is, does an octopus have a skeleton and then all the ‘usual’ stuff too. The world isn’t a perfect pantry where everything is sorted, labeled and never touches its neighbor. God’s big world is intricate, complicated and certainly overlapping. Today’s review is a beautiful marriage of spiritual devotions for your children with God-honoring science concepts and facts. We’re talking about The Wonder of Creation: 100 More Devotions About God and Science by Louie Giglio from the Indescribable Kids series and Tommy Nelson Books.

What We Received:

We received one hardbacked book, The Wonder of Creation: 100 More Devotions About God and Science by Louie Giglio with Tama Fortner, Illustrated by Nicola Anderson. The book contains over 200 pages, an attached ribbon for bookmarking, illustrations on almost every page, contents, index and an introduction that lists devotion pages by category - Space, Earth, Animals, and People.

How It Works:

In this devotional book, each devotion is numbered and 2 pages long. Each one can stand alone and there is no real need to go in order besides convenience. Each devotion uses at least one verse as a theme or context, though many times there are one or two other scripture references throughout the content. Throughout the text that scripture and a scientific concept or fact are joined in a discussion about life and God’s creation. At the end of the text there is a suggested prayer in the spirit of the devotion. On the second/final page of each devotion there is an “Explore the Wonder” section that highlights an interesting fact or aspect of the science topic brought up in the devotion, complete with a picture and extra graphics. The index makes this book a great complimentary resource for homeschoolers. Whatever you are studying that week, simply consult the index or category list in the introduction to line up something appropriate for the lesson!

What We Thought:

While science in general has always been a weak spot in my education, my children eat it up! The joining of science and God’s scriptural design has been a big hit with my kids, 4, 8 and 11 at minimum because it is interesting. Even if the topic (science or scripture) is familiar to them, there is usually some aspect that is new to them, which has led to some really great conversations in our family. I’m pretty sure all of them will forever remember that our small intestines are about 22 feet long! In devotion 2, A Plan and A Purpose, the author discusses how our organs work together toward the goal of digestion and then compares God’s detailed forethought in our gut to our purpose in the world. It’s a pretty great thought.

In a period of history where the truth is incredibly hard to find unless you are diligently looking for it, our families need books and curriculum like this that simply point us back to God. The infinite stars or the tiny bacteria in our gut, we need the wonder of creation at the forefront of our children’s minds to feed their spirits as we head into the fray of the future.

Follow Indescribable Kids, Tommy Nelson Book, and Louie Giglio on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tommynelsonbooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommynelsonbooks/ https://www.instagram.com/indescribablekids https://www.instagram.com/louiegiglio

Wondering if other families had the same response as ours? Check out their reviews through the link below:

As a culture, we talk about introverted verses extroverted a lot as it pertains to the way people interact with the world. Unfortunately, many people need to update their definitions or at least agree on terms before having a conversation some times. The common definitions look like this.

Introversion: the quality of being shy and reticent.

Extroversion: the quality of being energetic and not shy and enjoying being with other people.

From these two definitions, you could easily make all kinds of assumptions and stereotypes. “An introverted person doesn’t like people.” “An extroverted person is unselfish because they are always socializing.” I’ve even heard generalizations about introverted people where “they need to just get over themselves and care about other people.“ If these are the gold standard of definitions, I guess this might be true. However, from the moment I learned the concept of introversion/extroversion, it was explained by how a person receives their emotional and physical energy. Not a choice, but a biological state. Here’s the way I learned it:

Introversion: Recharges or gets energy from time alone.

Extroversion: Recharges or gets energy from time with others.

The dictionary definitions at the top is a way to describe how someone acts on the outside, but the second set describes a physical trait that happens internally and most argue it begins at birth. All the introverts I’ve ever talked to heavily identify with getting energy from being alone or one on one interactions. Rarely is a dislike for people center stage, but how much energy it takes from their body when they are around people. Extroverted people are naturally drawn to large crowds and lots of people time because on a very physical level it feeds them energy.

Why is this distinction important? Number one, I think a lot of times we say things that aren’t true about a concept we may not really understand. Any time I (as an introvert) have trouble talking to someone, especially in a crowd, it isn’t because I’m necessarily shy or don’t like people. The difficulty I have is managing the energy that gets sucked out of me just by walking through a crowd and mustering up the right words in a perpetual state of exhaustion. I’ve heard extroverted people characterized as more selfless and giving because they are so social. The thing is, how many times have you had a great chat at a gathering with someone who then never really showed up in your life when you needed them? This isn’t a one side is better than the other debate, but a reminder that everyone is uniquely and divinely made to fill different roles in life. Some circumstances in life need a quiet, one on one, heart to heart - and some people aren’t good at that. Some circumstances need a showman and ringleader in the midst of a big crowd - and some people aren’t good at that. Why should one be honored over the other, when both skills are important and necessary in life?

Another thing to remember is introverted/extroverted is actually a spectrum that all of us fall on and it rarely is set in stone. As we enter different seasons in life, our leaning towards one or the other can shift. That’s why listening to people and their current state of being, rather than assuming or bulldozing is something we have to get better at this year. Mental health is major problem EVERYWHERE right now. Social media and the powers that be typically paint a very specific picture of the people around us that is misguided at best and absolute false most of the time. The struggles and the successes that each of us are experiencing are rarely fully seen or understood. Even those that live in our own home may struggle to fully understand us. Ask questions and listen far more than making up your mind, for better or worse, about those people that aren’t like you. When we refuse to embrace differences, nobody wins. From evangelism to strong families, we have to understand others and be understood ourselves so that we can all fulfill our roles in the body.

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While discovering more about ADHD has taught me all kinds of things about myself, one of the biggest is recognizing when to ride the waves of creativity and when I’m truly wasting my time by forced attempts. It’s a maddening reality, but I’m trying to embrace it. As such, I haven’t written much the last few months. Oh, I’ve tried, but it just wouldn’t really flow. As the dopamine hit eventually returns to writing, here I am starting on a new wave. So, let’s talk about what’s been going on!

We are still so grateful to be homeschooling with an 11, 8 and 4 year old and just finished up another semester with Trailblazers Homeschool Association. I was asked to be on their leadership board last year, taught two classes this semester and have certainly been busier with co-op stuff. We’ve been navigating some behavioral issues at home - they all seem insistent on making it a game of whack-a-mole for us since they take turns losing their minds. After a few really rough weeks, we may be calming down for the moment, we’ll see. Mr. Butler is still working from home, which we LOVE, for the foreseeable future. He recently got himself a laser engraver and is currently learning how to make stuff in hopes of starting a little side business. Our dog, Lizzie, is 14 and still going strong. I’m honestly craving a replacement for my Grace, but Lizzie wouldn’t do well with another dog in the house at her age. Homegirl gets cranky with us sometimes so I’ll just have to wait.

Oh, and we had soccer September through November. Mr. Butler coached the 8 and 4 year old teams so we were running around with that too. By the end of the season, all three showed a lot of growth and I’m thankful for the opportunity they’ve had with the YMCA. In October, we took a trip to Disney World. It had been planned as a part of Mr. Butler’s work trip for several months, but, of course, was cancelled when it came down to it. Since we still had tickets and a (mostly) non-refundable condo, we ultimately took the plunge. My sister-in-law went with us which was perfect because she’s a Disney expert and I didn’t have to plan a thing! It was a great trip, but I always feel like I lose a week in life once I get home. Honestly, I still feel about a week behind, but it was a wonderful trip and worth all the effort.

My father-in-law, Mr. Butler’s dad passed away in October. His health hadn’t been great, but the timing was unexpected. The stress of the world on every level, personal to local to national to global has really been the unspoken stealer of the show in our lives, unfortunately. The big things are good right now - I love Mr. Butler more than ever and I love us together. The kids are growing and learning and make life fun. God has truly blessed us with providential care. We know that and are so grateful. And yet. The unspoken and hollering stress is still there constantly reminding you that whatever naivety you had about how life should go, well that’s over now. And to bring it full circle, stress is THE biggest factor in my body when it comes to health or weight-loss, for sure. I’m trying, doing all the things to lose some of this weight but as the stress has progressed, nothing I did seemed to make a difference. I probably eat better than you, I exercise more than most and I’ve been trying for a long while to very little lasting success. The only issue I’ve not successfully dealt with is my stress and how terribly hard I take it. So, I’ve dove back into the self-hypnosis I learned and successfully used for my 2nd pregnancy. It’s certainly making me feel better, but I’ll keep you posted on the weight-loss front.

And I guess that’s everything worth mentioning for the moment. The ADHD struggles are still alive and well, but if I didn’t have the understanding of what it looks like in my body, I would be so lost. If you truly wonder if you might have it yourself, please look into it. If you do, it could absolutely change your life. Hope you are doing well, friends.

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