Change and new things really aren’t my favorite, but as this year has proven, I do better when I lean into them rather than resist. So when Mr. Butler excitedly started looking into Trail Life and American Heritage Girls as a possibility for us to explore last summer, I didn’t bat an eye. By September, he was ready to sign everyone up and give it a go for the year. If you’re not familiar with these two organizations, they are much like boys and girl scouts with a Christian focus, complete with campouts, earning badges and community service. Even though our schedule was already pretty full with co-op, choir, and sports, we had Tuesday nights mostly open (Zoey had to cut a soccer practice a little short) and both groups met on the same night at the same place. 5 or 6 years ago I would have never believed that my little family could handle all these things or better yet, thrive in them, but as it turns out, there really are different seasons for different paces.

As of this writing, we’ve been involved in these groups for one semester only, which gives us only so much experience. Still, here is an overview of what we experienced. Beginning in September there were weekly meetings where uniforms are typically expected. The whole troop would come together during the evening (AHG at the beginning and TL at the end) and also break into their respective age groups. My 13 year old son is a Navigator, my 6 year old son is Fox and my 10 year old daughter is an Explorer. During their group time they learn and participate in activities that go towards badges they can learn. Throughout the semester, there were service and fundraising opportunities that we participated in, including a flag retirement ceremony during a campout. Many of these events earned badges as well.

Each kid has had a unique experience that has been just what they needed. Rory gets the chance to explore all kinds of outdoor things with regular reminders that God made it all possible. Not that he needed it much, but it’s certainly boosted his confidence and independence. Zoey should be receiving an Aviation badge, a Soccer Pin, a Physical Fitness badge and a couple of event badges for this semester’s work. She’s making friends, but also being motivated to dive deeper into certain things in light of our identity in Christ. Jude has probably benefited the most, simply because of his age. His age group camps a lot and is working on a badge that requires a lot out of him. It’s been really positive for people - especially men - to have expectations for him beyond just his dad and me.

The double-edged sword of homeschooling is that you as the parent/teacher are in charge of everything. You get to decide how the learning happens, which is kind of the whole point, but it can be overwhelming and exhausting when you feel alone in it all. Doing other things - like joining a co-op, sports, and now this - really does diversify the people in your child’s life AND helps lighten the burden of responsibility to all the things. After 8 years or so of homeschooling, I’m still learning a lot of lessons. I’ve seen in real time WHY we choose this path. We get to walk down all the new paths together. I also have grown more familiar with all of my limitations. I just can’t do it all and I never should have thought that I could. Expanding the opportunities my kids have to learn from a variety of people in a variety of circumstances has been a huge blessing to me and my kids. From an ADHD perspective, which seems to be a factor for all of my kids, the structure of badge requirements and built-in opportunities to fill said-requirements helps set us up to succeed on several levels. Because it doesn’t always come naturally to me or brains like mine, I am learning to value organization and structure more than ever. As the semester is coming to an end, I can honestly say our Trail Life and American Heritage Girls experience was a success and we plan to continue!

"It's not your job!" I said for what felt like the tenth time that day.

"But it feels like it is!" he said with the threat of tears in his already lowering 12 year old voice. 

We had been arguing more and more about when it was his job to tell his siblings what to do and when he took it too far.  In that moment, my breath left me and I knew what he meant.  I had lived with that feeling my whole life.  So many times it felt like it must be my job to instruct, correct, guide, lead, and ultimately take responsibility for everyone else.  Not necessarily because I wanted the job, but because it felt like it was my job - it felt like no one else would.  Or sometimes it felt like I was expected to because I was able to.  Whatever the reason, I never got the message that much of what other people did was not my responsibility and often none of my business.  I never should have carried the weight of the world, especially not for that long.  As I heard my son sum up my whole life with that one reactive response, I knew there were some things that had to change in my parenting.

All my life I picked up all the rocks that others were dropping in an attempt to help.  It seemed like the right thing to do.  Those rocks were left in my path and I kept tripping over them anyway.  What I didn't realize was how much responsibility I was taking away from the people who dropped the rocks.  As I was developing, it never occurred to me that I was teaching the world to give me their rocks and silently hoping they would come back for them, but unaware I could put them down.  Fast forward to parenthood and I had instinctively begun to teach my son that picking up other people’s rocks - like his siblings or his parents - was his job too. That’s a lesson I never would have given him intentionally, but so much of life is lived out absent of true understanding. Since that day, we’ve been slowly walking back from blame, responsibility and assumptions that weren’t said but heavily communicated by my own emotional turmoil and habits.

This year has been a long lesson in regulating my own emotions instead of expecting the world around me to do it for me. My body has been screaming at me for a while that the continual stress I experienced was not good for me. I could change my circumstances, but the turmoil I felt inside didn’t seem to change that much. The problem wasn’t the stress, it was me. Seeing the immense (and unfair) pressure I was unknowingly putting on my son to pick up the slack when I couldn’t cope like an adult convicted me all the more.

So, I’ve been spending more time reassuring my kids when my emotion is and, more importantly, is not about them or their responsibility to fix. I hate that it has taken me so long to realize what was happening. We talk about individual roles and responsibilities in ways I’m still wrapping my head around. It feels embarrassing to be struggling with something I’m trying to model for my teenager. And yet, that seems to be what parenthood is like a lot. Ready or not, here we go kind of days.

This week my best friend had a birthday. We celebrated a little here and there, but this week has been a dive into busy routine with little time for huge fanfare. Since we aren’t able to fly to a faraway place or take a week off from real life to tour hole in the wall restaurants, I’m writing down some of what he’s done for me.

He picked me. He picked me in the beginning, but then he’s continued to over and over again. Lots of times when I didn’t really deserve it. He makes me laugh so much. As an engineering guy, his logic didn’t always know what to do with my colorful approach to life, but when I broke it, he tried his best to fix it. When I lost it, he would probably replace it. When I bite off more than I can chew, he helps me carry it. When I hurt his feelings, he (eventually) forgives me. When I’m stressed, he takes me on walks to talk about it. He gives me breaks, cooks almost half the time and takes willingly takes the kids on errands. He loves those kids and takes being their dad very seriously. He always looks at scripture in ways I would never have considered. When I’m driving and getting anxious - in the rain or a game of Mario Kart - he reminds me to look further down the road to see where the white lines are heading rather than getting hung up on what’s directly in front of me. When I dream, he tells me why it will never work, and then suggests something more achievable that’s usually better anyway.

He works really, really hard and most of the time isn’t quite sure he’s getting it right. His job is pretty demanding right now. He’s coaching a soccer and a volleyball team this season. He’s teaching a PE class at our co-op this semester. He plays games and makes art with our kids. He sits and talks stuff out when a kid (or two) isn’t getting it. And sometimes, he worries if any of it matters.

“What’s a soul mate?”

“It's uh... Well, it's like a best friend but more. It's the one person in the world that knows you better than anyone else. It's someone who makes you a better person. Actually, they don't make you a better person, you do that yourself - because they inspire you. A soulmate is someone who you carry with you forever. It's the one person who knew you and accepted you and believed in you before anyone else did, or when no one else would. And no matter what happens, you will always love them. Nothing can ever change that.”
― Dawson Leery

While the whole soul mate idea may be debatable at best, the description in that quote hit me different. In our early years, I had a regular fear of him dying before we ever had kids. My young mind was afraid I would forget my life with him, but if we had kids that somehow I would have something to remember him with. It’s a silly, overactive mind that concocted that, but I understand now how he will be with me forever, no matter the future. We’ve been together long enough and been through enough hard stuff that if I ever have to live without him, his imprint on me is permanent. Our friendship, his encouragement, the commitment he makes daily to the life we’re trying to build is a gift from God that I haven’t really understood before this year.

So, Happy Birthday, Mr. Butler. It all matters more than you know.

We’re a few weeks into new habits and new curriculum and hanging out in the gap right before co-op, sports and various activities start up again. This year J is in the 7th grade with an actively lowering voice, feet almost as big as his dad’s and trying to master time management and independent work. Miss Z is in the 5th grade with fresh piano skills coming along, a great eye for drawing and those beautiful curls still bouncing! The Racecar is in the 1st grade with an industrial size creative streak that sort of tolerates my interruptions of schoolwork, a growing desire to entertain us and a new best friend in our dog, Scout. As parents, we often lump the three of them into ‘the kids’ category, but it is good for me to remember that they are 3 unique humans with different strengths, struggles and lives to lead.

They are all doing well overall, but I think this will be the year that we lean into ADHD processes and solutions as a family. With Miss Z and I taking up the limelight in this category, the boys have gone overlooked when it comes to the speed of their brains. The brain differences of ADHD present themselves differently in boys and girls so if you’re only looking for one specific type of child, it’s easy to miss the rest. Looking at my kids through an ADHD lens doesn’t ultimately justify bad behavior or do away with standards. Instead it helps parent and child understand the child’s brain in order to equip it with better tools to address the real problem. Did you know that lying is a common ADHD symptom that results in the brain trying to cope with stress and avoid more trouble? Did you know that impulsivity and forgetfulness can create really sticky situations for kids that find it easier to lie to avoid making the issue worse? It doesn’t justify lying, but if I understand what might be going on, we can work together to solve the real problem. Otherwise, it often turns into a stand-off of punishments and parental frustrations that want to escalate. So, focusing on the uniqueness of all of their brains is the goal for now.

Since J started Kindergarten we have used My Father’s World for the bulk of our history, Bible and science curriculum and the Racecar just finished Kindergarten. Even in the curriculum I feel like we’re in a new place. This year we are studying Exploration to 1850 (American History) and attempting to memorize the entire book of James. I’m excited about the American History, but the memorization is a bit daunting - parents are encouraged to do it too of course. So, we’ll see how it goes! J is trying out volleyball at the Y for a change and the other two are continuing in soccer. With co-op and choir, we keep busy. We also are attempting to try out Trail Life and Heritage Girls. We’ve heard good things so as long as it doesn’t put a strain on our schedule, we’re optimistic. The legitimate debate about how much extra-curricular is too much is a fine line. I never realized how tricky it becomes when you have a full spread of ages. How much different is my youngest’s life than my oldest when he was that age because of how much we did or didn’t do outside of the house? For better or worse? I don’t have a lot of answers, but checking in with each person in the family to see how they’re doing regularly seems like a great place to start. Are they struggling with important things? Do they have time for important things, relationships? If there is too much stress, it’s worth considering what can be left off this year. But it isn’t an exact science and every kid is different. :)

I would like to say being your child’s teacher is easy and wonderful, but that’s not a reasonable thing to say ever. Being the decision maker for a lot of things is a lot of work and pressure. That’s the reason many parents never consider homeschooling. Either they don’t feel capable or don’t want to the responsibility because it is a big job. That being said, I love being able to see the progression of all of my children from non-readers singing their ABC’s to readers who comprehend and laugh at a joke in something they just read. I’m thankful to discuss whether or not Christopher Columbus discovered America, whether there should be a holiday in his honor and what that means for us today. I get to do stuff like that all the time. I’m incredibly thankful for the freedom in Oklahoma, but also the hard work of Mr. Butler who makes sure I can stay home at all. This year I am focusing more on organization in preparation for J moving to high school in a few years and being more thankful because the wonder of learning is definitely growing older in our house. I want to enjoy it more before it develops into other kinds of wonderful things. I mean my oldest man-child was moved to the high school choir and can’t participate in the youth honor choir activities because his voice is officially changing!?! Ready or not, here we go!

While my kids are attempting to learn their slated things each year, mom ends up with her own education too, like it or not. As we head into September, I’m trying to learn how to take the time and space that I need to better manage my stress and mental health. And I’ll be honest, that is a hard thing. We don’t usually realize how bad we need some kind of break or space until it is too late. Most moms will tell you that when we feel handcuffed between needing to take care of ourselves (shower, exercise, write, plan, etc.) but feeling like the price of sacrifice is too high. It FEELS like someone else’s needs will have to be neglected in some way and then mom ultimately has to pay the price eventually anyway. My education this year is to learn how to do it all differently. If I want my children to ask for what they need to live a healthy, balanced life, then I must learn to demonstrate that for them.

So, there we are in a nutshell! The decision to homeschool is multi-faceted, but today I’m really thankful for the time I have with my kids.

Around here, the end of summer break is usually in the middle of August. Even though we homeschool, most of our extra-curricular activities follow a version of that schedule too. And to say that summer is over feels incredibly bizarre for lots of reasons. The first being that it is incredibly hot here in Oklahoma. Today it dipped into the low 90’s and it felt amazing! By the end of next week its supposed to be back around 100 degrees. So as for the seasons of the year, summer is definitely still in full swing. Daylight is another one. I’m writing this at 8:30pm and I could take a walk around the pond and still get home before the sun sets. We complain about the heat or being out of routine, but the world getting dark at 5:30 shoves our heads into depression sometimes, doesn’t it? This beautiful daylight regenerates my soul, even as it’s almost out of view. Maybe it’s the ages of my kids, maybe it’s a different life perspective running through my veins this year, but I am really resistant to rushing through things this year.

Our busy culture tempts us to avoid or rush past life in the name of getting somewhere else, but what if I want to stay right here for as long as I’m allowed? I’m looking forward to fall and winter for all the comfort they bring, but there is good right here. There is good right here that might be gone soon and I guess I’m ready to accept that reality instead of avoid it. Accept it and face it accordingly. When my son’s moods fluctuate as much as his adolescent voice or the dog gets out for the 15th time chasing the guy on the bike down the street, I know there is good there and I’m ready to see it. My children are healthy enough to push into their next stage of development. That is something to celebrate. I have a smart, beautiful and good natured dog that has brought us so much joy this year. She is a great blessing. Maybe the cyclist didn’t feel blessed by her today, but who knows? I just want to live in it more. Maybe it’s mindfulness or engagement or just not going through life in a stupor of fear or reaction. Whatever it is, I’m trying to soak it in before this summer really ends.

There is so much about fall that I love, but honestly, we get cheated more often than not with a week of fall and then blasted with winter, while having been in tank tops 2 weeks before. I really don’t want to cheat myself out of the good right here by getting hung up on things that don’t matter as much. One of my favorite spots to write, think or just be right now is my front porch where a cozy corner waits for me with a bench and a big windchime (that I got when Costco marked it way down). I want the joy I get from spending time out there not be voided out because of the messes that I will find inside the house. It will sometimes, but it’s not good for me to live there.

Whenever your summer really ends, I hope you feel filled up. It’s not all perfect and a lot of it might be really hard. The sun can burn our skin if we’re not careful, but staying inside like a vampire is no way to live. The thorns and stickers that might hurt us should never block out the beauty of the waves on the ocean or the wildflowers in the meadow. Let’s soak all the beauty in until we’re all filled up.

One day in early November, I was taking a shower and Randy cracked the door, quickly saying, “We don’t have to talk about it now but what would you think about us fostering dogs?” The suggestion was almost as surprising as the manner in which it was suggested, but, if you know my husband, you know he rarely does anything he hasn’t already thought about at length. By the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we were picking up a very cute 5 month old puppy. As busy as we can be with church, homeschooling, sports, choir and co-op commitments, it might seem like this was a rash decision that we would soon come to regret. However, it is now mid-January and we are seeing the many fruits of this choice still unfolding.

A little history…

We are animal people to begin with. Less than a year after we got married in 2006, we had gotten 2 dogs that we loved until they died at ages 10 and 14. The 14 year old passed away last February and I’ve been mourning not having an animal in the house, but also not sure I was ready to commit to another one. They bring me a lot of comfort and the 10 year old, Grace. was my dog that had such an emotional temperament. All I really want is another one like her, which Randy knows and he quickly warmed up to fostering as a way to have animals in the house while still looking for the dog I want.

Benefit #1: You get time to shop around for what kind of animal would work best in your house. With any official fostering programs, you always have a choice to say no to any animal, have choices as to gender, age and breed, to limit the time you can foster the animal, to go on a vacation, or take a break from fostering. If you are unsure about fostering or unsure about what animal your family really needs or wants, this is an ideal trial program.

Why would we add this to our already full plate?

It is true that we lead a full and busy life, but one of the bigger frustrations that I have is that I am a mom with ADHD to kids that share a variety of ADHD symptoms. Discipline and structure doesn’t always come naturally to any of us and it has grown more and more apparent that they needed to be more independently disciplined with their chores and schoolwork. The busier we are, the less of me there is to go around and it grew clear that everyone was waiting for me to push them. A little tip for dealing with anyone with ADHD is that they like things that are new or novel. New supplies, new setup, new obsession, new DOG, anything new increases the dopamine they are inherently low in and helps the internal motivation to increase. Fostering animals with the idea that our house is a temporary spot for them to recover, put on weight, gain some training and prepare them for finding a good permanent fit teaches kids (and adults) a lot of compassion, patience, dog training and commitment to something outside of themselves.

Benefit #2: Fostering an animal gives your family an opportunity to learn skills of service through the novelty of a new animal. As a homeschooling family, it’s my job to give my kids a well-rounded education. Besides our Christian values imploring us to serve, I feel like it is important for them to be willing and able to serve others regularly and not just be satisfied to receive. This is a small way that they are learning that the world is bigger than themselves and when given resources, they should use it to help others whenever possible.

But what if I don’t want an animal?

Not everyone is setup for animals, that’s true. Allergies might be holding you back and that can be really disappointing. Still, some people think they don’t want an animal, but have never really given it a chance. If that is you, I think you don’t know what you are missing. Animals can be work, they require a little bit of money, and most need some training, but they give you more than they take most of the time. The comfort of an animal that sits at your feet, begs to play or simply follows you around to clean up the crumbs your kids drop is simply one of the comforts of home to me. Do you know what I missed the most after my dogs died? Having a good cry in my closet with a too-big-for-my-lap dog in my lap. Trust me, I’ll be the first person to say not all dogs are created equal. Finding one that suits you can take time, but once you do, it will quickly feel like they’ve always been there.

Benefit #3: Animals, while not the same as humans, provide comfort, purpose and joy to the family who owns them. If you have children in your house, they deserve an animal to care for at some point. If you struggle with loneliness, you deserve the comfort of a constant companion. Need a good listener that won’t interrupt or give bad advice? Animals are notorious for not talking very much!

How can you handle giving up an animal after a short time?

I think it’s all in your mindset from the start. In a very real sense, you are doing this animal a big favor by keeping it out of the elements, providing a safe space without 50 others competing for attention and teaching it some manners. Fostering usually happens when animals are about to be put down due to lack of space. You are saving it’s life. So in a sense, you have already done so much for this animal. By eventually sending it to a permanent home, you are providing that same salvation to another animal. We are enjoying our current foster dog, but we are also looking forward to whoever we might get next. Female puppies are our preference and always bring a level of cuteness in the beginning. So, whatever attachment we feel for a foster we find a home for will be replaced be the exciting newness of the next one.

Just like every kid is different, animals come in all sizes and personalities, but if we let them, they always teach us lessons about the world that are worth learning. And if we aren’t willing to learn and grow, how are we living the life God intends for us? If you are wanting more information about fostering in your area, look up your local animal shelter and they will get you in touch with the right people. We have adopted from and are now fostering through Pets and People Humane Society. They are also a great place to donate in supplies or financially because of all the work they do.

I spent years dreaming about being a wife and mother, but I never imagined homeschooling being a part of my life. It wasn’t something I had ever really been exposed to or had thoughts about at all. My oldest is 12 and I started planning to homeschool him probably as soon as he was born. I had been sitting in college classrooms and listening to all the struggles classroom teachers were having with the current public school model and government framework. What was best for the individual child seemed continually at odds with what was practical, feasible and quantifiable in the classroom. I had been to school and college and I knew how to learn and to teach so why couldn’t I share that with my son? Of course, I would eventually learn about the hills and valleys of homeschooling but the bottom line stayed the same, especially in this internet age. Whatever I don’t know, I have resources regularly at my fingertips to begin educating me on it.

Now that we’ve been living this homeschooling lifestyle for over a decade, I have no regrets about the choice to homeschool. There are details I would change if I could and lessons I wish I had learned sooner, but I am so thankful for all the time I get to be a witness to my children’s growth. But does that mean we will always homeschool? Not necessarily. Does that mean they would fail miserably in another environment? Nope. Does that mean I believe that anyone who doesn’t homeschool is wrong? Of course not! Am I mad when other people make different choices than me? What? How does that even work? You can’t see it but I’m rolling my eyes at all of these questions! They are silly, but I’ve gotten a version of all of them before.

There will always be debates about the choices people make and arguments for or against, but I suspect that for the most part everyone just wants to feel confident in their own choice. A 1 bedroom apartment seems great until your friend upgrades to a penthouse. Eating dinner at the local diner seems fine until you hear about friends’ fine dining at a fancy steakhouse. Your nicest dress seems great until you see that fashion icon friend who can pull off anything and makes you feel frumpy. We often get sucked into comparison or validation-seeking behavior in all aspects of life, but especially when it comes to our parenting choices. How you educate your kids (public, private, or homeschool) just might be a huge stumbling block, but don’t forget that in each category are dozens of subcategories. The moment you choose a private school, there will be judgements made about it compared to the other one down the road. I always felt pretty judged for my (public) high school because we were inner-city and underfunded. You think homeschoolers just agree on everything and become inhuman once they make the jump? There are dozens of homeschooling styles, curriculum options and entirely different approaches to co-ops. No matter what you choose, you could feel judged by some for it. So, if you are making your education choices in hopes of being the least judged, good luck! There is judgement everywhere! Once you make peace with that, life gets a little simpler, I think.

If there is one thing I have learned and grown in conviction for over the last ten years it’s that when parents are able in body and mind and engaged in their kids lives, there is no better advocate in the world. No matter the educational choices, families can make or break the direction a child goes. I am thankful that homeschooling is an option for us, but don’t misunderstand me. There are homeschool kids that fail. There are private school kids that make horrible choices in their life. There are public school kids that are a menace to society. And in all of them, there are also wonderful, wonderful outcomes.

Never let yourself believe that one method is 100% right or wrong in all situations, because it isn’t true. There are competing factors that will always vary from kid to kid and family to family. Many private schools are out of our budget, but so are a lot of the co-ops in our area. Some students do not thrive in public or most private classrooms because of learning issues, but thrive in homeschool settings. Never believe that you would never adjust your choice if circumstances changed either. The resources we have or the needs of our children can change in a moment. Single parent households might be limited with time outside of work making homeschooling challenging at best. Parent health issues can change what’s possible. Whenever you feel judged for a choice or a heated discussion arises on the topic, remember that the most important thing is that our children get what they need and you have the best seat in the house to see what that is, especially if it changes.

I am an advocate of homeschooling, especially because historically there has been so much pushback against it. I’m living in it and seeing the beauty, value and success it is bringing my family. That’s why I write about it a lot. Still, I’m a mother first. Mothers look for what’s best for their kids and family, even if it doesn’t look like what others think it should. If you want to chat about homeschooling, I’m ready for it! But more importantly I want parents to feel encouraged to make whatever decisions are best for their kids’ and family’s needs. The world will be arguing about what that is until Jesus comes back so in the meantime, ignore them, decide what your family needs and love your people.

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

One of the many gifts homeschooling has given my family is the love of reading so any new book is exciting in our house. The joy of discovering a new book that you turn out to love is only surpassed by also learning that it belongs to a series with at least 6 other books! As a chapter is closing in the Homeschool Review Crew and this being my final review for them, it is appropriate that it is a book review. My children have grown up with exciting adventures waiting for them in the mail every so often for reviews and Quest for the King's Crown from Focus on the Family closes out our time in the same fashion.

What We Received:

We received Quest for the King’s Crown, Book #7 in the Last Chance Detectives Book Series in a paperback form and a pdf file emailed to us. The book is 25 chapters long and 144 pages.

What It’s About:

The Last Chance Detectives series chronicles 4 kids, Mike, Winnie, Ben, and Spence and their adventures. In Quest for the King’s Crown they race to find an artifact that claims to be Jesus’ crown of thorns. Through some plot twists and people turning out to not be who they claim to be, the kids make their way through clues and signs of what is really going on. In past books, one of the kids had discovered the plane his father was known to have died flying and the end of this book proves to be an exciting cliff-hanger.

What We Thought:

My 9 year old daughter read this book and loved it! She loves adventures and mysteries, which Quest for the Crown is both. When I asked her all about it, she was especially excited to tell me how the thief, who you don’t know is the thief at first, disguised himself with prosthetic limbs making him appear much larger than he actually was. She thought that was hilarious! :) I asked her to compare it to other books she had read, it was clear that it definitely comes from a Biblical worldview and supports the Christian lifestyle in mentioning Bible studies, faith and of course historical events around Jesus. She immediately asked to have the other books in the series put on her Christmas wish list, so definitely daughter approved! After a recent visit this summer to Focus on the Family headquarters in Colorado and discovering several books they have available, I’ve grown very fond of so much of what they do and stand for. They have a large number of books and series that my kids are thriving on and I am so grateful for that. Praying they continue to be successful!

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Wondering what other families thought about this book? Check out the other reviews through the link below.

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.