Book Review: Legacy of Love by Kimberly Hahn

Book Review: Legacy of  Love by Kimberly Hahn
I have read many of Kimberly Hahn's books before and they are always so insightful into our walk in Faith with God. I awaited this and knew it would be the same and I was not disappointed.  Having a teen daughter, I wanted to review this.  It took me a little longer than most books because I was writing notes for myself.  This is an amazing book for a parent of teens. For those who don't know this is the fourth book in her Proverbs 31 woman series.  In this book, she explains how we as parents need to keep challenging them to choose Christ.  We need to show them how to have priorities in our faith walk and stewardship in supporting our churches. The chapter on the Works of Mercy details each one, and how we can apply reaching out to others through each Work of Mercy.  The book explains how we can do simple things for each. The most important thing I received from reading this book is that the teen years is an adventure. As parents it is all about our attitude, in how we perceive these years.  These are awesome years if we listen and share our lives.  In the teen years we are a guide.  Lastly, the book ends in talking about courting and qualities they should look for in a Godly partner soon to be spouse.  As parents, how we guide our teens and transition them to adulthood to marriage or a vocation is a witness to God.  I highly recommend this book for any parent who has teens.  The teen years can be like a roller coaster ride, but having joy or negativity will have two different outcomes on your children and yourselves.

You can find this book at Catholic Company: http://www.catholiccompany.com/legacy-love-biblical-wisdom-parenting-teens-young-adults-p1004893/?


Given book to Review by The Catholic Company:
http://www.catholiccompany.com/

God's work

Today was the worst day I had in quite awhile.  I woke up really sick. I still am but had to write this. It is amazing how technology has changed our lives and, sometimes I wonder if it is for the better.  Well today my phone shut down three times.  My internet server was off and on all day.  So I got the message about the silence of my heart in prayer to God, as I was blocked off from the rest of the world.  I prayed and talked to him a lot today.  It is funny how He shows us what needs to be in our lives.  We  do homeschool and that is the root of homeschooling: real learning. Today was a real learning day.  In the midst of my talking and prayer time to God some answers and some I didn't want to do, but is His Will.  Thy will be done, as The Blessed Mother said her yes to God we all do.  My yes means a career change, scary yes, but He will be there to guide me through it.  So tonight being sick allows me to focus on Him and His Will for my life.

From Sea to Shining Sea(The Catholic Textbook Project)

I throughly enjoyed visiting history with my kids with this book.  We traveled to visit the Mayans, through the American Revolution, Civil War and so much more. It is the Story of America. This book is written in a narrative form, as if you are reading a book which is what drew us into it.  Hands of a Child sells a lap book which we used with the text which I highly recommend.  The Catholic Schools Textbook project, sells the text, a teacher's manual, and CD workbook.  The workbook is highly effective for left brained learners.  Since I have two right brained learners we used the lap book, created unit studies, along with using the questions in the teachers manual to notebook with.  This is the first textbook series that I have seen written from a catholic perspective.  My kids enjoyed learning about American History from this perspective.

http://cstp.myshopify.com/

Conference Season

The Conference begins within the next month or two, so I will be reviewing some products that might help you.  So stay tuned....

FAFSA

Here is a good article about FAFSA forms for college about homeschoolers:
http://www.stonesouphomeschool.com/1/post/2012/02/are-homeschool-high-school-diplomas-valid.html

Homeschooling and the love of learning

Yes I am not a saint. We have been homeschooling for 6 years, and realized this has been my vocation that God guided me on.  My daughter has a rough year medically.  She also started high school and through it all she loves literature.  She requested to do Shakespeare and it has been amazing year.  My son, who loves history enacted a civil war battle in my living room.  I have inspired through God's grace yearning for the love of learning.  Thank you Lord for allowing me to say Yes when you asked me to homeschool.

Narnia series

We finished The Last Battle today.  All I can say is wow.  God really worked through him.  I never expected it to end the way it did.  This is an awesome series of literature.  Each book keeps you coming back for more.  The last few books were amazing how Aslan personifies Christ.  In the book, The Last Battle, it amazing how it coincides with things revealed in the Bible and, yet in a Narnian perspective.  I was crying at the end. I just didn't expect it to end that way.  It was a brilliant conclusion to a brilliant series.  C.S. Lewis' Narnia Series is a must read.

Anatomy and Physiology

This book is awesome by Jeannie Fulbright.  It is thorough and engaging with experiments/activities at then end of each chapter. It is goes into terms may only see in a high school book, but explains them on the level of a 6-8th grade student.  She has made scientists out of my children. My kids love her books.  This maybe be the last book we do because my son will be hitting 8th grade.  She has made my children's elementary experience with science awesome! I highly recommend her books.  They are for the gifted, average, and slow processing learner. For those of you who use Charlotte Mason or Classical education this a huge resource for your homeschool. Thank you Jeannie for the ride!
http://www.jeanniefulbright.com/anatomy-and-physiology/

Curriculum time again!

Well I will be posting reviews soon and lots of links to curriculum I plan to use next year.  Keep watching.


Praising Him Joyfully,

Noelle:)

NY times article

     As a writer, this article was not written well.  First of all, why write an article until you have all the facts including a copy of DSM V in front of you.  I am not defending DSM V.  I will not jump the gun until I have all the facts.  I have a child with autism so this does impact us, but you need the facts.  I have been on facebook and people are going crazy over this article. I have learned from the past until you have proof of anything you can't prove anything.
     If the DSM V supports what the article says, then it is not fair.  We have a responsibility as a community and country to give all special needs children a fighting chance, whether they have autism or a learning disability.  I have lived this journey and believe me it makes you a stronger person.  Each autistic child is different just like each person God made is.

Praising Him Joyfully,
Noelle

Homeschooling, Special Needs, and a diagnosis

     The last couple of days I have thought alot about my faith and being a mom who has a special needs child.  God always seems to shine on the truth in the open. I am not  embarrassed about my life.  I am very grateful for it.  God has allowed me to become a special mom to a special child.  Yesterday I was humbled by the evaluator of a test I took him too.  She told me that I have done so much for him, though he has a journey still to climb, he has gone beyond what others have expected.  For the first time in 6 years, I heard someone tell me homeschooling was the best thing I could have done for him. She even told me I should become an advocate for special needs kids who are homeschooling.  She was very impressed with me. I was so humbled and almost on the verge of crying. He finally got his diagnosis of Autism.  He is high functioning on the spectrum.  Anyone who has met him would know that.  She told me he is very bright.  It is not just me being his mom. What a journey it has been! I feel blessed by Autism, because it has allowed me to see the world in a different light, the way God intended for our family.  My close support system you all know what we have been through thank you being there.
      I am proud of him and my daughter.  They are my greatest accomplishment in this world.  Homeschooling has just enhanced that.  There is only person I have to answer to and that is my Lord and Savior.  I am doing the work He wants me to do.  I feel so Blessed he asked me to do it. He has given me so much Grace through it. Thank you Lord,  for the small miracles this week and there were many.