Haiti Packing Night

We were blessed again by all of you! Thank you for giving so willingly - giving your time, your selves and your money - all so generously.

Our Middle Schoolers were AMAZING help!!!

In all, we packed 117 bags to go to Haiti to bless others.

We were blown away by your generous donations of personal supplies.

You can tell we've been doing this a few years - our veteran workers have it ALL under control - and even take the new workers "under their wings"!! You guys really are SO good!

We had some GREAT looking picture frames!! :)

Making our Christmas cards to stick in our bags. This was a busy spot!!

I am telling you, not a slacker in the bunch!!

Oops - they can't go to Haiti - we better not seal that one up!!

Boxes packed and ready to go!

I only wish we'd had pictures of the kitchen crew - I didn't have my camera out yet - but THANK YOU to the kitchen crew as well. It really speaks highly to our church - our body really all pitches in! Can't wait to hear about Christmas in Haiti!!

Uniqueness

Uniqueness is learning more about others so you can know more about yourself.

At Studio252, we believe that when you take the time to get to know someone – really understand what makes that person unique – you actually start to discover what makes you unique, too! And as a child begins to understand just how unique we all are, he starts down a path of discovering his own niche or significance in the world. Here are just a few ways you can help your child learn more about the people around him and even discover his own uniqueness in the process!

• Make a unique Peanut Butter & Cheese sandwich for lunch
• Look in a mirror with your child and write down all the differences you see
• Help your child construct a list of things he wants to do in his life
• Share unique tricks or talents with your family
• Go on a scavenger hunt to find even more unique things God made

For these activities and more visit our website studio252.tv. Register to gain access to this month’s CueBox, weekly bedtime stories on what God says about uniqueness, interactive devotionals for your children, questions to start meaningful conversations about uniqueness, even blogs and videos from your favorite Studio252 characters!

Studio252.tv and CueBox is designed to help you as the parent connect with your child in a fun way to discuss virtues, like Uniqueness, that will ultimately play a significant part in your child growing into the person God made him to be. So visit studio252.tv and check out all the fun we have planned for your family this month!

VIRTUE VIDEO: Uniqueness (November 2010) from Orange on Vimeo.

**We do not necessarily endorse all you will find on these websites - but you may find some of it useful.

Thankfulness

I came across this article today - I thought it was good and the book sounds helpful as well - wanted to pass it along!

What mom doesn't want to grow grateful kids? And by grateful we mean more than saying "thank you" without being prompted, although that would be nice. The kind of grateful we're talking about is the kid who somehow rises above the entitled, me-me-me attitude that seems so prevalent in our world today. Susie Larson's newest Hearts at Home book release Growing Grateful Kids tackles this issue with gusto.

Here are five strategies every mom can use this Thanksgiving season.

1. Model Thankfulness. "Cultivating a heart of gratitude in our children is impossible unless we ourselves are grateful. We can't impart something we do not possess."

2. Practice restraint. "In this day of entitlement, self-restraint has become a lost art. We do ourselves (and our kids) a great disservice if we never practice restraint."

3. Develop Compassion. "Our darling, self-centered children love it when life is all about them...we must interrupt their plans to be selfish and introduce them to the idea that God has a big giant heart for the least of these, and He has entrusted some of the world's needs to our care."

4. Embrace Contentment. "When our children watch us battle through our appetites and unfulfilled desires to find contentment, they'll learn that though it's not always an easy win, it is possible, and it is a good fight."

5. Give Grace. "When you blow it, give yourself some grace. When your kids act like the little humans that they are, correct them, teach them, forgive them, and then offer grace."

Megan, a mother of four, said after reading Susie's book, "The biggest lesson I learned is that growing grateful kids does not start with their hearts, it starts with mine."

(All quotes taken from Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson)

Adoption Video

In honor of National Adoption Month -

We've had people ask for a place to watch the video again so I will post it here.

What blessings!!!

Adoptive Families in our Body from Becky Bilby on Vimeo.

Reading Scripture Together

Although this article was written for special needs children, I see it as being useful for many of our children - slower readers, struggling learners, etc. Take a minute to read it - I think you'll find it very good!!

Let's Read the Bible

Another good site and valuable too is here as well - Bible Pronunciations.