artsy

help

Today's post is a serious one. We live in Coatesville, less than a mile from the city borderline. In our town, 30 fires have been set since December, 15 of those being set since the beginning of the year. Just this past Saturday night, 15 homes were destroyed by fire. Coatesville is in a state of emergency. Families have been not only displaced, but they have lost everything. Most homes have been destroyed beyond hope for restoring them. It is just a terrible thing to happen to anyone and being so close to this city that is completely gripped with terror, it hits close to home for us. These fears are forcing families to sleep in the same room and pack emergency kits. The families are being asked to keep trash inside overnight because the arsonists use people's own trash to start these fires. It is madness that these arsonists can do this to a city, to its people, to its children.

Chad volunteers at a community center in the heart of the city called The Bridge Academy Community Center. This community center, partnered with Camp at Old Mill, are personally planning on getting Walmart, Giant and other types of gift cards for those whose homes were taken. This is something that you can help with easily. If you want to give money, you can write a tax deductible check to CCGM (the ministry that is over Camp Old Mill, and partnered with the Bridge Academy and Community Center in Coatesville). Write 'Fire Release' in the memo. Every cent will go towards these families. It will mostly be buying gift cards, but will vary if their needs require something else. If you would rather just get a gift card and send it, you can do that as well. Anything will help!

County Corrections Gospel Mission
PO Box 1136
Coatesville, Pa 19320

Also, if you are local and have clothes you can donate to these families, the Coatesville Country Club is taking clothing donations until Saturday. Call 610-384-3200 for more information. The address is below.

143 Reservoir Road

Coatesville, PA 19320

Some of the children effected by this terrible phenomenon go to the the community center where Chad volunteers, so this hits close to home for both us in more ways than one. If you can help, please do.

fore!

We must have EVERY ball in existence in our house: basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, bowling balls, small balls, big balls, etc. We even have a basket to put them in, but it is quickly overflowing. Lately Eli has really taken a liking to golfing, which has resulted in many a golf balls being catapulted into the air and hitting anything and everything in sight. The balls are plastic and light, like mini wiffle balls, so they do no damage. That is why we let him go crazy with his golf club and golf balls.

Look at that form!

He even made a makeshift flag for his imaginary hole: it is a sign from his train table.

His favorite thing to do with all sports is to watch them and do them at the same time. During the Eagles games, he always liked to play football himself and watch at the same time. Here he is watching golf and golfing himself.

Here he is, putting with his only club: a driver. The other two needed to be thrown away because Eli hit them so hard they broke. We really need to get this kid some more clubs.

glasses

bunny

Here are some pics of my little snow bunny. :) Since we both have been sick and cooped up in the house since Sunday, we needed some time outside. I thought it would be good for us to breathe in some nice, cool, crisp air instead of the dust ridden, stale air inside the house. He loved being outside (he is very hit or miss). We had to improvise because we have no winter toys.....so we used sand toys. He had a good time and so did I. :)

moves

DANCE BREAK!

experience 2

2. Do not judge. We've all seen it unfold. We are at the store and we see a toddler on the ground, kicking and screaming in a full blown tantrum. The Mother is trying to reason with the child, trying to distract him or maybe just picking the child up and taking him out of the store, still kicking and screaming. What are your thoughts when you witness this? Before children, my thoughts were "I wonder what she is doing wrong?". I know some Mothers will think I am insensitive for thinking that and I totally was, but i am just being honest. Now that I have a child, I see just how judgemental and terrible my thoughts actually were. I did not know ALL CHILDREN have tantrums of some sort. Some having them more frequently, more loudly or more violent than others. We as mothers can choose different ways to diffuse the situation, but it still happens nonetheless, whether in public or private.

Another example of my judgement is a few years back when I worked at Comcast. My boss's two year old daughter was getting up in the middle of the night and crying. She said she was exhausted from trying to get her back to sleep. I had asked her this question: "Why can't you just let her cry?" Famous last words from a now mother that has never and could not bear to let her child cry himself to sleep at any age! God works in funny ways. It is as if He knew how I would parent and was setting the ground work to teach me these lessons that I would not truly learn from until I had a child of my own: DO NOT JUDGE.

I know people with and without children look at me and the way I parent and make judgements in their minds. But what I have learned is never to make any judgements because I am not in any one's shoes but my own. I am not in their family, I do not have their child, I do not live in their house, I am not married to their spouse and I do not come from their background. And because of these things, I cannot judge. Now, when I see a Mother trying to console, reason with or distract their tantrum throwing toddler, I have empathy because I have been there. Now, when I hear about a Mother who gets up multiple times a night with their crying child, I feel empathy because I have been there.

Here are some bible verses that talk about judgement. Take them or leave them, but I take them because apparently I did not read these before having children. :)

"Do not judge others and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others or it will come back against you. Forgive others and you will be forgiven." -Luke 6:37

"God sent His Son into the world, not the judge the world, but the save the world through Him." -John 3:17