For real, I can't say enough about Mary Ostyn's new book! I had the pleasure of reading this before it was released and it was soooo good that I actually read the whole thing in two nights! I'm working my way back through it now as I slowly savor each story, each encouraging word, each challenge to re-evaluate and re-think our parenting paradigms.
My favorite paragraph is right in the introduction where Mary's words so closely echo my own heart:
"In the end, this book became not so much a "how I did it," but rather how I didn't have it together at the start and how I still have so much to learn, and yet look: God is here among us, alive and at work and powerful. He is making beauty amid the cracked pots and the broken shards and the pain of living in this fallen world."
I hope you will pick up a copy if you haven't already! AND, since I love this book SO much, I'm doing my first EVER give away. Enter to win a copy of Mary's new book "Forever Mom" by leaving one or two questions (in the comments here) that you have for moms of large adoptive families. I'll announce the random winner next Friday, Nov. 21.
P.S. Mary's other books are also quite amazing. They are very helpful to families both large and small! Don't miss them either!
5 comments:
I would love to win this book...too many questions... I have only 7 kids so I was wondering how do you garner up sympathy for those with only 1 or 2 kids and they are complaining about hard stuff? Actually that one isn't very good. How do you make sure that you aren't only noticing the children who clamor (actions or words) loudly for attention. The quiet ones get too little attention...or is that OK? Chris at raychris@dejazzd.com
Jen, my question is similar. Through all of our training we are told "undivided attention" on our kiddos. With 8+ kiddos how can it be undivided? I do spend time with them but it is rarely one at a time. About once a month I can carve out time to get away with just one child at a time.
How do you assign cleaning/household chores? Is there a ready-made chart?
And any suggestions for talking about purity, etc, with older adoptive kids(ages 11-15) who did not have Biblical training in their past, and are just learning English?
I could go on and on and on... But hopefully I will get a chance to read the book!
Blessings to you and your family, Jen!
Amy
Hi Jen! How do you help/train your kids to memorize Scripture? What do you do to celebrate each child's birthday?
Jen,
What is your favorite resource for managing a large family?
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