read-alouds for march 2013
Frost, Robert. Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening
Hildegarde, H Swift. The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge
McCully, Emily. Mirette on the High Wire
Matsuno, Masako. A Pair of Red Clogs
Mills, Lauren. The Rag Coat
Provensen, Alice. The Glorius Flight
Priceman, Marjorie. How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
Rylant, Cynthia. When I was Young in the Mountains
Yolen, Jane. Owl Moon
Notes:
Our favorite from this month’s stack was Priceman’s How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, which makes me want to check out How to Make a Cherry Pie and See the U.S.A. next. And since we were still getting snow in March, we really enjoyed Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, a beautifully illustrated poem by Robert Frost.
the risen one
“…I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.”
-John 10: 17-18
“…The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
-2 Corinthians 5:17
the cornerstone
“For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.”
-Psalm 16:10
“But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.’
- 1 Corinthians 2:9
the good shepherd
“…he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter.
…he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”
- from Isaiah 53
book club selections :: 2013-2014
Last night, my book group met for the fourth year in a row to select our reads for the 2013-2014 season. It looked like a small library exploded in my living room.
One friend recorded our suggestions and sent me the list afterwards. Together, ten women brought over 50 fifty titles to choose from. And if I didn’t read at the pace of a preschooler, I might actually try to read all of them over the next couple of years. I’m setting reasonable expectations for myself though, and that is to read and enjoy the twelve books listed below.
I’m really excited about the mix of books this year. They will all be new to me except for The Count of Monte Cristo (which I read in highschool and loved) and For the Family’s Sake (which I’ve read often over the years and always found it worth my time).
I leave these nights with my book group feeling really thankful. Thankful for years worth of books stored away in my memory, books that I may never have read. Thankful for wonderful, accessible, and cheap books (thank you, Kindle). And most importantly, I’m thankful for bookish friends to read alongside. Friends who are different in various ways, but can come together once a month and prove that Edmund Wilson was right when he said, “No two persons ever read the same book.”
Book Club Selections 2013-2014
June: The Exact Place, by Margie L. Haack
July: Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand
August: Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell
September: Evangellyfish, by Douglas Wilson
October: For the Family’s Sake, by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
November: From Fear to Freedom, by Rose Marie Miller
December: The Double Bind, by Chris Bohjalian
January: A Praying Life, by Paul Miller
February: The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
March: Home, by Marilynne Robinson
April: At Home, by Bill Bryson
May: The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford
If you are interested to see what we’ve read in years past…
Book Club Selections :: 2012-2013
20 at 20 months
Two is just four months away. In my almost four years of parenting, this reality feels the most unbelievable. How in the world? I guess it’s true what they say… that the days are long but the years go by fast. This year has gone by so incredibly fast. And as much as I strive to live s l o w l y and simply and savor every little moment with him- he has purposed to keep me on my toes. Always chasing. Always moving. Slowing only to eat his mandatory six meals a day (in which I use this time to visit the restroom, fold laundry, and cook).
Your life enriches ours in more ways than you know, Little One. Here’s twenty to name a few…
- You give the best hugs. You wrap your arms completely around our neck and squeeze us as if your life depended on it.
- You give others the best hugs. You love our friends and we love that.
- You want to ensure that we know the names of those in our family. We hear “Mommy, Daddy, Sammy, Peter…Mommy, Daddy, Sammy, Peter…” as we load everyone in the car (as if to remind us not to forget anyone).
- You love to stand in front of the giant photo collage on our living room wall and name off every person in the pictures.
- You eat like a Hobbit. Full meals, numerous times a day.
- You love to race your brother throughout our house, squealing all the way.
- You make sure we see every truck, dog, bear, and cow in every book we read. Those are your favorites.
- How you give it your best shot at praying with your hands folded and eyes closed. You try so hard to keep both eyes closed while still keeping an eye on the one praying.
- The way you say “Yes Ma’am.” Kills me every time.
- How you cling to our necks when being dropped off at the nursery.
- The way you sprint to the bathroom while ripping off your clothes when it’s time to go in the tub. It’s always been your favorite.
- The way you insist on potty training yourself.
- How you have to sleep with your “Bear-Bear.”
- How I find you all over the house reading to yourself while tucked in corners, on couches, in closets, and in little forts you’ve made.
- The way you say “No.”
- The way you stand by the front door every day waiting for your Daddy to come home (and how you scream his name from the time he pulls up in the car until he walks inside the house).
- How you want to do everything your big brother does (See #12).
- How even at your age, we share our own little inside jokes.
- The way you love to be active. Running, dancing, climbing, jumping, being tossed up in the air. Active.
- How you tromp through the house with your wooden sword, off to fight dragons with your big brother.
Yep, you make our life richer!
Downton Dad
It was only a matter of time, I suppose.
