The Ameri Brit Mom

Motherhood Top 5

The journey of motherhood is such a blessing. When I found out at age twenty-one that I was carrying my first child I was shocked and then extremely scared. Being so young I was still trying to figure myself out and my roles as a teacher and wife. I feared that I was too young and still too focused on myself to ever be a good mother.

I remember after seeing the positive result on the test how I nearly hyperventilated and my husband so sweetly held me and assured me that everything would be okay. For nine months I became scared every time I thought about raising a child. I read books and watched videos all in hopes of making me a more confident mom. But nothing could prepare me for life as a mother as well as holding my beautiful girl in my arms for the first time. The moment I saw her beautiful blue eyes all of my fears fled from my mind and I felt completely comfortable in my new role as Mom.

Being a mother has been natural for me. Do I do everything the way everyone else believes that I should? No. However, I have still managed to raise a beautiful, caring, kind, and intelligent toddler. When I begin to lack confidence in myself I look at my daughter and realize that I must be doing something right. Motherhood can be tiring and emotional, but it can also be amazing and exciting.

In honor of Mother’s Day today I would like to share 5 things that I love about motherhood:

1. Being a role model: I love that my daughter looks up to me. She’s in a phase where she always wants to do what Mommy does. She loves to go for a jog. She enjoys doing yard work. She asks to go shopping and have “coffee dates” although she orders milk (but has tried to order cappuccinos before.) Her little eyes are constantly on me and I am continually being made aware of that when she repeats my phrases and mannerisms. Being a role model 24/7 is exhausting, but it has actually made me conscious of the message I am sending. I find myself thinking…”Would I want her to repeat that?”…”How would I feel if she acted this way?” and this kind of thinking has helped keep my attitude and behavior in check. I’m not perfect, but I’ve enjoyed having a mini-me along for the ride that is life.

2. Receiving affection: There is nothing in life that a tight embrace from a loving toddler can’t heal. In our home there is no shortage of hugs, kisses, and words of affection. We have always said that we would raise our children to be confident in our unconditional love for them. In doing so our daughter has become highly sensitive to the needs of others around her. She can sense when I don’t feel well and has become a pro at curling up in my lap and cuddling me when I need it most. When I have had a bad day at work I come home to an adorable, “I love you.” The affection I receive from my daughter makes all of my troubles disappear and I realign my focus.

3. Teaching: Please don’t get me wrong, there are definite benefits during the first year, but as a mother I blossomed the most once my daughter was able to interact and learn from me. It seems as though daily she is learning ten new things. One day she will randomly tell me a letter she had not previously been able to identify. The next day she increases her counting range by an additional five numbers. Naturally, the teacher in me has absolutely loved to be a part of her learning and to see the excitement as she learns more about the wonderful world around her. Watching a toddler learn also helps you to appreciate life as a child once again. Teaching a toddler makes you appreciate the simple and the often forgotten.

4. Falling in love with my husband all over again: From the moment he found out that we would be welcoming a child into our lives my husband has been my rock. He’s been a natural dad who wants nothing more than to raise our daughter in a loving home. He’s never been a dad who sits back and expects me to do everything. He is a hands-on dad who volunteers to feed, change, bathe, rock and soothe our angel. When I see the way that our daughter looks at him it keeps me falling in love again and again. I’m married to a great husband who knows how to treat the women in his life well. Even as I type he has taken our daughter on a “date” to give me rest time as I deal with an illness. He’s such a great guy and I love him!

5. Introducing my daughter to Jesus: Of all the rewarding aspects of motherhood nothing can compare to teaching my daughter about Jesus. She has been attending church since she was six weeks old and a year ago was introduced to Toddler Church. Every week she learns about Jesus along with her friends in church, but it doesn’t stop there. I sit down with her and pray a couple of times a week. I know it should happen more (it’s a goal of mine.) She is learning to talk to Jesus and she sings songs about him as well. One of her favorite books from her collection is her small Bible. She recognizes the westernized image of Jesus and can tell you that he loves her. There’s an incredible responsibility given to parents to share the love of Christ with their children, but that journey is also so unbelievably rewarding.

There are so many other things I love about motherhood, but these are the top 5. I can’t write a Mother’s Day post without also thanking the mother that helped me to become a confident mother myself. I have learned so much from my own mother. My mom was also a young mother, but never let that stop her from fulfilling her goals. She stayed home with us when we were young, but went on to pursue a career for herself that she loves very much once we were all in school. My mom has taught me what it means to be ever-present in the life of my children and the importance of family. She has been a constant supporter for me and even though I haven’t lived in her home for years she has made it a priority to talk to me almost everyday. She is a great role model who has taught me so much!

Also, I have come to believe over these past few years that I have the best mother-in-law in the world. Not only did she raise my husband to be such a stand-up guy, but she is such a strong woman who puts her family first in her life. I mourn the fact that my MIL lives in England and I only get to see her a few weeks out of the year, but those weeks are always so important and memorable to me. I have learned so much from her!

I hope everyone has a Happy Mother’s Day and takes time today to thank the mothers in your life.

Motivating Momma: Desiree

Since May is a month of celebrating mothers I have been working on my first ever interview series for my blog called Motivating Mommas. One thing that I have learned that is vital to motherhood is finding other mothers who encourage you and inspire you to be better. I tend to seek wisdom from women who have been where I am and made it through. If you are interested in appearing in this series on my blog please let me know!

The first momma I am featuring on my blog is my friend, Desirée . Desirée is a beautiful woman of God and I admire her so much for her faith, family, and friendship. I first met Desirée at her former church where she worked with Upward basketball. My husband travels to events like Upward ceremonies and performs his basketball tricks along with giving his testimony. Desirée was present at one of his shows and a little over a year later we crossed paths again. Both of our families had begun attending the same church in a different city from where we had originally met.

My husband and I had just begun attending our current church home and we were invited to join a home group that met during the week. We were nervous because we had not met many people in the church yet, but the moment we pulled up to the host house Desirée pulled in behind us and asked if Sam was the “Sizzla” (his performing name). Right off the bat I knew that God had brought Desirée into my life for a reason.

God has been forming our friendship for exactly a year (THIS WEEK!) and I am so thankful for all of the wisdom she has given me. She is a wealth of knowledge and has an amazing testimony about motherhood. It seems only fitting that as Mothers’s day is approaching that I thank her for being an awesome role model for me. The following is my interview with Desirée.

1. How many kids do you have and what are their ages?

2 kids, Grace 11 & Gavin 10

2. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the early stages of motherhood?

Having 2 only 18 months apart was a lot of work but I would say not having a church family or friends for support. My family was wonderfully supportive, but early on I didn’t know other moms or Christian women.

3. What lessons did you learn from your own mother?

My mother taught me to be kind and a giver. She always showed others her love through acts of kindness and acts of service.

4. What is your most recent struggle as a mother?

Technology!!! Finding the safe boundaries and limits to time and information. Teaching my kids the right way to handle themselves via text, FaceTime, and email was certainly not in any hand book. Social Media!! To educate them on cyber bulling and internet safety, ugh it’s a big scary web…

5. What is the most meaningful lesson you have learned about being a mother?

To help my children build a relationship with Jesus. For them to know Jesus in their youth, building a strong foundation. I also hug & kiss them and tell them everyday they are loved.

6. What advice would you give to a new mom?

To be patient. You will be exhausted, there will be situations when u feel defeated but trust in God’s plan. Also I would say, WORDS are powerful so be positive when talking to your children always build them up with your words and love. When you do fail (we all have moments when words come out faster than your mind can stop them) forgive yourself and apologize to them, let them know that we make mistakes and want to be the best Mom we can be for them.

7. How do you make time for yourself despite the demands and pace of motherhood?

I MAKE time in my schedule because I know the negative effects it has on us moms not to have a social life, hobbies or interests. We need the “break” to refresh our minds and to fill our bucket(from the book The Five Love Languages.) Not making time in my past resulted in depression, fatigue, loneliness, over eating and feeling inadequate. So I encourage moms to join a women’s bible study or a moms group to get started at expanding your circle of mommy friends. I am able to MAKE time for myself because of others like my husband, mother, grandmother, and friends help.

8. What is your favorite part of motherhood?

Loving on my children, and being loved by my children. Watching them grow up and become wonderful people who love God and want to show God’s love to others is truly a gift.

9. Do you have any established family routines (game night, library dates, etc.)?

We do enjoy a family movie night as well as a family game night. We also love to play sports together and go camping. We also take our children on individual date nights so that each of them get valuable alone time with Mom or Dad.

10. What are three fun (non-motherhood) facts about you?

-I love playing and coaching Volleyball

-I have a servants heart, so to serve Christ by serving others fills my heart with Joy

-I am an inductee of the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame

How Do I Pray?

The following is a devotional that I wrote as a sample piece for my church writing team. As I was writing this I felt that I should share it with my followers on here as well. Keep in mind as you read that the intended audience is new Christians and believers, however, I feel that a lot of the principles apply to seasoned Christians as well. Fundamentals are so easily forgotten sometimes and we can all use a reminder about things that we’ve complicated on our own. Let me know what you think!

When I was growing up I learned the art of repetition. I grew up in a home where we blessed our food at every meal and most evenings recited bed time prayers. From a young age I learned when to say “Amen” and practiced the technique of dramatic pause for emphasis. Being the oldest of three children I was often called upon to recite a memorized line of gratitude. But somewhere along the line the regurgitated prayer lost its luster. What should have been a heart felt prayer and offering of thanksgiving had become a chore. I found myself saying all of the “right” words, but my heart was not in it. On the outside I was a prodigy making those around me proud of my recall of numerous prayers, but on the inside the last thing I was focused on was God. I was thinking more about the food I was about to devour and less about the One who gives us all things. I had lost the genuine aspect to my prayer and faith.

One day my wise father finally realized that I was rushing through the lines and my heart just wasn’t in it. That was the end of the story for me and recited prayers. He took me aside and told me that a prayer that is not genuine is of no worth to God. Although I learned some great habits from these prayers like how to pray regularly I had come to a point in my life where I recognized that prayer isn’t just about thanking God for food; prayer is a lifestyle.

A lot of us misinterpret the purpose of prayer as I did. It’s not an obligation; it is a privilege. We have a continual line of communication with God. We don’t enter that connection via specific words, but rather through faith. Don’t worry about what to say because if you have accepted Jesus into your heart the Holy Spirit lives within you and will communicate the longings of your heart to God. (Romans 8:26-27)

God isn’t sitting there with a checklist waiting for you to say all the right things. He’s just waiting for you to recognize that he’s always there and able to do whatever we ask in His Name. So how should we be praying?

1. We should pray what’s on our hearts, but even more than that we should pray for God’s will. Yes, it would be awesome to get that raise at work or to see your grandmother miraculously healed, but as a believer our focus should also be that if it is God’s will that he allow these things to happen. There are a lot of thing s in life that in the moment seem favorable to us, but God sees the whole picture and has a plan that is far greater than what we can imagine. So do not get discouraged if you pray and God doesn’t answer your prayers in the way you are expecting. It is alright to pray for things we want, but our first prayer should be that God have His will in our lives.

2. Prayers should be continual. “Amen” is a word so many of us get hung up on. We use it to mean “the end” as a conclusion to many of our prayers, but if we were to pray as obedient followers our entire lives would be a constant prayer and the need for a conclusion would be obsolete. A prayer can be a simple word of thanksgiving after narrowly missing a car swerving in traffic or a quick plea for help before a big test. Prayers don’t need to reflect the dinner table format. The Spirit within you will speak on your behalf to God. A prayer can be a thought, a word, or a whisper.

As you begin your journey with Christ don’t let your fears of saying the right thing keep you from communicating with God. He sees your heart and knows your desires and He wants for you to be authentic with Him no matter what that looks or sounds like. King David gives us many beautiful examples of prayers in the book of Psalms. I particularly love the verse Psalm 86:7, “When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.” Keep your life focused on God continually and have faith that His plan for your life is better than anything you can do for yourself.

Curse you, WebMd!

Over the past several days my appearance in the blog-o-sphere has been limited. Yes, I was traveling in NYC, but I’ve also been waning in energy. For about a week I’ve been experiencing crippling fatigue. It takes all that I have to make it through a day at school and then I spend the evenings napping or falling asleep by 7pm. The day before we left for our trip I started having symptoms that something was not right, but I was determined to not let an ailment ruin my husband’s special trip. I sucked it up and made a doctor’s appointment for after our return home.

I must say that the past five days have been long and grueling. WebMd really is a device of Satan. I don’t know about you, but I tend to google my symptoms before actually scheduling a doctor’s appointment. I habitually self-diagnose in order to avoid doctor visits, but it almost always leads me to believe my conditions are far worse than they actually are. It’s really a self-defeating habit. I read far too much into the symptoms and diagnosis on WebMd and just about always convince myself things are way worse than they actually are.

So here we are just after my initial appointment and this time around I was actually right in my self diagnosis. (Well, that’s not completely true. At first I was convinced I had a terminal disease, but when I caught a glimpse of reality I figured out what was wrong) I’ve been diagnosed with gall stones. I’ll be getting an ultrasound the early part of next week to guide the next step in the healing process, but until then I’m on a medication to keep the swelling of the gall bladder down and I’ve been ordered to rest and restrict my diet to fruits, veggies, and carbohydrates.

This is my apology in advance that I may not be posting as much over the next few days because I’m nearly always exhausted and in pain. I’ve been using some Essential Oils to help ease the pain and swelling and I continue to have faith that God will bring me through this and I’ll be back to myself very soon.

Thanks for being patient followers!

Positive thoughts and prayers are encouraged and appreciated!

The Date Jar: Week 7 (New York City Weekend!)

Originally my Date Jar series featured family friendly dates that we experienced in the Columbus Metro Area; however, with this special post I am giving details about a recent trip to NYC that my family took. We embarked early Friday morning and returned Sunday evening. The cause of the trip was to allow my husband the opportunity to be a part of a television series for the basketball free-styling that he does. He was going to travel solo, but in the end we decided that we would make it a family trip. (see my post: My Husband the TV Star for more details about how he got this chance of a lifetime) This was my third visit to The Big Apple, but I still made plans to cram as much eating and shopping into the short trip as possible.

Friday

We ended up renting a car and driving to NYC. This drive should have taken approximately eight hours, but with a potty-training toddler on board it was a little closer to ten. I’m not complaining though, because for some strange reason my daughter decided to go the entire trip without using her diaper. She was able to hold it between stops and even while in the city as well. This is something we have been working on for months, but she chose this to be the weekend that she would really show some progress. I’m a proud mama!

After arriving around 4:30pm at our hotel we decided to spend the first night in Times Square. It’s a great place to see in the evening and a good first stop for any tourist visiting NYC. My youngest sister tagged along on the trip and so Times Square was a great place for her to see first. We grabbed dinner at Connolly’s Pub and Restraunt. I ordered a delicious crab cake burger.

Once we had stuffed ourselves with fatty pub food we meandered around Times Square hitting all of the must-sees: The Disney Store, M&M Store, Footlocker, etc. By 9pm we were exhausted from the car travel and decided to call it an early night and head back to the hotel. We stopped at The Bread Factory for coffee and Made by Melissa for miniature cupcake/macaroons.

We stayed in the Hilton at Newark Penn Station. Of all the times I’ve been to NYC before this was by far the shortest and most convenient accommodation. The hotel was attached to the Newark Penn Station by bridge and had quick and easy access to the transit which traveled to downtown NYC.

Saturday

We were up and at ’em super early on Saturday. This was to be our only full day in the city so we had several events planned for the day. We traveled into the city together, but split up once we got into the heart of town. My sister, daughter, and I ventured toward the Rockefeller Center and my husband walked a few blocks east to meet the filming crew for his television special. His filming would take approximately four hours so my sister and I planned quite a bit of shopping during this time.

Our first stop: Breakfast. If there is anyone in the world who tops me in the love of a good cup of coffee it is my youngest sister. She is the #1 coffee aficionado and I can only aspire to one day have as distinguishable a pallet as she. Nestled into the Rockefeller Center Plaza was a cute French bakery, Bouchon Bakery. It is here that I consumed one of the strongest coffees of my life. The rich, bitter coffee was complimented well with a bit of cream. However, one day I aspire to not require cream in even the strongest of coffees. I also ordered two macaroons (1 for me, and one for my daughter). We sipped our coffees and ate our baked goods in the plaza. The sun was beaming and the beautiful weather had begun.

From the Rockefeller Plaza we were off to do some Fifth Avenue shopping. It was a lot of fun bouncing from store to store and pretending that we could afford some of the designer offerings on the northern end of Fifth Avenue. We journeyed inside the famously beautiful Trump Tower and then ended up on the southern tip of Central Park.

I could have spent the entire trip in Central Park. The weather was perfect and the scenery was so beautiful. We walked around many famous landmarks within the park and grabbed lunch beside the baseball fields at The Baseball Cafe. My sister is a huge JD Salinger fan so we ate our lunch near one of Holden Caulfield’s stops in The Cather in the Rye, the Central Park carousel. After lunch, I took my daughter for a ride. I loved how excited she was to be riding on the mechanical horses. Afterward she even said,

“Thank you for letting me ride those horses, mommy, it was so much fun!”

We disembarked from the carousel and continued with our exploration of Central Park. We found a playground and let my daughter out of her stroller long enough to play around for a bit.

“Mom, I want this to be my park not New York’s park.”

Then, we got the call that my husband’s film session had ended and he was on his way to Central Park. Let me tell you one of the many lessons I learned on this trip: Trying to find someone in Central Park is no easy task. It took a bit of coordination which is a true struggle when one’s husband is directionally challenged, but eventually we met up.

Our next destination was The Strand. This is a world famous bookstore with over 18 miles of books. Once we entered the shop we each gravitated toward our favorite genres and remained separated for about an hour. We could have easily spent days in this shop alone, but we had to limit ourselves as it was nearing dinner time. For dinner we found ourselves searching the streets near Union Square and ended up at Patsy’s Pizzeria. We shared a 17″ pepperoni pizza and it was so good!

We rounded out our trip back at Times Square in search of a graduation dress for my sister whose high school graduation is right around the corner. This search proved a difficult one, but eventually she located an affordable white sun dress.

Here is a glimpse into the fitness level I achieved during this one day marathon trip through NYC.

Sunday

We were up around 8am on Sunday and on the road by 9am. The journey home was quick and seamless.

Like any trip to the big city there was so much that we did not have time to do. We made this trip about our particular personalities and not so much about tourist must-sees. We traded the museums for literature because with the limited time we had in the city we wanted to search for gems off the beaten path which we did find. For us, NYC was all about the coffee, food, books, and shopping. We each did quite a bit of reading and enjoyed NYC from a new perspective.

I <3 NYC, but it is always nice to be back home!

The Non-Existent Workout

When I began blogging I set some personal goals. I was even bold enough to publish many of those goals and I am here to tell you that I have been very successful in progressing toward some of the ambitions I set out to accomplish. Well, in most areas. I’ve found in reality that when you make something a priority that it usually comes with a trade-off be that time or costs. Recently, as I’m sure you can gather I have tried to intentionally stay focused on reading and writing. Literature is a love and passion of mine and so I have fervently been working to write and read more regularly. It’s been great and I’ve really enjoyed some of the doors that have opened for me because of my pursuit of these things in my life.

However, the trade-off in my circumstance has been my fitness. I’ve been lucky to complete two workouts a week over the past month or so. I’ve shifted my gaze and spent time elsewhere and I can definitely feel that decision wearing on my body. I feel the bloating reality that I need to get in better shape and pay more attention to the foods that I eat and the exercise regimens I complete. I am bothered with the aches and pains associated with not stretching properly and becoming weak. If only I could have a personal trainer show up at my house everyday and take me through a series of workouts while also cleaning my house, feeding my daughter, and doing the laundry…one day. (Hey, a girl can dream!)

The decision to make my fitness an obsolete idea was not a conscious one. I really do desire to be the healthiest me that I can be, but as a mother with a full-time job beyond motherhood I am learning that you always overestimate the time in a day. I always tell myself I’ll workout after… and then never get around to it.

“I’ll run a couple miles after my daughter falls asleep.”

“I’ll do a thirty minute workout on the treadmill once I do the laundry.”

“I’ll complete a Jillian Michaels routine after I read a couple of chapters.”

I am the queen of excuses these days. Even right now I’m thinking, “I’ll do a quick workout once I blog about how I haven’t been working out.” The irony!

That being said, I think it is high time to lace up my abandoned trainers and motivate myself with a color coordinated workout outfit. I’m all about being the best me I can be and neglecting my fitness is never going to help me attain that goal.

Who’s with me?

And…how do you motivate yourself?!?

My Husband, the TV star

Things are getting exciting in our house!

A few months back my husband received a call from a professional team in England that he used to play for and perform with in the summers. The founder of the group was going to be filming for a television show and wanted to meet up with my husband to get him involved in the project. The organization is called SBX and they are creating a television series called “This Is Basketball” where they travel the world in search of the most exciting players and freestylers on the planet. Although there are not details about the show airing in the US as of yet there are hopes to do so in the near future. Regardless, this is a very well known organization in the UK, and it means a lot that my husband is being featured amongst some of the best and most talented basketball players in the world.

Some of you who have not been following my blog might have some more questions. I should take a few steps back and explain what my husband does a little better. Aside from being an awesome husband, daddy, and full-time teacher my husband also travels the globe with his ball handling and trick shows. I could try my best to articulate the skills that he possesses, but you would have a hard time getting a true picture of all of the talented things he can do. Instead, take a look at a video, or better yet his youtube channel which showcase some of the crazy skills of my favorite man.

So…

We are leaving Friday morning and heading to The Big Apple. We decided to take a long weekend and make this filming experience a mini vacation for our family. My younger sister is tagging along as well to help with our daughter and to be my shopping companion while my husband is filming. I am super excited and have been counting down the days until our trip. I have been to New York twice before, but it has yet to lose it’s appeal. There are so many things to do in the big city. I’m open to suggestions. What do you recommend that we do or check out in the NYC?

I’m going to leave you today with a song that’s been playing on repeat in my mind all week:

Start spreading the news.

I am leaving today.

I want to be part of it.

New York, New York…

-Frank Sinatra

A Book Review: Where Things Come Back

The following is a book review by The Ameri Brit Mom. This post expresses the genuine opinion and experiences of The Ameri Brit Mom and is in no way endorsed by authors, publishers, and outside influences.

Title: Where Things Come Back

Author: John Corey Whaley

Publisher: Atheneum

Copyright Date: 2011

I recently found myself as an audience to over one hundred student reading presentations. The days in which the students take charge of the classroom and critique and explain the young adult literature they have chosen to read are some of my favorite days as a teacher. Sitting in the corner of the room you could find me with a rubric scoring each presentation, but also with a paper and pen with which I recorded the titles of books that sparked my interest. One such book that caught my attention was Where Things Come Back. My interest was piqued partially due to the plot of the story, but also due to the flawless demonstration from a student who so clearly enjoyed this reading experience.

Cullen Witter is about to begin his senior year and his life is falling apart. The story begins shortly after the death of his young cousin, Oslo, and while his family is still trying to deal with the grief involved with losing someone so quickly and unexpectedly. Cullen leans on his popular friend, Lucas Cader, for support and distraction during this rough period. Not long after the sudden death of Olso, Cullen’s loving and intelligent brother, Gabriel, goes missing. The rest of the book is Cullen’s struggle to stay positive and remain hopeful despite the time that passes after the day Gabriel goes missing.

While the Witter family is dealing with their own catastrophes the small town where they reside is overtaken by a woodpecker phenomenon. A Lazarus woodpecker which has been extinct for decades has apparently been sighted in the town and this claim brings many conservationists and wildlife preservers into the town. Cullen is tormented by the fact that it seems his town cares more about the “resurrection” of this strange bird than they do about his missing brother.

Meanwhile in a subplot the author reveals a seemingly unrelated story about an African missionary and his quest to fulfill his destiny which takes him to an Ethiopian scripture. This missionary is disillusioned and struggling to find his purpose in ministry and helping others.

As always, the two paths of these characters intertwine and what seemed to be two isolated stories being told in tandem ends up being extensions of the same story. The climax is surprising and clearly portrays one of the main themes of this novel: hope.

It’s really difficult to say much else about this story without giving away some of the unpredictable plot lines.

Overall I thought this book did a great job of promoting hope and the resilience of humanity. Grief also makes us do some wild things and the author was very genuine and authentic when describing how grief can affect those left behind and the families of those who are gone.

I would recommend this quick read to anyone who enjoys contemporary young adult fiction. It definitely is true to the coming-of-age genre as well because it includes elements of romance, friendship, growing up, and self discovery. In the end, Cullen understands the importance of family and friends as he deals with some of the hardest lesson life could send his way.

Motivating Readers and Myself

Yesterday, I took part in a very motivating Professional Development session at the public school where I work. It was a collaborative meeting that focused on the transition from 8th grade Language Arts to the freshman level, which I teach. I was particularly motivated and recharged during our discussion about teaching reading.

It’s true that I haven’t been reading as much as I should. Life gets busy and the state mandated tests have kept my classroom time from being as devoted to reading as it should be. I left my meeting with some really awesome and practical strategies for implementing a reading environment in the classroom and reaching the relunctant or emerging readers. A lot of our conversation was based on ideas from Donalyn Miller’s book, The Book Whisperer, which is now #1 on my summer MUST READ list. Below are some ideas I took away from our group discussions. (I am not taking credit for these ideas. Most of them were from 8th grade teachers and librarians in my district).

We began our meeting with a short reading from Donalyn Miller’s blog. The article, What the Kardashians Taught Me About Reading Instruction (No, For Real), highlights the importance of marketing reading in the classroom. Christopher Lehman, the author of the article, does a great job giving reasons for and examples of motivating readers toward a genuine love for reading. Please take a look at the link for this article, but to simplify, the points I took away from the reading let me provide you some bullet points:

Brand yourself as a reader by making reading look as glamorous, branded, and fashionable as Kim Kardashian.
Realize that any press is good press: Any type of book conversation is a good thing whether you are talking about a book you love or how hard you’ve found it to read lately.
Post your reading life anywhere you can! (I personally have a few classroom ideas for letting the students know what I’m currently reading. A Kardashian pun-involved poster: Keeping Up with Mrs. Sisley)
Treat your classroom library as a consumer machine. Promote it. Update it. Draw in the readers! (Rotate your stock often)
Be sure your reading instruction models reality. (Worksheets don’t make us better readers!)
“Every effort you make to live as a reader, design spaces that inspire reading, and support real reading time, will in turn make each one of your students a star.“

From that discussion we segued into ways to promote a culture of reading in our classrooms. Not only am I planning to next year be more vocal about the books I am currently reading, but I plan to model reading in class more often. Already, I set aside fifteen minutes at the beginning of class every Friday for independent reading. I also make it a point to read myself during that time (although it can be very tempting to use this time for grading and responding to emails). Next year, I would love to take it a step further and move into discussions about the books we are reading and include myself in those discussions. Additionally, some of the other teachers have set up Twitter feeds and hashtags where students can respond as a community to their independent reading books. At first, I was a little apprehensive to incorporate social media into my classroom, but I’m learning to embrace the inevitable fact that social media is not going away and teaching positive ways to engage in the online tools is becoming more and more a part of the teacher’s responsibility. I’m hoping to either set up a Twitter page over the summer or some other social media hub for communicating about books. (I should probably get a personal Twitter first :) )

Another really neat idea I gathered for promoting reading in the classroom is a personal experience of mine. Recently, I posted a book review for The Orphan Train here on my blog. I sent a copy of my review to the author, Christina Baker Kline, and she responded to me! I shared this with my students and they thought it was one of the coolest things all year. I pulled up the email I received onto my Smartboard and they were blown away. Next year, I would love to implement an assignment where my students either send a review to the author of the book they just read or write some questions to the author.

Now that I’m super motivated to finish the two books I am currently reading I have decided to also create a summer MUST READ list. The following are five books I plan to read by the time I travel to England in late June. All photos and overviews are from Barnes and Noble.

#1- The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller

Donalyn Miller says she has yet to meet a child she couldn’t turn into a reader. No matter how far behind Miller’s students might be when they reach her 6th grade classroom, they end up reading an average of 40 to 50 books a year. Miller’s unconventional approach dispenses with drills and worksheets that make reading a chore. Instead, she helps students navigate the world of literature and gives them time to read books they pick out themselves…

#2- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

#3- Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

In Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.
Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

#4- All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

#5- I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah’s story to tell. The later years are Jude’s. What the twins don’t realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

What are you Reading!?!

Coffee and Colossians 3

Today was Day 1 in the new Bible study: 1+2 Timothy via the She Reads Truth App. (Sidenote: I love this app. It is an online daily devotional written by women and specifically geared toward keeping busy women in the Word everyday) Each day, the studies include a couple of short passages to read and a short lesson that goes along with the reading. I am a big fan of the daily artwork that captures the essence of the lesson. If you are using the app, you can download the artwork for free and either post them via social media or save them to your device. It is quite convenient and I love it.

Over the past couple of months it has been a true struggle to find alone time to read my Bible and pray. I’ve looked over my schedule and routines and tried to find the best place to insert a few minutes to read the scriptures. It has never been a matter of not wanting to read the Bible, in fact it is the exact opposite. I look forward to my time in the Word. I crave time in the Word. But sometimes a few minutes alone just doesn’t happen for me.

As I reviewed my daily habits I found that one thing I do everyday without wavering is drink a cup of coffee in the morning. Alone or not I make time for coffee. Tired or not I make time for coffee. Busy or not I make time for coffee. Therein lies my solution. If I can make time every morning despite my hectic schedule and lack of sleep to drink a cup of coffee then surely I can do the same for reading the Bible. The flesh in me recognizes my own dependency on coffee and I take care of that need before moving forward with my day. EVERY DAY. How is it that I have not seen this before? Just like my physical body requires and deserves that warm, rich, liquid energy every morning, ALL of me requires and deserves some time alone in the Word.

I’ve begun to pair my Bible reading with my coffee consumption every morning. Some days it is as simple as completing the She Reads Truth study for the day and other days I take a longer coffee break so I read a little more. I don’t know when I started treating Bible study like it wasn’t a necessity. It is actually one of the MOST NECESSARY things I could ever do for myself. When I don’t take the time and read God’s Words I quickly lose my battle for my mind and attention. I focus on myself and my circumstances and I lose sight of who I am and why I’m here. Life isn’t about all these things with which I fill my time. Life is about doing all I can to further God’s Kingdom and if I don’t realign my thinking everyday I tend to lose focus.

I am going to leave you with some thoughts from today’s empowering scripture reading which She Reads Truth has paired with 1 Timothy 1. This particular study describes the context of 1+2 Timothy and then uses Colossians 3 as a reference to living a gospel-filled life.

Context: 1 +2 Timothy were letters written by Paul to Timothy. Timothy was a young leader in the early church. Yes, a lot of the text involves structuring and building that early church, but the emphasis is also on the importance of living life according to the gospel. Paul often speaks to Timothy in a paternal manner about making sure he is focusing on living a life that brings God glory.

Colossians 3:2- Set your mind on things above not earthly things.

Colossians 3: 10b- …put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Colossians 3: 12- Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3: 16- Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts toward God.