Rapp Happens

Let's talk about the half time show, shall we?  I know what you are thinking, "Not you too!!!  Do we really need a million people writing about that???".  To that I say, "YES".  I was disappointed, appalled, grossed out, and glad we never let out children watch the half time show because, quite frankly, you never know who won't be wearing clothes.  I am fully aware that we live in an over sexualized culture but does that mean we subject our families and children to what was no more than pole dancing in nothing but glitter? After one too many crotch shots that mess was removed from our TV.  In my husband's words "If it isn't appropriate for our children to watch, then it isn't appropriate for us to watch."  SAY IT AGAIN FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK.  Because here is the thing, I don't want my husband watching that either. What is confusing for me is seeing people, women, on social media praising this performance as strong, a show...

Two years ago we started our adoption journey and it was fast and furious.  We moved forward to adopt a teen aged girl that would be aging out of the system in China in July of that same year so we didn't have much time to come up with the $40000 it ended up costing. Most international adoptions, unless the child is aging out or has a medical expedite, take somewhere in the range of two years from start to finish.  Fundraising and grant writing over a two year period is way less overwhelming so imagine taking that and jamming it all into seven months.  I'll wait while your head finishes spinning... Ready?? I want to share what we did to raise that money.  We did some type of fundraiser every month and I'm sure we drove some people crazy but  what can you do? Below are the top 5 fundraisers we did along with the pros and cons. 1.  T Shirt Sales:   This was our second highest earning fundraiser.  We went through Fund the Nations ...

Perspective is a funny thing.  When we look back and really do have 20/20 vision.  We see the situation or that time in our lives with more clarity than maybe we want to.  We see that we painted someone in an unfair light because of all the circumstances surrounding them.  This has been true for my second born. All of her life I have painted her as a difficult child (trust me sometimes she is).  A difficult baby.  A baby that didn't sleep, gave up naps too soon, crawled out of her crib too early, walked too young, got teeth before I thought she should have, and put EVERYTHING in her mouth.  But do you see how I made all of that negative?  I made every milestone a problem instead of a celebration.  I compared her, unfairly, to her brother.  The kid that slept through the night early, never had a problem staying in bed, could do puzzles and build with blocks for hours, was always happy. Now as a mother of five, I have been around the ...

You may not know this, but today is Winnie the Pooh day.  Otherwise known as the birthday of A.A. Milne, the author of Winnie the Pooh. You also may not know that, even though we decorate baby nurseries with Winnie the Pooh themed decor, I would not label them as baby/toddler books.  The original set has four books in it, they are not picture books or even short books.  They are chapter books. I listened to the Read Aloud Revival podcast one day and they were talking about some of their favorite books to read.  Winnie the Pooh was brought up, but what was said surprised me (because until this point I really didn't know anything about Winnie the Pooh other than nurseries and baby books and cartoons). Her guest Tsh Oxenreider said: "Well, I have to say they usually are recommended for kids far too young. They are books I would say minimum of age 8. Eight to 12 is the best age for Winnie the Pooh. It sounds funny because we decorate our baby nurseries with Winni...

The 3 year old phase, is at the same time, my least and most favorite phase.  I know, it doesn't make sense to me either, but just hang in there while I try to explain myself. This is the phase in which *most* tiny people have more words and can express what is going on in their cute little heads.  I love the level of communication.  I love not needing to guess *most* of the time which color of cup is the favorite today.  I love hearing their voices, and all of the questions that they have as they try to make sense of their world. While some days I lovingly refer to this phase as "terrorist threes" and other days I have no idea how one tiny human can make SO. MANY. MESSES while looking so dang cute, most days I am giggling and wondering what they will be when they grow up.  What is God's plan for this BIG personality. My current 3 year old is, to date, my most challenging.  She is busy, has definite ideas of how she thinks her day should go, and is ...

If you grew up anywhere around church, or maybe even if you didn't but just knew a well meaning person that liked to hand out random popular saying, you probably have heard something along the lines of "Don't pray for patience!  You won't like what God will put you through to teach you!" "Don't pray for patience!  You won't like what God will put you through to teach you!" I always giggled when I heard this and thought, "It must be right.  I'm NEVER praying for patience.  That is one thing I never want to learn!"  Here is the problem though, Patience is a fruit of the spirit.  It isn't something that is learned, so to speak.  It is something, that as Christ followers, he gives and gives freely. Through this 40 day Sugar Fast, I have been convicted of something ( a lot of somethings, but lets just take this one conviction at a time, shall we?).   I say "I'm running out of patience!" ALL. OF. THE. TIME.  Wha...