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 HJ may go to school 3 days a week, but I love doing some at home things with her as well. When we need a screen time break and coloring pages, I can always appreciate an activity that can be modified for my girl to use. Thank you Education.com for providing these resources for parents and teachers! If you are a home-school parent and looking to add a little more to your curriculum, Education.com has what you need! Guided lessons, a huge library of curriculum, progress tracker, and an option to make some of your very own worksheets tailored for your lessons. St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, have your preschoolers help the leprechaun find his way back to the gold with this fun worksheet. For more educational resources, visit Education.com! HJ may not be able to do this particular activity all by herself, but this does give her the opportunity to practice her fine motor skills. The maze and answer key are available below for you for FREE. 
 Years ago, back before every song played in my car was from an album called "Toddler Tunes" on a playlist labeled "Hensley", I used to listen to the radio. No iphone, no XM, just the regular ole local channels. Back where we used to live, we only had about 2 stations that came through (and that was on a good day).
Everything in that small town was relatively close together, so there wasn't much time to actually listen to the radio. I usually was never fully focused on what was on. This was true this particular day, but something quickly caught my attention, and here's what I heard: "The giraffe gives birth standing up. So the first thing that happens to a new-born giraffe is a fall of about 10 feet. Still dazed, the baby tries to stand up on its four legs, but it's mother behaves very strangely: she gives the baby giraffe a gentle kick which sends it sprawling. It tries to get up, stands, and is again knocked down to remind the baby how it got up the first time. This process is repeated several times, until the new-born giraffe is too exhausted to stand. At that point, the mother kicks it again, forcing it to get to it's feet. After that, she does not push the baby giraffe over again. The explanation is simple: in order to survive predators, the first lesson a giraffe must learn is to get to its feet quickly." This really got me thinking. 'The explanation is simple.' Sounds insane, but it actually makes sense. To survive the predators, the ones that lurk, prowl, and would love to devour anything weak within its path, it must get to its feet quickly. Have you ever felt like that baby giraffe? Each and every time you try to stand feet and you feel like you're finally okay, you're quickly knocked back down? Bad news. Rough seasons. Heartbreak. Loss. Feeling frustrated, strained, and confused, you gather the strength to stand back to your feet and not sit defeated. Even though we would would be lying if we didn't admit, in the quietness of our hearts, that we think about quitting and just staying down this time. Thinking how hard it is to pick ourselves up, and get back on our feet. All the while wondering why this keeps happening. Can I encourage you to keep at it? 1 Peter 5:8 (the Amplified version) says this : Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. The Lord wants us to be able to get back to our feet quick, and He is conditioning us to do so. Continually. In every situation and season. Because if we don't get to our feet quickly (just like the baby giraffe that has to keep up with the pack) the ever present predator in our life would love to devour; to steal, to kill, and to destroy us (John 10:10). If you feel knocked down, don't stay down. God wants more for you than that. Be the baby giraffe. Get up quickly, and keep moving. “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” John 16:33 HCSB  Our 2018 wasn’t an easy one, but it’s a faith journey and a story filled with hope. From the outside looking in, it looked easy. Cute pregnancy pictures, a funny toddler, a couple cute houses; the only way to see the muck in the mix is vulnerability. If you know me know me, You know I struggled. If you don’t know me, you just saw my highlight reel. You didn’t see the tears. The hurting heart. The longing. The mourning over the word “miscarriage” only to find out God is big and we, in fact, were still pregnant. And it’s ok that you didn’t see it. What I want you all to see now, is what God has done. He provided. Our word for 2018 was expectant. Not because we were expecting (that didn’t come until March) and not because I deserve anything but because He is faithful. I could have chosen waiting, faithful, or patient But instead I choose to be expectant of all that He can do, could do, and would do in 2018. I want to look back over my year and yell out to you “come and see what God has done!’” None of it was without hardships and some suffering on our ends, but it was oh so worth it. In the moment, I couldn’t see it. In the bad times, it’s hard to remember. (As cliche as that sounds, I really mean it.) But now, come and see what God has done.
Along with this and many more little things sprinkled in. Our 2018 wasn’t easy. Full transparency, it might have just been the hardest journey I’ve walked through thus far. I could choose to look back over my shoulder and only see the muck, but I’m choosing to see The God stories that triumph over it all. May your memories of 2018 be the good ones, and may your 2019 hold the best that is yet to come. photo credit: Wayne Farley Facebook : www.facebook.com/TheWayneFarley + Creative Wayne  As a former teacher, Children’s minister, and now mom, I’m always looking for new fun things to do with Hensley that help her learn. That being said, I am excited to partner with Education.com to bring you this freebie! Hensley can’t quite read the words yet on this worksheet, but for now we can work on identifying objects. She’s not quite 2, but I am always surprised by what she knows and is able to learn. Kids will be on point in reading skills with this fun word to picture match. The reading skills can continue at Education.com with more games and printables like this! They have a variety of themes to choose from, including crawlies, a school themed template and seasonal themes (that will be perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks). Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or nannying some kiddos to pay the bills, if you’re looking for a fun way to entertain with something that isn’t just coloring or YouTube, Education.com has some great resources for you!
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