Veterans We Thank You

Veterans We Thank You

Veterans, We Thank You!

Our family has served in the military for quite a few generations. My father, two uncles, my brothers, the elder brother’s son and daughter, and our two sons. We have so much to be thankful for but foremost is my father, Don ‘Tommy’ Thomas.

When he first entered the Navy in WWII, he was sent to the USS Wasp CV7. The USS Wasp was sunk and he was one of many that were treading water. The Navy then put him on the USS Kalinin Bay which was sunk three months after he had been on the sunken USS Wasp. He was one of the blessed that made it out of each sinking and out of WWII.

I’m thankful for his courage, helping a fellow sailor stay afloat until help came. He was pretty matter of fact about how he saved the sailor. He described sharks coming in and bumping against his legs while he held the man’s head above water. He described being on the ships as the kamikaze pilots did their death dive into them.

I’m sure if you had a parent in WWII, you heard about some of the harrowing circumstances they found themselves up against. But we really have no real comprehension unless we were ‘walking in their shoes’. We grew up not understanding how much they gave up for our nation. The day comes as we also get older and our appreciation for their service is increased.

Family Tradition of Military Service

Our sons were Army and Navy, with the Navy son going on to become a Navy Chief and the Army son a Captain. We’re so proud of them!

Veterans, we thank you! Rich Killingsworth (with Cathy his wife)

Our nation has been guarded and built on the lives of many veterans. One day a year is not enough to really thank them. I’m so glad businesses have come to believe that honoring and respecting them all year long is worth it. Airlines call out for them to board before first class, restaurants hold special days to honor them with free meals, and so much more. Make it a habit to go up to the uniformed military and thank them. Teach your children to honor and respect them. They’re doing the hard work for us. If you’re a business, hire them when they come home and need a job. Pray for them…you’ll never run out of someone to pray for! There will always be our military serving, guarding and laying their lives down for us.

Do you have veterans in your family? Thank them often….. pray for those still serving.

Veterans, We Thank You! Michael Perugini

Donna Perugini November 11, 2014 Uncategorized military families, USS Kalinin Bay, USS Wasp CV-7, Veterans, Veterans Day, WWII veterans 2 Comments

Celebrate Lost Baby Teeth

Celebrate Lost Baby Teeth!

Celebrate Lost Baby Teeth & Becoming a Big Kid

Isn’t it exciting to watch your children grow up? To experience all those little milestones (and the big ones too). For me, one milestone in particular seems to mark the end of “babyhood” and the beginning of being a “big kid”…. lost teeth.

When I was growing up, as soon as my tooth would start to wiggle, I’d anticipate a visit from the tooth fairy. I’d put my lost tooth under my pillow, and the tooth fairy would come and leave a surprise for me (usually in the form of cash).

Evidently, this is pretty much the norm for kids in North America (and many other English-speaking regions).

Considering Alternatives to the Tooth Fairy

As a Christian parent (and one who is relatively new to the Body of Christ), I wondered if I should maintain this tradition with my own children. The thought of perpetuating stories of fairies and make-believe and not being forthright with my children certainly gave me pause.

Unfortunately, the story of the tooth fairy is all over children’s programming and our culture in general, so it’s really tricky to navigate when you’ve made a decision to go a different route. My son knew all about the tooth fairy before he even had a loose tooth!

Alternative Fun for a Milestone

Once his first tooth became loose, we got a book from the library called Throw Your Tooth on the Roof that showed how other cultures commemorate lost baby teeth. I thought it would be easier to opt out of the tooth fairy story by showing him that there are other things that people do elsewhere in the world. I had no idea there were so many different customs around the globe! Most of the traditions are based in folklore of some kind or another, but a few are not. Some seemed really funny to us (like a certain Native American tribe feeding their tooth to a dog), and some were very practical (like the Costa Ricans who plate their teeth with gold and wear them as earrings).

When the first few teeth were lost, admittedly, it was pretty uneventful around our house. We took pictures and were excited, though I did notice a bit of disappointment from him that he wouldn’t be finding money under his pillow left by a fairy. I didn’t see any reason why he shouldn’t have a little fun after losing a tooth. So when my son’s first top tooth fell out, I came up with a unique idea for a family tradition: a scavenger hunt.

On the night that he lost his tooth, we placed it on his nightstand. I came to collect his newly shed tooth after he fell asleep, and put it in a jar to save it (why? I don’t know, but I can’t be the only “weirdo” who saves their children’s teeth…am I?) Next, I prepared a small, monetary gift and sealed it in an envelope. Using notebook paper, I wrote up little rhyming clues about where he would find the next clue (if your child isn’t a fluent reader yet, you might choose to draw or print pictures as clues). I hid the small envelope on our counter top inside a container, and waited for him to figure out the clues.

It was only three clues, so it didn’t take him too long to discover his prize, but when he found it, he was pretty excited. And I was a happy mama. My daughter even asked if we could do a scavenger hunt when she loses her teeth!

I asked my little guy what he enjoyed about doing the scavenger hunt, and his reply was, “the quarters!” Then, I wanted to know what he thought he might do with his potential future children. He said, “{I would} give them a scavenger hunt so they can find some quarters…I mean pennies.” Perhaps I was too generous!

Is your family also in the tradition-breaking minority? Share how you have made this milestone fun in your house!

Becky is a wife of eight years and stay at home mom to three young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

Donna Perugini November 4, 2014 Uncategorized, Your Child and Reading-Literacy baby teeth falling out, childhood milestones, cultures and lost baby teeth, folklore for losing baby teeth, new tradition instead of tooth fairy, throw your tooth on the roof, tooth fairy, tooth fairy money 6 Comments

Hosting a Community Baby Shower

I’d like to introduce Becky Hubbard to you. She’s been behind quite a few of the posts lately. See her bio at the bottom of this post. Becky has been involved in her church’s Children’s Ministry. Her husband is in the music ministry. She and her husband have three beautiful children. Like her style? You can find more from Becky at her blog, HappyChristianHome .

Hosting a Community Baby Shower

A couple of weeks ago, I talked about ways to serve expectant mamas on an individual basis. But what about outreach on a larger scale? Whether you have a small ministry, or a larger church, you can do something to reach out to expectant women in your community!

The Vision for Serving Expectant Moms

As I shared before, pregnancy is a prime opportunity to reach out with the message of the Gospel; to come alongside a single mama-to-be or a young couple and let them know you care, and that Jesus cares. Especially in today’s economy, this type of outreach is something that can positively impact people. It definitely is an opportunity to help people feel a little more prepared to face this huge change in their lives.

Where to Begin for Hosting a Community Baby Shower

Start way in advance! At least six months to a year. Set some goals for your church (like how many women you would like to reach) and set a tentative date for the event. Start reaching out to local businesses about sponsoring the event (many stores have a budget set aside for community involvement- and most require that you submit a letter well ahead of the date of your event to request donations). Most places are great about donating gift cards (for you to purchase supplies) and requested items.

Get the Word Out to the Congregation

Let your congregation members know what you are planning. Hosting a community baby shower is a pretty big deal. Ask for them to bring in diapers and other items that you plan to give away. Even set up a special collection station in a prominent location. Recruit volunteers to solicit donations from some of the stores as well. Also, people usually have baby items they no longer need. If in good condition, these can be included in your outreach. Depending on your church size, you may want a volunteer just to organize the items that come in. Think about the size of the event you are planning, and recruit volunteers for planning as well as for the day of the outreach.

Get the Word out to Expectant Mothers

Create flyers, and use social media to advertise as well as any other methods you normally use. You may want to consider setting a limit and asking moms to pre-register to keep things nice and orderly!

What You Can Do

Here are just some ideas to get you started. Pray and think outside the box to build on these ideas or come up with others that work better for your hosting a community baby shower.

Serve food to the mothers (think brunch-type food, bagels, pastries, juice and milk, etc).
Have a (brief) time of encouragement with a special message to the mothers
Invite vendors to come that would be of interest to new/expectant mothers (think local boutiques, pediatricians, local fire department- if you charge for their space, you can use the funds to acquire more items to give away).
Each mother would ideally receive one larger item like a car seat (new of course), a swing, or a baby carrier. Also, a pack or two of diapers, wipes, a diaper bag, some baby wash, etc.
Moms can register with the gender of the child (if they know it) and you can tailor their gifts even more specifically.
You may be able to acquire a larger, more expensive item (like a crib with a mattress). You can have a drawing for a mother to win it.
If you have acquired gently used clothing, toys and other baby items, you can have mothers browse and pick out things they might need or want. Set a limit of five or ten items so there is plenty to go around. You can issue tickets that moms can redeem for these items.
Baby food and formula is another possible item to include in the giveaway.

As you can see, the possibilities are just about endless. You can do grand, or you can do smaller scale. Whatever is in your ability to do, God will bless it, whether you help 20 moms or 200 moms.

Has your church done a similar outreach in the past? Tell me about it in a comment! The more ideas, the merrier!

Becky is a wife of eight years and stay at home mom to three young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home.

Donna Perugini October 7, 2014 Uncategorized church reaching out, community baby shower, community baby shower by churches, event planning, expectant moms, volunteers for outreach 2 Comments

5 Ways to Serve Expectant Moms

Five Ways to Serve the Expectant Moms

For a long while now, I’ve felt called to serve to women- especially expectant and new moms. Having been through it, I know that growing a person can be exciting, scary, fun, uncertain (and many other adjectives). Life as you know it is completely changing, and if that is not a time to come alongside someone and reach out either in spirit or in person, I don’t know what is.

New Moms to Be and Reaching Out on an Individual Basis

The church I’m a member of is a growing ministry, and so it goes in churches like ours, we are only able to focus on a handful of areas. Fairly recently, we were able to do an event where we reached out to expecting and new mothers in our community, and that’s definitely a start. But what about the rest of the time? How can you show your care and concern for new moms-to-be on an individual basis?

Pray for them! A while back, I started a section in my journal with names of expectant mamas, when they are due and any other information I might know about them. (Like what gender they’re expecting, or any specific concerns they have shared). I pray for them fairly regularly, and update when the new baby comes and jot down their birthday and birth stats. I love going back over old entries and seeing how God has been faithful to answer prayers for a baby to turn (to avoid a C-Section), or how He healed a particular ailment in mom or baby.
Bring them food! I know we usually focus on when a new baby is born to bring meals to the family, but those early weeks of pregnancy can be rough on a mom! Maybe plan to bring a casserole a few times soon after the mom announces her pregnancy, and then again after the new baby comes. Round up some other women in your church to help you!
Offer to care for her older children. A trip to the park for an hour or so can afford an expectant mama an opportunity to take a nap or a long soak in the tub, or even a chance to get to her prenatal appointment.
Take her to lunch. Nourishment is a major theme for mamas-to-be! This also gives her a chance to talk about the pregnancy if she wants to, or share any specific concerns she may have (see point number one).
Host a baby shower for her. If her extended family is involved in the church, you might not need to, but if you don’t know her family, you may want to see if she is having one. Even if it is a small get-together with the ladies in the church, it is still a nice gesture. Find out if she needs anything. She may not even need much, everybody appreciates extra diapers, and a mini-celebration of the new baby coming into the world. And food (did I mention that food is important?)

It doesn’t have to be difficult to care for a mom-to-be! A simple, heartfelt, “how are you doing?” can make a woman feel loved and noticed.

How have you ministered to expectant mamas? What was their reaction?

Becky is a wife of eight years and stay at home mom to three young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home.

Donna Perugini September 23, 2014 Uncategorized expectant mothers, ministry to expectant moms, ministry to new moms, new moms, reaching out to expectant moms and new moms 2 Comments

Loss of a Child, My Child

Have You Experienced the Loss of a Child?

“If you know someone who has had the loss of a child and you’re afraid to mention them because you think you might make them sad by reminding them that they died, they didn’t forget they died. You’re not reminding them. What you’re reminding them of is that you remember that they existed.” ~E Edwards

Loss of a Child….My Child

What better way to start off this post than with that quote. I found this quote online and thought about my own son, Mike, who was born October 16, 1975… but died one year ago October 23, 2012. He was 37. No matter how old your child gets, they’re still your child and you’re still mom.

I’ve not put anything online lately about how I’ve been during this time of grieving. There’s no real way to describe how you feel during a time like this. Emotions run in all directions and the only words worth holding on to are, “He will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.” The word I really had to work on was ‘stayed’. At first I had to constantly bring my thoughts back to God.

You miss your child and would like to have had them in your life until you go home to be with the Lord. There’s no replacing your child. There’s no retreating from grieving the loss. Even though it is a loss to me, Mike gained. He gained a place he wanted to be one day. Mike spoke to me of heaven and Jesus when he had no idea that he would be in heaven and immediately in His Lord’s presence within those next three weeks. We raised him to love God and to have faith in Him…to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior. I loved having those talks with him as he shared his faith with passion.

My friends have had losses of spouses and their friends of late. We’ve talked about the fact that we need to love and walk in love everyday of our lives with those around us. How much have we put off thinking there is all the time in the world to speak with and enjoy each other. Have I had thoughts of regrets or guilt? Who doesn’t when something unexpected happens to them. I didn’t hang on to those thoughts…they were just thoughts. Staying current with everyone at all times is unrealistic, but at least making an effort and not putting them off is a comfort if the unexpected happens.

I told you how I am comforted by God. Let me also say that during a time of loss, leaning on close friends who understand keeps you stable. What is ‘understand’? Go ahead and talk with me about how you remember Mike. Let me bring up how he passed away. If you bring it up wanting to know more, I’ll cry… and you may find it uncomfortable to be around me. If you don’t want to talk, then just hug me and tell me you love me. I’ll make it through all this and it will forever be a part of me. You can’t keep someone who puts their trust in God down. I’ll keep getting up.

Mike has a wife that we love dearly. I’m praying that his birthday doesn’t make mincemeat of her heart again. She expected to spend a lifetime with him. They were devoted to each other…friends and soulmates.

Here’s a beautiful memory of Mike on his wedding day that I want to share with you. He really rocked his world!

We’ll meet again in heaven…just like this

Thank you for listening. Go out and love someone today!

Donna

Donna Perugini October 16, 2013 Uncategorized always a mom, being with Jesus in heaven, grieving, heaven, loss of a child, passing of a son 15 Comments

Gearin Up to Get an Agent Blogorama

I’m taking a break from regular posting because I’m entered in a blogarama created by Deana Barnhart for writers. My 200 words for the contest are posted here per the instructions:

Second Revision of first 200 words:

Donna Perugini

Genre: Picture Book

Word Count: 1,000

“No! No! No!” Gruber spit sour pie and threw down his fork. “Terrible!” Once again he’d made a pucker-face pie from green berries.

Forest Grubbies like Gruber were the best sweet-berry pie makers. There was one problem.

The forest had become a place where the bushes held tightly to their hard green berries. The sun could not ripen all the berries below because the trees took the sunshine for themselves. Only one bush in the whole forest gave ripe sweet-berries. Not even Gruber could get enough ripe berries to make one sweet-berry pie.

Every day Grubbies pushed and shoved each other to get the best berries. “Gimme!” “Mine!” “No! Mine!” exploded from their lips as they smooshed ripe berries while grabbing from each other’s hands. Instead of sweet-berry pie aroma, the forest was being polluted with the sour smell of pucker-face pie.

Gruber made up his mind. If the only bush was giving enough sweet-berries for one pie each day, then he would dig up the whole bush for himself.   He would have one sweet-berry-pie….every day…FOREVER!

It was early morning when all little Grubbies were snoring in their beds. Gruber picked up his tiny bucket, stuffed cookie snacks into his vest pocket, and grabbed the shovel.  Today he would get to the bush long before the other Grubbies.

First 200 words:

Donna Perugini

GIMME! NO, MINE!

Picture Book

Word Count 1,000

“No! No! No!” Gruber spit sour pie as he threw down his fork. “Yuck!” Once again he’d made a pucker-face pie from green berries.

Forest Grubbies like Gruber were the best sweet-berry pie bakers. There was one problem. Only one sweet-berry bush in the whole forest gave ripe berries.

Not even Grubber could get enough ripe berries to make one sweet-berry pie. Grubbies pushed and shoved each other to get berries. “Gimme!” “Mine!” “No! Mine!” exploded from their lips as they smooshed the berries while grabbing from each other’s hands. Instead of sweet-berry pie aroma, the forest was being polluted with the sour smell of green berry pucker-face pie.

Gruber made up his mind. If the only bush was giving enough sweet-berries for one pie each day, then he would dig up the whole bush for himself.   He would have one sweet-berry-pie….every day…FOREVER!

It was early morning when all little Grubbies were snoring in their beds. Gruber picked up his tiny bucket, stuffed cookie snacks into his vest pocket, and grabbed the shovel.  Today he would get to the bush long before the other Grubbies.

That’s 200 words!

And if you’re curious about the contest, here are the rules I’m following:
1) Post the first 200 words (please finish the sentence even if it is past 200 words) of your novel or picture book on your blog. (Any genre can join in the initial crit hop but only young adult, middle grade and picture book can be a part of the final contest. This is because agent Kathleen Rushall, who is also one of the judges of this contest is only looking for those types of books. So sorry everyone else.)

2) Once you post, sign up with the link of your post on the linky below.

3) Hop around other participants blogs and give them helpful advice on their first 200 words.

4) If you have a completed young adult, middle grade or picture book manuscript by Tuesday 3PM ET please email me the first 200 words at deanabarnhart@gmail.com for a shot at the contest. (This can be pasted into the body of the email. It doesn’t have to be an attachment.
NOTE: When I say completed this is strictly a guideline. It is up to you whether or not you really do this. Just remember that Kathleen is an agent and if she loves your work she may very well ask for more from you.
5) The format for entries should look like this:

Your name

Title of book

Genre

First 200 words….

6) Eight judges will choose 10 finalists by Wednesday 7/27/11

7) Agent Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency will first pick her winner, then writer with and agent, Monica B.W. will pick hers.

8) The winners will be chosen by Friday 7/29/11.

PRIZES

Kathleen’s winner will win a query and first 30 page critique from her,
Monica’s winner will win a first 10 page critique from her.

To get your excitement bubbling, here is part 1 of an interview I did with Kathleen a few weeks back (I will post a brand new part 2 Wednesday), and HERE is the interview I did with Monica.

I’ll be back to regular posting soon! Keep cool for the midwest USA or pray for sunshine for the Pacific NW!

Donna Perugini July 25, 2011 Authors and Publishing, Uncategorized agent Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, Deana Barnhart, Gearin Up to Get an Agent Blogorama, writer's contest, YA author Monica Bustamante Wagner 18 Comments

Want to Know More About a Children’s Author?

Are you interested in knowing more about a children’s author?

How about how the author was published, and then those books went to the ‘end of their shelf life’. What was the author to do next?

I know this person! She was published in 1983 to 1987 and then had her books re-issued in October of 2010.

For all the ins and outs of how it worked for her, click on this link to the Featured Author on Matthew 5:6 (for women) and I’ll meet you there!

Let the host of the blog, Brook, know what you think…especially you SITs Girls and the Goose Tribe…remember to say ‘hey!’

Donna Perugini April 30, 2011 Authors and Publishing, Incredible Interviews..Authors, Ministry Speakers, Mothers, Uncategorized a book's shelf life, children's author, featured author on Matthew 5:6 (for women), re-issued books, SITs Girls, Want to know more about a children's author 3 Comments

Donna Perugini Children's Author