Happy Mother's Day

Never underestimate the power of a mother.   

Grace & Hope gave our son a mother during the first three years of life. For that, we will always be thankful...




P.S. Amazon commissions from love2learn2day go to Grace & Hope to enable more children to call someone "Mother."

The Yearly Announcement...

As many of you hit the streets (cyber or otherwise) to shop, I'll take the opportunity to make the annual announcement. If you use the Amazon links on this site or enter through the Amazon portal on the right menu of my homepage, I give commissions (at no cost to you) to Grace and Hope, an incredible group who puts Chinese orphans into foster care. My son benefited tremendously from the three years he lived with his foster family. You can read more about our story here.  And you can find links to Math Toys, Gifts and Games and Math Related Children's Literature. Over the last several years, your orders have helped me to put two children into foster homes in China as well as to buy coats for orphaned children. On their behalf I thank you. Immensely!

Happy Thanksgiving...and may the holiday season begin! :)

P.S. If you order QUICK you could also get the 24 Penguins Before Christmas: A 365 Penguins Advent Calendar.

Foster Care in China (Amazon Commissions)

A momentary interruption from usual postings...  I saw this video and wanted to make it available to anyone who is interested in knowing more about my "Amazon commission cause."

If you don't already know, commissions from Amazon purchases through this site (at no additional cost to you) are used to help place children in foster care in China. Please take a moment to see the amazing results:



My youngest son's life was also changed through Grace and Hope's foster care program. (Though my son is not the boy in the video, he is equally smart and handsome! :) ) THANK YOU for your help!!!

Bringing Grace and Hope...

I apologize in advance for this slight detour from math-i-ness, but school issues pale in comparison to the impact that this story has had on our lives...

Almost 5 years ago, this gorgeous baby was born in China.

Photo removed.
For unknown reasons, his biological parents could not care for him. He was eventually delivered to an orphanage. Although he was cared for, he did not have a family to love him like their own. At about the time this photo was taken, his life could have taken a very different path, with years of institutionalization ahead of him.

Yet, around the world, people were already rallying:

• In Oregon, USA, Grace and Hope for Children was working to provide him a foster family.
• A sister agency, Hope4China, located in Scotland, looked for an individual sponsor willing to cover the cost of a foster family.
• The sponsor, a Scottish woman, paid to keep him with a Chinese foster family for what she later would call, "all for the price of a daily newspaper."

At the time, no one had any idea what this would mean...

The 20-day-old infant went to live with a foster family, who loved him like their own. He grew from a beautiful baby to a charming toddler to a thriving 3-year-old. That loving 3-year-old joined our family 18 months ago.

He is a happy, loving, well-adjusted child. We know that the first three years of life are absolutely crucial in a child's development, especially where attachment and relationships are concerned. The loving care he received in foster care has allowed him to go on to form bonds with us. We do not take this for granted.

I won't go on and on...or my computer might short-circuit in a puddle of tears.

Since my son arrived home, we have learned about all the earth angels who cared for him. We didn't know about them when we picked him up, but one internet connection led to another and another and another...til we've fit the pieces of the puzzle together. Angel hands around the world have carried him...physically, spiritually, emotionally, financially. (Someday we will also thank his Heavenly angels! In person, that is.)

For the last year, we have attempted to pay it forward by sponsoring another child from our son's orphanage. We will continue to do so. However, the list of children needing foster families continues to grow. Knowing what a huge difference that early, loving experience can make, we want to do more.

SO...that's my long-winded way of saying this...beginning November 1st, all the Amazon commissions we make here will be sent to Grace and Hope toward sponsorship of another child. As you probably know, when you click through this site to Amazon they give us a minimal commission at no additional cost to the buyer. That money will now go to Grace and Hope.

I appreciate the interest you've shown in this site. It's fun for me. A hobby. And I'd like that time to go toward a worthy cause. My own selfish reasons, really. I'd like to know that somewhere, someday, another kiddo will have an expression like this. Photo removed.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!