About the DVD
Only a miracle can help baseball coach Arthur ‘Murph’ Murphy (Dean Cain) and his losing minor league baseball team. As Murph sets out to recruit new talent for the team, he stumbles upon Mickey (Luke Schroder), a young farmer with an incredible pitcher’s arm. However, Mickey’s parents are reluctant in allowing him to join the team because he has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism. Murph convinces Mickey’s parents that life in the minor league will benefit their unique son, but he doesn’t realize just how much his new recruit will help the team s game and, more importantly, their spirit. Based on a true story, Thomas Kinknade Presents: A Mile in His Shoes is an inspirational film that celebrates faith, determination and the power of friendship.

gmc World Premiere Movie: A Mile In His Shoes

Website: http://www.watchgmctv.com/video/mile-his-shoes#biography
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Mile-In-His-Shoes/270101973014772?sk=wall
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev2T0BFetH4
Dove Foundation Review: http://www.dove.org/reviewmasterframe.asp

My Take on the DVD

This was a great movie for the whole family. As a parent I am always looking for movies that teach values that I want my daughters to understand and this movie fit that so well. As a person who works with students who have  forms of autism I could relate with the main character and what the coach and the player were going through. This movie has some great messages within it that all will enjoy, including ones of acceptance, passion, hard work and belief, but there are so many more. The movie is emotional, but is one that the whole family will enjoy. I highly recommend this to all!

Giveaway

• Grab my badge to your sidebar

<a href=”http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/”><img src=”http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/lewisca3/DadofDivasButton1.jpg” /></a>

• Subscribe to the Dad of Divas Reviews Site

• Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)

• Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I’ll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:” @dadofdivas is giving away the DVD A Mile in his Shoes #giveaway #contest #win  - http://dadofdivas.com/giveaway ” (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)

• Like Dad of Divas on Facebook (Leave username in comment)

• Like A Mile in His Shoes on Facebook -  http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Mile-In-His-Shoes/270101973014772?sk=wall (Leave username in comment)

Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

This contest will run until January 17, 2011 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

Winner must be a resident of the U.S or Canada.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

EMBARK ON A MUSICAL JOURNEY WITH

THE PATRIOTIC AMERICAN COMPOSER

Win a copy of STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER Box Combo Pack, out on Blu-ray and DVD December 13^th

Based on the life of talented 19^th century composer John Phillip Sousa, STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER is a good-hearted musical filled with show-stopping numbers. The film was highly acclaimed, receiving three Golden Globe Award nominations in 1953 including Best Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy. Experience the romance and joy on Blu-ray for the first time December 13^th, from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER is a 1952 film biography of composer John Philip Sousa. Clifton Webb stars as Sgt. Major John Philip Sousa, who while the leader of the Marine Corps Band in 1890’s, meets Private Willie Little (Robert Wagner), inventor of an instrument he calls the Sousaphone…and Little’s girlfriend, shapely showgirl Lily (Debra Paget). The film follows Sousa after he leaves the Marines and forms his own band accompanied by Willie and Lily. Though he’d rather write ballads, Sousa’s marches bring him increasing fame and from their debut in 1892 the band is a great success. But Sousa’s ‘no wives’ rule threatens the romance of Willie and Lily…as does the Spanish-American War.
Giveaway

• Grab my badge to your sidebar (+2)

<a href=”http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/”><img src=”http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/lewisca3/DadofDivasButton1.jpg” /></a>

• Subscribe to the Dad of Divas Reviews Site  (+1)
  

• Subscribe to Dad of Divas by Email (+2)

• Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment) (+1)

• Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I’ll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:” @dadofdivas is giving away a Stars and Stripes Forever Blu-ray combo #WIN #giveaway #Contest  - http://dadofdivas.com/giveaway” (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day) (+1)

• Like Dad of Divas on Facebook (Leave username in comment) (+1)

• Like the Blog Pop Blog on Facebook (Leave username in comment) (+1)

Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

This contest will run until January 16, 2012 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

Winner must be a resident of the U.S or Canada.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Our 194th Dad in the Limelight is Jimmy Chung (@jimmychung). I want to thank Jimmy for being a part of this series. It has been great getting connected with him and now sharing him with all of you.

1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers knowledge).

My name is Jimmy Chung and I started out as a teen parent (on purpose). 19 is still a teen. Yeah…I was a rebel.

Why am I in the limelight? I currently balance my life as a devoted husband, proud father, amateur chef, gamer, and an exciting career as a eCommerce Strategist for one of the top Fortune 500 companies.

2) Tell me about your family

Today at age 24, I’m a proud father of three beautiful daughters and a freshly newborn son so yes, four by 24. Sounds like a TLC show doesn’t it?

I am married to my best friend (Sarah) who I met through a close friend in my first year of college while Sarah was a high school senior. Nothing weird considering I went to school early and we are 3 months apart in age.

3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?

To be honest, the largest challenge for me as a father is not knowing the expectation and situations for each age. As your child gets older, you will encounter new experiences and situations. It’s extremely difficult to predict behaviors and solutions for situations which may or may not happen. Every parent knows life is a challenge, so accept it and adapt. Since I have more than one child, the interactions and behavior will vary for my youngest kids as compared to the experiences of my oldest daughter. For example, my second daughter was able to accelerate in her speech and expression abilities due to learning from her older sister. My oldest daughter was the foundation for accelerating the learning abilities of her younger siblings. The month to month comparison in the acceleration of behavior and maturity was dramatic. Now, my third daughter is learning from her two older sisters while continuing to advance herself. My baby boy is less than 2 months old, so he has a long way to go. ; )

4) What advice would you give to other fathers?

My biggest advice to other fathers will start in one word and please mark it down. The word is patience. Your child needs guidance and it is up to you to guide him or her. He or she will look up to you for education and instructions. Your child will mimic your behaviors, actions, expressions, and way of decision making. You need to enforce and believe in patience. When teaching your child something new or scolding him or her for inappropriate behavior, you need to remember the mindset of children. They are fresh to this world and do not understand concepts in which you have learned and practiced for many years. Children are brand new sponges with the need to soak in new knowledge. You are the one responsible for supplying the knowledge in a step by step format of education. The actions of education won’t be easy, but you can be successful if you take time to teach your kids right. Patience is one of the key elements to your child’s development.

5) Seeing that you (or your position) are in the limelight, how have you come to balance parenthood and outside life? If you are currently not in the limelight per se, please still answer this in regards to how you balance parenthood and outside life.

Everything that I’m doing with advancing my career has always been influenced by my family. The reason I work so hard is for the core purpose of building the future for my children and lovely wife. I want to lay down the foundation for my children to grow on while replicating the core values in thinking of family as the number one top priority.

As for balancing parenthood and outside life, I do not only try to spend as much time with my children as possible but I do push myself to stay engaged while I’m with them. This includes asking about their day, what they learned at school, what they ate, and what they would like to do at the moment. As parents, we have to be proactive in engagement for the benefit of our children.

Now we do need a break from time to time to relax. As a parent, I recommend establishing some downtime each day to recharge yourself once the kids are in bed. Everyone needs some time to themselves.

6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?

I have been blessed to be raised by a caring father and be surrounded by fathers who have demonstrated the same admiring characteristics. I have witnessed and learned to take the role of a teacher in providing guidance to my children.

 As parents, we are the first teachers before our children even set foot in their first day of school.

7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far?

I absolutely love being a father. My children bring me so much joy! You can just have a bad day in general but once you hear their laughter or look at their little faces, the mood just changes to a positive note.

What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?

My most memorable moment, which happens to be a recent event was the day I took my oldest daughter to her first day of Kindergarten. I just couldn’t believed how time just flew by. It’s like she was a baby yesterday and now a kindergartner? I’m just so proud of her. : )
If you have any questions for Jimmy, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!

——————————————————————————————-
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Our 193rd Dad in the Limelight is Geordon VanTassle (@Hurricanedad411). I want to thank Geordon for being a part of this series. It has been great getting connected with him and now sharing him with all of you.

1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers knowledge)

I am a 38 year old family man.  I’ve been family minded since before I met my first wife, whom I was divorced from after less than a year.  I spent about a year in the Army, but was discharged because I couldn’t meet the run requirement due to knee problems.  I’m currently finishing up an AA in psychology through University of Phoenix with plans on a BA in Emergency and Disaster Management to follow.  I have am an amateur (“ham”) radio operator and I have trained as a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) volunteer and have held an Emergency Medical Technician – Basic license.  As you might get a hint, emergency preparedness is something that is high in my mind.

I have been with the same employer (large telephone company) for over 12 years serving as support for voice-response systems that answer your call and direct you through a call tree.  Helpful hint:  In many cases, say “agent” when asked to say something or hit zero as the key entry and you will get to talk to a live person.  Many, not all, though.  It depends on how the system is configured.

I also live with major depression and anxiety disorder.  Yes, I am a mental patient, but I manage well with medication and a great support system at home.  I make no bones about my mental health because I want to see the stigma associated with mental health erased.  We have no more direct control of our condition than do diabetics or cancer patients.  Plus, in some cases, mental health conditions can be channeled into productive regions, similar to me channeling my anxiety into emergency planning.  By having a productive outlet for my anxiety, I am better able to manage it in other situations.

2) Tell me about your family

I’ve been with my wife for close to 15 years and we’ve raised three children in that time.  The oldest just turned 18, and I am fantaastically proud of the woman that she has grown into.  If you do the math, you’ll notice that my wife had our oldest before we met.  I am step-father to her older two children (son of 17 and daughter of 18), and have been the only father figure that they have ever known.  The difference between the older two and our youngest (daughter, 12) is like night and day.  Where they are more group-players, the youngest is extremely independent.

My wife and I “met” first on an email list for a reenactment group that we both had an interest in.  When we happened to be at an event at the same time, we struck up a pleasant conversation and wanted to stay in contact after the event.  When we exchanged emails, it was a definite “ah HA!” moment, as we realized that we had already gotten to know each other virtually.  Months of email and instant message communication later, we were loving together and have been that way ever since.

As often as not, I wouldn’t know which end is up without her steady influence.  We joke about it, but she really does keep me in line.

3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?

As part of a blended family, I have an interesting perspective.  Because my wife and I had a child together, I can tell you that there is a difference in how you feel about your own offspring versus offspring of someone else.  I don’t love my stepchildren any less than I love my own child, but the love had a different quality at the beginning that I can’t adequately explain.  That being said, even when my daughter was born, I would have given my life for any of the three kids that we have.  I would still.

Feeling the difference (maybe it was because I wasn’t there at the beginnig with the older two, I really don’t know) between the children was something that I struggled with for a long time.  I thought that I should have the same feelings for all three kids, and I felt bad that I didn’t.  That being said, I never thought of the older two as my “Stepchildren” merely because they had a different father.  I always thought of them as “my” kids because I was filling the role of father-figure in their lives.

4) What advice would you give to other fathers?

The best advice that I can offer would be to accept that you will screw up.  Not “if”, “when”.  Accept that and do your damndest to screw up less than your parents did.  Or, at least, try to screw up differently than they did.

I would also caution other fathers that their children will have their own personalities and opinions from the day that they are born.  You can only guide them, you can’t make them think or behave in any particular way.  They will act the way that they want to, no matter what you do.

5) Seeing that you (or your position) are in the limelight, how have you come to balance parenthood and outside life? If you are currently not in the limelight per se, please still answer this in regards to how you balance parenthood and outside life.

As a parent, you are in the limelight no matter what you think.  Your actions will be seen by your children as a model of how an adult is supposed to act, so be mindful of your actions.  If you are rude to people, your children will (for the most part) be rude to you.  If you are polite, your children will likely be polite.  If you spend all of your waking hours away from them, they will not know you and will likely ignore you when you try to interact with them.

If you are a noncustodial parent, you have to work that much harder to be known by your children.  It takes a lot more than a 5-minute phone call every other week, 2-3 weekends every year and 6 weeks in the summer to really know your children.  When they are young, they want to know you.  If you don’t get to know them (and I mean REALLY know them, not just superficially) when they’re young, they will not want to know you when they are older.  

As for your “outside” life, always keep your family in mind.  They depend on your support emotionally and financially.  Over-balancing in either direction will let them down.  Remember what I said about modeling the behavior that you want to encourage, because kids will catch you out every time you slip up.  Even more so if you think they’re not watching:  Kids see all and hear all, with sometimes humorous and sometimes embarrassing results.

6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?

From some of the fathers that I have interacted with, I have learned that not every man should be a father.  From others I have learned the value of “benevolent dictatorship”, the value of calm in the midst of chaos, and, from my own, I leaned how to change brakes, tires, oil, and spark plugs.  I wish that he had taught me how to handle finances as well as he does.  My own father demonstrated how to be a family provider, and he also taught me that, sometimes, kids want you to be present, rather than just providing.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hold any spite for my dad, but there were times when I was growing up that he was just not there when we (I) wanted him to be.  That being said, I think that the best time that I ever spent with him was when he stepped up at the last minute and was the parent in charge when my Boy Scout troop went to summer camp.  That is my fondest memory of our time together, though there are other, smaller examples.

7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far?

Once you become a father, everything changes.  Your life is no longer your own, and you suddenly become a bit player in the drama that is your own life.   This is especially true if you have babies.  They become the bright center of your universe.

That being said, you do nobody any good unless you take some time for yourself, too.  Parenthood is the toughest job that you will ever have.  It will, in turns, fulfill you and break your heart.  Make time for yourself, make time for your partner, and make sure that you make time to be together, without the children.  

Stay honest.  Honesty about all things will go a long way to making your partner and children secure in relationship to you.  In addition, don’t keep everything to yourself.  Sharing information (in an appropriate manner and time) will also help secure your relationship.

Apologize when you are wrong.  (I still have a hard time with this one, but I’m trying)

Forgive yourself.  You will screw up, sometimes pretty badly.  Accept it, learn from it, and make a different screw-up next time.

What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?

The most memorable day in the past 15 years has got to be the day that my daughter was born.  I still remember her Apgar scores being 7 and 9 (that’s “pretty good” and “really good” respectively).  She was delivered by C-section, and the OB/GYN had almost delivered her before I got into the operating theater, much to my chagrin.  I had barely sat down next to my wife’s head before our daughter was being held out to show us that she had arrived.  I remember being so warm!  For the first few days of her life, while we were still in the hospital, I barely put her down.  She was barely as long as my forearm, from head to bottom.

If you have any questions for Geordon, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!

——————————————————————————————-
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

About the Phone

Sprint’s first Motorola 4G device, the Photon™ 4G is perfect for the extreme tech lover whose personal and professional lives tend to overlap. This device has all of the must-have features you’ll love like a 4.3″ qHD display, dual cameras, worldwide GSM capabilities, and a unique kickstand for easy hands-free viewing. The Photon 4G is a media powerhouse that will quickly become your entertainment command center. Capture pictures and video with the 8 megapixel camera with camcorder and replay via HDTV or post to your favorite social network. Revolutionize your mobile media experience by connecting with your friends’ online albums, recommended music, videos and more. With a 1 GHz NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 dual core processor, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory and a world class HTML browser, you’ll revel in an unprecedented multimedia experience that rivals a netbook’s.

My Take on the Phone

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

About the Book

About the Author

Paul H. Magid web site:
http://www.paulhmagid.com/

Paul H. Magid Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/KarmaNovel#!/profile.php?id=100002979900843

Lifting the Wheel of Karma Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/KarmaNovel

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

Lifting the Wheel of Karma blog tour site:
http://liftingthewheelofkarma.blogspot.com/

Amazon buy link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984016066?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes&Noble.com buy link
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=dcSBhG3Rj8w&offerid=229293.9780984016068&type=2&subid=0

eBook
Price: $9.99

Kindle buy link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005TJ3I4C?tag=tributebooks-20

My Take on the Book

What was amazing about this book was the way that in a slow but steady pace you are given the opportunity to look at the world in a different way. The book was captivating and engaging and I found that once I started the book I did not want to put it down. The spiritual nature of the book was amazing and I found myself being very interested in what the author had to say and the characters that he used to bring across his message. I think all of us are on a path or a journey in our life and this book makes you look at this path through a new lens and makes you reconsider the possibilities that may lie in front of you in the future as well. This was a great read!
Giveaway

• Grab my badge to your sidebar

<a href=”http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/”><img src=”http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/lewisca3/DadofDivasButton1.jpg” /></a>

• Subscribe to the Dad of Divas Reviews Site

• Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)

• Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I’ll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:” @dadofdivas is giving away 3 copies of the book Lifting the Wheel of Karma #Win #Giveaway #contest - http://dadofdivas.com/giveaway ” (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)

• Like Dad of Divas on Facebook (Leave username in comment)

Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

This contest will run until January 8, 2012 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

Winner must be a resident of the U.S or Canada.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Our 192nd Dad in the Limelight is author Mark Pett. I want to thank Mark for being a part of this series. It has been great getting connected with him and now sharing him with all of you.

1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers’ knowledge)

I am a father to two girls and a husband to one woman. Until recently, I had a very old dog named Catfish, but she is now chasing squirrels in heaven. Professionally, I am a cartoonist and children’s book author. My projects have included two nationally syndicated newspaper comic strips — “Mr. Lowe” (loosely based on my experience as a sixth-grade Teach For America teacher in Mississippi) and “Lucky Cow” (about America’s love/hate relationship with the fast food industry). The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes is my first picture book, which I illustrated and co-authored with my friend Gary Rubinstein. It’s about Beatrice Bottomwell, celebrated in her town for never having made a mistake. It’s a wonderful little book.

2) Tell me about your family

I married up, to a beautiful and wicked smart woman name Tiffany, to whom I’ve been wed for 12 years. Shortly after we married, we moved from Cambridge, MA to rural Mississippi, where we lived for 10 years, and we just recently moved to my hometown of Salt Lake City. A few years ago, we adopted an infant girl, Magnolia (who we call Millie), who is now three and is one of the most exuberant and empathic people I know. Last year, we learned that Millie’s newborn sister also needed a home, so we welcomed Clementina (Cleo) into ours. Cleo recently took her first steps and, according to Millie, is something of a “grabby grabber.” 

Ours is what you would call a transracial family. Millie and Cleo are both African-American. My wife and I are not. 

3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?

Of course, the most radical challenge has been completely giving up my life as I knew it. My time is not my own anymore and to the degree that that became true when I got married, it is exponentially truer now with kids!

Fatherhood has forced me to discover efficiency in my work that I never knew was possible. The 80-hour work weeks will no longer do. 

4) What advice would you give to other fathers?

My eldest is only three, so I’m very much a newbie at this. Still, I’ve found a few things to be true.

Fatherhood requires striking a delicate balance between guiding your children and letting your children guide you. Most parents, it seems, swing wildly to one end or the other. Either they’re of the “good child is a quiet child” variety or they let their children completely run rampant. I encourage my children to ask questions and express opinions. I expect them to do it courteously. I explain why we are doing things the way we are doing them. I’m willing to listen to a good argument in favor of doing things another way, but I expect prompt complicity when I give directions.

Mostly, I’ve found that it’s really really important to listen. Your child will often tell you everything you need to know, if you listen closely enough. 

Oh, and tell them often that you love them.

5) Seeing that you (or your position) are in the limelight, how have you come to balance parenthood and outside life? If you are currently not in the limelight per se, please still answer this in regards to how you balance parenthood and outside life.

Extraneous activities have been the first to go. It’s harder to reconcile a marathon TV session than it once was, so I watch relatively little nowadays. Work is a more focused affair than it once was, since randomly surfing the internet feels like a really expensive habit now. If I’m not with my kids, I feel like I want to just get stuff done. For a slacker-at-heart, this is something of a new feeling.

I travel less than I used to. I eat a lot of leftover bananas and Cheerios. I’ve learned to rock the mini van.

6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?

I’m much more humble about parenthood than I ever was before I had children. Nowadays, It seems I learn something from every father I observe.

Sometimes, it’s how to read to my children more effectively. Sometimes, it’s how to let them go to climb and explore and fall down. Sometimes it’s how to talk to them like little adults-to-be.

Or, sometimes, observing other fathers just teaches what I shouldn’t do.

7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far?

What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?

We’ve had the uncommon experience, as Caucasians, of raising African-American girls in a small Mississippi town that still struggles with racial issues. While our overwhelming experience was of warmth and acceptance, we occasionally found resistance. 

As I said, my daughter Millie is outgoing and makes friends easily. As is typical, while at Wal-Mart one day, Millie engaged child after child in her easy affable way. She went up to one little blond girl sitting in her mother’s cart and began talking to her. “Look, Daddy! I made a new friend!” she yelled over to me. The little girl looked down at Millie and said, “I’m white.” 

Millie looked up at her and said, “Hi, White! I’m Millie!”

If you have any questions for Mark, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!

——————————————————————————————-
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

About the Books

A Charles Dickens Devotional features some of Dickens’ brightest gems: Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, and A Christmas Carol, all of which are richly woven stories brimming with the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Add in the topical devotionalthoughts and you have an abundance of insight and guidance for faithful readers.

Short excerpts from Austen’s classics are featured in A Jane Austen Devotional:Northanger Abbey, Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and Emma. Austen’s devotional also includes a daily thought and Scripture that meaningfully translates to women’s everyday lives. Time and time again, Austen shows us through her words what love truly is, a love built on action, character, and honor.

My Take on the Books

Both of these books were beautifully crafted and for those of you that use devotionals on a daily basis, you will find these books to be great additions for your regimen.  What I loved about both books were the short passages that you are able to easily follow and reflect on that are tied back to the writings of the author in question. The authors of these books did a superb job at connecting both spiritual reflection with the writings of such powerful writers. I found myself transfixed in the reading of the books and it opened my eyes and my mind to the ideas that were being presented. I highly recommend both of these books for any and all who enjoy using devotionals as they are different than others that I have used in the past, but in saying that, I also say that they are well written and that the tie to well known writers assist you in staying connected to the spiritual teachings that are also being shared!

Giveaway

• Grab my badge to your sidebar

<a href=”http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/”><img src=”http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/lewisca3/DadofDivasButton1.jpg” /></a>

• Subscribe to the Dad of Divas Reviews Site

• Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)

• Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I’ll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:” @dadofdivas Book Review & Giveaway – A Charles Dickens & Jane Austen Devotional by @thomasnelson #win #books  - http://dadofdivas.com/giveaway ” (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)

• Like Dad of Divas on Facebook (Leave username in comment)

Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

This contest will run until January 3, 2012 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

Winner must be a resident of the U.S or Canada.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

What Is Brave Woman?

Brave Woman is a grassroots movement to shift personal and public perception of women facing domestic violence situations from a victim mentality to one of courage and strength. The ultimate goal is action to create a world community that

• Supports difficult decisions involved in creating a new life of safety, healing and independence.
• Is aware of the presence of domestic violence and its impact on families.

THEIR SHARED VISION is that every woman and child will have the supportive resources they need to live without fear in their homes and see themselves as courageous victors, finally free from family violence.

They are networking with international advocates to end domestic violence one woman, one family at a time.  Become a Brave Woman Champion. Take the pledge today and join other brave women in your area. Everyone who joins the Brave Woman community receives a free download of Jana Stanfield’s song, What Would I Do Today If I Were Brave and other sources of reflection and encouragement.

My Take On This

As a father of two girls I have to say that I completely support this cause and this organization. While the website itself is still developing the ideals behind the site itself are great and need to be addressed. I know that I for one have been sharing the online pledge with other fathers that I know of that have daughters as this organization does a ton and the potential for this organization is endless!

I have heard the stories of many women over the years that I would consider to be brave, I cannot say that I have known anyone personally that has been abused in this way, but I know that it occurs and that it needs to stop! The women that escape from this, in my opinion, are very brave, as they set themselves out to an unknown future, but they know that they deserve better, and they do!

I know that I want my own girls to be able to grow up and be brave, to stand up for themselves and to never allow anyone take control over them. I can only hope that I am up to the task to help them to learn these skills as they get older!

I highly encourage you to go to the Brave Woman website and take the pledge to support this cause, it is definitely worth it and you will be taking a stand for something important and meaningful!

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for CollectiveBias.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com