We Choose Virtues was created by Heather McMillan, my wife of 20 years, out of her love for children and her desire to see them reach their personal potential. As preschool teacher and a children’s pastor, it concerned her how often she came across children whose lack of self control, honesty and perseverance was almost debilitating. How could they succeed in life without the skills that come from good character?
Many grade school teachers she knew admitted that it sometimes takes from September to winter break for their students to follow even the simplest classroom instructions. This crisis in personal character seemed to be obstructing the learning process for their entire classrooms.
As her passion continued to grow, she realized that she wanted to teach children how to change. Not just a momentary change of actions, but a more lasting change in their attitudes as well. Her observation is that children needed to be inspired by simple, positive and consistent
instructions, and parents and teachers needed an effective language with which to communicate these instructions.
It was out of this necessity that Heather created the original list of virtues and their unforgettable catchphrases. She used them at home with our four children, taught them in her own Preschool classroom, introduced them to fellow teachers, parents, and professional counselors. They were enthusiastically received and the results were outstanding. These same helpful phrases have been translated for teachers in India and Cambodia.
We are excited to be able to bring you We Choose Virtues…Simply Inspiring Character that Lasts. I suggest you put it to the test. I think you’ll be glad you chose Virtues!
Elton McMillan Jr.
About us…
- We both have loving, godly, supportive parents and grandparents
- We got married at ages 20 and 21
- All 4 of our kids are teens…for 5 more months!
- We lived in Liberia for 9 months when our kids were 1, 3, 6, and 7.
- Heather is a home school graduate! (
we’reI’m the class of ’88!) - Our kids have been home schooled 3 different times (I.M.B.N. Academy. I Must Be Nuts)
- Elton runs a Private Pre K-12th grade school in addition to being a Children’s and Family pastor at Life Bible Church.
- Heather built a chicken coop : )
We Choose Virtues would like to introduce our artist Pete Sutton. Pete and his wife Linda are our long time friends, fellow children’s pastors and owners of Bottle Caps Design Studio. As you can tell by looking at our graphic designs and illustrations, they put their whole heart into this project right along side us…and continue to do so. At the end of a long year of drawing, painting, photographing, designing and editing, we get to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Kids love the Virtues…mostly because they love Airplane Betty Jane and her adorable friends. We can’t thank you enough, Pete! You brought the Virtue Kids to life!
We Choose Virtues would like to show their appreciation to the McMillan Kids. They have let their mother live in her office while they made their own meals and were generally fine with it. They helped fill orders, enter receipts, file invoices, organize the stockroom, and listen to their parents try the Virtues out on them. They even agreed to sell the family boat for operating cash. They are the future CEO’s of the family business. So, even though we don’t exactly live in VirtueVille, you really are the Virtue Kids and we wouldn’t want to do this without you. ~Mom and Dad
I am married to a man who loves every child he has ever met, in every corner of the world he has ever stepped foot in. I wish you could see him. He walks into a room and just starts making kids smile. Not because he is a comic or a clown, but because he is just that loving. He plays games with them, he teaches them the truth, imparts hope to them…and he trains others to do the same. My dream is that We Choose Virtues will be the vehicle to take him to where the children are… and bring them Jesus. Thank you Elton Jr, for being true to who God made you to be, and letting me come along for the ride. ~Heather
Where are we from? In a town boasting 3,300 people and one traffic light. Harrisburg, Oregon is bordered by the banks
of the mighty Willamette River on the West and grass seed fields that roll on for mile after cultivated mile to the East. The Cascade Mountain ranges and Coburg foothills create a sheltered backdrop. In the midst of this pastoral setting is the birthplace of We Choose Virtues!