What Do You Do?

 I'm frequently asked what I do for a living. 

In fact, I was recently offered a job at Bath & Body Works while out shopping with a friend. 

(It came by surprise, because I had informed the lady that my intention was to smell just about everything in the store.)

So, it's kind of fun to tell people, "I'm a stay-at-home mom."

There are mixed reactions to this.

"OH, that's so great! I wish I could."

"Good for you. I think I'd go crazy stuck with my kids all day!"

"So, you probably have tons of down time, right?"

It's people that think I have soooo much time on my hand that are completely unprepared for my reaction.

I squawk. 

(I'm not joking.)

Almost a guffaw.

Have you ever spent time with children?

They are exhausting.

This morning I was chopping vegetables for soup, all while fielding, "Mom, look at this! Mom, listen to this! Mom, hear me pretend! Mom, I need ___ NOW!"

My head hurt by 11:00 this morning.

I'm typically mostly patient.

But not always.

I've learned to breathe deeply, ask God for help, then use my very calm voice when I'm totally lost about something.

(And then my husband gets a text that reads something like this: "YOU have the MOST ridiculous children EVER!!!"

I've spent hours teaching my children things-

good manners, potty training, preschool work, cooperation, problem solving...

always with the goal that they see the value and importance of pleasing God first.

Things once valuable to me have been damaged or broken.

I've cleaned RED marker off my front door (Magic Erasers, people), crayon off my walls, and vomit from the furniture.

Scott and I have tagged teamed sick kiddos, rocked fussy babies, stayed consistent and calm through temper tantrums, been firm in our "no" answers, and loving in our discipline.

And the hope? The goal?

That in ten years we have young women well on their way to being powerful in the work of God.

Ava prays, "Thank you, Jesus, for dying on the cross to take away my sin."  

(And I hope it's in her heart, and not just her head.)

Lucy memorizes, "Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians four two."  

(And then she pushes her sister, or teases, or whines, or hits, and I wonder if she really gets it yet.)

Olivia learns "no" and how not to shriek every time she's upset. 

(Unless it's 2am and she is refusing to sleep unless we're standing, swaying 30 degrees side to side, with our heads to the left and arms crooked just so.)

And I pray, and pray, and pray, that it's all for God's glory and not for ours.

Because when people compliment my children, or tell me how adorable they are, it's really easy to take credit.

And when my children are naughty in public (heavenforbid), it's easy to be concerned with what people think of my reputation.

But it's not about me, or about them. 

It's about God, and are we pleasing Him?

It's about apologizing to my children when I let my emotions run high, and my voice with it.

It's about setting an example with my life, to say, "Hey, I've really messed up. I didn't honor God here, and I'm going to ask Him to forgive me, too."

It's about praying, asking my Father God, to keep my marriage strong, my parenting humble, and my life focused on Him.

Because parenting is so, so hard.

I really stink at it.

But I love my children more than I ever thought possible,

and I have gotten to the end of a day and realized how God used the most ridiculous moments to bring us closer as a family.

And the longer I am a parent, 

the more in awe of Christ I am.

It amazes me that God would give HIS SON to rescue me.

And HE DID.

I want my children to know this hope!

I'd have to say that parenting, that what I do "all day long", is one of the greatest jobs I've ever had.

It teaches me of God's patience toward me, of His grace, His faithfulness, His compassion.

Running into 2014, I've been thinking on this:

"There is no need to pass through years of penance, of hard labor, and of trial; the gospel is as free as the air you breathe. You do not pay for breathing; you do not pay for seeing the sunlight, nor for the water that flows in the river as you stoop to drink it in your thirst. So the gospel is free; nothing is to be done in order to get it. No merits need be brought in order to obtain it. There is free pardon for the chief of sinners through Jesus Christ's blood. But I said it was a full pardon, and so it is. When Christ does anything he never does it by halves."
-Charles Spurgeon

Blessings

Ava Grace {4}

 September 28th...

that day my life changed forever.

This little girl revolutionized my world

and threw me into the arena called Parenting.

For all the wisdom I thought I possessed, 

she has proven me inadequate over and over again.

And for all those times, God has shown that He is the only true parent,

and I am just a vessel. 

 Through Ava, God has taught me about 

honesty, integrity, humor,

balance, silliness, structure,

holiness, strength, and honor.

 

 (One year)

Through her eyes the world is a different place,

and yet we are very similar.

She is strong-willed, opinionated, and almost desperate in her quest to make everyone else follow the rules.

 (Two years)

 She is learning right from wrong.

Her vocabulary stumps adults on occasion.

She loves to sing about Jesus.

Memory verses are getting stored away; her heart is tender toward God.

(Three Years)

Now, I am four years into this journey that no one warned me about.

No one told me the way my heart would break when her feelings got hurt,

or how much anxiety when she is unsure about a new task.

I had no idea the frustration she would cause, or the excitement she would take everywhere she goes.

 

She sings, tells stories, narrates adventures for her toys, dances, and loves to be crazy.

Her whole world is a place of twirling happiness...

it hurts when a harsher reality cracks her sphere of sunshine.

 

This girl has the potential to be anything she wants to be.

She can travel, explore, or stay and have her own family.

The future has endless potential for Ava.

 

Ultimately, in everything she does, our desire is that she have God first,

that she choose the Lord Jesus as her salvation.

May her true purpose be in Christ, 

and may that shine to others.

 

Love you forever, sweetheart.

I am so glad you are my daughter.

Stickin' our Toe in...

 This is our first year of official schooling.

It qualifies as preschool for both girls (Ava isn't yet 4), but they are learning a lot!

We read through Genesis 1, learning about Creation. I made coloring pages for each day; they were a big hit, and helped solidify learning what God made.

We worked through pattern review:

When Riley is here, he joins right in. 

Shapes, animals, colors, numbers, alphabet recognition. 

Good stuff.

Ava is learning to write letters.

(Sometimes she gets distracted and draws pies, ice cream, and makes "lists". Super cute, I know!)

(This picture looks sideways to me, but loaded the right direction. I'm not seeing an instant fix, so please be so kind as to tilt your head to the right. Thanks.)

These are uppercase letters (although Ava now can write through P),

 and these are lowercase letters.

 Then she signed her work:

She is also learning simple +1 addition and basic phonics. And the best part: When I teach Ava, Lucy wants to learn it too. 2/1 education, right? :-)

 --------------------------------------------------------------

I love teaching my children. After all, I birthed them, I love them the very best that a momma can, I have invested in them; why would I separate education from that?

These are the best years. These are the short years. 

I don't want to waste them.

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Hey, June.

June has gone really fast.

I thought May was fast, and well, June has been even faster.

Miss Lucy is nearly 14 months old!

She says "dot" for dog.

She can sign "please" and "all done".

She loves to play in curtains.

If big sister has it, little sister wants it.

Lucy adores cuddling with Ava. 

If Ava is sitting down, Lucy will crawl over and lean against her sister, who lovingly gives the best hugs ever.

She will take a few steps on her own, every so often.

 Lucy has the cheesiest little grin. It's amazing.

She really wants to feed herself. If we use a utensil, she wants her hand on it while the food goes in her mouth.

Lucy has discovered toilets. We're safe if the lid is closed.

She's also discovered that it is way more fun to throw the toys all over than pick them up.

 She loves all things shoes. Her shoes, mommy's shoes, daddy's shoes, Sister's shoes...

 Lucy is our little adventurer; unafraid, cheerful, silly, and sweet.

...................................................................................................

This big sister is the sweetest.

She is crazy, silly, funny, sweet.

One minute cheerful, the next screaming in frustration.

Very much so GIRL.

We are learning how to communicate.
She is helpful, and loves to be a "big girl".
Once, she emphatically stated, "Mommy, I am NOT a baby. I am a big girl!"
She loves to take baths, have her hair done, and wear dresses.
If there is music, she is dancing.
I love her smile and her funny stories.

 Every single day is wonderful because of these girls.

They are the best.

Mother's Day

{Mother's Day morning, my Darling and our beautiful girls!}

My dad, sister and I had been planning a special day for my mom. Scott, the girls, and I surprised her by showing up at church, then we managed to surprise her even more by making lunch! We snuck away after church and my sisters and I put together an elegant table and lunch for everyone. My mom was delighted and we had a wonderful afternoon!

My sweet husband gave me two of my favorite things:

The most amazing cookbook I have ever seen

 and my most favorite ice cream ever!

I am glad there is a day devoted to mothers. 

Mothers through the ages have sacrificed and worked hard for their children. 

I am so thankful for my mom!

And I am incredibly blessed to be a mom, 

to these charming little girls

and their sibling in heaven.

My greatest joy would be to know that all my children will meet in the presence of God one day-

because the goal of my motherhood

is that Jesus is Lord, in every space of our lives.

Ava Does.

"Two legs, two bottoms, two ears, two eyes....one nose!" She seemed to be in disbelief that only one nose was on her face. Also, this was stated very loudly in the middle of the store. I just laughed and laughed. (I still remember her walking up with both fingers stuck in her nose saying, "two noses!". That was the day we discussed nostrils and nose.)

She has recently learned that milk can come from cows. It started with her finding the cow's udder on her animal magnet and asking about it. Ah, science for the young.

Makeup. She loves my cosmetic brushes. The huge smile she gets when I tell her she looks "so nice" is like sunshine.

Miss Ava wears anywhere from 2-5 outfits each day. Start with pants, then we want a skirt. Lose the skirt for play clothes to go outside, then a different outfit when we change out of our dirt and chalk-covered play clothes. And of course, pajamas.

She hauled an entire shoebox full of toy cars to me for opening. Seriously, she is strong!

Everything is "very". Very swinging, very coloring, very naughty, very happy, very whining, very grumping, very laughing, very eating, very sleepy, very silly.

She's started answering herself. Parental questions are usually answered with, "No. Why not?"

Parenting: A lot harder than I ever thought. More rewarding than I ever dreamed. A hundred times more fun than I could have imagined. What an awesome journey to be on!