praise me

"Praise me" is a phrase that we learned from some good friends about 5 years ago.  It's totally for fun.  Whenever we are feeling especially proud of ourselves and there is no one else in the world to brag to and you realize no on will even notice what you've done it's fun to say "praise me?!" to your spouse or friend.  Do you know what I mean?  That one time that I scrubbed the toilet and cleaned the floors and was caught up on laundry and had a wonderful dinner waiting on the table at a reasonable time and I just felt like I needed some praise, I just lovingly said, "praise me" and then proceeded to carefully point out all of my accomplishments.  We use the phrase in jest often and it actually feels good.  I'm guessing it's natural and common to want acknowledgment for a job well done no matter how menial the task.  Motherhood is filled with those kinds of jobs.  I don't even need to list the little things that we do daily for our children, spouse, and home.  Little things that matter and if they aren't done are noticed.  However, if only those things could be written in the stars or shouted from the rooftops or accolades of praise could be showered on us it seems like it would be more meaningful or fulfilling.  Mothers Day feeds my desire for praise and recognition for what I do.  I "deserve" mentality is everywhere! I deserve gifts, cards, candy, flowers, a day of "serve me", "love me", "honor me", "notice me".  It's not good for me.  I secretly crave it all year and it seems "just" to me on the day it happens.  I love the opportunity to praise my mom and honestly I will treasure every homemade card I receive tomorrow, but I wanted to record how I've been feeling this year because this little post has been in the works for a very long time.  While the idea of Mothers Day has been a gentle rebuke to me of my selfishness, I realize it's a time of celebration to many. To others though this day will bring only sorrow of regrets or unfulfilled expectations or memories of children who have gone before them, too young or even unknown.  Each day is a gift from God and no matter what our status as mother may mean to each of us or what meaning that word carries we have the opportunity to delight in our Creator and to be joyful in serving and to be content in living each day for His glory.  So, for tomorrow, Mother's Day 2014 I will not seek to hear "praise me" but I will be reminded to treasure the four children I'm blessed to mother. 

Home: giving thanks

If I had a quarter for every time I SAID, "say thank you" I'd be wearing jewels and dining on bacon (tee hee).  How many times do I SHOW thanks giving?  Thanksgiving should be more than a holiday.  It should be a way of life.  This month we have practiced thankfulness around here with the "thankfulness tree".  Each evening after dinner we each write on a leaf what we're thanking God for and add it to the tree.  My kids have really enjoyed this and I've noticed an overall attitude of gratefulness in the past few weeks that was almost nonexistent before.  They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.  Hopefully this one will stick.  Happy Thanksgiving!

See here for another giving thanks practice that's fun for the kids (and adults)!

the little two

I'm thankful for time alone with these two little ones on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  These are intense training days/ years and I'm thankful to have the time with just them.  Kate loves to have extra cuddles and book reading on those days when I'm not constantly pulled in so many directions.  She is so good with her baby brother and a really big help to me.  Isaac is at a whole new level since he's nearly walking.  It's amazing that I forget how much a baby can get into!  With each new child there are new "no touches" and new obstacles to figure out because of the different stages of life.  Isaac is also my climber.  I've never had one.  I've never "allowed" one.  I thought I'd never deal with this, but apparently God is working on my pride in the parenting department - again.   Isaac is still a bundle of energy and he's not slowing down.  I know it's nap time when he pauses for that brief moment and gently lays his head on my shoulder.  His eyes get heavy and he relaxes.  It doesn't last long!  He kicks his little feet and jerks his head back up so quickly and flashes me his big award winning (in my book!) smile that is commented on by so many people and he fights sleep to the death!  Sleep wins.  And if it doesn't, mommy at least does.  

Home: freshly bathed babies

is there anything more delicious?

Jonas on government

Jonas recently overheard Jason talking about government.  Without saying a word to us he went to his room and got out some paper and wrote this.  He quietly brought it back to us and showed us what he had gotten out of the conversation:  "bad government is too bossy; good government isn't too bossy"   I had to take a picture because it is a unique visual reminder to me that we are teaching, ALWAYS teaching.  What am I teaching my children today?  Am I giving them an accurate picture of Christ?  Am I teaching above all else to love Him supremely?

Deuteronomy 6:5-7
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

By the way, GO VOTE! :)

up, up, and away...

He's getting up folks.  It's so fun to watch and so sad also!  I can't believe my BABY is doing an army crawl across the floor.  He's getting up on all fours and doing the whole rocking back and forth thing because he just wants to go so bad, but can't figure out what to move first to get going.  At Isaac's 6 month appt (SIX MONTHS!!!! where as time gone?) the pediatrician asked me if he was starting to crawl.  I told her that he is trying and that I'm pushing him back down!  She had a perplexed look on her face and I realized I had worried her with my choice of words. Ha!  I've always been a little too blunt.  I was there at the appt with all 4 of the kids and she knows what a busy house we have.  I was quick to reassure her that I don't actually "push" my baby down.  Instead, when Isaac pushes himself up and acts like he's going to start crawling I pick him up or distract him somehow!  I'm trying to keep him from going, but it's inevitable I suppose.  This kid is going to hit the ground running.  He's always in motion.  His hands and feet never stop moving.  He's actually an awesome swimmer!  I'll save that for another post.

Oh time, stand still for me.  I want to enjoy this to the fullest and remember this forever.  The joy of being a mommy FAR outweigh the frustrations that come with it!

Mother's Day

Today was lovely.  I am blessed.  My husband made the whole weekend special for me and my kids were so excited all week about my special day (although Jonas thinks there should be "kid's day" now!).  I got many hugs and kisses and homemade cards and fresh lilacs from our back yard.  I've spent the day thinking about my own beautiful mom and being so thankful for her.  She has taught me how to be mom to these 4 precious gifts.  My heart is full.

THIS is blog-worthy...

S L E E P

All that I seem to be blogging about these days (months) are life changing events. I think this one is pretty important as well... Isaac finally slept for 8 hours last night. That could be fluke, but I got 5 hours of unbroken sleep. It was amazing! I know that many people have been praying for me to get needed rest. God allowed that last night. Praise the Lord! Isaac has been up every 3 hours for almost 10 weeks. I expected him to be just like Jonas and Ella. They slept through at 7 weeks. (Kate was a whole different story!) I've been in such a fog of sleep deprivation since my emotions have been stretched to the max with Jason in the hospital. I've felt like I'm traveling in a blizzard and holding onto a rope that is tied to my destination and I cannot see anything around me but I know to go hand over hand step over step through the storm, hanging onto the rope. God has given grace moment by moment through the trial. He is good and loving. These things I know and am now experiencing in new depths. I have thought many times that surely God would "give me a break" and let me sleep through the night since I have to do ALL this other stuff during the day! How silly. God knows exactly what I need and does what He wills with me. Time is a strange thing. When I look at my chubby cheeked baby boy who no longer fits in a little ball in one arm, 10 weeks seems to have flown by, but when I look back over the events of our hospital experience 10 weeks seems like 6 months! Perspective changes with rest and tonight I am hoping for more sleep. If God wills. If not, I'll enjoy the quiet hours of the night with my newborn. He is a gift from God and I'll cherish each minute with him.

Can I get an AMEN, sisters?

Are there any other mothers out there who LOATHE polly pockets because of those teeny tiny clothes that me/ I / mommy has to put on and take off about every 5 minutes when said 4 year old wants to play with them?  I probably just need to be patient and let Ella grow up a little bit before letting her get out the p.p's, but if you'll look down at the alternative p.p's play I've created you'll see that they've recently been working out fine!  Ella will play with her little finger people a long time and best of all SHE CAN DRESS THEM HERSELF!!!!

love

Have you ever wondered, "how can anyone possibly love their kid as much as I love mine?" Through nine months of pregnancy, the journey of 1,000 emotions including joy (terror and tears) wonder (puking) awe (aching body) amazement (sleeplessness), you begin to know love for your child and then seeing your baby for the first time is such an indescribable moment... that memory is so vivid in fact that just seeing pictures of a new baby or hearing of ones birth brings tears to your eyes as your heart rejoices in the love that a mother and father are experiencing for their child.

My baby Kate is turning 2 tomorrow! What happened? Just the other day we were announcing her birth.

As the birthday celebrations start around here, I'm meditating on the love of the Father for His Son and for the whole world. It's so hard to fathom the kind of love that would send His only Son to die for me and the love that Christ had for the world and for doing His Father's will. Christ humbled himself and was completely obedient unto death.

"...Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die. But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. " Romans 5:6-8

Cultivating a thankful heart

Gratitude unlocks the fulness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and then more.  

Melodie Beatty

Teaching my kids to be thankful starts with me!  Do they see an attitude of gratitude in me?  There is nothing faster that puts me into perspective and out of the pit of selfishness than to go from looking around to looking up and counting my blessings and naming them one by one.

Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies.  

Charles E. Jefferson

Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits.  

Psalm 68:19

So many, so weighty are the girts of God's bounty, that he may be truly said to load us with them.  

Matthew Henry

God gave you a gift of  86,400 seconds today.  Have you used one to say 'thank you'

William Arthur Ward

Give thanks in all circumstance,  for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  

I Thess 5:18

...giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 Eph 5:20

Here are a few practical suggestions for cultivating thankful hearts in our children.   

    

    * This doesn't need to be a Thanksgiving Day thing only:  go around the table and everyone say one thing they're thankful for.

    * Gratitude Journal- much like a works of God journal- record daily or weekly the things we're thanking God for.

Please share ways that you practice thanks-giving with your little ones.  I'm all ears!