Abiding in Grace

It continues to amaze me as God reveals Himself to me in my daily life...

It's been a rocky week in our house (my heart). Not for any particular reason, mind you. I think it's a seasonal thing with me. In the winter we spend weeks in a row house-ridden with illness or staying in avoiding the latest "disease-du-jour". It's too cold to be outside. We're all tired of playing with only each other. The house is a mess and everything seems dirty to me. I yearn to open the windows. My skin is just screaming to bask in the sun (I totally get people who go to the Caribbean in February!) I just feel "blah" from it all, which fuels the mommy guilt of "why can't I be thankful and just enjoy my time with the kids?", which then makes me more irritable, then more impatient, then more guilt- it's a vicious cycle! We all get a little moody and stir-crazy!

When I feel this way I try to spend more quiet time seeking God's Word, which is not always easy (especially when being chased) and as if to say "I understand." I read...
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" (Mark 1:35-37)
Even Jesus couldn't get a break! And he felt the same pressures of constant needs and nurturing and speaking and just "being" that wear out young moms so often. He knew He needed to get away- on a boat, to a hilltop, wherever He could. If He'd had it, He too would probably have gone to WalMart at midnight for some alone time with His thoughts :) If even Jesus needed to prioritize time with the Father and renewal of His spirit, mind, and body- how much more do we?
They cried out to the Lord in their trouble and he brought them out of their distress. (Psalm 107:28) Turn to God, so that...times of refreshing may come from the Lord (Acts 3:19)
And don't let guilt keep you away- that's exactly how Satan works on moms of young children- because those feelings are not from Him. (If you have children, read that last sentence one more time. It something we need to hear over and over.) I need to be reminded...
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience. (Hebrews 10:22)

And as I pondered this and prayed for guidance, it's as if God himself sent me an email, I received the following from Aunt Alice...

Christians by Maya Angelou

"A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her." When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'" I'm whispering "I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven." When I say... "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide. When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on. When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess. When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect, My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.
When I say... "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain.. I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name. When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou, I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow! Pretty is as Pretty does.... but beautiful is just plain beautiful!

We are all human and will stumble (especially when shut in a house with young children for long periods of time). But God's grace truly covers all and the greatest gift we can give our children is to live out our walk for them to see and learn from- to admit our sins and struggles, to actively seek Him, to praise His goodness, to serve Him joyfully, and to extend and receive grace.

God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times,
having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2Cor 9:8)

Wordless Wednesday

Are they trying to tell me something?

the nicknames

I realized I never explained the title of this blog and where the nicknames came from, so just in case you're wondering...

Carter has loved baseball most of his life. I'm not making this up, I promise! From the time he was a baby he would be captivated by MLB on TV. He used to whine himself to sleep up until about 7 months. If I would swaddle him and lay him in front of baseball...absolute silence. We posed him with the predictable hats, gloves, and balls as a new- born, like many parents of little boys do with their favorite sports/ teams. Our family loves baseball and it's a fairly good guess he'll like it in some form. Little did we know...
We took him to his first game when he was 16 months old. We are so fortunate to have a brand new minor league stadium in Greensboro. Go Hoppers! It is a beautiful place, like something out of a movie. He was captivated for a full 9 innings. He watched like it was the greatest thing he'd ever seen. He couldn't get enough. We continued to go all summer long. We were all sad when fall rolled around. We played a lot of baseball in the living room that winter. He's actually a natural at catching and hitting. He was thrilled to get a t-ball set for Christmas and was whacking those balls in no time. We used to laugh because his throwing accuracy was so good we often got pegged in the head with balls because he'd initiate a game without warning.
Fast forward to 3 yrs old. We've enjoyed several more summers with the Grasshoppers. (We are such devoted fans, we took Julia to her first game at only 4 days old!!) Highlights for Carter- getting a foul ball caught by the man sitting behind us, getting Hoppers souvenir "bases" to add to our living room games (this was the beginning of learning "the rules"), the addition of Babe the precious black lab who retrieves the bats, and the pinnacle...getting to run the bases after the game. He was one of the first kids in line to do it and ran around, little legs chugging like the Energizer bunny. He was lapped many times, but made it- running the whole way and slid into home. He was bursting with excitement and wanted to do it again. He was able to get at the end of the line and be the last kid around. Timmy "the Y turtle" ran with him, and Hopper and Gigi cheered him on the whole way. He smiled for days- he was actually glowing afterwards :) My heart bursts just remembering it. I can still see those tan little legs, shoes covered in red dirt, dusty brown hair lost in his cap- so proud of himself!
We discovered, almost by accident that the YMCA in High Point starts tee ball at 3 yrs old. We signed him up and he was the big man on campus. He couldn't wait to start. The coaches and parents thought he was the cutest thing. The smallest kid on the field by a long shot, yet he knew all the rules, "coached" the other kids, lined up all the bats and helmets behind the plate, and took the whole thing very seriously. It was a great first season (except those last few games when it was 104 degrees!) and he was so sad when it was over. "What do you mean no more baseball- no Hoppers, no tee-ball?!" It was sad day..... then came the Boston Red Sox and the day Carter "met" Big Papi. We were at an out of town wedding with the fam and Carter had headed down to Mimi and Grandpa's hotel room for a visit. Grandpa was watching ESPN- I know big shocker for those of you that know him :) Maybe it's better to say Grandpa was watching only one game at the time and Carter climbed up to find out more and began to ask questions. Grandpa happily obliged with lots of answers and mentioned Big Papi was up to bat next and he hits home runs. And what do you know- he did. Next at bat, same thing. Carter was sold! The kid that remembers everything was never forgetting his baseball lesson that day. He continued to bring up The Red Sox and Big Papi on a daily basis, so we started watching the games. And what do you know, the Red Sox kept winning. He was hooked. It doesn't get any better when you're 3 years old to have your hero do such a great job. Our backyard games took on a new tune as Carter would announce he was "Big Papi" up to bat. he probably weighs about as much as Big Papi's bat!! His imitation and confidence made us laugh every time. We started calling him Little Papi. It was a big day for him when the Stone's (some purebred Bostonian friends :) , brought him an Ortiz jersey from their trip) He was elated. The admiration continued and in history-shattering fashion, the Red Sox won the World Series. There's nothing better to a 3 yr old (if you know one, you know how hooked they are on being the best and being the winner)- we couldn't have scripted it any better. Around the same time, Daddy got a Wii for his birthday and the game MLB Power Pros. It has all of this year's teams (in animation) for you to control and play with. Carter knows the Boston lineup like they're the kids down the street. And he clobbers team after team- usually scoring around 22 or so runs- in baseball!! And so the nickname. We have a deep love for Boston around here, don't worry Dad we cheer for the Phillies, too. But this little guy loves Boston through and through and always will :)

And as for Miss Julia. It just happens with little girls, I guess. Especially when they're your second. You look at your firstborn, your "baby" and this new child is just so tiny. It's so natural to call them "punkin". It's a nickname close to my heart, too. When I was a nanny for the years before kids. Sweet little Ally was such a tiny thing. Six pounds from the start, 12lbs at a year and still wearing some of her newborn-sized clothes when she was walking! We had a very special bond and will always be close. She was my first "punkin" in all her "tinyness" and I just had to share the name with little Julia. So it is for Julia, though most often everyone in the house calls her JuJu Punkin (her full name, I guess).

...just in case you were wondering...

Help AutismSpeaks

I'm sure you all know at least one person affected by this baffling condition. We now have 5 dear friends and family living with autism. This cause is near and dear to our hearts and always in our prayers...

The band, Five for Fighting, is generously donating $0.96 to AutismSpeaks for *EACH TIME* this video is viewed. The funding goes toward research studies to help find a cure for autism. When you have a moment, please visit the link below to watch the video and pass it along to your loved ones. They are aiming for 10,000 hits, but hopefully we can help them to surpass this goal.

http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214

Wordless Wednesday

(My favorite picture of my sister and her cutie pie!)

Out of the mouths of babes...

Today at gymnastics, Carter was listening with his class while the teacher gave instructions for the next circuit of skills...

Teacher: "Next you jump on the spring board with how many feet?"
Class: "Two!"
Teacher: "Why do we jump with two feet?"
Carter: "Because we don't have three!"

Sweet dreams...

They say kids benefit from daily routines- I agree. But some kids (like mine) become obsessed with it. When Carter was young and stopped nursing at bedtime, we started singing to him and saying his prayers before putting him in his crib. This quickly turned into a sequence of 5 songs, in a particular order, ending with Wheels on the Bus (his choice). It started with us singing it to him, then he wanted us to sit on the footstool while he sat in the rocking chair and sang to us. This should have been our clue as to what was to come. We were just happy he went to bed so easily and slept so well. A few months later I was putting him down one night and I noticed his water cup had leaked on his pillow, so I told him to wait while I got a new pillow and fixed his water. Little did I know I would relive that for years. Every night after prayers and kisses we would lay him in his bed and he would say "new pillow, new water". We would take both, walk in the hall, walk back and he'd go to sleep- ridiculous- but to him, oddly comforting. If we didn't do it he would scream and cry, devastated, but if we did- no problems. Fortunately it stopped sometime when he was 3, though on a rare occasion he still tries.

At four he had teeth brushed, chose 2 books, we read the next 2 Bible stories, sing "Jesus Loves Me", say his prayers, and put on his little blue baby blanket (wrapped like a "bataco", he says). When you close the door, we both had to say.....

"I'll see you when the sun comes up and the moon goes down, God bless, Sweet dreams, Love you!" (unless it's naptime, then... "I'll see you when the sun's still up and the moon's not out, God bless, Sweet dreams, Love you!")

And we both have to say it, but he always gets the last word.

Then there's poor Julia. In my hesitancy about another child with a long routine, hers is much simpler. We brush teeth, get her pasey, sing "Jesus Loves Me", say prayers, and she's off to dreamland. Once she's out of the crib, we plan to do them both at the same time, so she can listen to books, too. Hopefully Carter won't give her any ideas......

The Family Table

There have been numerous recent studies on the benefits of family's eating dinner together- even just three nights a week. It has been attributed to reduce chances of alcohol and drug abuse, better social skills, less rebellious teenage behavior, and now earlier and more proficient reading skills. As Betsy Shaw (a favorite blogger) pointed out though apparently these studies were not performed at my house because the educational benefits of our meals are a hard stretch.
The typical meal:

• Julia is hungry before dinner is close to ready, so I cook most meals while filling her tray with bits of food that in the end will equal dinner.
• Next I work on Carter's plate. Ah yes, is it really time to feed him again? I feel tremendous mommy guilt about the angst I feel about having to feed this kid 3 meals a day plus snacks. I honestly feel he's found a way to survive and thrive on oxygen alone. He eats about 10 foods (OJ, plain noodles- with visible salt, baby carrots, frozen blueberries, pizza- only from a restaurant, stir fry zucchini- with chopsticks, white rice- with butter, miso soup, peach soy yogurt- only with orange spoon, red danimals with monkey picture, PB granola bars- has to see the wrapper to prove it's the right one, milk- flavored with coffee, pistachios, toast- cool with visible butter, and dry golden grahams) And note these are the things he may eat- there are no guarantees. He will absolutely refuse these things on many occasions. He seems to eat about every 3 days. I digress...
• I put our food on the table.
• Call everyone to dinner. Carter puts up a fight because "he's not hungry", never is- except those absolutely rare moments when hunger strikes and we are far from civilization and out of snacks, then he's hungry. Finally sits and lets us know this is not what he wants.
  
• Attempt to bless the food. Carter used to love this. Now he wants to do it, but says it silently so no one can hear. Hubby blesses the food, then Carter does it, and we launch into a discussion of whether the food and God heard what he said.
• Get up to get Julia refills.
• Get up to get Carter the "required piece of silverware" (different for every food item).
• Put food on my plate.
• Get up to get something off stove.
• Start to eat.
• Carter wants his food warmed back up. He's into this ideal temperature thing and I still have no clue what that temperature is, I just know it's not usually the way I present it. So back to the microwave for warmer, but not too warm. (This must be what all those years of science labs were for - picky preschoolers :)
  
• Julia starts to drop food on the floor.
• Get up to get more napkins.
• Ask hubby about work. Start to have discussion.
• Carter asks to be excused. Try to coax him to eat without using bribes or ultimatums.
• Julia points to fridge yelling something I can't understand. Start to guess. Strike out 8 times. Get up to try to find it for her- no luck.
• Give up. Sit back down and try to eat.
• Carter asks to be excused again, clears his still full plate and starts begging for someone to go outside and play with him. We explain, again, that we are eating and we like to eat and actually need to eat.
• Julia is still yelling. Finally get up and take her to fridge to show me what she wants.
• Get her back in the high chair and sit down again.
• Hubby is finished and starts dishes.
• Julia wants down and needs to be cleaned up.
• I still haven't eaten. I try to finish my lukewarm food and then get back down to pick up crumbs and scrub stickiness off the floors, chairs, and walls.

Was there even conversation?! Maybe it's just the effort that has an impact. Experts emphasize the importance of setting high expectations for our children. Maybe our kids can sense our intentions. That's a comforting thought for us as parents. Especially us moms who search for meaning on our knees as we're chiseling the food off the floor, for the 10th time today. I guess the important part is to remember to pray when we're down there and to look up because our Heavenly Father has the perfect intentions and expectations for us- His children.

Negotiations

We have a little negotiator on our hands. He's the prime age for debate and his verbal skills make him a natural. We've kind of bred him for this though. He's the oldest among our friends' children, the oldest grandchild, the oldest in our family, and the oldest in our neighborhood. He kind of rules the roost with the adults in his life. His irresistible charm and adorable face sucks you right in :) He also has a little of his mommy's OCD and likes things in their place and structure in his life. He's gotten used to being the "activities director" around here. He makes sure everyone has a job and feels included. He loves to organize baseball/football/hockey/racquetball games, plays, races, board games, obstacle courses, and music class.
It's been very interesting seeing this play out with his little sister. Fortunately she wants to be just like him. She admires and imitates him in every way. She's been watching and observing his every move from the start and learned more than we've ever taught her. Fortunately he's a responsible, obedient, and loving kid; so she's learned well. He's lucky that she's mature and coordinated for her age and has never been into destroying things or making messes, so he's been happy to have her join him. It didn't take long before he realized the potential benefits of having a loving admirer.
When we arrive home, the kids take off their shoes and coats and put them away. They're both very used to this. As he was sitting on the floor across from her one day watching her excitedly put her shoes back in their slots- it occurred to him. With all the enthusiasm of a preschool teacher, he said, : "Hey JuJu, want to put brother's shoes away? Put them back, back?" and with a twinkle in her eye and spring in her step, she happily obliged. He grinned like a fat cat and proceeded to stretch it a little further... "JuJu hang my coat up?" (He did have to open the closet door for her, but again- joyful obedience. He was sold. It doesn't get much better. We had to laugh the first time we saw it. We've decided not to intervene because they're learning valuable negotiation skills, helping others, and joyful obedience. So for now their game continues until one day we come in and find Julia in time out because Carter put her there for not listening :) But for now she still loves her brother completely and unconditionally, and for that we're very thankful. After all he loves her, too. I love to hear him say, "JuJu kiss? Another one? Now hug JuJu!" i just love these two.

Things I Love

• the way both my kids still fit perfectly snuggled in my arms
• how Julia sings to herself while she plays, usually Jesus Loves Me and Twinkle, Twinkle
• when Julia carries her babies around the house and repeatedly kisses the tops of their heads...just like I do to her :)
• the way both kids squeal "daddy!" when they hear the garage door open
• Carter's belly laugh that always leads to hiccups and happy tears
  
• warm days when we play outside barefoot till bedtime
  
• fresh tulips, especially from my hubby
• my ipod- everybody's favorite music at our fingertips- the soundtrack of our lives
• spending time with my friends and their kids
• sunsets
• digital photography- having so many memories right at my fingertips
• newborns, so fresh from God, I didn't even mind the sleep deprivation- fortunately our friends have new babies right now
  
• Sunday morning worship, especially the music
• watching my husband play with the kids, which he does for hours everyday
• reading books together
• fresh snow- the kind that covers every branch
• sleigh rides, especially with my dad when I was a kid
• the way Carter asks to be rolled in his blanket, "like a ba-taco" (we have no idea why he says it this way!)
• seeing my kids comfort and console each other and their friends
• Julia's "surprise" face
  
• hearing Carter burst in to song- today it was "This is the Day"
• seeing Carter memorize his verses for Awana and watching his faith grow everyday

Out of the mouths of babes...

It's a lazy day at our house. We've had an agenda every day this week and as fun as it's all been. I was ready to sleep in and stay in my pjs (fortunately I have kids that love to do this too). So the day was going well; cuddling, playing games, playdoh, baby dolls, geotrax, etc. I was sitting in the chair checking email and checking some of my favorite blogs :) Both my kids crawled up in the chair, one on each side- "aw, how sweet?!" you might think so, but the stench was unbearable. And then the following conversation....

Me: "Shooey, do you stink Julia? Do you need a clean diaper?"

Carter: "It's me, I didn't wipe good enough" and he went right back to his game on the Wii!

(Truth- it was both of them. Even cute kids stink sometimes :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

We love Valentine's Day at our house. Because of our faith there are some holidays we choose not to observe or we celebrate in a different way, so when a day like this rolls around we try to make it a big deal. The house is decorated with hearts, balloons, pictures, streamers, and hearts. The kids mailboxes are hanging on their chairs full of the cards they've been receiving from family. Special meals have been planned. We've mailed out handmade and photo cards to our family and friends. We're celebrating with our annual playgroup party. We're sporting our red and pink clothes for the day. And our annual scavenger hunt has been set up with the surprises sent by Mimi and Grandpa.
What a great reason to celebrate the incredible blessing of family and friends in our lives. We are encouraged, cared for, supported, challenged, entertained, taught, helped, prayed for, and loved by so many amazing people. This life was not meant to be lived alone and so many times we take each other for granted. So today, we will remember to say "thank you", "we love you", and "may God bless you today and always"!
I almost forgot, the really cool part.... last night it snowed!! We get lots of ice in this area, but only a few really good snows- the kind you can play in. We were on our way home from church Wednesday night in the cold rain our winter's are notorious for when hubby and I looked at each other and said, "I think it's snow". Sure enough by the time we got home the flakes were big, heavy and wet, blanketing everything in fluffy white. It looked like a kid let loose with the shaving cream. Carter took his bath, put on his PJs and proceeded to add boots, a coat, and hat and was in the backyard. What can you say? This hardly ever happens. So he played for a while, got his sister a bowl of "no" to eat , and went to bed with the promise that we wake him early, early so he can play in it before it melts :)

The Contrast of Days...

I guess it's inherent in the nature of all children- unpredicatability and great extremes. Why is it that most days are either great or trying and very few are just good? There are the obvious reasons that you can't appreciate the good without experiencing the bad. And of course we're all human and nobody and nothing is perfect. But I suspect it's something bigger than that. I think God keeps us in this place for a reason because it is here that we must depend fully on Him for everything. We do not know what lies ahead even from second to second, but one thing is certain that God is in control and that is the best place to be.

I think about this as I look back or the past weeks. The stark contrast of our days. Take these two glimpses as an example...

Wednesday...
Carter has pneumonia, but will not admit anything is wrong. (We can't figure this one out. He will not admit to any sort of pain or ailment, no matter how minor.) His 105 degree temp and chest xray speak otherwise. He's feeling more like himself finally with the medication and didn't wake up crying 18 times like the night before. Sorry I had to count to make sure I was with it and not delirious.

Julia has a double ear infection, but is handling it surprisingly well.

Everyone desperately wants to get out of the house, but it's 20 degrees and it would be wrong of us to take our germs to any indoor establishments, so home we sit...

I attempt to return a phone call after breakfast only to be hotly pursued by both children needing different things. I give up and begin trying to get something in the mail. I fill out the paper, phone rings, Julia wants snack, go upstairs to get stamp, Carter needs help, come back down, forget stamp, Carter wants a drink, phone rings, go get stamp, can't find the letter anymore, wander around the house trying to find it, Julia pees thru her pants, go upstairs to get new clothes, Carter's finally ready for something to eat, phone rings, put Julia down for a nap, read Carter a book, play a board game, feeling hungry- realize I never ate breakfast, get something to eat, help Carter find a toy, come across letter in need of stamp, stop to run to the bathroom (I've had to go for 2 hours- why do moms do this?), take letter to mailbox...the mail's already come. And I wonder why it takes me two weeks to return an email. It's amazing some days that we all leave the house with clothes on!
Later that same day... I decide to make something new for dinner I found on Food Network. We actually have all the ingredients, everyone had naps, and all is quiet. It's one of those moments you look around and feel "wow I've got this together". I start dinner, the phone rings, I now have food on 3 burners and in the oven, Julia's hungry, Carter needs help in the bathroom, wash my hands again, check food, Julia dumps smoothie on the floor and has blueberries 10 feet away on the living room wall and window!, check the food, phone rings, Carter's back in the bathroom- he didn't finish the first time, wash hands again, get Julia down, realize she stinks and has gone thru her clothes, change her from head to toe, wash hands again, finish off most of the meal and start the sauce for the chicken, phone rings, make Carter's food, phone rings again, sauce is now burning AAAHHH! and we started off so well and with such high hopes. Hubby walks in and a I get 10 minutes of solo cooking- such a gift, and we sit down to eat. I have to laugh. It's not tooo bad. Hubby appreciates the effort and we're all together and oh so blessed :)

THEN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE:

Friday...
The kids both sleep thru the night and I wake them at 9am. They are thrilled to see me and each other. They greet each other with squeals and hugs. Both want to be cuddled. What better way to start the day :) Our friends come over (mine and theirs- very important) and we all play in the playroom together, then have music class full of laughs, singing (who can resist a one yr old singing "Jesus Loves Me"?!), impromptu dancing (these kids can jam), the kids race outside thrilled that its 50 degrees, we make lunch and all 7 kids sit and eat their meals (who are these kids? and what did they do with ours?), they head back outside for 2 hours of play (no arguments or troubles), everyone comes in for a drink and a TV break, they all head to the playroom and build their own fort- completely independently and play happily in it for the next hour. We were like a preschool textbook today- cooperative play, music, imaginative play, guided activities, mixed age groups, nutritious meals, constructive play, and free time. We must be doing something right...right?

So what can we take away from this kind of life? Well...

• Life is unpredicatable, especially if you live with children.
• Everything can change with a moment's notice.
• Go with the flow.
• Allow yourself to be a spectator sometimes and laugh at yourself. It is quite comical :)
• We have very little control over how the day will turn out.
• Surround yourself with friends as often as you can- you'll be a better mom, wife, and person. When your quarrintined with illness, pick up the phone.
  
• Start your day with prayer before your feet even hit the ground and keep the conversation going all day long. It makes all the difference. When problems arise let your children see you hit your knees before you pick up the phone.
• Remember God is in control, not "mom" (or the kids)- isn't that freeing to hear?
• Thank your husband if you're one of the lucky ones at home with their kids witnessing every milestone and molding their hearts and spirits for God.
  
• Thank God for the innocence, beauty, and intensity of these days, it is all too fleeting and will be gone before we know it...
  

Wordless Wednesday:

Where to start...

So how do you start one of these? Do you backtrack and catch everyone up? Or do you just jump right in. I think I'll go with something in the middle. Being a stay at home mom is such an amazing gift, but unique in that no one really sees it. It's just me, the kids, and God hearing the commentary running through my head...
I have two wonderful kids. My son Carter, the oldest, is everything I ever imagined a son to be. Who could resist a kid who asks daily, "Don't you want to cuddle your favorite boy?" He is compassionate, empathetic, intelligent, inquisitive, a leader, loves sports, and is growing closer to God with each passing day. He is the best brother his sister could ask for! And she is the loving light in our lives. Julia has always been content, happy, joyful, and loving. She strives to do everything her brother does and more often than not succeeds. I've wondered if she'd be something of a tomboy, but she's proven me wrong. One of her favorite rewards is to visit the shoes at Target and carefully try on and put back each pair. Her love for clothes is the same. I've learned to check the cart before leaving a store because she has usually "shopped" for clothes for herself. I love getting her out of her bed in the morning to hear her say "bow" and point to the wall hanging- such a girl- gotta have the right accessories. She can already dress and undress herself (and I'm hoping she'll teach her brother). She loves cars, trains, legos, balls, and the Wii. But we can now add baby dolls to the list. She met me at the door to leave today with her stroller, baby, diaper bag, clothes, and baby bed. She's mastered the best of both worlds :)
It's a new day around here. We had settled in to a routine this school year with music, preschool, gymnastics, church, awana, family, and friends. (And adjusting to Carter starting to give up napping...) This January we struggled with illness and issues with school and made the decision to quit. I have visions of bringing this up at his college graduation, "...after quitting preschool..." It has already proven to be the right decision for all of us. We have more time to focus on each other and our friends. We have the freedom to live at a less hurried pace and to choose our own daily activities. We don't have to get up so early in the morning. We spent our first day of freedom visiting friends we hadn't seen in so long, leisurely eating lunch together, reading books, playing games, and of course cuddling my favorite boy. It's so reassuring knowing he is happy, healthy, and thriving. This has taught me yet again to trust my mother's instinct and not listen to popular opinion and pressures when God is so clearly laying the answer on my heart.