Delight

I have had the idea of "delight" in my mind and heart today. It has been refreshing to think of a God who delights in me and a God who wants me to delight in Him. As I sit here in the living room, my boys are playing together - in complete peace and harmony - they are not having sharing issues, they are not playing rough and on the edge of hurting one another - they are simply playing together - Reece is singing and being silly and Chase is laughing really hard at him - that deep gutted laugh that is contagious to anyone who hears it. I think it is an appropriate illustration of "delight". They are enjoying each others friendship - really enjoying it - they are not playing together out of obligation or out of guilt - they are just delighting in the mome..........(okay - they are toddlers - it is all over - the peaceful delight has taken a quick turn for the worst and they are now fighting over the ball. back in a flash).........

So, I am back. Changing topics a bit - I feel like I have been having a few power struggles with the kids over these past few days. In my tiredness and lack of patience, I think I have focused too intensely on every moment of their behavior - trying not to let any little pout, feeling of frustration or imperfect interaction between them slip by. I have felt like I have been on them constantly and it has created a few days of frustration and discouragement on my part - and surely for them as well. So....I chose this morning to work less on them and more on me. To try and clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12) and to simply try to follow my Father's example and delight in my children as He delights in me. How grateful am I that He sees the good in me and doesn't focus on my every shortcoming! It has been a good day. No, not a perfect one - but definitely better. I want my kids to understand boundaries, and discipline and respect....but I also want them to understand grace, forgiveness, and that I believe in them. I want to "delight" in them!

So...it looks like my life would be richer if I delighted more in both my Father and in my children! And I think about how I believe God desires my relationship with Him - He doesn't want me to spend time and walk with Him out of obligation or guilt, but because I delight in His goodness and He delights in me. Amazing!

The Big Boy Bed

So we are in high gear for preparing for baby's arrival at our house! Chase has officially transitioned out of his crib and into his very own "big boy bed" (although as the picture shows, it isn't very big!).



He was most excited about the bed being put together but when given the choice to sleep in the crib or his new bed - it was very easy - he pointed at the crib and said, "NO - baby!" (he is figuring it all out!) He slept in his bed the whole night (well, better put - he stayed asleep all night - when I checked on him in the middle of the night, he was sound asleep on the floor with his head in the opposite direction!) and I think was a little suprised at his freedom in the morning as he came stumbling out of his room and into the hall.

We are proud of him for how well he is taking all of these "growing up steps" in stride - no more pacifier, no more crib - but...... always still my baby!

New Family Entertainment - Roll, Baby, Roll

So...I had a doctors appointment with an ultrasound today. Thankfully all looks well as far as the baby's health - but the baby is in breech position. We (both us and the doctor) are hopeful that there is still time for him or her to turn and switch positions. Our doctor ordered a daily 10-15 minutes of crawling on the floor because "they" believe it can encourage the baby to flip around. So....tonight we had a "family crawl" time - the boys thought it was pretty fun! I wonder how my knees and back will hold out over these next weeks giving "horsie rides". We might have to eliminate the rider!

Any other suggestions out there on how to get the baby to flip? Please pray for this little one to switch positions and then stay put!

 
  

Happy Valentine's Day

 

So I hope all of you had a good day yesterday - celebrating "love" with your loved ones. We had a really nice day - Reece had a special party at school were he got to wear pajamas and eat pizza, and exchange a ball with his classmates. We baked heart cookies and the boys loved that. Me and Chase made valentines for our little friends. We left the kids with a sitter in the evening and Benjy and I went to dinner with some friends and saw a theater production - a fun night.

  

I Wanna Be Like My Daddy

Reece is growin' up! He got a shaving set and has used it quite frequently - sometimes too often. He is a little like his Daddy in that he already has the idea that he is such a "man" that his facial hair grows so fast that he has to shave in the morning and evening....ahhh - ya right!

 
 
 
  

And The Countdown Is On

There is something about reaching that point in pregnancy when you begin counting down in weeks rather than months that you realize how real it is becoming that another life is about to enter your world! I am at 34 weeks so more or less only 6 weeks to go! Unbelieveable! Needless to say - we are pretty excited around here! For my own recollection, I would like to record some of the sweet little memories from the boys as they await "their" baby (because I am positive that a day will come in the future when having another sibling around won't be so exciting - hopefully that won't happen till the adolescent years- ha!)

Reece is perhaps the most expressive about his excitement - commenting many times a day, if not per hour, how much he loves the baby. He has said things like "I cannot wait to see the baby", "Mommy, I will help you take care of the baby when she comes - if you need to take out the trash I will take care of the baby while you are gone", "I wanna sit beside you Mommy because you have the baby inside your tummy", and so on and so on. Last week when I was tucking him in for bed he began to ask questions about the baby - specifically if after this baby was born, does that mean we can't have any more? I explained to him that we hadn't decided yet. Reece's quick response was that we needed to have 9 babies! I smiled and said that was NOT going to happen but he resisted that idea. Searching for an answer that would meet 3 year old logic, I told him that we couldn't have 9 babies because they wouldn't fit in our van - there just aren't enough buckles. That seemed to satisfy him. Until yesterday....as we were driving in traffic the solution apparently dawned on him! "Mommy, IIIIIII know! How 'bout when I get just a little bigger I will buy my own car and drive your babies around!" (his wheels never seem to stop turning!) His enthusiasm really has made this pregnancy very special. He remains strong in his hopes to have a sister. In my desire to prepare him for either we talk often about how neat it would be to have another little brother too. I explained to Him that God knew if our baby was a boy or a girl and whatever gift He gives us we will be so happy with. His response: "nahhh. Jesus already knows I want a sister." Hmmmmm - time will tell. Reece doesn't have a lot of patience in his busy little life to wait too long to feel the baby move - but he has once or twice and he thinks that it is pretty neat. If he/she isn't moving when he tries to feel it - he shakes my tummy around and tries to get a reaction. Reece asked me one night a while back if the baby likes it when we talk to "her". "Of course", I said. So he looked at my tummy and said, "hi baby - what are you doin'? - what do you see in there? - is it dark?" and then he sang "Jesus loves me" to "her". Very sweet.



Chase, being a little younger, doesn't really grasp what all this "baby" stuff is all about (affirmed by the fact that this morning as he was pointing to his own body parts and naming them, he came to his own tummy and stated "baby"). However, he has begun to lead our prayers and always lists everyone in the family, including "baby". He enjoys giving zerberty kisses to my tummy and will share kisses and hugs to the little one. When he sees little babies out in public or gets to be around friends of ours with babies, he is very sweet and wants to hold them. I think he is really going to be a good big brother too. He is officially done with his pacifier and has adjusted pretty well (not without some tears, but better than I was expecting). He says "I big" and although he is still my baby - it will be a real blessing to watch him grow into his new role.

  


So...pray for us as we get ready for this change in our family. We have had all the "encouraging" things said to us like..."oh, get ready - when the kids outnumber the parents, it is all over" and "the adjustment from 2 to 3 is much more difficult than the one from 1 to 2" and so on....but if you have any truly encouraging advice - send it our way!

Isn't He The Best?

Ok, it has been too long since I have sat down here and posted something - and how can I not respond to perhaps the sweetest man out there? (read the last post). I was really touched by my husbands kindness and my children - on my birthday. We enjoyed a really great day together - lots of little suprises and lots of hugs and "I love you's". This was the first birthday that, thanks to Benjy's coaching, the kids really caught on to the whole idea (for someone else's birthday in the family besides their own that is!) and they had quite a lot of fun suprising me with breakfast in bed, a present that they picked out on their own, a cake, etc.. Chase has been repeating "I love you" for awhile but on my birthday, for the first time, he added "so much" all on his own. It was a very special day for me - always to be remembered.

I have lots of pictures of lots of things....but I haven't downloaded them yet because I am a little afraid my computer is about to go on the fritz. But - when I take the time to download them and then upload onto another site for safe-keeping...I will post some here. I'm not so high in the energy department these days!