Feb
20
2012As I typed the words “Week 7” I realized that the old adage about single days with children “are eternities, but the years are gone in a blink.” Has it really been 7 weeks in 2012? What joy to look back over these weeks and see my crazy children grow and develop.
Feb
14
2012We were all sick last week. So much so that we actually had daddy stay home one day to take care of all of us! So I didn’t get a chance to post about our Toddler Activities. So here’s two in one.
One of the girls’ favorite things is to go on a hike. Usually we all go with daddy. Mommy is a little scared to go hiking with the girls alone.
What if they both tripped and fell? How would I be able to hold them both while wearing Sedryn? What if they both went running for the nearest water feature in different directions? How would I stop them both?
It was a balmy 70 degrees that last week of January… and I braved a hike on a local college campus. I was too stir crazy to stay inside!
Let’s just say a good old fashioned walk wears these girls out! And we all love it 🙂
Oh, and on this walk a kind older gentleman showed us a wasp nest whose eggs were just hatching. It’s one of the rare moments I’ve ever seen Bronwyn a bit scared 🙂
Balmy weather… please come back soon!
While we were all sick and trapped in the house as the tempertures steadily dropped all week, the girls and I invented this silly activity with a couple of tape measures.
Don’t judge! We were desperate for fun 🙂
Feb
14
2012We had a sick drowsy week at home. Lots of sleeplessness. And whining. And praying for patience.
But there was still so much beauty: even in the hard times.
And maybe that’s what all this is about. Worshiping God in the hard times: just because of who he is: Beauty itself.
2979-2998
- Derek staying home to love on his 3 sick women
- Sedryn being a much kinder sick baby this time around
- A & B having a party with their animals where they mad them eat felt eggs, cheese, and donuts
- Warm “moose” suit/bunting from my sister
- The magic of Vick Vapor rub on my feet stopping my runny nose for a time
- Free bagels & homemade pumpkin cream cheese
- Snuggling in bed & singing & doing finger plays with the girls for 30 minutes
- Two crazy toddlers jumping in the shower with me
- Haircuts hopefully making hair combing easier
- Dreaming big dreams
- A girls night with Tiffany
- Ali posting about this video on Facebook
- Hawk calling overhead
- Refresh
- Standing outside talking to Karen for hours
- Derek-made drying rack
- Laying with Derek and watching our boy roll over intentionally for the first few times
- Capturing that 3rd roll on video
- Derek and girls letting me sleep til 10:30
- Feeling slightly human again after a sick, sleepless week
Feb
08
2012We talk about it quietly while my two year olds bounce with her three and five year olds on the trampoline.
How we’ve distanced ourselves from certain relationships because of the fear.
Not fear caused by the relationship.
Nor fear of the closeness of the relationship.
No: distanced ourselves because of the fear we see in them.
That fear making an impenetrable wall around their hearts.
Because when you fear others so much that you live to please them… you cease living as a unique creation of God… you cease living except as someone trying to determine and meet the expectations of others.
And I want to love and know the unique creation you were made to be.
I don’t care if you managed to put make-up and boots on the day I come over.
I don’t care if you have a beautiful snack platter set out on your meticulously clean counter when I come over.
I don’t care if your children are wearing designer clothes that match and play with all the best and safest toys.
In fact if you come over to my home, you’ll find books strewn all over my unvacuumed floor.
Toddler girls wearing mismatched tunics and pj pants because that’s what they wanted to wear (and I’m just pleased that they mostly dressed themselves!), and an infant son sleeping in a pink ladybug sleep sack because his sisters’ hand-me-downs are good enough for bedtime.
My hair might be done or I might not have showered in the last 36 hours due to choosing a nap or two over a shower. And I only own comfortable shoes (though some might be cute) because that’s what I like.
I let my two year olds jump on trampolines without nets and climb fearlessly atop their tunnel (and spot when necessary). I doubt we have all the best recommended toys for their age.
I’m not saying that I’ve distanced myself from relationships because we’re different. No, I welcome diversity; it’s what makes community beautiful. My closest friend Julia and I are somewhat night and day visibly. So I’m not telling you that just because you dress stylishly, clean your home, and properly dress your kiddos, that you’re not a viable candidate for friendship.
But when you do all those things just to impress others, you’re living in fear. You’re hiding your true self with its weaknesses made just to encourage me (and so many others). And you make me want to hide, too. And because we’re both hiding… then we can’t genuinely love each other.
And that is sad.
Truly sad.
And I have to put a boundary on that relationship.
1. Because it makes me fear that Ill never measure up to your standard.
2. Because it tempts me to judge your actions and standards and elevate my own standards/myself as better than you.
3. Because it’s not a real relationship. We’re not growing, changing, and becoming more like Christ together.
So let me challenge you (and me) once again: to be real.
To let someone love you.
Flaws and all.
