Be Still

Forced to be still and off my feet often leads to pensiveness. Sitting here at 
my kitchen table, a light drizzle outside is almost completely drowned out by 
three fun loving kiddos stomping and crashing as they "play" upstairs above 
me. What are they doing anyway? There also could be a herd of small baby 
elephants... . 

Here I sit, left with my thoughts, at least until the next dispute is brought to my 
attention. Big questions I struggled with in my early twenties resurface. "What 
is my purpose in life (now... beyond my occupation and most important role as 
a mother)?" Am I accomplishing all I'm meant to do? Is there anything I'm 
missing?

In my twenties I searched for God's will in my life in respect to my occupation, 
the man I would marry, then the right time to begin a family. A decade later, 
family nearly complete, one more to join our family of five in a few months, 
I again find myself searching, wanting God's will for my family, His best for us. I 
remind myself that I'm not only a mother, I'm a child of God, with a purpose that 
extends through my mothering, and along side of my mothering. 

I believe motherhood is the ultimate calling a woman can fulfill, both extremely 
challenging and rewarding. (I am not saying you can't be an excellent mother 
and accomplish great things outside the family!) However, it's all too easy to 
be consumed by it and allow other talents or goals fall by the wayside. This has 
caused me to ponder. Are there other things the Lord has for me now while I'm 
on this wonderful, crazy adventure? Do other things take a back seat until the 
children are older? Maybe to a degree? It comes down to listening to the Holy
Spirit, doing the things God has called you to do and letting other things go.

Being still is a good thing. How busy modern life is! I challenge you to sit and be
still for a while. It's a time to reevaluate priorities, reflect, appreciate how blessed
we are, how much the Lord loves us, and desires us to draw close to Him.

Life is demanding. Balance is essential. The answer is different for each person.  
Thankfully, the Lord is with us, with an open hand, willing to lead us through
the hills, valleys and mountains of life. We only need to to accept His guiding
hand and trust Him. 


"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105 ESV

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted in the earth!" Psalm 46:10 ESV

The Best Laid Plans

The last couple of weeks have been interesting. I've neglected my computer
in attempts to declutter my home and begin preparing for baby number three
to arrive. It might be a bit early yet, but better now than scrambling the week 
before he's due. It's been a challenge considering now I'm a bit anemic 
(taking iron now) and am feeling it. I've been doing a bit everyday, rendering
me completely exhausted by the late afternoon. 


In addition to my new found compulsion to get the house in order, I've also 
been extremely pensive, analyzing my heart and perspectives on life. I like
to plan. I consider multiple possibilities about a certain something, dissect the
pros and cons, decide on the best course of action (according to my brain), 
and make plans accordingly. Good luck changing my mind after I've been 
through this process. However, I've learned a difficult lesson this last month
which has caused me to reassess how I go about making decisions. 


My kids have been attending a wonderful private preschool attached to a 
local church, which also has an excellent elementary and middle school. 
My mom-in-law teaches at another nearby private school which enrolls 
2 year olds through middle school. It's much smaller, newer (only been 
in existence for five years), and Jason (my other half) wanted me to check
it out. Why would I? I thought. The kids' current school is well established,
(my mother went there as a child) nationally recognized blue ribbon, of course
accredited, and had plenty of extracurricular sports. Their school was everything
I wanted. My daughter has sweet little friends there. I saw no need to change.


My husband wouldn't let it go, no matter how many times I expressed my 
opinion. I reluctantly agreed for my daughter to go visit the 4/5 year old 
class at my mom-in-law's school. On the fateful day I showed up about mid 
morning to observe my daughter during the visit. They were cleaning up 
before going outside for recess and then to art class. I had an hour with 
the class teacher and discussed her methods of teaching, curriculum, 
approaches to discipline, and her thoughts on my daughter. She completely
blew me away. I loved everything she said and appreciated her spot on 
assessment of my daughter. We finished with a tour of the facilities, which 
were excellent, especially considering the young age of the school. 


I knew right away, deep down, that this was the perfect setting for my daughter. 
That "knowing" was God. He was gently showing me His plan for my
children. I was teary eyed upon the realization. I had been so sure of the 
right direction for my children. Of course I had prayed that the Lord show me
what to do, but I was positive He agreed with me. I was so sure that I had
already registered my daughter for next year at her current school. With the
registration fee nonrefundable I knew instantly I was out a few hundred 
dollars. It caused a nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach. What's worse,
after finally having a release from Jason to register her for next year at her
current school a couple weeks earlier, on the way to do so, I had a funny 
feeling that maybe I shouldn't, what we Christians call a "check" in our
spirit. A small voice whispering direction. I had dismissed the feeling. I knew
better! Lesson learned the hard way.


Both my children are now enrolled for next year at the new school. Although
it saddens me to not be returning to their current school next year, I'm 
at peace knowing we're following God. Our plans may seem perfectly 
logical and correct, but God always knows better. I trust my family's future
in His hands much better than in my own. God sees everything, past, present,
future. He knows everything and has our best interests at heart. 


As aftermath from this learning experience, I have naturally questioned other
areas of my life, hence the incredibly pensive last couple weeks. Am I truly
seeking God in all I do? Or am I planning my life and casually running my
plans by the Lord for His check mark of approval without really asking what
His plans are? I have begun to ask the Lord for wisdom in all that I do. I want
His best for me and my family.


"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and
not for evil, to give your a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11, English Standard
Version.

Strength in Weakness

Silence. A rarity in our home. I'm soaking it in, for it visits briefly. For a 
moment I can hear things I normally wouldn't, the hum of my computer,
a bird singing in the distance (no doubt confused by this wacky Midwest 
weather), the roar of a jet engine thousands of feet above me, the rhythmic
breathing of my dreaming dog, and my own thoughts whirling what seems
at top notch speeds between my uneven ears. 


Taking the time to sit and think is something I don't do often enough. Today
I feel especially pensive. Am I bulldozing through life unaware of my 
surroundings and of my fellow life travelers? Am I being sensitive to those
very closest to me, tender-hearted towards my children and loving husband?
Am I the picture of the mother I envision for my children, the wife my honey
needs? 


We all traverse through times of feeling inadequate or less than ideal. The 
reality is we are inadequate. Harsh? Reality often is. The good news is it's
okay. It's okay to feel like we're not enough or good enough, but with that
self awareness understand we are more than enough when we allow 
Christ to live in and shine through us. By myself I may feel overwhelmed
and like a complete failure as a mother/homemaker, but when I surrender
my will and my plans to the Lord, Jesus Christ, trusting that He knows my
needs even better than I do, suddenly burdens fall from my weary shoulders. 
I find myself peaceful and content. 

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:9 -10

So what do I take away from this? Know that being human means we will and 
do make mistakes. We struggle. We fail at times. Cut yourself some slack, ask
for forgiveness if needed, give those things to the Lord, and move on towards our
focus, Jesus Christ. True that we are to be immitators of Christ, striving to be
more like Him by walking in love with those around us, but I think too often
we try to do that on our own. What is love again? Love is patient and kind; does 
not envy or boast, doesn't insist on it's own way; it's not irritable or resentful; it
rejoices with the truth, not wrongdoing; it bears all things, hopes all things, 
believes all things, endures all thins. Love never ends. I Corinthians 13:4-8

Looking at that list of what love actually is makes me feel completely lacking,
but then I remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Phillipians 4:13  Today, if you feel inadequate, know that we all really are and
trust our Heavenly Father with your weaknesses. This is how we become the
women, wives, and mothers we've been called to be, with His strength, not
ours. 

Finding Excuses for your Resolutions?

After about a one month hiatus from the Internet in general, it's time to get 

back in the swing of things, and what better day than the twelfth day of 2012?

I believe it's the coldest day of the year outside, and although we've only had

a couple inches of snow, it was mad chaos on the roads this morning. It took

Jason 2 & 1/2 hours to get to work this morning. I find myself one of many 

people wondering how such a little snow caused so much trouble for a town

supposedly used to handling winter weather. It's not like Tulsa (a.k.a. T town

where I went to college) where the whole place shuts down for a half inch of 

snow. Although, I think last year most likely cured Tulsanians of any ignorance

of what to do when it snows. I believe they had several feet of snow over the

winter last year. 

What happened in my hometown today must be a result of too many people 

thinking, It's just a dusting. No big deal. Even those responsible for preparing

the streets with salt, I think did so a bit late. So, everyone and their mom went

out this morning, the small amount of snow we had was pack down causing 

all kinds of accidents, and the temperature is crazy cold so that spots are 

refreezing causing, you guessed it, black ice. Enough venting and back to 

things that you all actually care about. 

What did I write about last time? Ah yes, discipline. Ouch! How are the 

resolutions coming along? If you're like me, you're struggling to keep up

with self-inflicted expectations. I have been working hard on getting my

house in some type of order, but I find that after a morning of de-cluttering,

I'm completely spent and have a hard time maintaining productivity. 

Excuses? I have one... in the form of a tiny human being growing by leaps

and bounds inside of me. The nesting instinct has kicked in high gear (even

though I have quite a ways to go), which is the main source of my cleaning

fits. 

Oh, and did I mention Jason had his appendix out emergently last week? 

That was exciting and included an entire night in the ER with surgery at 5 a.m. 

I feel like I'm still catching up from that night devoid of sleep. You'll be happy 

to know that despite the typical case of "man-itis" (wives you know what I'm

talking about), he's recovering quite nicely. Why is it that men act all stoic 

and low maintenance in the hospital, a literal dream for their nurses, but

are the opposite at home? Giving him credit, Jason's case of man-itis wasn't 

severe, but enough for this pregnant mamma. 

Back to the main point of this post. Have I stepped up my Bible reading 

(one of my main goals for 2012)? Well, somewhat, but not as much as I 

should. Mornings are too hectic, afternoons I find myself dozing on the couch, 

and by the time evening comes, I'm completely exhausted. So what's the 

solution? I say to myself, "Stop making excuses and do it!" More importantly, 

I'm praying for the Lord to help me with self-discipline. Thank the Lord He's 

faithful always and especially when we're not. You know what I love about 

the Lord? Even when we get caught up with ourselves, He doesn't condemn 

us. He simply loves, forgives, and patiently waits for us to adjust our focus to 

where it's supposed to be... on Him. 

I pray your focus, as well as mine, will stay exactly where it should, and that 

we don't get too caught up with ourselves or our households to spend precious 

time with our Father and Creator in Heaven. 

Soon to be Published in Super Cool Kid's Magazine

Last winter, I wrote a story for a Christian children's magazine, The Kid's Ark, 
and this last weekend, I was notified that it has been selected to be included
in their March, 2012, issue. To say that I'm excited is an understatement. 
Listening to a voicemail informing me of the good news last Sunday night
as I left work, I literally did a "happy dance" in the front seat of my car. 
Thankfully is was dark out so no one saw me, and no, I hadn't started my
car yet. 


According to their website, The Kid's Ark magazine is, "geared to kids ages
6 - 12, 36 page, full color, interactive magazine" and, "contains the Ten 
Commandments and Salvation Prayer in every issue." The founders of this
magazine are Jim and Violette Burger of Victoria, Texas. Their passion to
see children reached with the Gospel and Biblical principles is apparent 
when you visit their website or read one of their issues. 


The story I wrote is about a young girl who goes with her father to the 
zoo, and through a conversation with him receives Jesus as her 
Savior. I titled it "Finding Jesus at the Zoo," but the editors of the
magazine may change the title before the issue comes out in March of
next year. 


Along with stories, this magazine also has contests, puzzles, and
testimonials. It's a great witnessing tool as well as a lot of fun. If you have 
or know any kids in the 6 - 12 age group, you may want to consider a 
subscription for them. :) 

My Grandma Rose

As I flipped through old family photos this morning, I came across
a few that included my dear Grandma Rose. She passed away a 
few years ago, and losing her was incredibly tough. She had been
my last living grandparent for a while, but she was also my favorite.
She had a petite stature, wore a size 5 shoe, had a sparkle in her 
bright blue eyes, a constant upward turn to the corners of her mouth, 
an unconditional love for her family, and was the most selfless 
person I have ever met. 


At times, I still can't believe she's gone. I find myself wondering how
she made her scrumptious home-made mac'n cheese, and I pick
up my phone to ask her about it. Then it hits me like a two by four,
she's not there. I can't bring myself to delete her contact information
from my cell. 


The fond memories I have of Grandma Rose are really too many to
count. From amazing egg hunts at Easter, swinging on her porch
swing while watching birds accustomed to left over toast crumbles, 
listening to her many wind chimes on a breezy afternoon, raiding 
her closet for dress-up apparel, eating still warm cook and serve 
chocolate pudding, to even the obligatory dish washing duty after 
delectably delicious family dinners, each one is a treasure I will 
carry with me always. 


I didn't even mention the holiday Thanksgiving and Christmas
celebrations, and since my grandma had five children, twelve 
grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren by the time she left
us to be with our Savior, you can imagine the organized chaos of it
all. There was a "kid" table and a "grown up" table set up in the 
partially finished basement of her 800 or so square foot home. The
adult table was really a ping pong table with a huge or multiple 
table clothes over it. The kid table was set up near the washer and
dryer and sat us younger grandkids quite nicely. I think I was in 
college before I made it to the adult table, and then it was only 
because we had extended family members who had moved out of 
state and didn't make it home every year. 


I love my family. I love the legacy of kindness and graciousness my
grandma passed on to the rest of us. I love the person my grandma
was and the values she never let go of. I loved her unwavering devotion 
to our Lord, Jesus Christ, and her generosity towards all those around
her. I want to carry on that legacy of love of our Lord and of our neighbors,
as she did so well. 


Although the reality of her absence is painful, the knowledge that she
lived life as she was called to and that she is enjoying her reward
in Heaven is a great comfort. I am thankful for the impact she had on 
my life and the opportunity that I now have to make an impact for 
good on those around me as well. 

Hearing God's Voice: In the Ringer... Again.

Remember times in your life when you had to learn something over 
and over... and over again. I feel like I'm in a repeat wash cycle of 
life. Similar to how a washer with an agitator uses movement  to 
remove the unwanted from clothes, I'm irritated by events in my life 
that are causing an uncomfortable friction in my soul. 


One of the things God is teaching me is to hear His voice verses what 
I want Him to say. Last week I had a small possibility of going to a 
writing conference. I'm writing a children's picture book series that 
incorporates prayer into each story. So when I happened upon Writing 
for the Ages, a conference specifically for Christian children's writers, 
naturally, I was excited. The main feature that drew me to this conference 
was that it focuses on the the craft of writing, not on "how to be published,"
but simply writing itself. 


Don't get me wrong. Learning how to become published is important, 
and one needs to know the business side of writing. However, I feel 
like the stronger one's writing is, the better chance one has at achieving 
published author status. Let's not forget why we're blogging and networking, 
let's not forget out love of crafting a story so that it touches the hearts of 
those who read it.


I so wanted to go to this conference, but limited finances available, I prayed 
if it was God's will that He would make a way. Days passed, and I became 
nervous. I was having difficulty scraping funds together and securing 
childcare. After an emotional conversation with God last friday, I concluded 
it wasn't His timing for me to go this year. After a few tears, I felt peace erase 
my fatigue and regret. God is all powerful, omniscient, and above all good.
He wants what's best for me, and I must rest in that knowledge. Now this
week, I'm once more facing a situation where I must put my wants aside
and truly listen for God's voice to guide me, hence the rewash cycle. 
With His grace, I'll make the right choice. If I'm seeking His will, God 
won't lead me down the wrong path. 


As far as the Writing for the Ages conference, I'll be saving up to go 
next year (they're fairly certain they'll have it again).  I've attached 
a link for anyone who wants to save their pennies for next year
as well. 


http://www.navigators.org/us/ministries/gleneyrie/retreats/cornerstone/writingfortheages

Why Write for Children?

Why write for children? Over the last year or so, I've read from differing 

sources that children's books are on a decline and that writing for adults

is more profitable. So why branch out of my comfort zone of a part time

nurse and full time mom to write in a classification of books on a decline?

I love children. I love children's books. I love that one can create fun 

stories with morals woven through the fabric of fun plots and dreamy 

fairy tales. 

It seems cliche to say that children are our future, but I'll say it. Children

are our future! Reading to them from a young age, even infancy, benefits

them tremendously. I've read to my children before naps, bedtimes, and 

in between since they were small babies, and now they both love books.

It seems they are constantly begging me to read to them. Although, 

attention spans vary according by age and activity levels, even if 

you can only get a few lines in before your young one dashes off to 

chase dust particles ignited by sunlight, you've reinforced his/her love 

of books and reading. 

Reading children's stories is also a great way to reinforce morals you're

trying to teach your children, important stuff like sharing, listening,

courage and friendship. I want to read my children stories that 

portray these kinds of qualities, so naturally, when I decided to write

for children, I incorporated these favorable character traits into my 

stories. But one can't just fill a book with lessons of character, there

also has to be exciting adventures and far away places. 

Imagine being a child, what would you want to be? Where would 

you want to go? This is what I think about when beginning a new 

story. I run my ideas across my kids, as they are brutally honest, to 

be sure the ideas are winners. Recently, I've begun brewing ideas  

for new characters and scenes for my fifth story in my children's 

picture book series. I'm excited to start it sometime in the next 

couple weeks. The beginning of the school year is always a bit 

chaotic. Soon we'll be in a routine, and I'll carve out time for a 

new adventure. 

My Life: A Prayer List being Answered, Part 4

God has fulfilled so many of my dreams and prayers throughout my life. I am 

so blessed with all that He has given me. But as the childhood and young 

adulthood prayers come to pass, new ones emerge. Growing up, I never 

saw myself as a writer and never imagined I'd be venturing out into the 

unknown world of children's literature. 

In the spring of 2010, when I first felt a tug on my heart to write a children's 

book, I could also never have known just what having a children's book 

published would entail. I have learned so much in the last year, not only 

about writing, but about myself. When faced with the reality of the 

publication process, I had to ask myself, How much do I really want this?

What it came down to is this - if God gave me this desire to write for children, 

then there must be a reason, and I must see it through. 

My prayer for this new endeavor is that I following God's leading and 

direction beyond publication. He is the One who gave me this desire to write 

for children, and I want to be sure to honor Him in all that I do now and in the 

future. I pray for my characters to be relatable, funny, quirky, and adventurous, 

like most children I know. I pray that I keep God first, not only in this area of 

my life, but in all areas. God should be first and foremost, then family, and then 

work. I believe keeping these priorities straight will help me maintain some 

sort of balance as I strive to serve Christ, be a great wife and mother, work 

part time outside the home, keep up with the house, and write. 

Where am I in this process? I'm in the middle of some research involving

how best to revise your stories. I am reading Writing Picture Books by Ann

Whitford Paul, which has so far been packed full of great information on 

forming and revising picture book stories. For those of you who don't know,

a picture book is not a book with just pictures, but it is a classification

of a book that is for young children, roughly ages 2 - 8. I am about half

way through it, and given the opportunity, I should have it done by the 

end of the week. Much of what I am reading is affirming concepts I am 

already implementing in my work, but I do see some areas I can adjust

a bit. After I am finished reading, I'll scrutinize the three and a half stories

I have written in my children's book series to be sure they are the absolute

best they can be. I will then be pretty close to resubmitting to a literary agent

I'd love to work with. Until then, I'm trusting God to lead me and guide me

in all that I do. 

Do you have a prayer list, either written or in your heart? How has God

proven His faithfulness to you over the years?

My Life: A Prayer List being Answered, Part 3

I am so thankful that God directs the steps of those who love and serve Him.

There were several different paths I could have traversed as I came into 

adulthood, various carriers I could have chosen. What I would be when

I grew up changed many times as I grew older, but I was sure to always

include in my prayers for God's will to come to pass in my career choice.

When I was eight or nine, I remember wanting to be an archeologist more

than anything. Discovering artifacts from an ancient civilization seemed

so interesting and adventurous. A few years later, I watched Raiders of the 

Lost Ark, and while I loved the movie, I decided I loved life much more than

risking falling prey to a fatal booby trap. Besides, there are finite number of

objects that are waiting to be discovered, not very good job security, I 

rationalized to myself and moved on. 

I turned to dreams of becoming a marine biologist. Again this was fascinating

and adventurous and certainly would be a good choice. For a brief time, my

sisters shared my dream, and we were to be famous marine biologist sisters

working together to... . I'm not sure what. I can't remember why I decided 

against marine biology, but it could have been something to do with

shark week on the discovery channel. 

I briefly considered being a doctor or a teacher, but the thought of misdiagnosing

someone or grading papers the rest of my life squashed those ideas. I even

thought of being a nurse for a while, but when I realized I'd have to give shots, 

causing pain, I changed my mind. I wanted to help people, not hurt them.

And so, when it was time for me to go away to school, I did so with my major

"undecided." Throughout the school year, I spent hours praying for God's 

direction. "I'll do anything," I prayed, "just tell me what you want me to do."

I didn't feel any strong leading one way or another. Then one day one of the

girls in my dorm asked why I wasn't going into nursing. She pointed out that I 

was always taking care of the girls who were sick on my floor. The more

I thought about it, the more it made sense. "But I don't want to give shots,"

I protested. She countered if that was the only thing holding me back, I 

should talk to one of the other nursing majors on my floor. I took her advise

and was assured that giving shots wasn't a big deal (in that you get over it

quickly) and more importantly it was for the patient's own good. 

I spent about a week praying about pursuing nursing, and afterwards, I felt a 

strong sense of peace. That was it. I was going to be a nurse. This was in

the spring semester of my freshman year. I had wasted some time taking

classes I didn't need and had missed some classes vital to the nursing track.

Then another obstacle occurred. My parents were financially unable to send

me back to ORU (Oral Roberts University). I was devastated. I knew this was

where God wanted me to earn my degree. Why was this happening? 

The next year, I attended a local community college and took the necessary

courses to get on track with the nursing program at ORU. After months of 

prayer, I informed my parents that they didn't have to provide a penny, but

God was going to send me back to ORU. Full of faith, I finished my second

year strong and submitted my paperwork and transcripts to ORU. My 

Grandma Rose unexpectedly paid for that year in full. I was thrilled. 

I returned my third year with a new appreciation and determination 

in my schooling. I was able to secure a private loan for my fourth year,

and for my fifth year (thanks to that first year of being "undecided") I 

joined ROTC for a one year scholarship with a 4 year commitment to

the Air Force upon my graduation. Had I known about the ROTC program

earlier I would have been able to skip the unfortunate private loan. 

I graduated in "03 Summa Cum Laude, passed my nursing boards the next 

month, left for San Antonio the month after that for 6 weeks of Field Training

(boot camp), was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force by the 

end of the summer, and so started my nursing/military career. I served in 

the USAF for four years and learned a ton of valuable lessons, both

professional and personal. Upon completing my obligation, I returned to

civilian life and accepted a job at a local hospital where I eventually 

found myself working on a postpartum ward. Not what I had pictured 

myself doing in nursing school (like cardiac ICU), but I believe God 

has guided me to my current position caring for new moms and babies.

I love it. Giving support to the new mom who isn't sure she has what it

takes to be a mom is so rewarding. 

I am so blessed, loving my job and where God has guided me. I am 

thankful for all the experiences I've had, leading me up to this point,

and forming into the person I am today. Our road in life isn't always 

easy, but when following God, it's always worthwhile. 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own 

understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which 

path to take.  Proverbs 3: 5-6, NLT (New Living Translation)

   

My Life: A Prayer List being Answered, Part 2

I don't know if it is normal for a child to wonder about and pray for
her own children that will come to be some day, but as a small
person, I'd lie in bed, stare at the ceiling and dream of the life ahead
of me, of the lives for which I'd be responsible. When I was growing 
up, I had an ambitious goal of having six children some day. Once I 
was into my twenties, I thought four or five would be a good round 
number. Now, I find myself talking my husband into having just a third 
and not so secretly hoping that the next pregnancy (some day) might 
be twins so that I can sneak in the fourth. 


But as my mother has told me many times, God is the Lord of my family, 
and He knows who my children are supposed to be, when they are to 
come, and the number of them that there is to be. I now rest in that knowledge, 
God is in control. For now, my two munchkins have me pretty busy. Not only 
are they in busy phases of their lives (at 3&1/2 and 20 months), but they are also
very busy children. 


Avalon Rose is my 3 and a half year old girl. One must forget about the "half"
part of her age. She is extremely intelligent (not that I'm biased or anything)
and has been debating with me since she was two. Never one to blindly obey,
she must understand why you want her to do a certain thing and feels the need
to be in agreement with you before she does it. When she does something 
wrong, it's hard for her to admit what she's done was wrong. Instead, she 
spouts out a logical explanation of why she had to do what she had to do and 
why I, the parent, am wrong. Her capability of deduction and reason has been 
astounding since she was a toddler. If all this wasn't enough of a challenge, 
she has started the sassy talkback. I didn't think I'd have to deal with that until 
she was at least eight. I know that these personality traits in her will be a huge 
advantage when she is older. She'll stand up for herself, be a strong woman 
of God, uncompromising in her beliefs and morals. This is what I'm praying for. 

                           
Beyond her strong will, she has a charismatic personality and a creative 
imagination. I wrote in a past post that she is the one who blamed a void
of earwax on a q-tip on a mysterious monster who had "licked it out" of her
ear already. She has "pretend friends" who occasionally grace our house 
as Backyardigan characters. Once she told me at the dinner table that her
pretend friend Pablo needed some food too. I told her that since he was
a pretend friend, he could eat pretend food. This seemed perfectly logical
to her and didn't initiate her effective debating skills. Avalon also has
super human hearing. You can be having a hushed conversation in the 
car while she is otherwise occupied in the back seat, only to have her
ask you later about an aspect of your conversation that had been hushed
for a reason. My husband and I have been burned this way more than
a few times. 


James David is my bulldozer toddler, completely unstoppable. When 
he sets his mind on doing something, watch out, because nothing will 
stand in his way. I remember looking into his eyes when he was six 
months old and just learning to crawl. There was a drive and determ-
ination visibly present in his gaze that startled me. How could such a 
young baby be so intense about accomplishing a goal? Since that day,
I have seen that determination help him do pull-ups and climb 
bookshelves at only eight months, kick a soccer ball within only
two days of learning to walk (the week before his first birthday),
and squirm out of his highchair straps and stand up on the seat 
at about 15 months. He is still in the phase of not knowing fear
or having a sense of danger. To say that he keeps me on my
toes, is an understatement. 

                       
Along with all his advanced gross motor skills, he also has a strong
vivacious personality with a strong will that rivals Avalon's. For months,
we battled for control at dinner time, just for control's sake. Thankfully,
he is finally cooperating more at our evening meal, but it was touch 
and go there for a while. He started having tantrums a few months 
ago as well and over the littlest things, like not being able to play 
with a ball in the play yard when picking his big sister up from 
preschool. So there I'd go holding to my side the child who was 
kicking his legs, whipping his arms around furiously, and shrieking
as though having a knife stuck in him somewhere, through the halls
with other mother's eyeing me as I passed. I hoped they were thinking
I'm so glad that my child isn't doing that today verses What has that 
woman done to her poor child. He still has an occasional tantrum,
but they have lessened in severity, duration, and frequency. Thank
you, God. My prayer for James is that God directs his energy and 
drive into what God has prepared for him. 


Both my children are affectionate, sympathetic, loving, kind hearted,
adventurous, curious, spirited, beautiful and full of endless energy.
I am so blessed to have them in my life and so thankful to God 
for entrusting me with their upbringing and care. God certainly 
answered my prayer in bringing these wondrous children to me, and 
and am certain He will answer my prayers in regards to their futures.


"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for 
welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." 
Jeremiah 29:11, ESV (English Standard Version)


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