It's been a while...ok, a long while...since I've posted. It's funny that when there are things to post, I just don't take the time to do it. I must get better at this!
Madison is getting SO big! She has 2 teeth that have popped up in the last few weeks, she is sitting on her own, she is trying to eat big-girl food, and she is trying to crawl (she's really good at going in reverse for now)! She is doing great and is such a happy girl! We have baby dedication this week and I am so excited! I love making that declaration that Randal and I are going to raise our kids to be like Christ and to work for His Kingdom.
Mason is going to be 2 this Saturday (can I get a big WOW!?) I am busy, busy this week trying to prepare for his party. I am making a Toy Story themed cake - so we'll see how that turns out :)
We spent this past Saturday at Randal's brother's wedding & it went really well. Mason was the ring-bearer and Randal was an usher. I made the cake (my first!) and we had a lot of fun.
It's been an exhausting few weeks, but hopefully after this weekend it will slow down a little bit. We are heading down to Edmond after baby dedication on Sunday to see my dad's family - my aunt and uncle are in from out of town and my grandpa is in the hospital after knee surgery. I love seeing my family & am so glad to have lots of relatives who want to be a part of my family's life and love and care for my kids :)
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
The latest...
Well, now that things have slowed down a bit, I can update this thing :)
The last month or so has been a complete blur! The kids have kept us busy and we've had a ton of extra activities as well. Here's a brief run-down :)
Madison is growing up way too fast...she's going to be 5 months old tomorrow and I can't believe it! It's a weird feeling about how fast kids grow up...on one hand, they seem to change every day and you can't believe how quickly it all goes by - on the other hand, you can't seem to remember a time when you didn't love this little person and it feels like they've been a part of your family forever. I love that it's getting warmer out and I can put her in all of the cute little dresses that we have for her! She seems to have some allergies, so her nose has been running around the clock lately just like her brother's. I don't know how 2 people who don't suffer from many allergies ended up with 2 kids that are affected so much, but it does not make for a very happy baby or a very happy momma! She had her 4 month checkup today (I know, almost a month late, but oh well!) - she was 14 lbs 14 oz and 24 inches long - right at the average for her age. I can't wait to take her to the zoo and to the lake and have lots of fun this summer! I know she'll love it - she's such an observer and loves to be moving!
Mason is growing up way too fast too...He's potty training right now (ah!). It's going pretty well, though we've had some rough moments (him & I both - ha!). We're going to be tough and stick this out and see where it takes us :) That little boy is ready to be outside, the weather lately has not been cooperating! It's hard to swing in the yard when it's tornado season and every evening brings torrential rains and hail :( Hopefully soon, the weather will give us a break and we'll be able to keep him happy out there. His favorite thing right now is Toy Story. He loves Buzz & Woody and wants to watch them all of the time (this is a good thing and a bad thing all at once!). It's so fun to see him learn and grow at this point! I know it's hard to believe, but my child is a chatterbox! He talks all the time! And he's hilarious (also hard to believe, given his genes). He loves his sister and asked me last night if he could "hold the baby" :) He's such a sweetheart and a great kid - we'll see how I feel when he's a teenager :)
Randal has been super busy at work. He's been promoted to Lead of the Sales & Use Tax Group at CCH and is working hard to get used to that department. He went through Six Sigma training last week and I think he really enjoyed it. I'm so proud of how hard of a worker he is :)
I have been busy, busy with work and with other things on the side :) As if I don't have enough to do, I keep coming up with things! Taking care of the kids is plenty of work, as all of my mom friends will attest to! I also threw my in-laws a 25th Anniversary party this month - it was a ton of fun to plan, but was a lot of work! We had a great turn out and it was a great time - it was so good to see some people that I hadn't seen probably since our wedding! The weekend after that party, Randal's brother Alan got engaged to his girlfriend Katie. I'm so excited for those two! Katie is a great girl & I'm so excited to have her as my sister-in-law. I'm doing the cake for the wedding, so hopefully that works out great too! On top of that, we've been busy with church comings and goings and other things that pop up.
Next month is our lake trip and we're SO excited! We're praying for easy travels and good weather! Hopefully it is a nice, relaxing trip - and hopefully, mommy can get some reading done :)
Next month is also our 5th anniversary. This is another thing that is weird...while it seems like time has flown by, I can't really remember my life without Randal. Maybe your brain has a way of blocking these types of things out, I don't know, but I'm glad that I met him in 2003, and so glad that he asked me to marry him a year later. He is my best friend til the end - the only one I can truly be myself with and I'm so glad he's the one that's walking through this thing called parenthood with me.
The last month or so has been a complete blur! The kids have kept us busy and we've had a ton of extra activities as well. Here's a brief run-down :)
Madison is growing up way too fast...she's going to be 5 months old tomorrow and I can't believe it! It's a weird feeling about how fast kids grow up...on one hand, they seem to change every day and you can't believe how quickly it all goes by - on the other hand, you can't seem to remember a time when you didn't love this little person and it feels like they've been a part of your family forever. I love that it's getting warmer out and I can put her in all of the cute little dresses that we have for her! She seems to have some allergies, so her nose has been running around the clock lately just like her brother's. I don't know how 2 people who don't suffer from many allergies ended up with 2 kids that are affected so much, but it does not make for a very happy baby or a very happy momma! She had her 4 month checkup today (I know, almost a month late, but oh well!) - she was 14 lbs 14 oz and 24 inches long - right at the average for her age. I can't wait to take her to the zoo and to the lake and have lots of fun this summer! I know she'll love it - she's such an observer and loves to be moving!
Mason is growing up way too fast too...He's potty training right now (ah!). It's going pretty well, though we've had some rough moments (him & I both - ha!). We're going to be tough and stick this out and see where it takes us :) That little boy is ready to be outside, the weather lately has not been cooperating! It's hard to swing in the yard when it's tornado season and every evening brings torrential rains and hail :( Hopefully soon, the weather will give us a break and we'll be able to keep him happy out there. His favorite thing right now is Toy Story. He loves Buzz & Woody and wants to watch them all of the time (this is a good thing and a bad thing all at once!). It's so fun to see him learn and grow at this point! I know it's hard to believe, but my child is a chatterbox! He talks all the time! And he's hilarious (also hard to believe, given his genes). He loves his sister and asked me last night if he could "hold the baby" :) He's such a sweetheart and a great kid - we'll see how I feel when he's a teenager :)
Randal has been super busy at work. He's been promoted to Lead of the Sales & Use Tax Group at CCH and is working hard to get used to that department. He went through Six Sigma training last week and I think he really enjoyed it. I'm so proud of how hard of a worker he is :)
I have been busy, busy with work and with other things on the side :) As if I don't have enough to do, I keep coming up with things! Taking care of the kids is plenty of work, as all of my mom friends will attest to! I also threw my in-laws a 25th Anniversary party this month - it was a ton of fun to plan, but was a lot of work! We had a great turn out and it was a great time - it was so good to see some people that I hadn't seen probably since our wedding! The weekend after that party, Randal's brother Alan got engaged to his girlfriend Katie. I'm so excited for those two! Katie is a great girl & I'm so excited to have her as my sister-in-law. I'm doing the cake for the wedding, so hopefully that works out great too! On top of that, we've been busy with church comings and goings and other things that pop up.
Next month is our lake trip and we're SO excited! We're praying for easy travels and good weather! Hopefully it is a nice, relaxing trip - and hopefully, mommy can get some reading done :)
Next month is also our 5th anniversary. This is another thing that is weird...while it seems like time has flown by, I can't really remember my life without Randal. Maybe your brain has a way of blocking these types of things out, I don't know, but I'm glad that I met him in 2003, and so glad that he asked me to marry him a year later. He is my best friend til the end - the only one I can truly be myself with and I'm so glad he's the one that's walking through this thing called parenthood with me.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Dreaming about the future...
Ok, first, let me point out that Randal also has the password to our blog, so I am not the only one who can make updates! :)
Alright, now that's off my chest...we just celebrated Easter - what a wonderful day! We went to church and then it was off to Argonia for lunch with the Stephens clan and a fun little Easter egg hunt. It was Mason's first time, and he had a lot of fun! Both the kids looked great in their new Easter duds & we had a good time with family. We went and saw Randal's parents afterwards and had a good time there, too.
Mason is growing up so fast - can't believe he's going to be 2 in a few months! He is talking up a storm and really learning a lot of new words. He just learned to say "I love you" and it's so sweet! We are working on numbers and manners for now, so hopefully those things will catch on quickly! We got the new Toy Story movies that just came out on BluRay and he loves watching Buzz :)
Madison is getting bigger every day and is staying awake most of the day now to watch what is going on around her. She loves to observe people, just like Mason did. She's sleeping through the night (something Mason didn't do until a few months from now!), so we've been able to really catch up on sleep. She had her three month pictures and they turned out great - I will post some in a little bit along with Easter pictures. Her stuffiness went away for a couple of weeks, but is back (hopefully not for long!). She is really working on her leg strength and wants to kick and stand up on your lap now. She loves to be scared and her giggle is just the sweetest thing :)
Randal and I have been busy with our usual activities. We are throwing an anniversary party for John & Denise, so that's keeping me pretty busy along with stuff for the kids and around the house! The yard is needing some work, so Randal will be busy with that soon I'm sure! I can't wait for the warm weather so that we can go for walks and play on the kids' new swingset from Grandpa Bob & Grandma Sue! Mason loves to swing, and I'm excited that we will be able to do a lot of that soon!
Now for my usual rant about what's been on my mind :) First of all, today I am thinking a lot about the two people in my life who are going through the process of adoption. This is something that has always been very close to my heart and I have always wanted to do someday. I saw a quote yesterday that I think sums up why I have always felt so led to this:
"My friends, adoption is remption. It's costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him." -- Derek Loux
I thought that was such a wonderful way to word it! I have always been so thankful to be able to be called a child of God and am so in awe of the fact that He is willing to bring me into His presence and call me His own. How wonderful that we all have the opportunity to do the same thing for a child in need of someone to love them unconditionally. It is such an emotional process and takes such a commitment and a strong, patient person, but it is so worth it in the end!
The other thing that has been on my mind a lot lately is what my kids will grow up to be someday...I know it should be a fleeting thought, but I find myself daydreaming a lot about what they will become...what they will be like when they are older...who they will bring into our lives, etc. I have such big hopes and dreams for them, I can't contain them! I wonder if Mason or Madison will be a doctor, or lawyer, or missionary...or maybe a teacher, or an accountant, or an artist of some sort...Will he be a gentleman? Will she be famous? Will they live near us or move away? Will they be a traveler like Kelli or a homebody like me? Will they be musical like Randal and I or not like music at all?
Most of all...will they be happy? Will they glorify God in whatever they do? This is my prayer on a daily basis...and for now I will continue to dream :)
Alright, now that's off my chest...we just celebrated Easter - what a wonderful day! We went to church and then it was off to Argonia for lunch with the Stephens clan and a fun little Easter egg hunt. It was Mason's first time, and he had a lot of fun! Both the kids looked great in their new Easter duds & we had a good time with family. We went and saw Randal's parents afterwards and had a good time there, too.
Mason is growing up so fast - can't believe he's going to be 2 in a few months! He is talking up a storm and really learning a lot of new words. He just learned to say "I love you" and it's so sweet! We are working on numbers and manners for now, so hopefully those things will catch on quickly! We got the new Toy Story movies that just came out on BluRay and he loves watching Buzz :)
Madison is getting bigger every day and is staying awake most of the day now to watch what is going on around her. She loves to observe people, just like Mason did. She's sleeping through the night (something Mason didn't do until a few months from now!), so we've been able to really catch up on sleep. She had her three month pictures and they turned out great - I will post some in a little bit along with Easter pictures. Her stuffiness went away for a couple of weeks, but is back (hopefully not for long!). She is really working on her leg strength and wants to kick and stand up on your lap now. She loves to be scared and her giggle is just the sweetest thing :)
Randal and I have been busy with our usual activities. We are throwing an anniversary party for John & Denise, so that's keeping me pretty busy along with stuff for the kids and around the house! The yard is needing some work, so Randal will be busy with that soon I'm sure! I can't wait for the warm weather so that we can go for walks and play on the kids' new swingset from Grandpa Bob & Grandma Sue! Mason loves to swing, and I'm excited that we will be able to do a lot of that soon!
Now for my usual rant about what's been on my mind :) First of all, today I am thinking a lot about the two people in my life who are going through the process of adoption. This is something that has always been very close to my heart and I have always wanted to do someday. I saw a quote yesterday that I think sums up why I have always felt so led to this:
"My friends, adoption is remption. It's costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him." -- Derek Loux
I thought that was such a wonderful way to word it! I have always been so thankful to be able to be called a child of God and am so in awe of the fact that He is willing to bring me into His presence and call me His own. How wonderful that we all have the opportunity to do the same thing for a child in need of someone to love them unconditionally. It is such an emotional process and takes such a commitment and a strong, patient person, but it is so worth it in the end!
The other thing that has been on my mind a lot lately is what my kids will grow up to be someday...I know it should be a fleeting thought, but I find myself daydreaming a lot about what they will become...what they will be like when they are older...who they will bring into our lives, etc. I have such big hopes and dreams for them, I can't contain them! I wonder if Mason or Madison will be a doctor, or lawyer, or missionary...or maybe a teacher, or an accountant, or an artist of some sort...Will he be a gentleman? Will she be famous? Will they live near us or move away? Will they be a traveler like Kelli or a homebody like me? Will they be musical like Randal and I or not like music at all?
Most of all...will they be happy? Will they glorify God in whatever they do? This is my prayer on a daily basis...and for now I will continue to dream :)
Friday, March 12, 2010
Alright, alright, already...
Alright, Randal has done me the favor of reminding me that I'm falling behind on my blogging :) So here's what's going on with us...
Madison is getting so big! She'll be three months old this week & we are going to get her pictures taken this Saturday. I'm so excited for her first girly photo shoot :) hehehehe - I was always so nervous about having a girl because I have always been more of the tom-boy type and didn't think that I could do the pink, frilly stuff, but it has been surprisingly fun! I love her little hair bows (even if Randal doesn't :P) and I love looking for cute little outfits for her :) She's smiling really big now and seems like such a happy baby! She's had a stuffy nose for what seems like forever, so hopefully she'll be able to get that clear soon. It's RSV season, so we're keeping a close eye on her for more symptoms, but I'm also looking for teeth!
Mason is getting bigger and funnier every day :) His wonderful Aunt Kelli took him to see Sesame Street Live last weekend and he had a blast! He got to hang out with Grant Fisher and he had lots of fun seeing Elmo. We went out to eat last week at Cheddars and he slapped our waitress on the butt...it was so embarrassing for me (not totally sure how Randal felt about the whole thing...), but everyone around us (including the waitress) thought it was hysterical. He is beginning to start those "terrible twos" a little early and has learned to throw some pretty awesome tantrums in an effort to get what he wants. He has yet to learn that it doesn't get him anywhere, so we'll see how long that takes him :) I can't believe that he'll be 2 years old in a few short months!!
Randal is staying busy at work, but it hasn't been as bad as I thought it was going to be this tax season. I am looking forward to warmer weather so that he and Mason can play outside - I know they're both looking forward to that as well! We got a rowing machine recently and so he has been spending some time working out on that and has been making fun of me for not spending time doing it...we'll work on that :)
I am back to work full time next week (can I get a loud BOO?) I have really enjoyed spending at least a few days a week home with the kiddos. It has been so much fun getting to know Madison and getting to spend so much time playing & laughing with Mason (though he's still totally a daddy's boy!). Going back to work has been hard, but they both seem to really love their babysitter, so I'm very thankful for that! I have been busy lately planning an anniversary party for Randal's parents and trying to start up a few other projects on the side. I think I am crazy and can't contain all that I want to do...I just pray that God gives me the energy to keep up with myself!
We went to OK to help my grandma celebrate her 75th birthday last weekend and had so much fun with my family! My grandpa is still not feeling well, but we were so glad that he got to spend some time with the kids and the rest of us. I love seeing them and am so thankful that they have been able to share in all the special moments in my life!
In other news, my resolution to not be an angry driver is coming along, although there are a lot of people out there that are making it difficult. Seriously...it's a four way stop, not rocket science. :)
Madison is getting so big! She'll be three months old this week & we are going to get her pictures taken this Saturday. I'm so excited for her first girly photo shoot :) hehehehe - I was always so nervous about having a girl because I have always been more of the tom-boy type and didn't think that I could do the pink, frilly stuff, but it has been surprisingly fun! I love her little hair bows (even if Randal doesn't :P) and I love looking for cute little outfits for her :) She's smiling really big now and seems like such a happy baby! She's had a stuffy nose for what seems like forever, so hopefully she'll be able to get that clear soon. It's RSV season, so we're keeping a close eye on her for more symptoms, but I'm also looking for teeth!
Mason is getting bigger and funnier every day :) His wonderful Aunt Kelli took him to see Sesame Street Live last weekend and he had a blast! He got to hang out with Grant Fisher and he had lots of fun seeing Elmo. We went out to eat last week at Cheddars and he slapped our waitress on the butt...it was so embarrassing for me (not totally sure how Randal felt about the whole thing...), but everyone around us (including the waitress) thought it was hysterical. He is beginning to start those "terrible twos" a little early and has learned to throw some pretty awesome tantrums in an effort to get what he wants. He has yet to learn that it doesn't get him anywhere, so we'll see how long that takes him :) I can't believe that he'll be 2 years old in a few short months!!
Randal is staying busy at work, but it hasn't been as bad as I thought it was going to be this tax season. I am looking forward to warmer weather so that he and Mason can play outside - I know they're both looking forward to that as well! We got a rowing machine recently and so he has been spending some time working out on that and has been making fun of me for not spending time doing it...we'll work on that :)
I am back to work full time next week (can I get a loud BOO?) I have really enjoyed spending at least a few days a week home with the kiddos. It has been so much fun getting to know Madison and getting to spend so much time playing & laughing with Mason (though he's still totally a daddy's boy!). Going back to work has been hard, but they both seem to really love their babysitter, so I'm very thankful for that! I have been busy lately planning an anniversary party for Randal's parents and trying to start up a few other projects on the side. I think I am crazy and can't contain all that I want to do...I just pray that God gives me the energy to keep up with myself!
We went to OK to help my grandma celebrate her 75th birthday last weekend and had so much fun with my family! My grandpa is still not feeling well, but we were so glad that he got to spend some time with the kids and the rest of us. I love seeing them and am so thankful that they have been able to share in all the special moments in my life!
In other news, my resolution to not be an angry driver is coming along, although there are a lot of people out there that are making it difficult. Seriously...it's a four way stop, not rocket science. :)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
A brighter Twenty - Ten
Ok - I'm not usually one for New Year's Resolutions. In the rare occasions that I have tried to make these commitments, they have been relatively short lived anyway, so I usually don't bother. Instead, I try to make decisions throughout the year that make life better for myself, my family, and those around us (those commitments are short lived sometimes too, but hey, I try!). This week, I have been thinking about my attitude on the every day things that happen to me, and I have not been impressed! So I have made the decision that I will not be passing along my negative attitudes to my children, and also will not be forcing my husband to deal with them any more :) So here I go - my experiment at a more positive me:
My biggest issue is dealing with my frustration with other people, especially other drivers. I know that this bad habit that I have of having road rage drives Randal crazy and I am scared to death that Mason will soon be shouting "idiot!" at passing cars! I have downloaded new music to my iPod and will try not to yell at people who don't know how to drive...we'll see how I do once I go back to work!
Next, I get frustrated when I have to ask Randal more than once to do something for me. I usually keep this to myself, but sometimes let it affect my attiude way more than I should. Now, instead of focusing on what he doesn't do right (because who does everything right anyway??), I will be focusing on everything that is right about him. I married a wonderful man - he is my best friend and he gets me more than anyone ever has. He can always make me laugh - even when I don't want him to. He takes great care of our kids (not to mention his assistance in bringing them into this world!). He works hard to provide for us and he brings life to the world around me. Even though he doesn't always do what I ask, he often does things I don't even have to ask him to do, which mean way more than anything else anyway. He is a great example of overcoming all kinds of obstacles in your life and ending up a responsible, thoughtful man who loves the God who has brought him out of the depths. So thanks Randal, for being a loving, Christ-like example for me and our kids - that's way more important than changing Mason's diaper :)
I often get frustrated when I think about paying someone else to take care of my kids while I work. I wish that I could stay home with the kids and didn't have to have a full time job, but to look on the brighter side: I have a job that I love. I work for a company that has incredible integrity and focus, and I count myself lucky for that. For now, I consider myself blessed just to have a job in a time when so many are trying to figure out how they get by without one. I am also blessed enough to work with my wonderful sister, so that's a plus too! I know the day will come when I won't have to work, so I will count myself lucky that my husband and I are determined to make sure we are in a strong financial position bvefore taking that next step. How wonderful it will be to be completely out of debt and comfortable and be able to actually enjoy being a SAHM.
I am tired, as every mom is. But instead of focusing on the exhaustion, I will focus instead on the wonderful bonding time that I get to share with my daughter for now. I know that I will never get that opportunity again and although I might not have the energy to get as much done at other times, the moments that we share in the middle of the night will be moments that I will miss when they are past.
I get frustrated when Mason won't let me wipe his nose when I can't get up from the chair, or when he won't eat the food that I put on his plate, or when he screams and wakes his sister up just because I won't let him play in the toilet...but with all the times that he does less-than-desirable things (which actually is pretty rare!), I have a beautiful, fun-loving little boy who makes me smile all the other minutes of the day. I can act like an idiot with him and nothing brings me more joy than to see him smile, dance, and have fun. The sound of his laugh makes my heart melt and I will focus on that stuff instead of the fact that he doesn't like my pot roast (he does like my meatloaf though!). Every stage he hits is more fun than the last one and he amazes me every day with all that he learns and all the fun he can have from the simplest things. I love him more than I can ever imagine and the few bad times we have will never outweigh all the beautiful moments we have shared.
I get angry and impatient with people in the church some times. I know that sounds horrible, but I think most people can relate. There are people that I have looked up to and have called on for guidance and to set an example (for me, my children, and the kids in the church). These people disappoint me often (a lot recently for some reason) and this is very frustrating to me. I pray that we can all set aside our own selfish desires and move towards working to build the Kingdom instead of making ourselves happy. Instead of focusing on how disappointing people are, I will be focusing how blessed I am that I don't rely on people and neither does God. He will get His work done, and I feel so lucky to be a part of that mission. I am always reminded of the line from Relient K that the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair. That is a beautiful realization and I have to always remind myself of that fact. God has blessed me beyond belief, and I am lucky enough to be a part of a church that has a clear mission and great leaders that are focused on making disciples and building the Kingdom of God.
So this is the beginning of my year of looking at the better side of things. I used to be optimistic and positive...we'll see if I can be again :) Here's to a brighter 2010 looking at the other side of the coin!
My biggest issue is dealing with my frustration with other people, especially other drivers. I know that this bad habit that I have of having road rage drives Randal crazy and I am scared to death that Mason will soon be shouting "idiot!" at passing cars! I have downloaded new music to my iPod and will try not to yell at people who don't know how to drive...we'll see how I do once I go back to work!
Next, I get frustrated when I have to ask Randal more than once to do something for me. I usually keep this to myself, but sometimes let it affect my attiude way more than I should. Now, instead of focusing on what he doesn't do right (because who does everything right anyway??), I will be focusing on everything that is right about him. I married a wonderful man - he is my best friend and he gets me more than anyone ever has. He can always make me laugh - even when I don't want him to. He takes great care of our kids (not to mention his assistance in bringing them into this world!). He works hard to provide for us and he brings life to the world around me. Even though he doesn't always do what I ask, he often does things I don't even have to ask him to do, which mean way more than anything else anyway. He is a great example of overcoming all kinds of obstacles in your life and ending up a responsible, thoughtful man who loves the God who has brought him out of the depths. So thanks Randal, for being a loving, Christ-like example for me and our kids - that's way more important than changing Mason's diaper :)
I often get frustrated when I think about paying someone else to take care of my kids while I work. I wish that I could stay home with the kids and didn't have to have a full time job, but to look on the brighter side: I have a job that I love. I work for a company that has incredible integrity and focus, and I count myself lucky for that. For now, I consider myself blessed just to have a job in a time when so many are trying to figure out how they get by without one. I am also blessed enough to work with my wonderful sister, so that's a plus too! I know the day will come when I won't have to work, so I will count myself lucky that my husband and I are determined to make sure we are in a strong financial position bvefore taking that next step. How wonderful it will be to be completely out of debt and comfortable and be able to actually enjoy being a SAHM.
I am tired, as every mom is. But instead of focusing on the exhaustion, I will focus instead on the wonderful bonding time that I get to share with my daughter for now. I know that I will never get that opportunity again and although I might not have the energy to get as much done at other times, the moments that we share in the middle of the night will be moments that I will miss when they are past.
I get frustrated when Mason won't let me wipe his nose when I can't get up from the chair, or when he won't eat the food that I put on his plate, or when he screams and wakes his sister up just because I won't let him play in the toilet...but with all the times that he does less-than-desirable things (which actually is pretty rare!), I have a beautiful, fun-loving little boy who makes me smile all the other minutes of the day. I can act like an idiot with him and nothing brings me more joy than to see him smile, dance, and have fun. The sound of his laugh makes my heart melt and I will focus on that stuff instead of the fact that he doesn't like my pot roast (he does like my meatloaf though!). Every stage he hits is more fun than the last one and he amazes me every day with all that he learns and all the fun he can have from the simplest things. I love him more than I can ever imagine and the few bad times we have will never outweigh all the beautiful moments we have shared.
I get angry and impatient with people in the church some times. I know that sounds horrible, but I think most people can relate. There are people that I have looked up to and have called on for guidance and to set an example (for me, my children, and the kids in the church). These people disappoint me often (a lot recently for some reason) and this is very frustrating to me. I pray that we can all set aside our own selfish desires and move towards working to build the Kingdom instead of making ourselves happy. Instead of focusing on how disappointing people are, I will be focusing how blessed I am that I don't rely on people and neither does God. He will get His work done, and I feel so lucky to be a part of that mission. I am always reminded of the line from Relient K that the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair. That is a beautiful realization and I have to always remind myself of that fact. God has blessed me beyond belief, and I am lucky enough to be a part of a church that has a clear mission and great leaders that are focused on making disciples and building the Kingdom of God.
So this is the beginning of my year of looking at the better side of things. I used to be optimistic and positive...we'll see if I can be again :) Here's to a brighter 2010 looking at the other side of the coin!
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