A few words on parenting...and Spirit

When I was a new parent with my first child I did what many new parents do. I read parenting books until my head was spinnining and I felt a little bit more confused than when I started out. Parenting philosophies are so widely varied that you could easily be left feeling a little dizzy trying to find a good balance for your family. Three children later, I'm am convinced that the best advise any parent could ever embrace is probably what most would consider the least practical. No, it's not about spanking or chore charts. It's not about schooling or routines. It has nothing to do with discipline or time-outs for your children. It has everything to do with discipline and time-out for you! I've read a lot of books with great ideas for raising good and wise children who love God. I could probably give a little helpful advise of my own from personal experience, though I am by no means a greatly seasoned parent. My oldest is only seven and we are still in the baby years with number four. In spite of my youth (okay, past thirty is still youth!), I am sure that I have found the best parenting advise you will ever come across....if you are willing to dive in. There once was a time that I felt, as a busy mother of young children, that I simply did not have the time or energy to devote to this critical practice. Sometimes I felt so sapped physically and emotionally from the everyday mother-world that I simply had no passion left for this highest of all disciplines. But still, in my heart, I knew the answer was to cultivate a deep spiritual life, to root myself in prayer. Sounds too simple, doesn't it? I'm not saying that all those books out there with practical parenting tips are useless. I've found some great advise in some of the books I've read. What I am saying is that the most important thing for us and our children is that we are immersed in God's presence, that we are growing in wisdom and grace as we seek to know Him.

Snow Fall

Yes, this is exactly what it looks like.... We do not have the first snow of Winter, no we have the first snow of Fall! Notice the squirrel on the fence...he's wondering where Autumn went. Me too! I spent my morning between Fall cleaning and rumaging through snow stuff in the basement looking for the kids bibs and boots, mittens and hats! Sarah has already been out building snowmen with the neighbor girls and Sophie is begging to get out in it! I love snow, but I'm not sure I will be able to accept gracefully such a brief interlude between Summer and Winter! I need Fall. I need to breathe it in and feel it crunch under my feet. I need to rake up a big pile of leaves and watch my kids roll around on the ground until their hair is full of Autumn colors. I am not ready for snow angels, snow men or snow shovels...but I guess if it comes with a steamy cup of cocoa warming little frozen fingers (even if it means water puddles in the back hallway), I can embrace it for today. (But can I have Autumn back next week?)

The best "I colored my face picture"

Couldn't resist posting this after seeing my neighbor Stephanie's picture of her little girl with a black permanant marker mustache. Although Sarah was quite proud of her new look, this was the creation of her sister, Sophie, who was trying to make her look like a kitty with the water colors. Niiiiice....

Grandma Came to Visit!

We had such a nice time with my mom when she came to visit for a week and meet her new granddaughter for the first time. Here's a picture of Grandma and the kids and a new one of Ruby. As you can see, she is a very wide-eyed little gal. In this picture she's only 2 1/2 weeks and already taking in everything around her!

Arrival of the Jeweled One

Well, the last month has been a long stretch of anticipation and waiting and waiting! But finally, a little later than expected, the little jeweled one has arrived!
Little Ruby Julianna was born Friday afternoon and we are all so thrilled to have her home. She is beautiful and healthy and we are entirely captivated and enchanted by her!
I hope to update again soon, but as you can imagine, I am a little taken with this little angel and may be a bit distracted for some time! At any rate, I'm sure I will not be able to pass up posting more pictures in the near future!

Wow. Isn't it just incredibly easy to take all the really great things in life forgranted? Is it just me or does everyone else sort of sludge around every now and then in the everyday-ness of everyday? Of course I know that's a part of life...everyone has times like that. And isn't it also the beauty of life to rise above and grow, choosing to let our spirits embrace the greatness and potential in each day? And still, it's not easy. But there are moments when everything around you seems to say, "YOU are really blessed!" That's the sort of weekend I had.

Last week I got an email from my dearest old friend from back home that just took me to Kansas and wrapped me in the warmth of good friendship and memories of a "kindred spirit." I love getting emails from her.

Saturday, my husband and I went to a friend's wedding. I always love sitting next to him at a wedding, I know our thoughts are going back to the same memories. I can't help but be thankful that (in my opinion) I am pretty much the luckiest gal in the world to be married to this man. It amazes me to look back over eight years and see how we have grown and matured together as a couple and as parents. Thank God!

Sunday afternoon, I picked up my mother-in-law and headed to my sister-in-law's house for what I thought would be a day out with the girls. Turns out, the girls had planned a surprise baby shower. And I was very surprised...and blessed at the warm wishes and generous gifts from so many thoughtful people.

Not only that but I also received an inspiring new journal, some lovely teas and a large package of red pens from one of the sweetest people I know...and I am thankful to have as a friend and neighbor!

Sometimes we just need a few little reminders...life is a sweet as we let it be.

The Toothless Two

Here's Samuel and Sophie sporting their matching toothless grins:

On the Lighter Side

I stepped outside yesterday evening to water the newly planted flowers in our back yard (and a few moments of peace.) Several minutes later my oldest son runs out on the deck and yells in a panicked sort of voice, "Mom hurry! Sophie put a pair of underpants on her head and put her arms through the holes. She's stuck!" My heart skipped a beat when I sensed the panic in his voice but I couldn't help but break out in laughter when he finished telling me what was wrong. Unfortunately, the little houdini worked her way out of the underpants before I made it inside and upstairs with a camera. So, the scene will have to be left forever to the imagination.

"A good laugh is sunshine in a house."

--anonymous

There are times...

For many years I have admired deeply the life and writings of Amy Charmichael, a Christian missionary to India, who lived a life of compassion and spiritual depth that many never reach. While in college, I emersed myself in her writings and poetry and still find them very inspirational and challenging. My favorite of her writings is a short and simple book entitled "If." I find myself going back to this book over and over again to be challenged in spirit and character. Reading today, I came across the familiar and comforting words opening 'Part I':

"There are times when something comes into our lives which is charged with love in such a way that it seems to open the Eternal to us for a moment, or at least some of the Eternal Things, and the greatest of these is love.
It may be a small and intimate touch upon us or our affairs, light as the touch of the dawnwind on the leaves of the tree, something not to be captured and told to another in words. But we know that it is our Lord. And then perhaps the room where we are, with its furniture and books and flowers, seems less "present" than His Presence..."

Miss Charmichael captured so beautifully and aptly the truth that we, living in this world wrapped up in time and material things, rarely allow to slip into our consciousness. Not that we don't think about eternity or eternal things, but how often do we realize the eternality of this very moment? Bound by the fetters of the sunrise and sunset, how often do we sit still and allow ourselves to be aware of the vastness and greatness that not only surrounds the 'furniture and books and flowers' in the room were we sit, but all of time and eternity infinitely beyond this moment forever and ever, that greatness that is in fact, more real than the very things we perceive around us. As she says, it is the "small and intimate touch" that opens us up to knowing God's nearness. God does not really come near...He is always near. Eternity is always upon us. We simply fail to recongnize it because we do not take the time to notice that "small and intimate touch" or to simply breathe in the "dawnwind" moving gently through the leaves.

New Things

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I've been a bit preoccupied by new baby thoughts and trying to get us through the last bit of winter to happy happy Spring days! It is already in the 50's this morning, and even though it's wet and cloudy, I'm feeling a little giddy about the weather! The girls and I walked Samuel to school today and I took so much delight in watching them splashing happily through the puddles on the sidewalk. It is muddy and the trees are still bare, but the birds are singing cheerfully, raising our anticipation of warmer brighter days ahead. Hooray for Spring!

Speaking of all things new, we were so excited to have our 20-week ultra-sound on Friday and thrilled to discover that we will be adding another little girl to our family this summer! And her name is: Ruby Julianna.
It has been fun to see and hear the children's response to the idea of another sister. Samuel, being a bit out numbered, has embraced his role of protective big brother with zeal and pride. He said to me, "God must have known what our family would be and that the girls would need a big brother to protect them." I love hearing Sarah talk about her new baby sister, "Wooby." And Sophie, though at first being adverse to the name we had chosen, embraced it warmly after viewing some pictures of some beautiful ruby gemstones on the internet. She still says that she will call her Julianna, though, and that Sarah may call her Jewel if she wants to.
We feel very blessed and excited, knowing that this little one is the perfect addition to our family.