It all started when I read my six year old's writing assignment for Thanksgiving: Tell me something that you're thankful for: A-Z. Most kids would happily write of apples, balloons, cats, and ducks. Not my Haley Jane. Listen to letter A: I am thankful that Aligatrs are not in are howse. Letter B: I am thankful that nuthing Bit me. Fast forward to Letter X: I am thankful I nevr so a fox. Haley is acutely aware of all the traumatic things that could possibly occur in this world, and this Read More
Green Grass
On Tuesday, I was having a funk day. It was probably just fatigue after a jam-packed weekend, but nonetheless, every little chore felt monumental. I was sitting in a exhausted stupor after lunch watching the kids nag each other, depressed that all my training and hard work with them had been in vain. This came after a discouraging day homeschooling as Haley's backwards 5s and Zs almost sent me to the psychiatric ward. So there I was, sitting and thinking about how I needed find a better job Read More
Broccoli with Lemon Juice
For making it to the top of the staircase on one of her positive-behavior- reinforcement charts, Darcy earned a ticket for a date with the parent of her choice. She chose me. I was flattered and whisked her off one evening to Panera for dessert by the fireplace. I had run across an article about taking time to ask your children questions and really listening to their answers. As she sipped on her smoothie and nibbled on her cornbread, I took some of the suggested questions Read More
Do you ever…
Do you ever lay on the ground and look up at the pale, white moon in the afternoon sky and think about how you are sitting on a speck of cosmic dust suspended in space at the mercy of its Creator? Just wondering... Do you ever sit on the driveway with your four-year old after breakfast and talk about the miracle of skin cell reproduction? Do you ever hide your to-do list for a day so you can spend more time looking at your husband in the eyes and being there to listen when he decides to Read More
Home
The night before Gracie was discharged from the hospital, Haley asked a very practical question. "Do I say 'Welcome Home' when Gracie comes to this house tomorrow? Or should I wait until we go back to the other house?" Hmmmm...For a moment it made me sad that our kids don't really know where they live, but it allowed Haley and I to have a good conversation. After the talk, I was reminded about a chapter in Tim Keller's book, Prodigal God (if you've not read this New York Times Read More
The Idolatrous Parent
A good post from my wise husband: I was reading an article by Paul Tripp this morning and a paragraph compelled me to take a moment and reflect on my life as a parent. Article Thesis: While much of the advice and instruction available for Parents focuses on behavior, "The Bible says that our situations and relationships are merely the occasions in which our hearts express themselves". Therefore, behavioral conflicts with our children provide the parent with opportunities to address the Read More
Darcelona
I have heard many mothers describe their little boys as being "all boy."I know Darcy is physiologically a girl...but she is ALL BOY. Not only does she love the mud and dirt (unlike her "first born" sister)...This kid is just tough. Take this evening for example. Colby watched the girls so I could go for a long run before dinner. She apparently landed face-first on the coffee table from a standing position on the couch. Colby admitted to me that he was brought to tears as he cleaned up the Read More