Growing Up

I love being a mom of young children. I love being a stay-at-home mom. I love having a nursing infant. Okay, I'm guessing you get that I am absolutely loving this phase of life. But in my all too familiar "not a big fan of change" mentality I am REALLY struggling with how fast my kiddos are growing up. I think this is intensified by 3 factors:

1. Due to health factors we are most likely done adding to our family through pregnancy. (that might sound strange, but we are hoping to add to our family through adoption)

2. My "baby" who just turned 5 months is the size of a one year old.

(Yep, I'm the mom of "that baby" the one everyone looks at and says-"He is SO healthy!" a.k.a. chubby)

3. At this time next year I will be getting ready to send my oldest, Grace, to kindergarten.

I am especially feeling dread about the third one. Just the word kindergarten is enough to bring a tear to my eye. Well maybe not quite that bad. But, next summer kindergarten is sure to be a four-letter word at our house.

The fact is my kids are growing up. And as my mom keeps reminding me I wouldn't really want them to stay this age forever. So, instead of buying stock in Kleenex I'm trying to truly enjoy where we are at right now. I'm enjoying each trip to the zoo, play group, pool, etc. I'm enjoying each hand picked bouquet of flowers, specially colored picture, each snuggle as we read books, each tea party.

King Solomon new the truth God is making evident to me, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot."

I am in a season of planting with my children. But, eventually their growing will slowly lead to "uprooting." I am seeing how clearly my kids growing up is going to "grow me up" too. Because with each bit of independence they gain I pray harder. With each new discipline challenge I am learning more patience. And ultimately I am seeing I'm not going to be able to hold on to my "not a big fan of change" mentality. God knows I still have a ways to go on that one. But, I'm sure I will have lots of learning opportunities as my little babies "grow like weeds!"

For now I plan on avoiding emotional meltdowns with the following strategy. If I feel a teary moment coming on I focus on things like the cost of diapers, sparse date nights, cleaning up puke, & two year old melt downs in public.... Try it. It might just work for you too.

But, even those aren't gonna work if I hear "Your Gonna Miss This" on the radio.

Grace, Faith, & Titus, I adore your dad and I LOVE being your mom! (Oh, And you can plan on me crying at your wedding... so don't say I didn't warn you.)

New Pics of Kiddos

Well, every mom with multiple children knows how incredibly difficult it is to get "the photo" of all your kiddos. Especially if they are under the age of 5! So......my mom took a slightly different approach and took individual shots of the kids this time. I love them. And surprisingly the girls even volunteered to pose for a shot of them together. I feel blessed to have such a talented photographer in the family capturing all these great photos of my kids as they grow. Thanks, Mom.

These of the girls really capture their smiles.

Thanks to Kinnick for sharing this brand new Illini onsie with us. Apparently his dad wouldn't let him wear it. I wonder why? I think its adorable!
Can you say- future football player?
Love how you can see my ring in this one.
Clearly Titus loves Jesus and is praying....okay maybe not. But, still very cute!

Surprised by Joy

This summer-smiling in co-ordinating PJ's...

Last Summer-treating the girls for lice...

I am loving summer. Like totally enjoying every day. We are having a blast. Road trips, entertaining, play group, pool time, it is seriously the best summer ever. And I am so full of praise for the way I see God answering prayer and blessing our family. I can't help but think about where I was at a year ago. I think last summer was the hardest summer of my life. When our small group got together at the end of last summer we went around the circle and were supposed to share our favorite thing about the summer. I couldn't think of one single thing. My life was full of tears, sickness, lice (ahh!!!!), stress, pregnancy, and uncertainty. Did I mention tears?? I literally felt like I was drowning.

I know so many people have been praying for our family. It is the prayers of God's people that have helped to sustain us. There have been several times in the last month when I have literally felt like I am overflowing with joy. And I just had to share it with you. I have been begging God to send us someone to walk through this time of healing and learning. And I am beginning to see how he is answering that prayer. I find myself totally surprised by joy. I think the best part is he isn't answering in any of the ways I expected. I think we have established by now I am a control, plan ahead, type A personality. But, everything good we are experiencing is from God's hand instead of my own plan. And I am actually enjoying it. I think they call that progress. I have a LOOOOONNNNGGG way to go, but God hasn't given up on me.

Last summer I felt like I was drowning in the ocean of tears over my life's circumstances. This summer I feel like that ocean has filled my cup and is overflowing all over the place. God is good. Not because he is restoring joy to our life. But, because he has been here all along.