Babies don't keep...

Cooking and cleaning can wait 'til tomorrow,

for babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow;

So quiet down cobwebs; dust go to sleep,

I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.

Babies don't keep...

Cooking and cleaning can wait 'til tomorrow,

for babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow;

So quiet down cobwebs; dust go to sleep,

I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.

Our Little Man

I couldn't help myself at being a bit sentimental today every time I looked at Li'l B. Today is his last day as a 4 year old...and he knows it. He is over the moon excited to be turning 5!  :-) As I watch his excitement, I just can't believe how quickly the time has flown since that little 9 lb bundle was placed in my arms, and I began the journey of motherhood. I can't believe that sweet little baby boy has moved from bassinets and exersaucers to riding a two-wheel bike and learning to skateboard.

Time is such a peculiar thing - that somehow it can make me feel as though our son has always been in our lives and hearts while at the same time making me feel that it was just yesterday that I caught my first glimpse of his sweet face.

Being Brandon's mom has taught me incredibly more than I could ever have imagined I needed to learn. I have to be honest that going into parenthood, I thought I had a lot of the answers. In theory, it seemed so easy. You discipline, they obey. You lead, they follow. You train, they fall in line. :-) It didn't take long for me to realize that parenting is not nearly that black-and-white, and while there are certain principles to follow, many areas of parenting instead fall into many shades of gray. It didn't take me long to realize that parenting takes every ounce of energy, wisdom, and strength I can muster ... and then some. And it certainly didn't take me long to realize that only God can take my efforts and cover them with grace to make them effective.

Being Brandon's mom opened my heart to loving in a way I had never before experienced, as though my heart magically grew and took shape outside of my body. I love every ounce of that kid, and have ever since I laid eyes on him. Brandon is a big ball of energy, a kid with spirit, a boy with strength and a vivid imagination. He keeps me on my toes, he makes me laugh often, and he keeps life very interesting. He's also extremely tender hearted and loving, and has often touched my heart with his gentleness. He has so much potential.

I hope I never forget how much fun he is right now. How he starts almost every conversation with, "Mom, can I tell you something?" :-) How he tries to fill in for Daddy whenever Daddy is away - like today when I came into my room to find him struggling to make my bed "so that I wouldn't have to." :-) How he's learning to make jokes, knows when he's funny, and gives me that mischievous grin accompanied by a giggle whenever he's being goofy. How he loves his siblings and wants "at least 3 more babies in our family." (haha!) How he's starting to ask difficult questions like, "What is my soul? What does it mean that our spirit goes to Heaven when we die? How do you know God is talking to you?" How fun it is to watch him learning to read. How even though he's my "big" boy, he still asks me to hold him and cuddle with him before he goes to sleep.

I am so incredibly thankful that 5 years ago tonight, I was preparing to meet my first born son for the first time. While he can't wait to open a gift or two tomorrow, having that child entrusted to me was one of the greatest gifts I've ever received. I love you, Brandon! Happy 5th birthday, little man!

I Timothy 6:11-12

¹¹ But you, Brandon Robert, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

 

Super Bowl

Well, this post is a little late, but I've really been meaning to get to it all week. Unfortunately, we've been assaulted by sickness the last few days. Sick kids needing lots of extra lovin' leave little time for mama to do blogging. :-)



So back to the topic at hand, I honestly don't have a whole lot to say about the super bowl itself. We were decidedly underwhelmed by the super bowl this year. Actually, we both forgot it was super bowl Sunday until one of the 4 yr olds in the Sunday School class we teach shared with us excitedly about the super bowl party he was attending. :-D Since neither of us really get into pro football, we normally watch the super bowl so we can laugh at the commercials. This year several of the commercials contained sexual humor that we found inappropriate and unentertaining. After two of those, I totally checked out.



I had a great deal more fun watching the kids play football with Daddy. I have to say that this is most definitely not a safe indoor activity - safe, that is, for all of the pictures and knick knacks I have around the house. ;-) It was a great deal of fun, though, and Li'l B stayed decked out in his football gear for days after our little family super bowl game was over. :-) He certainly won the best dressed award, since Ellie suited up with a hockey helmet and Daddy with a baseball helmet (on backwards of course.) ;-)  ;-) Ethan definitely wanted to join the fun, but he had a slight wardrobe malfunction that most definitely impeded his progress. (it might help if he had a rear end to hold up those pants! ;-) ;-).) He took care of the pants problem quickly...

And since I forgot about the Super Bowl, the snack foods came a day late, too. The kids were only too happy to help me taste test...errr... make a batch of cookies. ;-) And I suppose the snacks weren't all that late anyway, considering the fact that round 2 of the family football continued on Monday night... ;-)



And so I think perhaps this was my most enjoyable super bowl Sunday to date. :-) I love this crazy family of mine!

Sacred Parenting

This past fall, Brandon and I were a part of a class at church on Wednesday nights that read through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. Sadly, Brandon missed most of the sessions because of his training schedule, but that book has now topped my list as the most profound and challenging marriage book I've read to date. You can imagine how excited I was to find that Gary Thomas also has a Sacred Parenting book - and that there was going to be a class on it at church this spring.



This past week was our first week, so I'm only two chapters into the book, but already I have been incredibly moved and challenged by the excellent Biblical Truth articulated in this book. Incredible. Both the marriage and the parenting books focus on how God created the family unit not to make us happy, but to produce in us a holiness that mirrors Christ. The book shares how our spouses and our children are a mirror that reveals who we really are and what we really value.

I feel like God has been working in my heart recently regarding our parenting - not necessarily the "how to's" of parenting; we all have different personalities, different styles, and different approaches. The challenge for me is learning how to go beyond mere behavior modification to addressing heart issues. The challenge is making the parenting and discipline of my kids a way that I communicate the Gospel. God has been challenging my heart regarding my mission in parenting, my ultimate goals, and my definition of success in parenting.



I find myself asking what legacy I'm building into the hearts of my kids. When they grow and look back on their childhood, what will they say my priorities and passions were? How they answer that question will reveal so much about my heart and what I really lived for. Let's face it - those little eyes are always watching, ever perceiving. How we interact with them says a great deal about what we value.

Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the tasks of life: the cooking, cleaning, laundry, errands, and endless to-do lists. Sometimes I go for days without really considering how the activities of my day had eternal impact. I'm having to learn that only when I allow God to redeem and fill those daily tasks can they have eternal significance. I can teach my kids to be obedient, prompt, respectful, and tidy without ever impacting their hearts or filling their souls with the rich Truth of the Gospel. Or I can make those things a means by which I make God's Heart known to them, a means in which God's Heart is reflected through me.



One thing is for certain - parenting tops my list as one of  the most challenging, rewarding, and sanctifying journeys of my life. How thankful I am for these beautiful treasures in our care!