Just to make myself feel good...

Sometimes the day goes by and and I wonder if there is anything that I actually got done or accomplished. You know, besides breastfeeding a newborn, feeding, clothing, and taking care of two other children, (and a husband) and keeping the house from concaving in on itself due to massive internal destruction.

So I decided that I'm going to list things I accomplished this week....just to make myself feel good.

• We survived a Christmas Eve service without childcare. Ungodly amounts of goldfish and apple juice were consumed.

• We survived four Christmases. That's right....count 'em. FOUR. 

• I successfully convinced my four year old, after a 20 minute argument, that she is in fact, NOT a grown up. We decided to compromise and label her a "little, big grown up". You win some, you lose some.

• I watched as my 19 month old unlocked my iphone, navigated directly to the pictures, flipped through a few, watched a video, came out of the pictures, found the music, played a song, then went back to the pictures. I then realized she had an addiction and took the iphone away. She was very receptive to my intervention.

• I ate a half batch of Christmas cookies. In one sitting.

• My 2 month old slept 9 hours straight through the night without waking. Ok that really IS an accomplishment! So proud of sweet Stella.

Now when Mark comes home and says, "so what did you do all day?" I can give him a big smile and reference him to the blog.

My Temptation

Last night, Mark and I laid in bed talking and mourning over the shooting in Connecticut. My eyes filled with tears, as I realized the risk we are placing on our three children by bringing them into this broken world. Elementary schools, malls, movie theaters.....all places of death now.

I said, in a moment of weakness, "Did we make a mistake by having kids, and then exposing them to the sin and the hurt of this world?" My sweet husband, with his always positive attitude and God given wisdom reminded me, that is exactly the reason we SHOULD bring children into this world. And we should have more, and we should lead them to Christ, so that we can take back this fallen world. So that our family, our children, can be a light in the darkness. Because this world is so dark.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

- John 16:33

My temptation, is to hide. To stick my kids in the closet, to shelter them, and to do everything in my power to make sure they are never hurt or scared. But that isn't life. And that isn't the life that Jesus calls us to. They will suffer, they will hurt, and they will be scared. And they will learn to cling to the only Savior who can overcome this world. As I have learned, it is in my greatest times of hurt and suffering that I have to lean on Jesus the most.

We have to take risks. We have to be in the world and not of it.

 Francis Chan says it better than I can....

2 months, Punctuality, and Personal Space

Stella is 2 months today! And I'm on time posting about it. AND I mailed out our Christmas cards this week. I'm on a roll. Last year I had to send Happy New Year cards because I was so late....

My husband is so proud.

Back to Stella...Can't believe 2 months is here already! I am amazed every single day at what an easy and wonderful baby she is. She is Super Baby. 

She is on a great schedule but is very adaptable and flexible and doesn't fuss when things don't go as planned. My mom had to ask me the other day if she ever cries....its pretty rare. And when she does cry, she is easily pacified.

Lucy trying to make her smile. She gives some BIG smiles lately...

Some post nap snuggles....

Annie giving some licks. Because that's just what she does.

Don't think its all gum drops and rainbows over here though. Stella really is an amazing baby, and the transition from 2 to 3 has been WAY easier than I dreamed of. Probably because my transition from 1 to 2 was difficult. Mainly because of this kid....

The one with no personal space. The one who acts like she might have been raised by a wolf pack. The one who thinks the dog bowl is a wading pool. The one who climbs more often than she walks. The one who on average gets bathed twice a day...and has no less than 3 bumps or scrapes on her face at all times.
THAT one.

I do love her...and we're working on the personal space.

Sweet Sisters

So thankful my girls love each other so much!

No personal space in this house...