A Visit with an Old Friend

Our friend, Laurie, was kind enough to share JC with us for the week. Caleb and Seth could not have been more excited to learn that we were having a guest for the week, especially a guest with four legs and a tail (or in JC's case, a little nub of a tail). However, Daddy was probably the happiest of the three to get to spend a week with his "Bub." Granny will be here for the weekend (Yay!) and is equally as excited to see her first "grandchild" again.

JC arrived on Sunday and the boys were immediately all over him. The first thing Caleb did was pull out the movie, Homeward Bound (aka The Dog Movie), and show it to JC. He asked, "Do you think JC would like to watch The Dog Movie with me? I really think he will like it." As for Seth, he was initially more enamored with JC's crate. I have found him many times throughout the week sitting very contently inside of it. But it didn't take long for Seth to become completely smitten with JC. He is all over that dog! Poor JC! I know he enjoys some of the attention, but even little Sethie has been coming on a little strong. The first thing Seth has to know in the morning is the whereabouts of his furry friend. And he cannot go five minutes without touching, kissing, hugging, or just getting right up in JC's face. At one point during the week, when Seth was upset and seeking comfort, he turned from mommy and buried his little head in JC's fur. It was really sweet.

Caleb has enjoyed his responsibility of taking JC for walks and Seth has relished his responsibility of giving JC his treat when they get back. As for Daddy, he has enjoyed having his favorite sleeping partner to cuddle with. Yes, I play second fiddle to a Jack Russell terrier and barely had enough room to get into our bed last night. But that is okay...for just a week.

It has been a good week. I have really enjoyed having our old friend back in the house and it has been fun to see how affectionate and attentive the boys have been with our guest.

Maybe we will be getting a dog sooner than I anticipated.

Maybe, Boys.

Who Says Mondays have to be Blah???

Well, actually Mondays around here can get pretty "manic" sometimes. I usually don't get home until close to 11pm on Sunday evenings from work, so getting moving on Monday mornings is a whole process in and of itself. Not for the boys, though. They are usually up and at 'em early, ready to start the week and dragging their reluctant mommy (sometimes kicking and screaming) from her nice and comfy bed. If I haven't been able to grocery shop on the weekend, then Monday becomes grocery day, which means the little Workmans and I usually hit 2-3 different stores in our pursuit of bargains. Then, we try to squeeze our chiropractic visit and any other errands in there, as well. Plus, Monday is Eric's night to work at Sorenson, so from sun up to sun down, Mommy is on duty.

However, the past two Mondays have provided a wonderful diversion from our normal Monday routine. That diversion...Daddy!

Last Monday, after being gone for the majority of the weekend at Camp Rise and Sign, Daddy surprised the boys and I by taking the day off from work and taking us to the zoo. It was a lot of fun! And yesterday was the first time, since Eric joined the staff, that the League has been closed for the Memorial Day holiday, so Daddy was home again. He made us all waffles for breakfast and then we joined him and Uncle Drew for some tennis. After a family nap (which rarely happens around here), we all went trail hiking. Great day! And it even included a rainbow!

It sure beat grocery shopping!!!

Eric and I daydream about being stay-at-home parents. We do make a good team, but the pay for that job is just non-existent. Or at least we haven't been able to find a way to work it out yet. So, until the day that God decides to shower us with a big ole bunch of money from above, we will just savor the weekends, evenings, and the vacation days that we are blessed to all be together.

A Beautiful End to a Great Day

We took a looooong hike this afternoon at Edwin Warner Park. When we emerged from the wooded trail, this is what we were greeted with.

(Our little camera didn't even begin to capture the radiance of the colors or the fullness of its natural beauty against the sunlit sky that surrounded it, but I wanted to share it anyway. Enjoy!)

After a Long Ride...

...there is nothing like finding a nice, comfortable spot to relax.

Time to Buy a Horn

Last fall, I posted about Caleb and his then new bike. He got the hang of riding his bike pretty quickly, but lost interest just as quickly. I think it had to do with having a difficult time learning to stop his bike and the bruises that went along with it.

A couple of weeks ago, we dusted off the ole bike. With the few extra inches that have been added to his stature since the fall, Caleb instantly found that controlling his bike and stopping it came A LOT easier. He was immediately hooked and on that same day, he graduated from riding in the grass to speeding down the pavement.

Actually, I had told Caleb that once he was able to successfully ride in the grass, then he could try the road. But what does the mommy know? I was trying to avoid scrapes and blood, but to a boy and his daddy, those things are only minor concerns...if concerns at all. After his riding lesson with mommy in the grass, I had to leave for work. A few hours later, I was visited at work by an elated four and a half year old who could not wait to tell me that he had ridden on the pavement like the big boys!! I quickly made a scan of him and all limbs were intact with no major gashes. Hooray! I looked at daddy and asked, "So, did he master the grass that quickly?" Eric's response, "Grass? Are you kidding? It is too hard to ride in the grass, I just set him out on the road and he did it."

Oh.

Maybe some skills are just better taught by daddy. Or maybe all of that grass riding with mommy was the perfect training ground that he needed to tackle the much easier road riding.

Caleb has been proudly riding his bike for two weeks now and I am happy to report that there have been no major spills, as of yet, and no blood to report. However, I am not quite sure how I have ended up with more bruises on me than Caleb. I currently have a doozy on my left leg right at the height of the handle bars. The result of having to help him get his initial balance before zooming through the neighborhood.

I had told Caleb that once he learned to ride all by himself then I would buy for him his very own horn to put on his bike. It is now time for mom to keep that promise, so tomorrow that will be the most important item on our agenda.

If You Pray for Patience....Look out!!

Yesterday, in our community small group, I asked for prayers for patience with Seth during this somewhat challenging stage of development. There is no mistaking that he is two now! Throughout the course of today, he has marked on our freshly painted yellow walls with black ink, covered both of his little legs and shirt with half a jar of Vaseline, dumped half a bag of pretzels all over the floor, and then spilled water all over the kitchen floor and proceeded to rub his head and bottom all in it.

I promptly sent an email to my small group and asked them to STOP praying for patience for me.

I have always heard that when you ask God to develop a virtue in you, then you need to hold on tight! God is a God of love and He loves to watch His children grow in Him, which in turn grows you closer to Him. Which also means there are no quick fixes. In order for me to grow more patient with Seth, then God is going to give me opportunities to develop my patience. I have learned that God is not a genie. That is not how He works. He isn't just going to say, "Poof! Now, Amy, you have abundant patience." I believe that He is more of an "on the job training" sort of God. Something that He has shown me every day since He called me into motherhood. You know the saying, "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the Called." Well, I am living proof that those are not just empty words.

The advantage of going through a difficult stage with a second born is that you have the experience to know that it doesn't last forever. And the wisdom to know that challenging times do not define your child or you, as a parent. The child will eventually learn boundaries and through trial and error, also learn that telling your mommy, "no," will get you absolutely nowhere. They are learning. And it takes time. And it is normal. These were the key things that I was very ignorant of the first time around with Caleb. When he first started exhibiting signs of defiance and constantly pushing the limits, I could only conclude that I was either a horrible mother or that I had a child who would end up behind bars before kindergarten. Or both.

I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I want to handle things a bit differently this time around. Poor first born guinea pigs. My heart is grieved when I reflect back on a season where I seemed to constantly yell at Caleb. At times, I was just plain angry and overwhelmed with my job as a mom and my outlet was verbally spewing out my frustration. I am not proud of it, but I share it because God has redeemed it! In my weakness, He showed His awesome glory. And all the glory is His!

"Consider it a joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so you can be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:2-5 (NIV)

I went through a low season and God brought me out of that season. During that time, I lost all resolve and said, "I give up!! This is the mom I am. I am that yelling mom. That angry mom." I would pray for God to guard Caleb's heart when I would get angry and thought that would be enough. It wasn't. That is not what God wanted for me. Remember, He is a God of love and He wanted me, His child, to not live in bondage to this mold in which I had placed myself. James 1:20 says, "For man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." I remember the day that God looked into my face and said, "No, you are not THAT mom. You are angry and overwhelmed and you need to take responsibility that this is not appropriate and does not belong in your home. It is sin. This anger and yelling is not the way, but TRUST ME, lean on me, TALK TO ME, and I will help you." And just like growing patience, he did not automatically turn my child into a perfect angel who never broke the rules or tested his boundaries. No, instead, he changed me. I repented and He changed my heart. In the moments of frustration when all I wanted to do was scream, He gently nudged me and said, "I am here. Let me take this from you. Don't scream at your child; go hug him. He just needs a little reassurance. Just like you do." And in the moments that I fell on my face, I was able to show Caleb what it meant to truly repent and pray to God for help. I am able to teach and show my children appropriate behavior, just as my heavenly Father has shown me. The process continues; there are good days, there are bad days, and then there are the extremes on either end. But at the end of the day, we are all okay. And our identities are not found in how we acted that day or if we had it together. No, our identities are found in Christ alone.

I have always thought that through Caleb, God has taught me to truly love. And through Seth, God has taught me true gentleness. I am a work in progress. And I am thankful that God loves me enough to work on and through me.

Again, I am embarking on a new season with Seth. A new challenge. But God has equipped me and I am holding tight to Him and His promises to give wisdom generously. Will I do it right? Not always. Will I slip up? Certainly. Will I still yell from time to time? Probably. Will I give up? No.


And you know, Vaseline is not very easy to get off of a little boy, but it is easier than getting black ink off of a wall. It took three coats of paint to cover up Seth's "artwork." But on a brighter note, Seth does have really, really soft skin now as the result of his Vaseline bath.

And on an even brighter note, I did not raise my voice throughout any of my "patience building" sessions today. Now, that is God at work! A God who keeps His promises. I know God is doing a work in me and I am grateful.

I love you, Sethie, even though you are, at times, driving me crazy right now. But that is okay. This too shall pass and I know it will be all right.