Our Family Circus

Last night, we celebrated the birth of Miss B, 4 years ago. She was beyond exhausted and had trouble calming down to rest. Through her tears, she asked if I would rock her. I had pulled the rocking chair out of her room to give them more play room but now, it was being requested. I pulled the rocking chair back into her room and snuggled up with Miss B in her fuzzy robe, "night hat" on, and blankie in hand. (She wears a hat her Nana made her when she gets out of the warm bathtub and sleeps in it.) I would have never dreamed I would be back in the rocking chair with a 4 year old. As I rocked and Baby Praise played, I was able to once again reflect on all that God has taught me in the seat of that rocking chair. My heart became filled with the honor of rocking a child to sleep, the smell of clean baby shampoo fresh from her little hat wearing head and the responsibility I have to her-to protect her, grow her, and lead her. It leaves me humbled that God would entrust us with suc...

This month we celebrated a very special birthday at our house! If you count by 10s, you will say the age that someone in our home turned. Billy will soon fit this description as well but this person is a bit older and seeing that this is my blog, you know IT'S NOT ME!! I love birthdays with children because they love birthdays. They love to give gifts, decorate and gift wrap. Thought you might enjoy a picture of My Dear's packages compliments of Dolly and Miss B. I purchased the bows with Christmas clearance. I think we got our 13 cents out of them! Too precious to open arent' they!! (Unless you are the birthday boy!) Two weekends in a row we were on the road to visit family. This visit with Pops proved to make everyone feel as if they were royality. Lucky for the children, their aunt lives in the same neighborhood so they could ride to see her. This vehicle only has seatbelts in the front seat and making car seats difficult. This is the part where our parents wondered how ...

Dear nap time, Thank you for the precious couple of hours each school day that I could focus my attention on 2 sweet students. Thank you for the opportunity to hide away in the tiny classroom away from the phone, computer, door, and the dishes. Thank you for all of the exploring and discussions we had as we dove into books, charts, and maps. Thank you for the "pin drop" silence as we read through the wanderings of Moses and the battles of Joshua. Thank you for summer when school was eased to reading and relaxing on the couch. Thanks for the 2 days that I actually took a nap myself! Oh, thank you nap time! I saw what I was missing! I did not care to miss out on the free movie at the theater or the school aged activities at the library because nap time was well worth it. Thank you for allowing me some one-on-one time with a sweet little blond and instructions in Legos from our Man Cub. Thank you for the clean floor that I was able to find within those sweet hours. Thank you f...

Well, it is gone! We took down the crib today. Between Billy and Dolly, there was no time to take it down! We took it down for a year or so before B. arrived. We have used the crib off and on for 8 years! This time taking it down feels different. I wonder if we will ever put it up again. I wonder if our next child will be a baby,preschooler, school aged child or if we will only be Spiritual parents again. The easiest part of the wondering is that I don't have to know! God knows so we will wait on Him and hang on to the crib just in case. Not sure who would want Dolly's chewing marks on their crib anyway....but I sure love them! The children were so excited to celebrate the "big girl bed" with B. They washed it off from storage and all piled in. At this moment, our tiny B. is sleeping soundly in her big girl bed, which is tiny, just like her!

A friend posted a question about cloth diapers on Facebook . So I decided to revisit those expensive little things. I really wanted to use them. They are better for the environment and some research says they are better for baby. I tried, I wanted to, but I don't know that they are for me! I know cloth diaper mommas are right now thinking, "She did not really want to use them or she would!" You know how I know? Because I have thought the same thing with other parenting issues-judgemental, I know. If people REALLY wanted to do it, they can. But here I am with cloth diapers-I want to use them,but I don't! A young couple had their toddler at the cold splash park yesterday. Her little suit bulging over her cloth diaper. I felt inferior knowing that they were succeeding at something I felt I had failed at. I have felt eyes watching me at the library and at gymnastics as I juggle our 3 little people. All of them in different locations, doing different things, with their di...