Warrior

We didn't do anything for Halloween this year, since I'm not really a fan, and Kevin was gone tonight. But when Krieg heard people would be coming to our house dressed in costumes, he very politely insisted that he have one too. So, I found him a breastplate at the dollar store, added a construction hat and gave him a balloon sword, and here you have our little knight in armor. He was thrilled. We have been sword fighting with balloons for the past few days. I love that I am raising a warrior! (Just noticed that the balloon is pink. I'll blow up a blue one tomorrow!)

Lessons from a not-quite-crawler

Over the past few weeks, I have been watching Karis scream and cry just about anytime I put her on her stomach or leave her on the floor when she tips over onto her belly. (She is a little dramatic!) I have been purposefully letting her scream and leaving her a little longer than she would like, in hopes that one day she will finally figure out how to crawl. (Krieg never did, so I am trying extra hard with her.) Every time she does this, its like she's saying, "Mommy, don't you love me? Why are you leaving me here??" And every time I tell her, "Karis, you need to learn how to crawl. I promise you will be happier when you can."


Yesterday was one of those days that I just kept saying all day, this day just can't get any worse- but it kept getting worse. And all day my response was, "Lord, really? Why are you letting all this happen?" God graciously reminded me of Karis' drama on her tummy and why I allow her to struggle on the floor.


"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4


"We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:3-5


God is allowing, even ordaining my frustrating days to develop perseverance, character and hope in me. He is doing it because He loves me, and he knows there will be more joy for me after He has refined me. If only I would want spiritual maturity and godliness more than I would want easy days with my kids and things working smoothly in my house. But I'm thankful for a God who wants better for me than I want for myself sometimes!

Batter Up

If you asked Krieg why he should eat his vegetable and meat, his answer would be "to make me strong to play baseball." He LOVES baseball. He can name about 10 different pitches, knows where a lot of the players stand, and can wail the ball so stinkin hard! We have let him play in the house with a soft ball since our living room is long and there isn't anything really breakable in it except windows, but I am about to have to outlaw it. He has been hitting the ball all the way into the kitchen, which is dangerous territory.

One of my favorite outings is our Saturday mornings at the park. We often have play dates with our Egyptian friends, and they all know I keep our tee, bat and ball in the trunk. We always end up playing for a while. And if we don't go to the park with them, Krieg usually asks to pull the tee out anyways, and most often every boy in the park ends up playing with us. The best Saturdays are when there is a team practicing on the field next to us. Last time we sat and watched and talked about baseball for probably 30 min!

Hats, Hair and Happiness

In honor of Karis turning 7 months , here are a few pictures of our happy little girl!

Krieg thought it would be fun to put his hat on her. She thought so too!


Karis' hair normally sticks up a little in the back, but yesterday it was spiked up all over. Kevin thought it looked cute, so I left it that way all day.


Oma came for a visit!

2 year old tantrums

Today definitely topped all parenting embarasement thus far. I took both kids to the library this morning and we were picking out a DVD for Krieg to take home. While I was browsing, he disobeyed me three times in a row, and I had warned him that if he did it again, he wouldn't get to take a DVD home. Well, naturally, in his rebellious 2 year old manner, he looked at me and did it again. So, no DVD for him. Enter- massive screaming tantrum- in the small, quiet library. I was not about to give in, since we are in a serious battle of authority these days at our house. So, what else was I going to do, but try to carry him out to the car to go home- with Karis in my other arm, no less. Oh if you could have only seen it. He was flailing, hitting me, trying as hard as he could to get down while I am trying desperately to hold on to him. I finally get him out of the door after a few attempts, get to my car, and realize my keys are in the diaper bag. So, holding Karis, I set him down and he tries to dart across the parking lot back to the library (still screaming). I almost tackle him to restrain him, not once, but 3 times. What in the world am I going to do??? Finally an older lady comes over and offers to hold Karis for me, as I obviously have no control right now. I was SO thankful for her!! I get him into the car and we go home, no DVD, and serious discipline awaiting him at home. Phew. I think I will go back to the library and apologize tomorrow!

I write this though as a reminder to myself of how often I act like this with the Lord.

How often am I just like Krieg, choosing to disobey my heavenly Father, thinking that he isn't really serious, that there really won't be consequences for my disobedience. Then when there are consequences, I whine, complain, throw a fit. And how often do I not trust my Father's commands, more than anything b/c I am prideful and want to do things on my own, not submit to someone else's rules. Yet does my Father not know what's good for me? Is He not always trying to protect me? Oh, if I would only listen to his heart of love toward me and trust him. Father, thank you that sometimes you do just as I did to Krieg and restrain me, kicking and screaming, and don't let me run into danger. Thank you for being a loving dad who protects me, even when I don't want to obey you and am to blinded by my own sin to really trust you.

So innocent looking!