It’s a Beautiful Life
This. This is my life.
It’s not glamourous. It’s not really ‘adventurous’ anymore. It’s dirt roads, and small towns, and big open prairie. I could be happy in a little upstairs apartment in a city, or in a tiny cabin on a ship at sea too, but… that’s not where God has us (for now). Somewhere in the boondocks nestled between corn fields and bean fields is the spot I’ve been planted. To grow and raise our little family. It is where I am, so I like to see the beauty in it!
Contentment is finding joy in your here, in your now.
So we go on little “adventures”…
That speck on the long, long driveway is our little boy {on an Adventure!}.
This is what he looks like with straight hair:
When it gets humid out, he just seems to have so much more personality! {That is a lemon, on his fork, on the cup. Yes, he likes sour! :P}
^That is the last picture of him with his two perfect front baby teeth taken mere hours before he chipped one! *sniff, sniff* Blankets over heads is NOT a smart idea!
Maybe I know where the goofiness comes from… 😉
Silly little ham!
He loves his little sister! So much love sometimes it topples her! Sometimes it squishes her and threatens to crush her! And then I have to intervene and say, “Get off her!!!!!!!”
She started off as “May-May” which was Ole’s attempt to say Maple. Which is perfect because mei-mei (pronounced the same) is Chinese for ‘little sister’! But that morphed into “May-Mo” which for a little while was “May-Wo” (probably from us calling her Maple Rose) and has now become “Me-Mo!” (rhymes with Nemo).
He is very proud of his little sister, MeMo.
At 23 months, Ole likes to do everything we do. So he helps water my garden experiment.
Maple loves it outdoors too! We’ve been having crazy weather lately with thunderstorms every few days! It has made it hard for all of the neighbors with hay when it rains so suddenly.
My days are at home, with the kids. {Unless we go out for a play date or something else on the calendar!}
Oh, and that is the other thing. Being a mom and caring for your home is not glamorous. It is not something the world sees* and says, “Wow! That is success to be caught up on your dishes!”
{*that is just the thing – people do not see 96.8% of mothering!}
It is important. Sometimes it feels simple. As their mom and the person who spends the most time with them, I have the ability to be the biggest influence on them. Every day. I am a missionary to my kids because through my actions, my words and my life, I get to show them Jesus.
Also, it is a huge responsibility to teach them to be capable adults. I’m looking forward to the day when our Liabilities will become Assets, but it’s fun even in the training phase! Definitely makes chores around the house more exciting when I have a little buddy! 😀
It’s interesting to think about how my kids’ childhood is different from mine… We played airplane and orphanage, and I have a hunch that Ole will be more likely to pretend-play fishing and 4-wheelers!
I want our kids to have special memories – like playing in the rain! Even if it is more WORK and I don’t always do very well at that.
What do we do on Father’s Day when we got up early to have some Bible reading time together and our kid wakes up and starts calling from his bed, “Dadddddyyyy!”??? Why, get the kid, of course, to have some father/son time on this special day!
So blessed to be married to this Godly, hard-working, principled man!
This is our dream.
…Under construction.
God’s timing seems to be taking a LOT LONGER than I would like!!! We have big dreams. For building our house. About raising a family here and having it just so. Dreams do come true, you know. Sometimes it just takes a long time.
For now our days our filled!
Filled with smiles and hugs, giggles and baby chubbiness!
And potty training.
And friends! And play dates.
These two. Oh my. Not even two and they think they’re going on 16! With keys to the car!
On the days that are less exciting and it’s hard to find purpose in the routine, the crankiness, the never-ending cycle of housework, people try to get you down, and it’s just the same old same…
this is my prayer.
Lord, help me
to find joy in the mundane;
beauty in the simple and the same.
This is my life. And I love it!
