Our children never went through the "terrible 2's". We have never spoke that over our children. Never anticipated it. Never just settled for the cliche that all kids go through it. We did however have some terrific 2's! It was a year of discovery, wonder, finding out more about each personality, testing boundaries and proving our love. And I have loved every minute. Even the days that were and are more challenging. Because it was the challenging days that really test us as parents, as Christians, as people. Because when you choose to really parent. really. It's hard work....no matter how well behaved your kids are. It's searching my vocabulary for another word besides "no" when they do something or get into something they shouldn't....because I didn't want "no" to be the only word in their vocabulary. It's constantly having a heart check with myself before just angrily enforcing discipline....because an out of control parent cannot teach their child self control.....children learn by example (don't we all?) . If our heart is in anger mode and not Godly disciplining out of love mode, we gotta check that anger and pray it out of our hearts and out of our home. It's letting go and just letting them be kids. get dirty. yell when you're excited! dance anywhere there is music. jump off anything that is more than an inch off the floor....higher the better. Be 2! Our kids are only this age once.
Love on them. Give them your attention. Give them boundaries. Enforce discipline. and Love on them some more.
I have found myself constantly asking God, "What on earth did we do to deserve such amazing, adorable, well behaved(mostofthetime) children?" And HIS answer is always "nothing. You did nothing to deserve them. I'm just cool like that." And I picture God smiling as He says this :)
So.True. B4 we had our kiddos I remember praying "God please let them be cute. I don't want to have the 'ugly baby' Seinfeld episode kid.... God I just pray that you would help me with patience and selfishness. Wipe away any selfishness in my heart and help me to not kill my children if I stay home. God let our children be healthy, beautiful, well behaved children. But not just good kids. I want kids that will change the world for You" I would pray this constantly. If you can't tell I wasn't around babies or kids much. I was really scared that I would be a horrible mom. Probably because I was never much of a baby person....or a little kid person. But I just knew that God would give me a crazy love for my own. And God decided that in order for me to overcome those feelings of insecurity that He would give us 3 all at once....baha I feel like a pro now. lol Well maybe not a pro. But I LOVE being a Mommy more than anything.
In the past 3 years I've been puked on and pooped on. I've been hugged and kissed and loved on. cried on. snot blown on. pee'd on. But most of all I have been shown the love of Christ like I've never seen it before. Each and every day I wake up His love and light are shown to me in a new and tangible way.
I love my children like crazy business. I pray everyday that I not only say the words but constantly show them. That they see my love. feel my love.
Happy Birthday to my 3 blessings who turned 3 yesterday!
And here are some pics I took while they played outside yesterday afternoon in the backyard....
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