Family Time: Doing Life Together! (Part 1)

I haven't forgotten about you all, but am busy loving my family this week! It has been hard to find time to sneak away and write...which is a problem I will gladly take if it means spending family time together! The hubs is off for the week and we have been having a blast just doing life stuff together. It is so nice to have the reconnection that comes from being able to (somewhat) sleep in together and have him join in our daily routine.

Some of the highlights have been him joining me and Baby Girl for swim classes, getting to sleep in while he took care of Baby Girl the other morning, and going on walks! This Friday we are going to head over to a nearby hiking and picnicking area I've wanted to check out for a while now. I am SO EXCITED about it! We may not get the camping trip in we had planned for our July To-Do List but we will at least get to go to the place we were going to camp and scope it out for future camping possibilities! Also, this weekend we are planning on hitting goal three from the aforementioned list and go on a...wait for it...ACTUAL DATE!!! We aren't planning anything too extravagant, but we are planning something fun and just-for-two...and it might involve coffee because, well, we really can't do anything datish without including a cup of Joe in the mix...because outside of my family and Jesus I am pretty in love with Joe (the coffee, remember...just so we don't get any rumors started)!

Well, I better book it because any minute Baby Girl is going to wake from her nap and the hubs will be done with his project...but I missed you too much to not write SOMETHING! So have a fabulous Wednesday and tell me what you are looking forward to this week(end)! *Smiles!* Oh, don't miss part 2 of "Family Time: Doing Life Together"...I might actually write something useful in that one! ;)

 

Jump Start Your Soul!

Sometimes I wish they had jumper cables for the soul. Maybe that sounds weird...what I mean is that there are days when getting our hearts and minds in the right place can be a bit of a challenge. I need a quick jolt to help realign my attitude. Anybody been there? Well, if you have a case of the Mondays than here is a fun way to start the week! Who knows, it might even adjust your eyesight to help you  better see how blessed you are. These are two songs I turn to when I need to remember that it is all just part of the journey. Enjoy!

Steven Curtis Chapman "Do Everything"

Francesca Battistelli "This is the Stuff"

If you are interested in seeing the lyrics you can find them for "Do Everything" here and for "This is the Stuff" here!

I hope you have a happy Monday.  Maybe you can breath a little bit easier now, and remember that there is purpose to this crazy journey that we are on! He uses it all for His glory (and, bonus, we end up with some really great stories to tell down the road...like my friend whose little one ate her weight in coffee beans. THAT will be a good one to tell for years to come!) Enjoy your day!

Today I am linking up with The Better Mom.

Our Actions & Attitudes: Little Eyes are Watching

I am not a very good advice-taker. Ask my husband, he will nod emphatically (possibly while snorting). I don't like other people telling me what to do. It doesn't mean I can't learn from others, because I most certainly have a LOT to learn and often the advice I get is helpful. The thing is, sometimes I just don't want it. I know, I know, serious pride issue here. I am working on it. But as I work on it, I am finding out something about myself. As much as I don't like to hear advice from people I actually know, I really enjoy emulating those I admire. I might come home and vent to my husband about something annoying that happened to me, and I do N-O-T want him to give me advice on what I could have done differently or how I can "fix" the situation. (Can you feel me sisters?) I want him to listen. However, if on the other hand, I get the opportunity to watch him deal with a similar situation in a godly and loving way, I will see that as anexample and want to follow in his footsteps.

 

All this self-reflection got me to thinking...am I somebody other people would want to emulate? Because like it or not, I am being watched by my little girl every day. On the days when I am kind and thoughtful and on the days when I snap at my husband, sigh loudly at the customer with eighteen-thousand coupons in front of me, and bend the truth while sharing a story with a friend. Each choice and action I make is being soaked in by my little one, for better or worse.

The old saying goes, "actions speak louder than words" and it is never more true than in the way we parent. How can our little ones develop a heart of gratefulness when we don't say thank you and complain about everything under the sun? How can they learn contentment when we strive for the next best thing--unhappy with what we have? The consequences go far beyond hearing that oh-my-gosh-how-could-he-say-that-in-church word. Our kids are being molded and shaped into the future molders and shapers of the world. What kind of example do we want them to be someday?

 

We will have days when our attitudes stink worse than the diaper that needs to be changed and our hearts are anything but grateful. We will fail at always being the best example. What can they learn from us when we do? They won't always listen to our words, but they will always be watching. And there is always an opportunity to teach.

Lessons Taught by my Little Girl

I am amazed at how much I have learned about life from my baby girl. I mean, here I am thinking that I need to read more Plato (or whatever book might make me sound smarter), but instead, right in front of me is an itty-bitty girl who teaches me something new every day! She is so darn smart, let me tell you what. And though at seven months old I doubt she does it intentionally, she has lots to teach others. So, at the risk of sounding sappy and sentimental, here are ten things I am learning, compliments of my girl. 

1. Love your family. Okay, so maybe Baby Girl is too little to actually know what love is. But for her, its not a big, complicated ordeal. She just loves her dad and me because we are her family. She doesn't have to think about it, it is a fact for her. I want to love my family that way.

2. Stretch: It just feels good. Starting and ending the day with a stretch is delightful...with a few thrown in for good measure. You should try it.

3. Be a bit of a risk-taker. My daughter hasn't yet learned that life can be scary, so she's willing to try new things. Riding high on daddy's shoulders is a treat, not a terror (I am in such awe because I am terrified of heights...I think she is so brave!) If I would get out there and not worry so much, I think I would be happier and less stressed for it.

4. Enjoy your food. When its time to eat, that girl goes for it! Now I am not suggesting gorging ourselves is the way to happiness, but I am saying that instead of mindless stuffing I want to take time to savor the flavors and enjoy the company at mealtime.

5. Be curious. Whether it's removing a pair of glasses from grandpa's face, grabbing daddy's nose to give it a pull, or observing other kids playing and interacting, it seems there is never a time my girl is not in wonder at life. She "asks questions" with her hands constantly, and it makes me think that maybe I need to stop living on autopilot and start observing and interacting in life more.

6. When life gets you down, get outside. The tears flow, life seems like it is just about over and
then...we step outside. It almost always puts an end to the crying, and Baby Girl is transformed into an outdoor explorer, feeling the grass on her feet and the wind in her face. It lifts her mood, and I need to remember that it lifts mine too.

7. Find contentment in the little things. As long as she is fed, loved, and in a clean diaper my girl is usually happy with life. (A random piece of paper to shred or cardboard box to open don't hurt either).  Why do I often feel I need so much more? If I am fed, clothed, and loved I am beyond blessed.

8. Laugh, Sing, & Dance. My girl is not a big giggler. She often prefers to observe her surroundings (and the crazy antics of her mom) than laugh about them. But when she laughs she really laughs, and she seems to love music, singing, and dancing. And always, after our rocking out is over, I feel more peaceful and joyful too.

9. It's okay to need a hug. Sometimes my little one just needs a cuddle. If her tummy hurts, she's tired, or just feels plain overwhelmed it seems there is nowhere she'd rather be than in my arms. Sometimes I just need a hug too. And it's okay to ask for one.

10. Never give up. Tenacity defines my daughter. She will continue to try to do something or get

something until she finally accomplishes her goal. I watch in wonder as she is trying to master crawling and think "I would have thrown in the towel by now!" but she keeps at it. I wonder, if I had that attitude about life, how many more things would I learn and experience?

It might be my job to teach and raise my little one, but in the process, God uses her daily to remind me things that I so often forget. There are so many more things I am learning, and I would love to hear what you have learned from little ones...whether they be your own or others you have been around. Let's keep learning together!

Today I am linking up with Rachel Wojnarowski for Whimsical Wednesdays!