My twins are now thirteen months old. The time is breezing by, and I don't always mind. The challenge of two at one time is so intense that I seem to want to rush through it. I want to turn them into three year olds that walk, talk and fasten themselves into the car. Caring for them is so consuming that I'm not even sure how to enjoy it. I want to embrace the days and fondly remember them when the babies are bigger, but instead I'm trying to plow through them as quickly as possible.
It makes me sad that I'm in such a hurry and I feel convicted that I need to stop and smell the roses, but it's so hard to put it into practice. With so much going on, I don't know how to create enough balance to enjoy life within the current chaos. I am going to try to make sure that during each day, I take a few minutes to sit on the floor and dote on these two baby boys. At the same time, I want to spontaneously hug and kiss my older three kids and make sure they know how incredible I think they are and how blessed I am to have them as my children.
I'm praying that God reminds me each day of what is really important and that I rush to embrace those things and not to forget them.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
A Long Time
It's been a long time since I've sat down to write. What great ambitions I usually have, and what little follow through! It's not in all things, just the not urgent but important ones.
Anyway, I wanted to celebrate that I just finished my third novel in the last ten days. I have enjoyed reading things that are a total escape from my reality. It's so relaxing. So what did I read? I read two Nicholas Sparks books and I just finished Beverly Lewis's latest release called The Parting. I enjoy Lewis's books. The setting of her books is the Amish community. I am so fascinated about their way of life. I think with the crazy running around of our modern world, I ache for simplicity. Not that the Amish have a super simple way of living. It's demanding and rigorous. But there are certain parts of their lives that I would enjoy, especially the close community that they nurture.
Anyway, I've now moved on the Jane Austen's Persuasion.
Hopefully I'll take the time to write again tomorrow. We'll see, we never know what tonight and tomorrow holds.
Anyway, I wanted to celebrate that I just finished my third novel in the last ten days. I have enjoyed reading things that are a total escape from my reality. It's so relaxing. So what did I read? I read two Nicholas Sparks books and I just finished Beverly Lewis's latest release called The Parting. I enjoy Lewis's books. The setting of her books is the Amish community. I am so fascinated about their way of life. I think with the crazy running around of our modern world, I ache for simplicity. Not that the Amish have a super simple way of living. It's demanding and rigorous. But there are certain parts of their lives that I would enjoy, especially the close community that they nurture.
Anyway, I've now moved on the Jane Austen's Persuasion.
Hopefully I'll take the time to write again tomorrow. We'll see, we never know what tonight and tomorrow holds.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
So Tired
This year with infant twins has been the most challenging year of my life. I am just exhausted, physically, mentally, spiritually. Now there are moments I don't feel overwhelmed, but then it seems to all catch up and I have a day like today when I'd like to do nothing more than crawl onto the couch with a warm afghan and watch chic flicks all day.
The hardest part about this year is that I don't get much time to myself. Now, I didn't get a whole lot of time before, but now it's so minimal that grocery shopping is a pleasure. I have found in recent years that part of me is very much an introvert. I need a little time to myself to recharge. Day after day with all the noise and busyness, I start to wear very thin.
The good news is that the twins are now five and a half months and things aren't as hard as they were when they were first born. Now they sleep for long chunks at night. They have a predictable eating schedule. They can sometimes self entertain. But they still require a lot. I have to carry both of them up and down the stairs several times a day. When I get done spoon feeding one, I get to clean him up, hold him on my lap, and feed his brother. Doing everything twice takes a lot of time.
I love all the beautiful children that God has given me. I pray that He will reveal to me how to spend my time each day so that I serve each of them well and serve David well too. I also pray that God helps me to accept things that I can't change so I can have the wisdom to know where to put my time. God of rest, give me peace.
The hardest part about this year is that I don't get much time to myself. Now, I didn't get a whole lot of time before, but now it's so minimal that grocery shopping is a pleasure. I have found in recent years that part of me is very much an introvert. I need a little time to myself to recharge. Day after day with all the noise and busyness, I start to wear very thin.
The good news is that the twins are now five and a half months and things aren't as hard as they were when they were first born. Now they sleep for long chunks at night. They have a predictable eating schedule. They can sometimes self entertain. But they still require a lot. I have to carry both of them up and down the stairs several times a day. When I get done spoon feeding one, I get to clean him up, hold him on my lap, and feed his brother. Doing everything twice takes a lot of time.
I love all the beautiful children that God has given me. I pray that He will reveal to me how to spend my time each day so that I serve each of them well and serve David well too. I also pray that God helps me to accept things that I can't change so I can have the wisdom to know where to put my time. God of rest, give me peace.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Not just another Monday
Crazy day today. Most Mondays are a little crazy, but today was a notch above the normal nuttiness. Things were a slow until about 10:30 when our friend Sarah arrived (she helps us a couple times each week) followed by the plumber, Chuck, and a few minutes later our dear friend, Paschal. The kids lost any attention span they had and couldn't wait to watch the plumber snake our drains and ask him about a hundred questions (costly questions). Somehow in the midst of the madness, we were able to get a bulk of our schooling done. In the afternoon, we took some time to look up things about Martin Luther King, Jr. online. We watched the "I Have A Dream" speech and learned about the civil rights movement.
Round two of the madness, we decided to go to a MLK Day Celebration at a nearby community center. As we are ready to load the van, we find that our battery is dead. After jumping it, we all load in (all seven of us) and head off for the celebration. Dave drops us off and takes the van to Advanced Auto to get the battery checked. I take my kids (all five) into the center for the event which included dinner. The center is packed, hundreds of people in a tiny space. Here we are with our double stroller. We work our way to the front of the building and get tickets for dinner. After finding my mom, we wait in line for fifteen minutes or so. The kids are responsible for their own plates and we postpone getting drinks til we sit down. There are no more chairs so we sit on the floor. I am carrying Josh while we do all of this and my mom is lugging the giganto stroller around. I'm telling you this is when I know we're nuts. Anyway, we end up having a good dinner and getting to listen to some wonderful gospel music and watching a nice slide presentation on MLK, Jr. We left before the speaker and made it home in time to get everyone in bed by 9:30. It's 10:00 now and I think I should retire too. I definitely need to recharge after a day like today.
Round two of the madness, we decided to go to a MLK Day Celebration at a nearby community center. As we are ready to load the van, we find that our battery is dead. After jumping it, we all load in (all seven of us) and head off for the celebration. Dave drops us off and takes the van to Advanced Auto to get the battery checked. I take my kids (all five) into the center for the event which included dinner. The center is packed, hundreds of people in a tiny space. Here we are with our double stroller. We work our way to the front of the building and get tickets for dinner. After finding my mom, we wait in line for fifteen minutes or so. The kids are responsible for their own plates and we postpone getting drinks til we sit down. There are no more chairs so we sit on the floor. I am carrying Josh while we do all of this and my mom is lugging the giganto stroller around. I'm telling you this is when I know we're nuts. Anyway, we end up having a good dinner and getting to listen to some wonderful gospel music and watching a nice slide presentation on MLK, Jr. We left before the speaker and made it home in time to get everyone in bed by 9:30. It's 10:00 now and I think I should retire too. I definitely need to recharge after a day like today.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Sunday Afternoon
Today I finally had a chance to post a new family blog. The last few months have been crazy...good, but crazy. I thought I'd add a new feature to my blog. I thought I'd take time to journal most days about the ins and outs of my life.
Today we were church skippers. After a day of travel yesterday, I was too wiped out to get to church this morning. So, we worshipped together at home. Sometimes I marvel at my husband and his ideas. When I was able to join our family worship time, he had them all playing a song to the Lord on an instrument of their choice. It was wonderful. Then we listened to a sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Inspiring! When I think about how he risked his person, his family, his home. . . everything. . . to do the work of God, I am awed. I wish that I could be that brave, to have courage enough to do what is right even if it might mean grief, suffering or sorrow.
Tonight, we're trying to get the kids off to an early bed. I want to catch the new Jane Austen film on PBS. Well, I'll try to write again tomorrow.
Today we were church skippers. After a day of travel yesterday, I was too wiped out to get to church this morning. So, we worshipped together at home. Sometimes I marvel at my husband and his ideas. When I was able to join our family worship time, he had them all playing a song to the Lord on an instrument of their choice. It was wonderful. Then we listened to a sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Inspiring! When I think about how he risked his person, his family, his home. . . everything. . . to do the work of God, I am awed. I wish that I could be that brave, to have courage enough to do what is right even if it might mean grief, suffering or sorrow.
Tonight, we're trying to get the kids off to an early bed. I want to catch the new Jane Austen film on PBS. Well, I'll try to write again tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)