In Whatsoever "State" I am in, I will be Content

.....even in Philly.... in a place where there was just a huge drug bust next door yesterday that made the front page of today's paper. It's not like there aren't any drugs or rapes that take place in Maine...it's just not my favorite that they keep occuring right in my very back yard.

Anyway, that's the news here. By the way, I realize that my previous blog somehow posted twice. I just need to wait for Kev to fix it, as I cannot figure out how to delete it, but I am aware that it's there. Also, can anyone tell me how to add new people's links to my blog? I am absolutely computer illiterate, I am ashamed to say. Scott and Esther did this whole blog for us to begin with. Which...by the way, I am feeling the itch to change my background. Any wisdom there, as well? I could just wait till you guys come down next month, I guess. It's not like you'll be busy with a van load of teenagers, or anything! :0)

So, I am seriously praying about dropping one of my random babysitting jobs. Three mornings a week I am waking Kaden a whole hour early to go to this family's house. Although he loves the kids and has a blast while he's there, I am wondering if him being more tired is adding to his "two-ish" behavior. Even if it is not, I am missing our lazy mornings together and am getting a little tired of the rat race. Although the extra money is helpful, both Kev and I feel that a more happy, sane, and tranquil family is worth the sacrifice!

Wow - this is one of THE most boring blogs I have ever posted!!! Sorry, to the three of you who read it! :0) Ha! Will try to think of more exciting things to write later.

Long Time No Blog

Hard to believe it's been almost a month since I sat down and wrote a little ditty....or as my blogs tend to go, a long ditty. Kev and I have just completed one of the longest and most tiring weeks of our lives, and I must say that I am glad it is over. Kev had a HUGE paper that he needed to write to finish a grad course, and I had a HUGE "Psycho"-logy exam to study for and complete by yesterday. Both, I am happy to report, are now finally completed and passed in. Hallelujah!

For more exciting news, my hubby turned the big 3-0 on the 18th! Kaden and I saved our pennies, and we whisked him away to the Poconos for an overnight at a fun little Ramada. We got a great package deal that included a hot tub in our room with supper and breakfast included. We had TONS of fun - it was so nice to get away for a little while. Kaden slept great, the food was really yummy, and it was just nice to rest and recupe.

On the flipside.....I believe we have finally hit that lovely stage of the "terrible twos," and this glorious new stage of life began on our fun little get away! Kaden has always been very docile and obedient - tender and really quite timid. Well, my friends, I no longer believe that this is the case! Over the week-end and throughout this past week, Kev and I have spent much of our time formulating our game plan for how to handle this new crazy little person! We are now dealing with such issues as disobedience, disrespect, refusal to share - the normal stuff that every little kid goes through, I know. But, we are just really seeking the Lord's guidance and direction for wisdom, consistency, and all things needed for parenting two year olds and for truly "shepherding his heart" and not just his actions! He is still such a joy and so much fun.....now just with a spicy little twist! Good times! If you think, you can pray for the sanity of all three of us! :0)

Feeling Fried

Praise the Lord - I have finally finished my blasted Psychology reading. Now, I just need to review my vast reams of notes and my ten million definitions to prepare for the exam. At least the reading is out of the way. I tried to write the first chapter of my little book, but I'm just not feeling it today. What I am wanting to say is just not getting expressed on paper the way I want it to, so it is getting shelved for awhile. I think my brain needs a break - these past few days it has been on overload, and I am feeling a wee bit crabby. Therefore, I am done for the day.

We had homecoming at the school this past week-end. It was very fun and silly. The teachers took on the students in a crazy donkey basketball game. Kaden was quite mesmerized by the whole thing, and I have not laughed that hard in a long time! It was also very nice to see Katie for awhile and meet a bunch of her new friends. She's interesting, that girl! She doesn't just call people by their real names - she prefers such names as "Antangonist" and "Prom Queen" for addressing her cohorts!

Well, I'm hoping that Kev will blog about his whole hunting experience that he had on Saturday. But, just in case he doesn't, let's just say that he had a large run in with both the school security AND the local police! I found the whole thing to be quite funny.....buuuut he did not! Poor guy - hunting here is a whole lot more tricky than popping one off in the Maine woods. There aren't too many hunters in these here parts!

Well, I'm off. Esther, let's catch up soon! Shannie - soooo nice chatting with you! Lovies.....

Psychology Schmychology

Ai yi yi - must take a break from this blasted Psychology reading! I'm taking a correspondence elective through Moody, and I must say that I am really not giving a flying flip about this course these days! I appreciate their approach - how they are having us get both the secular perspective AND the Biblical approach to "the science of life and the mind," but, Holy Heavens, this course is killing me! Reading ten pages of this blasted material takes me an entire hour!!! And I really do not care to read any more about Mr. Wacko Freud today. What a psycho! (Sorry, if I have offended anyone, but oh my word......).

Therefore, I am taking a breather to make coffee and blog for a moment. And I must put a little plug in, dear friends, that it is time for some of you to update. Come now. Indulge me.

So, last night dear sweet newlyweds Brian and Gretchen Keezer came to our place for supper and spent the evening with us. We had SO much fun with them and have only gotten together with them one other time since they've been out here doing their internship. We are all going to go into Philly together sometime before they go home. Neither Kev nor Brian love the city, but Gret and I LOVE the experience! So, we shall go.....and Kev and Bri will be on high alert the entire time while Gret and I will be blissfully unaware of "potential dangers" while we traipse (that's my new word from Kelsey - did I spell it right?) through beautiful Philly! (My other new expressions I got from Brian - "super fun" and "super cool." Kaden says these phrases all the time now, too! He also determined last night that "Brian is not scary - he's nice!", and that Gretchen is a "pretty girl!")

Anway, it was SO nice to sit and chat with Bri and Gret about marriage, life, and ministry. It is SO refreshing to be around a young couple who is solid in their marriage and in their mutual love for the Lord. They have such a great foundation, they know each other well, they are best friends, they are real and open with each other, and they just totally love living life together! Must admit....it's still a little weird to me that they are actually married and living together....and that it's okay to be doing that.....but it was just so fun and special to be with them.

Okay, break time is over. My goal is to finish this numbnut chapter before Kaden awakens from his slumber so that we can go out and catch bugs in this lovely 75 degree weather! This is my MOST favorite season of all.......way too nice to be inside reading about nut-brains!

Thoughts on Motherhood

We had our first MOPS meeting this morning to kick off our new semester. I'm a table leader this year for a group of women. My responsibilities include: "facilitating discussion, being vulnerable with the women, listening without judgment, making them each feel loved, welcomed, validated etc. etc." I LOVE MOPS - I love what it offers to the women in our community, and I love how it refreshes my soul and reaffirms that what I am doing is oh so valuable and important in the eyes of the Lord.

It is so easy in gatherings such as these to observe and listen to other people's different styles of parenting and then to immediately come to a judgmental conclusion on their style of motherhood. There are definitly women who I have crossed paths with out here who I do not agree with some of the decisions they are making in their "style" of parenting. But then I think, "Well, if I feel this way about them, probably they are feeling the same way about my style!" Lesson learned, especially in this position that I have at MOPS: I don't want to be judged in how I am mothering, so I shouldn't judge anyone else! What I want is a friend who comes alongside me and walks with me in this journey of mothering. I want to be encouraged and affirmed - not judged and compared. Therefore, my goal in MOPS this year and in my friendships with young moms is to just really love them - regardless of our differences. I want to be a blessing - a breath of fresh air - to these women, so that when they leave my presence, whether it's at MOPS, out back doing laundry, or going to the park - we part ways with each other feeling more encouraged and built up in our womanhood and motherhood than we did before we got together.

The Lord is teaching me so many things these days. I think that my generation of moms, especially, can so easily get caught up in the things that are of lesser (is that a word?) importance in parenting, such as: structured naps and routines, watching the clock, making sure they know their ABC's at the appropriate age, breaking the will but not the spirit, proper etiquette at the table and in public etc. etc. I do think that these things are all important. I just sometimes feel that we can get so caught up in trying to accomplish these tasks that we forget to just relax and extend that extra measure of grace to both ourselves and our children and just really ENJOY our kids and enjoy living life with them!

I just want to truly and fully enjoy this season of life in every single way. I LOVE this stage that Kaden is in right now! He is carrying on full conversations, he is learning new things every day, he is understanding so many things, and he is just a little boy full of LIFE! I'm savoring this stage of toddlerhood. I'm seeing that my baby is gone - never to return - and in his place stands a little boy who very soon will be off to school, and it will not matter how long it took him to acquire certain skills, how he compared to others, and how "together" I came across to other young moms. I ultimately answer to the Lord alone for how I mother and nurture my children - as do all other moms. Nothing else matters.

The Lord has just been really helping me to slooooooow down and savor Kaden, and I am feeling so blessed and refreshed, as a result. I am loving life with Kaden, and I want to be an encouragement to other moms who are like me - who so easily get caught up in schedules, comparisons, and routines. This season is only for such a short time - I want to live it and love it to the fullest - putting all other things in perspective! What if he is the only child that we will ever be able to have? If that is the case, I will never regret not getting the dishes done or not getting him potty trained by summer's end like I had planned! I WILL regret if I didn't take the time to slow down and live life at his level and through his eyes. "Teach me to number my days, Oh Lord......"