From the mouths of babes...comes humility...*sigh*

Why is it that a child can humble you quicker than lickity split? My daughter was using one of my phrases this week, only with a different tone of voice and it sounded very belittling. Guess I'll be looking for a new phrase. Dang, this whole humility thing can be a bit painful at times.

How Time Flies!!!

Can you believe we are already planning for the month of October? Milk is expiring 2 weeks into October. It seems like we were just beginning the year Just over a month ago. So much has happened and still more is to come. It seems like we try to cram everything we missed into the last 2-3 months of the year, they are always here and gone before we can take a breath.

I look at my two little ones and think it wasn't that long ago that I was bringing them home from the hospital. Yet I know there are many of you readers who have little ones that are now in College, Married and having children of their own. There are some of you who have not reached that point but are working towards it. You have the privilege of watching younger siblings and those you babysat grow.

What is interesting to me is how I remember being watched by others as I grew. Now I am on the end of watching. I am watching little boys pass the sacrament, little girls join Young Womens. My children are babysat by the youth I once babysat. I am watching friends raise families of their own, or continuing their education, beginning careers of their own, making the best of what they have.

Many times while barbering I would have the little old men who have experienced it all tell me "Wait until you are my age, then you will see time fly!" I wonder why that is, when we get older time does seem to go by faster.

As a kid I remember thinking Christmas was every 6 years or so. About this point in life it seems just shorter than year. How will it feel when I am in my eighties I wonder.

Well, there you have it, a quandry if a Wicked Step-mother.

Still Potty Training...*sigh*

Well, As you can tell by my title, we are still potty training. Seriously I felt like I was going to explode today! I am tired of scrubbing poopy pants! How can you get a 3 year old to understand this? I guess just wait patiently until they are a mother and tell them what everyone tells you: "It will happen, you don't see kids entering High school with the problem."
Until that day I have come up with yet another brilliant idea. How brilliant? time tells all right?

So My little 3 year old is into Tinker Bell right now. I am lucky, they have Tinker undies! So after my hubby researched (once again) all he could, we came up with this line of defense. We have made a chart she can add stickers to each time she performs her duty with out being reminded. One time she gets the privilege of placing a sticker. Two times she can watch one of her T.V. shows. With four in a row she earns herself a beautiful pair of Tinker Bell under pants! Now, I hope this one works, by mid-October we will have been at this for a year.

A Moment's thought

Last night I was watching our Sr. playing with our 1 year old and I was thinking to myself how lucky the 1 year old is to have his older brothers around. His sister is pretty lucky too, for that mater. Then I thought to myself how lucky I am to have been blessed with such great step-children. Their mom isn't here to brag about them. However, there is no doubt in my mind that she is up stairs pointing down saying "Those are my kids! aren't they the best!" and I am sure there are many who are, and would agree with her.

One of Many of Life's lessons

This week I was talking with a friend of mine. In our conversation I expressed how I enjoy having friends over, and how I was feeling bad because I felt like some friends weren't reciprocating the way I thought they ought to. She then shared with me how she and her husband are more home bodies, they aren't very social.

After our conversation and on my way home I began thinking. I would have never guessed that she and her husband were home bodies. They have had us over, and they are always having my son over to play with their son. Then I began to think about the other friends I have had over at times. They have been there for me and my family in many situations, maybe that is their way of showing their gratitude or appreciation of our friendship.

Maybe there are others in our circle who don't feel social as well. These people enjoy visiting with others when they are invited but may feel like it is out of their comfort zone to do something simular for one reason or another. It could be like this friend of mine, they simply enjoy being home with family and aren't thinking about who they should have over this up coming weekend.

Then I began to think a little deeper about how this friend seems to have a good time when she comes over. I know I appreciate it when she has my son over. I appreciate my friends who are there to help me in a moments notice or who just listen to me chat their ear off. So there are many ways friends of mine have reciprocated and I just have been unacknowledging.

This whole thing has brought a different perspective on why we are so different and how each of us has something to contribute. I am hoping my friends have enjoyed our get togethers. Because I am beginning to appreciate more the attributes they bring to our circle of friendship, if everyone was like me think of how tiring it would be to get together all of the time. Think of how much this world would be missing, especially in the areas I am lacking.

I am thankful for the patience others have for me as I learn these life lessons.

Motherhood

I have had all of these thoughts go through my head at one time or another. I love being a mother! I love watching my children grow like weeds and experiencing each new day.

However, I have moments when I think It would be nice to work out side of the home. There are so many "benefits". I think I could have extra money. People would recognize my accomplishments. My productivity would be higher. Talking to adults would be something that took a majority of my time, jibberish would be part time. Some one else could do the potty training, I would just do follow up. My house would be cleaner, cause no one would be there to mess it up.

Then after letting these thoughts roll around on the brain I realize there would be many things I would miss, they would pass me by. For example I might miss my children's firsts. Someone else would be there to wipe tears when they fall down and skin their knee. I would miss their coming home from school and telling me about their day, the good or bad. They would be raised with someone else's expectations, values, principles, maybe even morals. They might turn to someone else when they are hurt. I would miss out on many of the little things they say in innocence. I would miss hearing them play with each other, laughing at each other, even if it is out of mischievousness. There is so many things I would miss. Numbering them would be impossible.

I have come to the conclusion in all of this thinking, that I am lucky to be home with my little ones. There are many out there who would love the chance and for one reason or other aren't able.

Don't get me wrong, many times a day I catch myself praying for patience, confort, creativity, patience again, words, a sense of humor, patience, knowledge, understanding, a blind eye, patience....I think you get the idea. I pray for these and many other blessings in my day to day. That is how I do it. I am not always perfect, in fact often I fall quite short. But, I do find comfort in the tought that there are others experiencing this season of life the same as I.

These are just a few of my thoughs as of late. Did I mention that I have to pray for patience?

Righteous Desires.

Today I have been contacted or read two messages that have warmed my heart. Two dear friends of mine are single and looking. Can you blame them. I think God made us so we are happier with a partner.

So the first was a blog I read. It is Annie's for any one who would like to get the full feel of what she has written. Just click on her link below and it will take you directly to her blog. She is beginning to have the "hind sight is 20/20". I am so glad for her, it seems to make things a little bit easier when what you feel you want seems so out of reach.

Heavenly Father is so aware of our greatest desires. He is so aware of what is best for us as well. I think sometimes we look in picture windows that other peoples lives behold and want those things for ourselves. This brings me to my second contact today.

I have a friend who has had the 20/20 shown to her. She had a great guy, I was even caught up in his glamor. Luckily instead of listening to me and others she was patient and waited for Heavenly Fathers Okay. She didn't get what she was hoping for but is realizing what a blessing this unanswered prayer was.

I am so glad that when people take the time to receive His answers, that the blessings are greater than we can even begin to imagine. He really does love each of us individually, He really is aware of our greatest needs and desires. He sees the whole picture, not just a portion of it.