Wednesday, August 20, 2014

For Airlie Mae

So this week ends a chapter in my family’s life and so a new chapter begins.  That Chapter is titled Kindergarten for your first born. (GASP) Airlie is going to kindergarten next week. I really can’t believe that she is five years old. With the beginning of this new chapter of her life I find myself often reminiscing about all five years of this sweet first born’s life.  I remember (vaguely) life before her. I remember praying for a healthy baby and that I would get pregnant quickly.  I remember the day I realized I was pregnant like it was yesterday. Wes had gone to work on a Saturday, which was not usual. I had this weird feeling after not so many weeks of trying to get pregnant that I was actually pregnant. I figured it was just in my head so off I went to Wal-mart to buy a pregnancy test. I came back home and took the test all the while thinking it would be negative.  Much to my surprise the test was positive!!  I was elated, however I then realized I would have the choice of telling Wes on the phone that I was pregnant or waiting until he got home from work (which wasn’t gonna happen). Just as I was trying to decide what to do the front door opened and he walked back in. “I wasn’t on the schedule today,” he said.  I started screaming running towards him, waiving around that pregnancy test like a crazy person. He was completely clueless. He could not understand a word I was saying and when I finally settled down enough that he could get the drift of what was going on, his first comment was, “Wait, so is there still pee on that stick?” And so the journey of being pregnant with Airlie began.  I had a very easy pregnancy. I was barely even nauseous at the beginning and soon felt completely back to normal minus the ever growing belly.  I walked the dogs a lot and stayed very healthy throughout.  It was an enjoyable time and was so cool to feel the baby move.  I remember the first time I felt Airlie move, it was such an amazing feeling!  Wes nicknamed the baby “feets” short for fetus for the first weeks before we knew if she was a boy or girl.  She gave us some trouble at the first appointments and after about three more we finally found out she was a girl.  I remember all the nights lying in bed trying to decide what to name Airlie. I proposed about one million names to which Wes vetoed every single one. “I know someone with that name that is obnoxious,  he would say or, “What, where did you even come up with that name? or “Are you serious?! What origin is that?”  These were just some of his comments to me when I would throw out a name to decide on.  One night we were talking of the beach and how we loved it in Wilmington, how happy we were to be living near the ocean etc. We had always loved Airlie Road because it takes you right down to the Intracoastal Waterway. So I said, how about Airlie?! He was sold. From that day forward Wes referred to our baby girl as Airlie.

All of these memories are flooding my mind with the thought of my first child going to kindergarten. These are many happy memories. I also find myself ridden with a bit of guilt over how anal and ridiculously over reactive I was at the beginning of my motherhood with Airlie. I was obsessed with getting her on a sleep schedule, obsessed with having all things organized and for the most part for the first four months just a really hot mess.  I remember thinking one day I was not cut out for motherhood. I was talking to a friend on the phone while walking our dogs and I told her, “I’m just gonna keep on walking, and not go back to the house.”   I look back now and I wish I could have just relaxed, soaked it all in, relished the moments of craziness more.  I wish I would have listened more to all the annoying other moms who kept saying it goes by so fast, enjoy it now because they were right. Now I’m telling all my friends with small babes the same! Enjoy it, don’t freak out, if it’s a really bad day the next is bound to be better! 

Being a mom is a big job, a tough job, a messy job, an exhausting job.  Some days still I honestly think; I’m really no good at this.  Actually, I think I’m terrible at this! But most days I look at Airlie and Stella and I think I cannot believe they are mine. They are my flesh and blood combined with their father. What beautiful miracles.  I cannot believe God has blessed me with the privilege of raising these beautiful, kind, innocent souls.

Airlie truly has a heart of gold; she is grateful and appreciative for everything in life at such a young age.  Just the other day she pointed out to me a fluorescent flag (tagged on a gas line I assume) on a wooden post.  “Mommy, she said, look at how pretty that flag is in the ground. I like the color of it.” Wow I thought, if only I could look at this world more often through eyes like that.  She loves giving to people.  She is always wrapping up gifts in our house to give to me, Wes, Stella or my mom.  She makes pictures for us always.  She loves to sing and dance and twirl around the living room in her dress up clothes.  She is kind hearted and loves to care for other people. She sticks up for the dogs when I’m yelling at them to get out of the kitchen at dinner. She sticks up for Stella even after she gets her in trouble!! She loves to cook and play restaurant.  I remember as a small girl loving to do the same. And I remember waiting on my grandfather and serving him homemade cookies I had prepared (aka sugar and peanut butter balls)

When I look at Airlie I see hope for this world. Hope that this child will bring joy to so many other people as she goes to school and encounters the world just as she brings joy to us.  She is patient, (unless her sister is trying to steal her toys) and she is cautious. She thinks about everything and reflects on it.  Just the other day in the car I told the girls, “Look how beautiful the suns rays are shining down, you can almost see heaven through there.” To which Airlie said, “Do you think the sun looks like that in heaven Mommy?”   I said something like, I would think so, it’s beautiful and everything is beautiful in heaven.  She then began talking about Jesus and how she was excited to meet him there. She asked me if I thought He was old or young. I said probably older as He takes care of a lot of people. She said she thought so too, that He was probably old. But that she didn’t care if He was young or old that either way when she saw him she wanted to give Him a big hug. 


Dear Airlie, I bet Jesus would love a hug from you!  I can’t believe you’re five and you’re going to school. I’m not ready to release you to the real world. The world of other children, other teachers, and other influences not your Mom, Dad, or Grandma.  I’m not ready for stories that don’t include us in the story line. But I know you’re ready sweet girl. You are ready to have time of your own, to learn, to grow, to NOT share with your little sister, to hopefully become a best friend to someone in your class, or help your teacher with classroom chores. You are really ready, as you have told me many times this summer. I know you’ll love school.  If you turn around on the first day and I’m already out of sight it’s not because I don’t love you it’s because I’m running for the car quietly sobbing to myself.  I love you. 

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Grateful


So today we had an impromptu play date with our friends and their kids which then turned into an impromptu lunch and dinner. Funny how sometimes you try so hard to plan a get together with friends and a time and date never work out but then one random day it just so happens you have the whole day to spend together. I'm very grateful for my friendship with MJ and yesterday my time with her and her family lifted me up. It was just what I needed. God always knows just what I need. 

So Mj and I talked while our kids played at the local gym and then we talked later while she cooked dinner. We began talking about our one word for the year (each year our church challenges us  to pick one word and let that word change your life)myoneword.org  I shared that my word was grateful and that I wanted it to tie in with being content. I picked this word because I want to be grateful everyday for all the little things in life God has blessed me with. Often times it's so easy to get caught up in your everyday life and all the challenges that come with working, being a Mom, keeping a house clean, making sure there is food on the table and that most of the time it is healthy food, etc. etc., that sometimes we lose sight of what is really important and that is LOVE. God's love for us is never ending.  

When picking my word I was thinking to myself I need to be more grateful. I think we as humans have a tendency to see the negative and fret on it it much more than we have a tendency to highlight the positive in life. I have so much to be grateful for, a house, a job, a husband who loves me and supports me no matter what, two beautiful, HEALTHY, children who are all mine to love and to raise. I need to remember that when I come to them to love them, to discipline them, to parent them, to raise them up in this world I need to come to them with a Godly heart, regardless of the situation. I have been asking God daily to mold me into the mother he wants me to be, to show me how to gently guide my children as He guides us through this crazy life.

So this brings me back to my discussion with MJ and telling her how sometimes it's easy to get frustrated and not see all the wonderful things in my life.  It seems that it's so easy to complain about what we don't have and to compare ourselves to other people, other moms, other working women, other people that we might view as perfect. Oh look at her, she always looks perfect, she has the perfect house, the perfect kids, the perfect husband, etc and get caught up in this feeling of the grass is always greener, but it might not be, you just never know. Everyone has a story and it's likely not perfect.  I have been reminding myself in these moments that no one is perfect and that thankfully for those of us who fall short, God's grace is never ending! "If Grace is an ocean we are all sinking."David Crowder - How He Loves Us

So I have vowed this year to have grateful be my one word and to be content in what I have and grateful for all my wonderful blessings in my life. After talking to MJ about this and admitting that we have much work to do I headed home to my house to put my kids to bed. Wes was at his small group and our house looked like a toddler tornado had invaded. After getting the girls in bed, reading stories, cleaning up a bit, prepping lunch and dinner for today, and showering, I just wanted to collapse. 

Instead I picked up my bible to do my quiet time and this is what I got.

"He, King Ahaz, offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus who had defeated him, for he said, "Since these gods helped the kings of Aram, they will help me, too, if I sacrifice to them." But instead, they led to his ruin and the ruin of all Judah." 
      - 2 Chronicles 28:23

"It's easy to look around and compare ourselves to others and desire the same things others have. King Ahaz did the same thing in this passage and was quick to choose the greener grass on the other side. However, little did he know, following others would bring his downfall. God has an exciting plan for you, will you choose to follow it or get distracted today and chase after 'greener grass?'" 

WOW!!!! it was like God was waiting for me, just waiting for me to put some effort in, to open my bible to reach out to Him, so he could say, see, just look to me and I will show you the way! I was blown away. I stopped, I cried, I meditated on that verse. I prayed for God to change my heart, to help me stop letting the evil ways of our society that preach a perfect, flawless, cookie cutter family and lifestyle in order to be successful in life get in the way of me enjoying my own imperfect, but beautiful life. 

God just let me be free and happy in who I am and in the family and life you have given to me. Amen. 

Then, I saw this video:


and it solidified everything I have been praying about!!! Perfect does not equal Love. God and family equal Love. Always. 

Thank you God for all your not so subtle hints confirming that you are working in me and that your plan for me is what matters most. Amen. 



Tuesday, May 15, 2012

God's grace

God's grace. That is the topic today of my daily devotional. "Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces." God's grace is one of the most amazing things to me about our savior. That he does not keep a record of what I've done wrong, of my regrets, of my sins, that He just wants to love me unconditionally. I think as humans this is one of the hardest things for us to understand because we as humans sometimes have a hard time not holding a grudge or keeping track of things we feel others have done wrong to us or how we feel we have been slighted or how we may feel that we have sinned to much to ever be welcomed into God's kingdom. This is never the case. God just wants us to seek him, to try to establish a relationship with him and to stay in the word. This gives me new hope to begin each day. That I have been given grace by God and that I may start new and fresh is a great reminder of his love for me. I hope that I can impress upon my children the amazing gift of God's grace.

Monday, May 14, 2012

New Strength

New Strength
Isaiah 40:31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

This is one of my favorite Christian songs. And this morning (a new day and a new beginning for me in many ways) it was a great reminder that I need to put my trust in the Lord. Lately I have been feeling tired, battered, run down, exhausted almost.  There is so much that needs to be done in a household with a working mom, a working dad who is going to school, and two small children. The housework seems never ending, the laundry is piled high and the toys are scattered everywhere. But that does not mean that I have an excuse to not be in the Word, to not seek the Lord. I know if I seek him first everything else will fall into place. BUT I need to constantly remind myself of this. I need to remember to cherish the messy house, the tiny fingerprints, the spit up clothes, the need from my Stella to be held and how Airlie likes to rest her feet on me when she sits next to me because some day they won't want to sit on my lap or be held and that will be a sad day. Starting today I need to make better choices and use my time more wisely. Thank you God for this day. For a new day, for a beginning to the week, for the sunshine, for the wonderful Mother's day I had yesterday and for blessing me with two beautiful, sweet girls to be a mom to and a wonderful man to share this life with. I am so grateful.


Thursday, March 10, 2011

Jesus loves me

Yesterday was the first day for us as a family of three in a while. First Wes's sister Cori came to stay with us and then the day she left Wes's parents got here for a couple of days. We had a really nice time hanging out with the family and celebrating Wes's birthday for an entire week. (I don't think he minded) We went to the beach, the park, and many, many restaurants! Airlie really enjoyed seeing Aunt Cori and as she has named Wes's parents, Mank and Gramp! So anyway, back to last night, we went out to dinner and after dinner we were driving to Old Navy and Wes started singing with Airlie. Then I said to Airlie let's sing Daddy the song we sing at night when you're going to bed. I sang, "Jesus loves me..." and Airlie continued to sing the entire song on her own! We're driving along and I'm doing my very best to hold in the tears and not break down into a blubbering mess! I glance over and my sweet husband's eyes are filled with tears also. What a sweet, sweet sound coming from the back seat of our car. I cannot believe that Airlie is growing up so fast. I have said it a million times before but I never knew how much I could love someone until I became a mother. I do love Wes with all my heart, but there is something different about the love for a child because they can't fend for themselves and they are so small and sweet and innocent their unconditional love that they pour out is just amazing. Airlie has also begun to get the jist of our prayers at night and the night before last joyfully proclaimed, "thank you for the park! Amen!" Sweet girl that I love so much!


Tuesday, February 8, 2011

"I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Lately I am one big ball of emotion. I cannot seem to get a grip. I am on the verge of tears constantly. People are constantly asking me if I'm pregnant. If I'm quite honest with myself I must say that I am a very emotional person. Overly emotional some might describe it, but for me while living this life I want to feel it. The main crux of my emotions lately is Airlie. She is growing up way too fast. She is quickly turning into a little girl with her own sweet disposition and just talking up a storm. I love our conversations in the carin the morning when she is telling me what she will do that day with Mam-mam and we are looking for school buses and kids and parks. Three of her favorite things. I love our car rides in the evening where she tells me everything she has done that day including cooking and feeding the birds and sometimes seeing my mom's neighbor's cat, Chloe. She remembers everything. If I tell her something one time the next day she will reiterate it to me. I am amazed daily by her zeal for life and her big bright eyes and how much she is taking in. I am struggling lately with feeling guilty about working full time and just guilty in general. The mama guilt, ah I'm sure some of you know it well. But I feel guilty for everything, if I take her to the store (I should be at home playing) if Wes and I go to dinner or small group (we're missing out) if I was too overly concerned with getting everything in line when she was a baby. I still struggle with the guilt of that. Wes said that was 18 months ago you gotta let it gooooo. He is right. But why can't I? Why can't I just roll with it and enjoy this sweet girl without the guilt? I'm getting better. This weekend on my agenda is sugar cookies and finger paint. Sounds like a productive day for a soon to be two year old to me! In other areas of my life I am so thankful to be back at small group and surrounded by a group of people that support me in my vulnerability and struggles and non-stop talking selfness. I truly feel filled up when I leave each week and can't believe we've been away for so long. Life is trucking right along and I am trying very hard just to relax and enjoy the ride.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Compassion

Sometimes I wonder about other people's level of emotion and compassion and often times I have to remind myself that just because other people interpret emotions differently and are different from me doesn't make them wrong or me right. I try not to judge. I am a very emotional and compassionate person by nature. Just this morning on my way to work I got teared up because it is very cold outside and I saw multiple people waiting for the bus. I felt compassion for them because they were standing out there and I had the convenience of driving my car. Surely this is not normal I thought. And no I am not pregnant nor is it "that time of the month." I have always as long as I can remember been a nurturing, care taker type of person and so for me when someone is not that type of person it is sort of foreign to me. I just had someone that I haven't really had any contact with in about ten years tell me "you were always that type of person to take care of me." That's nice to hear, but sometimes being compassionate and nurturing and empathetic and really emotionally involved in how your friends treat you and respond to you can be exhausting. I often over analyze email responses, voice messages, and conversations when half the time what the person said is really what they meant and there is nothing to read into. AHHH. Well I recently saw on a friends facebook page an article about the "hyper sensitive person." I read it. It describes me well, although I am not completely hyper sensitive I am a little over sensitive. So what does this post mean for me, I don't really know.
I guess I'm kind of just thinking out loud I felt the need to document it. I might be wasting your time by you reading this because really there is no climax or ending to this story. I think being overly emotional and compassionate at time reaps it's rewards too because at least I'll never look back in life and think I wish I had been more invested in this or that or I wish I was more emotionally involved in my family's life. I take caring, nurturing, and loving seriously.