You know how when your three year old has that look on her face, and you know she's gonna yank on her sisters hair? You see the frustration mounting, and you quickly say "ok!!! Let's have a time out!" because you know it's going to continue to escalate and the results will not be good.
A time out preemptively will do much more good than a time out after the fact. And I'm not talking of the popular 'time out' protocol either, of sending the child somewhere secluded for the purpose of them feeling guilty, 'thinking about it', or punishing them to show them their behavior is unacceptable. No, not that at all. Because honestly, what does that do? Other than make the kid seethe in anger at being sent away, or throw a tantrum at not being heard, or hurry to stop crying so they can get out of their room?
No, I'm talking about a true time out. A time out of that particular situation, to do something different, change scenery. A true time out should be calming, should diffuse the anger, not add to it.
When we are frustrated, what would we want our response from others to be? Certainly not being yelled at to go away or shamed...chances are, if we are at that point and we are acting inappropriately, we are already feeling badly, no need to heap on the negativity. No, when I'm mad or frustrated, I basically just want to be heard. I want someone to sooth me and speak gently without being condescending.
And yet, we do need to maintain healthy boundaries and in our anger, not say things that will hurt others. We must teach our children the same. For this reason, we have a code word we use when we think someone might be getting out of control. Parents and kids can tell each other, lovingly and gently, that they look like they need a 'break'. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, our pride tells us we don't *want* a break, but if someone has suggested it, it's because we usually do. It allows the person who is riled up an easy 'out' to go and calm down, without undue embarrassment. My kids know to respect the 'break' time if mommy or daddy needs one, as we respect their space too.
When they are little, a break may be in my lap, reading a book or just snuggling. I might offer to make a cup of chamomile tea, or get a protein filled snack, some water, or warm milk. The whole point is to recognize in ourselves the warning signs of getting angry, and take steps to calm ourselves down. Most of us have not learned this valuable skill, and as a result, we hurt those we love. Righteous anger does not hurt others, in word or deed.
All this stems from my needing a break tonight, and not realizing it until too late. :( I had had a long day, cooped up indoors, with a baby who is going through a clingy phase, and two tired kids. I got angry over something very insignificant and spoke harshly to my daughter. The hurt in her eyes as I lectured was painful. Thankfully, hubs recognized how I was feeling, and offered a break to me. He didn't look disapprovingly, didn't admonish me, didn't make me feel worse about the situation than I already did. He simply said, "why don't you go and nurse the baby, I'll put the bigger girls to bed". I went and calmed down and then was able to apologize to my daughter.
I know some will say, oh, but the parents must always present a united front, he undermined you, ect. And normally, I do agree that parents should support each other and back each other. However, more importantly than that, I want my kids to learn that NO ONE should speak unkindly to them. not even their mother. Especially their mother. And that mommy's are not perfect. We make many mistakes, daily it seems, and when we hurt someone else, we need to make amends and apologize.
So the next time your kids get angry and lash out, rather than punish or make them feel worse, empathize that they are already feeling badly, and help them calm down. Give them as much time as they need. And when they are ready, their apology will be from a contrite heart, it will be real and not forced just to get out of a punishment. Slowly, over a long time, they will recognize their own limitations, and take a break before they react.
That, is the place I am striving to be.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
It's good to stretch...
So yesterday we went to the beach. My hubby's cousins were in town with their kids and were staying in a condo there, so they invited us to spend the day with them. Actually, hubs had already taken the kids there a few days ago, but I stayed home with the baby.
(Why? Well, as our other children did, baby hates the car. And consequently the crying gives her mother a great deal of anxiety. Plus, she is going through major separation anxiety, and only mommy will do. That means that I have to hold her all.day.long. Plus she eats everything, sand included. And she crawls and pulls up everywhere, meaning even being in the condo would be stressful as it's not baby proofed at all.)
So, yesterday, on a whim, I decided I'd try to go with hubs and the kids. Everyone was surprised. Hubs asked me no less than four times if i was sure, no pressure if i didn't want to go, i could stay home, everyone would understand. The best though, was older daughters reaction of "mommy you're going?!?! Yay!!!" with a look of total surprise and glee.
*Disclaimer-I'm not an ogre. I do fun stuff with the kids everyday. We go places everyday. I just keep the car travel to a fifteen minute maximum, as that seems to be baby's limit. I also don't generally to all day affairs, since baby doesn't nap well out. Just wanted to clear my reputation there...;)
The hour before we left was filled with stress and anxiety on my part, and finally we all got in the car right at baby's nap time, hoping she would sleep most of the way. I sat, tense, counting the minutes she had been asleep, knowing that her normal morning nap was only 30 minutes log, and that would leave an hour and a half where she would most likely be crying. Sure enough, almost exactly 30 minutes later, she woke up. I anticipated the worst, but actually, it wasn't too bad! She did cry, a little, but I was able to sit next to her and give her snacks and otherwise keep her entertained.
We had a lovely day with family. Really, really beautiful, not stressful. The beach was gorgeous, the weather was fantastic, the kids did not stop moving-running, swimming, building, exploring-for one minute. I even had some down time to read my book.
On the way home, hubs kept telling me "thanks for coming, I know how hard it is to stretch out of your comfort zone". And I got to thinking, it just may be a good thing to do that once in a while. Had I done what would have been comfortable, I would have missed a great day with my family! As it was, I stretched myself, a lot, and it turned out to be a fun day!
All this to say, I encourage you to stretch yourself today...do one thing outside of your comfort zone. No matter how silly (I don't know anyone else who feels so much anxiety about the car like I do, and most of my friends wouldn't think twice about going to the beach with their infant). You know that thing your kids have wanted to do that you dread? Do it! If you are normally not the 'artsy fartsy' type, spread some butcher paper on the floors and walls and paint! If going to the play ground and actually playing with them horrifies you, surprise them today!
Or your hubby, you know how he just looooves action/sic-fi movies? Go with him to one! Eat at that little dive you haven't had ever gone to before. Do something daring and out of character, tomorrow you can go right back to the normally scheduled you, promise.
You may find, like I did, that you are pleasantly surprised! And trust me, your family will treasure the memory.
(Why? Well, as our other children did, baby hates the car. And consequently the crying gives her mother a great deal of anxiety. Plus, she is going through major separation anxiety, and only mommy will do. That means that I have to hold her all.day.long. Plus she eats everything, sand included. And she crawls and pulls up everywhere, meaning even being in the condo would be stressful as it's not baby proofed at all.)
So, yesterday, on a whim, I decided I'd try to go with hubs and the kids. Everyone was surprised. Hubs asked me no less than four times if i was sure, no pressure if i didn't want to go, i could stay home, everyone would understand. The best though, was older daughters reaction of "mommy you're going?!?! Yay!!!" with a look of total surprise and glee.
*Disclaimer-I'm not an ogre. I do fun stuff with the kids everyday. We go places everyday. I just keep the car travel to a fifteen minute maximum, as that seems to be baby's limit. I also don't generally to all day affairs, since baby doesn't nap well out. Just wanted to clear my reputation there...;)
The hour before we left was filled with stress and anxiety on my part, and finally we all got in the car right at baby's nap time, hoping she would sleep most of the way. I sat, tense, counting the minutes she had been asleep, knowing that her normal morning nap was only 30 minutes log, and that would leave an hour and a half where she would most likely be crying. Sure enough, almost exactly 30 minutes later, she woke up. I anticipated the worst, but actually, it wasn't too bad! She did cry, a little, but I was able to sit next to her and give her snacks and otherwise keep her entertained.
We had a lovely day with family. Really, really beautiful, not stressful. The beach was gorgeous, the weather was fantastic, the kids did not stop moving-running, swimming, building, exploring-for one minute. I even had some down time to read my book.
On the way home, hubs kept telling me "thanks for coming, I know how hard it is to stretch out of your comfort zone". And I got to thinking, it just may be a good thing to do that once in a while. Had I done what would have been comfortable, I would have missed a great day with my family! As it was, I stretched myself, a lot, and it turned out to be a fun day!
All this to say, I encourage you to stretch yourself today...do one thing outside of your comfort zone. No matter how silly (I don't know anyone else who feels so much anxiety about the car like I do, and most of my friends wouldn't think twice about going to the beach with their infant). You know that thing your kids have wanted to do that you dread? Do it! If you are normally not the 'artsy fartsy' type, spread some butcher paper on the floors and walls and paint! If going to the play ground and actually playing with them horrifies you, surprise them today!
Or your hubby, you know how he just looooves action/sic-fi movies? Go with him to one! Eat at that little dive you haven't had ever gone to before. Do something daring and out of character, tomorrow you can go right back to the normally scheduled you, promise.
You may find, like I did, that you are pleasantly surprised! And trust me, your family will treasure the memory.
When IS a mother's Sabbath day?
A good friend of mine asked me that question one Sunday morning. A great question, and as I pondered the answer, I could come up with nothing. Amidst the laundry and dishes, the sibling squabbles and baby crying, sleepless nights and tiring days...it's true, we mothers very rarely have a moment of rest. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I mean, we SHOULD have it, after all its so important the God of this earth needed it!!! And so, as is true of my personality type, I began looking for the reasons WHY we moms don't have a time of rest, and WHO was to blame.
Was it society's fault? Perhaps. After all, mothers just aren't valued the same as they once were. There should be some sort of free help program for us. You know, someone who will come clean your house (to your exact specifications) or who will cook meals (organic, whole foods only, something that tastes like it has a pound of butter but is in reality fat free, something the children will eat, oh and for free) or maybe a playmate for our children (who will love them as dearly as we do, but won't take our place. The kids still have to pick us over them of course). See, if we had all that, we'd be much better rested.
Was it my husbands fault? After all, he gets breaks at work, he sleeps all night long while I am up with the baby, he goes to the bathroom alone (gasp!), if he needs to run an errand, he just does, with no planning or thought about the kids. Why doesn't he see all I do everyday and give me more down time?! Why can't he read my mind about what needs to be done around here so he can be a more efficient help? And why can't he spend time with the kids in the way *I* want him to? (Quality games and activities only please, no screen time.) Oh, don't get me wrong, he is a great guy, truly. He is an amazingly sensitive husband and father, and works very hard for our family. But you know, those we love the dearest are often the easiest to get angry with...
Was it MY fault??? Certainly not! I mean, if *I* don't do everything around here, who will?! I'm indispensable, people need me. Couldn't be my fault. No way. :-)
And so, as I drove and thought, I got angrier and angrier. We *should* have a day of rest. And no one is making it happen!!! Hmmm. And then, God, in His divine way, spoke to me. No, not like He spoke to people in the Old Testament, but actually through a radio broadcast. It was about getting 'saved' and the preacher was going on and on calling all those who were weary to come and rest in Jesus. You know, you can almost hear his southern drawl, an old pastor, up at the front of a tiny country church, yelling at the congregation to trust Gee-sus.
And a lightbulb went on. 'Rest' doesn't always mean physical rest, laying around all day. While it IS good and healthy to take days like that, that is not all. Our true rest comes in total surrender and trust in Jesus. Oh I don't want to sound cliche. I hate that. But truly, if we can get to a place where we bring all of our worries, doubts, struggles, insecurities, exhaustion, anger, sadness, and frustration to Jesus, we really truly can rest. Rest our soul, rest our spirit.
I am so not there. Hence my almost constant restlessness. I'm trying, but it's hard. I am a self professed control freak. I know that about myself, but it is still hard to let go. I'm the one who has to come up with and follow through on the solutions. I'm the one people count on. I'm the only one around here who gets anything done! And yet, without me, the world would go on! Mopping the floors seems so insignificant when I look at it from that angle. (don't get me wrong, mopping is important, I'm not advocating giving that up or living in squalor lol) Yes, the floors need mopping, the furniture needs dusting, and the counters need wiping. And they will need it again tomorrow and the next day and the next.
So why not take a few minutes to rest with Jesus? Why not go outside and marvel at the beauty that is a butterfly, the perfection of a flower, or the peace from a brilliant sunset? Why not loosen the reigns a little? You know when you've grasped a heavy bag or something in your hand for a while? When you first let the bag go, it almost hurts to open your hand. But the more you do, the more you realize it actually feels good, and before long you are opening and closing your fist to bring the blood circulation back to your fingers. That's how we hold on. We don't even realize it hurts. Or just how tightly we are grasping on. And yes, letting go is uncomfortable at first. It feels...off somehow. The longer we hold on, the more our hand cramps and tires. And while it's holding so tightly, it isn't good for anything else! When we can let go, let Jesus carry our burdens, we can find rest. True, tranquil, serene rest. And I believe *that is what a moms Sabbath will look like.
Was it society's fault? Perhaps. After all, mothers just aren't valued the same as they once were. There should be some sort of free help program for us. You know, someone who will come clean your house (to your exact specifications) or who will cook meals (organic, whole foods only, something that tastes like it has a pound of butter but is in reality fat free, something the children will eat, oh and for free) or maybe a playmate for our children (who will love them as dearly as we do, but won't take our place. The kids still have to pick us over them of course). See, if we had all that, we'd be much better rested.
Was it my husbands fault? After all, he gets breaks at work, he sleeps all night long while I am up with the baby, he goes to the bathroom alone (gasp!), if he needs to run an errand, he just does, with no planning or thought about the kids. Why doesn't he see all I do everyday and give me more down time?! Why can't he read my mind about what needs to be done around here so he can be a more efficient help? And why can't he spend time with the kids in the way *I* want him to? (Quality games and activities only please, no screen time.) Oh, don't get me wrong, he is a great guy, truly. He is an amazingly sensitive husband and father, and works very hard for our family. But you know, those we love the dearest are often the easiest to get angry with...
Was it MY fault??? Certainly not! I mean, if *I* don't do everything around here, who will?! I'm indispensable, people need me. Couldn't be my fault. No way. :-)
And so, as I drove and thought, I got angrier and angrier. We *should* have a day of rest. And no one is making it happen!!! Hmmm. And then, God, in His divine way, spoke to me. No, not like He spoke to people in the Old Testament, but actually through a radio broadcast. It was about getting 'saved' and the preacher was going on and on calling all those who were weary to come and rest in Jesus. You know, you can almost hear his southern drawl, an old pastor, up at the front of a tiny country church, yelling at the congregation to trust Gee-sus.
And a lightbulb went on. 'Rest' doesn't always mean physical rest, laying around all day. While it IS good and healthy to take days like that, that is not all. Our true rest comes in total surrender and trust in Jesus. Oh I don't want to sound cliche. I hate that. But truly, if we can get to a place where we bring all of our worries, doubts, struggles, insecurities, exhaustion, anger, sadness, and frustration to Jesus, we really truly can rest. Rest our soul, rest our spirit.
I am so not there. Hence my almost constant restlessness. I'm trying, but it's hard. I am a self professed control freak. I know that about myself, but it is still hard to let go. I'm the one who has to come up with and follow through on the solutions. I'm the one people count on. I'm the only one around here who gets anything done! And yet, without me, the world would go on! Mopping the floors seems so insignificant when I look at it from that angle. (don't get me wrong, mopping is important, I'm not advocating giving that up or living in squalor lol) Yes, the floors need mopping, the furniture needs dusting, and the counters need wiping. And they will need it again tomorrow and the next day and the next.
So why not take a few minutes to rest with Jesus? Why not go outside and marvel at the beauty that is a butterfly, the perfection of a flower, or the peace from a brilliant sunset? Why not loosen the reigns a little? You know when you've grasped a heavy bag or something in your hand for a while? When you first let the bag go, it almost hurts to open your hand. But the more you do, the more you realize it actually feels good, and before long you are opening and closing your fist to bring the blood circulation back to your fingers. That's how we hold on. We don't even realize it hurts. Or just how tightly we are grasping on. And yes, letting go is uncomfortable at first. It feels...off somehow. The longer we hold on, the more our hand cramps and tires. And while it's holding so tightly, it isn't good for anything else! When we can let go, let Jesus carry our burdens, we can find rest. True, tranquil, serene rest. And I believe *that is what a moms Sabbath will look like.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Why not the popular path?
So why DO I take the road less traveled? Honestly, I am not quite sure...some would say it's because I'm ornery. Or obsessive. Either way, I've decided that I'm not gonna take the easy way out of anything. Seriously. Ask my husband, lol. I'm as stubborn as they come, and when I get to researching something, I will do so until THE answer is found. And then I'll wonder why everyone else can't see it the same way I do. So bear with my impassioned posts, I promise they come from a heart of searching and sharing with other mamas, and not from a place of judgment or criticism.
Before I was a mother, I was a nanny, a day care worker, and a dance teacher. I worked with hundreds of children, from birth on up. I KNEW how to do this parenting thing. It was so easy. After all,the kids in my care listened, they followed directions, napped well, and rarely ever fussed or complained. I never needed to punish them, they just did what i asked. We had fun, I had tons of energy, I never let my nanny charges watch tv, eat junk food, or leave the house disheveled. I assumed I'd be an excellent mother, have a nice tidy home, and have children who did what they were told, every time. Riiiiiiiight.
Then my first dear daughter (dd) was born. She turned my life upside down, rocked my world. She didn't sleep, she cried when I put her down, she nursed almost constantly. Despite having well laid plans for a natural birth and a blissful baby moon period, I ended up at the hospital, with an epidural, and dd had jaundice and was in the nursery in a billi bed. It was a hard, hard time. Long story short, I ended up severely depressed, sleep deprived, and what followed started my journey towards gentle parenting.
While I was pregnant, we took a parenting class at our former church. I do not wish to name the book or author, as I do not condone his material at all. Let's just say, the gist was the parent gives a command, the child obeys without hesitation or question, and if not, you administer a thorough spanking. Anything else was not biblical. And I fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.
I think my heart was in the right place, I wasn't raised in a Christian home, and I wanted to raise my children differently. I wanted to protect them from all the crazy of the world, shelter them and bring them up in a bubble of following my authority so that they would follow God...that was what was promised to me in these classes after all. And plus, I'm kinda controlling. Im working on it. Ironically, my mom fully believed in gentle discipline, and questioned me many times about my sudden change of heart after taking that class. How wise she was. I assured her I knew what I was doing, and that if needed, I would spank my child because that's what the bible said to do. Actually I had never bothered to read that part of the bible, much less research and understand what the context of the verses used really meant. I just took their word for it.
Dd's traumatic entry to the world did something to me. There is nothing on this earth like that fierce mama-bear protective love that comes after having your child. It is something that can not be explained to someone who has not experienced it. When your baby cries, and you can not go to her, it burns you to the core. It literally makes your body respond...your heart beats faster, your blood rushes, your breasts leak milk, you sweat, you get agitated, you feel this compulsive desire to GET TO YOUR BABY RIGHT NOW. God designed us mothers this way. It keeps us close, attached and our babies alive and healthy. That cry that can send a mother into a panic is a good and right thing. It is meant to make us move toward our babies.
And so, in those first few days, weeks, and months, I began to question everything thought I knew about mothering, biblical parenting, and babies. It felt right to hold and nurse my baby. It felt right to attend to her day and night. I bought a wrap and kept her close to me, and that felt right. Slowly, I started to read more and more about attachment parenting, and, feeling like a traitor to my faith, began practicing it.
What would they say? Those who taught my class? Well, I found out soon enough, when the teacher who I formally respected made the comment that dd was manipulating me because she was still nursing at night. She was four months old. I told her I just didn't think such a little baby even had the capability to manipulate, she was only trying to get her needs met. She assured me that she was not only capable, but that I was encouraging it. And that she knew it was hard, but she had let all four of her children cry it out by a few weeks old, to teach them. Her youngest had Downs syndrome.
That was such a turning point for me. My idea of this woman crumbled. I loved this woman and her children, and honestly I still do. I have a lot of respect for her, her children are lovely, I just think maybe she thought it had to be this way, and it doesn't. I knew then that everything I had been taught about biblical parenting until that point was not true.
Certainly the God of this universe wouldn't command us to do this awful thing? Certainly He wouldn't give us these intense mama feelings and then want us to ignore them? Certainly He gave the babies a means of communicating for a reason, not to be ignored? And yet everyone, and I mean EVERY Christian person I knew believed this. That children are born to manipulate us, to get their own way, to cause us strife and heart ache, and that we must control and manage them in every way. Sleeping, eating, playing, everything needed to be brought under our control, at all costs. Failure to do so was a poor reflection on the parents faith and devotion to the bible.
I knew as I began this journey, I'd be walking alone in my beliefs most of the time. I have been swimming upstream from the cultural 'norm'. Thankfully God, in His infinite grace and mercy, has shown me some wonderful people who have blessed me beyond measure. Who believe, like I do, that children are a blessing, on loan to us for just a short time, something to be treasured and valued and cherished. We are the minority for sure, but that is the point of this blog...to help spread this wonderful message of Gods love to both adults AND children.
I invite you to come on this journey with me, to walk the road less traveled.
Before I was a mother, I was a nanny, a day care worker, and a dance teacher. I worked with hundreds of children, from birth on up. I KNEW how to do this parenting thing. It was so easy. After all,the kids in my care listened, they followed directions, napped well, and rarely ever fussed or complained. I never needed to punish them, they just did what i asked. We had fun, I had tons of energy, I never let my nanny charges watch tv, eat junk food, or leave the house disheveled. I assumed I'd be an excellent mother, have a nice tidy home, and have children who did what they were told, every time. Riiiiiiiight.
Then my first dear daughter (dd) was born. She turned my life upside down, rocked my world. She didn't sleep, she cried when I put her down, she nursed almost constantly. Despite having well laid plans for a natural birth and a blissful baby moon period, I ended up at the hospital, with an epidural, and dd had jaundice and was in the nursery in a billi bed. It was a hard, hard time. Long story short, I ended up severely depressed, sleep deprived, and what followed started my journey towards gentle parenting.
While I was pregnant, we took a parenting class at our former church. I do not wish to name the book or author, as I do not condone his material at all. Let's just say, the gist was the parent gives a command, the child obeys without hesitation or question, and if not, you administer a thorough spanking. Anything else was not biblical. And I fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.
I think my heart was in the right place, I wasn't raised in a Christian home, and I wanted to raise my children differently. I wanted to protect them from all the crazy of the world, shelter them and bring them up in a bubble of following my authority so that they would follow God...that was what was promised to me in these classes after all. And plus, I'm kinda controlling. Im working on it. Ironically, my mom fully believed in gentle discipline, and questioned me many times about my sudden change of heart after taking that class. How wise she was. I assured her I knew what I was doing, and that if needed, I would spank my child because that's what the bible said to do. Actually I had never bothered to read that part of the bible, much less research and understand what the context of the verses used really meant. I just took their word for it.
Dd's traumatic entry to the world did something to me. There is nothing on this earth like that fierce mama-bear protective love that comes after having your child. It is something that can not be explained to someone who has not experienced it. When your baby cries, and you can not go to her, it burns you to the core. It literally makes your body respond...your heart beats faster, your blood rushes, your breasts leak milk, you sweat, you get agitated, you feel this compulsive desire to GET TO YOUR BABY RIGHT NOW. God designed us mothers this way. It keeps us close, attached and our babies alive and healthy. That cry that can send a mother into a panic is a good and right thing. It is meant to make us move toward our babies.
And so, in those first few days, weeks, and months, I began to question everything thought I knew about mothering, biblical parenting, and babies. It felt right to hold and nurse my baby. It felt right to attend to her day and night. I bought a wrap and kept her close to me, and that felt right. Slowly, I started to read more and more about attachment parenting, and, feeling like a traitor to my faith, began practicing it.
What would they say? Those who taught my class? Well, I found out soon enough, when the teacher who I formally respected made the comment that dd was manipulating me because she was still nursing at night. She was four months old. I told her I just didn't think such a little baby even had the capability to manipulate, she was only trying to get her needs met. She assured me that she was not only capable, but that I was encouraging it. And that she knew it was hard, but she had let all four of her children cry it out by a few weeks old, to teach them. Her youngest had Downs syndrome.
That was such a turning point for me. My idea of this woman crumbled. I loved this woman and her children, and honestly I still do. I have a lot of respect for her, her children are lovely, I just think maybe she thought it had to be this way, and it doesn't. I knew then that everything I had been taught about biblical parenting until that point was not true.
Certainly the God of this universe wouldn't command us to do this awful thing? Certainly He wouldn't give us these intense mama feelings and then want us to ignore them? Certainly He gave the babies a means of communicating for a reason, not to be ignored? And yet everyone, and I mean EVERY Christian person I knew believed this. That children are born to manipulate us, to get their own way, to cause us strife and heart ache, and that we must control and manage them in every way. Sleeping, eating, playing, everything needed to be brought under our control, at all costs. Failure to do so was a poor reflection on the parents faith and devotion to the bible.
I knew as I began this journey, I'd be walking alone in my beliefs most of the time. I have been swimming upstream from the cultural 'norm'. Thankfully God, in His infinite grace and mercy, has shown me some wonderful people who have blessed me beyond measure. Who believe, like I do, that children are a blessing, on loan to us for just a short time, something to be treasured and valued and cherished. We are the minority for sure, but that is the point of this blog...to help spread this wonderful message of Gods love to both adults AND children.
I invite you to come on this journey with me, to walk the road less traveled.
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