Growing myself

Ok, two posts in one day.  I'm crazy.  The kids are still sleeping.

I'm learning so much these days I thought I'd try to jot down a few of them before everyone wakes up.

The popular hymn, "I Need Thee Every Hour," has taken on a whole new meaning now.  I am reading a book called, "Hope for the Weary Mom," as part of an online book club, and through it I learned that this hymn was written by a housewife and mother of 3 children while she was washing her dishes.  You can read more about it here, but doesn't that bring so much more meaning to you if you're a mother as well?  As you are trying to get your little one(s) into bed each night, just start singing that hymn, even if you can only remember the chorus.

Another thing that really brought meaning to a lot of other mothers during our WOW Moms (like MOPS but opened up to mothers of school aged children as well) meeting this last Friday was learning to pray to love the sound of your name.  The speaker was talking about how she started praying to like hearing, "Mommy!  I'm doooooone!" or "Mommmmmyyy!  I'm uuuupppp!"  If you're a parent of a talking little toddler or preschooler, you know what I'm talking about.  You're enjoying those last few minutes of quiet before the kiddos wake up and you hear the sounds of your name being called.  In our house it's either "Mommy!  Mommy! Mommymommymommy!" or "Daddy!  Daddy!  Daaaaaaddddddyyyyyyyyy!"  What is the common reaction?  A groan or a thought of "Just 2 more minutes, please."  But as she said, "Before you know it your kids will be 15 and starting driver's ed, a few years away from leaving your house, and you will long to hear that tiny voice again calling your name."  I looked around the room and saw that I was not the only one dabbing tears from my eyes just thinking about it.  So enjoy that little addition to your prayer list.  I'm sure it will do wonders for both of us.

In case you couldn't tell from those two things, lately, I have been feeling a little overwhelmed and weary at times.  Two year olds are no joke.  The baby isn't too demanding, but throwing in his needs with the two year old just adds to the stress and exhaustion.  Please don't misunderstand me, I am LOVING this stage in our lives.  CJ is SO much fun, so loving, and so silly all at the same time.  Bubby is just a sweetie who has melted my heart.  I love it, I really do.  But after I/we shut their bedroom door, it takes all the strength in me to make it to the couch where I collapse in a heap of exhaustion.  The medical news we have received about Bubby has also had me worried, especially adding to that knowing that I also have Fabry's disease and now CJ is being tested for it as well.  However, I have started waking up early most days to have a quality quiet time.  I had been reading my Bible and such while CJ ate lunch, but as I said before....two year olds.  So I'm trying to go to bed a little earlier and wake a little sooner because if there is one thing that can fill you up with energy and encouragement, it is spending time with and learning about God.  I'm also starting a weight lifting program (as in little dumbbells) to try and get rid of the extra 15-20 pounds hanging around. (Side note:  How do you have a 9.5 lb baby and still have 20 pounds left over??? haha)  My goal is not to lose the 20 pounds, but when I look in the mirror, I want to feel like I don't look flabby anymore and I want to be able to fit in my clothes again. Also, my feet grew!  I can already tell that the quiet time in the morning coupled with taking care of me a little more is helping.  Perhaps it might be an encouragement to you to try it as well, add a few extra minutes to your quiet time you already have in the mornings or evenings, or start a little exercise routine.  And when you are feeling like a heap of exhaustion, just say remember this verse: