Multitude Monday

Once again, I usually have this post scheduled by Sunday night, but not so much this time.  Allergy season has gotten the best of me and the girls as well.  However, it truly is grace that I had not written this until today (although I had written some thanks in a paper journal).  I very much needed to read Ann’s Post before I wrote mine.  My humble heart needed the reminder to keep doing the next thing and to be grateful for the thing at hand.

As I sit here writing this post my two baby girls are both frustrated.

Aeralind is frustrated because all she wanted to do is grab the airplane toy in front of her.  It was slightly out of her reach, so she folded up one leg and tried to push it under her body.  Once it’s under her she pushes back up on her arms and manages to move backward and further from her goal.  Aeralind is now about 3 feet from her airplane goal.

Bronwyn is frustrated because she has mastered the art of rolling back to belly but cannot remember where to put her arms so that she can roll back onto her back.  I’m actually not quite sure how she hasn’t pulled her arm out of her socket yet. Bronwyn is about to surrender with the whining of frustration and laying her head down to rest.

Why am I watching them struggle and not simply rescuing them?

Because if I rescue Aeralind every time will she ever learn to crawl?  If I rescue Bronwyn every time will she ever relearn how to roll belly to back?

Probably not.

If He rescues me from my pride, or my circumstances, or my bitterness, or my perfectionism, will I ever learn?

I most definitely will not learn.

Frustration is the point of learning.  The point where we have the opportunity to say, “Something here is not working so I need to change part of the equation.  I need to learn a new way to cope.”

Thank you, Ann, for showing me that the cure for so much of my heart sickness (and even it’s perfectionism) is thanksgiving.

362. Frustration
363.Watching a momma squirrel carry her baby across my fence.
364. Sitting under the cherry tree as it snows petals on me, Derek, and Olive cat.

365. The Gratitude Community
366. Tissues
367. Air Conditioning (in moderation)
368. Hand me down toys
369. The time that Derek lets me sleep in the morning while he and the girls hang out and listen to Air-1

351. Oatmeal with Honey and Craisins (it’s even good cold)
352. Baby girls playing in Exersaucers
353. Things to chew on while growing teeth
354. Sunshine after rain
355. A newly stained deck
356. Quiet days at home
357. A helpful patient husband
358. Easter at the Farm
359. Nana whispering “I love you.”
360. My Camera
361. The crazy solid food journey

347. Spring: reminder that He makes all things new

348. Tiny vegetables growing under my care

349. Little Laughter

350. Stratego with Derek… even though I think I’ll never ever ever in a million years win a game 😉

 It’s been a rough day. 

My darling husband took the cord and the battery of my current idol (this dear computer) with him to work today.

I asked him to take it.

I lack self-control.

It was a busy day. I called my dad on his birthday. I finished two diaper and though they don’t fit correctly (yet) and one wicks moisture like crazy, I have learned much.  I made dinner.  I made pear, and acorn squash, and butternut squash baby food.  I got the girls to take at least one nap longer than 30 minutes.  I cleaned poopy diaper blowout and managed to go to a playdate even though I was late.  My living room now only looks like a minor storm went through rather than a huge hurricane. I had a hot meal mostly on the table when hubby returned and both girls were fed their dinner prior to his arrival.

Doesn’t that list look so nice and tidy?

I wish my heart was tidy.

For through it all my heart vomited in such a wicked attitude. 

The nap they took in the car, ruined my ideal afternoon. They fussed and grumped and I was so glad to put them in bed this evening and just have peace.

Solitude and my computer.

An hour after they were put to bed, they awoke.  We fed them and put them back in bed. They erupted in screams of pain. 

Their arch-nemesis gas came for a poorly timed visit.

After the gas packed up and left, I looked down at my normally serious daughter Aeralind…

and she laughed.  She laughed and grinned and smiled as I told her that she was beautiful and I loved her more than peanut butter loves jelly and more than tuna loves mayo and more that ham loves cheese and more than bacon loves lettuce/tomato… 

and she laughed some more

and grinned her rarely seen smile.

Had I forgotten so soon what matters?

Had I forgotten the Eternity in these Moments?

Had I forgotten that these tiny hearts like my own are eternal, priceless, and the central things?

Oh, wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24)

And the answer is so visible here in this season.

I bow my heart before the Cross and beg for it to be made anew.

344. Repentance
345. A Patient God
346. Hearts that change (though the change is ever so slow)

318. Spring weather
319. Chatting at Furman with Mandy and Heather while our babies ate and played.
320. Fasting from the internet
321. Chubby little legs
322. Watching a strong will develop and knowing I have the responsibility to shape it
323. Sweet potato all over little faces

324. ‘Aunt’ Ruthie
325. Spring blooming

326. 6 months with two little girls at our home
327. a genuine giggle while I bounced Bronwyn on my knees
328. Aeralind deciding solid food wasn’t so bad after sampling apples I pureed that gramma and grampa brought all the way from Maine
329. Tofu Chip Dip (even if the girls reacted to it… it’ll be good for a mom whose babies can tolerate larger amounts of soy)
328. First Bath together

329. A hug from Zach (or was it Alex that I carried to the car? I can tell them apart, but I can’t remember who I picked up!)
330. Date night
331. Visit from Mom and Kaykers
332. A great first day at my contract job on the ropes course. The group was fabulous and we all dug into the Word.
333. Girls who slept as we took a little road trip this weekend
334. Kent and Jennifer and the ‘random’ string of events that brought us together.
335. A new shower curtain for the hall bath from my mom. Makes me laugh.
336. a more regular nighttime sleep routine
337. Watching Kent play with the girls.  So cute! Jen is a lucky lady to have him  (and him to have her)
338. Hearing my sister say “oh, Amy..”
339. Bronwyn’s grins for granny
340. Oh, the raspberry blowing…
341. Aeralind finding her toes
342. Lindy and the blessing of little Brandt
343. The nose flicking game hubby and I invented and the laughter it brings