Tuesday, November 27, 2012
November Thanks - Signs of Children
I've missed a few days, but today I am so thankful for ornaments that somehow magically jump off the tree and are found laying on the ground, for pen marks on the couch, crayon marks on the walls, random toys strewn around the house and having to move all breakable items to higher ground. I am thankful for the ability to hear Addi plan a picnic with her daddy while I type this. I am thankful for the laughs...so much laughter dwells in this house and it is amazing! I know I say it often, but I am blessed!!!!!
Saturday, November 10, 2012
November Thanks - Day 7-10
Day 7 - Thankful for my friends. The ones I get to see often, and the ones that I haven't seen in years.
Day 8 - Thankful to live in an area that has so many great parks! Seriously, we have an abundance to choose from and the kids love it!
Day 9 - Thankful for God's provision. We are so blessed!
Day 10 - Thankful that my brother and his girlfriend are visiting this weekend!
Have a blessed day!
Day 8 - Thankful to live in an area that has so many great parks! Seriously, we have an abundance to choose from and the kids love it!
Day 9 - Thankful for God's provision. We are so blessed!
Day 10 - Thankful that my brother and his girlfriend are visiting this weekend!
Have a blessed day!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Election / November Thanks - Days 4-6
We are watching the results come in regarding who will be president for the next four years. It is no secret that our family wants Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to be the ones in control. Probably won't happen, trying to keep the optimism, but I'm just not feeling it. So, moving on....
Day 5 - I am thankful for music. Music just makes everything feel better (if we receive the results I assume we'll receive tonight, I will be listening to A LOT of music tomorrow). ;) Addi and Brogan love music as much as Jared and I do. Right now, my absolute favorite thing is to hear Brogan sing, "Haway-wewa! Haway-wewa! Oh, Lord we praise your name. All the goppy (glory), all the onnor (honor)..." So, cute!!! I love it! Oh, and I love to hear Addi sing her prayer before we eat. She does it with such passion and reverence (usually). Sometimes she claps and yells the prayer...that's not so reverent. We're working on that. :)
Day 6 - The right to vote. Our family voted bright and early this morning (6:45 am). We all went together. While we were in line, Addi asked us if Romney was in the building. Haha. She took a piece of paper and a pen when I voted and sat down right beside me and wrote her vote. She told the man taking the ballots that she voted. He gave her an "I voted" sticker. She was so proud! She told us that she had fun voting! Brogan was tired and quiet the entire time, but he seemed to enjoy himself, too. :) Regardless of what happens, I know that God is in control regardless and am SO thankful for that. Reality is, His will is going to be done.
Day 4 - I am thankful for my family. They are amazing. I am so blessed to have them in my life.
Day 5 - I am thankful for music. Music just makes everything feel better (if we receive the results I assume we'll receive tonight, I will be listening to A LOT of music tomorrow). ;) Addi and Brogan love music as much as Jared and I do. Right now, my absolute favorite thing is to hear Brogan sing, "Haway-wewa! Haway-wewa! Oh, Lord we praise your name. All the goppy (glory), all the onnor (honor)..." So, cute!!! I love it! Oh, and I love to hear Addi sing her prayer before we eat. She does it with such passion and reverence (usually). Sometimes she claps and yells the prayer...that's not so reverent. We're working on that. :)
Day 6 - The right to vote. Our family voted bright and early this morning (6:45 am). We all went together. While we were in line, Addi asked us if Romney was in the building. Haha. She took a piece of paper and a pen when I voted and sat down right beside me and wrote her vote. She told the man taking the ballots that she voted. He gave her an "I voted" sticker. She was so proud! She told us that she had fun voting! Brogan was tired and quiet the entire time, but he seemed to enjoy himself, too. :) Regardless of what happens, I know that God is in control regardless and am SO thankful for that. Reality is, His will is going to be done.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
November Thanks - Day 3
I am thankful for my two miracle children. I still catch myself looking at them and thinking, "Wow! I cannot believe these beautiful babies are mine. On loan from God, of course, but mine for now." They bring such joy to our lives. Addison Hope is 2 1/2 and very good at it. ;) She is beautiful, smart, witty and loves church, "Jesus songs," and praying for others. Brogan Michael is 17 months and is seriously the most easy going and happiest child I have ever seen. He loves to make us laugh, is content playing alone (usually) and is very determined. He wreaks havoc at night though...still waking us up at least once a night (most nights more than once). Some nights it's annoying, other nights I welcome the interruption while I gladly hold him close listening to his sweet breathing as he settles into a deep sleep. Right now, As I listen to their laughter as they play basketball in the other room with their daddy, I can't help but feel overwhelmed with emotion. Our babies - the babies we never thought we would have - are the perfect fit for our family. We are so blessed!
Friday, November 2, 2012
November Thanks - Day 1 & 2
Day 1 - I am thankful my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Without Him I am nothing. He is ever constant, even when I'm not. He is patient with me. He is loving. He is my rock.
Day 2 - I am thankful for my husband. He leads by example. He loves me unconditionally. He makes me laugh every day. He works so incredibly hard for our family. He is amazing. He is my best friend.
I know that a lot of people are doing these on Facebook, but I thought I'd do them here instead. So, we'll see if I can actually keep up with this. :)
Have a great weekend!!!
Day 2 - I am thankful for my husband. He leads by example. He loves me unconditionally. He makes me laugh every day. He works so incredibly hard for our family. He is amazing. He is my best friend.
I know that a lot of people are doing these on Facebook, but I thought I'd do them here instead. So, we'll see if I can actually keep up with this. :)
Have a great weekend!!!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
A different view
It's 2:30 am and I cannot sleep. It might be because my sweet husband is snoring rather loudly (something that only happens when he is REALLY tired). He works so hard and was up until 1:45 working on a project, so I can't be mad, but nonetheless, sleep is not happening right now.
I was shopping with Addi yesterday when out of the blue she looked at me and said, "I have the best mommy ever!" When her sweet little voice said that, I completely teared up. I looked at her and told her that I had the best daughter ever. She beamed the same way she beams every time I tell her I am proud of her or that she is pretty, smart, amazing, incredible, funny, silly, cute, a precious princess, a gift from God, fearfully and wonderfully made and that I love her so much and she is my most favorite girl. :) Anyway, I don't know what I did to warrant the best mommy ever comment, but I'll gladly take it. (Note that I do not feel like the best mommy ever...but it sure was nice to hear!)
October has been a fun month. The nice weather has allowed for several trips to various parks in our area. We are blessed to have several nice parks within a few minutes of our home plus a small play area in our neighborhood. The kids LOVE to go the park and we usually have at least one play date a week at a park. Great way for the kids to get exercise and to wear themselves out for nap time. :) We made a trip to Virginia to visit family and see my sweet nephew dedicated a couple weeks ago. It was a great time! This past Sunday, we journeyed to the mountains (about an hour and a half away) and had some great family fun (and found a park there, too). We visited the pumpkin patch a couple days ago. Addi was interested in it last year (not so much the first year we took her), but this year both kids were really interested in it. They loved it and it was so cute to watch Brogan walk around saying, "Punkins!" He wanted to eat them. Addi wanted to kiss them. :) Addi loved the maze, climbing on the hay, and riding this tricycle type toy they had...oh and having daddy chase after her. :) Brogan loved the fake cows, playing with a plastic wheelbarrow and the slide. :)
It is so much fun to see the world through their eyes! They love such simple things and can see beauty where the average person cannot. We passed a cemetery a couple weeks ago and Addi said, "Oh, look how prettiful!" Of course she does not have an understanding of what a cemetery is, but all her eyes could see were flowers on all the plots. She was right, it was pretty. Something that is usually associated with sadness, was instead seen as joyful when looked through her eyes. It is so easy to take things for granted and to only see things a certain way. I am praying that God helps me to view more things like my children. I think most adults tend to look at certain circumstances, places, and even people with pity at times. We'll see a run down place and think, "What a shame." Kids see it and say, "This is neat!" We we will be running errands or scurrying to get somewhere on time and will be frustrated. Our children will be laughing and enjoying the moment...not worrying about the dozens of things that still need to marked off the to do list. We see people with a disability or people who look different and want to pity them, thinking how sorrowful it must be in their shoes. Kids Addi and Brogan's age just see people equally. They look past the disability and keep going. It scares me to think that there will be a day where my sweet babies will start viewing people and circumstances differently. My prayer is that Jared and I can teach them to look through God's eyes, not human eyes. My prayer is that we can see more through God's eyes.
Anyway, it is now close to 3:00 am and once again I have a post that is a rambling mess, so I am ending it. :) Until next time, God bless!
I was shopping with Addi yesterday when out of the blue she looked at me and said, "I have the best mommy ever!" When her sweet little voice said that, I completely teared up. I looked at her and told her that I had the best daughter ever. She beamed the same way she beams every time I tell her I am proud of her or that she is pretty, smart, amazing, incredible, funny, silly, cute, a precious princess, a gift from God, fearfully and wonderfully made and that I love her so much and she is my most favorite girl. :) Anyway, I don't know what I did to warrant the best mommy ever comment, but I'll gladly take it. (Note that I do not feel like the best mommy ever...but it sure was nice to hear!)
October has been a fun month. The nice weather has allowed for several trips to various parks in our area. We are blessed to have several nice parks within a few minutes of our home plus a small play area in our neighborhood. The kids LOVE to go the park and we usually have at least one play date a week at a park. Great way for the kids to get exercise and to wear themselves out for nap time. :) We made a trip to Virginia to visit family and see my sweet nephew dedicated a couple weeks ago. It was a great time! This past Sunday, we journeyed to the mountains (about an hour and a half away) and had some great family fun (and found a park there, too). We visited the pumpkin patch a couple days ago. Addi was interested in it last year (not so much the first year we took her), but this year both kids were really interested in it. They loved it and it was so cute to watch Brogan walk around saying, "Punkins!" He wanted to eat them. Addi wanted to kiss them. :) Addi loved the maze, climbing on the hay, and riding this tricycle type toy they had...oh and having daddy chase after her. :) Brogan loved the fake cows, playing with a plastic wheelbarrow and the slide. :)
It is so much fun to see the world through their eyes! They love such simple things and can see beauty where the average person cannot. We passed a cemetery a couple weeks ago and Addi said, "Oh, look how prettiful!" Of course she does not have an understanding of what a cemetery is, but all her eyes could see were flowers on all the plots. She was right, it was pretty. Something that is usually associated with sadness, was instead seen as joyful when looked through her eyes. It is so easy to take things for granted and to only see things a certain way. I am praying that God helps me to view more things like my children. I think most adults tend to look at certain circumstances, places, and even people with pity at times. We'll see a run down place and think, "What a shame." Kids see it and say, "This is neat!" We we will be running errands or scurrying to get somewhere on time and will be frustrated. Our children will be laughing and enjoying the moment...not worrying about the dozens of things that still need to marked off the to do list. We see people with a disability or people who look different and want to pity them, thinking how sorrowful it must be in their shoes. Kids Addi and Brogan's age just see people equally. They look past the disability and keep going. It scares me to think that there will be a day where my sweet babies will start viewing people and circumstances differently. My prayer is that Jared and I can teach them to look through God's eyes, not human eyes. My prayer is that we can see more through God's eyes.
Anyway, it is now close to 3:00 am and once again I have a post that is a rambling mess, so I am ending it. :) Until next time, God bless!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Lighten Up
Being a parent is hard work. It is even worse when you almost hyperventilate because your 2 and a half year old cannot yet spell her name without assistance or say a complete bible verse without a little help. Or when your 16 month old does not know that frogs say, "ribbit" and that cows are the only animals that say, "moo." Yes, I am the mother who compares her children's development to others and yes, I TOTALLY understand that I should not do this. For the first several months of their lives, I compared their development to others their ages because I wanted to make sure that there wasn't any issues I needed to discuss with their doctors. Now that they are out of daycare, I mainly compare them to others to determine if I am teaching our children quick enough (or if I am teaching them the right things at the right times). This has caused an incredible amount of unecessary stress in my life and as a result of my paranoia, in my poor husband's life, too. At least once a week (more like four or five times a week), I tell Jared that I am afraid that I am not teaching Addi and Brogan enough or that I am failing as a mother. Jared reassures me everytime, but lately has requested (OK, he's begged me) to STOP the insanity.
I've been thinking a lot today about what is truly important right now (in regards to my family)...these are in no particular order as they are all just about equally important:
1. I want my children to love God. They both know the song, "Jesus Loves Me" as well as other Christian songs. Addi knows that Jonah went to time-out in the belly of a whale because he didn't listen to God. ;) She will tell me on our walks that God made grass, trees, mommy, daddy, etc. I can start to say a couple Bible verses and they will both finish them for me. They know we pray before we eat, that we randomly think God throughout the day and that we pray for others. They love to listen to "Jesus" songs with daddy and they both love church. Addi pretends to talk on the phone to our pastor and will tell us she's going to Bible Study. I think we're on the right track. The complete memorization of Bible verses will come in time...for now, we just need to tell our children about the love of God and display the love of God to them.
2. I want my kids to be ready for kindergarten. Addi can sing the alphabet, recognize the letters A-D, count to 15 (20 with help), recognizes shapes (mainly hearts, stars, and triangles) and knows a couple colors. Brogan can count to ten with assistance, says a large part of the alphabet and can tell you most of his body parts. Addi talks in complete sentences; Brogan has been saying four word sentences some, but mostly sticks to two or three word phrases. They have a lot to learn, but my goodness, they are 2 and a half and 16 months...not 5. They already know so much and are learning every day! The freaking out about this really needs to stop.
3. I want my children to feel safe, secure and loved in a nurturing environment. Recently, I've let the stress of feeling like a failure get to me. (OK...really, I've felt like a failure the large part of their lives for one reason or another). I haven't been on my game. I've been quick-tempered, grown frustrated when Addi would rather throw toys than sort blocks into appropriate colors or when Brogan would rather dive off the couch than listen to a Bible story, and have not enjoyed spending time with my kids the way I should. I know they feel safe, secure and loved, but I need to stop beating myself up. It's not good for any one in the Turner home when I do this. As the saying goes, "If mommy's not happy, nobodies happy." ;)
4. I want to soak in EVERY single moment with my children and husband. I don't want to look back at this time and say, "Boy, maybe I should have joined in when the kids were crawling around the floor pretending they were lions instead of wondering if I should be making them practice their letter recognition." And for now, if Brogan wants that lion to "moo" than that is OK with me. Soon the lion will "roar," Addi will spell her name, and Jared will be handing me a tissue as I cry watching them graduate from college.
I've been thinking a lot today about what is truly important right now (in regards to my family)...these are in no particular order as they are all just about equally important:
1. I want my children to love God. They both know the song, "Jesus Loves Me" as well as other Christian songs. Addi knows that Jonah went to time-out in the belly of a whale because he didn't listen to God. ;) She will tell me on our walks that God made grass, trees, mommy, daddy, etc. I can start to say a couple Bible verses and they will both finish them for me. They know we pray before we eat, that we randomly think God throughout the day and that we pray for others. They love to listen to "Jesus" songs with daddy and they both love church. Addi pretends to talk on the phone to our pastor and will tell us she's going to Bible Study. I think we're on the right track. The complete memorization of Bible verses will come in time...for now, we just need to tell our children about the love of God and display the love of God to them.
2. I want my kids to be ready for kindergarten. Addi can sing the alphabet, recognize the letters A-D, count to 15 (20 with help), recognizes shapes (mainly hearts, stars, and triangles) and knows a couple colors. Brogan can count to ten with assistance, says a large part of the alphabet and can tell you most of his body parts. Addi talks in complete sentences; Brogan has been saying four word sentences some, but mostly sticks to two or three word phrases. They have a lot to learn, but my goodness, they are 2 and a half and 16 months...not 5. They already know so much and are learning every day! The freaking out about this really needs to stop.
3. I want my children to feel safe, secure and loved in a nurturing environment. Recently, I've let the stress of feeling like a failure get to me. (OK...really, I've felt like a failure the large part of their lives for one reason or another). I haven't been on my game. I've been quick-tempered, grown frustrated when Addi would rather throw toys than sort blocks into appropriate colors or when Brogan would rather dive off the couch than listen to a Bible story, and have not enjoyed spending time with my kids the way I should. I know they feel safe, secure and loved, but I need to stop beating myself up. It's not good for any one in the Turner home when I do this. As the saying goes, "If mommy's not happy, nobodies happy." ;)
4. I want to soak in EVERY single moment with my children and husband. I don't want to look back at this time and say, "Boy, maybe I should have joined in when the kids were crawling around the floor pretending they were lions instead of wondering if I should be making them practice their letter recognition." And for now, if Brogan wants that lion to "moo" than that is OK with me. Soon the lion will "roar," Addi will spell her name, and Jared will be handing me a tissue as I cry watching them graduate from college.
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