Much of my day is spent thinking... As I flit through our house, folding laundry and doing dishes and picking up toys for the umpteenth time I spend a lot of time just dreaming up dreams, or making lists, or thinking of fun things to do with our kiddos ... Just thinking. Today, I have been thinking about our kids... a lot! As I wrote about earlier in this post, I have learned a lot from our kids.
Each one is SO different. And, I think they've been put in our life because they are exactly what we needed in order to become the people that God meant for Chris and I to become.
At the moment, I'm super thankful for Elijah, our new lil man. (Of course, I'm thankful for all of our lil men. But in him, I can truly see how God answered my prayers explicitly!)
When I found out I was pregnant with Elijah I. Was. Terrified. Seriously, y'all. If you have been here a while, you know that Colton (the middle lil man!) is our high-strung baby. I love him with all of my heart, but he has been a tough cookie! I think a lot of those difficult lessons I've learned from my kids have been learned because of him! :) I'm thankful for that (most of the time...) but when we found out we were going to have another baby, I just couldn't see how life was going to work. I spent a lot of time during my pregnancy just frustrated and worried. So worried.
I prayed and prayed and prayed for nine straight months that God would give us an easy-going, relaxed baby. And, the whole time was terrified that he wouldn't. I was so scared of having another year of a screaming baby who needed ALL of my attention, and then having a toddler who was still very needy. I was scared of the dynamic that would create between my kids. I was scared that our house would be a wreck, and my marriage would struggle, and that I would just be in constant chaos for another year or two or three of my life. And, I was scared that I would go insane. (Seriously, I didn't realize until I was through it, but I had some serious post-partum depression with both of our older kids! It wasn't like I was going crazy or anything, but I just felt sad for 9 or 10 months. And, then suddenly I felt normal again! It was weird...)
So, while I have seen God work in my life in so many ways, I was really terrified that he just wouldn't come through in this.
So, today, I'm just taking a moment to praise God that he always gives us exactly what we need. While that isn't always exactly what we ask for, this time it is exactly what I asked for. And, I'm so so so thankful.
Each one is SO different. And, I think they've been put in our life because they are exactly what we needed in order to become the people that God meant for Chris and I to become.
At the moment, I'm super thankful for Elijah, our new lil man. (Of course, I'm thankful for all of our lil men. But in him, I can truly see how God answered my prayers explicitly!)
When I found out I was pregnant with Elijah I. Was. Terrified. Seriously, y'all. If you have been here a while, you know that Colton (the middle lil man!) is our high-strung baby. I love him with all of my heart, but he has been a tough cookie! I think a lot of those difficult lessons I've learned from my kids have been learned because of him! :) I'm thankful for that (most of the time...) but when we found out we were going to have another baby, I just couldn't see how life was going to work. I spent a lot of time during my pregnancy just frustrated and worried. So worried.
I prayed and prayed and prayed for nine straight months that God would give us an easy-going, relaxed baby. And, the whole time was terrified that he wouldn't. I was so scared of having another year of a screaming baby who needed ALL of my attention, and then having a toddler who was still very needy. I was scared of the dynamic that would create between my kids. I was scared that our house would be a wreck, and my marriage would struggle, and that I would just be in constant chaos for another year or two or three of my life. And, I was scared that I would go insane. (Seriously, I didn't realize until I was through it, but I had some serious post-partum depression with both of our older kids! It wasn't like I was going crazy or anything, but I just felt sad for 9 or 10 months. And, then suddenly I felt normal again! It was weird...)
So, while I have seen God work in my life in so many ways, I was really terrified that he just wouldn't come through in this.
So, today, I'm just taking a moment to praise God that he always gives us exactly what we need. While that isn't always exactly what we ask for, this time it is exactly what I asked for. And, I'm so so so thankful.
As we speak, Elijah is napping in his bed. He is super laid back. He sleeps through the night. And, when he is tired, I can just lay him in his bed, and he will lay there and go to sleep. (The exact opposite of our first two kids!!! Bedtime and nap-time have been a constant struggle in this house for the past 4 years!!! And still are with them... ;)) He will let any one hold him... He is just happy to be held! He will lay down and just smile and coo. And, he's been a little miracle worker for Colton!!!!
Colton looooves being a big brother! He uses "his baby" to deflect attention from himself at the grocery store. (He hates it when strangers try to talk to him!) He is sweet and gentle and wants to share things. By no means is he all of a sudden a perfect child. But, he has grown up a lot since "our baby" has been in the picture. And I'm so thankful.
And, I don't feel sad. I have made goals and am getting things done. I feel excited about life with my awesome husband and our lil men. Sometimes I do have the "baby blues," but overall I am happy and excited about life. Which is awesome! :)
I just wanted to share that and try to encourage y'all today. God will always give you exactly what you need. Sometimes, that means that life is just going to be tough for a while. But sometimes, it means that He makes life a little easier on you. Either way, I'm counting my blessings today because I'm super thankful for all my babies. And I'm super thankful that God answered my prayers.
What are you thankful for today??
Colton looooves being a big brother! He uses "his baby" to deflect attention from himself at the grocery store. (He hates it when strangers try to talk to him!) He is sweet and gentle and wants to share things. By no means is he all of a sudden a perfect child. But, he has grown up a lot since "our baby" has been in the picture. And I'm so thankful.
And, I don't feel sad. I have made goals and am getting things done. I feel excited about life with my awesome husband and our lil men. Sometimes I do have the "baby blues," but overall I am happy and excited about life. Which is awesome! :)
I just wanted to share that and try to encourage y'all today. God will always give you exactly what you need. Sometimes, that means that life is just going to be tough for a while. But sometimes, it means that He makes life a little easier on you. Either way, I'm counting my blessings today because I'm super thankful for all my babies. And I'm super thankful that God answered my prayers.
What are you thankful for today??