One more...

I had to add this to the list of quirky Holly-isms...

The other day I was reading a book to Holly. I noticed she was distracted and quickly stopped paying attention. I closed the book and said, in what I'm sure was an exasperated tone, "I guess you don't want me to read to you."

Then I noticed the calculator in her hands. She looked up briefly and said, "I'm just checking my email" and then went back to clicking away on the buttons.

Ah, the joys of 21st century parenting...

Holly-isms

Holly has been cracking me up lately. Every day, in her attempt to act like a grown-up, she says something so off the wall. I always try to remember them to tell Matt when he gets home, but always forget. So while I'm thinking about it, I'll jot a few down. I hope they're slightly as amusing for you.

1) Yesterday, I walked away from her in her room. She ran after me, saying "Mommy! My mommy!" When she reached me, she said "I was worried about you!"

2) She tells us all the time that "That would be a good idea!" Example: I told her we should eat outside, since it was warm out. She kind of nodded. Then I said we should eat in the backyard since we'd eaten on the front porch the day before. She said "That would be a good idea!"

3) When I say "thank you" she tells me "good manners!" and claps.

4) When Matt says "excuse me" after burping, she also says "good manners!" and claps. This doesn't happen often (and I'm not talking about Holly...).

5) When we see each other after having been apart (which is usually when we're in different rooms, since we're together all day) she runs to me and says "I'm so happy to see you!" That's the best.

6) She loves chocolate, and she knows if anyone around her has been eating it from the smell of their breath. Yesterday when I hugged her after she woke from her nap, she smelled my breath. She looked like she was about to say something, but then moved on. I said, "Wait - tell me what you were thinking." She said "I smell chocolate. Smells like brownie."

7) She thinks her name is spelled H-O-L-Y. We reinforce that extra "L" but it never makes it in.

8) When she gets excited about something (usually chocolate) she grins from her to ear, clasps her hands together, and says "I am so exciting!" Matt and I are in no hurry to correct that one. It's just too cute.

Isabella's website

For those interested in keeping updated on baby Bella (see post below), check out her site on CaringBridge. Be sure to read the journal updates and look through the sweet pictures!

Baby Isabella

This is Isabella Parker, the beautiful new niece of one of my best friends, Dori. Bella is truly a miracle baby. While in the womb, she was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or Brittle Bone Disease. Her parents didn't know what to expect upon her arrival, but they were told not to expect much. Ultrasounds showed multiple fractures in her right and left femurs, and they were prepared for the damage to be much more extensive.

Born last Friday, Bella has stolen the hearts of her family, the nurses caring for her, and many people she's never met (like myself). She is no longer on oxygen and is eating from a bottle - pretty amazing. But the road ahead is long. Only her mom can hold her right now, as it's too risky to allow her to be much more than touched. Changing her diaper is a painful ordeal, and she screams when her legs are touched. X-rays show fractures in her skull and ribs (among others, I believe) that healed improperly in the womb. She will always be extremely fragile, but praise God that she is here, and is doing better than expected!

Please keep this sweet baby and her family in your prayers. Here are some specific things I am praying for and invite you to join me:

- that Bella will be strong enough to go home soon, and that her daddy (and Aunt Dori!) will soon be able to hold her
- that she will receive the best care, and for wisdom for her doctors and nurses
- that she will be protected from pain
- for her parents; that their marriage will not suffer but grow stronger under the inevitable strain and stress, and that they will lean on God for their strength
- for her brothers Tyler and Landon; that they will handle this adjustment as well as possible, especially with so much necessary attention going to Isabella

And as we're praying, let's stop and thank God for all the little things we take for granted. And if you have kids, go hug your babies.

These are the days...

God is really trying to teach me a lot during this stage of life. I say "trying" because I've been a little hardheaded and unteachable at times. While this season is filled with incredible joy and countless blessings, it's also REALLY HARD. I had no idea how mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausting it would be to have two children. Especially when one of them is two.

Holly is having some trouble adjusting to the changes in the household. We had seem tantrums before Anna was born, but what's happening in our household these days is all the proof I need that we live in a fallen world. No one had to teach her to throw fits, scream, and fall on the floor to get her way. It's just in her (and boy, is it ever). I have to remind myself every day that, just as no one taught her to behave this way, no one ELSE will teach her to behave in a better way. That's Matt's and my job. We have our work cut out for us.

I stole away to a coffee shop for an hour yesterday to read, pray, and fill my spiritual tank. It's been pretty empty lately. It seems all my energy goes into being a good wife and mom (unfortunately not in that order), and I'm left feeling guilty that I'm not able to be a good daughter, sister, friend, disciple. God used this time to show me that I've been relying on my own strength to do it all. As I was reading a book my friend Dana gave me, Tender Mercies for a Mother's Soul, something the author said struck me. She said that, when she's parenting in her own strength, she's "great on a good day, and hopeless on a bad day." This pretty much sums me up. When things are good, I'm on top of the world. When days are 75% filled with tantrums and power struggles, I just want to throw in the towel.

I spent much of my time reading, thinking, and writing about the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). How much easier would my job be if I was fully tapping into the power of the Spirit that lives within me? And, more importantly, how much more would I be glorifying God?

So this is my goal in the coming days. To lean on God alone to fill my well and lighten my heart. And as these difficult (and joyous!) days roll by, I will remember this:

"I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me." (Psalm 3:5)

Naptime

So, let me tell you about the last hour. I took Holly upstairs for her nap and could tell this might be a rough one. She was pretty wound up and playful. I've wondered for a few weeks now if she's getting close to dropping her naps altogether, as they're getting shorter and shorter. But Mommy isn't ready for that, so it's not happening. Well, not without a fight.

I get downstairs and immediately hear "Mommy! Mommy!". When I went back in to check on her, Holly said "I'm all done!" Really? Don't think so. I came back down.

About 2 minutes later I hear her at the top of the stairs. When I got there, she said "My fingers! My fingers!" With a sinking and knowing feeling I asked what was on her fingers. Yep, she said it. "Poop." Got her cleaned up (I think? Who really knows where else it could be?) and put her back in bed.

Then, "Mommy! Mommy!" This time I needed to hug her animals goodnight. Hugged the gloworm and the tiger. Back downstairs.

Then I hear her on the monitor, playing with toys in her room. A few minutes go by, and then... "Mommy! Mommy! I need help with my sheets!" I go upstairs and pull the sheet and blanket over her. With a stern "I'm not coming in here again" I left the room. She must have believed me, because I haven't heard her again (I'm still waiting as I type this). I'm glad she believed me, because I don't think I believed myself. The truth is, the whole thing has been pretty amusing. I'm sort of curious what she might come up with next...

Well, Anna's nap is officially over. So much for coordinating naptimes.

Coffee Break

I sat down at the computer this morning with just a few moments to enjoy my coffee before the craziness of the day began. Knowing I had just minutes before one or both girls would wake up, but feeling the need to feed my soul some Truth to start the day, I visited my friend Candace's blog and prayed "Please let there be a new devotion!" Candace has an amazing and ever-growing heart for God, and the gift to share His heart through words. This morning I needed some words.

I read this post from Monday and wanted to share it. Interestingly, most of it is taken from another woman's blog (so this is a post of a post of a post of a another website - confused?). I related to this mom's words, and I wanted to share them. It's not just for moms, or women. It's a reminder for all that God sees as as we were created to be, and who He is making us to be.

Thank you, Candace, for using your gifts to build up the body of Christ.