Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner.  I'm not sure what your stance is on Halloween.  I know some families who stay away from it completely.  They shut the lights out and pretend their not home.  (I did that once.)  I also know Christian families who do go out.  

As my children were getting to the "Trick-or-Treating" age, I wrested with this topic.  We are a Christian family.  Would it be wrong for me to dress my kids up and go door-to-door for candy?  Could I take part in this night and not have my faith questioned?  What would people think?  

These are all the questions that went through my mind as I thought and prayed about it.  I knew there had to be a way to take part in the tradition of Halloween without my credibility as a Christian being questioned. That may sound strange but there are some hard core Christians out there who are fully against celebrating Halloween.  I say to each his own, or more accurately, you have to do what God is telling you for your family.  

I live by the philosophy of being "in" the world but not "of" the world. That means that I will live on this earth, but my heart and my actions will always belong to God.  I can do things within the boundaries set for me by God through His Word.  If all Christians were to hide from the things of this world, who would share God's truth?  If we stay in our own "Christian Safe Zone" how will people see God's light through us? Does this make sense?  Don't get me wrong, there are definite things we should not do (just read the 10 commandments, among other things). However, there are also things that we should be doing to share God's truth.  

Wow!  I just wanted to share this book with you and now I feel like I am babbling.  So, I'll get right to the point of this post...  

In doing some research on the origins of Halloween, I found the book called, "Redeeming Halloween."  I like this book because it gives you a background into Halloween and into some of the traditions, like pumpkin carving.  It's full of ideas for bringing Christ into Halloween. If we look hard enough, there are always ways to bring Christ into all situations.  We just have to be creative.  

Below is an outline of parts of the book.  For more details, pick up a copy for yourself and see what else you can find. 

Tips for Trick-or-Treating with Purpose: 

• Start planning for the trick-or-treat experience so that your children will gain the greatest benefit from the evening. 

• Brainstorm as a family the places and people where the gospel has been rejected.  Be sure to allow the kids to offer as many ideas as they can.  This time is important because if they already have an idea how they would like to dress, it opens their thoughts to the need around the world.  

• Let them share their ideas for costumes.  If they have several, make a list and spend some time talking about how a costume could look.  

• Keep an open mind!  Even dressing as a sea creature could represent sailors and fishermen.  They will enjoy the entire experience more if you allow them freedom to be creative.  Remember, having fun is a legitimate goal and an important part of celebrating.  

• Once they have chosen a costume idea, talk more specifically about the people being represented.  

• Do some research together about the people your children’s costumes represent.  If they are from another country or culture, locate it on a map.  Find out about customs, religious practices, and any other things that are distinctive to the group.  Remind them that to reach someone, it is necessary to understand them.  

• Talk about how people who have not accepted Jesus have been “tricked” into believing they don’t need Him, but that God wants them to receive the greatest “treat,” salvation through Jesus and eternal life in heaven.  

• Make a list of some specific ways that your children can pray for that group of people to be prepared to hear the gospel.  Include asking God to send workers into that mission field.  

• Each night for a week before or after Halloween, pray with your children for their chosen country, people, group, or culture.  

• Look together at Jesus’ commission given to us in Matthew 28:19: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”  

• On Halloween night, as you prepare to send your children out to trick-or-treat, be sure to go over safety rules and accompany them from house to house.  

• Remind them to say thank you at each place you visit.  Have a great time enjoying a fun experience with your children that will result in spiritual training as well.  

• After they arrive home with an abundance of candy, finish the night with a Scripture verse that promises sweet rewards for those who do God’s work on earth (ie. Luke 12:43 or Romans 10:15).  

• Help your children see that while trick-or-treating can be a fun time one night a year, following God and sharing the good news of Jesus is an adventure that lasts a whole lifetime.  

• Finish your trick-or-treat night with a prayer as you tuck them into bed.  Thank God that someone told you about Jesus, and ask Him to use your family to do the same. 

Tips for Pumpkin Carving:

Devotional Ideas: 

• Be like a Halloween Pumpkin: a source of light on a dark night.  As your family transforms a pumpkin into a decorative lantern, use the process to teach how we ourselves can be a better light source.
• Cutting open the top: Have the mind of Christ to think and act as He would (I Corinthians 2:16) 

• Cleaning out the seeds: Confess your sins so God can clean them out (I John 1:9).

• Carving new eyes: Instead of looking for the faults of others, use your eyes to examine your own faults first (Matthew 7:3-5)
• Carving a nose: Don’t be a proud person with your nose in the air or you will be the cause of many arguments (Proverbs 13:10)

• Carving ears: Listen to gain knowledge and tune your ears to wisdom from others (Proverbs 23:12).

• Carving a mouth: Let your words be sweet so that they will bless others (Proverbs 16:24). 

• Lighting the candle: When you try to think, act, see, listen, and speak as Christ, then “our whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you”  (Luke 11:36)

• You can give this devotion to your family using a ready-made pumpkin that you prepare beforehand.  Just replace all of the cutouts and remove them one by one at the appropriate time in your presentation.  You could even draw the face on with a permanent marker instead of cutting it out. 

Use the carving process to share the gospel: 

• Cut the pumpkin open and reveal the mess inside: No matter how our life looks on the outside, our life is really a mess and hopeless without God because of our sin (Romans 3:23).

• Turn the pumpkin upside down and try to shake out the mess: We can’t get rid of our own sin.  Just as a pumpkin will rot and be left useless as it is, left with our sin, we will also face ruin (Romans 6:23). 

• The pumpkin is helpless to take it’s own mess away and needs our help: We are helpless to take our sin away and we need help too (Romans 5:6-8).

• Remove the seeds and slime from the inside of the pumpkin: God sent Jesus to do what we couldn’t, take away our sins (Romans 10:9)

• Show the clean and empty pumpkin: Once the mess has been taken away, a new space has been created for something better (Ephesians 4:22-32).

• Cut a joyful face in the pumpkin: Joy is one of the first things that God uses to fill that empty space (Romans 15:13).

• Place a candle inside the pumpkin and light it: Now our lives are a place where God lives, and when we obey Him, the light of His goodness shines through us (John 8:12).

• Set newly carved pumpkin next to an uncarved one: When we trust Jesus to take away our sins, He makes us into a whole new creature, full of joy and light (2 Corinthians 5:17).

• Set your pumpkin out for all to see, but as you do, tell your children that the pumpkin will eventually rot and perish: Those with the real light of Christ, though, will never perish, because we have eternal life (John 3:16).

Tips for Decorating with Light:

Decorating is an important part of any seasonal celebration.  It sets the mood, symbolically communicates a message, and adds some plain old fun.  Like nativities at Christmastime, we can use lights at Halloween to testify to a needy world.  We’ve listed several ideas to help light up your neighborhood, so go for it!  But be aware: Decorating is “coming out of the closet” as far as October 31^st is concerned.  You may just get the opportunity to explain why you chose to celebrate a holy Halloween.

Ways to Light Your Home:

·     A great way to make an impact with light on Halloween is to string white Christmas lights on your house during October.  Your home will stand in stark contrast to the dimness of others around you. 

·     Make luminaries to line your walkway or drive.  This is a simple and inexpensive way to light up your entryway. 

·     Buy brown or white paper lunch bags.

·     Fill the bottom of each bag with two inches of sand (or kitty litter). 

·     Place a small candle in the sand and light it at night. 

·     You can also use a hole punch or scissors to make crosses or other designs in  the paper bag so that the light will illuminate the design.  You could even write a letter on each bag to spell messages of hope.

Ways to Make Your Home a “Light”:

Banners are another way to bring light to your neighborhood.  Just as many churches create banners for special services, your family can work together to create a banner to display during Halloween.  Even if you don’t sew, you can still create a masterpiece. 

·     Choose a phrase from Scripture that gives the message you want to communicate.  Some examples are: “Jesus, the Light of the World”; “Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star”; “Perfect Love Casts Out Fear”.

·     Make a wreath for your front door that uses wheat and other harvest items.  Display on the wreath the following verse: “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (I Corinthians 15:20).

·     Since the harvest theme is so closely associated with the true message of Halloween, you may want to decorate with items such as hay bales, scarecrows, or pumpkins.  We recommend that if you go this way you distinguish your decorations from those using harvest items as an alternative to Halloween by also displaying “harvest” verses with your decorations such as John 4:35, Matthew 9:37, or Luke 10:2.

Tips for Welcoming Trick-or-Treaters:

Whether your family participates in trick-or treating or not, have a lights-on policy.  Notes that ask your neighbors no to know because you don’t “do” Halloween, no matter how kindly worded, leave others feeling judged.

The treats you give out say a great deal about your family to the kids who knock on your door.  Just like we used to do, they all go home and talk about who offered the best stuff.  It is part of the whole experience, like trading candy with your brothers and sisters to get what you really want.  When deciding what treats you will give out, consider these options:

·     Be known as a generous giver.  Give the best candy bars on the block, not the least you can get away with.  It will make more of an impression than you can imagine. 

·     If you want to offer a spiritual treat, make sure it is accompanied by a sweet treat.  The last thing you want is to give something spiritual and have the first response be disappointment. 

·     One way to give something spiritual along with something sweet is to use your computer to make candy-bar wrappers with a Bible message.  Design and print a message on colorful paper, wrap the candy around the normal wrapper, and secure it with tape or a glue stick.  A sample message might be: “Taste and see that the Lord is god.” (Psalm 34:8); or “How sweet are God’s words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103).

·    If you have many trick-or-treaters who are not from your neighborhood, you may not have the opportunity to follow up by fostering a personal relationship.  In this case, you may want to give out children’s gospel tracts.

·     If your budget allows, one great giveaway is Focus on the Family’s Adventures in Odyssey audio tapes.  You can often find them at your local Christian bookstore packaged as single tapes at a low promotional price.

·     As you fill your jars with candy and turn on the lights, take time to pray as a family for all those who will come to your door.  Ask God to five you just the right words for each person you greet and to use the night to prepare the way for building relationships in which you can share His love.

·    Get into the spirit of the celebration.  Greet your visitors dressed in costume, even if it’s a silly hat or painted-on mustache.

·    Lock up any pets that might cause problems. 

Making the Most of Opportunities with Children:

·     Be outside on the porch, if possible.

·     Greet the kids with words that let them know they are truly welcome.  For example say, “We’re so glad you came to our house.” 

·     Show interest by asking about their costumes.

·     Ask their names, and try to make a mental note to remember them in the future.

Making the Most of Opportunities with Parents:

·     Weather permitting, have a treat for the parents as well.  If it’s cold, have coffee and tea in paper cups.  If it’s warm, have bottled water in an ice chest.  Have a bowl of mints.

·     Introduce yourself to the parents, and ask where they live.

·     If you know anything at all about them (where they work, what kind of dog they have, etc.) show interest, but keep it brief, as kids will be anxious to get to the next house.

·     Before parting, let them know how pleased you were to meet them and express interest in seeing them again.

Keeping the Door Open:

·     If your memory needs a little help, make a mental note of the names of the neighbors you meet.

·     Begin to pray for those families by name.

·     Ask God to give you natural opportunities to build on your Halloween introductions.

·     Watch to see where God is working.

·     Slow down and take advantage of little opportunities.  When you see a neighbor mowing the lawn or walking the dog, take a few minutes to say hello.

·     Invite a mom over for coffee, or ask a dad for a helping hand with a home project.

·     If there are children your kids could get to know, call and invite them over to play, and tell them they can bring their parents too!

·     Be prepared!  If you sincerely want to reach out to others with the love of God in your own neighborhood, God will faithfully give you many opportunities.

Other great ideas from the book: 

Communicating the Message 

·       Seasonal Movie Night (p 48)

·       Host an Underground Church Party (p 55)

·       Doors of Opportunity (p 65)

·       Host a Fear-Not Party (p 76)

·       Fill-in-the Gap Party (p 83)

·       Tricky Treaters (p 91)

 Commemorating the Faithful

·       Harvest Boxes (p 107)

·       Heroes (p 115)

·       All Saints’ Day (p 123)

·       P-R-A-Y on the IDOP (p 141)

 

I hope you've gotten some really great ideas from this book.  There's much more to it, so check it out if you get the chance. 

What is your favorite thing about Halloween?  

Thanks for stopping by,

Accountable Kids

Moms, do you sometimes feel like you are constantly on top of your kids, reminding them to pick up this or clean up that?  It seems like that is my life.  I clean one room only to have it messed up again five minutes later.  I find shoes, trash, books, toys, silly bands, you name it, I find it making a path on my floor.  All of that can make for one frustrated Mama.  And you know that terrible saying, "If Mama's not happy, ain't nobody happy."  Well, sometimes that can be a sad truth in my house.  I get burned out.  I get tired of picking up after everyone.  Sometimes, Mama's not happy.    

SOOO, Hubby and I have been trying to figure out a way to teach our children how to be responsible without nagging them to get things done.  A few years ago at a home school conference, I came across this program called Accountable Kids.  

The basic concept of the AK program, as stated on the back of their book is, "a unique parenting program designed to teach accountability and responsibility in the home.  It is a back-to-basics system which includes essential parenting principles and concrete stepping stones that strengthen relationships and build a foundation for success. Children learn to balance choices and consequences in a fun, productive manner.  They experience the joy of being a vital, contributing member of the family and develop condfidence and self-worth.  The AK book and kit provide everything parents need to maximize efforts and bring structure and harmony into the home."  

 

It comes with all of the things you see in this picture.   

I like this method because our kids know exactly what's expected of them.  If they don't follow through with their chores and earn their ticket, they can't watch tv, play video games, or play with friends.  They are learning the difference between necessity and privilege.  Playing video games is a privilege that is earned.  My motto is, "If your work isn't done, you can't have fun."  When they don't take care of their responsibilities, their options are very limited for what they can do. They also enjoy earning their stars that lead up to a special date of their choice.  The rewards are earned at a good pace where the kids don't get discouraged because it's taking a month to earn something.  But, it's enough time that they are developing good behaviors and patterns.   

What chore/responsibility charts have been working for you?  How do you do incentives or rewards?  

Thanks for stopping by,

    

Back-to-School!

Well, it's official.  The kids are back in school and my life is slowly becoming my own again... at least until June of 2011.  Don't get me wrong, I am in LOVE with my children, I just can't seem to juggle children, laundry, meals, cleaning, and breathing all at the same time.  I am not the parent who stands at the bus stop on the first day of school, waving goodbye to the kids while holding back tears.  I am the parent who stands at the bus stop, smiling and waving, trying to hold back my screams of joy.  When the bus pulls away I run into the house, close the door, and I dance!  I reflect on all of the possibilities this year will hold.  Does that make me a bad Mama?  I don't know.  Everyone has their own way of coping, I guess.   

It's been a while since I've posted.  This summer has been insanely busy and went by in the blink of an eye.  Is it possible for children to grow up so much over night?  It seems like we are constantly buying new clothes because they've outgrown the ones they have.  Their feet are like weeds! We can barely keep them covered.  Flip flops are our saving grace during the summer.  They can slightly outgrow them, their feet hanging over the backs a little, but they can still wear them.  I wonder if they'd mind if I sent them to school this winter in flip flops.  Hmm.

It's not only their physical bodies that are growing but their minds are growing as well.  There are these things coming out of their mouths that amaze me....some good, some not so good.  I am daily reminded of the enormous responsibility I have as a parent to teach them how to live.  It would be nice if they came with an owners manual or pre-programmed to act and think the right way.  But they don't.  So, it is up to me to mold and shape their young minds...yikes!

There are three things that help me do this: 1. God.  He created their inmost beings.  I constantly look to Him for help.  2. Friends and Family.  I couldn't do this without their support.  3. Books!  I am a book junkie.  I actually think it's an obsession.  Half of the books I own I haven't read but somehow it makes me feel better just having them there.

I am currently reading a book that I want to share with you.  I'm not done with it yet but it's been great so far.  It's called "Say Goodbye to Whining and Complaining, and Bad Attitudes...in you and your kids!"  How's that for a title?  In a nutshell, this book is about teaching your children honor and getting to the heart of their bad behavior. Often times parents (and I've been guilty of this) look for their children to obey what they tell them to do and that's good enough.  However, there is usually a deeper heart issue attached to their behavior that often gets overlooked.  This book teaches you how to discover those heart issues and how to deal with them.  

In the back of the book there are 8 weeks of interactive family times with discussion, science-type experiments, and visual aids to help teach your kids about honor.  We've been doing this with our family and our girls love it!  I do too!  Not only do we get good family time, but we are all learning about honor.

What parenting books have you been reading that have really helped you in your journey?  Do you have a book list that you hope to get to sometime in the near future?  

Thanks for stopping by, 

Caterpillars

Photo credit.  

I was going to take a picture for you but, my 6 year old happened before I got a chance.  Ours looked just like the one in the pic though.  Read below to understand.  

*Disclaimer: This could possibly be a post that only Grandma can appreciate, but I'm going to post it anyway.  

Yesterday, my family and I were working in the yard.  We were getting our gardens ready for the veggies we're going to plant.  As you can imagine, we found lots of worms and one, very green, slightly fuzzy caterpillar.  I have to explain my oldest daughter.  She is a sensitive heart who loves nature and just about everything in it.  She quickly attaches to needy, innocent little creatures. She immediately picked up the little green caterpillar and, after feeling it, named it "Fuzzy".  

The girls took Fuzzy to the tree and laid him on the branches.  Hubby and I continued to dig in the garden as the girls laughed and played with Fuzzy. Five minutes into their bonding, I hear my youngest laugh and say, "Mama, fuzzy just pooped!"  Hubby and I looked at each other and laughed.  Then I hear her say, "Well, I guess we know which end is which now."  That girl cracks me up. I didn't even know she was wondering about that.  

Later on, my youngest is running around the yard with Fuzzy in her gloved hands (there is no way she'd touch anything found in the yard without gloves). Well, what do you get when you have a 6 year old running in the yard with a lightweight caterpillar in her hands?  Yup.  She dropped Fuzzy.  Fuzzy was is green.  The grass is green.  Needless to say, we did not find Fuzzy.  I thought about the fact that Hubby was going to be mowing the grass shortly, but did not voice my thoughts out loud.  

Just as we were sitting down for dinner, I hear my oldest reading her journal to her sister.  It went something like this: "Today I found a caterpillar.  I named him Fuzzy.  I played with him until my sister dropped him in the grass. Then my Daddy mowed.  So, now Fuzzy is probably dead."  I held my breath and looked at Hubby.  Apparently, they all knew what I thought I hid so well. Daddy mowed and there is a good chance that Fuzzy did not make it back to the tree.  My youngest looks at me and says, "Mama, do you think Daddy got Fuzzy with the lawnmower?"  Hubby and I look at each other as he gently replies, "Well, there was a lot of time between when you dropped Fuzzy and I mowed.  So he probably made it back to the tree."  That seemed to appease both of them.  Phew!  

It's amazing to me how kids don't miss a beat.  You think they're not paying attention, but don't be fooled, they don't miss a thing! 

How have your kids amazed you, or made you laugh by something that caught you off guard?

Thanks for stopping by, 

 

Date With Mama

It's been a crazy couple of weeks.  Last week, my oldest daughter was sick.  She was home from school for 4 days, finally returning to school on Friday.  I thought we were in the clear, all sick-free.  But wouldn't you know it, on Wednesday afternoon my youngest daughter got a fever.  *sigh*  She has been home from school for two days.  It's now Friday evening and Hubby and I had to cancel our plans.  

Their sickness was interesting because they'd have a fever for a few hours, perk up and be happy for a few hours.  This has been the cycle for the past two weeks.  During those perky times, we'd spend lots of time laughing, making up stories, and snuggling.  It made me realize how little time I actually spend face-to-face with them.  I don't mean mindlessly listening as they tell a story from the day and coming up with a clever response to make them think you were listening when you were really going over your to-do list in your head.  I mean looking them in the eyes, conversing, engaging, laughing, being fully present.  

This realization made me sad.  I know I'm a good mom.  I take care of their needs.  They are loved and they know it.  But, do they really feel listened to?  Do they feel like I make them a priority when they're talking to me?  If my husband listened to me the way I sometimes listen to them, I'd be upset.  This got me thinking about my priorities and how I can do a better job of spending QUALITY time with my girls.  

The idea I had was taking them out on dates, one-on-one.  My girls are only 14 months apart so they often get lumped together in situations or activities. Since they both were sick at different times, I got to spend individual time with them. I was amazed at the difference of our time together without the other sister around.  They love each other and spend lots of time together, but they are still individuals and I think I don't always treat them as such.  

SO, with all of that being said, I want to share a list of date ideas I came up with:

1. Go on a picnic

2. Go to the zoo

3. Go to the park

4. Spend an afternoon snuggled up reading books

5. Create a story with your kids and make it into a book

6. Play dress-up

7. Fly a kite

8. Plant some flowers

9. Paint pottery

10. Do service projects together - teach them the importance of serving others

11. Wash your car - surprisingly, younger kids really enjoy this

12. Create a masterpiece on the sidewalk using sidewalk chalk

13. Go to an amusement park

14. Bake something

15. Go fishing

16. Make bubbles, go outside and blow them till your dizzy

17. Play hopscotch

18. Play board games

19. Play Barbies - be a kid again

20.Use finger paint and let your kids paint all over the shower wall.  When you're done just  wash 'em down.  My kids LOVED this when they were younger. 

21. Create an obstacle course in your backyard 

22. Create a treasure hunt around the neighborhood

23. Visit a farm

24. Go for a bike ride

25. Catch fireflies 

26. Count the stars

27. Have a family camp-out in the backyard

28. Give your kids a disposable camera and take them to a park to take pictures

29. Have a movie night with a picnic on the living room floor

30. Go to a coffee shop

31. Roast marshmallows in the fireplace

32. Make a scrapbook together

33. Make a tie-dyed tshirt

34. Make a volcano

35. You can do what this brave Mama is doing over at Like A Warm Cup of Coffee

I also want to note that when Daddy takes daughter on a date, it gives him the opportunity to teach his daughter how a man should treat her (ie. open doors for her, respecting her, listening to her, etc).  This will stick with daughter as she's choosing her dates and eventually, her husband.  Daddy has already set that bar high and she will expect nothing less (we hope and pray).  

All of these things are a great way to have fun with your kids, but remember, just sitting  with a glass of milk and talking to your kids is a great thing too! Never underestimate the power of talking to your children.  We have a small window where our kids think we're cool enough to hang out with.  Take advantage of it!  

Thanks for stopping by, 

      

Mother's Day

My Mother's Day was sweet.  Although, it WAS a Mother's Day.  My oldest daughter developed a fever on Saturday, kept it into Sunday and is staying home from school today.  So I was up with her throughout the night on Saturday night and early Sunday morning.  She was vomiting a bit, coughing like crazy, and other things I will spare you from reading.  

Once I got her settled early on Sunday morning, I got to stay in bed for a while, reading and drinking coffee, while Daddy took care of the house.  Then everyone piled onto our bed, even our Sickie, and I opened my presents.  I got adorable cards from my girls.  But one of the most special gifts I got was from my husband.  He wrote me a letter and bought me something I LOVE.  

I want to share the letter with you because it was special to me, but also because it's an encouragement.  Our husbands see what we do, even when they don't verbalize it.  Hubby is a very good encourager, but to see it all laid out in a letter was a blessing.  Here's what he wrote: 

May 9th, 2010

Mother's Day

Remarkable.  Visionary.  Inspiring. 

These are the words that describe the Mother that you are and have always been.  It astounds me how natural being a Mother is to you.  You know what to do in the face of a challenge, and you have a vision and can reason situations out to see how reactions now can have an impact on the tomorrow.  You have the ability to give consequences while still being compassionate.  They realize that even though they are being punished, it's for their actions and not for who they are. 

You genuinely love your daughters and enjoy being around them.  You find joy in their silliest moments. You hurt when they hurt.  You're proud when they are proud of their accomplishments.  You always want them to understand that their lives matter greatly in your life, and that without them you wouldn't be the same person.  Your goal is to instill in your daughters the definition of being a woman of confidence and a woman of God.  A woman of confidence in how God made her. 

I know few Mothers who are so invested in the lives of their daughters in a healthy way.  (My husband is a fourth grade teacher) It is an amazing thing to see.  You love Motherhood, even when it requires a lack of sleep, a change in plans, or some paint on the car.  Daily, you take things as they come and handle them with grace.  

Genuine.  Intelligent.  Selfless. 

These are the words that describe the Mother that you are and have always been.  It astounds me how natural being a Mother is to you. 

I consider it a true Blessing that the Lord has allowed me to watch as you go on this journey. 

I love you. 

J.  

This letter means a lot to me because these are some of the things I want to instill in our children.  I'm glad that he sees these things and has confidence in the Mother of his children.  

He also bought me this: 

Willow Tree Angel: Surrounded by Love

Hubby said that he chose this one because they all love me so much.  I am surrounded by their love.  

I hope you had a great Mother's Day.  Remember that what you do is important, even when you think no one else notices.    

What did your family do for you this Mother's Day?  

Thanks for stopping by,

Ears and Tears

My oldest daughter will be eight.  Daddy finally agreed to let her pierce her ears.  It's all she's been talking about for months.  Her birthday isn't technically until June, but Mema is visiting from out of town and wanted to be a part of this momentous occasion.  

We got in the car and headed to Claire's.  She was a bundle of nerves. Sometimes she'd be real quiet.  Other times she'd be bursting with excitement. She asked several questions to gather as much information as she possibly could, trying to gauge how much this would actually hurt, and if it was worth the pain.  I told her that she didn't have to do it, but she wanted to.  

So we get there, pick out the over-priced earrings, fill out the appropriate paper work, and off we go.  Being the blogging mom that I am, I captured the whole thing on camera.  I will warn you that if you have a soft spot for tears, you may not want to look.  It could break any Mama's heart.  Or maybe not.  Maybe it only breaks mine because I birthed her.  Either way, here you go...

At the store, waiting her turn.  

In the chair, getting nervous.

I'm going to narrate for you.  This is what I think she is thinking and feeling...

"Wait, that's a little uncomfortable.  I'm not sure I like this."

"Owww!  That hurt!  You didn't tell me it would hurt THIS much!"  

"This is NOT worth it.  I change my mind."

At this point, the lady just let her cry and went on to the other ear.  Smart move.  She wasn't even paying attention to what the woman was doing.  Until, of course, she pierced her ear.  And that brought on more of this...

I took brief moments away from the camera to console my crying child.  I comforted her with soothing words and soft pats of reassurance.  Of course, she didn't believe a word I said.  I think she was pretty mad at me by that time. But, two seconds later, there was this...

She's very happy with her decision to pierce her ears.  They were sore, but she loves them.  She slept fine, and woke up saying that she's, "so into earrings right now."  20 minutes after that, I had to pull the backing off of her earring because the skin was caught in it.  But we won't talk about that.  Let's just say, she had a moment of not being so into earrings.  

I sent her to school today, in pigtails, so she could show off her sparkly ears.  

Thanks for stopping by,