Wednesday, September 20, 2006

THOUGHTS

Well, we have recently started noticing that our baby girl is changing into a young lady. It is so amazing to watch the transformation. She can read everything that she gets her hands on. She is pretty self sufficient. She talks about "crushes" and how some girl doesn't want to be her friend. She is full of questions about everything (these questions are getting more difficult). I am constantly being told that kids grow up so fast. I have to tell you that I don't feel like we should already be here. I still think of her as my baby.

WELL, BECAUSE, UHMM, THAT'S THE WAY GOD MADE IT

Please tell me that as a parent you have given this answer at some point. I have to tell you I don't always know the answer. So as she is asking more questions, I find myself researching the strangest things online. I found a site that covers (in a kid friendly way) some of those gross things that seem to be on my daughters mind.

http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/noflash/body/pg000008.html

This explains bad breath, stinky pits, boogers, and you can only imagine the rest.

INSPIRATION

Watching my children grow also means allowing others to provide guidance and love. This is so difficult as a parent. I constantly pray for everyone that comes in contact with my children. I feel so blessed to have wonderful people in both of my kids lives. Here is Max Lucado's feelings on the topic:

School's First Day
by Max Lucado
“Jenna, wake up. It’s time to go to school.”

She will hear those words a thousand times in her life. But she heard them for the first time this morning.

I sat on the edge of her bed for a while before I said them to her. To tell the truth, I didn’t want to say them. I didn’t want to wake her. As I sat in the silence, I realized that my words would awaken her to a new world.

For four lightning-fast years she’d been ours, and ours alone. And now that was all going to change.

I didn’t want to wake her up because I didn’t want to give her up.
But I woke her anyway. I interrupted her childhood with the inevitable proclamation, “Jenna, wake up.… It’s time to go to school.”
I knew it was time. I knew it was right. And I knew she would be fine. I gave her up as much as I could today.
Today’s events took it from black-and-white theology to Technicolor reality.

“What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31, 32)

I was releasing Jenna into a safe environment with a compassionate teacher who stood ready to wipe away any tears. You, Father, released Jesus into a hostile arena with a cruel soldier who turned the back of your son into raw meat.

I gave up my child fully aware that were she to need me I would be at her side in a heartbeat. You said good-bye to your son fully aware that when he would need you the most, when his cry of despair would roar through the heavens, you would sit in silence. The angels, though positioned, would hear no command from you. Your son, though in anguish, would feel no comfort from your hands.

Before the day was over, I sat in silence a second time. This time not beside my daughter, but before my Father. This time not sad over what I had to give, but grateful for what I’d already received—living proof that God does care.

Ashlynn's Favorites

Here are a few of the most visited sites by Ashlynn. Please leave me other great G rated sites for kids.

http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Girls__Sites/

This site has a ton of links to other great girls only sites

http://www.dltk-kids.com/

Great craft site

http://www.everythinggirl.com/home/home.aspx

Probably Ashylnn's favorite

http://www.careerbuilder.com/monk-e-mail/Default.aspx?cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=023b6457139743bb8c542ebd815c82db-212060984-F5-4

Monk-e-mail - silly but fun

http://www.aplusmath.com/Flashcards/index.html

Extra math help in a fun way

Blessings

Today I feel blessed to be a parent and to have wonderful support by friends, siblings, parents, and teachers. I am so thankful that Ashlynn has been blessed with wonderful christian teachers for three years in a row. I recently enrolled Rylan in a mothers-day-out program and he is so loved by those teachers. I know that there are women in the world who don't have the oppurtunity to have their own children and I am so thankful for my ability to have my children and raise them.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Sign...you're such a wonderful mom.