R helping daddy get pumped for cross fit!

R is becoming quite the daddy's girl and this mama couldn't be happier. I think it is absolutely adorable how much she loves her daddy. And M does a great job of making time with her special. We are also trying to get better at making Friday's a day for special family time, which looks like breakfast together made by dad and then a fun family outing. We have decided that once a month this will be special daddy daughter time while mommy escapes for some mommy time. So in a couple weeks I will be heading to get my hair done with a friend while they go on a special date.

But in addition to special times like these M really just loves the small day to day times with his daughter, and is good about pausing for a few moments before he leaves and right when he gets home to connect with her. They have made a habit of going on walks together with the dog and if R sees him getting the leash down and hooking Jake up she gets pretty demanding about going along. I am trying to learn the balance of finding this adorable but also teaching her that she just needs to use her "words" (signs for now) and say please when she wants to go.

I am so thankful to have M as my partner in parenting. We are definitely still growing and learning in all aspects of life, especially our parenting. But I am thankful that we are learning together and very much on the same page with each other on how we want to raise and discipline our children. I am so thankful for the strong desire M has to lead our family in a godly way and have seen so much growth in him lately.

We just got back from a morning family walk and M is off to work and I got Riley down for a nap so now this mama is going to go make some coffee and enjoy some peace!

Weekly Scripture

Here is a quick follow up to my last post. I really want to maintain the habit of sharing scripture with R and memorizing verses as a family. I found a cool simple resource that is an ABC book of Scriptures. I am excited to build this in to our family's routine, making it part of meal time and bed time. I have also already been able to bring this week's verse into my discipline. When I talked to R this morning about gentle hands I reminded her that our verse this week says As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. We serve God by obeying his commandments and his greatest commandment is to love God and love others. It isn't loving others to hit. Try again with gentle hands... anyway you get the point.

Here is the link to the printable ABC scripture book: http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2011/10/abc-printable-scripture-cards/

Does anyone have any ideas for starting to teach scripture to your toddlers?

This is the day!

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." --Psalm 118:24

We randomly started a new habit this week. When I go in to get R in the morning I quote this verse and also say it several times throughout the day. She has picked up on it and usually laughs or smiles or spins or some combination of the 3 in response.

I really had no plan or intention of doing this. It just kind of happened once and stuck. But from it I am learning a few things.

First, it is just a reminder to me of the impact of scripture and taking the time to meditate on it. This verse has been on my mind the last week and it reminds me at the beginning of my day that this is true. This day was made by God, complete with the joys it brings or the sorrows, and because of THAT, no matter the outcome of the day, I can find joy. It helps me focus more on God's goodness and provision rather than on the struggles, stresses, and difficulties of my day (which honestly, tend to be ridiculously minimal in the grand scheme of things!).

I am also learning and being challenged by my role as R's mother. I am reminded that I am discipling this young life! And she is at a place where her understanding GREATLY exceeds her ability to communicate. I believe that the repetitiveness of some of the things I am telling her is truly impacting her more than I understand. And I also believe that even where her understanding might lack the habits I am creating for myself are vital to her life.

I have the gentle hands conversation at least 8 times a day. "God tells us to love one another. Our hands are a tool to show others love. When you hit/scratch/pinch that hurts and that isn't showing mommy/daddy/..... that you love them. Try again with gentle hands." After the 8th time it is easy to feel very silly (especially in front of others) and question the effects. But I remind myself that even when it doesn't seem like it, she understands it more than I would think and it creates a good habit for us now, setting a path for how we want to always discipline.

And this is why I feel desperate to grow in the habit of starting my morning fresh, before R is up. When I do that I take a moment to love on Jesus, get my body moving so I am really awake, and make a game plan for the day which makes me so much more productive and so much more patient. I was doing okay (meaning more days than not) before we went on vacation. But I haven't been able to get back on track since I have been home. I know the truth though.

So I am taking a challenge. I have been following a blog called Inspired to Action and am going to take her Hello Mornings Challenge this fall. (inspiredtoaction.com/hellomornings) I signed up today and am excited to have some virtual accountability and encouragement to be faithful to create this habit.

"For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."
Hebrews 12:11