Steve and I realized, after looking at these pictures, that Titus does indeed need a haircut. In the words of Steve, "boys have short hair not long." Look for pictures of that in the near future. :)
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Mom-Mom Comes to Florida
Steve's mom was just here for a relaxing five day vacation. By relaxing I mean that we stayed in our pajamas until noon and ate chips on the couch while watching HGTV. Steve left just a few hours after she arrived to speak in California at a youth retreat. He had a great time and enjoyed the experience. While he was away, Titus and I enjoyed our company. Titus loved his time with Mom-Mom. Mom-Mom parents, or grandparents, in a way that is so much different from Steve and I. She gave Titus new experiences and brought him so much joy...as he did for her. It was great to see the two of them together and hear him calling for his "Mom-Mom." It was bittersweet as it did make me realize all that Titus is missing out on by not having his extended family nearby. We were so glad to have that time together and are looking forward to more visitors coming in the next few weeks!
Steve and I realized, after looking at these pictures, that Titus does indeed need a haircut. In the words of Steve, "boys have short hair not long." Look for pictures of that in the near future. :)
Steve and I realized, after looking at these pictures, that Titus does indeed need a haircut. In the words of Steve, "boys have short hair not long." Look for pictures of that in the near future. :)
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Mom-Mom's Coming
We're looking forward to having our first guest of the year. Steve's mom is coming to town tonight. Steve will be flying out to California early in the morning tomorrow to speak at a youth conference and I am so happy to have Val here with me while he is gone. I've been telling Titus that Mom-Mom is coming soon (the one day he ran to the door saying "Mom-Mom"). Today when I asked him who is coming tonight, he knew I was talking about his Mom-Mom. I was shocked that he knew without me reminding him. I think he's looking forward to seeing her as much as Steve and I are.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
A Little Relaxing
This makes me laugh every time...
You can go to the bottom of the page and turn the music off to get the full effect :)
You can go to the bottom of the page and turn the music off to get the full effect :)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Chapter Two
Why Good Kids Don't Feel Good
Principle 2: Be Intentional about Knowing Your Child
If as a mom you equate your child's compliance with self-confidence, you will be sadly disappointed.
Nobody knows a child like his mother.
When we know our kids, we recognize their vulnerabilities and weaknesses. We give ourselves permission to see what is actually there, not simply what we want to see.
When a mother doesn't know her child the way the child needs her to, they both suffer.
When a mother learns from her child, she has greater confidence in knowing his needs, grasping the way he processes and learns, and seeing his vulnerabilities. She learns to understand the way her child expresses and receives love; she learns to understand his quirks and fears. She doesn't allow her own biases to get in the way, and she remains teachable in her attitude.
A "student" mom recognizes that each child is born with individual differences, and some with more difficult issues than others.
An intentional mother doesn't fight the differences or difficulties.
She recognizes that God had something in mind when He gave her each child. She trusts that God wants to show her something through her relationship with her "challenge" child that she would not have learned in any other capacity.
Learn to be a student; it keeps the focus on your child and not yourself.
Allow the difficulties of motherhood to become a pathway to knowing your child better, and you will learn a lot about yourself in the process.
Here is an oxymoron of motherhood:
Focusing on your child will teach you about yourself
Focusing on yourself will deprive you of knowing your child
Children are the sandpaper God uses to refine our rough edges.
The mother's voice is the most prevalent voice heard by a child. Our role in our children's identity surfaces quickly in the formation of our child's self-worth.
Intentional mother's have the privilege of taking the knowledge, information, and insight about their children and feeding it back to them so they can begin to formulate a definition of themselves.
Communicating your child's traits to him or her is one of the most important jobs you will ever conduct during your motherhood journey. Your knowledge of them communicated back to them helps your children develop a sense of value, awareness of their gifts and talents, and insights into their values and beliefs.
We moms must remind our kids that no one in the world is like them, and that we are constantly amazed God chose us to be their mother.
The purest love an intentional mother can have for her child is to know her child's weaknesses, flaws, struggles, and issues, and in knowing, love them with acceptance, anticipation, and hope-with God's grace.
Principle 2: Be Intentional about Knowing Your Child
If as a mom you equate your child's compliance with self-confidence, you will be sadly disappointed.
Nobody knows a child like his mother.
When we know our kids, we recognize their vulnerabilities and weaknesses. We give ourselves permission to see what is actually there, not simply what we want to see.
When a mother doesn't know her child the way the child needs her to, they both suffer.
When a mother learns from her child, she has greater confidence in knowing his needs, grasping the way he processes and learns, and seeing his vulnerabilities. She learns to understand the way her child expresses and receives love; she learns to understand his quirks and fears. She doesn't allow her own biases to get in the way, and she remains teachable in her attitude.
A "student" mom recognizes that each child is born with individual differences, and some with more difficult issues than others.
An intentional mother doesn't fight the differences or difficulties.
She recognizes that God had something in mind when He gave her each child. She trusts that God wants to show her something through her relationship with her "challenge" child that she would not have learned in any other capacity.
Learn to be a student; it keeps the focus on your child and not yourself.
Allow the difficulties of motherhood to become a pathway to knowing your child better, and you will learn a lot about yourself in the process.
Here is an oxymoron of motherhood:
Focusing on your child will teach you about yourself
Focusing on yourself will deprive you of knowing your child
Children are the sandpaper God uses to refine our rough edges.
The mother's voice is the most prevalent voice heard by a child. Our role in our children's identity surfaces quickly in the formation of our child's self-worth.
Intentional mother's have the privilege of taking the knowledge, information, and insight about their children and feeding it back to them so they can begin to formulate a definition of themselves.
Communicating your child's traits to him or her is one of the most important jobs you will ever conduct during your motherhood journey. Your knowledge of them communicated back to them helps your children develop a sense of value, awareness of their gifts and talents, and insights into their values and beliefs.
We moms must remind our kids that no one in the world is like them, and that we are constantly amazed God chose us to be their mother.
The purest love an intentional mother can have for her child is to know her child's weaknesses, flaws, struggles, and issues, and in knowing, love them with acceptance, anticipation, and hope-with God's grace.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Baby Names
In my searching to find a name for our next child, I found out something interesting about the name of our first child. We chose the name Titus because we thought it sounds strong and masculine. We chose to his middle name to be Dustin after my brother who died a few years ago. It was our only choice for a boy and we never searched any other boy names. I'm one who likes to know the meaning of a name, but I guess I never looked up the meaning of Titus because it was just a given that if we had a boy that is the name he would have. And honestly, I really thought I was having a girl so maybe that is another reason why I never looked up the meaning...because I didn't think we'd be using the name. Tonight while searching baby name websites I decided to look up Titus. One site said...Titus has an unknown meaning, although some believe it comes from the Greek tio meaning to honor. Another site notes that it means name in honor and goes on to suggest that the child be given an additional first name after Titus, using the name of the person being honored. I thought that so interesting that we did just that. Without even being fully aware of the significance of naming our son Titus Dustin. We truly did honor Dustin.
Blizzards Don't Reach Florida
Well I've been closely "watching" the storm that has been hitting back home. Through the weather channel, various blogs, facebook, e mail, and phone calls I sometimes forget that we are in south Florida and have weather in the 60's-70's. I woke up the one morning half expecting to see a snow covered ground. I am sad to be missing it. I know most who are experiencing the blizzard would love to leave it all behind and spend time in Florida...not I. I have always loved the snow. The beauty and excitement of it. Waiting for it to start, wondering if school will let out early or be cancelled (that's the great part about being married to a teacher...that excitement lasts into adulthood), watching the ground slowly become covered in white. I love it all. It's been hard to be here when all that is going on there. For years to come, people from the north will talk about the Blizzard of 2010....not us. I do forget though the feeling of being stuck inside for days (which seems to be cease with this storm...my parents section of the road just got opened today...three days after the storm hit) and dealing with the slush and mud that comes after the snow has melted. So, for now, we'll enjoy the pictures and remember the snow that we did get to enjoy when we were home for Christmas!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Toddler Days
I like this picture, even though his expression is a little odd (he was eating goldfish), because it shows how much he is changing. Every so often I look at Titus and notice that he's changing his looks and maturing. Today was one of those times. We've been struggling lately with his behavior and I know it has to do with the fact that he is getting deeper into the toddler stage and closer to the terrible two's. Just today I noticed it in his looks also.
The parenting book that I've been posting about has been a good source of encouragement for me in the area of discipline. The book talks so much about developing our children and has helped me to stay consistent and looking at the bigger picture in parenting even though I'm not seeing results immediately. Titus is very (and I mean VERY) strong-willed. That combined with his temper has made for some (many) tough and trying days. We (Steve and I) are at a point where we are understanding his frustration with being unable or not allowed to do something and are working to help Titus through it. I think we have this new sense of urgency also in knowing that, even though it's seven months away, we will soon have two children so we better get the first one under control. :)
Here is our little man at one of his better moments...
Monday, February 1, 2010
Chapter One
A few weeks back I wrote about a motherhood seminar that I went to. The speaker was Catherine Hickem. I've been reading her book titled "Raising Your Children With No Regrets" and underlining a lot. The first Chapter is titled "Why Well-Meaning Moms Raise Insecure Kids" Principle 1: Be Intentional about Understanding Your Purpose.
Here is some of what I underlined (all of it is straight from the book)
You are the single most important female your child will ever know. Regardless of how you feel about your importance, you must begin to immediately recognize your value in the eyes of your child.
We mothers have bought into our culture's diminished view of our role because we underestimate our importance to our children.
A mother's purpose is to give all of herself to uniquely impart values, faith, beliefs, and love into the children with whom she's been entrusted.
Mothering with purpose is to recognize that your very existence defines love, gives life, protects innocence, believes in the impossible, and views life's struggles as opportunities to enrich your children's lives.
A mother knows she is the emotional floor her children will build their lives on until they can transfer that foundation onto God.
When a mother knows her purpose, her children will know theirs.
Trust your instincts as God's way of whispering in your ear His wisdom for your child.
Great moms recognize that there's a connection between their self-perception and their children's.
Secure children know in their head as well as their heart that their mothers love them in spite of the way they behave.
A secure mother who focuses on communicating a sense of gratitude and confidence about being her child's mom uses words that acknowledge her appreciation.
Their (your child's) precious acceptance of us is a gift- one we should cherish and take as seriously as if it were coming from the most important adult in our lives.
Raising children who are confident in whom God created them to be comes from mother's who are intentional about living a healthy identity first.
One of the blessings of being a mother is that God uses children to make us grow.
They (an intentional mother) recognize that a child who is internally confident, peaceful, and secure springs from a mother who sees herself from God's perspective.
When a mother gives her children something she didn't receive as a child herself, God heals her heart in the process.
Intentional mothers know who they want their children to be as people, and therefore they set out on a course to make it happen.
On your journey, don't take things for granted or assume you'll have plenty of time to tackle it later. Recognize that it will take an entire childhood and adolescence to instill the things that really matter. This process is called parenting. More specifically-motherhood.
Here is some of what I underlined (all of it is straight from the book)
You are the single most important female your child will ever know. Regardless of how you feel about your importance, you must begin to immediately recognize your value in the eyes of your child.
We mothers have bought into our culture's diminished view of our role because we underestimate our importance to our children.
A mother's purpose is to give all of herself to uniquely impart values, faith, beliefs, and love into the children with whom she's been entrusted.
Mothering with purpose is to recognize that your very existence defines love, gives life, protects innocence, believes in the impossible, and views life's struggles as opportunities to enrich your children's lives.
A mother knows she is the emotional floor her children will build their lives on until they can transfer that foundation onto God.
When a mother knows her purpose, her children will know theirs.
Trust your instincts as God's way of whispering in your ear His wisdom for your child.
Great moms recognize that there's a connection between their self-perception and their children's.
Secure children know in their head as well as their heart that their mothers love them in spite of the way they behave.
A secure mother who focuses on communicating a sense of gratitude and confidence about being her child's mom uses words that acknowledge her appreciation.
Their (your child's) precious acceptance of us is a gift- one we should cherish and take as seriously as if it were coming from the most important adult in our lives.
Raising children who are confident in whom God created them to be comes from mother's who are intentional about living a healthy identity first.
One of the blessings of being a mother is that God uses children to make us grow.
They (an intentional mother) recognize that a child who is internally confident, peaceful, and secure springs from a mother who sees herself from God's perspective.
When a mother gives her children something she didn't receive as a child herself, God heals her heart in the process.
Intentional mothers know who they want their children to be as people, and therefore they set out on a course to make it happen.
On your journey, don't take things for granted or assume you'll have plenty of time to tackle it later. Recognize that it will take an entire childhood and adolescence to instill the things that really matter. This process is called parenting. More specifically-motherhood.
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