:::the Stephen(sons):::and Lilah girl

In this season of chaos (3 kids ages four and under), there have been a lot of moments of crazy. When the littles outnumber the parents, there are times of being at your wits end and times of "seriously, can we round 7:30 bedtimes to 6pm bedtimes and call it a night?". But truthfully...Truthfully, there has been a conscious decision to learn to see the joy in the chaos...the gratefulness in the times of madness. And I want my kids to know that when they read back on this. And to know that a spirit of peace has to be sought after and chosen on a daily basis.


When I'm trying to cook dinner and everyone's hungry. When Lilah wants to be held right as I'm dumping hot pasta in the strainer, and Pats still stuck at work, and Fin and Cole are taking turns telling me how Starving they are...
I thank God for the food to provide. That I even have a husband to wait on. That He is giving me patience in a time of wanting to be short with the kids (or run out the door:)


When it's bath and bed time and Cole wipes out on the wet floor like he does every night. And "Fin dont dump water on your brothers head...Cole it is JUST water...youre not melting!". And I hear Lilah on the monitor fussing even though I put her down 15 minutes ago. And Finley comes out of his room two times after bedtime to say, "oooo, um, I forgot what I had to say", with a grin...
I am grateful that they're all clean and healthy. That they all WILL eventually settle down and go to sleep. That I will kiss their shiny clean cheeks before turning in and smell the peaceful sleep in their necks. And thank God that they are there. And they are mine.


When we drive to a park and everyone is fussing. And "no you can't climb in the water to catch turtles" and "no I did not bring a snack, we already ate snack before we came. NO I do not have ice water either". And we plop down halfway through a nature walk in the woods so I can nurse a hungry Lilah and smile awkwardly at every walker who tries not to look squeamish about the fact that they know I'm breast feeding. (Sidenote kids: I'm fully covered)...
I am grateful for this time when they are all home with me. When I don't have to share them with teachers and schedules and sports. When pat and I are their everything. And all they know is safeness.





So there is crazy. And plenty of timeouts, and "yay we made it through the day!", and wearing outfits that were also Jammie's the night before. But above all that there is contentment. And knowing this is where God has placed me. And there truly is no other job I would rather be doing. I have what I'd always dreamed of having when I was growing. And I may not have anticipated the nuttiness, but it still is a gift.

Location:Joy in struggles