Guarding Her Heart...

S is my oldest daughter.  Like it or not she gets to be the one that leads us first into all of this unfamiliar parenting territory.  I remember when my kids were little thinking, about how much I would love it when my kids got school age.  Not that I didn't like the stage they were in, but I was ready for a break from the physical exhaustion, temper tantrums, dirty diapers, etc.  It seems like just yesterday when I had that thought and here I am, all my kids are school age. 

Yes, I am loving that they can be a little more independent.  They can fix themselves a snack, dress themselves, bathe themselves, and on a good day maybe even brush their own teeth! But with all this independence comes these grey areas of parenting.  Now that I am not up at night with a baby, I am awake, wondering about my decisions, praying that we are making the right choices, and that what we want to teach our kids is getting through.

Just this week S and I had a difference of opinion over a book she wanted to read. I had heard of the book and the movie and knew that some of her friends had read the book.  In fact, one of her friends had loaned her the book to read.  I try to make educated decisions about what I choices I make for my kids.  I had originally thought that the book would be okay for S to read.  Her friends mom called me to let me know that her daughter had loaned S the book.  I am so glad my daughter has friends with great parents that are aware of what their children are doing.  I am so thankful she was considerate enough to call and let me know she had loaned S the book.  It is so difficult to monitor the books S is reading.  They don't have ratings and reviews like movies and I don't have time to read every book that she reads before I read them.  Anyway, I did read the first couple of chapters in the above mentioned book and decide that the subject content was way too heavy for my 10 year old.  Trying to explain this too my child was quite challenging.  I love her more than she understands and I am accountable to God for guarding her heart in every way I can for as long as I can. As we were talking God brought to mind the verse..." Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things". Eph 4:8.  I pointed out to her that the content in that book did not fit any of those categories.  Even though we had a few tears, she respected me for my decision, and took the book back to her friend the following morning.  She told me that she told her friend that I thought the book was too sad for her to read, but not to tell anybody.  Oh how I love that girl!  S, I am so proud of how you handled yourself.

I know this is just the beginning handling conflict and differences of opinions with my children.  I know that sometimes I am going to be the only mom in the group who makes the decisions I make. (Ha!, I  just thought peer pressure was over). And sometimes, that is going to be very difficult for me and my children...I just have to remember that I am fighting a battle for my children.  Satan wants to destroy my children. He wants to make them useless and defeated as Christians.  I know that it is really not me fighting this battle, it is Christ through me.  What a great assurance that I do not fight this alone.  I have the God of this universe on my side who loves my children more than I ever could. So I will seek to  continually lift them up in prayer, do everything I can to guard their hearts and minds from the enemy, and teach them what is right and true. Lord take my insuffiencey,my flawed parenting, and the mess that I make of things and somehow use me to guard my children's hearts and minds so they will see YOU clearly.  I just have to remember through all the daily difficulty that I am fighting a battle. Satan wants to conquer my family, but we have the God of the universe on our side and we already know HE will arise victorious!!!!!

Parenting 001

Parenting 001

First Day of School!

I snagged these two pictures right before we walked all the kiddos into their first day of school.  As you can see all the little people seemed calm, cool, and collected.  I guess my favorite memory was giving Miah a quick squeeze and a hug and telling her to have a great day.  As I walked back down the hall, and our of M's sight, I let the tears fall.  S and E were still with us, taking full advantage of waiting as long as possible to go into their classrooms.... as I looked over, S had tears in her eyes too.  She was as emotional about M starting school as I was.  I love all my kiddos and the relationship they have with each other.  (Maybe this sweet story will help me when I am dealing with fighting and bickering in a few hours...)

Ready and Waiting!

Bags are packed, forms signed, lunches made, and clothes picked out. My kiddos are ready and waiting for the first day of school tomorrow. I have thought about this moment for years. Laughed about my anxiety over all my kids going to school. Marveled about how I have not been alone for any significant time in over 10 years... My brain says "It is time, this is just exactly as it should be, but my heart is not quite there yet." My heart wants to hold on just a little longer, to keep my kids little and under my wings. I am so thankful for those precious years I have had with each one of my children. I know things have to change and change is the only way for my children to grow and become the young people and adults that I pray daily for them to become. It is just so bitter sweet to experience this change. Oh well, enough of all if that. Tomorrow is M's first day of Kindergarten. She is so excited! She has been counting down the days. I don't dare let her know that I am the least bit sad, because I don't want to add any anxiety to her special day. She told me tonight that tomorrow was going to be the "best day ever". M God has a special plan for you and part of that plan is growing and gaining your independence. I am so glad that you are excited about school. So tomorrow I will take you to school, walk you to your class and give you a big hug and a smile... Because I know you will have the "best day ever"!!!!

First Tooth!

M is officially snaggle tooth! She lost her tooth while camping last week. It had been very lose and I was expecting it to come out any day! She was very excited, but a little worried the tooth fairy wouldn't find her in the camper! She was relieved to wake up and discover that the tooth fairy came through even in the camper!!!!

Camping at Moccasin Creek

We had a great time camping with Brad and Allison at Moccasin Creek State Park! This was a beautiful campground surrounded by the North Ga mountains, waterfalls, and lake Burton. The weather could not have been better and Brad and Allison had the inside scoop on the best hikes and waterfalls in the area. The mountains and forest area was beautiful. There is nothing more amazing to me than a beautiful waterfall in the thick green wooded mountains. The fact that temp was probably twenty degrees cooler in those mountains was just perfect. The smells, the sounds, the testimony God everywhere you look is indescribable . . It has been a long time since I have seen anything that beautiful. The kids had a great time tubing in Helen and both of my girls got up on skies!! A great trip with great company and lots of great memories made.