(And All My) Work Be Praise

Confession (and please, no hurt feelings; I'm processing my own emotional struggles, not pointing any fingers): I've often scoffed a little bit at people who use phrases like "my heart is so full" or similar sentimental gushing.  Maybe it's because I've failed to adequately recognized God's blessings when I see them.  Maybe it's because I allow my cynical side to dominate far too often.  Maybe it's because admitting happiness requires a certain level of vulnerability that I have been reticent to display.  (Maybe it's all of the above.) But I have to say: Ambling down the quiet sidewalk of my cul-de-sac, my bucket-hatted toddler splashing through puddles to my left, clutching his favorite blue car (just like Daddy's big car) in one hand and demanding to hold not just one finger but my whole hand with the other, and my roly-poly infant babbling quietly under his too-big baseball cap in the carrier on my chest, under blue-sky-white-cloud s...

I've been waiting for this day for years. Yes, really.  People keep asking me how I feel about turning thirty.  Apparently, I'm supposed to be horrified at the prospect of entering a new decade.  I'm not.  Here's why: For ease of argument, let's say that the "20s" actually extends from 18-29.  How extraordinarily much does life change in those twelve years?  Choose a college. Choose a major.  Find a career. Get married.  Buy a house.  Start having kids.  Move as many times as those changes require, finding new living spaces/churches/friends as needed.  Oh yeah, and try to stay out of debt while you're at it. My 20s included all of those things, several of them more than once.  A few long-distance moves (to Wales, to Albuquerque, to Baltimore), an abruptly-ended first marriage, a surprising passion for a career I always thought I'd hate (teaching piano lessons) . . .  I've spent the majority of the past deca...

I'm so glad I decided to blog about some of these issues that make me nervous to say out loud (or, write for the general public, as it were).  Here are some things I've discovered (or changes that have occurred) from/since writing my last several posts: 1. It might be easier than I expected to convince me to pay attention to at least some political issues, particularly those that pertain to the education of my children.  More investigation planned on that front. 2. Even if Levi was talking exceptionally well for his age, he still would not be participating in any dialogue regarding his tantrums.  I'm expecting too much too soon. 3.  I absolutely refuse to leave the "ue" off of the word "dialogue," no matter how many times spell check insists that it should be "dialog." 4. In my "clean without chemicals" campaign [hey, what a great slogan!], I have begun cleaning my shower with baking soda, a loofah (for the tile), and a toothb...

As I've been browsing books and blogs on diffusing toddler tantrums, I've come to the conclusion that most people (or at least most of the people I've encountered) have the same basic idea: get your child to a location where he can take some time to calm down, and when he's calm, talk through the issue. That's great and all, but what about for a child like mine, that doesn't talk?  While Levi does an amazing job of communicating with official "baby signs" and his own special brand of gestures, at this point, he's definitely not going to verbalize for me that he's angry because I made him hold my hand in the parking lot or sign "please" before he got a snack.   I  can talk to him , certainly, providing the words he doesn't yet have -- "I understand that you are feeling hungry/angry/frustrated/sad" -- but I have no way of knowing how much he's processing. Yesterday I allowed Levi to play at the kitchen sink while I...

From mom groups and mom books and mom friends, I understand the basic principle that children need boundaries and actually thrive more with rules than without them.  I've never been afraid of the need to set limits for my children and discipline them accordingly. Until my 20-month-old started throwing temper tantrums.  Throw-yourself-on-the-floor-kicking tantrums.  In public.  [I called my mom in a panic: "This isn't supposed to start until he's 2 years old!  I want my four months back!"]  Most recently, I had to leave a group of friends in a large grocery store and race to the car with my double stroller, Levi jumping frantically in his seat the whole way.  Let me tell you, it was unbelievably tempting to just let him have his way (in this case, being allowed to roam the store and parking lot without holding a parent's hand). I've noticed something in the last month of tantrums, though.  When I persevere -- when I am calm but firm, patient bu...

Lately, I find myself getting very frustrated at very small things.  It's the product of a lot of sleepless nights, a sinus infection that has dragged on for weeks, and the general day-to-day of life with two small children.  Today, I'm choosing to find the bright spots in my day: --Since Levi slept poorly and woke up early, I made a to-do list at 4am and got an early start on my laundry. --Since I melted our microwave cover on a hot burner, my microwave is staying cleaner due to frequent scrubbings. --Since I planned to change Levi's outfit before tonight's event anyway, it doesn't matter that he dropped huge chunks of banana and oatmeal in his lap.  And since I mopped the floor yesterday, he can even eat the banana chunk he dropped under his high chair.  (Yep.  I'm that kind of person.) --Since I'm a perfectionist and a people-pleaser, having a guest come into town who hates clutter has forced me to deal with piles and piles of stuff I didn't expe...

Do you follow politics?  I don't.  At all, unless Isaac thinks I ought to know something and enlightens me. Over the past week, my brother Jeff and I have had some interesting discussions of the sort I usually avoid, since I don't know anything about it.  I dared to use the phrase "politically liberal," which he immediately dubbed a "phrase to eschew," as "the [liberal and conservative] platforms are so broad that they're horribly inconsistent."  (I only just barely know what he's talking about.)  As a way of exonerating myself from having blundered, I confessed that I pay very little attention to politics and simply vote as my husband leads.  I fully expected Jeff to jump on that, berating me for my ignorance and lack of active participation.  To prepare for his impending attack, I started analyzing why I am so content to let Isaac do the research and tell me how to vote. The simple answer?  I trust him.  I married someone I knew I cou...