random things I hear, part 2

I just found this post that I guess I never finished. It's funny that I find it today after just writing about the random things I hear the girls say. Because along with their crazy commentary, I also listen to and answer the exact same questions every single day, many times a day.


I'm at the shop today and have the girls with me. At the moment, they are in the back watching Beauty and the Beast. Again.

They always like to know exactly what is going to happen next. We are always having the same conversations. "What are we going to do when we get up from nap?" "What are we going to eat for lunch?"  "What are we going to do after we eat lunch?" "Are we going to the shop in the morning?" "Are we going to school in the morning?" "Is Gran going to be there?" "Are we going to stay at the shop until it is dark?" "Will Daddy be home when we wake up?"

 "Is Daddy working with PaPa and Ricky today or is he at his office?"

 And so on. 

I don't mind answering them over and over again. Because our typical routine appears to be so scattered, it seems to give them some comfort to know what to expect. It almost makes things go more smoothly. Except, that is, when plans change. They always call me out about it. Even if the change in plans benefits them, they still seem to be bothered by it. Especially Addie. "But, Mommy, you said we were doing this today!"

Yesterday morning my mom called and offered to work so we could stay home. "Hooray!" I thought. "The girls will be so excited!" I had told the girls the night before that we would have to stay at the shop all day. That morning when I was fixing breakfast for them, Addie didn't want to sit down. She wanted to change clothes instead. Then she went to her room for a while. I figured she just wasn't hungry and wanted to play. When she finally came out, she wanted to know when we were going to the shop. When I told her we were staying home, she looked disappointed. It was then that I realized that she had been packing a bag of toys to take with her. My sweet little planner. 

Once Addie decided that it was okay to stay home, we had a really nice, lazy day together. Thanks, Gran! 

random things I hear, part 1

Remember that show Bill Cosby used to do called "Kids say the darndest thing"? He would start a conversation with a child and the entire show would have you laughing 'til you cried just because kids are so funny.

 Sometimes I feel as if I'm watching my children on an episode of that show. I'm almost afraid to think too hard about what they say to others when I'm not around! Especially considering the things I do hear....

"He said that word that PaPa Jimmie said that we're not supposed to say."
Both Addie and Avie to me every single time they watch Beauty and the Beast. The word "stupid" is forbidden in our home. The girls heard my father-in-law say it once. I'm fairly sure they have no intentions of letting him live it down. Ever. "Bored" and "boring" are also forbidden. Watch yourself!

"Boys have to do this when they go potty."
Avie to me as she demonstrated. No, we're not sick and demented people...she is in the two year old class at school and some of the children in her class are still potty training. It isn't our fault she turned 3 just a few weeks after starting school and is much older than the other children in her class. It also isn't our fault that she is extremely observant. Don't worry, though. I talked to her about it. But that doesn't mean she won't tell everyone she sees about it.

"Did you know that birds go poop?"
Addie to her Aunt Marshie during our weekly Sunday lunch. There was a really nasty looking spot on the car door that morning so I guess it was on her mind.

"Mommy, your hiney is getting big!"   

Avie to me on any given day. And, yes, Avie, it is. I was aware of that before you said it out loud.

"What did you eat?"

Avie to me as she tries to pull my mouth open so she can stick her nose inside it and sniff. I hadn't eaten anything. I had just brushed my teeth and she thought I was hiding chewing gum from her. What kind of cruel mother does she think I am?!

"Hurry, before mommy sees it!"    

Addie to Avie at any given moment. They haven't figured out that mothers always know everything. Even when they aren't looking. Especially when there is a baby monitor in the room.

"Mommy, say, 'Night night, Ballie.'"   

Avie to me because lately she insists that we call her Ballie and not Avie. Haven't figured that one out yet.

"No, you be the baby and I'll be the mommy." 

Avie to Addie because playing "house" is their favorite thing to do! (yes, that means after about four years, something besides "dress-up" has taken the top spot!!)

"Mommy, you need to take a bath because you smell like daddy." 

Addie to me after I'd been outside blowing leaves.

"If I fall in the potty, my friends will say, 'eeew, Avie's yucky.'"

Avie to me as she explained why she needed my help in the restroom.

"God is bigger than any monsters. He is bigger than everything!"

Addie explaining to Avie why she shouldn't be scared.

"I bet it was very stinky with all those animals on that boat!"
Addie to me after talking Noah and the ark at school one day. She's probably right. I bet it was stinky!


And that is only a very small taste of they random things I hear. Many of them I try to forget as soon as they say them. I don't even want to think about how bad it would be if they were boys!!
So, if you find yourself in conversation with my sweet little girls, just try to remember that I had absolutely nothing to do with it!!

This is not where I belong, Part 2



I know, here I go again with the songs. This just another song that is speaking to my heart right now, helping me to make sense of everything.

The video below is without a doubt, the best "skit" I've ever seen. I've have never, ever been able to watch it without sobbing. Please take a few minutes to see for yourself how amazing it is.

See how happy the girl is in the beginning with her relationship with Christ? He is taking care of her. He is providing everything she could ever possibly need. She is completely content with Him. That is, until the world steps into her life.

Did you notice how sweet the world seems to be in the beginning? How easily it pulls her away from Jesus? 

Do you see that Jesus never leaves her? He stays as close to her as possible, yet He won't force her to come back. 

Notice how one thing of the world just leads to another?

Notice how each new thing places itself between the girl and Jesus, creating more and more distance? Even when she looks back and tries to see Him, they are standing in her way, blocking her view. 

Although the world started out sweet in the beginning, and each thing appeared to make the girl happy as she first came into contact with it, it ended up hurting her and eventually causing her to hurt herself.

The most powerful part comes when the girl finally decides that Jesus is all that she wants and all that she needs. That is also the most scary part. See how hard she has to fight? See how brutal they are in pushing her back and pulling her down? Did you notice that as she began to fight her way back to Him, Jesus began pulling the girl back towards Him? He is fighting right along with her. It would be so easy for her to just give up. I am so glad that she doesn't. Seeing her continue to struggle to reach Him, Jesus throws Himself over her and protects her. He blocks everything evil from being able to reach her so that she won't be harmed anymore. Then He gently picks her up and dusts her off and embraces her. 

I said before that I can't watch this video without sobbing. Although the things of the world that came into my life may have been somewhat different that those in the video, this is a pretty much my own personal testimony. And thankfully, my testimony has the same triumphant ending as the skit you just watched. 

But what if it could have been different? What if the girl in the video had been better prepared when the world first enticed her? What if she had a better foundation upon which to stand? What if she had the strength to run back to Jesus and fight for Him before she was so wounded by the world? Before the world had come so far between them?

This is my prayer for my children. Not that they will never experience anything at all in life and that they will live their entire life in a bubble (as many people assume). No, my prayer for them is that they will be prepared when the world makes its attack on them. Because I know that attack is coming. 

This is why I have chosen to "shelter" them. Not because I think that I can protect them forever. But because I want to protect them long enough for their faith to give them a firm foundation upon which to stand. Then, when they choose on their own to fight for Jesus, He will be there to protect them.