[May 2013: Edited to remove photos that someone else had placed in
place of MY photos. On my blog. Sigh. If you're here, my apologies
for the photo-less post.]
I have meant every day this week to put up these pictures, but each day has gotten away from me before I could do it. It's been a busy week, with out-of-town cousins to play with, social workers coming to check on our Addie, a doctor's appointment, playdates, and the regular work of laundry, meals, and cleaning.
And we've had a child this week who is clearly making it his mission to make me want to run away from home, so there's that, too. On Wednesday of this week, I called Mark at work at 9:00 in the morning, sobbing, and asking him to come home. [I think by that time we'd had about 5 incidents of hitting, pushing, or lying, and I was at my wits end. At 9 in the morning. Never a good start to the day.] Mark came home, listened to me while I cried it all out, encouraged me, prayed for me, and headed back to work. We still had a really rough day, but we managed, and I did feel strengthened to handle each incident. The following two days have been just as challenging, but we're still all in one piece.
I find it challenging, these days, to face each infraction anew-- without keeping a record of the previous wrong(s) and letting those cloud my correction for the incident at hand. Am I making any sense? It's like I come at each offense with an angry, irritable heart already, and then respond (usually wrongly) to the offender. We never begin with a clean slate. So I'm working on that.
And now here I am, rambling, and all I was going to do was post pictures. Whoops!
::with some uncles, a couple of cousins, and grandpa... on the dock::
::grandpa, with two tired little boys::
::uncle k, walking with isaac and isaias::
::holding a pole for the first time (i'm totally bummed i had to miss this!)::
::this right here is serious business::
::by the campfire with daddy and three of the uncles::
::mark was trying to figure out what isaac was doing behind this grass, here::
::why, licking the dew off the blades, of course!::
::exploring. i love this picture::
::and this one::
::that's one proud fisherman!::
::um, and can i just say again, i'm REALLY bummed i missed this part?::
::what's a boys' camping trip without a little football?::
::and a nap, on the boat::
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Great pictures. Fortuantely we have a video of our Isaac catching his first fish last summer....it's one of my favorites. He was actually afraid of the fish LOL!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny...I was thinking just this morning how different my son is at five then he was even at 4. The 2-4 age range for us was as you described in your post and more! I had a faithful friend who told me to keep doing what I know is right (godly child training)and the fruit will show at some point. I remember some very discouraging times. He would push me like no human ever has :o(. Anyway he has turned a corner in the area of kindness, obedience and anger in the last little while. It has been a long rode but I see the truth in scripture of how my children are a blessing to me because though not sinlessly we are raising our kids his way. His promises are always true as well as His faithfulness.
The time will come when you will see the fruit of all your hard work and commitment to his little heart. I will be praying for you. It's no picnic for sure!
What great pictures!!!
ReplyDeleteI love those pictures! Especially licking the dew off the grass: who'da thunk it? :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Stacy :) These pictures are wonderful! So glad that your guys had fun.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry about the tough days! I know what you mean about carrying the frustration from one incident to the next - ugh. It's something I'm working on here, too.
Praying with you! Love, Q
My son (adopted from India) is 2 1/2. It seems like daily, I tell him the same things over and over again. I'm hoping that consistancy will pay off. ;o) He had such sleeping trouble when he first came home, and we are still struggling with that, although MUCH less frequently. Yet, the times that he is up for say 3 hours in the middle of the night I find it hard to stay patient and calm. I'm struggling with that issue as well. I think any mom does.
ReplyDeletePraying for you!
Man-0-Man, what great little fishermen! Looks like they had a memory making trip. They are SOOO adorable!
ReplyDeleteStac!! How much fun?? I love all these pictures...looks like the boys had so much fun!!!
ReplyDeleteStacy, I am so sorry your days have been tough ones.
ReplyDeleteI have one of those difficult boys right now myself. For us we just try and do the same things everyday and hope that sooner or later something will click. I totally understand the coming at an offense already angry. If I would describe myself these days in one word, that would be it...angry. God is working with me right now as much as my little man.
I loved all the pictures of the "men" and their weekend. What a fun time for your boys.
What a great boys weekend - fab!
ReplyDeleteAnd I TOTALLY know where you are coming from with hard days - our boys are almost 4, and 2.5 ...I don't need to say more...!
We read a great thing last year about child rearing being similar to growing bamboo (?!), which echoes a comment above - ie the roots grow big, you don't see anything, and then suddenly a year later you see huge growth, and can't believe it! We have see that a bit this year with our oldest, and it does feel good after all that hard work.
So...keep it up! :-) Will remember to pray for you too as I pray into my days.