the 52 Project:: a portrait of my children once a week & every week in 2014
Lena: She loves to color, but only with someone else, and really she prefers to watch the other person coloring instead of coloring much herself. I took the photo during a rare few minutes when she was content to continue on her own. Her need for interaction is exhausting, but I’ve been trying to tell myself more lately to be grateful for it because pretty soon she’ll be 18 and in college. Right??
Gil: He is Mr. Independent these days, and he is also determined to start walking ASAP. His new thing is to grab any object light or small enough (chair, riding toy, small table, my legs…) and push it in front of him as he toddles around as quickly as he can. He had just scooted this wooden box to this pole, and I snapped the photo as he dove headfirst into it to pull out some wooden blocks. His tiptoes and determination had me laughing out loud.
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How was your weekend? It’s been alternatively sunny or pouring rain (and hail!) here, but I’ve managed to get outside with the kids every day, and that helps my sanity. Learned that important lesson over the holidays!
For reasons I can’t share yet, this week is a long and tiring one for me, and I find myself praying often for patience and grace with our little children. There is so much I aspire to be: a faithful wife and friend, a creative mother, a fabulous cook, a maturing Christian. And yet so often the little ones’ needs and requests become the sum of my entire day, and then the day is done, and then the cycle starts again in the morning.
I love that Annie Dillard quote: “How we spend our days is, after all, how we spend our lives.” How we spend our moments, too, is how we spend our days. I long so much to be able to look back and know that — even if my “achievements” were lost in a hubbub of snack making, outfit changing, and book reading — I lived these moments of these days with God-given patience, mercy, and thoughtfulness.
But oh patience! how elusive you are! A little boy is crying for me after his nap, so I’ll have to end here, but… any tips on how to cultivate it?
That picture of Gil!!!!!
:-)
Your children are so darn cute and Gil already getting into loads of mischief. Patience? I think the best thing is to be in the moment and you can only do one thing at time- at least thats what I tell myself- when my daughter is screaming and throwing her toys :) lol
I do think you’re right. If I just focused on what is really going on (emotions, anger, hurt, reaction, best response, big picture, etc.) instead of just focusing on how I *thought* this should go, I’d probably have a lot more grace!
I love the tippy toes!! If you find out the secret to patience you let me know ;) I have found that I have good days and bad. Enjoy the good ones and breathe through the bad ones. I know the feeling of having so many non-mom things I want to get done and at the end of the day it seems like I haven’t done any of them. It feels like a constant game of catch-up. I have found that I need to remind my self to stay in the moment and know this is the life I have always wanted. {{{hugs}}} and sending you good vibes!
“This is the life I have always wanted.” Good reminder! I didn’t really imagine myself here before I was married, but I think it was an unconscious assumption that I hoped I could one day do this. I always wanted to be a mom. And be there for my kids, even in the bad moments. So… here I am. :-)
love those pics! it helps me to remember that no matter what my days look like, it’s not about me and what kind of job i did that day. i’m loved no matter what. you are, too.