sweaty moments

Bethany was inconsolable from the pain of getting her first shots today
(she screamed whenever she was awake today).
Parker came home sick from work, and I felt helpless to him.
And then I went to pick Abigail up from Mother's Day Out,
and had to sign two accident reports...
she got bit hard by another child, and also fell on the playground and busted her lip open.
oh, and I'm a little delirious from nursing Bethany all night last night.
What a day it was.

null

As soon as we got home from picking a very grumpy Abigail up at school,
I immediately whipped out the boob for Bethany
because she had screamed the whole drive home.
Bethany would not calm down enough to nurse,
and I was desperately trying to get her to, so that she
would not wake my sick husband who was trying to rest.
And i was feeling like I was neglecting Abigail who
had just had her feelings hurt at school.

Needless to say, I was having what I call a "sweaty moment"...
you know those crazy moments where you just start sweating from the intense stress?
(or maybe you don't and I just have a sweating problem)
It's like its just the mode my body goes into
when I am super stressed and cannot calm myself down.

But my sweet Abigail...oh, my sweet little girl.
She should've been in a worse spot than anyone...
she DID just get bit by a friend AND had a bloody lip.

But instead of continuing to whine for more "baba" like she had been in the car,
she stopped, assessed the "situation" and decided to switch into a different mode.
(yes, I am amazed at this little two-year-old)

null

She disappeared and came back with"baby's paci" to offer to a still-screaming Bethany.
She patted Bethany's head ever so gently while I tried to console her,
saying "awww Bethy Baby, whaaas wrong Bethy Baby? Youre okay Bethy Baby!"

I was SO struck by her actions.
Her unquestioning calmness definitely outdid my stressful intensity.
It's like she recognized the need for peace in the situation,
and demonstrated that by her actions, and the change of her whole demeanor,
going from whiny and tired, to helpful and concerned.

Wow. If only I could operate better like that in my sweaty moments.
Be able to just stop, breathe, and ask God for grace to get through it.

null

We went upstairs to check on Daddy and put Abigail down for a nap,
Bethany still screaming the whole time.
When we got up to the bedroom Abigail tripped over something and started screaming herself.

But I took a lesson in peace from my sweet daughter...a lesson i learned just minutes before.

I put both girls on the bed, hugged them, gave them their pacis, and just prayed out loud.
prayed for the Lord's peace and healing to fall on them and bring them security in that moment.
And seriously, they both stopped crying, they both became calm.
and so did I.

I need prayer and peace to be my "go-to" mode...it is much better than sweat.


linking up here today:
Photobucket



Busy Bag Swap!

My old Mommy and Me group
got together in Dallas last weekend to do a "Toddler Busy Bag Swap"...
Busy Bags to carry with us for our Busy Toddlers. :)

There were 8 of us, so each person made 8 bags of our activity,
and then we each grabbed one!
Now I've got 8 different portable activity bags to take with me wherever needed...
doctor's office, restaurant, car trip, etc.

null

Our kiddos had not seen each other in a long time, so they played hard while all us mommies got to catch up a bit.
They spent some good time jumping in Clark's crib...
Abigail clearly had fun. :)

null

OK so here are the activities everyone made...
Each person just put them in Ziploc bags or in pencil bags.
These were all awesome ideas, (several from Pinterest I'm sure!)

color sorting with paint samples
null

velcro popsicle sticks - can attach and make shapes
null

counting cards - with numbers and dots
null

stencil coloring
null

"build a sandwich" - with fabric pieces and in a sandwich shaped tupperware
null

"button train"
null

felt face with lots of "features" to play with
null

matching animal cards
null

So fun, right?!
I can't wait to use these...they'd even be good rainy day activities,
things to only bust out every now and then to keep it fun.

null

Our littles all had a BLAST together!
They even snored all together in Clark's crib...CUTEST thing ever.

null

the "seconds"...

null

Abigail and one of her BFF's Maddy "catching up" over some fun toys.

null

Thanks to Rose for hosting us...
I love all you mamas and cherish you so much!!

*If you have an up-and-coming toddler...I highly recommend making bags like these!
they are seriously life-savers sometimes!*

Hebrews 12:1

{the heart of this blog}

"Therefore since we are surrounded by such a huge cloud of witnesses to this life of faith,
let us strip off every weight that holds us down...
and RUN with endurance the race God has set before us.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus,
the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

Because of the JOY awaiting Him,
he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.
Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.

Hebrews 12:1