This past week has been a bit rough here with the Red 3 + Me. I feel like sometimes, we just have those difficult weeks, you know? Life with a 1.5 year old and 3.5 year old is just so unpredictable. I'm learning more and more as time and life goes on with little ones, that life isn't always going to go according to a plan. Not my plan, not any plan. Tough lessons for this type-A planner and doer. But life does go according to God's plan and we've got to just hop on for the ride. He's got this, we just need to trust Him and rely on Him. He will see us through the difficult and unchartered territory in life. Sometimes, this picture below is life. And I'm feeling more and more at peace with it as time goes on.
Curly Girl has been acting out and testing the boundaries a lot lately. I'm not sure if it's an almost-4-year-old thing, or her strong-willed personality. She wants to be the boss, she wants to be in control and she wants to have the last word. All the time. She's going to make a fantastic CEO someday, but right now, we're having to teach her that we are the authorities over her and that God is our ultimate authority. I think I'm learning as much as she is through all of this. Life lessons being learned the challenging (difficult?) way for both Mommy and Curly Girl. We'll get through this phase, just like we always do!
Huge thanks to Kara Lynn Bird Photography for using the kids are her models!
But despite her difficult-to-deal-with personality, she is really great. Like really, really great. She can be so tender and caring with Ginger Boy and attends to his needs so sensitively. She also can be so thoughtful, like wanting to make cards and draw pictures for friends and family all the time. And she sure does love her Mommy. She tells me she misses me when I'm away from her. We're talking being away for an hour or so at a time when I take a bootcamp class and a shower at the YMCA or go out to tutor for an hour in the evenings. Super cute. I wish and hope that she'll always miss me in these ways, but I know that they'll come to an end all too soon. I thank and praise God every day for the great girl she is and the girl she will become someday.
Huge thanks to Kara Lynn Bird Photography for using the kids are her models!
Another thing that's been going on here is that I had gum grafting surgery in a third location in my mouth a few days ago. Unfortunately, I was not as well-prepared as I could have been for the surgery. It's like I had other things demanding my attention, or something? I had two other locations done 7 years ago - Pre husband and Pre kids. I was able to recover a bit more easily than this time around. Icing could happen more frequently, as well as laying on the couch for hours on end. Not really the case this time. And I didn't prepare enough with stocking up on soft foods. Actually, I didn't get any soft foods at all. We always have yogurts, so I've had that, and I've made a couple of fruit and veggie smoothies, but besides that, I got nothing. My bad. And there's more swelling this time, like chipmunk cheek swelling. I don't remember being this swollen last time, but it was in a different location, so that could be why. I don't know. Just hoping for some major healing in the next couple of days! There's only so much TV and movies I can let the kids watch because I don't have the energy or pain tolerance to do anything else with them... :)
But through all of these difficult things this week (forgot to mention our epic grocery shopping trip, spilling hot coffee all over my leg and into my crotch while driving a few days ago, as well as the chore and effort of getting to the mall with two little ones only to have the ONE store I needed to go to be closed for inventory...) like I was saying, through all of these things, I've realized that there is always God's grace. And His mercies. No matter how many difficult things I go through, or how many times I feel like I've messed up as a mom, He is always there. And when I ask, He will forgive me and help me through these difficult days. He'll be there as long as I ask. I think the reason he leads me through so many trials is to teach me to depend on him more. And to show me that things get better when He's included as part of my daily life.
To end, I'm going to share the lyrics of a song that I've been listening to A LOT lately. Like listening on repeat in the car and during my gum grafting surgery. It often brings me to tears, but it is a great reminder of the greatness that is our God.
Never Once
by Matt Redman
Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we've come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us
Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You've done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us
Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much Youve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us
Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone
Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore well be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
