Gardening-Parenting

Gardening just seems to reaffirm so many things about parenting and there are so many parallels.  I love the constant reminder as I'm working in it.

Gardens need water.  Our children also need water, yes they need this in the physical sense.  But they also need to drink from the Living Water.  I'm reminded of this daily as I water my plants.  I need to make sure that I am also reading to my children daily from scripture so they might drink of the Living Water and have a fuller, more beautiful life.

Gardens need care/time.  They are an effort.  You cannot just let them be.  You must go out there and check on them.  Check to see if there is anything to harvest.  Check to see if there are weeds or if they need more water.  You have to make sure they have the right balance of everything.  Just like children.  They need balance.  You have to spend time with them, and put forth and effort.  If you don't put effort and work into them, you will notice as they get older. 

Gardens need to be kept in check.  My cucumber plants specifically seem to want to take over everything else so I go out there daily and guide it where I would like it to go so that it doesn't go somewhere that it shouldn't.  We must make sure we are guiding our children.  We need to show them the straight path of the Lord and try our best to keep them on the right track.  We need to be training them while they are young so when they are old they will not forget the way they should go.

Gardens need to be cleaned out.  You have to clean out the dead leaves or plants.  You have to pull out the weeds so they don't choke out the good plants.  Again much like our children.  You must recognize the bad fruit in their lives or the weeds that get in the way.  You need to prune them and help them to grow in the way they should go.  You need to make sure there are no weeds choking them up and remove them.

You must be gentle.  When the plants are just starting to grow you need to be careful not to step on them or move them around to harsh or the stems and leaves will break off leaving your plant damaged.  You need to be gentle in your rebuking, correcting, and teaching of your children.  Always do it out of love, never anger.  Make sure you are gentle with them and their spirits as they are fragile and still forming.  This is especially true for me since my children are so young.  I need to make sure I correct them when they do wrong, but in a gentle and kind way.

I know there are probably more, but this ones are the serious reminders to me every time I step foot outside to work in the garden.

Nursing

I am a huge breastfeeding supporter.  I believe it is what God has called me to do in my children's life.  I am blessed that I am able to breastfeed and do not have any medical reason as to why I cannot or why I am not able.  God has also blessed me with two children who are amazing at nursing.  Before you go thinking I am crazy my oldest is weaned-he actually weaned himself at 10 months.  We are pretty sure it was because I was pregnant with my other child and we have been told sometimes a mother's milk changes in her second trimester and the older child will either not notice a difference and keep on nursing.  Or notice a difference and stop completely.  He apparently did the later!

I think every mother should at least attempt to breastfeed.  There are so many benefits they are almost too many to count in my book.  It helps you loose that weight a lot faster than not.  My baby is 8 wks old and I am almost back to my pre pregnancy weight.  Do I still have some flab- sure but that will go away in time. 

I love knowing that I am giving my children what is best for them.  I love being able to supply their every need while they need it.  Soon enough they will not need me for everything and to tell you the truth that makes me a bit sad.  I look forward to seeing them grow, but at the same time I pray they will slow down.  They just grow waaayyy too fast.  I miss my snugly newborn already.  But I love that she is all smiles and has started vocalizing.  I miss my baby boy and all his chubbies.  Now he is still a big boy but not nearly how he was.  He is now trying to walk and is quite independent.  I am blessed however that he still loves his mommy snuggles.  Every morning he has his milk, we get him dressed, and then we go snuggle on the couch and read our Bible for the day. I cherish this time like none other.  I know that time is fleeting and before I know if he will be a grown man leaving for college or getting married. So for now I love my little man and cherish EVERY moment I have with him.

It is free! That is a huge reason I resolved to do it with Elijah.  We simply did not have the money for formula.  I honestly didn't think I would like it or that I would be able to.  Well guess what I could, I loved it and still do, and I don't have to spend any money for food for the first 6 months.  Elijah wouldn't eat anything else until he was 6 month old.  He only wanted me to feed him.  He even fought the bottle and Greg had to bring him up to work a couple of times so I could nurse him!

It's more than just food.  Both of my children loved to be nursed to sleep.  If they were sleepy they would nurse for a couple of minutes and out they would be.  All snuggled up with mommy and in my arms.  I love a sleeping baby, especially one I can hold and snuggle.  They always slept better when they were nursed to sleep and I loved the feeling of them falling asleep in my arms.

It's convenient.  I always giggle to myself when people say a bottle is more convenient than breastfeeding. I ask how??? It is always ready, always just the right temperature, and there is no mixing or messy formula needed.  It is just ready to go.  You also don't have to wash all the bottles unless you are pumping!  In the middle of the night I don't have to stumble around to find the bottle and make sure I mixed everything just right.  I can just nurse and be done!  Often times we fall asleep together and I love that snuggle time. 

I love my middle of the night feedings.  Yes you heard me right.  I LOVE them.  It is just me and the baby.  We snuggle and doze off together at times.  Sometimes I pray over them, or hum songs to them.  But it is alone time for us.  There is nothing more precious.  I also know the time will come when they no longer want to nurse all night and I will be able to sleep so for this short amount of time, it is fine with me. I will cherish and love the moments I am given with my children.

So there you have it.  I love to nurse.  I am proud to nurse.  I also LOVE to be awake and loose sleep because I am nursing them. It means the world to me that I am able to do this amazing thing.

Resolutions

 I have resolved in the past week that I will not spend any time on the computer, and to only do light house work while they are awake.  You may think this seems crazy, but I want them to know that I love them and that they are more important to me than any technology or than having a clean house.  He still takes two naps a day and that should leave me plenty of time to get done what I need.  My bathroom may not be scrubbed so that it is sparkling but you will find happy well loved children.  I am some what of a neat freak so this is something I am slowly learning to let go off.  As far as the house does not have to be perfectly clean at all times, it can be tidy and that will suit us jus fine.  Afterall you can't keep it too clean with kids running around.  We only have one opportunity to raise our children up in the Lord before they are grown and gone, so I am going to make the most of every moment I have with them.

I will do my best to be patient, show self control, be compassionate to others. I need to make sure I am growing the fruits of the Spirit daily in my own life, so that they may see this fruit in my life and want to imitate it. This is rough at times, but each experience is a chance to grow in our walk with the Lord and I will take it as such.

I have also resolved not to yell- I feel that yelling just is a downer in the house. I will still correct my children but it will be with a soft and stern whisper. I have know people who come from this type of environment and they still knew their parents meant business even without the yelling.  This has honestly been the hardest thing I have resolved to do thus far.  Yelling is what I knew, and I can have a quick temper at times.  I will say since I have come to Kansas(that has been almost 4 years now) I have not had one anger outburst.  I would say the calm atmosphere out here helps and the laid back attitude of everyone is also a blessing in disguise. Please pray that I will continue in this way.  This is something I am constantly fearful of coming out now that I have children and one in particular who is starting to learn how to get into trouble without much work!

I have resolved to spend more time in the Word than ever before.  I have finally(I say finally because it seems it has really been hit home in the past week how much more I really need this and how much more I need to pay attention and memorize it) realized how essential the Bible is to teaching and training up your children.  If I do not know exactly what the scriptures say about an issue, how can I train my children?  I must know this book inside and out so that it may affect my life and the lives of those around me.  I pray they will see a difference in me and my family and wonder what it is that makes us so different and unique. That way we can be a light unto the world just as we are called to be.

I have resolved to be constantly learning...learning everything in life.  About nature and the little things I don't know so that I can help my children in any way I am able.  I want to be able to ask them questions and for them to ask me questions and for me to know that answers.  Now I know I will not know the answer to every question, but I resolve to search out the correct answer so that I may be able to train them well.

I will resolve to be content in where I am in life.  I will not try to rush things, I will take my time and love where we are and learn from each stage I am in.  If I learn now hopefully I will not have to go through it again as I have learned my lesson the first time!

I have resolved to be a better steward with the money we are given.  At times honestly it is hard to make ends meet.  But the Lord has always provided.  I need to make sure the money that we have is being spent in an efficient way.  In a way that I can provide for the family but also in a way that I am making it go as far as possible.  I will try to save when possible and I resolve to get out of debt one way or another.  This is something we struggle with all the time, we hate being in debt and because of many of life's circumstances we are in debt.  We are trying to get out and it is an up hill battle it seems but there is a light at the end of this long tunnel.  I have to believe that to give me something to look forward to!  I know God commands us to live debt free and we repent for the money we spent even though it seemed good at the time, we should always be better stewards with our money.

I will resolve to leave the number of children that I have with God.  He knows what is best for my life and I will trust and lean on this fact.  I do not want to miss out on any blessings and I believe children are some of the best blessings you can receive in this life. (yes they can be a challenge at times, but they will teach you things as you go through them)

I'm sure I will have more to add to this list, but in the past weeks these things have really been hitting home with me and I want to make sure I am the best mommy for my children.  God has blessed me with them, He knew I could handle it and He knew that I would train them in the way they should go. Since He knows I can do it, I must rise up to the challenge and train my children up in His way and His way alone so they may grow up to know Him as well.

A Gift!

Children are a GIFT! I know this may go against the cultural norm, but that doesn't bother me one bit.  People may look at me strange when I tell them what we believe and that is fine with me.  I know that every child is a gift and I will take as many as the Lord deems we should have.  People ask if that means I am going to be like that huge family on tv...my reply: If God sees it fit to bless us with that many children.  The Bible tells us they are a gift.  It tells us they are the arrows in our quivers. I love the two children that I have and if God says that is it then so be it.  I will admit I would be a bit sad but maybe we would look into adoption at that point as the Bible also commands us to care for the orphans and the fatherless.

My current children are 16months and 8wks old.  I know they are close and no we did not plan it that way.  We said Lord give us another in your great and perfect timing and he did.  When Elijah was 6 months old we found out we were pregnant again.  Hence her name Athaiah-it means in the Lord's timing because that is exactly when she came!  I can tell you I got a lot of slack for getting pregnant so quickly and for "not knowing what causes that."  I can assure you I am no dummy I am well aware of what causes that.  I also know that the Lord knows all the plans for my life and I am going to trust HIM and HIM alone with what those plans may be.  When we try to plan our lives they fall apart, they bear no fruit, and it stresses us out(at least that has been my experience). So when people ask when I will have the next one or tease me if I'm pregnant again, I just smile and say who knows! Because I don't know, Greg doesn't know, the Dr. doesn't know, only the Creator of the Universe knows and I will trust Him.  We are learning to lean on Him in every aspect of our lives and it can definitely be a struggle at times but we are learning.

I am by no means an expert at parenting and I do not pretend to be.  I am young and am constantly learning.  Each child is unique and different.  On here I will post my experience as we go through the good, the bad, and the ugly.  I believe it is good for people to see us just as we are, not as fakes or as people who don't struggle because we all struggle and go through rough spots.  We all wrestle with ideas and problems.  I just look forward to enjoying the ride God has blessed us with-even the bad and the ugly!