So, summertime is wonder time, right? With a 9 year old and 3 year old, we have wondered about the little things in our own backyard and wandered to broaden our perspective as well. It’s been a good summer so far, but definitely a challenging one! Anyone who has a 3 year old ‘knows’ about the challenging part, right? I mean, seriously!?! It’s not that we have had the most compliant well behaved child by any means in our spunky toddler, but what. just. happened? I am definitely in the thick of it raising this one! She is super affectionate (on her own terms when it’s her idea), heart melting, and fierce laughter all wrapped up into one ball of boundless, sleepless energy! It has never occurred to her that most people actually require SLEEP! or more than 30 seconds of silence, or time to themselves. She sticks to me like Glue, and that can be really messy sometimes. But, I love it and love her! She is pure sunshine… until she isn’t. She is WILD and thus far untamable. What in the world? We are often at a loss as to how to tame this fantastic, energetic, and loveable beast. I am now 100% certain that her initials are accurately descriptive of her (MES). Yes, she is a mess! She has discovered- that once her parents are in sleep coma and she still has energy to expend (sometime in that 10/11 pm- 4 am time frame)- that she can draw on walls, scale her shelves and dresser and empty them, use a new tube of toothpaste to finger paint the carpet, vaseline to grease the stair spindles, etc. The list is LONG folks…. really long. And I know theoretically that I will miss this tireless toddler time… but not until I have had time to rest and recover in a few years. She challenges me to be a better version of myself, to push through hard times, and to be patient (still working a lot on this one). So, if you need a really good laugh or encouragement as a parent of a toddler, I hope you have found this helpful. God delivers BIG blessings in our little bundles, and my two biggest earthly gifts are my two kids! HE keeps me grounded through the toil, laughter, tears, hugs and kisses! I am finding myself late at night looking to Him and His word more often than in the first 3 years of my littlest’s existence, and I consider that a blessing. I earnestly pray that I have the wisdom to raise this spunky, spirited human being who is a light to those around her! So dear friends, if you are in the thick of it, let’s continue to provoke each other to do good, to love our spouses and our children! Big, messy hugs to you!
In the Thick of It 