Oh to see my children grow. . .

Well, it's been a big week. Last night we went outside in the driveway to ride bikes and Little Boy sat in the seat on Daddy's bike and Big Boy rode around and around the house on his no-training wheels big boy bike. I watched him almost run into just about everything, fall over, and get up again. He went almost all the way down the hill in the grass, and then pushed it back up the hill again, claiming, "I don't need any help. I can get it." After a little bit, Little Boy declared he was tired and ready to go night night, and so we went inside and began yet another massive moment in the growing up process.




Little Boy has recently found very fond affections for the frog in this picture. Daddy and I decided (on the night before he starts teaching again) that it was time to make a move. We sat down with Little Boy and talked to him about the great switches of life. As you get older you switch from bottles to sippy cups. Then big boys switch from diapers to underwear. You switch from baby food to big boy food, and sometime you switch from sleeping with pacis to sleeping with froggies. Yes, there it is friends. Take a moment. . . this is probably the biggest one yet in our house. We put the paci away, or "wah" as Little Boy has so affectionately learned to call it. All was well through the discussion, but then it came time to get in bed. And the sadness welled up within him. If you know my Little Boy, you know his heart is really big. He was REALLY very sad. He was mourning the loss. And he felt it deeply. I laid with him to help him fall asleep- hugging tightly his frog and eventually he did. Around 11pm he woke up again and the sadness returned. "I want my wah! I want my daddy." I went and woke up daddy (who by the way is napping right now alongside his son!) and then they went back to sleep. We made it the first night! Today, sadness again came at nap time, but it was shorter and a bit less dramatic. I have the highest hopes for tonight. Please pray for us. Really. It's very sad.

However, it has also led me to some exciting thoughts. I love to watch my children grow. I wonder if it is a taste of what the Lord feels for us. I stood there last night and beamed as I kept watching Big Boy on his bike. I caught myself on several occasions, running around to the other side of the house to watch him come back around. I was grinning like a big, fat nerd. Then, as Little Boy wept, I sat on the floor outside his room. Knowing what was best for him, and yet crying with him through the process. I laid with him and then sat very close by, but never was my heart far from him. I have a great feeling that IS like the heart of the Father. he does know best. He is standing there jumping in our celebrations and ever so present in out sufferings. He does know what is best and He is good. Thank you for your hand in our lives- cause us to see it at every step of the way, not just the good ones!