Mother's Day Thoughts

From the closing lines of Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic: (I know I've said it before, but mommies, you really need to read this book.)

Blessings, like children, are not ethereal and weightless. Sometimes they feel like they come at you like a Kansas hail storm--they might leave a welt! But if you accept your lot and rejoice in your toil, God will give you the kind of overwhelming joy that cannot remember the details. Motherhood is hard work. It is repetitive and often times menial. Accept it. Rejoice in it. This is your toil. Right here. Those are their faces. Enjoy them. The days of your life are supposed to be full of things like this. But joy is not giddy. It is not an emotional rush--it is what happens when you accept your lot and rejoice in your toil. So rejoice in your children. Look them in the eyes and give thanks. You will not even remember the work of all this planting when the harvest of joy overwhelms you.

Being pregnant with the twins (meaning being sick, tired, and/or huge) for much of the past year, I have really struggled to find joy in the hard work of motherhood. So often it just felt like I was managing to stay alive, let alone teach, discipline, or nurture anyone. But after a month of bed rest and the back-and-forth-to-Johnstown NICU time (and the limits these things put on time with my big kids), I am rejoicing in this toil once again. A few years ago I had no children; now I'm a mother of four! Four amazing little souls to love and by God's grace, to help mold into His image. What a privilege.

This little boy seems so grown up these days.
Life with Austin these days is all about making good
choices, thinking of others, respecting Mommy and
Daddy's authority...and lots of playing with cars and trucks.

Miss Independent wants to do everything
herself...and usually manages. She's equally
happy playing cars with her brother or feeding
her new babies. To say she has a mind of her own
is an understatement.

Still getting to know these precious tiny boys. They love
to snuggle. They don't particularly like getting their diapers changed.
They are more alert than our other newborns have
been (not that you can tell from this picture!)  They're thriving on
a steady diet of milk and love.