Funny Pictures

This is how I found Keziah when she was supposedly being watched by her Daddy. To be fair, I'm the one that left the cereal box and magazines on the table within her reach - so we were equally at fault.

Check out the ice cycles that were on our back porch recently. That long one on the right actually got longer and was below the bannister before it melted.

Keziah's recent obsession is making a chair out of any and everything. She especially loves our basket of blankets. But she often gets stuck. I snapped this picture right before she realized she was stuck and started to cry.

If you got my Christmas letter, you read about how much Keziah loves our cat, Pumpkin. She has finally outgrown torturing the cat. We've been teaching gentleness for six months now and she is finally catching on. Now she gives very sweet kitty hugs and Pumpkin is much happier.

And this last picture is for Skip (check out his comment on my last post!).

One Year Pictures

Here's Michael Paul at one year:

Here's me:

Here's my twin, Julie and me (I'm on the left):

And here's Keziah:

Yes, she really is wearing the same dress and shoes that I am wearing and is in the same rocking chair. I love that my mom saved all that stuff.


So the big question is, who does she look like?

My Mommy Vision

"Where there is no vision, the people perish."

Proverbs 29:18

I'm not big on new years resolutions. I never make them. My thoughts over the last two weeks have nothing to do with the new year and everything to do with my daughter turning one. The baby days are quickly slipping through my fingers and I am becoming increasingly aware of new challenges ahead. So it is high time I got myself some vision.

When you get married, you say vows. But let's face it - the vows are pretty much the bare bones of it all. "To love, honor, and cherish ... in sickness and in health ...etc" is a great jumping off point. But Michael Paul and I discovered a few years into our marriage that we needed something more. Something specific to us, to our unique relationship. We needed a vision. So we wrote one. It was one of the best things we ever did as a couple. We use to read it out loud together from time to time. We should really start doing that again.

Anyway ... So I've been thinking. When Keziah was born we had a baby dedication ceremony for her at church. We took vows, "To raise the child up in the knowledge of the Lord ... pray for her ... etc." But like our marriage vows, it was simply a great jumping off point.

The baby days are in some ways hard but in some ways really easy. The major sacrifices are all physical. The sleepless nights, the constant nursing, the constant holding and rocking and soothing, the having to drop everything to clean up spit-up or change a diaper. It's all physical. It doesn't exactly require a lot of thought or problem solving skills. You just do it because you love your child.

I'm really enjoying sleeping more and actually waking up feeling rested. I'm really enjoying being able to do things with both hands because Keziah is content to play with her toys for extended periods of time. But I am not naive. There's a change coming. I can feel it creeping up on me. I'm about to trade physical exhaustion for mental exhaustion.

And when I'm really mentally tired, I will still need to respond to my daughter in an appropriate way. And that is when having a vision written on my heart can be a lifesaver.

A few tips on writing a vision:

- State things in the present tense. The future tense makes it seem like a bunch of goals for some ambiguous future that will never happen. A vision is not a goal but rather perspective for today.

- Try to state things in a positive way, "I do ...." rather than "I don't ..."

- Be specific, but not overly specific. For example, say, "We work together as a team." Not, "I wash dishes and you take out the trash."

- Read your vision aloud often. If it is a relationship vision, write "We ..." sentences and read them together. If it is a parenting vision, write "I .... you" sentences and read them to your child.

- Accept that you will fail. A good vision is not easy to live by.

So without further ado - here is the vision I've been thinking over, praying over, and writing.

My Mommy Vision

I treat you with dignity and respect because being young does not make you less worthy of basic human rights.

I recognize you are a unique child of God with your own feelings, preferences, and opinions, and I respect them.

I say 'yes' as much as possible; I do not abuse my authority as your mommy by demanding my own selfish desires.

I give you the benefit of the doubt because God created you and His creations are good.

I explain things to you. A rule without a reason is not a good rule.

I am consistent.

I trust you.

I am available and dependable when you need me, yet I allow you your independence when you need me no longer.

I teach by example because I know actions speak louder than words.

I remember that 'it is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance.' Therefore I am kind in my corrections.

I am patient and speak gently.

I know that I too am a sinner and therefore I extend grace and mercy to you.

I choose to be complimentary, not critical; I speak life, not death.

I clearly state my expectations and my expectations are reasonable.

I choose quality time with you over chores, for my relationship with you is far more important than a clean house.

I am humble; I apologize and ask your forgiveness when I fail you.

I give to you with no strings attached.

I am honest with you.

I love you unconditionally; Your personality, temperament, behavior, and decisions have no affect on my love for you; I do not use affection as a reward, nor do I withhold affection as a punishment.