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11 years ago
Posted by
Victoria
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Monday... cleaning day at the Hartman home.
Me: Emma, can you and Lydia please go to your room for five minutes so I can get something done without you guys dragging more stuff out?
Emma: Yes mommy, we can read books.
Me: That sounds like a great idea. I will come read to you in just a minute when I finish the dishes.
Emma: o.k. come on lydia. Do you want me to read to you?
Lydia: Emma read book to me mommy.
Me: o.k. follow Emma
Five minutes later...
Me: Emma, What are you doing? I thought you were going to read a book.
Emma: We are reading mommy, these are the lily pads to keep us from sinking in the ooey, gooey, muck.
Lydia: Me sitting on Lily pad.
Emma: We only dragged out books mommy nothing else.
Me: Thanks Emma.
Me: Emma, can you and Lydia please go to your room for five minutes so I can get something done without you guys dragging more stuff out?
Emma: Yes mommy, we can read books.
Me: That sounds like a great idea. I will come read to you in just a minute when I finish the dishes.
Emma: o.k. come on lydia. Do you want me to read to you?
Lydia: Emma read book to me mommy.
Me: o.k. follow Emma
Five minutes later...
Me: Emma, What are you doing? I thought you were going to read a book.
Emma: We are reading mommy, these are the lily pads to keep us from sinking in the ooey, gooey, muck.
Lydia: Me sitting on Lily pad.
Emma: We only dragged out books mommy nothing else.
Me: Thanks Emma.
Posted by
Victoria
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Another Valentine's day has come and gone. I am not romantic by nature and have never really been a mushy girly girl, so I do not normally get too impressed with Valentine's day. Jason and I show our love to each other and our children daily so I don't get really worked up over Valentine's, but I did begin to think about it after reading all the Facebook posts and other blogs and I realized just how much Valentine's Day has changed for me over the years.
Jason and I have now spent 17 Valentine Days together. I had to add that up twice before I believed it, but it was true- scary! In the beginning, when we were just dating, I would get so excited about Valentine's Day. My love language is gifts and I would love getting a present- usually chocolate or sometimes a piece of jewelry. Jason and I would plan a date with a special dinner and a movie. I would sometimes get to stay out past curfew so we could see a late movie and then we would go home and exchange our little gifts and kiss goodnight and talk about how much we loved each other. I know- mushy!
We didn't have children until 8 years into our marriage so the first few years after marriage we would still make plans. The gifts became smaller now that we had bills to pay and groceries to buy. We normally counted dinner out as our gift to each other and then we would exchange cards. We still planned romantic dinners out, ususally at the nicer resteraunts in town, the ones we wouldn't go to normally. I loved to get dressed up and get my hair done and go on a "date" with my husband. Valentine's Day was a special date night.
Now that we have two children under 4, Valentine's Day has changed dramatically. We no longer have time for late night dates, fancy restaraunts, and the only gifts that we exchange now usually consist of me getting a bath with the door locked or Jason getting a shoulder rub on the sofa in front of the evening news. Luxuries in our eyes:)
As I look back I don't regret any of it. I loved our special dates, our special gifts and our alone time, but as life changes so do I and now my joy comes in knowing that Jason and I are still in love and we get to share that love with our children. This year our gifts were homemade Valentine cards and stuffed animals, our special date was at the local library watching a puppet show and eating a heart shaped cookie, our fancy restaraunt was the kitchen and our steak dinner was homecooked and enjoyed amidst giggles and milk mustaches. We have come such a long way and we have loved every minute of it. May God bless us with 17 more Valentine Days together.
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7
Jason and I have now spent 17 Valentine Days together. I had to add that up twice before I believed it, but it was true- scary! In the beginning, when we were just dating, I would get so excited about Valentine's Day. My love language is gifts and I would love getting a present- usually chocolate or sometimes a piece of jewelry. Jason and I would plan a date with a special dinner and a movie. I would sometimes get to stay out past curfew so we could see a late movie and then we would go home and exchange our little gifts and kiss goodnight and talk about how much we loved each other. I know- mushy!
We didn't have children until 8 years into our marriage so the first few years after marriage we would still make plans. The gifts became smaller now that we had bills to pay and groceries to buy. We normally counted dinner out as our gift to each other and then we would exchange cards. We still planned romantic dinners out, ususally at the nicer resteraunts in town, the ones we wouldn't go to normally. I loved to get dressed up and get my hair done and go on a "date" with my husband. Valentine's Day was a special date night.
Now that we have two children under 4, Valentine's Day has changed dramatically. We no longer have time for late night dates, fancy restaraunts, and the only gifts that we exchange now usually consist of me getting a bath with the door locked or Jason getting a shoulder rub on the sofa in front of the evening news. Luxuries in our eyes:)
As I look back I don't regret any of it. I loved our special dates, our special gifts and our alone time, but as life changes so do I and now my joy comes in knowing that Jason and I are still in love and we get to share that love with our children. This year our gifts were homemade Valentine cards and stuffed animals, our special date was at the local library watching a puppet show and eating a heart shaped cookie, our fancy restaraunt was the kitchen and our steak dinner was homecooked and enjoyed amidst giggles and milk mustaches. We have come such a long way and we have loved every minute of it. May God bless us with 17 more Valentine Days together.
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7
Posted by
Victoria
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1.) For my healthy children. I am truly blessed to have children that are rarely sick, who were born free of any kind of physical or mental disabilities, who are able to run and play and learn. I so often take this for granted and forget to daily thank God for their health and well being.
2.) For my husband. I rarely think to tell God thank you for sending me a best friend, a soul mate, a godly man who thinks of me and our children first. A man who tells me everyday that he loves me, takes care of our needs first, brings the car around to pick us up in the rain so we won't get wet, rubs my shoulders at the end of a long day, always tells me I look good even when my hair is in a ponytail and I have the leftovers of lydia's lunch on my sweatpants. I so often choose to focus on the negative that I forget to be thankful for the positive. I am blessed to have someone who loves me just for me.
3.) For the ability to stay at home with my children. I feel so blessed by God that he has allowed me to focus on what I do have instead of what I have had to give up in order to be at home with my girls. I may drive an old car, wear last years fashions and shop at Aldi, I may not have a blackberry, an Ipod, or a flat screen TV, but in light of eternity I would not trade a single minute of the time I have enjoyed watching Emma and Lydia grow and learn. I pray everyday for the moms who I know that have to work outside their homes- may God bless them.
4.) For my house, which is small by American standards, but large in comparison to what most in the world are living in. May God let me always see the good in the midst of the clutter and noise.
5.) For having parents that are still living and enjoying life and that they live close enough to enjoy their grandchildren. My children are blessed with both sets of grandparents and one set of great- grandparents- a lot of wisdom and love being passed down.
6.) For my salvation. Thank you God for saving me early in life and sparing me from a lot of misery. I am thankful that my testamony is boring.
7.) For Jason's job. Thank you for leading us to good employment opportunities and for helping us through the difficult times of lay off.
8.) For sending your son to die on the cross to save me from myself and allowing me to spend eternity with you in Heaven, may I be an example of your love to others.
My list could continue for miles and miles, but I have to go get my children up from nap. In the midst of all the bad news I have heard and read lately... I just want to say Thank you God. God, help me to never forget to be thankful even for the mundane things that I take for granted. Help me to see you in the midst of the ordinary.
"But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God." Psalm 50:23
2.) For my husband. I rarely think to tell God thank you for sending me a best friend, a soul mate, a godly man who thinks of me and our children first. A man who tells me everyday that he loves me, takes care of our needs first, brings the car around to pick us up in the rain so we won't get wet, rubs my shoulders at the end of a long day, always tells me I look good even when my hair is in a ponytail and I have the leftovers of lydia's lunch on my sweatpants. I so often choose to focus on the negative that I forget to be thankful for the positive. I am blessed to have someone who loves me just for me.
3.) For the ability to stay at home with my children. I feel so blessed by God that he has allowed me to focus on what I do have instead of what I have had to give up in order to be at home with my girls. I may drive an old car, wear last years fashions and shop at Aldi, I may not have a blackberry, an Ipod, or a flat screen TV, but in light of eternity I would not trade a single minute of the time I have enjoyed watching Emma and Lydia grow and learn. I pray everyday for the moms who I know that have to work outside their homes- may God bless them.
4.) For my house, which is small by American standards, but large in comparison to what most in the world are living in. May God let me always see the good in the midst of the clutter and noise.
5.) For having parents that are still living and enjoying life and that they live close enough to enjoy their grandchildren. My children are blessed with both sets of grandparents and one set of great- grandparents- a lot of wisdom and love being passed down.
6.) For my salvation. Thank you God for saving me early in life and sparing me from a lot of misery. I am thankful that my testamony is boring.
7.) For Jason's job. Thank you for leading us to good employment opportunities and for helping us through the difficult times of lay off.
8.) For sending your son to die on the cross to save me from myself and allowing me to spend eternity with you in Heaven, may I be an example of your love to others.
My list could continue for miles and miles, but I have to go get my children up from nap. In the midst of all the bad news I have heard and read lately... I just want to say Thank you God. God, help me to never forget to be thankful even for the mundane things that I take for granted. Help me to see you in the midst of the ordinary.
"But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God." Psalm 50:23
Posted by
Victoria
comments (0)
Emma's favorite sleep toy is a guinea pig that she affectionately calls "pig". She has had pig since she was about a year old. Pig is a beanie baby that is very well loved which is evident by both her appearance and smell, but we just keep on washing her the best we can and hoping she survives Emma's attachment phase. About six months ago Emma began to tell stories that involved Pig, they were long drawn out sagas about Pig's life and adventures Pig had been on. Whatever was going on in our life, Pig was doing also. Pig was shopping at the mall or Pig had gone to the beach or Pig was having babies, birthday parties or sleepovers, etc. Emma can can tell the whole story without even thinking about what she needs to add and if you ask a question about Pig, Emma always has an answer right on the spot. I decided to write down Pig's latest adventure just so I could remember these great imaginative stories for later. This one unfolded while we were on our way to church the other night...
Emma: Guess where Pig went today Mommy.
Me: Where?
Emma: The Zoo
Me: really, What was her favorite animal?
Emma: All of them except one- the Lion. She had to feed it and it kept growling at her.
Me: Did it try to bite her?
Emma: Yes, but she had on these special gloves that were as hard as a rock so it couldn't hurt her, but she was scared so she went inside to look at the fish.
Me: That's good, I wouldn't want her to get eaten. Did she like the fish?
Emma: Yes, they let her touch some of them. One of the scorpions had babies and you could touch them, they didn't have their pinchers yet.
Me: Don't you mean lobsters?
Emma: No Mommy scorpions.
Me: Did they have stingers?
Emma: No, the big ones had rubber bands on their pincher claws so they couldn't hurt Pig, and she loved the babies so much that they let her take one home.
Me: that was nice.
Emma: Yeah she is going to put it in her 'quarium and let it eat blueberries and yummy fruit.
Me: I bet it will like that. Sounds like Pig had a great time.
Emma: Yes, she said that we really need to go to the zoo with her next time so we can see all those animals too.
Me: Maybe when the weather warms up, we can go.
Emma: O.K., that would be good, but I don't know about those mean lions.
I think this was Emma's creative way of asking to go to the Zoo, but I hope that we won't have to feed a lion. She is too funny:)
"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3
