Parenting Gig

     So, for the last 16 and a half years I've had this parenting gig.  We started small and soon tripled our numbers.  What I wasn't prepared for, well besides the pooh, was the hilariousness and the humbling nature of it all.

    I started well; doing my best to nurture, teach, equip, show compassion, and provide opportunities for my children.  One day I woke up and realized somewhere along the lines I had failed miserably.

First case in point:

Beautiful girl ready for her first day of work.

(On a side note, I think all Dariy Queen managers should be given six figure salaries, a porshe, and a puppy for the patience, love & opportunity they provide for our kids.)

Noelle's job Day 1

     Shannon:  How was your first day?

     Noelle:  Terribly hard.  Seriously.  Making ice cream is hard.

     Shannon:  Humm..What's hard about making ice cream?

    Noelle:   I was learning to make a blizard and they tell you to watch out so you don't catch your finger in the mixer.  They also told me that it is extremely rare for someone to catch their finger on the mixer. 

   Shannon:  Did you catch your finger?

   Noelle:  Yea...it hurts.  Bad.

Second case in point:

 

 

 

 

     Recently my son got to go to  camp. Upon arriving home, he declared that camp was AWESOME.  I gave myself a mental high five, for investing in his spiritual growth and relationship building skills. 

    Things were all well and good until a few days later when a friend mentioned that the boys were mischievous at camp.  Well...that's normal right?  Right?

    Of course I decide I must pursue exactly what "mischievous" means, so I had myself a little talk with the boy.  You know the "talk".  Here's a snippet:

    Shannon:  "Son, let's talk about camp."

    Christian:  "It was great."  "Can I play your Ipad?"  "Can Colton spend the night?"

    Shannon:  "What did you do at camp that was mischievous?"

    Christian:  "Ummm...the guys in my cabin?"

     Shannon:  Yes.

     Christian: "Well, mom.  Just hear me out.  It was funny."

     Shannon:  "Explain.'  "Trust me, you should not leave any details out."

     Christian:  "Well, the guys and I went to chapel and learned about Jesus being whipped, so that gave us an idea."

    Shannon:  (Internal dread begins here) "Go on."

    Christian:  "Well, we thought, if we link all our camp bracelets together we can make a whip. Then, we can whip each other."

   Shannon:  "Seriously?"

   Christian:  "Yeah, and then we formed a club and to join it you had to be whipped."  "It was fun."  "The club was totally voluntary."  "I got whipped the hardest."  'It was so cool." 

   Shannon:  "Christian, let me understand this.  You went to chapel, learned about the Lord being whipped; then thought to yourself, lets make whips and whip ourselves?"  "Then you and your friends invited others to join a club and took turns whipping each other with your camp bracelets?"

   Christian:  "Yeah, it was so awesome."

   See this proves it.  We have failed miserably. Miserably.

   On  the upside, I was talking to a ninety year old gentleman in our community who, for the first time ever, thinks he needs to find someone to shovel his driveway this winter.  I'm thinking I know just the boy who would love to do it, for free, all stinking winter long. 

Blessings to you and yours. :)

Arch Enemies or Best Friends?

The littles...I think it's possible they are going to be the death of me....

Sure they're cute, even though they don't like to brush their hair.

But they fight every stinkin' day...   AHHHHH!!!!

On the upside, their arguments are often hilarious.

Here's a sampling of a typical night at the K's house:

After finishing dinner I realized Grace needed a pink tutu

for tomorrows "Twins Day" at school, and I didn't have one.

I hoped in the car and headed to Target, about 1.5 minutes

into the drive my cell phone rings. Here's the conversation that ensued:

Christian:  "Mom! Grace just chewed up lettuce and spit it in my face."

(Insert:  Shrieking.)

Grace:  "LET ME TALK TO MOM."

Christian:  "Fine!'

Me:  "What on earth is going on, and where is your dad?"

Grace:  "Christian opened the refrigerator, and took out the whip cream and was going to eat it!"

Me:  "Okay?"

Grace:  "I told him that  he is NOT allowed to eat the whipped cream."

Me: "Okay?"

Grace:  "He won't obey me, so I chewed up some lettuce and spit it at his face."

Me:  "Grace Elizabeth, you are not allowed to spit food at your brother."

Grace:  "HE DIDN'T OBEY ME!"

Me:  "Grace, you are not the mommy, and Christian doesn't have to obey you.  Besides,  we never spit in someones face to discipline them.  Mommy doesn't chew up her food and spit at you when you are naughty."

Grace:  "Well, maybe you should!"

Me:  "Go to your room."

Hummmm....new parenting technique?????

Blessings to you and yours!



The Storm

   Anger burns hot and furious, indignant and proud.  A tidal wave speeding to destroy a quiet beach.  Anger can come as a surprise, something you don't expect in the moment, but its there hot and ready to destroy. 

Via

    God's word says, "that a gentle answer turns away wrath."  How does this play out in parenting?   Each person in a relationship has a choice to respond in conflict,  you can not control how another responds but you can control your words, your anger. Your response can be gentle, yet firm.  

      To many times  I have responded in anger, harsh words strategically placed that create destruction and hurt.  To many times I reacted instead of responded, and experienced the regret that accompanies rash harsh words.  God in His graciousness and stretched me and grown me.  I still make mistakes and cave into sinful reactions with my words, yet I feel His presence and His warning,  to pray, observe, respond in love, to hold to discipline even when I want to cave in, to extend mercy and grace, and to follow Him in all I do. 

    Tonight was a "challenging" night in our home.  Angry children, with feeling burst out in hot breaths full of rage.  Hot tears, harsh words, and early bedtimes.  My patience teetered on the wires edge.  Deep breaths,  discipline and consequences, so difficult to respond and not react, yet God is good and He reigns on high.  He walked me through the evening guiding my words and actions, gently rebuking me when I started to stray off His path.  He is ever patient with me, I will always mess up and need to come to Him for forgiveness and He is faithful to forgive.  Tonight I am thankful to be His and thankful to get to be a mommy to this crazy bunch He has blessed me with.

Blessings to you and yours!

  

Woe is Me

Woe is me.

This beautiful daughter of mine, likes a boy.  Excuse me, while I throw-up.

I am too young to have a daughter who likes a boy.

The worst part is he's a nice boy, and we like him.

Woe is me.

Having a fourteen year old is very different than I thought.

My rules were:  "No dating until your married".

Notice the were, in the above sentence.

Well, there still is a "no dating" clause in our family.

But, and I stress BUT, it is impossible to make them not like each other.

Woe, is me.

I am NOT old.

My children are going to always think I am the coolest, and I'm not old.

See, she's little, and she loves her mom.

Woe, is me.

I like being a mom.

I like having my kids think I'm the greatest.

I have a feeling that's gonna change, a bit.

Woe, is me.

On the upside, Sandy and I will be able to take great vacations while we are still young.



Source

Greece anyone?

Humm... I like that. 

But I still don't like her liking a boy.

Blessings to you and yours!

One of THOSE days

     Have you ever had one of those days where you felt like this:

 

Source Google Images

     When in all reality you wanted to act like this:



Source Fandango

    And by the grace of God you hit somewhere in the middle, well, at least you hope you did.  :)

     Parenting  can be a challenge and sometimes I need to take a deep breath- a long, deep breath.  Then I need to pause and pray, and ask the Lord for wisdom, and beg Him to control my tongue.  Sharp words can pop out of my mouth faster than my brain can process them, this is an area I struggle.  I desperately want to be a Mary Poppins mom, when my children fuss and fight I want to break into song and gently rebuke them.

    The simple fact is I'm not a Mary Poppins mom.  I screw up.  I get frustrated.  I over parent. I under parent.  I'm not perfect, and it's okay.   The point is not for me to be perfect.  God wants me to be a woman who seeks Him first and my own desires second.  He wants me to equip my children to be Christ followers who love God and others.  He knows I will screw up, and He can use my messes for His good.  When I mess up my job is to humble myself, seek His forgiveness first, and then seek the forgiveness of others.  When I humble myself I honor God, and my children learn how to be humble and ask forgiveness when they mess up.  They are able to recognize no one is perfect- we are all sinners saved by grace.  I'm thankful for the lessons God teaches me and my children.

  

Blessings to you and yours!