A Day To Remember

 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!  Psalm 126:3 (NLT)

We had Jake and Lilly's birthday party at the zoo this year.  Since both are into animals these days and I tend to feel like a zookeeper most days, it's a well-loved place for all of us.  The night before the big day, my entire family made the four hour trek to our house, some arriving before dinner and the last weary traveler joining us just before eleven o’clock.  The girls perfected the monkey, tiger, lion, and zebra cupcakes and we talked about how none of us can believe that Jake and Lilly are already turning two. 

We joked and laughed and teased…. That’s what families do.  Someone brought up last year’s party.  The party that we decided (foolishly) to have at 2:30 in the afternoon…. outside…. in July…. in Texas!  The same party to which I arrived fifteen minutes late with the cakes, balloons, decorations, etc.  I had no idea the freeway was going to be shut down, so when I left two hours before the party, there should have been plenty of time to pick up balloons then arrive at the party location early to set up.  But, it did not go that way.  Everything did not go as planned.  In fact, nothing went as planned.  As I sat in traffic hitting my steering wheel, thinking, “How could this happen?!” just like that, in an instant, I lost sight of it. 

The significance of my kids’ first birthday vanished from my mind, and I was instead too consumed with the decorations I spent months creating, the two cakes that I had embellished just so, and the balloons that were just the right color… all 35 of them.  Nothing about this party had been done without careful planning and decisiveness.  All except that freeway shutting down and the awful heat that melted the frosting right off of Jake’s cake.  I was frazzled and stressed and mad and frustrated, and I missed it.  I missed it.

So when the party planning began for Jake and Lilly’s second birthday, I made a vow not to ever again get so caught up in things out of my control that I forget what their birthday represents.  Yes, we celebrate another year with lots of milestones, progress, and many, many phases, both good and bad.  But the day those two entered this world was a day that forever changed me.  They are my living, breathing reminders that God is good.  When I look at their faces, I see evidence that God keeps His promises.  No, He never promised me children.  But He did promise me that He would always be enough for me.  That I would find joy in Him.  He knew I wanted children, and He wanted to give them to me, but only until I saw that nothing, not even these two who I love with all of my heart, could ever satisfy my soul like He can.  I do not ever want to look into their eyes and forget what He did for me. 

The party was a huge hit for both kids, which is a miracle in and of itself.  Animals are one of the few things they actually love with equal intensity.  I give all the credit to Cody who chose this party location very wisely!  With two toddlers, a party without a single temper tantrum is a home run! And popping cupcakes in the fridge overnight was just what these little critters needed to survive the summer heat!

We even had two animal friends attend the party.   Here is Millie, the three banded armadillo.

All of the kids got to touch Millie’s back with two fingers.  Jake and Lilly, who have been devotedly practicing holding those two fingers to show their age, knew exactly how to make their fingers fold in the perfect position.  At one point, Lilly took her left hand and held down the rest of her fingers on her right hand, so that only those two fingers touched Millie, just as the friendly zookeeper had instructed.

Charles, the lizard, also attended the party, and the kids were equally mesmerized by him. 

Birthdays are times when families gather.  In fact, my mom and my mother-in-law were discussing after the party that we had not all been together since Jake and Lilly's party one year ago.  As they exchanged hugs, they made plans to get together before the next birthday party.  I smiled to myself thinking how blessed we are to have such loving families who have been there for us through it all.  I have never been more convinced in the power of a mother's prayer than I am now that I am a mother.

When the party was over, we went home for naps, then hooked up some new water toys and ran through the backyard in swimsuits!  It was such a happy day!  Definitely a birthday to remember!

Acknowledging that God answers prayers is not just something that I do out of gratitude.  It’s so vital that I never lose sight of what God has done, because inevitably there will come a time in my life where I will start to feel overwhelmed, hopeless, and confused.  I’ll be standing in front of some huge mountain thinking there is no way around it.  It’s during those times, in tears, that I want to be able to look over my shoulder at how far we’ve come and know that if He was there with me back then, He is here with me now.  And if it seems as if there is no way, My God will make a way.  And when He does, He will amaze me.

But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.  They are constantly in my thoughts.  I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works. Psalm 77:11-12 (NLT)

Happy Birthday, Jake & Lilly!

Cody and I keep saying to each other over and over how quickly two years can zoom by.  But saying it doesn't make it any easier to comprehend.  When I think about all of the challenges mixed in with all of the blessings, the milestones and the progress each year has proved, and the many, many smiles that have occurred in the blink of an eye, I can't help but think that it will only go by faster and faster!  How can the two tiny bundles we nervously took home from the hospital really be turning two?  How does that happen?  I guess it takes place day by day, moment by moment, one slobbery kiss at a time! 

Happy Fourth!

Celebrating Big

Dear Jake,

Your Daddy said to me just the other night, “He’s becoming a little person, you know.”  I do.  I know that with each year that passes I’ll know more and more about what this whole process of becoming a little person with a unique personality entails.  I know quite a bit about you now, but there is so much more I can’t wait to figure out!  Two years ago you were still squished in Momma’s tummy, sick of Lilly’s feet in your face, I’m sure!  That was back when I didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with two different people at the same time.  I found out real quick that I was wrong! 

I love who you are, who you are becoming, and who you will become as you grow from a “little person” into a “big person.”  At this age, I already recognize the pride you take in doing your own thing.  When your sister and all of your cousins ran through the park to hunt for Easter eggs, you found absolutely nothing wrong with refusing to get in the wet grass.  Who would want wet grass stuck to their feet?  When Daddy told you and Lilly that you had to wear floaties on your arms before getting in the swimming pool, you were 100% okay sitting on the edge and kicking your feet if it meant getting out of wearing those silly things!  You don’t have any qualms about eating the exact same dinner every single night, even if the rest of the family is enjoying a new dish Momma worked extra hard to prepare.  I could go on and on.

Perhaps the most trying task is getting you to remain unruffled and still for a five minute haircut.  You sat like a little gentleman the first time you got your hair cut.  You cried the second time, and Daddy had to hold you while the sweet lady did her best to groom a moving target.  The third time was embarrassing.  The fourth time brought tears to both your Daddy’s eyes and mine.  When I didn’t think it could get any worse, you initiated one heck of a performance.  I am surprised the glass windows at the front of the barber shop did not shatter with the decibel level you achieved that day.  

I tell you all these things, sweet boy, because this week we are celebrating you!  You will turn two years old in just a few days, but our celebration doesn’t stop there.  Just yesterday, without skipping a beat, you slipped on your arm floaties at the pool like you’d been doing it all summer long.  I couldn’t believe it!  Your Daddy and I thought we had tried everything, and then you just unexpectedly decided that the day had come for you to officially join the “swim club.”  Not only did that make me smile for the rest of the day, it made my summer!  When I sent your Daddy these pictures at work, I know he got up and did the happy dance. (Even though I do not have hard evidence to suggest said dancing took place, this breakthrough was worth every step of a good ol’ happy dance!)

Today your Daddy made a comment about your hair getting kinda long.  With your birthday coming up, I’m sure your picture will be taken a time or two.  When I suggested spontaneously that we take you for a haircut, I was shocked when your Daddy agreed.  We discussed our game plan the entire car ride there, and upon arrival were ready for whatever fit you would most likely throw at us.  But then, something monumental happened!  When we told you that you were going to get a haircut, you reached up, pulled on your hair, and smiled!  You walked in, took a good look at a little girl about year older than you getting her hair trimmed, and you decided you would give it a chance.  When you found out you could watch Mickey Mouse while getting your hair cut, you were hooked.  You sat all by yourself in the little fire truck instead of wriggling around on Daddy’s lap.  You smiled and were pleasant to the lady cutting your hair… the same lady Momma pulled aside and warned about your horrific outburst last time.  The same lady who I’m sure was thinking, “What did I do to get the short end of the stick?”  But, for some reason unbeknownst to us, you decided a hair cut would be fun today.  You sat there like a kid who’s gotten his hair cut a million times, and I think you even enjoyed it.  Your Daddy and I exchanged looks more than once that said, “Oh my goodness, what is this?!”  When the same sweet lady pulled out the buzzer, I thought it was over, but you even tolerated that without a whimper or a frown.  “Unbelievable” is the best word I can come up with to describe our hair-cutting excursion today. 

On the way home, your Momma and Daddy were beaming!  The funny thing is neither of us can take credit for your recent accomplishments!  It was 100% you!  I am realizing that you like to celebrate big, with plenty of clapping, high-fives, singing, and dancing!  Life has been unpredictable and thrilling since you invaded our hearts two years ago!  While at times it is tough on your Momma and Daddy, I know that strong will of yours will help shape who you become.  God made you just the way you are so that you (and only you) can handle whatever important business He has in store for you.  I hope you never lose your determination, and that as you grow, you stand firm in what you believe.  

I love you, kid!

Love, Momma

A Song For Lilly

Dear Lilly Grace, 

I cannot believe that next week we will celebrate your second birthday!  When people warned your Momma that it would go by in a flash, they knew what they were talking about!  It is such a blessing and an honor to be your Momma!  I have loved every minute of the last two years of your itty-bitty life.  I hope you keep your fierceness and use it to do whatever God has planned for you. He made you YOU for a special purpose and gave you your fiery spirit. I hope you never lose sight of it. I pray that you will live boldly and out loud, and never play it safe when it comes to doing what God created you to accomplish!

I came across this entry in a journal Momma has not written in for months. My goal was to write to you each month.  I did pretty good your first year, but then our crazy life got the best of me. When you have kids of your own one day, you’ll understand that I had the best of intentions!  When I snapped this picture of you this week in all your “bling,” I couldn’t help but remember "your song!"  Here’s the story of how it came to be your favorite, and the words that just might develop some meaning as you grow in your walk with Jesus!   

I love you so much, Stink Bug!

Love, Momma

October 13, 2011

You are such a little firecracker, Lilly Grace!  Sometimes, you can give me such grief getting ready to go somewhere, chasing me around the house with your shoes hours before we are ready to leave, throwing a full blown temper tantrum when I tell you that no, I cannot hold you while I'm curling my hair.  You can make me downright weak some days!  But amidst the tears that fall when you don't get your way, I see a bright, beaming heart exploding with joy!  After one such morning last week, where I found it almost impossible to get you and your brother ready and in the car, I turned around as I backed out of our driveway and saw you dancing like crazy to this song that is an absolute favorite of mine.  You were bobbing your head, kicking your feet, and clapping your hands, a beautiful, crazy grin plastered all over your face.  Today we were in the car and this song came on.  Again, you started dancing like a crazy girl, nutty head-bob and all!  I decided that when we got home, I'd sit down and write out the words to this song that has obviously become your favorite.  (You certainly don't dance to any other song quite like this one!)  So here are the beautiful words that maybe one day might mean more to you than just a catchy beat:

Hello my friend!

I remember when you were

So alive with your wide eyes

"Til the light that you had in your heart was stolen

Now you say that it ain't worth staying

You wanna run but you're hesitating

I'm talking to me 

Don't let your lights go down

Don't let your fire burn out

"Cause somewhere somebody needs

A reason to believe

Why don't you rise up now 

Don't be afraid to stand out

That's how the lost get found

The lost get found 

So when you get the chance

Are you gonna take it

There's a really big world at your fingertips

And you know you have the chance to change it 

There's a girl on the street she's crying

There's a man whose faith is dying

Love is calling you  
 Why do we go with the flow

Why take the easier road

Why are we playing it safe

Love came to show us the way

Love is a chance we should take

I'm moving out of the gray  

So when you get the chance

Are you gonna take it

There's a really big world at your fingertips

And you know you have the chance to change it

{Brit Nicole: The Lost Get Found}

Special Things

“Special things” is a phrase we use in our house to describe the stuff we don’t want the kids to touch.  My mom laughs every time she hears me say this phrase to my kids, but let me tell you, it has served its purpose well.  When Jake and Lilly started walking about a year ago, we had to figure out which things had to be moved out of their reach and which things we were going to keep where they were, even though there was a certain risk involved as two toddling adventurers anxiously set out to explore.  My reasoning was this: If it can hurt them, let’s move it, but everything else stays put. 

When Jake developed a fascination for remotes, we gave him one without batteries.  When that did not go over well with Jake, we adopted the phrase “special things.”  The six other remotes in our house were referred to as “Daddy’s special things,” and deemed off-limits.  It was a stretch to have faith that this could work, but, surprisingly, with lots and lots of repetition, it did!  Both kids leave my books next to my bed alone, even though the basket is well within their reach, because they understand that those are “Momma’s special things.”  When we go to my Noni and Poppy's house, Lilly and Jake both know not to touch the two glass candle holders on the coffee table, because those are “Noni’s special things.”  At Grammy and Pop’s house, the bright blue buttons on the TV are at just the right height for two little fingers, but once we established that area as “Pop’s special things,” it was no longer an issue. 

The “special things” phrase has stuck.  As they approach two, Jake and Lilly are now very aware of what their special things are.  For Lilly, it’s pretty much any kind of animal… stuffed animals, plastic animals, pictures of animals, or the real deal.  But, make no mistake: Lilly’s special things are not Jake’s special things, and vice versa.  To make this point crystal clear, let me tell you about our little outing to the Dallas Aquarium last week. 

Poppy and Lilly saw so many different creatures up close and personal as they stopped to admire each and every one.  Lilly was thrilled when an enormous manatee swam by to greet us!  A few days later, Lilly found one in her coloring book!  She was so proud to show me her new special friend.

While they were interacting with the wildlife, Jake and I were scouting out all of the computers stationed in front of each exhibit.  He couldn’t have cared less about the animals, birds, or marine life.  All he wanted to do was push the buttons on the touch screen, then rush to find the next one!  Perfect example of how different these two are!

So, today Jake and Lilly were doing what they love to do:  gathering all of their “special things” and putting them in their own buckets (AKA Easter baskets from Grammy) to haul around the house.  They take theirs buckets to different rooms, empty them out, examine each "special thing" ever so carefully, then gather them up and deposit them back in their buckets again.  Sometimes, we play a game and I ask, "What special things are in your bucket?"  They love to take each thing out and tell me what it is.

 I was not at all surprised to find animals in Lilly’s bucket- a zebra (‘bra,’ she calls it), a tiger, and a horse.  In Jake’s bucket were a set of completely different things, distinctly special to him.  He had sunglasses (not his, but an old, cheap pair of mine), an empty facial cream container (again, mine), a set of spare car keys that belong to a vehicle we no longer own, and Cody’s old cell phone cover. 

I chuckled when I peeked inside Jake’s bucket of “special things.”  All of the things he cherishes are items that he sees Cody and I walking around with every day…. Things he must perceive as being our “special things” as well.  It made me smile to think that our special things are his special things.  He loves us so much that he loves what we love.  (OK, I don’t know if I can say I really “love” my car keys, phone, and sunglasses, but they are pretty important on a daily basis, and I do not leave the house without any of them!)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

God led me to a passage in 1 Peter this week, and as I read this phrase, “God’s special possession,” I couldn’t help but think about “special things.”  We are God’s special things, the ones He has chosen as precious in His sight.  And as His children who belong to Him, we should love what He loves.  And what does He place above all of creation?  People.  If people are His most “special things,” then they should be ours as well.  We were made to be in tune with our Father, to love what He loves, to hate what He hates.  And the Bible is crystal clear:  “God’s special possessions” are His people.

I love Jesus with all of my heart, but when I think about all I consider to be my “special things,” I can’t help but feel like maybe I’ve missed some of the important ones.  God makes no exceptions or excuses.  He sent his Son, who was more precious than any, to die for every person on this planet, whether they know Him yet or not.  All of the people I cross paths with on a daily basis match that description.  Even the people who are so, so hard to love.  Jesus died for them, too.

 

We all have them - difficult people in our lives who’ve hurt us or let us down, or maybe they just drive us absolutely crazy.  Whoever “those” people are in your life, they are “special” to Him.  They are “His chosen ones.”  He loves them the same way He loves you.  I heard someone recently say that it is impossible to love Jesus and not love people.  Why?  Because when our hearts beat with our Father's, His special things become our special things. 

Wait

“I don’t want to. Let’s get on with it,” I keep saying, but even though there are days I pretend not to hear it, Jesus keeps putting his hand on my shoulder, and saying, “Be still. For just a minute, I want you to stay right where you are.  I will tell you when we’re done here.” 

I’ve been here before, so I should know not to complain.  I’ve walked down a vaguely familiar road, but perhaps not with the same insight that I have now.  I have grown since then, at least I hope so.

Back then, you would have seen me, struggling and flailing, as I tried with all of my strength to keep going.   It was not graceful, and it was definitely not pretty.  And the worst part was that it took so stinking long for me to realize that God did not want this for me.  He never intended for me to be smacking my head against a wall all by myself, crippled by fear.  He had a purpose, but to be brutally honest, I did not trust Him.  That sounds so harsh, even as I type that phrase, but it’s the truth.  I was afraid, because I really did not trust God’s plan.  I believed mine was better, and I fought hard to hold on to it.

Somewhere along the way, with tears streaming down my face, I looked around and realized that God gave me something to focus on in the waiting.  Him.  It was pretty convenient, because He was the only one there with me.  Once I quit trying to force something that had always been out of my control, I sat down next to Him, got comfortable, and discovered so much.  Security, identity, joy- these were just a few of the treasures I found.  When He was sure that I had set down all the extra stuff I was trying to haul with me, He was ready to lead me on in this journey.  And as I took His hand, I was surprised when that urge to dig my heels just a little bit deeper into the ground had vanished.

This afternoon, as I walked my kids up the stairs for nap time, I had such a moment with God.  He speaks to us every single day in so many creative ways, and we get to hear from Him if we’re paying attention.  As Jake and Lilly approach two, they are now walking up the stairs with lots of assistance from a nervous, nail biting Momma.  Lilly, who thinks she needs absolutely no help whatsoever with anything, was the first to start her ascent.  Jake was having a hard time parting with his new, special toy (an apple juice container I fished out of the trash), so he was behind in his climb.  Lilly continued on quickly up the stairs, without my help.

When she reached the landing, about six stairs from where Jake was, I asked her to wait.  Usually when we hike up the stairs, I have one on either side of me and I walk holding each one’s hand or sometimes I walk directly behind them.  Neither one is ready to climb independently, or maybe it’s just me who’s not quite there yet.  Since Jake took a tumble down the bottom three when he was younger, stairs make me sweat.    I don't allow them to drag blankets behind them or anything else that could trip them up.  I always make sure that they each have two empty hands.  When their hands are empty, they are able to hold on to me with one and the banister with the other.  We travel light, I guess you could say!

As I watched my daughter on the landing, her reaction surprised me at first.  But then, I recognized the tears.  She did not understand why I told her to wait.  I tried to explain that she could continue on once Jake and I caught up to her.  I tried to tell her that I was looking out for her safety.  She didn’t understand why she had to wait for us to catch up, since she was clearly ready to go all by herself.  When I say that she did not grasp any of these concepts, what I really mean is she lost it.  She didn’t just whine.  She didn’t just sniffle.  She engaged in the most desperate sob-fest I have ever witnessed.  All because I asked her to wait. 

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.”  During a past season of waiting on God, this verse became my anchor. I purchased a wooden plaque several years ago with these sweet words painted across it to help me to remember to do exactly what it says.  It sits on the top shelf of the bookcase in our living room.  When I read this simple, brief verse, I can’t help but exhale. 

Today, I still struggle with waiting.  I want to be moving, not standing still.  The word “still” means motionless or tranquil. Stillness is peacefulness.  It means to possess a quiet knowing as we humbly focus on God, not ourselves or the situation we're facing.  It means acknowledging who He is and who we are not.  What strikes me as ironic, though, is that the state of being still only seems like the absence of action.  To remain still and wait on the Lord requires tremendous work.  It takes concentrating on His goodness, even when life is not good.

As I scooped up my daughter and wiped away her tears, I realized that even if I have no clue why God is telling me today to be still and wait, His reasons are good enough for me.  And I am willingly emptying my hands so that I can hold onto Him and His promise that He will tell me when to take the next step and that He will walk with me.