Wordless{ish} Wednesday

These are some of the faces I get when I try to direct Ella when I’m taking her photo. She’s a big GOOF!

Strong Parenting Required

I’ve mentioned on several occasions (here, here, and here, for instance) about the great task that lays before me as a Christian parent: the task of raising my children in the Lord.

I was blessed with the opportunity to hear Brad Harrub of Focus Press and Think Magazine speak last night. It was a lesson of reality that I needed to hear. Parenting is tough work (and I don’t even have teenagers yet!). His lesson was an encouragement to me as well as a reality check. Strong parenting is required to raise children in the Lord. The lesson focuses on challenges facing our youth – and the task that we have as parents to handle those challenges. Click here to listen to the lesson (it will begin after a short introduction to the speaker and topic).  (By the way, Think Magazine is really a great resource hitting topics and challenges that face us in the world today.)

If you listen to the lesson, I’d love to hear what you think!

I leave you with some verses he mentions in the lesson, Deuteronomy 6: 6-9:

And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Precious Treasures

There are some things about children that are truly precious treasures. One of those things is the sweet innocence and peace of a child, especially when they are sleeping.

I love looking in on my children sleeping before I go to bed. At first, I looked in on Ella when she was a baby because I was paranoid, and I wanted to check her breathing. I wanted to make sure that nothing could hurt her while she slept. However, checking in on her evolved into something more – not only could I check on her to make sure she was safe, but I could also take a short moment to consider the blessing of children, and to think of the joy she has already brought into my life. I often smile when I go in and find her sleeping in an odd position or a sweet position;, or, now as I check on Troy also, smile when I see him sleeping in the exact same position I remember Ella sleeping in.

I don’t go in to check on the kids if I hear either of them stirring – I don’t want my presence to wake them up. I’m always a little sad when I don’t go in to check on them. I know that these moments will pass too quickly as life seems to do, and I want to cherish every one of them. I’m not ready for the day when I don’t go into to check on my sweet Ella and Troy.

Photo Challenges

Surprise @ The Paper Mama

This photo was taken the first week Troy came home. Yes, he’s down inside the pack and play, and Ella was checking him out!

 

Sweet Shot Tuesday @ My 3 Boybarians:

 

My photo for “Sweet” at the Paper Mama got 4th place last week. Yay!

Menu Planning Monday

• Ham, fried okra, and black-eyed peas. A good Southern meal-I might have to add some cornbread into the mix for good measure! :) I think I am going to add some jalapeños to the black-eyed peas this time to mix it up a bit.
• Chicken spaghetti and salad. I think I am going to double my batch of chicken spaghetti and freeze half to eat later.
• PW’s crispy yogurt chicken with couscous and salad.
• Lasagna with garlic bread.
• Chicken and sausage jambalaya.

I Heart Faces: Favorite Face from March

So, I realize that I've shared this photo a couple of times already on my blog, but it is most definitely my favorite face photo from March.

Quarterly Top 5 of Ella and Troy (and some changes)

Naptime Momtog, Amber’s Articles, and Click It Up a Notch are hosting a linkup with the top 5 photos of your kids from January-March. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to share my favorites from the first months of 2011. It was tough to choose just five!

 

 

Also, you might have noticed things look just a tad different around here! ;) I won a blog makeover from the talented Jhen at From Here to Eternity (thanks to Naptime Momtog for hosting the giveaway). I’m in the process of cleaning up some stuff (organizing it so it is easier to find), but that isn’t completed just yet. Hope you like the new look!