Parenting: It Ain't Easy!

Do any of you ever feel like this? Like you had parenting “figured out” BEFORE having kids...ha!  Boy, was my immature self SO wrong!  Elijah was super-easy, and we naively thought it was, in part, due to our awesome skills as parents!  Well, PorkChop joined us (he’s never been easy) and Elijah turned 2 ½, and “reality” set in...parenting is hard!  In fact, parenting is probably the hardest task we have ever undertaken...the one thing that requires more effort, patience, consistency, forgiveness, love, self-control, determination, discipline, and (especially) prayer than any other “task” that’s been put before us.  Perhaps to some of you parenting is/was a breeze...if that’s the case, then more power to ya and feel free to share your secrets!  But, we have found that to raise our children the way the Lord wants AND glorify Him in the process...whew! That’s tough!

I am grateful to know many other parents of young’uns, and their ability to share their struggles reminds me that I’m not the “only one”.  The only mother who surprises herself at the level of frustration these two boys can elicit!  Please don’t get me wrong, we love, LOVE these sweet, precious, funny boys more than anything on this earth, but there are times when that is easier than others. I find myself praying constantly for patience with these little guys...and then more opportunities arise for me to practice patience.  Perhaps I should stop?!  Just kidding!

I also find myself missing my own mother more and more as I face these challenges. I wish I could seek her counsel...her tips, tricks, godly advice.  Her ability to let me vent honestly about my frustrations, my exhaustion, my impatience, even my anger without a single ounce of judgment...just understanding.  I don’t know how she did it as a single mother.  I have a wonderful husband who is so supportive and helpful, and I still feel like I’m spitting fire some days! I also have my MIL, Kathy, who is great, and I am so thankful of the friendship that has developed between us since moving to Memphis.  She has raised 4 godly children successfully, and there is a lot to be said for such a feat!  But, with the wonderful examples and support that the Lord has placed in my life...I still find myself wishing I could seek the counsel of my own mother or at least get one of her pep-talks! That longing will never change, I’m sure.

Ok, ok, I’m done with the pity party! I really don’t want to complain or for you to think I’m ready to jump off a bridge or something! Not true! I just want to be open and honest so that I can look back on these days and know that the challenges, the consistency with discipline, and the hard (but right) decisions will all be worth it and pleasing to the Lord..and that someday they will be adopted into His family, too.

Ah, after such a heavy post how about some light-hearted fun. 

 Nothing special, but here’s what we’ve been up to...

Sega Gym with Daddy-O

Serious bed-head! Phyllis Diller, anyone?? (For you, Lauren!)

You just never know when they'll have those Christmas trees on sale!

Sumo-Miles

sleeping partner

Papa Rara came for the weekend! Always fun!

A Papa Rara inspired activity!

Yep, that's a face plant...

 And, yep he ate sand...

...but recovered nicely!

soccer star?

And, lastly, I found this to be hilarious this week, and a good way to end a heavier post! A video on YouTube about cats playing "patty cake".  Really, this is for Jill and Rachel (and any other cat-lovers...Steph J, Amy W??!!)...enjoy! (if the link doesn't work, just youtube "cats play patty cake")

San Diego + The Kellers = One Great Trip!

It's really a shame we had to travel to lovely CA for Luke's orals last week! ;)  Ha!  Truly, the only thing that wasn't so great about the trip was, well, Luke's orals!  But, he and Matt got through them feeling pretty good so I'm confident in 6 weeks they will both receive notification of a "passing" grade.  

So, I'll keep the dialogue brief as I have uploaded 50 or more pictures (feel free to bail at any moment!).  I had the pics nicely organized by day/event, but when I uploaded them they totally dissolved into a jumbled mess! I don't feel like rearranging them so here's the pot-luck of pictures...

Friday (post-test) we chose to spend the day at the San Diego Zoo! That place was huge, overwhelming, and incredible all at once!

Hope and her pageant wave from the concrete camel

To make a long story short, Luke's sister's sister-in-law (lost yet??) and her husband just moved to San Diego last spring.  So, we met Jeff & Darlene and their sweet boys at church and again at the Zoo later in the week!  I think Elijah and Isaiah would be good buds if we had given them more time together!

At dinner one night where we met friends from med school who were ALSO in San Diego taking their anesthesia orals! (picture of the entire group later)

The morning of the big test, Elijah felt that Luke needed a little yoga to calm his nerves...

Life is hard at the beach! Seriously, our rental house that we shared with Matt & Kasey couldn't have been more ideal! 2 blocks from the beach and a fantastic playground!  We only ate out 3 times the whole week since we had a full kitchen! It was perfect and so much more comfortable than a hotel!

Back to the Zoo...they totally were walking this Cheetah to a different pen...like 15 feet in front of us!  There were only two "handlers" with leashes on that thing, but it seemed like it was a pretty routine event and the cat was very calm.  It was pretty exciting to see it so close!  Matt swears he licked his lips at Phelps when he strolled by...Mmmm, lunch!

  

And, here we are with our friends from dear Johnson City, TN! I'm not sure why we didn't put it together that Hughes and Luke would be testing there together that week! So, at the very last-minute we made plans to see Hughes, Nicole, and baby bump!  They left their munchkin, Lily, back home for their quick trip to SD.  They were so generous to spend their only kid-free evening with, well, our two kiddos!  It was so great to see them and spend dinner together!

So, Matt had heard of this breakfast place and was told we had to try it out...

It was insane! That is the GINORMOUS blackberry granola pancake! We also ordered an avocado/bean/spinach/salsa omelette, and a "biscuit benedict" with eggs, fried chicken, some sort of chipotle cream sause, spinach, bacon and other delicious goodness.  Seriously, the portions were huge and the taste was incredible!!

The first of MANY beach/sunset pics! It was beautiful!

Spent one morning at the Scripps Aquarium just one mile from the house we rented. It was small but perfect for out crew!

Kasey with Hope and carrying baby Phelps

Matt & Phelps after his test

Elijah really took an interest in Phelps last week, and he loved making him smile

So handsome!

View from the aquarium

Mama and kiddos at the water table outside the aquarium

Juicy lips and big, round eyes

Swing feind 

  

Hope and her sassy glasses!

Oh, so this was on the way from Houston to SD Saturday afternoon.  You might notice that Miles has on no clothes...let's just say the shirt and pants weren't even salvageable.  It's amazing how quickly poop can get places!  

Final night with our friends

Watching the seals & sea lions

Silly family pic on the tram at the Zoo!

Just a glimpse of our 70's style rental...kinda felt like we were on set at the Brady Bunch!

Visited the Children's Pool which was once built for actual kids to wade/swim in, but at some point it was taken over by the seals and sea lions!  We enjoyed walking out on the pier for a closer look and a few crashing waves!

Our only all-inclusive group shot...apparently Elijah didn't like the stranger taking our picture!

Hilarious! Luke found an app that lets you put a picture on the animal's face as well as record the animal sound.  He and Elijah played with this thing forever!  

Post-poop event 

Such a big boy. First time flying in a paid-for seat, but he did great staying in his own chair and keeping occupied.

Elijah and Hope never stay strangers for too long...even if it's been months (almost a year!) since our last visit with the Kellers.  This cracked us up because it looks like one of those really awkward prom poses.

At the Air & Space Museum...a total bust unfortunately.  This was about the only thing that was kid-friendly.

E wanted to hold baby Phelps a lot!

Second glimpse at that massive/delicious pancake...Mmmmmm

Well, that's the end of our highlighted pics from the trip! It was such a great week with very special friends! We are so very thankful that we were all able to have that time together!!  Thanks to so many of you all for your prayers on Luke's behalf.  He definitely felt the love!  

Hope you all have a wonderful week!