Each day I read a chapter in Proverbs to the children. We read the chapter number that coincides with the day of the month, i.e. chapter 5 on the fifth. I have the children listen quietly (the baby usually nurses) but it is ok with me if they fidget a bit and what not. They are very young, however, and I often wonder if they hear anything that I read. This morning Sabin showed me that he does indeed listen, well sort of....

After I had finished reading, he decided to "read" to Mickey. He read a bunch of words jumbled together. I could understand the individual words, but not his phrases. Then very clearly he read, "Drink from your own sister." Then he continued on with more words mixed up as phrases. Haha... I stifled my giggles so as not to discourage, but oh how I wanted to just laugh out loud.

You can read this verse for yourself by clicking here.

I am encouraged to continue reading. And, of course, I added to our little journal of "The Things They Say".

Peacefully Buzzing, 

Misty

Yesterday, Sabin went to work with Daddy. Chloë and I enjoyed some wonderful mother/daughter time. We played and sang and chatted. She was fascinated by Sabin's balloon (a freebie from the grocery store). I showed her how to hold the string and she soon learned how to bounce it around above her. She enjoyed it so much that she fell asleep watching it. She slept in the middle of the living room floor the ribbon clutched in her grasp for the entire nap. I didn't have the heart to disturb her.

Peacefully Buzzing, 

Misty

Today Chloë is 6 months old and Sabin is 2 and a half. Wow! The time sure wizzes by. How quickly they are growing. Sabin can chat a mile a minute. He is easily understood by friends, family, and strangers. I continue to through new words at him, such as limosine and ornary, he eats it up. He is strong, agile and well coordinated for his young age. He loves to jump down these days - the higher the platform the better. Sabin is not at all shy. He loves meeting new people and is willing to make friends with anyone: the cashier, the man in line behind us, the old lady in the parking lot, he has something to say to anyone who will listen.

 Chloë is just as rolly polly as ever. She is outgrowing the 6-9months clothing. She can sit pretty well these days, but she prefers to be on her belly. Today she has begun a modified crawl of sorts. She rocks back and forth on her hands and knees before lunging forward toward her target. Then she returns to her hands and knees and goes again. It looks sort of like the way a dolphin swims in and out of water. The other day I changed a poopy diaper and realized that it had been quite a while since I have had to change one. She does so well with pottying. She is even beginning to stay dry all night (she usually wakes me once in the night to take her potty). She also has just begun making all kinds of new sounds with her mouth and is really beginning to babble. However, her favorite sounds is still a squeal and she frequently eggs her brother on until they are both screaming back and forth.

106. 2 and a half years with my little boy

107. a half of a year with my little girl

108. childlike wonder

109. good health

110. loving mentors

111. babywearing and each carrier

112. patient daddy

113. playful daddy

114. baby blues - both sets

115. chubby cheeks - both sets

116. chubby rolls upon rolls

117. nursing

118. snuggling in bed

119. conversations in squeals of delight

120. childish giggles

121. "That's so funny." - Sabin's new phrase

122. his playful spiritedness

123. her sweet contentment

124. a daddy home to enjoy the babes

125. chubby armed hugs

Peacefully Buzzing, 

Misty

At 6am Sabin was up and ready to go "Trick-or-Treat again". I was able to hold him off for an hour. At 7am he walked out the door wearing his costume and snow boots headed for Gramma Gail's. I called her as he got close and she met him at the back gate. "What are you doing?" I heard her ask him.

"Just trick-or-treating." He said matter-of-factly. She invited him in. He is probably eating candy for breakfast. Maybe she'll at least get him to eat some toast first.

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Apparantly, Sabin had a lot of fun last evening. We just took a little walk around the neighborhood stopping at about 10 houses. We finished at Henry and Gail's house just as it got dark. Then we visited/played there until bedtime.

Peacefully Buzzing, 

Misty

I have so much I'd like to share, but alas, time marches on and busy I remain. For the past several months now God has laid a particular concept on my heart. In regard to teaching my children of who God is, I have struggled a bit with the practicality of it. (silly that seems now that I am on this side of summer looking back) How does one go about teaching a toddler or even an infant of God and all His attributes?

I discovered that my biggest problem was not the maturity of my child, but rather the heart of his mama. However, once again, my God is so gracious. Each resource I have turned to has gently led me to the same place He has been whispering, "Seek me first... Seek me first... just seek me first."

Here is what I am currently committing to memory:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house and on thy gate."

I am learning the obvious, "...out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." There is no magic formula, it is simply delighting in the glory of my God that will ultimately teach my children of who He is. So together the children and I are sitting at the feet of my Lord.

At first, I read only a couple of verses in Proverbs each day. I would read once I had finished my breakfast while Sabin was still eating the last bites of his. Then one day I decided to just see if we could get through an entire chapter. We did. Usually Chloë is close by, listening in. The children are neither perfectly still nor perfectly quiet. However, with practice and an occasional reminder Sabin does not interrupt. Once we finish reading we fold our hands and I pray a short prayer asking God to bless our day. I generally pick a verse that stuck out to me and ask God to help us with that, ie wisdom, obedience to Him, choosing kind words, etc. We read the chapter that corresponds with the date.

Is Sabin really getting any of what I'm reading you wonder. I wonder too. We've been reading this way almost every day for a few weeks and he says nothing about it. However, I am not only reading to my children, I am reading to their mama. I am amazed at how a verse in a chapter that I keep reading once every month suddenly leaps out and I see it for the first time. Other verses are becoming more familiar like friends who visit regularly. This past week, on nights when all goes well and the children are quiet at bedtime, I've begun reading a Psalm to them and/or singing a hymn that I know. This too has helped my own walk.

As I become more familiar with passages that I keep re-reading I find it more natural to share a verse with the children in a time when it is applicable. Things like, "oh mama is being a contentious woman today, are home is not very peaceful when mama has an unhappy heart. I'm sorry." This led Sabin to tell my neighbor "mama isn't very grumpy today." I love when he airs my dirty laundry. Another time we were able to talk about controlling our temper - both his and mine.

If this topic interests you, both Tedd Tripp and Lou Priolo write far better than I do. These books have been a tremendous blessing to me, respectively Instructing a Child's Heart and Teach Them Diligently.

Peacefully Buzzing, 

Misty