Countdown to 3 Part 7

Back on track tonight...

Nevaeh is not only a little girl, but she is also part kangaroo I'm pretty sure. She is a JUMPER. She would probably jump all day if she had the stamina to do so, and also the skill of eating while jumping. It's amazing how much she loves to jump. If she is not dancing, she is jumping. Watching her eyes sparkle, as she goes up and down, again and again brings a smile to my face. Whenever I ask her to "come here", it is a drawn out spectacle of her jumping down the hallway. I must admit though, in public her jumping does not always bring me so much joy, especially when we have somewhere to be or she is jumping on my arms when they are full. Therein lies one of the purposes of this series of posts. I definitely need reminders to cherish all of these little things that make up my beautiful daughter. I need to take time to jump with her down the halls, and just relax about getting to places on time. I will never get the time back to watch her hair bouncing on her head while her laugh rings out loud.
So Nevaeh here's to never stop Jumping!!!

Countdown to 3 Part 5&6

Another double duty post today, what can I say but that I'm a mom.

My daughter is a beautiful mirror image of my husband. Sometimes I think that it is a good thing that I actually gave birth because I wonder where my DNA contributions come in. One thing, though, that I have noticed over time is Nevaeh's open and friendly heart. Strangers become instant friends after an initial meeting. Their names are a constant topic of conversation for the next week with the label "my friend" so and so.... This love of people is truly a God-given gift, and one that I know very well. Even though it comes with an increased vulnerability to getting hurt, it can also enrich her life in a million different ways. I am so excited to see what kind of faith community will result from this love of people.

Now from the inner person to her outer appearance, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Nevaeh's hair. It is so curly and soft. This may sound crazy or shallow to some people, but it's still a part of her that I adore. I have always wanted curly hair. I got perms through the last part of high school and all through college. My hair was always so heavy it was stick straight without any help. When I went through chemo, it was a prayer that a silver lining would be that it would grow back in curly. Praise the Lord it did. While I was also praying for a healthy baby during chemo, I did send up a wish that she would have curly hair too, and she does!! When its in pigtails and her hair forms ringlets around her face, she is an absolute angel, and my heart melts again at what a miracle she is. This is just one of the little things that make up the incredible person she is that I am so grateful for.

Countdown to 3 Part 3&4

I didn't get to post anything yesterday because we were visiting family and Nevaeh got sick. I'm so blessed to have an understanding family who helps me out when my child pukes in their driveway. Anyway, I will write about two unique characteristics of my beloved Nevaeh.

I haven't quite figured out what are her most prominent love languages but I am pretty sure that physical touch is topping the list. Nothing turns my day around like the exuberant greetings from my daughter. Whenever someone in our family walks through the door, whether its me coming home from running errands or my parents and hubby coming home from work, she lets out the loudest shriek possible and takes a flying leap into our arms. She puts a squeeze on your neck that would rival professional wrestlers, and wont let go as we walk through the house together. No matter what type of day it has been, it is worth it for those loving hugs she gives so freely to all.

On a different note, I love that my daughter finds joy in cleaning. I pray that this will also be ingrained with her, but I will see after the teenage years. Washing dishes brings her such imaginable joy. You even step to the sink, and she has her little chair pulled up next to you ready to get her hands wet and soapy. I must admit, I don't often let her help when I am trying to hurry up because as most toddlers do when water is involved is get supremely messy. Yet, when time permits she will scrub those dishes till the surface is scrubbed off and her hands are prunes. She also LOVES clorox wipes to wipe off every surface and window that she can reach. Sometimes when I just need to finish something up, i hand her a wipe and let her go to town with it. This is just another aspect of the incredible servants heart that I am pleased to be a front row witness too.

Countdown to 3 Part 2

Nevaeh is so full of life, it just overflows into every aspect of her life and mine. She makes me cry and laugh all in the same breath. What I love about her today is her effervescence of life revealed in her song and dance. All things that are long and cylindrical become microphones to sing with at the top of her lungs. My favorite performance of hers is when she sings"Jesus Loves Me". Its one of the few songs that she knows all the words too. What a precious moment to witness her own version of worship whether she realizes it or not.
Then dancing usually follows the singing. We all watch Dancing with the Stars together at our house. Nevaeh knows by name all the dancers and at least one move of each dance. Throughout the day, she will just come up to whoever is closest to her and ask them to dance. So we take her hands and twirl her around like the princess she is. Then she will call out which dance she wants to do, the cha cha, the samba, or the waltz. I can't stop smiling as I watch her perform each step. For the cha cha, she moves her feet to the front and then the back swinging her arms. Her waltz consists of her holding her arms like she has an imaginary partner and steps side to side.It is so amazing that she finds so much joy in entertaining all of us.
Watching her smile, reminds me to forget the stresses of being a parent for the moment. It reminds me to always, each and every day, take time to dance in our socks on the wood floor.



                                           

 

Countdown to 3

Today marks one month till my baby girl turns 3. I can't believe where the time has gone. They say the days are long but the years go by fast and how true that is with little ones. I know that i tend to forget all the miracles that are encompassed in my toddler, as i trudge through the constant battles of parenting a toddler. So I am going to write one thing a day until her bday about the things I treasure about her.

My daughter is so spirited its hard to pick my favorite thing about her. However, yesterday and today I was blessed to witness what an incredible heart of compassion she has. When my parents each had a cut and scratch on their hands from working, my daughter's keen little eye was the first to notice. She ran and got a baby wipe to clean the wound, and then proceeded to kiss it. It is Proven fact in our house that kisses make everything better. Anyway, she kept cleaning their hands while whispering soothing words over them like "oooh it will be ok. Ill make it better ok?" At that moment nothing could take her mind off the task at hand at making someone else better. Watching this blessed my heart not only as a mother and nurse but also as a believer in Jesus. She demonstrated Christ's love to us without any prodding from anyone just her own intuition. How humbled am I to be served by her. I pray that someday she will feel the same blessing while watching my life played out.

One Blessed Momma

Thoughts for the Moment

I just recently discovered an amazing new group called Red Roots. A Christian and country group rolled into one. I heard this song this morning that tugged at my heart. It's called
 "When God Says No"
One year ago today, she got the call
That stopped her life
And ever since that moment,
He prayed God would heal his wife
She got weaker by the minute
In that hospital bed
And she could see that he was mad at
God, so she took his hand and said

What if God says no
It don’t mean He loves us less
It just means He knows what’s best
What if God says no
It’s enough we have His grace
So don’t let go of your faith
What if God says no

Just south of Atlanta,
It’s been slow out on his job
But now he’s lovin on his family
And has time to talk to God
He’s prayin that a miracle
Will turn his business back around
But what if God gives him the answer
That His grace is good for now

Jesus prayed on the last night
Before He was crucified
And said, "Dad if there’s another way,
Could you let this pass me by?"
But God saw the big picture,
That it had to be done
So as much as it hurt,
He couldn’t say yes to His Son

In 2 Corinthians 12:9  Paul writes

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

I feel like lately in the crazy chaos of these times I keep forgetting this simple truth. Sometimes reading facebook or catching up with some people, I struggle with grief and loss all over again. My life has in NO WAY gone anything like I have planned, nor do I understand the reasons behind it. I see all these amazing things happening to so many people and I am truly happy for them. Yet, being human and an enemy of Satan, I am reminded of the things that didn't go like I had thought that they should. I grieve again for the time I lost being sick and for the lingering side effects of chemo and for the problem of infertility and for the fears that cancer has embedded into my psyche. It is all so overwhelming until I go back to what I know. I remember that His grace IS enough. Even though I can't see the bigger picture, I know that I dont have to. Where my strength and knowledge ends, there is where His continues.
I don't blame God for what happened, and I dont know why behind it. I do know that I am more than blessed for what I do have- the best family and friends and a crazy interesting eclectic life:). I also have the greatest blessing of all...