Growing Pains

Wow.  I'm not sure that anyone could have prepared me for the organizational nightmare that comes from managing all the "stuff" that comes with twins!  I am fully aware that when you have one child, it becomes difficult to manage storing all of the things that were theirs when they were a baby as they grow older.  Times that by two.  Yikes.  

With each new quarter it seems, it's been time to put clothes away...put swings and bouncers away....put all of the things that the girls have outgrown and no longer need.  And with each time I put it away, I find myself piling more and more "stuff" up downstairs...completely afraid to get rid of a thing. But upstairs, in their room, I have found that there are still things that I can't even seem to move downstairs.  Are they really going to revert backwards and suddenly fit into those cute little white hats once again that they wore last summer?  Probably not...but there they both sit.  Taking up much coveted space in their limited drawer space in their room.

I am running out of space in their room.  I am running out of space in the room that they need now.  Not tomorrow, not yesterday, but now.  So enough holding on to the things that don't fit and aren't needed anymore....we need free'd up space for all the new things that fit and are needed NOW.  So, today I pulled all of the blankets and sentimental things out of their closet and put them in the hall so that I can go through everything while the girls are asleep in their room.  This is the only possible way I can do this.  It is impossible to organize their room when they're awake and pulling everything down off the shelf, out of the drawers, and messing up my piles!  So, to the hall everything goes. 

Tonight, I opened a box.  The box had 2 gorgeous hand knit sweaters that the girls never wore.  I felt my heart literally break into a million pieces.  The sweaters are too small for my girls now...and winter has passed.  The sweaters were made for them as newborn sized, but my girls were preemies when their first winter was here, so the sweaters were much too big.  This past winter they were probably too small...but I'll never know because I neglected to pull them out their second winter of life.  Oh the thought, the idea, the sight of those beautiful sweaters going into a box never to be worn by my girls broke my heart into a million pieces.  Can't we turn back the clock?  Can't my girls get small again just for one day maybe so they can wear them and I can capture it on picture?  

Is it really about the sweaters or is it more about the aching heart this mother feels when it hits her that her babies are no longer babies...that with each and every passing day they grow bigger and stronger and those sweet precious moments of having tiny babies in your arms is forever gone and instead etched deeply into memory?  I want to hold on to the sweaters.  I want to hold on to the hand knitted booties they wore once or twice but oh how cute they were on their tiny feet.  I want to  hold  on to the blankets that they were wrapped up in tightly their first time going to church on that cold January day.

And then I look over and see the new toy Savannah pulled out of the pile in the hall.  The one that was sitting in their closet waiting for the "age appropriate" time to finally hit before setting it down for the girls to play with.  Early tonight she dug through all of the "stuff" that was piled up in the hall and found that toy - the coolest wooden animal puzzle that makes animal sounds each time you place the animal in the right spot on the puzzle (thank you Mimi and Papaw!!).  It said "Age 2" so I had put it in a pile for later.  Savannah could not get her eyes off of that puzzle nor could she keep her hands off of the puzzle pieces.  I had pulled it out into the living room floor where she could stretch out better and play with it.  She was intrigued.  Madeline came into the room and was equally intrigued when Savannah introduced her to their new toy.  Their eyes were completely captivated by this toy, this toy that, had I been obsessed with not letting the girls grow, would have stayed in the closet because I wasn't ready to move on to the "bigger" things.  I even pulled out my Blackberry to take a picture and neither of my girls fought for the phone as they usually do!  They just looked at the Blackberry and went right back to playing with their toy.

  

After my heart broke over the sweaters, I look over and see this new toy my two girls played with just earlier tonight that was a sweet reminder to this mommy of their growing up and moving on to new and exciting things in this thing called life.

This is what it's about.  Letting go of the things of yesterday and watching with eager anticipation for the exciting new discoveries that my precious girls will make today and tomorrow.  Their Nana is making the girls each a blanket.  They haven't seen it yet.  As I pack away the sentimental things of yesterday, I eagerly await the sentimental things they will be receiving tomorrow...knowing that with each new things they get, there will be even more special memories and moments that will carry us all on for a lifetime to come.  There are more sentimental things to come....much, much more.  

Oh the roller coaster ride of motherhood.....the growing pains.....the emotional roller coaster ride and growing pains of motherhood.  I am thankful to God each and every day for the honor of taking this ride with Madeline and Savannah, and sitting right next to me, Chris.

Progress?

So, I'm just wondering.  If Madeline just knocked over the vase with the greenery in it and said "uh oh!" and slowly turned and ran away from it, are we finally making progress?

Oh you know the vase with the greenery I'm talking about.....this same incident captured hmmm....8 months ago?  

Oh discipline and teaching right from wrong....we have lots to learn.

The Working Twins

Now that I am working again, I have introduced our girls to the working world.  This past week I had a couple of meetings in east Tennessee I needed to attend.  Due to their vicinity, I was able to take the girls and spend a few days at my family's house while my sister took off from work to watch the girls during my meetings. (Thank you, Aunt Robin!!) So, this was no solo business trip for me...this was a business trip that included my two working girls.  After all, riding in the car for 4 hours with just their mommy, spending a couple of days just playing at their Mimi, Papaw and Aunt Lynsey's house, having their Mimi and Aunt Robin spoil them with the cutest, sweetest gifts, taking yet another road trip with their mommy and Papaw to go visit their cousin McKenna, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Tonia...it's all hard, hard work. Poor girls. 

Ok, in all seriousness, these girls are amazing little travelers.  Yes I was exhausted when we returned home, and yes, the girls had been a little off schedule with all the travel, but truly, they are amazing little travelers.  They are so flexible and adaptable to any environment we put them in for however long necessary.  They amaze me.  And what a blessing to get to spend my life with these two angels.

Madeline with her Papaw

Savannah with her Mimi

Lynsey juggling these two girls on her lap, both trying to play the piano!

Holding on to Papaw

My precious 2 year old niece McKenna wearing her new Princess shoes!

The girls playing with cousin McKenna's new car!

Papaw and his girls....3 of his 4 granddaughters!

Savannah blowing kisses

Madeline and Aunt Lynsey

Savannah has a LOT to say to her Mimi!

Having fun with Papaw

A Day at the Park

Last Sunday, our busy week started out by our spending the day at Coolidge Park in Chattanooga for our church conference's "Young Pastors Family Picnic Day". The girls enjoyed the fountain which was a huge surprise to me. I wasn't sure how they'd react to the water, but they loved it!  Here are a few pics of the day....

Playing in the fountain with their new friends Lauren and Matthew!

Picnic time!  Fruit flying everywhere...

Savannah chillin' with her daddy

Strawberries!  Our favorite!

Boldly going into the water!

Running from the water! 

Savannah and Madeline with their new friends Lauren and Tristan attempting to pose for pics!

The girls and I with their cousin Caitlin!

Got to spend some time with Grammy too! -- Sorry Mom! I always catch you blinking! :-) 

Savannah just climbed on Sarah's back while she was taking pics!  Not a shy bone in this girl's little body! :-)

A VERY happy Madeline at the end of our day at the park.

A few of us from the day:  The Massengill's, the Wright's, and the Asaftei's (minus Marius!)  Love Madeline's belly...ha ha!

Strength

I spent the last four nights on the road - with my girls this time.  I love my job...I really do.  I have the freedom to stay home with my girls for the majority of the month, and then when duty calls, I am away from them for just a day or, in this week's case, a few hours at a time.  Thankful again for a supportive family, I took the girls with me while my sister took one afternoon and one morning off from work to babysit for me during my meetings.  Made for an easier transition to not be away from them for so long at a time...however it meant I was away from my sweet husband for several days, which always makes me sad.  

While we were gone, we had a free afternoon to jump over the mountain to visit my brother and sister-in-law and my sweet little 2 year old niece McKenna.  She had just had a birthday, so we were able to bring her some birthday presents and let all three of the girls play together.  So fun!  And during the entire time we were away, we were able to stay at Mimi and Papaw and Lynsey's house and spend some much coveted time with them!  I loved watching the girls toddle around the house I grew up in...so very, very heartwarming to see.

There are days like today when I need strength. Simple strength, really... I need strength to get the girls back into their normal routine after being away for 4 days.  I need strength to straighten up the house after being away for almost a week and after rushing out the door when I left, leaving folded laundry and clothes laying around the house that now need my attention.  I need strength to unpack all of the suitcases and diaper bags from our trip and reorganize everything.  I need strength in preparation of church tomorrow with two little girls that want nothing more than to play or sleep in their own bed instead of sit still for a few hours in what should be a most humble occasion of worship service to our Maker. So, today, I simply ask for simple strength.  Simple strength because I know life has much harder curve balls out there that could be thrown my way, but the simple reality is that no matter what ball is thrown, it still takes strength.  And today I need that.  

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." Isaiah 40:29.  All I need to do is look into the beautiful faces of my girls and God immediately brings me strength through the reminder of the gift that they are to us.  

Pics from the week to follow!

The Green-Eyed Monster

This week, my morning devotion has been on jealousy...the green-eyed monster. Maybe God was preparing me for what we are just now starting to face with our girls!! Here's what breakfast was like this morning (and trust me, the pics are much tamer than the actual sounds of "uh! uh!" emitting from our kitchen! ha!):

Savannah wants Madeline's banana peel.  Yes, her banana peel!

Madeline wants Savannah's Cheerio's...even though she has her own Cheerio's on her tray.

Girls.  Now listen up.  This is getting out of control.

OK.  We'll try to do better...but my goodness her Cheerio's look SO MUCH better than mine!

Ok girls.  Time for a pep talk from your momma.

Madeline and Savannah.  In just two days, you'll be turning 16 months old.  In two months, you'll be a year and a half old!  How is it humanly possible that at such a young age, when your outside influences haven't been much more than each other and family and friends that love you very much, that you already are comparing what the other one has and doesn't have, and fighting over it?  So, here goes.

Life is not fair.  Things will happen to one of you that won't happen to the other - both good things, and bad things.  There will be times when one might get a special present, and the other will get an equally special present but they will be different.  Why?  Because the two of you are unique.  As you continue to grow, you will have your own special interests and gifts that God has given you that makes you YOU!  Madeline, you may want to be a guitar player, and Savannah, you may want to play the piano.  Now, if Savannah likes playing the piano and Madeline likes playing the guitar, would it really be "fair" to give you both a guitar?  No!  And would it really be a good idea if we scratched both ideas and gave you both a flute instead, just to be fair?  No!

Girls....this is only the beginning.  But, it is my job, my mission, my sole purpose in life as your mother to do this:  I want to raise you both to have a heart like His.  This is a huge responsibility as your mother.  God has entrusted the two of you to mine and your daddy's care, and it is up to us to teach you what your heavenly Father is like and how to be more like Him.  That, my sweet girls, is the key to this life we all have here on this earth.  I want to teach you both to have a servant's heart and a generous spirit.   I pray that you will have hearts that will not constantly compare as you grow older.  The Bible tells us that "No one should seek his own good, but the good of others." (1 Cor 10:24).

Girls, as you grow older, if you learn to have a heart that desires the good of others over your own, you will be amazed at the peace that will fill your hearts.  Proverbs 14:30 tells us that a heart of peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bone!  Oh my sweet girls...the next few years are going to be lots of fun teaching you this principle, but with God's help and His teaching me the same, I will do my best to be a mother that strives to, in turn, teach you beautiful, precious baby girls how to have a heart like His. 

Love,

Mommy

Two Sleepers

Caught these priceless photo's of my girls sleeping during nap time yesterday afternoon.

Savannah snuggling with her bunny

Madeline snuggled up with her bunny

Every night before they go to bed, I pray with them.  We thank God for our fun day and all the blessings He brought, and ask Him to send His angels to watch over them and keep them safe through the night. When I sneak into their room and see them sleeping so peacefully like this, I know God hears our prayers.  

There are days like this that I simple just can't handle how much I love our baby girls.  It gives me reason to pause and thank God again - and again, and again - for the incredible blessing of Madeline and Savannah. 

 

My Girls

Just a few of my most favorite pics I took of my girls over the weekend.  I love this weather!! And since they weren't mobile last summer, it is so fun to watch them enjoy the outdoors and soak in the fresh air for the first time in their little lives!  This is going to be a great spring/summer!