Random Snowy Thursday

I love feeling loved. Pretty sure we all do. And I love showing my love to others, usually through kind acts or little gifts. I am very fortunate to have both my blood-family and my in-love family close by, as well as those I call Framily: friends that are like family. This group has been growing lately and I can't help but feel blessed by this!!

All of these people are so willing to help us when needed and I look forward to returning the favor. In the past week, things have fallen into place for me to be able to help some friends by watching their little boy a couple days a week. He is so much fun and provides great socialization for Raia :). Yesterday, while he was here, I was going to be venturing to Patrik's tumbling class, which I knew could prove to be very interesting. Thanks to the snow, my husband ended up being home for the day and so sweetly agreed to stay home with the 2 crazy toddlers so they could nap and Patrik and I could go. Then, I received a text from a BFF (Beautiful, Fabulous Friend), saying her back was very sore and she wouldn't be taking her kids to tumbling. Now that I didn't have to take the 2 toddlers, I was happy to offer to pick her 2 up and take them to tumbling with us.

God made the pieces fall together today. I loved seeing how perfectly it worked out. And I loved even more the conversation I got to hear in the short drive from her house to the Rec Center. It has had me laughing ever since and I just had to share.

Please enjoy seeing the world through the eyes of 4 & 5-year-olds.

Scene: I get into my car and make sure all 3 kids are buckled. Back out of the driveway and begin our drive.

Patrik: "Mom, am I 5 & 1/2?"
Me: "Not quite yet."
Kristin: "I'm 5 & 1/2."
Me: "Yep. You're more like 5 & 3/4 because it is almost your birthday and then you will be 6."
Kristin: "Yep. My birthday is Dec. 15. And my mom's birthday is on Christmas. And that is God's birthday. And did you know that God is Jesus?"
Kade: "And Jesus is love."
Me: "Yes I did."
Kade: "Look at that truck with a shovel!" (seeing a pickup with a plow on the front)
Kristin and Patrik: "Cool."
Kade: "When I am big I will have a monster truck! And I will drive it everywhere."
Kristin: "You can drive it in parades and people can ride on a seat in the back. Like me, right?"
Kade: "I guess. Tonya Buxman, can we run in the snow after class?"
Me: "Um .... "
Kristin: "Yeah. We did that after the library. We ran through the leaves and crunched them."
Me: "Crunching leaves is fun. We will have to see if there is snow to run through."
Patrik: "Are we all in the same class?"
Me: "Yes. You know that."
Patrik: "No! I mean for school. They don't go to my school."
Kristin: "No. I go to Chess and they have 3 classes."
Kade: "I go to home."
Kristin: "And we like different movies. I bet you like Transformers, like Kade, right Patrik?"
Patrik: "Yep."
Kristin: "I like Hello Kitty. It is for girls."
Patrik: "I would never watch that."
Kade: "Miss Hillary won't be teaching today because she got a new baby. My mom says that when we get a new baby I can go with them."
Kristin: "No she didn't Kade. She said 'Maybe.'"
Kade: "No Sir. I can go."
Kristin: "No. Maybe means yes and no and I don't know. Patrik, look at this booger."
Patrik: "Where?"
Kristin: "On my finger. Look, it is kinda green."
Patrik: "Oh. Yeah it is."
Kade: "Let Me see."
Kristin: "It's gone."
Kade: "Tonya Buxman, watch where you are going." (said after I politely signaled and changed lanes)
Me: "You don't think I am watching where I am going?"
Kade: "No."
Kristin: "I am going to ask my mom if we can eat lunch out. We should go to Wendy's. We could all go, but not Raia."
Patrik: "I don't like Wendy's."
Kristin: "Don't you like chicken nuggets?"
Patrik: "Yes. But I like pizzeria."
Kade: "This is where they have recital." (as I pull in and park in UCCC parking lot).
Kristin: "I had a dance recital here. But when I am 6, I can be in the nutcracker and be a real ballerina. You can come watch me. I don't have to be a mouse. Only little kids are mice."
Me: "Well, of course I will come watch. Let's stay together now."

End scene: We made it.

I seriously wish I had a button in my car that I could push to record because I am sure I left some stuff out. It was such a serious conversation in their little world and was all over the place without ever missing a beat. It just made me laugh. And laugh. And laugh some more.

Kids are Awesome.

Friday Feelings

This morning I was running errands. I have been better about making sure the station I am listening to is appropriate for my kids as they definitely repeat a lot now a days, so we were listening to Way FM. This song came on and it was the first time I had heard it, and upon hearing the first few words I quickly turned it up to hear it. Then tears started welling in my eyes (not so great when driving).

Throughout my life, I have been hurt by many. Many within churches.

Throughout my life, I have hurt many. Intentionally or not.

As a parent, our culture scares me at times. The stuff my kids will be facing seems so much bigger than what I faced. There is so much hurt and anger. And arguing.

I value being able to have my own opinions. I value my family. I value having friends. I value having joy and happiness in my life. I value being different.

Lately, I have been catching myself in the words that I use, in an effort to not only help myself but also to teach my children (ie., I want vs. I need). I have also been catching my thoughts here and there, especially in reaction to 'News'. An honest truth: When listening to the story about the Arvada theater shooting, I heard them talking about those who were in the theater. I remember hearing them mention a mom who was there with her very young (2-4 months old) baby, and my first thought (spoken aloud to the TV) was, "Really?! She took her infant to a late night premier of a movie?!" Really Tonya?! I literally stopped myself as I couldn't believe that I chose at that moment to judge someone.

I'm human. I often fail.

I desire so much to teach my kids to LOVE! To just LOVE. I desire to live this way as to teach them. I don't have to agree with you. You don't have to agree with me. But I can love you. I can help you. We can still be friends. We will always be family.

This song just so nicely said how I have been feeling lately with so much 'controversy' being created and fed to us through the numerous social outlets of our day.

So, I got home. Sat down at my computer and searched for the song on YouTube. Played it and began blogging some of my thoughts. The song is below. Please enjoy. Maybe grab a tissue.

This blog is a bit jumbled for my usual likeness (read as need for perfection), but I just wanted to share my heart this morning. So, judge if you must ;). But know that if you are reading this, I LOVE YOU!!