Tis the time of year when the snow has melted, the ground is soft, mud is plentiful and my boys are in heaven! They’ve been playing outside every afternoon. I am always quick to say, “Put play clothes on” or “don’t forget to change those pants” or “go change those pants right now!”
I spoke those words the other day and Eli looked at me and said, “Mom, you’re just going to have to go get us some more play clothes.”
BE PATIENT.
“A man’s wisdom gives him patience. He will be honored if he forgives someone who sins against him.”
Proverbs 19:11
As a homeschooling mom and stay-at-home, work-at-home mom, I am very familiar with messes. Some days I feel like all I do is pick up messes. I’ve learned that I cannot wait until the end of the day to clean up messes. It will be like a mountain that I cannot conquer! So periodically, throughout the day, I clean up the messes as I go along. I also teach this to my boys and they are responsible for certain rooms throughout the week. I encourage them to clean up the mess, put things away, organize right before or after lunch and then again before dinner, instead of waiting for it to build up.
Our lives with God are the same way. We cannot allow sin, anger, bitterness, resentment, etc. to build up in our hearts. We must continually turn to God to clean our hearts. Proverbs 20:9 says, “Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin” ?” Spending time in the Word and praying for God to deal with our hearts keeps the mountains of sin from building up.
I know so many people who are in situations and wonder why. “How could this happen to me?” “Why did this happen?” But if they really sit and look back at their life, they will realize they were not seeking God to continually clean their hearts and make them pure. It is a daily commitment. Don’t let the messes of life build up in your heart. Let God show you the areas of your life which need to be cleaned with His forgiving love.
Today we took a field trip with our co-op to the FoxRiver Sanctuary and Nature Center. It was all about animals in their habitat and lots of hands-on things.
They had a little bridge to look at all the animals in a pond or marsh area. Camden was obsessed with this bridge.
Yep, that’s right, they are playing with animal legs and feet! They had all different kinds of animal feet (turkey, deer, goose, duck, badger, etc.) that the kids could use to make their footprints in the sand and see what they look like. This was a favorite of Logan and Camden.
Camden trying to put the antlers on his head so he would be a deer.
Ah ha! And then he was smart enough to figure out the antlers didn’t go on HIS head; they belonged to the deer behind him!
This turtle was not native to our state, but it did come from Grampa and Gramma H’s state.
They had to wet their hands before they touched the salamander.
A corn snake…yuck! Look at Logan checking it out. He did touch it, but just barely.
Eli wanted to do more than just touch the corn snake; he wanted to HOLD it! Oh, this cannot be my son!
Of course, Isaac had to hold the snake too! (I kept my distance.)
In fact, as Isaac was standing near the snake cage, I heard him say, “Oh, I would love to have that!” (In my mind I’m thinking: Never!!!!")
And Camden giving the bear a little pat on the butt. :)
The one picture I missed, that I wished I would have gotten (but I was chasing around a little boy), was Isaac transformed into a beaver. He had on a fur coat, oil for his skin, an axe, goggles, and a paddle (for his tail). It was too funny.
It was quite the educational afternoon. I thought all my boys had a fun time, but as we were walking out to the car, Logan said to me very seriously, “Mom, that was NOT fun.” I guess you just can’t please them all!
This is my miracle boy, Camden.
Today is a huge milestone for him: He was DISCHARGED from physical therapy!!!!!!!!!
Last May he started physical therapy at 10 months old with over a 50% delay. Developmentally, he was a 4 month old. Today, at 19 months, he is at or exceeding his developmental age.
He’s been down a rough road, one that’s not even completely over with, but he’s come so far. He was so far behind and concerned us so much with his one-sided movements, but that is all behind us now. Praise God!!!!
Ms. Heather said goodbye to us this morning (which was a little sad because she’s grown on us) and as I closed the door and looked over to Camden running around, I couldn’t help but cry tears of complete joy. I never thought we’d be where we are at today, but we are. And it feels so good to hear that Camden is just where he should be.
Thanks to everyone for all your prayers over the past few months. Our God is an awesome God!
