{Israel recap} Day 4: Sometimes you just need…

June 10, 2013 ~ Christie ~ Leave a comment

Viewing the Jezreel Valley from the Nazareth ridge

Paul's view from the hotel in Nazareth (oh yes, I am jealous) — Paul’s view from the hotel in Nazareth (oh yes, I am jealous)

(Reposting the Israel series due to technical difficulties) = )

Today really was fabulous. The morning was great; lunch has been fine (as that was a concern seeing it is the biggest time the girls see Paul). Naps happened early and then we were off to do an errand, which led to a surprise visit to the park, which led to dinner with a friend and her little girl. Hooray for unplanned happy occasions!

Even coming home and bath time went great. By the way, the girls really climbed at the park. I was so proud; being a lover of climbing myself. It was so fun to see them try things that they had never done before.

Anyways, what I’m about to tell you is going to seem like it has nothing to do with what I’ve said previously, but just hold on:

We only have one santa hat in the house. Doesn’t sound like a problem? Oh, it has been. Especially between Hope and Sophia. Let’s just say that Hope decided she wanted to wear it first today and that gave us a great little opportunity to teach Sophia about being happy and content even when someone else has something you want.

Right before bed, Sophia grabbed the hat and put it on, planning to wear it to bed.

“No, no santa hats in bed.” I took the hat and put it out in the hallway.

At some point in the middle of the night, Sophia came into my room, crawled in the bed and asked for a drink. I’m not as tough in the middle of the night as I am during the day.

“Okay.” We got the drink and then visited the bathroom. (Did you know that’s one of the hard and fast rules of parenting? It’s okay to give a kid a drink in the middle of the night, but always take them to the bathroom as well. You’ll never regret it. = )

After walking back down the hallway and entering her room, I realized that she wasn’t with me. “Where…what…” my groggy mind thought.

All of the sudden, she came around the corner… wearing the santa hat!

I don’t care. Wait is there a way that it could be dangerous for a three-year old to wear a santa hat in bed? Because if there is, then I’m going to have to say no and that would be really sad.

Before I had time to decide, she pulled off the hat, wadded it up, stuck it under her arm and dove in bed.

Smiling to myself (and not a little unrelieved that I didn’t have to deal with it), I tucked her in and left the room.

You know, sometimes when your dad is on the other side of the world… you just need a santa hat under your arm in bed.

Thanks for reading my first series: Taking care of four little girls alone (while my husband is on an amazing study trip to Israel). Here are links to the other related posts.

Series coming soon

It’s official: the Israel trip is on

Official introduction

Day 1: to turn out that last light

Day 2: lonely in a crowd

Day 3: Is something wrong with me?

Sophia called the kettle black

February 9, 2013February 7, 2013 ~ Christie ~ Leave a comment

Do you ever look at your children around the table and think “Were these kids raised in a barn?”

And then think, “Wait; they’re only 5,3,2, and 1, maybe this is normal.”

And then think, “I don’t care! We have got to learn table manners!”

Maybe that’s only me. I think these things often. One of the biggest areas I don’t understand is the little skill of silverware usage. Currently, my one year old wants to use her fork for everything because she just figured it out and is so excited. I spent months working with the other ones to master this skill at the appropriate ages. So why do they want to eat with their fingers now?

We were sitting at dinner tonight; Paul was actually with us. Everything had been fine and we were almost done. Gracie, who was done, held her fork up high above the table and let it drop… clatter, clatter, clatter. Paul looked over at her and gave her some serious instruction regarding what a fork should and should not do at the table.

“Gracie, you don’t ever bang your fork on the table. You don’t ever scratch the table with your fork. Your fork shouldn’t even be on the table unless Mommy put it there before we ate.”

“Yessur,” she replied.

Paul began to turn away from her and then with tongue-in-cheek added something like, “You don’t even use your fork to eat your food…”

“I do!” Sophia exlaimed as she grabbed her last piece of pork with her FINGERS and popped it in her mouth.

Laughter poured out of me so suddenly that I had to cover my mouth to keep my food from, um… coming out. Paul looked at me to see what was so funny; all I could do was point to Sophia. He glanced over just as she pulled her fingers from her mouth.

He began laughing, putting his head down and shaking it.

Hope was already laughing hysterically as she had caught the moment with me.

Sophia began laughing because she thought she knew why we were laughing. (which made us laugh harder)

Mckayla laughed because that’s what she does.

We laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

It was so funny; so Sophia; and so forgettable.

That’s why I wrote it down here.

The Patience Store

January 21, 2013January 20, 2013 ~ Christie ~ Leave a comment

Have you ever said something to your children that came back to bite you; or convict you?

I don’t remember the exact circumstances surrounding this event, but I do know that Sophia was having trouble being patient.

I oh-so-lovingly-and-gently said, “Sophia, you need to be patient.” She replied unsatisfactorily a few times before I again insisted, “Sophia, you must be patient.”

Her response was classic. “But I don’t have any more patience!”

An idea popped into my head. “Well, you’ll just have to go get some.”

“Where?” she asked suspiciously.

“From The Patience Store.”

“But I don’t have any money.” This kid didn’t get off the boat yesterday.

I continued my thought, “It doesn’t cost anything; it’s free; you just have to go and ask for it. There’s as much as you need.”

I’m not sure if she was just completely amused at the idea, or decided to be more patient, or whatever; I don’t remember at all any further happenings regarding her and that conversation.

But I do remember that a few days later, I was having trouble being patient. Caused I’m sure by circumstances ordinary to any mom: needy kids, overflowing housework, not enough sleep, not enough devotion to Jesus. I was huffy and grumbling in my mind and tired of it all.

These words ran through my head, “You need to go to the Patience Store. There’s as much as you need; you just have to ask for it.”

Big sigh.

It really is that simple isn’t it?

Since that day, I’ve even thought about it further when pondering writing this post. James says that God gives to us liberally without asking why we keep coming back. He gives when we ask for wisdom. This wisdom we ask for is in direct response to the many, various and sudden trials of life. Why can we have joy in these trials? Because they produce that beautiful, precious, high-value virtue… patience.

It’s abundantly available.

I probably need to sign up for the frequent shopper card.

Day 4: Sometimes you just need…

January 9, 2013January 8, 2013 ~ Christie ~ 20 Comments