Mom moments

As you all know, I recently became mom to three precious little kiddos.  I really love being a mom and feel like the Lord gave me a mom’s heart a long time ago.  However, I would be lying to say that it has been a piece of cake.  I wanted to take a minute and write down a few things that I want to remember…

1. Not my most shining moments.. sending Nicolle to time out for misbehaving in the pool and then remembering that she was in time out about 45 minutes later… whoops.  Also the day we lost her in the SPS mall and I found her sobbing with the security guard.  Lesson learned… 8 adults, 2 kids, and 3 babies is too big of a crowd to keep up with in the mall.

2. When Nicolle started to learn to sing the ABCs she sang… H I J Kate L M N O P.  By the time I pulled out the video camera two days later she was singing it correctly… stop learning so fast!

3. I’m so excited about where we live for my kids.  We moved to a gated community with a park and safe streets where they can ride their bikes.  In one week we know more neighbors than I knew in my old house in over a year.  And we are the house where the kids come to play!  Its because I have a fun husband who has dancing games on his playstation… but it makes my heart happy and the kids can’t wait to get home every afternoon.  Also the Troxells are our neighbors, which is awesome… and Lyssa.

4. Food is a struggle.  This week I wanted to throw a party because both kids ate three sugar snap pees without complaining or throwing up.  That is a miracle.  They’ve never eaten vegetables before, or gringo food… so baby steps people.

5. Apple sauce, BBQ chicken, frozen chicken nuggets, and mashed potatoes… these are the winning foods at our house these days.  Other than that its beans, eggs, cheese and tortillas folks.

6. The kids are learning to love reading and we read mainly in English.  Current favorites are Edwina the Dinosaur who didn’t know She was Extinct and any book about the Paloma Volante… the Pigeon books by Mo Willems.  Nicolle also likes The Very Hungry Caterpillar because she knows almost all the English words.

7. We are memorizing the ESL version of the shorter catechism for gringo church on Sundays… I’m so proud of them every week when they are able to say it!

8. They follow me around the house.  Moms are not kidding when they say they get no peace… we are learning about boundaries and personal space, but that is not a conquered lesson yet.  The shower is mommys… stay out! :)

9. They are sponges and come out with new English words every day that I didn’t know that they knew yet… its amazing and I’m so jealous of how quickly they pick up a new language.

10. It is a pleasure and a blessing to be their mom.  The other night Nicolle had a nightmare that she died and left me and her papi alone and she was devastated and bawling her eyes out.  What a privilege to get to get to talk to her about Jesus and that we don’t have to fear death or being alone.  I was overwhelmed with the responsibility to love these kiddos and teach them about Jesus… but so thankful that He is ultimately the one doing it and I get to be a part of their lives.  I love it.