Big Feelings

Big big big feelings over here.

Friends of ours adopted a baby (at day one). Mom lost a son a few months ago and has continued to pump her breast milk sacrificially and faithfully. She is now able to nurse her adopted newborn.

Girlie is watching closely....this entire story unfold.

She asked me recently if she could sue Russia. For the lack of care she received as a young child.

The good news....she expressed her anger, frustration, and disappointment in a healthy way.

She trusted me.

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She was "off" in the beginning of the week. I couldn't put my finger on it. Finally, she was asked to spend some quite time...pondering deeply her "obvious off-ness." She wasn't to rejoin the family until she could articulate the issue buried below the surface.

Within 10 minutes she was standing before me with a quivering lip. She wanted to know if I thought she had cancer.

?????????????

Two days prior we had been at the dermatologist and she had seen a Cancer Warning Signs poster on the wall....complete w/photos.

It is a dry patch.

The good news is....she was able to identify her fear...articulate it(rather quickly) and trust me.

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A friend of ours has a son who is having unexplained seizures. Last week he was unconscious for 6 minutes and we were all worried.

Again...two days later...Girlie asks how our loved one is? I tell her he's seeing a specialist and that he is fine right now.

Her response...."cause if he died we'd be going to a funeral, right?"

I asked her if she thought that if he had died that maybe possibly I might be crying and sharing the news w/the rest of the family and crying and mourning and talking about it..... and crying????????

"I was just checking," was her response...... (then)...... "Of course you would be crying....What was I thinking?"

The good news.....she got around to speaking her fear out loud. She trusted me.


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Towards the end of the week...Girlie was "off" again. Couldn't quite put my finger on it.

She was asked to go think about her 'off-ness" and not return until she had it all figured out.

About 10 minutes later she is standing before me...lip quivering again.

It seems she had had a sore throat for two days but didn't want to tell me because she thought it might go away on it's own.

The good news....she was able to articulate her fear (rather quickly.) She trusted me.

I explained that I would rather know about sore throats when they first appear because we are a family who shares straws. She acknowledged that that made more sense and promised to do so in the future.

I gave her medicine.
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All this rising to the surface in one week's time.


Big big big feelings over here.


P.S. Also had to ask for a larger cup bra. Big time trust.

Just remembered.....my hubbie and I are traveling. Alone. Our first real vacation alone during our 19 years of marriage. We are the kind of people who like to take our kids everywhere with us. It's killing us not to bring them...but it's Italy and its's waaaaaaay too expensive to get 7 people there...and it's sorta a combined work/pleasure trip. I'm shooting a wedding :)

Anyways.....back to Girlie.

She whispered in my ear the other nite while I was tickling her back (which she loves and asks for)...."do you think my RAD will come back when you are away?"

"No. Never"....I reassured her.

LOL! Things have for sure improved GREATLY around here over time (slow and steady wins the race) but does she think her RAD is gone?????????

Isn't it absolutely amazing how the Lord works through the circumstances of our lives?

Every step along the Sanctification Road leads us Home. Even the baby steps.

Love in Rocky Places

On a recent walk...we collected a pile of quartz. Wasn't expecting to find a little lovin'...but nevertheless...there it was.

Look for love in the unlikeliest of places.

you are NOT alone

This goes out specifically to my "new phone friend." Anytime.

.....Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. Amen.

Matthew 28:20

Eye Contact

Across the board, eye contact--or the lack thereof---is always an issue for our kiddos. It is just too intimate. My little one will look anywhere except my eyes. Eyebrows, nose, cheeks, ears..... sometimes it seems to be in my eyes but there is a glaze. It is like she is unfocusing her eyes to not have to be in the moment with me.

I have started doing something a little odd. Bu hey, you have to get creative with these kids!! So I thought I would share it with you in the off chance it might help someone out there. When she is looking in my eyes, or saying she is, I move ever so slightly from the left and right. If her eyes track with mine, I know she is not glazing over. Once I know we have eye contact, we can address intimately the challenge, need, pain or lesson before us.

spoiled strawberry heart