These 24 Hours

Weather like this keeps the kids and I out of the house as much as possible. I can't stop looking at my tulips that I planted this past November that are blooming and just the cutest things I've ever seen, the kids want to swing, swing, swing and we (ok, I) have lots of projects going on around our house. I even took the kids for a walk today, Jacob pushing a dump truck and Kaylen riding in her little car. I got smart long ago and took along a rope so that I could pull them both when they got tired. Which they did. And consequently, so did I.

With all this fun stuff going on around here, and the weather making us feel like a million bucks (unless we get too close to a stinky Bradford pear tree, then we all begin sniffling and have headaches) the kids have felt very liberated. I've had to watch them constantly to keep them safe from others, from each other, from the dog, from tools, from everything. And it's wearing me out.

In the last 24 hours you would have heard this:
*Do not hammer the dog's head!
*That paint is wet, get away from it!
*Stop! Stop! STOP! You are too close to the road
*Do not climb in the car, it's not a toy.
*Stay close to me when we are walking so that you will stay safe.
*Do not hit each other with sticks! Thats not playing, it's fighting.
*The car muffler is off limits. Do not stick your hands in it. And don't touch anything until I wash your hands.
*Do not put so many in your mouth at one time!
*Don't touch the toilet water, it's gross!
*Do not put things around your neck, or Kaylen's...or the dogs!
*Don't step on the pretty flowers!
*You can hammer the deck, not the driveway.
*Get off the flowers!
*Do not run over Kaylen with your truck!
*Do you see those? Those are pretty flowers that we planted, do not walk on them!
*Put that down!

And on, and on, and on. And frankly, I'm tired of giving orders. In fact, I'm feeling ready to surrender. Bath time tonight was the tipping point. Fighting over the same toy (which I took away, haven't they figured out that both lose when they do that?!?!), fighting over who would get washed first (did I mention they turned the bath water BROWN) and fighting over who would get out first (Kaylen).

But just when it seems to be too much, and I've got nothing left, my sweet little boy hugs and kisses me and tells me that "He loves me sooooo much." Then Kaylen, sweet and fresh as a tiny little tulip, holds out her hands and puckers her lips. I melt.

One day at a time. Thats all I have to worry about. And in the meantime,

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

 Gal 6:9 

Hang in there. It will be worth it.