Potty Misadventures...

So, about 2 weeks ago now, I had 5 diapers left.  Did I want to fork out the cash and go buy yet another pack of diapers or did I want to face the daunting task of potty training my 2 and 1/2 year old who really could care less where she goes to the bathroom?  Well, being my crazy, overachiever self, I thought let's just do it.  Even though, we had community group the first night, daddy was working the next day, and I was attempting to have a garage sale the following day.  I knew with looking ahead at our schedule, there was never going to be a "perfect" time.  Just so you know, we do the 3 day potty training method...You can find the link to the manual here-
3 Day Potty Training Method

With my first, I had no clue what to do for potty training-was literally clueless.  And I was still working and didn't have a lot of time to figure it out or research it.  Insert my awesome teacher friend Angie!  She handed me this manual after school one day and swore by it.  I took her at her word and decided this is what I would do.  (Mostly because I didn't feel like looking up a bunch of other ways-and 3 days sounded nice)
The basics of the method are you say good-bye to diapers and you put them in underwear-yes even for naps and bedtime.  You give them lots to drink during the day so that there is plenty of opportunity for mistakes and learning.  You cut them off a few hours before bedtime.  You can give a little treat each time they do make it to the potty and you make a huge deal if they go number 2.  (TMI)  The other component is you don't make them go every 15 minutes-you just say to them often-"tell me if you have to pee!"
With Ev, we followed it to a tee.  It took about 7 days in all actuality, but we have never looked back and have never had to buy one pull up.  Score!  Has he had accidents over the last two years?  Oh yeah, he is normal.  but overall, it worked like a charm for him.
Fast forward to last week with my little girl.  For some reason, I just didn't think there was any way the method was really going to work again.  Not sure why I was feeling that way, either lack of confidence or lack of energy.  So, the first day, we took away the diapers, said good-bye and put on underwear.  We went through about 7 pairs from 4pm-6pm.  No joke.  We went to community group.  She went through about 3 pairs in the first 20 minutes-but.........one small victory, that our sweet babysitters were so excited about.  They didn't know where Alea went and they found her going pee on the potty!  Go Alea!  But like I was saying earlier, I wasn't really trusting the method so I put a diaper on her that night.  Talk about confusing the poor child!  But we slept through the night which is what I desired.  Unfortunately that led me back to square one the next day and I think we went through about 14 pairs of underwear during her waking hours.  And here comes the kicker!
At night I put her diaper on to go to bed and went to set up my garage sale with some friends.  They heard Alea so I walk into our laundry room-well, just like she had been trained all day, she went to go on the potty with number 2 instead of just going in her diaper.  But just my luck, she pretty much missed then dragged it all the way down the stairs-it was on her legs, feet, everywhere.  To the bath we went. Seriously gross. And that's when it hit me how confused she was and how that was my fault.  So off came the diaper and we haven't had one on since.  The next day she only had 3 accidents and the following day no accidents.  She is seriously rocking it.  (one little side story-it is definitely different with girls though, we were at the park and there was no where to go so I took her behind the tree and let her go there-big mistake-my hubby took her to the Burger King playplace and since there is no potty in that room, she thought she could just go right there, so down came her pants in the playplace and there she went-glad I wasn't there and my hubs had to deal with that one! ha! Guess I need to go over a few more rules with her still...)
Anyways, what is the point of this post?  There are a few.  One is just to let you mommas know of a great method that has worked for me-maybe it will work for you!  2nd is to just encourage you if you are about to embark on this task-give yourself grace and your child grace.  It is a HUGE change in their lives and we can't expect them to just figure it out the first time. 3rd, pray.  At first, as usual, I thought I had it handled on my own.  Nope, turns out I need God even for this.  He cares about these seemingly little things-what an awesome God. Lastly, is to show how completely crazy and imperfect our life is-I think so many people think we have it all together because we are going to the mission field, but we still have all the messy days just like everyone else.  

What potty training misadventures have you had?  Or am I the only one whose child goes potty in a restaurant playplace?  HAHA!

My potty trained little girl!  

A Heart Divided

Iowa.                                   Zambia.

I am at home here. I am comfortable.  My heart is here with my husband and my 2 biological children.  

Yet, part of my heart has left for Zambia.  I have never been there...I am scared to live there...I am sad to leave my family and friends...everything about Zambia is unknown to me.  But somehow, I long to be there.  

There is a child there that needs me.  That needs a mom to tell him he is loved...not just by me but by the Creator who made Him

 

I have a heart divided.  I want this summer to go slow. I want this summer to go fast.  I don't want to get on a plane in September.  I can't wait to get on a plane in September.  I don't want to say good-bye. I can't wait to say hello.  I want to keep all my comforts.  I want to be uncomfortable.  You get the idea.  

But here's the best part.  I know God has a plan.  He knows why we are leaving the day we are leaving and why we need to  be here this summer.  I know He is caring for our child right now.  I believe He is letting that child know that his earthly parents are on their way and that He is their ultimate Provider and Friend whether we are there to hold him or not.  

So, until then-my heart will stay divided between two completely different places but fully captured by His amazing love.

 

Are you Weary?

Weariness=MOM

This is what I shared at my MOPS meeting this past Friday.  And isn't it the truth?  I don't know a mom who isn't weary at some point in the day or week.  Being a wife and/or mom whether working out of the home or in the home is enough to make anyone extremely tired 99% of the time. (the 1% of energetic time comes immediately after that 1st cup of coffee.-:) )

Last week, I grew weary.  I let my weariness affect my demeanor with my husband and children.  I yelled at my kids, I moped around, I criticized my husband, and was just generally a grump.  Why?
All because I felt like nobody was noticing the GOOD I was doing and so I just didn't feel like doing GOOD anymore.  I felt like I was doing everything and everyone else (my hubs and kids) weren't doing a thing.

It was all about ME.  Why aren't my children listening to me? Why isn't my husband helping me? Why aren't they thanking me?  Why isn't my husband loving me? Why aren't my children obeying me?  And you get the point...don't you?  (Clue-I was being selfish!)

So, what does the Bible say about selfishness?
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 
James 3:14-16

Ouch!!!!  
Do not boast!  You bet I was boasting about all the GOOD I was doing.  Do not be false! You bet I was falsely accusing my husband of doing no GOOD.  
And it goes on to say-this is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.  Hmmm....pretty sure I don't want to be any of those 3 adjectives.  
And finally, what happens as a result of selfishness?  Disorder and every vile practice.  Yep, pretty much what happened at my house this last week.  

Ok...so what is my point? 
Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary in doing GOOD, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  
I gave up this week.  Flat out.  I wasn't seeing the results I wanted to see and I wasn't getting the responses I wanted to get.  But God says clearly here, we will reap IN DUE SEASON, if we do not give up.  What is due season?  Well, simply put, it is His timing.  Not mine.  For an impatient person like myself, this is tough.  God doesn't say your husband will respond how you want tomorrow, or next month, or even in the next year.  It is all in His timing.  And we will only reap, if and only if, we do not give up on doing GOOD.  So, with renewed strength from my Father's hand, I will press on, I will do the GOOD He has called me to, and wait and trust in Him for the bountiful harvest that is coming because I haven't given up.  

Now, you are probably thinking-GOOD advice. Not sure how to not give up though when it is so frustrating and difficult to keep doing GOOD and not get the results you want.  Well, I am not going to leave you hanging, here's how:
Hebrews 12:3 Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.  
The answer is Jesus.  What if He had chosen not to endure the cross?  That is the most GOOD anyone has ever done and if He would have given up, we would have no promise of heaven today.  He was beaten, scorned, mocked, shamed, and put on a cross.  I doubt anyone of us have been through such opposition.  So, when you think you just can't do it much longer, you just can't keep serving your husband and family, you are just too weary, REMEMBER Jesus.  It says to consider Him.  Plainly speaking, stop having a pity party and ponder how much Jesus went through for you.  Jesus was weary, yet He went on with His good.  So must we.

Wives/Moms: I know you are weary.  Me too.  But claim these verses.  Ask God for His strength.  Many girlfriends of mine and I have discussed how we try to do everything ourselves first before going to our Heavenly Father for help.  We can't be GOOD wives/mom on our own.  But we can with the power of God working in us.  

Praying for myself and all of you as you continue on doing GOOD in your homes!

4 Months...

Not going to lie...time is flying by and the fact that in a little less than 4 months we will be boarding a plane en route to our new life in Africa for a year is really hitting me.  Square in the face, heart.
I feel like God is already stripping me of all the things I think I need to be happy just so He can show me I only need Him.  Starting with time with my parents and brothers last weekend---they are just wonderful to me and to my kids.  And my little brother literally JUST GOT HOME and now I am leaving and when I get back he will be in Texas.   This is not to mention all our other wonderful family and friends that we will desperately miss while we are gone.  Next, I am preparing for a garage sale...yes, yes, I know it is just stuff, and I am not in any way attached to stuff(ask my husband-I am a tosser!), but it is more about the process.  Selling most of our things makes it real-no turning back.  3rd, our home study is complete, which means we are one step closer to adoption.  Sometime this year, 2013, I will be a mother of 3.  Woah...so excited but at the same time I can't help but be a little nervous. And finally, here is the real kicker: we sold our house.  I want to begin by praising God for this!  We listed it a little over 3 weeks ago on our own and we had about 12 showings in that time.  The couple that we ended up selling it to was literally sent from God. Not kidding.  Everything about them was best case scenario.  1st, they are fellow believers, a brother and sister in Christ.  2nd, they are renting, so no house to sell before they buy.  3rd, they are super flexible about us moving out and them moving in.  And what is also amazing is we had another offer from a different couple who would have been equally perfect. God is so good.   All I was praying for was that God would sell our house before we leave in September.  The Ephesians 3:20 verse comes to mind:
"Now to Him who is able to do IMMEASURABLY More than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." 
I put God in a box and He literally busted out of every side.  

Which brings me to this, as much as we have going on right now, and as much as my emotions are like a roller coaster, God continues to show me that His greatest desire for me and my family is for us to be in Zambia come September.  There is no doubt about that.  And for that I am grateful and I look forward to the year ahead.

Our home for the past 5 years!

View from our backyard