Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

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We All Make Mistakes

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I had an awesome mama moment with my son when he was a toddler.

He dropped an egg and, out of fear, he hid it.

He did admit he dropped an egg.

I am glad he told me.

We All Make Mistakes

I gathered towels and went to go help clean up the mess. When I couldn’t find a mess, I asked him about it.

He stammered and lied.

I found where he hid the egg. The shell had barely cracked and the membrane was still intact. There was no mess.

He stared at me, wide-eyed in fear, as I held the cracked egg in my hand.

I told him to sit on the sofa for a minute.

He cried.

I threw the egg out.

I pulled out our Child Training Bible and read aloud the verses on lying and we discussed them and prayed, holding hands. I hugged him and told him how much I love him.

I told him I’m not mad and mistakes happen. I thanked him for telling me he broke an egg, and that I will always help him clean up his mistakes.

He is so much more than a broken eggshell.

Leading him in prayer over the sin of lying was so much easier than yelling, shaming, isolating him in a timeout over a hidden broken egg.

I could have cracked his shell, smeared his soul, and spilled his heart out all over the floor.

I did that too often with my firstborn. We’re still rebuilding.

Too often, we as parents are the reason our children lie. They’re afraid of consequences. They don’t feel safe enough to tell the truth.

Do we as adults feel safe enough for truth?

Don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master. Ephesians 6:4

Forgiveness is good.

How many times do I make a mistake and then hide it, pretend it didn’t happen, or even lie about it (even if I only deceive myself)?

Do you have any mistakes you need help cleaning up?

Jesus would love to help.

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Parenting Shift

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I decided to shift my parenting.

I want to reward my children for heart discipline rather than performance.

I’ve spent my entire life running from performance-based expectations and it creeps into my parenting despite my best efforts. Palms sweaty, heart pounding, splotchy chest being the norm of my exhausting life of what did I forget now and why didn’t I do better?

I want to model for them Christian maturity and growth. I want to practice Ephesians 4 and live it out in front of my children.

so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Ephesians 4:14

I want my babies to have a firm foundation, to not be like leaves on the wind.

Of course, I want my children to obey and complete their chores and school work, I desire they exhibit the fruit of the Spirit more.

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Matthew 8:36

So I want to focus on heart training more and see if the rest follows.

Parenting Shift

So what if Liz didn’t do the dishes to my standards? But she shared so sweetly that last brownie with her brother. I know she’s a leader in the making.

So what if Tori left her shoes on the steps? Again. But she dusted the entire house cheerfully without being asked. And she’s got the most generous spirit.

So what if Kate’s desk is a mess, as usual? But she was polite and courteous to her sisters. And she always makes me laugh, that one does.

So what if Alex didn’t complete his school pages? (He’s only in preschool.) But he cuddled up to me when he knew I was feeling bad. He has the most gentle heart.

When left to their own devices, my children delight and amaze me with their love, generosity, and kindness.

I want to help my kids succeed and the majority of that is that I want them to be leaders who think outside the box and always do their best, not mindless robots who regurgitate information and simply work to meet deadlines. I want them to strive for excellence, not perfection, and certainly never “just good enough.”

These are my babies and I can rush them through childhood, impatient with tears, frustrated with messes, exasperated with their pointless chatter, missing the point.

Or I can stop and really look at them, listen to their banter, take more time over hugs, share their prayers and dreams. Enjoy a pot of tea and stare into their deep blue pools of wonder while discussing poetry and music.

So, I say YES to when they want to play baseball out in the snow with snowballs and shovels.

Snowballs and Shovels

I say YES when they want to go cheer up our elderly neighbor.

I say YES when they ask for ice cream.

I say YES when they ask to watch a DVD with me, all nestled together so nary a crumb can fall between us.

Even if things are left undone.

Because it’s not just about being a hands-free mama or an artistic mama or an intentional mama.

I need to be a Kingdom-minded mama. I long to be a yes mama.

It’s their hearts that matter.

Relationships matter.

The books and papers and tests will still be there.

The chores won’t go away. They will never go away. I will never catch up.

What do I want their childhood memories to be?

I am guiding my children’s memories and I want to actively create good recollections. I don’t want to rush through life willy nilly and leave their memories and experiences to chance.

Do I want them to look back and get all sweaty and anxious and hearts racing at the memory of how stressed out their mama always was about deadlines and messes?

No.

I want them to remember the fun times when we played board games in front of the roaring fireplace with snow pouring down outside or jumped in mud puddles or made bubbles and used pipe cleaners to blow them on the deck in our pajamas on a cold morning. I want them to remember science experiments gone wrong but we learned and making lotion and soaps that were all our own, poured out love and essential oils. I want them to remember the lazy mornings, sitting on the deck with me in the rocking chair and waiting for the hummingbirds to zoom close, chittering their calls of nectar possession.

I want them to remember love.

What I Want My Kids to Remember

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Are You Prepared for the Future?

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When I was in college, I worked as an administrative assistant for several insurance agents at two different companies. I learned lots and got to wear cute office clothes and take the MARTA downtown. I felt grown up working alongside adults in a workplace with few women and fewer young women. I could have stayed there forever, working my way up the corporate ladder.

I saw the agents advise policies to their clients and sometimes later, I saw clients panic, out of control, regretting their decisions and desiring changes.

During a two-week stint working for an estate lawyer, I witnessed relatives lost and forlorn over the lack of insurance and benefits they expected to come to them to pay expenses for their deceased loved one.

My parents are big planners and they have everything organized and filed just in case. I am thankful they aren’t embarrassed or upset by planning important decisions involving finances and their eventual passing.

I am thankful for the benefits my husband and I have through his career with the Air Force. We were advised to purchase life insurance for our babies for them to retain when they come of age. We long to provide a financial legacy for our children as they begin their adult lives so they are wise and prepared.

We live in a region where our neighbors stockpile and are required to have a year’s supply of necessities in case of disaster. I agree in planning for tragedy. I know we’re in God’s hands and He will care for my children if something were to happen to my husband or to me. I love Psalm 39:4 and the ant verses in Proverbs 6.

I live with the hope that He will let me see my kids grow up and let me be the one caring for their needs, but we want to be as prepared as we can be. Just in case.

Do you have life insurance? What is life insurance for?

Common Uses of a Life Insurance Pay Off

In many cases, life insurance acts as a financial safety net for a family who has lost the breadwinner of the household. A life insurance pay off is dedicated to different things depending on the needs of a family. For instance, some families use life insurance money to pay off the mortgage on their home. Since the primary earner has passed away, the family chooses to pay off the home in order to feel more secure about their situation. By doing this, they also free themselves of a monthly mortgage payment. Here are some other common ways that people use the pay off on a life insurance policy.

Sometimes life insurance money is used to pay off school debt. A member of the family may have gone to college years ago and is still carrying his or her tuition debt. Paying off that debt means that the family can funnel those monthly loan payments into other parts of the budget. They may use the extra money for regular expenses or perhaps put it away in a savings account. Either way, family has a little more leeway with its finances once school debt is paid off. Someone who is interested in getting life insurance may want to check with an insurance agency in Atlanta.

A family may use the money to move to another city. They may feel that they need a change after the loss of a loved one. The life insurance money could go toward the down payment on a home or used to buy a house outright. A change of scene is something that many people appreciate after the loss of a family member. The life insurance pay off gives them a chance to start fresh in another location.

A life insurance pay off is sometimes put away in a child’s college savings account. If the child is very young, the money will help him or her to have enough for college tuition when the time comes. The money from the life insurance pay off can really help a family to get ahead on its college savings efforts.

Finally, some families use life insurance pay offs to purchase a new car. Perhaps the family has an older, unreliable car that needs a lot of repairs. They may buy a new one to avoid paying expensive repair bills. Getting a new car is a practical way to spend the pay off on a life insurance policy.

While we often put off the inevitable and don’t want to think of the future and it’s possibilities, there are important decisions that parents should make. Discuss estate planning with your family.

There are billboards on the expressways here that show a confused man and the text says: “Your In-Laws Are Not a Retirement Plan.” I LOL’ed the first time I saw one, but then it got me thinking. I think it packs a powerful message.

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Is it Time for THE TALK?

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A good beginning is this 3-part Christian and Biblical series to discussing sex with your children:

The Talk: 7 Lessons to Introduce Your Child to Biblical Sexuality

Changes: 7 Biblical Lessons to Make Sense of Puberty

Relationships: 11 Lessons to Give Kids a Greater Understanding of Biblical Sexuality

A Christian Parent’s Guide to Having The Talk

I am saddened by how many of our peers learned about sex and I want better for my children. Too many of us learned shame or embarrassment or slang or the way of the world before being saved or because our guardians were too uncomfortable to discuss it well.

This study is comprehensive and accurate. I plan to use it as a jumping off point to have an ongoing conversation with my children.

Because it’s so much than just teaching the right names for the parts and how they fit together and wait till you’re married, ok!

I want my children to understand more than that and how intimacy is so much more than physical. And it can be oh, so damaging to young people who make poor decisions.

I want my kids to be prepared.

So, this Bible study is great to get started.

This series of biblical studies is designed to help parents to talk meaningfully with children about sex.

The Talk: 7 Lessons to Introduce Your Child to Biblical Sexuality

7 lessons cover all the basics to help teach your children about sexuality.

I’m going through it with Tori and Katie and my young son, Alex, listens in to some of it.

I realize they’re already ashamed of the correct words.

Who told them they were naked? Who taught them shame?

It’s definitely time to correct that and teach them the right way.

The Talk: 7 Lessons to Introduce Your Child to Biblical Sexuality

The lessons in The Talk include:

  • Opening Thought
  • Scripture Reading
  • Talking Points
  • Questions for Your Child
  • Links to Free Videos
  • Visual Charts to View and Discuss
  • Prayer to End Each Lesson

And a Glossary of Terms at the end.

It’s more than just a script.

This is a Biblical guide to help Christian parents explain sex to our children before the world gets to them and twists the values they should have.

Purchase The Talk: 7 Lessons to Introduce Your Child to Biblical Sexuality now!

Changes: 7 Biblical Lessons to Make Sense of Puberty is the 2nd installment in the series of three books for parents to teach children about sexuality!

Acne. Pubic hair. Breasts. Squeaky voices. Menstruation. Nocturnal emissions. Make no mistake, puberty can feel like an awkward time in a child’s life. But with the right perspective, children can be taught to anticipate puberty as a blessing. Changes is a series of 7 studies, anchored in the Scriptures, that helps parents talk meaningfully with children about the mental, emotional, and physical changes puberty brings. Changes was written for parents to read with children ages 8 to 12 years old. The study supplies children with a Bible-based understanding of puberty in a language they can understand.

Changes is a series of 7 studies, anchored in the Scriptures, that helps parents talk meaningfully with children about the mental, emotional, and physical changes puberty brings.

  • Lesson 1 looks at the adolescent years of Jesus, talking about how the culture in which Jesus lived recognized puberty as an important phase of physical and spiritual development. The goal is to help kids see these changes as something good.
  • Lesson 2 looks at the process of change in the human body throughout all of life. Puberty is just one of several significant phases.
  • Lesson 3 addresses the mental and emotional changes of puberty, as well as the internal catalyst for change in our bodies: hormones.
  • Lesson 4 looks at the overall physical changes common to both boys and girls.
  • Lesson 5 deals with the changes that take place in girls during puberty, such as fat deposits, breast development, and menstruation.
  • Lesson 6 is about changes that take place in boys during puberty, such as muscular growth, facial hair, voice changes, testicular growth, and ejaculation.
  • Lesson 7 will delve into physical attraction. Our kids need to understand both its goodness and power during this age.

It’s important for me to be proactive to teach my children what changes their bodies will be soon undergoing, both physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I want them to be prepared. I encourage them to ask questions. It’s my goal to keep conversation open throughout puberty and the teen years when it’s so crucial to counter the influence of the world.

Again, the Gilkersons offer a resource with Book 2 Changes, a great guide to begin ongoing Biblical conversations with our children about puberty. I want these conversations to be comfortable, not shameful and embarrassing.

I wish these books had been around a few years ago when my eldest child was going through these changes. I wish I had been able to understand these concepts when I was an adolescent!

*Now available!*

Book 3 – Relationships: 7 Lessons to Give Kids a Greater Understanding of Biblical Sexuality 

Relationships was written for parents to read with their kids ages 11-14 years old. This study will help prepare your teen for sexual temptations that they are sure to encounter and give them a greater understanding of biblical sexuality. As Christian parents, it is of utmost importance that we’re guiding our teems through the sometimes overwhelming sexual desires and temptations they experience. Relationships is a series of 11 Bible studies that provide a foundational understanding of how to navigate sexual temptations and desires in a godly manner.

Relationships is a great guide for all the hard questions and difficult topics:

  • Lesson 1 looks at the original goodness of sexuality and marriage relationships as God created them.
  • Lesson 2 addresses how sin has brought about sexual brokenness into the world, including our propensity to lust.
  • Lesson 3 exposes the varieties of sexual and relational temptations in the world: from masturbation to pornography use to homosexual activities.
  • Lesson 4 covers three biblical strategies for avoiding and overcoming lust.
  • Lesson 5 discusses how we should guard our hearts from sexual and relational idolatry. 
  • Lesson 6 talks about how we need to make a covenant with our eyes to avoid temptation.
  • Lesson 7 talks about the importance of fleeing sexually tempting situations.
  • Lesson 8 addresses the biblical strategy of pursuing intimacy with God and cultivating gratitude for wholesome pleasures.
  • Lesson 9 discusses the importance of being wise in our opposite-sex friendships.
  • Lesson 10 addresses the value of accountability relationships.
  • Lesson 11 gives students and their parents a picture of the life-transforming grace of God for sexual sinners.

I love the whole Sex Ed Series!

Also, Luke and Trisha Gilkerson have created Having The Talk Biblical Sex Ed Training for Parents Video Course.

It’s important to have multiple talks as kids grow up and develop and interact with others.

It should be an ongoing conversation about sexuality and relationships.

Linking up: What Joy is Mine, The Modest Mom, Donna Riedland, The Practical Mom, Life of Faith, Making Our Life Matter, Curly Crafty Mom, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, F Dean Hackett, Living Montessori Now, ABC Creative Learning, Simple Life of a Fire Wife, The Quintessential Mommy, VMG206, Sweet Things, Marilyns Treats,
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Ask Me Anything

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Questions.

Questions.

Questions.

It begins in toddlerhood: “Why?”

The point is never to discourage her so she stops asking you and starts seeking answers elsewhere.

While it often is so annoying and inconvenient, it is necessary and good for our children to ask questions to understand the world around them.

Take a moment and breathe a little prayer and formulate an answer for your child the next time she asks. Sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes it’s an interruption.

Kids will seek negative attention if they’re not getting positive attention. They prefer to be yelled at than be ignored.

My kids ask the greatest questions. Their questions remind me of their curious minds that God gave them. It also shows me how much they really do know based on the level of their questioning.

Alex is very curious about blood lately. He wants to know where it comes from, how it’s made, what’s in it, what it does. He’s three!

I am exhausted by all the questions.

Katie wants to visit a Native American tribe and learn their ways and language. Tori wants to watch bugs. Liz wants to know why Dad enjoys hot sauce on his food.

Their vocabulary, connections, and memory work help them to formulate very intelligent questions to get higher level information about whatever they’re learning about. I am often amazed.

I am so blessed by my children wanting to constantly know more, more, more.

God gave them such beautiful minds and hearts that I long to protect.

Katie is fascinated by animals. So, we encourage her by subscribing to NatGeo kids, Zoobooks, Ranger Rick, and her library account is full of animal books. She told me this morning that she wants to learn all the languages in the world. I pray that she finds her calling and focuses on her talents and gifts for Jesus.

Tori is analytical and domestic. She loves to help with chores and cook and I am more than happy to have her cheerful help. Her favorite subjects are math and physical science. I pray that she finds a way to use her gentle heart for the glory of God. I pray she is protected from mean people because I fear it would break her rather than make her stronger.

Alex is our only boy. He is a lover. He is a gentleman. He has a mind of his own. I pray he becomes a strong leader for God’s kingdom and does wonderful, world-changing things.

Liz loves language. She loves to read. She is also a blank slate. I really have to be careful assuming she knows something or has made a connection between two concepts. Often, she just doesn’t know and we get upset at one another. I know if she attended school, she would be labeled an “airhead” or other, uglier, names. I pray that I am patient with her and help her become discerning of the world.

My middle girls are night and day different from other, but they complement each other. I pray they stay close to each other. I know that school would kill their love of learning and creativity.

I pray for communication to always be open with my kids.

I pray they always feel comfortable coming to me to discuss anything.

If I don’t know the answer or the question makes me uncomfortable, I pray I have the strength to tell my kids, “Let’s look that up together.”

I don’t want my kids looking up sex questions on Google. I don’t want them being discipled by pop music and Hollywood.

I want them to be different.

I pray there is never a time when they seek answers in the world for the important questions.

I pray that I am always available and God provides the answers through me.

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A Letter to My Husband

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A Letter to My Husband…

For every day of the year…

Happy birthday to the man who married me.

happy-birthday.png

Birthdays should be celebrations of thankfulness and the joy of life and sacred moments shared. Too often our birthdays come and go as just another day as we’re too caught up in parenthood, bills, the planning, prepping, and cleaning up of meals to notice another birthday that ticks off another calendar year has passed.

Thank you for all the ups and downs of these over fourteen years of togetherness and all that means. A Letter to My Husband

You still say you love me.

Forgive me for not being that mushy, lovey, snuggly, chick movie-watching kind of girl. You know I’d rather watch Die Hard than Sleepless in Seattle any day.

You completed me when I didn’t know how to complete myself.

Despite those early times of me, a hiding curled-up sobbing ball in the closet, or the hysterical panicky save-me phone calls from parking lots, you stood by me and came to the rescue.

In those beginning years, when I just knew I couldn’t carry on another moment of marriage or motherhood, you encouraged me and soothed me. When I felt I was worthless and that you could do so much better with another different wife, you assured that I was indeed good enough. When motherhood overwhelmed and exhausted me, you calmly took over my duties after a long workday of your own, often staying up with wide-awake, sick, or crying babies so I could rest to begin again.

Even though we’ve been through so much, you still say you love me.

We’ve never had godly marriage or parenting role models. We knew this pioneering thing would be tough.

That’s ok because we have the Holy Spirit to teach us. We are going our own radical way.

We often get frustrated with how far we still have to go.

But look how far we’ve come!

We’re both still works in progress.

You still come home at night to an ungrateful wife in her pajamas some days. With no semblance of dinner as you stumble over Hot Wheelscars and dodging pencils and Legos and books strewn on the table and floor and sofa. The dust bunnies are waging war on the cats and you and the kids are getting dressed out of laundry baskets.

But those are sometimes our best days!

Yet you don’t seem too bothered by this. I think I get more frustrated with myself than you ever do.

You still say you love me.

When we argue about how to disciple the kids and the accusations fly and the words rise up against both of us and the quick tongues lash and the eyes shoot fire. Then I’m more angry at you for forgiving and forgetting like you should. I wish I could just let it go and move on. When I snap at you and act like a spoiled teenager with the huffing and eye-rolling and silent treatment…

You still say you love me.

Even when I’m unlovable.

You’ve taught me what unconditional love is. Even though I often struggle against the idea. Even though I don’t deserve it. You won’t relinquish the hold even when I flail and fight.

Thank you for still telling me you love me.

I still need to be reminded.
I love you too.

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How much is a mom worth?

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How do you balance it all, Mama?

I know I struggle! with homeschooling my 4 kids, meal planning, a house cleaning schedule, blogging, an essential oils business, church commitments, heart training and discipling my children, and trying to find a moment to spend time with my husband…there’s nothing left. I am drained.

Check out this fun {not really} infographic.

I {heart} infographics. What are you worth? Look at all our job titles!

Now, tell your husband to take you out to dinner. You deserve it!

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Bible Resources for Families

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I’ve compiled a list of Bible study resources for families.

For Parents:

1.We Make the Road by Walking: A Year-Long Quest for Spiritual Formation, Reorientation, and Activation by Brian D. McLaren

This book offers everything you need to explore what a difference an honest, living, growing faith can make in our world today. It also puts tools in your hands to create a life-changing learning community in any home, restaurant, or other welcoming space.

The fifty-two (plus a few) weekly readings can each be read aloud in 10 to 12 minutes and offer a simple curriculum of insightful reflections and transformative practices. Organized around the traditional church year, these readings give an overview of the whole Bible and guide an individual or a group of friends through a year of rich study, interactive learning, and personal growth.

Perfect for home churches, congregations, classes, or individual study, each reading invites you to

  • Cultivate an honest, intelligent understanding of the Bible and of Christian faith in 21st century
  • Engage with discussion questions designed to challenge, stimulate, and encourage
  • Reimagine what it means to live joyfully and responsibly in today’s world as agents of God’s justice, creativity, and peace

If you’re seeking a fresh way to experience and practice your faith, if you’re a long-term Christian seeking new vitality, or if you feel out of place in traditional church circles, this book will inspire and activate you in your spiritual journey.

2. Jesus, the Gentle Parent

Explains how to gently parent our kids and refutes some harsh Christian parenting manuals.

3. Lead Your Family Like Jesus
This is a great leadership book on how to raise your family to love Jesus. It uses Biblical teaching and leadership models. My husband and I taught our Sunday school class with this book last year and it was great!


4. You Can’t Make Me
A revolutionary book for our household. We used the methods laid out to change our communication and saw immediate results. We have strong-willed children and we don’t want to break those spirits because we know they will be leaders for Christ someday. A great help for taming the will and helping everyone appreciate differences in a positive way.

5. The Child Training Bible is a great resource.

As parents, I firmly believe that we should actively disciple our children and read along with kids even when they’re older and can read for themselves.

Keep the discussion open and always be available for the hard questions.

If you’re not open for conversation, where will your kids will turn?

For the Whole Family:

1. Our Place in Space and Glow in the Dark Fish by BJ Reinhard

These are delightful sciency books that teach lesson and Biblical truths. We all love the short devotionals and science facts each day.

2. Grapevine Studies

Lessons so the whole family can do the same study. Available: OT, NT, Birth of Jesus, Resurrection, Esther, Ruth, Joseph

Different levels: Traceables, Beginner, Levels 1-5, Multi-Level

3. We Choose Virtues

Great character education program.

4. Bible Study Guide

We reviewed the primary and intermediate levels. The girls love it. You can get complementary pages so the whole family does the same lessons together – preschool through adults.

5. Scripture memory system

A great meal time memory work and discussion tool.

Amanda has a printable to make pretty dividers for your memory box.

6. Inductive Bible Kids studies and All inductive Bible studies by Kay Arthur

These are great in-depth studies.

For Homeschool:

1. What We Believe Series by Apologia

The girls loved these and the notebooking journals. It’s a good foundation series.

2. Studying God’s Word series

We all love the simplicity of learning the Catechism and Bible stories and doing activities. Books for each level K-8th.

3. Hero Tales

A great study on missionaries from history. 4 volumes. Be sure to get this copywork!

4. My ABC Bible Verses: Hiding God’s Word in Little Hearts by Susan Hunt

Cute printables for ABC Bible Verses here.

5. Leading Little Ones to God

A study for parents to do with kids. Some of the hymns were difficult to find though.

For Teens:

By the time our kids hit their teenage years, the hope is that they have a firm understanding of the Word and Christian living. Parents need to model this while kids are young so we can release responsible young adults into the world to be radical world changers for Jesus.

1. Leading God’s Generation journals

My eldest daughter really likes these simple Bible study and prayer journals. 4 to choose from.

2. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist By: Norman L. Geisler, Frank Turek

Be sure to get the to answer the tough questions “about absolute truth, postmodernism, and moral relativism” and train in apologetics.

3. Journey to Freedom by Elisa Pulliam

Identity study for teen girls.

4. Beauty in the Heart by Pam Forster

My eldest loved this study. My middle girls thought it was a lot of busy work.

5. Creed by Adam Hamilton

I also like The Call (which can be done as a whole family!) and Unafraid. This looks great for teens to examine faith.

What are your favorite Bible tools?

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Mama Attitude

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Tori was so excited to run her first 5K with Dad Friday afternoon. She got dressed right after breakfast and asked me if it was time to go yet. all. day. long.

So, imagine my disappointment when we arrived at the destination for her run and my husband stood there.

quite alone.

It was canceled.

Due to weather.

It was cool and partly cloudy and had been sprinkling earlier.

But canceled?

I was so upset.

Tori was just fine about it and asked to run laps anyway.

She’s our sweet and compliant one. She is so sensitive to others’ needs and rarely causes problems. She didn’t care as long as she got to run with her daddy.

My daughter showed me up with her maturity over disappointment.

sweet one

I’m sure that should teach me something, but I’m still upset.

She was running her fourth lap when I left for home. Dad stayed with her.

I was seething.

It just made a bad day worse.

Having a defiant three year old doesn’t help anything.

It’s one of those days when I didn’t thaw anything out for dinner and we have to get takeout and the budget’s maxed and payday is still almost two weeks away.

My husband mentioned right before I pulled out of the parking spot that I shouldn’t snap at him just because I’m frustrated with the kids and the race being canceled.

Hrmph.

Yeah, so things didn’t go as planned.

And apparently a seven year old girl can handle disappointment better than I can.

Did I mention I hate “I told you so’s”?

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