Park Connoisseur

In order to help Daddy be able to be more effective while working from home, I have started to visit parks a lot more. Lately we have been walking to some that are even far away to help me get exercise something I haven't been as good at this pregnancy. I used to somewhat "envy" moms that could go parks regularly. My first years as a mom this wasn't the case for me being a working mom. Even when I worked from home, it was a challenge to find time for parks because I had to keep a pretty tight schedule to insure I got everything done. Now I probably go to parks more than I want! Isn't that life?! And isn't that human nature?...Never Satisfied! It has been a little lesson to me about seasons of life and that God is gracious and gives even this {ungrateful} heart the desires of her heart. AND I am learning another lesson in gratitude and contentment.

Here are some of the parks we visit with the names Charis has given them (I LOVE how she does that):

The Touching Park (her feet reach the ground)

The Frog Park

The Snail Park

Gabriel's Park

 

The Pink Park (our new discovery!)

It's hard to say bye bye paci

Charis as of 2 weeks ago was still using a paci. I know, I know...she is 3! But please bare in mind before you judge too quickly that she (AND her mama) did go through a lot her between her 2nd and 3rd birthday including 2 international moves.

One day Joshua told Charis she was all done with her paci and asked her to hand it over to him. I wouldn't have ever picked this day. He had just gotten back from a trip, I was weary, and we were going to be leaving Charis with my parents while we went for our ultrasound with indefinite wait times. It wasn't in my mind the "perfect" day for embarking on what I knew would be a drama filled days. Drama filled moments there were, but God taught Charis and me so much. 

I was reminded that I have a tendency to wait for the stars to align when it comes to confronting big issues in my mind. More importantly I had a sweet reminder to trust God leading Joshua even in the small things like pacis. I can not tell you how I wanted to tell Joshua how bad an idea I thought this was (God must have muzzled my mouth!). Yet now that this is over I am SO glad he took the initiative! This needed to happen (even her teeth will thank me). 

The sweetest thing that both Charis and I got to experience and see in action was the POWER of God's word. Since Charis took a paci, taking a nap was almost a switch for her. You gave her a paci, blankie & lambie and boom she was asleep no matter where we were. This made nap times the hardest. One nap time, I heard her whimpering the phrase we heard a lot that week "it's hard to say bye bye paci." I went in the room and sat beside her. I told her how God could give her the strength to do this. I taught her Phil 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (KJV) We said it together several times and made up motions. I saw a change since that moment in the process of giving up what was like a drug to her. She has since asked me to repeat it with her and daddy even found a song we all sing as a family. I love how God can use everything to grow us in Him!

Charis with celebration cupcakes 

Mothers in My Life

Yesterday as I thought about different mothers I know, I was struck with the amazing mothers I have been surrounded by and their amazing examples. Here's to some of the amazing mothers in my life and a quality (each have many more!) I admire and want emulate:

my Mom - Her example of seeking God daily and praying for her children.

my Mama (in-law) - Her example of sacrifice and giving.

my Grandma - Her passion for spreading the gospel.

my Nana - Her unconditional love for others.

my sister, Sara - Her gentle and sweet spirit - truly a woman of grace!

my sister (in-law), Soraya - Her way of capturing life with her words and her lenses.

my sister (in-law), Kelly - Her amazing creativity in her gentle teaching and instructing of her children.

my sister (in-law), Hannah - Her ability to do so many things with excellence.

my cousin Laura - Her love for motherhood and homemaking.

my friend Stefanie - Her quiet strength.

my friend Leigh - Her love for people and ability to make them feel loved.

my friend Jennifer - Her adventurous spirit.

my friend Lyndsey - Her mind - it is a steal trap!

my friend Becky - Her willingness to sacrifice for the kingdom.

It's a ...

After a four hour wait at the General Hospital (one of my training ground in God's school of patience and trust), Joshua and I got to see our precious child. We found out we are having a BOY! We are thrilled and grateful to God that everything seems healthy. We would have been happy with either a boy or girl, but I am excited for Gabriel to have a brother so close in age. Joshua and his brother, Gabe (Gabriel), are about the same age difference than our little Gabriel and his baby brother will be. This makes me even more excited about it.

Since I became a part of the Fleming family, I have always enjoyed watching how Josh and Gabe relate, joke and share life. Probably one of my all time favorite things is to watch them play sports together but especially basketball. They both move with such ease and are almost like twins knowing what each others next move will be and doing everything to assist each other be successful. I hope and pray that my sons will be good friends who value each others advice, can talk and point each other to Christ. I do even hope they will even play sports together like their father and uncle because it is really fun to watch! Most of all I pray that all my children will love God with all their hearts, mind and souls and love each other.

"Ba Ba"

I want to praise God for a little thing that happened recently. I was putting pjs on my fourteen month old who is constantly on the go so this can turn into a wrestling match/training ground. Exhausted I had handed him a phone toy to play with hoping to avoid any "work" this time. He would babble pretending on the phone and then say "bye". He doesn't say, "ba ba" for "bye bye", but says "bye" in one slow syllable... almost with a Southern accent. He lost interest in the phone and laid STILL (!). Looking up at me, he began saying "ba ba." I handed him back the phone and tried hard to figure out what he was saying - our little game recently. As the last snap popped on the pjs, a light went off in my mind.

"BIBLE! Do you want your Bible?" I asked since he recently started saying this word.

Gabriel grinned and giggled. I handed him his little Bible, and he repeatedly said "ba ba" as his little fingers clumsy flipped through the pages. It has just been a month since he completely weaned from nursing, and I added Bible reading before bed. Sometimes this last all of 30 seconds, but I have been trying to give him a taste of this goodness. I tend to worry because he isn't interested in books in the same way Charis was. He won't sit long, and it is harder for me to find time to read to him like I did with Charis... so I pile on a little guilt here and there on myself.

When this happened the other night, a conversation about raising children came to mind where a friend shared wise advice she had heard - "Do what you can when you can." She was talking about being faithful when you can and trusting God for the rest. I may be making too much of this, but I felt encouraged by God as a parent and filled with hope for Gabriel. How I hope this is the beginning of him falling in love with God's word and of the Holy Spirit working in his little heart.

Cyprus Wildflowers

In the midst of the hard and rocky soil of Cyprus, up spring wildflowers like these. Their beauty bringing glory to their Creator. People come from far off places this time of year to see their colors and marvel at their unique beauty. As they sway in the wind they seem to be bidding adieu to rainy cold winter and to have forgotten of the hot dry summer.

Lord, may I be like these wildflowers, sprouting where it is unexpected, bringing You glory, pointing people from far off places to You and forgetting what is behind while straining for what is ahead.

May this be true for you too...

"Χριστός ἀνέστη!" - Christ Has Risen

Since we celebrated Easter for over two weeks here, I had two Resurrection Sundays to try to capture my little ones...

Joshua and I both concluded we liked having a longer celebration of Jesus' death and resurrection. It felt more like Christmas. In Cyprus, "Pascha" is a bigger celebration than Christmas with multiple church services, prayer vigils, lots of church bells, fireworks, bonfire to burn Judas, family gatherings and everyone greeting each other with "Christos Anestis"..."Christ has risen"!