A Stay-at-Home Summer

We have been having a beautiful summer - once June came to a close with all of the chilly, rainy, and flooding weather.  Thankfully, our house was okay.  We did not have any flood damage.  Praise God!  We are very blessed...just a little bit of water in our basement, but that is normal.

The summer is flying by, as usual.  It has been a perfect July, spending lots of time outdoors, enjoying our beautiful Lake Superior and riding bikes/running around in the parking lot next to our home.  We also have been getting lots of sun at the Park Point beach and at one of the many playgrounds we have in Duluth.  It is so much fun to meet up with friends at the park, in the summer.  Gotta take advantage of this weather while we have it, before we are locked indoors for 7-8 months.

God is teaching me so much about enjoying all of the moments I get with these sweet, little girls.  It probably has been the most challenging time with Maddie and Norah, the last 2 months.  There have been many more tantrums, fights with stubbornness and strong wills, difficult bedtimes (with it staying light so long in the evening), and most recently, no more naps.  :(  That has been a hard one for me to give up.  While I dearly love my children and do not want to always be looking forward to nap time, I am finding that I miss that quiet hour or two I would get each day, to be refreshed and recharged, as a mom.  But while it has been a more trying time, as a parent, God is continually reminding me of how quickly this time will pass and how I need to be using these moments to shape my character, to become more like Him.  I am definitely trying to learn how to be patient (not only with my children, but also with this house selling business...almost a year now!)  I am working on staying calm when they are starting to push my buttons.  I am learning to be more consistent in my discipline.  And most importantly, God is teaching me to be discipling these little ones, while they are so anxious to learn and talk to me about what is going on in their minds.  This time does fly by!  I can hardly believe Maddie will be heading off to kindergarten in a year.  My little girls are growing up so quickly, and I long to be the kind of mom they need, in order that they will grow up to be strong, godly, young ladies, who long to serve God in all that they do.

Speaking of growing up, our little Elise just turned 9 months old last week!  She has been such a joy to us; such a smiley little girl.  She is a great sleeper and eater.  We always know just what she wants.  Her older sisters adore her.  Elise is getting ready to crawl, any day now.  I haven't been encouraging it too much, but I know it's inevitable and she will be even more happy when she can get places by herself.

Also, Norah celebrated her 3rd birthday at the end of June.  She had a fun birthday party at Lester Park, with a few friends and family.  Norah is a fun-loving, sweet girl, who can be very stubborn at times.  She is our strong-willed one, but hopefully in the future, it will serve her well!  

I sure am thankful to my rock-star husband, who encouraged me to go and hang out at a coffee shop tonight.  It was much needed, after a few long, busy weeks.  It has also gotten me excited about getting this blog going again!  (And to my little girls, who I hope will read this one day:  You need to find a husband like your daddy.  He is the absolute best - such a gift to me.  I have never been more happy in marriage and life, thanks to God and the blessing He has given me in your amazing daddy.)