Ladybugs in Heaven

If you are a mother, no doubt you have heard this statement at some point, "Enjoy it! This will be over before you know it!" When other moms would tell me this, I would think to myself, "It better be!" Nothing in the world could have prepared me for just how hard motherhood would be. Up until 3 a.m. crying right along with my baby, been there. Nursing, while grocery shopping, done that. It seems those first couple of years would never end. Tyler would come home everyday (after being at work for 8 glorious, uninterupted hours) and tell me, "Everyday he's one day older, it will get better." Insert an eye roll from me right here. Young moms live in a perpetual state of "what's next?" We are constantly looking ahead to the next stage of our kid's development: nursing -->rolling over--> teething-->sitting up--> baby food--> crawling-->walking-->talking (kind of) -->getting rid of the pacifier (or a mimi as we call it, and we are still working on this) you get the idea.



And because every one of these stages has it's struggles, a thought enters our minds: "If I can just make it to ______, this will only get so much easier." We mentally live in tomorrow, while simply managing today. We forget to relish the charms of the present, allowing them to be overshadowed by our daily challenges. We, translate, I get so caught up the everyday of life that I forget to stop and take it all in. Then it happens, something that puts it all in perspective.

I was tucking Keller into bed and saying all of our usual night time things. Then he stops and says, "Do you think there are ladybugs in heaven?" I respond, "Ladybugs were God's idea, so I'm sure there are." He said, "Good, because my baby girl (the name he has for his sister) loves ladybugs and I bet it would make her real happy if they were up there when she goes to heaven one day." Oh! Heart be still! That baby boy of mine just makes my heart sing. Gone in an instant were all the memories of the sleepless nights and throw-yourself- on the ground tantrums. I realized I don't want these moments to be over, I want to enjoy them!



It seems at times, my Jesus is lovingly saying, "Kara, don't obsess about tomorrow. Live in this day without worrying about what you'll do or need later. What is good today will be spoiled tomorrow. Enjoy it today, or enjoy it never." Keeping an eye on our kid's tomorrow means we only have one eye on their today. We're missing so much. Our kids are going to grow up, with or without us, and once it's over, it's over. I won't spoil this day for grieving what has passed or longing for what has not yet come. I will notice how Keller always wants me to do our secret handshake when I drop him off for school, I will pay attention to the way Presley hangs on for a little bit longer to our good morning hug. I will look my kids in the eye and listen to what they are saying , or in Presley's case, trying to say, and I will try to give a real, genuine response. I will still go into their rooms at night and tuck them in a little tighter and push their hair behind their ears.



You will never have this day with your children again. Tomorrow, they'll be a little older than they were today. This day is a gift. Breathe and notice. Smell and touch them; study their sweet little faces. Relish the charms of the present.



Enjoy today, mama. It will be over before you know it.

Fall is here...Hip, Hip, Horray!

Isn't my house beautiful? I can only dream about living somewhere like this for now. But I can imagine heaven being pretty close to this. Oh! It takes my breath away! Today is the first official day of Fall and that makes this mama very happy. The air is turning and getting a bit cooler, and the leaves have just started their intial descent to the ground. If I had to pick one season I loved the most, Fall would get my vote eveytime. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas time but that is so magical in itself and gets enough attention. So, let's "fall" right in to the top 5 reasons I love this yummy season...

1.) My own little pumpkins:

Having kids gives you the greatest excuse to act like one yourself. I love when the weather starts to get a little brisk and we can take evening walks around the neighborhood. We like to look for the trees with the prettiest leaves and take in the smells around us. It also means getting to dress them in the cutest little outfits. Don't believe me? Wait till you see my Presley in a pea coat and suede boots! I also love the nights we spend at Mamsie & Big Daddy's Shack, carving pumpkins at eating yummy food (more about this later)

2.) The Clothes:

I can only handle shorts and sleeveless shirts for so long. Give me a roomy sweater and a pair of leggings any day. I totally believe I live in the wrong part of the country when it comes to my obesssion for fall clothing. A few months before the season starts, the favorites page on my computer is inundated with websites showcasing their new fall lines. I started this obsessionwith ankle boots last season, and that obsession has only gotten worse. I've been coveting this pair of buttery leather ankle boots for a few weeks now, but I have to justify spending that much money on them. So, Tyler if you are reading this, I totally wouldn't care if you decided to make that happen!

3.) The Shack:

Mamsie & Big Daddy (Tyler's parents) have the coolest "Shack In the Back". We call it that because it's literally at the back of their house. But to call it a shack, doesn't let it live up to it's full potetnial. First off, it's not a shack at all, but probably as big as my whole house. I love it there because it's so comfy and homey. The Shack is the gathering place for all things good. Every birthday, holiday, football game or just dinner is shared out in the shack. It's also where we get to carve pumpkins ever year for Big Daddy's birthday. My "other mom" always makes us feel warm and welcomed. She is also a fabuous cook and always has the yummiest things prepeared. Her caramel apples are to- die- for! I look forward to those every year. I love that we have a place to gather and enjoy great food and each other's company.

4.) The Food

I had to include food! C'mon, it might be the best thing about fall. Yesterday it was cloudy and drizzly, a perfect day for soup. I love the soup mixes from a little mom and pop shop called Company's Comin. They are at Merry Marketplace every year and this time I was lucky enough to catch them at the fair last week. All their soups and casseroles are delish, but the New Mexico Green Chile soup is the yummiest ever. Nothing beats a bowl of hot soup and a fall day. For more info and to purchase their soups head over to : http://www.companyscomin.com/.

During the summer it is too stinking hot to be slaving over the stove and having your oven on all day, but fall is the perfect excuse to bust out the mixer and bowls and whip something magical up. I look forward to the weather turning because that means dad's chili and mom's jalepeno corn casserole. Two things that are the ultimate comfort food.

5.) The Wedding

A wedding you say? This one I had to throw in there. No, I don't love fall because of the weddings that take place during this time, but THIS year I do. My sister/best friend...ever, is getting married! Oh happy day! Though it is bittersweet (more about this in a future post) I am busting at the seams with excitement. A wedding during the fall means all sorts of wonderful things. Costume parties & get togethers with old freinds and family are two things that come to mind. Though (much to my dismay) Kelsey and Seth decided on a more modern color scheme, and not fall colors I guess I'll still be in the wedding :) They are getting married on November 27th, the weekend of Thanksgiving. Needless to say we will all be super busy getting these two hitched. I am so excited for them and the wedding is going to fabulous. Next fall I will have to pick another reason, but for this year, this had to be included. I can't wait. Go check out their awesome wedding website at : http://www.kelsandseth.weddingwindow.com/

I hope you enjoyed all the silly reasons I love this fabulous season. I pray that your season is blessed with abundance. Thanks for reading ya'll!

Kara

Is there a two for one special on therapy for kids?

Who knew that parenting would be this hard? Who knew there would be ten thousand details to keep up with all day, every day (including, "Mommy have you seen that little, plastic guy that I got at Wal-Mart 3 years ago?") Who knew there was a mommy competition we were automatically entered into the day we gave birth? And yes, if you gave birth by C-Section YOU CERTAINLY GAVE BIRTH! I had a"friend" tell me one time that it didn't count as actual childbirth because my baby was born via C-Section. Umm, hello! Have you seen what a C-Section entails? Moving on, who knew how frequently we would fail our kids? Or how much they would hurt? Who knew we would constantly worry our kids would end up on the therapy couch?



OK, I admit I don't always worry about that, but I do wonder if I will ever be enough as a mom. Then I read this verse in Matthew 10:25, : "It is enough for the student to be like his teacher."

When the student (that's us) becomes like her teacher (Jesus) our failures and reservations as moms take the back burner as the sweet spirit of Jesus covers us. Our kids won't remember every paper we forgot to sign, how we didn't tie their shoes just right, or that we fed them hot dogs every night (guilty!) They will forget how we blew off bath time because mommy and daddy were too tired and how we begged them to watch Dora the Explorer for 30 minutes of silence. What they will remember is how we prayed with them and how we listened to their dreams and fears, no matter how ridiculous they might be. ("No, Keller I promise the fence outside the window does not turn into fingers that want to grab you.") That won't forget how we took care of them or someone else when they were hurting. They will remember how quickly we were to laugh, but slow to judge. They will recall how wildly we loved them with every fiber of our being.



The right schools, the right teams, the right house... not enough.

Perfect systems, by-the- book methods, unsolicited advice... not enough.



It is enough for me to show patience when I want to stick my fingers in my ears and scream right along with my two year old. It is enough to choose mercy when my kids have made the same mistake once again. It is enough to imitate my Christ, who never jumped through hoops, but transformed history through grace and sacrifice. You are enough as a mother when you act like your Redeemer. When you talk like He talked, love like He loved, forgive like he forgave and teach like He taught. When you launch your children into this big, exciting, wonderful world, that is all that will matter. It is what they will remember and imitate.



It is enough.

Happy 5th Birthday Keller!

I still can't believe that Keller is five years old. Tyler and I are just so darn proud that we kept something alive that long! It has been an exciting, tumultuous, frustrating, incredible five years. We love that God chose us to be his parents. He is so full of life and energy, his sweet words and sharp mind never cease to amaze us. One of my favorites websites is http://www.birthverse.com/. You can go here and put in your birth date and find out what verse from the bible corresponds with it. I love that God has a purpose for us all and I love Keller's birth verse: "Those He predestined, He also called; those He called; He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified." Romans 8:30. Our son was not a random baby born to two naive, young parents, but an incredible bundle of talents and abilities. This post is dedicated to Keller Zane Stribling. We love you sweet boy!

Now, sit back, relax and enjoy some pics from "The Greatest Show On Earth!"

Welcome to Keller's 5th Birthday Circus!

Some big boys never grow up!
I loved this sign, it even lit up!

Rylee enjoying a lollipop, love this picture!
Getting ready to dig into all the presents.

OK, Maybe mommies, aunts and uncles never grow up too...

You've gotta have popcorn at the circus


Make way for the animals!


Of course, no circus is complete without trapeze artists!

Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoyed the circus party as much as we did.

The Best Birthday Gift... 12 Years In the Making

Keller recently celebrated his 5th birthday. It was on a Monday, so we had his "party" on Saturday. I promise more about that in a future blog. I wanted to share something comical that happened on his actually birthday. We went to the mecca that holds all sorts of magical fun... Gattiland! As you all know, the best part about Mr. Gatti's is getting to play all the games. Side note: I loathe Mr. Gatti's, at least the game room. It might be one of the more disgusting places on earth and every time I'm in there I feel like I'm going to walk away with strep throat. Perhaps it was because of that time I saw a toddler riding the carousel in only a diaper, that looked like it had not been changed in days. However, it was Keller's birthday so I gave in. When the rest of the family finally met up with Keller and Tyler in the game room they were already in full gaming mode. I think Tyler's exact words were, "We are killing it in here!" He may have been more excited than Keller! As the token count went down, it was time to count the tickets. He had 339! That was the best he had ever done. Enter Kelsey, AKA Aunt Lou. She starts in on how when she was younger she had hundreds of tickets and she never remembered spending them. So naturally, she walks to the prize counter to ask. The whole time I'm thinking, "Yeah right, there is no way they are still going to have her in the system." She tells the attendant her name, and after a blood draw, hair sample and promising her first born they divulge her ticket count. She had almost 3,000 tickets! At this point I think I screamed out with laughter. If you know Kelsey, you would not think this was weird or peculiar. She was always the kid with birthday money left, months after her birthday was over. Plus, I had this image of her spending her summer days holed up in the Mr. Gatti's game room while all the others kids were outside being normal. Why wouldn't she have a Mr. Gatti's savings account?!? We asked if we were able to transfer the tickets to Keller and they were happy to oblige, only after deducting 200 tickets for not having her official Mr. Gatti's ID card. Because we all carry that on us at all times! I was still not believing that they actually had her in the system. In fact they said she opened it in 1998! So, twelve years later, Keller was able to get the coveted Spider Man Web Flinger. Despite the HUGE birthday he had, that web flinger from Mr. Gatti's was the best gift ever. Who would have thought that when Kelsey was racking up the tickets she would be able to pass those on to her nephew twelve years later!

Don't Push Her "Button"

My daughter is fearfully and wonderfully made. There is no denying that. She is sweet and funny and loves to be my little helper. She is also weird. I mean this statement with as much love as possible. This child has the most incredible fascination with her BELLYBUTTON! Maybe more than a fascination, more like an obsession.

I would always notice her playing with her bellybutton and thought nothing of it. Then the comments started coming. You know the kind. So how did that make me feel? At first I ignored them, thinking her bellybutton was apart of her body and I couldn't take it away from her; so what was the big deal? It became a big deal.

Presley has lots of clothes. Included in her wardrobe are cute jumpers/onesies. You know the ones that button underneath. When she was little, I loved the simplicity of these things. They were cute and easy and made for a quick diaper change. Presley was always accommodating (she didn't have much to say about it at six months old) Then it all changed when she discovered the "button." Gone were the days of jumpers and onesies. Oh no! That would never work. She couldn't get access to the "button." I remember a few months back when I put one on her. I could hear her in the bedroom getting frustrated. She came out a couple of minutes later and had managed to unbutton the thing and had her finger jammed in her bellybutton. She refused to let me button her back up, so I let her go to school just like that. Onesie hangin' past her knees. If they weren't already I'm sure her teachers were getting ready to nominate me for the "Mom of The Year Award." They (her teachers) would ALWAYS make comments to me about how much she played with her button. One day, I think I took it a little too far. The conversation went something like this:

Teacher: "Presley always has her finger in her bellybutton. We always tell her to stop because its gross."

Me: "Well, I suppose it's better that her finger is in her bellybutton, rather than down her pants like that little boy over there. Oh, and I think he just stuck his finger in that little girl's mouth."

As you can guess, the conversation about my daughter and her button was over. Though I find it somewhat odd that she always wants to touch it, I have never thought of it as "gross." Just this morning I had to pull over because she wasn't able to lift her shirt far enough up in her car seat to get a hold of built in "lovey." Keller's lovey was and still is a little, stuffed baseball guy. Presley's lovey is her bellybutton. I suppose there are worse habits she could have, and while this one is peculiar; it's one more reason why my baby girl is unique. Let's just hope she grows out of it before junior high...

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

I'm perfect, my house is always clean and my kids never fight!

Good Morning Everyone! Did you get a good laugh at the title of this post, I sure did. I think I needed to write that so I could feel a little better about myself this morning. Of course it was one of those mornings. Presley decides it's more fun to wear her "mock it milk" instead of drinking it. Keller insists on putting his belt on himself which only leads to tears of frustration five seconds later. Presley wants to get back in bed AFTER her hair was looking so stinkin' cute, and I can't find the pair of soft, leather knee high boots I want to wear! (Hey, it was 71 degrees this morning and it felt like Fall, I believe when I start to wear my Fall clothes then it will become Fall... OK that's just silly, but I digress..) You get the picture, we've all been there. I want to make sure my kids leave the house with cute clothes, Keller has the perfect spike in his hair and Presley doesn't have anything on her face. I want to leave my house in the morning spic and span and know that when I come home, dinner will be cooking in the Crock-Pot. I want everyone to think I have it all together, when in fact I really don't.

So that got me thinking. Motherhood triggers something in us that has probably been dormant for awhile, maybe since say; Junior High? We're seeded with this desire to be well thought of, to be admired, to be affirmed in our hard work as moms. We sometimes may stretch the truth a little...just a little. We say our babies sleep thru the night when they really don't, our discipline plans always work, every time and we never fight with our husbands. We are masters at making our lives seem so yummy and cupcakey (I made this word up) that in all reality we are living in chaos.

When we operate from being seen in a certain light, we only do ourselves a dis justice. We can't develop healthy relationships in the messy soil of reality, and guess what? That's the only place where they are going to grow! Presenting a fake life to others generates fear in our own hearts and intimidation in everyone else's, and creates nice, fake relationships- with our friends, family, even with our own children.

Authenticity ranks terribly high on Jesus's list of required attributes. It's not how good we are that counts, because honey, there are a lot of good people in hell...I'm just saying. What does count is how truthful we are about how good we're not. Only then can Jesus get busy developing us into the redeemed daughters we already are in Him!

So here is my challenge to you fellows mommies and bloggers. Can we speak truth to each other and ask for help when we need it? Can we admit when we fail and stop worrying what someone will think. Can we allow someone to be the same people on the outside as they are on the inside? Can we live real lives in front of each other, imperfect in our humanity but reclaimed through Jesus?

I will if you will.

If you and I do, others can.

If we all do, everyone might.

For today and ever day, speak authenticity.

"Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand, you guide my counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory... my flesh and heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart forever. Psalm 73:23-26