Today we were fighting the sickies.We have been since Saturday.  Pink eye + sinus infection + ear infections.  Tonight my throat is on fire and I’m losing my voice.  Time to keep  my mouth shut and start learning other ways to communicate with the kids.  I’d like to think this a gift from God.  To shut my mouth and not break up fights with my voice (stop it Crews!!!), but to use some other methods to get their attention.  Connecting with them- finding their eyes before I just spout off another ‘command.’  I think this is going to be a teaching time more for my heart than anything.

Warner and Maverick at the doctor.  This was the best ‘cheese’ they could muster up.

There were a lot of bad storms last night, and Chris and I didn’t get much sleep.  Going into today, I knew it was going to be rough.  But, I fought hard to try and establish peace in our home. (that sentence is totally an oxymoron…fought for peace)  I made cinnamon rolls this morning for the kids (which I didn’t eat – will write more on this another day) while we listened to the instrumental praise & worship station on Pandora- all while everyone was cranky.  We played some games, watched Wipe Out (always a Blanton fave), and then everyone took individual baths (luxury) while I worked on laundry .  It was a somewhat nice morning with the occasional outburst of ‘AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! S/HE’S GOT MY TOY!’  By the time lunch time came, I had been serving my family all from me and my ideas and I was empty & filled with the kids’ crankiness.

stuffed animal swim thanks to pink eye!

I’ve been going to a Bible study at our church on Wednesday mornings, and this semester our group has a mentor who is coming to us teach God’s word.  I love it because she says she just wants us to learn and lean on God’s word and nothing else.  Our homework is list upon lists of scripture that we have to write out by hand…because that is how it can get down into our hearts’ better.  Mrs. Jan told us one thing she wished she had done more with her children was to be vulnerable in front of them – not always having the right answer or to be stoic Bible Mama, but real – showing them what it is like to be weak and come before Jesus.  Because that is real life, ya know?

I had to ask for forgiveness at our lunch time prayer because I had been pretty snappy towards everyone.  I asked them to pray for me – that Mommy was having a rough day.  I said an ‘out loud’ prayer at lunch asking Jesus to be my strength even though I was very tired.  While I didn’t feel like I had a ‘burst of energy’ or anything.  I do think that sharing my heart with the kids endeared our hearts towards each other more.  While far from perfect, we offered a little more patience to each other, ate lunch together, and we all had a nap.

Tomorrow should be some more stretching of myself since I don’t have a voice. What are ways you connect with your kids?   (Also, this isn’t so much about discipline as it is connecting and re-centering the wild, crazy, and crankies.  Just wanted to make that clear. :))

Snuggly time. Crews and Warner. Oh, and Warner, just like Mama Dot, points at everything with his middle finger.   Just in case you were wondering.

Night Lovlies,