Gratitude Friday...

First, I need to tell you about a miracle that happened just this morning.

Aubrey Kate woke up.

And played in her crib.

Y'all!

Girly always, ALWAYS, wakes up crying. I've heard stories of babies who wake up and just chill out playing while momma gets out of bed, washes her face, maybe even gets dressed.

Not mine.

She's never been that kid.

Instead, she wakes up whimpering, followed by Momma's and then finally reaches all out crying. In a matter of five minutes.

Before this pregnancy, I would do my best to get up at least 15 to 20 minutes before she did so I could do all those normal people things. Even though that generally meant 6:30 or so. But now, I have such a hard time sleeping, I am often dead asleep...finally...when 6:45 am rolls around. It's hard to wake up from a dead sleep.

But this morning, I got to wake up and get dressed to the sounds of her playing.

Loved. It.

Guess that would be the first thing on my gratitude list for this week!

Now, I have another story to tell you. On Wednesday, Aubrey Kate got her crayons and paper and came into the bathroom with me to get dressed. It's totally normal for her to bring toys in there. I can and do leave the door open so she can come and go as she pleases but mostly, she likes to play where I am.

During her coloring, she accidentally went off the paper and colored on the tile floor. That produced a loud "Uh-oh!" I told her it was okay just be careful. You can't color on the floor, do you understand Aubrey Kate? "Yeah!" "Yes ma'am?" "Ma'am!"

I finished getting ready and noticed she had left. When I came out of the closet, there was a huge spot on the floor where she had so obviously deliberately colored.

In red.

With green accents.

I sat down on the side of the tub and said a prayer.

Lord, I need you to show me how to be thankful in this moment. Help me slow down, think through this and show her love and grace. And appropriate punishment.

Here's the thing. It happened a good three minutes before I noticed it. Had I caught her in the act, that would have been a spanking. But three minutes to a two year old is an eternity. Not at all saying she'd forgotten she'd done it. She run away in guilt before she could get caught.

Girly knew exactly what she was doing was wrong.

But she did it anyway.

Pushing those boundaries toddlers love to challenge. Testing me to see how I would respond.

So I sat there. Thanking God for a child to love. For a moment to show her loving discipline. For a time to teach. For the reminder that I am exactly the same. I knowingly sin every day. We all do. Whether in thought, word or deed. And I'm pretty sure I hit all three every day. But God offers His grace and forgives me. He convicts me, for sure. Of course, there are consequences to my sin as well. Lessons to learn.

After a few minutes, I got up. Went to the laundry room, took some clean laundry out of the dryer and took it back to my bedroom to fold. Aubrey Kate stayed clear.

When she finally did come slowly sneaking into my room, I asked her if she had colored on the bathroom floor.

After we had discussed what she'd done, which included taking her to the scene of the crime, I told her she could not color for the rest of the day and let her watch, and cry, while I put the crayons and paper away on the top of my desk. Then I picked her up, hugged her and told her the same thing I always say. I love you so much, sweet girl. Too much to let you disobey.

And then it was over. She run away to find Elmo.

There will be lots of these moments. She's all kinds of two. That will give me lots of moments to slow down, praise God and then forge ahead with training up this child as she should go. And for her, she is a sensitive little one who needs more gentle kindness than a mommy who acts out in anger.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me how to be grateful even in the moments when I want to do anything but. Thank you for giving me your grace every day. Thank you for leading me as I try to raise this precious child you have loaned me for just a short while. You are love and I am humbled.