Learning as I go...

My sweet husband got my blogs printed into book form as a gift to me this Christmas. (I, having too many perfectionist tendencies, immediately asked if he had corrected my grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.) I love these keepsakes even with their countless linguistic flaws. I love reading and reflecting on each blog- remembering life during that particular time. I am so thankful that I documented those memories. I hope I will record even more in 2014.
 I love to write and find such joy in the process of putting my thoughts on paper. However, I often struggle with confidence in my subject area. I am not an expert at anything. I am not fashionable. I have boring hair. And if you are waiting on me to teach you how to cook, sew, or budget you better be very patient. There are days I wish I had an exciting career filled with travel, business attire, and praise. Then I feel like I would be equipped to share all sorts of interesting stories. These moments of desire for a life so unlike my own usually occur at the end of the longest of days. After hours of whining, arguing siblings, and disobedience- it is easy to lose focus of the beauty of being home with my babies. Then God pulls me back in and sets me straight. THIS is what I was made for. The constant care of these precious little people He gave to us. I am definitely not using my hard earned Clemson degree and my resume is surely not impressive. But my heart is full and I am at peace even in the daily struggles of raising 3 (almost) 4 small children. They teach me more about love, mercy, and grace than I could learn in 1,000 years working outside of the home. They love unconditionally and forgive without question. With each new day, I learn more about what it means to be a mother. I learn what to allow and when to enforce rules. I learn when to impose boundaries, and when to give them a break. It takes time to figure out how to find the balance to this parenting gig. I am certainly no expert and really don't know that I will ever be. But I am so incredibly thankful that God (and Kevin) have given me this opportunity.