Last night, our adorable toddler decided to end our night at a friend's birthday party with taking a chunk out of another kid's shoulder (PK stereotype early?). Talk about an embarrassing way to end the evening. You leave wondering how you could have failed so miserably at teaching your child to be loving and kind and begin questioning whether or not the Bible is positive that the rod will correct in its time. Every parent has been there (or will be), but it still doesn't make those situations more bearable.
What I didn't expect, however, was how good the good times would be. This morning, Abby and I went out into the backyard for her to swing. Doing our normal routine, I sang praise songs to her as I pushed her back in forth in the swing and smiled as she sang along with me in her sweet toddler voice. Softly and slowly, her voice faded as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. This is how our special time ended (see photo below). No one could have told me how precious it was to watch a baby fall asleep so peacefully and how much I would love her before she was even born. No one could have told me how absolutely certain I would be that she was the most beautiful child in existence (of course, she should be the cover model for every baby magazine).
I didn't expect all of the chaos that parenting has brought into our lives. I naively thought that "good" parents could contain it somehow. I do appreciate the humility that flows into our world daily as we learn that only in Jesus can we learn how to love our child as He loves us... unconditionally and completely. No, I didn't expect all of the messes and the "I'm sorry's," but I didn't expect all of the joys and blessings either. How thankful I am to be a mom! It's the most challenging and most rewarding experience I have ever had. It makes me appreciate my mom even more!
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