The First Time in Seven Years...

This past week, 3 of our kids were sick with everything from fevers to coughs, and we decided to begin potty training for Nathanael.  (We were home all week anyway, so we needed something to do). He has done great! Four straight days of dry undies, which was the Lord's perfect gift since this has been a hard week for multiple other reasons.

But it just really hit me yesterday, realizing that technically he is now potty-trained, that this is the first time in almost seven years that I have not had daytime diapers to change. For a couple of seasons in there I had two little bottoms to diaper throughout the day, and now there are none. I am so happy for Bubby's potty success! But I'm not finding myself to be the cheering Mommy who says, "Yay! No diapers! We're done." I am not done! Or at least I hope not. Or at least if I am done, I hope to come more to terms with that sometime in the next decade. I'm not ready for all the baby toys to be given away or stored in the garage (they already are), or for all the binkies to be in the trash (they are), or for all the little bottoms to be covered in Fruit of the Loom. Or Hanes. Or whatever is the cheapest at Walmart, because do you know how fast four children fly through undies?

So I'll try to hang on to the nap times (oh my, do the nap times really have to end?), and the last crib, and the night time pull-ups, booster seats and sippy cups, for as long as I can. I'm not looking forward to these days passing, but I also know from our bigger ones that there are good things waiting on the other side of "Baby".

Last weekend I heard a speaker talk about the importance of raising our children to have moral courage in this spiraling society. He described courage as the willingness to do what's right when you have every reason to be afraid. I think he's right. I think they'll need a lot of courage. Maybe that's why I'm so eager to keep them little! But they were born for this time and with a purpose. So let the milestones keep coming. 

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth." Psalm 127:3-4

Chik Chik princess & pirate day

Church picnic & baptism on the Chickahominy. They had a blast wading all day!

Charis caught a caterpillar in our yard, and she was so careful to feed it every day with the same weeds where she found it, and after being in a chrysalis for a week or two it hatched! We were a little too excited. I think it's a painted lady.

Playin' babies

We (well, Bogey) found a real live owl pellet in our own backyard!  I love the country! We dissected it and found lots of bones that looked like the owl had eaten a mole. I think Mikey thought this was pretty disgusting but I thought it was COOL! I did not let them touch it with their actual fingers. We used sticks. Science is totally my thing, but we are going to need to join a co-op or something for history. I really mean it.

Happy Father's Day to our wonderful Dads, also known as Grandaddy and Pop! We love you so much!