This girl has just been growing so much recently. I feel like she looks bigger and different every few days!
I posted this on Instagram last week:
I’m sitting here holding a fussy teething baby and just wanted to lean in and remind you of this today: You can’t do everything, but you can do something.
I’m in a season of life now with two babies — one who has some extra needs — where I don’t have as much flexibility or availability as I once did. But just because I can’t do what I once did doesn’t mean I can’t do something. You can’t do everything but you can do something.
I might not be able to drop everything and go spend the day with a friend who is struggling, but I can still send a text to check in, pray for her, and invite her over for an hour. I can’t do everything, but I can do something.
I might not have hours of uninterrupted time to spend with Jesse and the kids, but I can still find little blocks of time (often while holding a baby) to talk, listen, and be involved in their life. I can’t do everything, but I can do something.
I might not be able to keep my house as clean or as organized as I once did, but I can use the little snippets of time I have to pick up, rinse the dishes, and do a little organization (often while holding a baby!). I can’t do everything, but I can do something.
Let’s stop making excuses for doing nothing or feeling guilty that we can’t do everything and instead put our energy into doing what we can do with the time and capacity we have, right where we are. I can’t do everything, but I can do something.
I put the babies in their matching jammies… Kierstyn wasn’t too excited. 😉
What happens when you have two older sisters. 🙂
The kids had Spirit Week — can you guess what day this was?
Champ loves to put his hand on me like this when he falls asleep while I hold him.
Champ had surgery a few weeks ago and did SO well. (It was a surgery he needed to have ever since he was born but they wanted to wait until he was strong enough to have it. We’re so grateful to have that behind us.) You can read more about the surgery here.
Champ also graduated from his helmet and got hearing aids. He’s slowly adjusting to them and they make such a difference! We’re still working on getting him to keep them in since he can’t sit up yet, so he is often rolling around and they fall out or he pulls them out.
He is also starting all-day in-home visits with his mom in preparation for eventual reunification. Lots of emotions surrounding that, but ultimately, we are so thrilled for him and for her and how hard she has worked to get to this point.
Almost every morning, the babies sit on the bed together while we read picture books, sing a hymn, review the ABC Memory verse book, and read a Proverb. They love being read and sung to!
We spent lots of time on the sidelines watching the last few weeks of Silas’ baseball games recently. I can’t believe the season is over with!
Kierstyn’s personality continues to blossom. She’s been really finding her voice and learning how to communicate. She brings so much joy and laughter to our home.
I got to interview @sissygoff for the podcast. We talked all about raising worry-free kids. Look for the episode on The Crystal Paine Show tomorrow. It’s SO good!!
The bond that these two have is just the sweetest.
I shared this on Instagram last week:
One child wanted to talk until 10 pm, one child wanted help with studying for two tests until after 10:30 pm, one baby struggled to go to sleep until after 11:30 pm, one baby woke up and couldn’t sleep for a few hours between 3 am and 5 am, and one child woke us up at 6:45 am asking if we could help them study again.
I wanted to feel grumpy this morning as I tried to open my eyes groggily, comfort a now awake and fussy baby, and help with test studying. But then I caught myself before I launched into a litany of lament as I reminded myself: This is a gift. This life right here. This opportunity to pour into little ones. This is a gift.
So many would give anything to be in my shoes. So many would love to have little ones keeping them up at night or teens wanting to talk or kids asking for help with studying. This is a gift.
Instead of complaining, I asked God to please multiply the sleep I got to be enough for me to do what He has called me to do today. And then I chose to get up and love on the people before me with a smile on my face.
A little while later, I realized I didn’t even notice the tired feeling — instead I saw the beautiful gifts in front of me.
Gratitude reframes our perspective!
Also, the big kids are off to school, the babies are now both down for a nap at the same time (which doesn’t happen that often but I think they are worn out, too, from last night!!), so I’m also grateful for the unexpected gift of a mid-morning nap that I’m just about to take!
My prayer for today: “Lord, help me to see the gifts in front of me… because they are there, if I will but just look for them. In the moments when I feel tired, let me choose gratitude instead of grumbling. Allow me to wholeheartedly pour myself into the people you have put in my path today relying upon You to give me the strength to carry through and love well. Your grace is enough and I rest in that.”
Kathrynne got to share at two local youth groups this past week about how foster care has impacted her life. It was such a gift to see her stand on stage so confidently and share — and also to have her talk about how it has changed her life for our family to be involved in fostering.
This Week’s Goals
We are leaving for a trip with all of my extended family in Gatlinburg, TN on Thursday so I am only setting 6 goals and not setting any business goals as my big goal this week is to focus on family time together this week and leaving lots of space for breathing room in my schedule.
Personal Goals
1. Get 45,000 steps in.
2. Finish The White Rose Resists. Read 5 chapters of Atomic Habits. Read 5 chapters of Forgiving What You Can’t Forget.
3. Finish listening to Dare to Lead.
4. Do pelvic floor exercises at least four times.
Home/Family Goals
5. Read 10 pages of A Boy’s War as a family.
6. Read three chapters of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the babies and Silas.
