Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Parenting 101

This was a post I started just before the boys were born, but never published.  This Sunday, while doing our family planning for the week, I looked at the calendar and realized February 1st a year ago, was when I was initially put on bedrest.  The gripping fear, anxiety, and stress of that period in our lives is something I don't think Dan or I will ever forget, and hopefully something we never have to go through again.

To say we've learned a lot would be an understatement.  Thinking back on our year, I know I've had to acquire more backbone and really stick to my guns with regard to how we/I choose to parent/mother our children . . . occasionally with friends, or family but especially when it has come to doctors. There have been heartaches, challenges, many sleepless nights, lots of reading/research, phone calls trying to figure out how to 'do' this parenting thing.  It's been a sharp learning curve, and the lessons are far from over, but we have made some progress.

Reading this tidbit from year ago, gave me a glimpse into heaven and made the veil seem a bit thinner as I thought of our loving Father in Heaven gently, tenderly guiding us along.

From 2012: The idea of being a parent truly scares me.  Despite that, I had a moment about 1 1/2 months ago which gave me a glimpse into my eternal 401k and actually made me excited about being a mom.  We are going to have he opportunity to bring two of God's children into this world - what an awesome responsibility!  I know it's going to be challenging and we are going to make a lot of mistakes, but I am grateful as well.  Grateful I get to do this with Dan by my side and for the father he will be; grateful for how abundantly we've been blessed in the time we have been married; grateful to know there is a purpose to this life; and grateful for the knowledge that I can learn a great deal about parenting from our Heavenly Father.  Knowing all of that, does parenting still scare me?  Yes, yes it does . . . but I am grateful to know we are not in this alone.