One of those days....

Exodus 18:18 “You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.”

The day has been rough… In all honesty, the last few weeks have been fairly difficult…

Terrible 3’s!

For most parents, nothing more needs to be said, but for me, my heart aches to fix whatever it is that is bringing me to tears over my son…

The times when you question what you have done wrong? Where you made a wrong turn? Are we ever going to get back on track?

Michael is independent! Stubborn! He is just like me!

He knows the buttons; he applies just the right pressure to push me beyond my limits, to a place that I feel out of control… A place that I am uncomfortable in… I am a mom of love, of hope, of learning, or patience… but today, I became someone new… Someone I am not happy to have been!

The cards were stacked against me…

Ratio of kids: mom was 3:1

I was highly outnumbered….

The list of things to do grossly outweighed the time that I had, and my head was reeling with endless demands of drinks, snacks, diaper changes, sibling rivalry, dishes, laundry, pee on walls, pee on floors, and dog walks.. Puzzles thrown across the table, markers on the floor, drinks spilling, and dryer washer buzzing…. The time was gone..

As I went to get Lily from her nap, I realized just how bad my day had gotten… As I walk into her room I see a beautiful smile and an angelic baby holding wads of wallpaper from where she had torn pieces from our home… A large 4 foot radius circle ripped into shreds and tossed about her room.. She was so excited for me to see her work… She knew no better, but I sure did… I knew it was going to be a pretty penny to fix, I knew I shouldn’t have tucked her bed next to the wall, I knew…. She smiled and waved, holding up the small pieces that were tucked in between her fingers…

I can just picture her doing it… She loves new sounds…. I bet she enjoyed every minute of the noise… She was probably overjoyed with the sound of tearing paper!

I, on the other hand, was overflowing… not with joy but instead bitterness…

“REALLY GOD! As if my day could handle another ‘thing’!”

I could feel the tears well up in my head as I begin to cry…

My patience had reached its breaking point….

Ecclesiastes 1:9 “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”

This day will pass, this season of terrible 3’s will fade, and the age of wallpaper ripping and innocent graffiti will soon be gone…

Everyone tells me that one season rolls into another and that sooner than I can believe I will be relishing in the memories of my little ones…

I smile as I think of the giggles that I will have…. For future Kim will be far more patient and tolerable of button pushing…

I laugh off the day….

Good night…

Prayerfully, a better morning!

Radiant Beauty

You come early, as the flaming pink sun stretches and yawns long across the unmarked canvas of today and fields of winter white.

You warm me.

Face turned to glow, the words spill. "I breathe, here in these front row seats before the wonder of young day rising. I am! How to thank You?"

And You have words of Your own, words I hear in the still places.

“Then smile. Show me how you appreciate today by smiling…. regardless."

Yes, Father. So simple. So hard. Show me how?

Like a thank-you note one wears, I dress for the day, bejeweled with a smile, a flash of gratitude.

You come again with words from a Psalm sent by Dutch Father-in-Law through cyberspace, words he read last night and woke with and feels are for us today, somehow?And when I read verse 5 of Psalm 34, I knew why You sent that Psalm...

Unmistakably.

Repeating Yourself:

Those who look to him are radiant; ~Ps. 34:5

Reading the words aloud, I break into a smile…a shy, radiant one.

What husband needs to look at a face knitted in frowns and anxieties?What Lord needs to be worshipped in worries and scowls?

Wasn't it Anne Lamott who wrote, "Joy is the best makeup. Joy, and good lighting"?

And aren't You the best lighting of all?

Lord, in You, let us radiate.

-Holy Experience

A little of this, a little of that....

Children's Seoul Grand Park

Not the Grand Park, but so cute.... I couldn't resist putting this in.....

okay, back at the park!

Botanical Gardens...

Friend Kendra pushing Michael...

Lily on the way to our FUN surprise.... she was excited...

peek-a-boo... covering her eyes so she doesn't see the surprise....

Passed out before we got to the surprise.....

The surprise....

Our newest Stafford... Doogie..... Although Kayden can't pronounce it, so he says " Doobie" Oh, well.... he still answers....

Lotte World.........

“When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires, will come to you…” –Disney

We were driving home from a long at the amusement park here in Seoul, South Korea. Lotte World, similar to Disney World, was full of rides, adventure, parades, and theater. The kids bodies were tired from the day of walking and giggling, and as we drove home Kayden asked us, “ Why can’t I see any shooting stars?” Mike and I gave the typical 5 year old answer “ because the lights are too bright and it makes it hard to see the stars…..” Kayden was saddened that he couldn’t see them, so we made a deal to plan a camping trip during the next meteor shower… He seemed satisfied with that answer until he asked............

“Then how can I make a wish?”

I smiled as I reminded him of who God was…

Ever present, all knowing, and always available…. No star needed to pray, no waiting, just Him…..

After their surprise drive... they just spotted a giant castle and discovered it was Lotte World.... You can see Michael's excitement!

In the butterfly and bug exhibit... They were ablt to pet a male and female bettle... yuck.....

Lily loves the fish... Just like her Papa and dadda!!!

A miniature town with small train...

The whole gang....

On the monarail to the outdoor park...

Kayden was so excited......

There's me.... free falling....

The boys driving daddy around the track...

Again.... if you can zoom in on the picture, you can see Michael's sweet face... He was having a blast!

Mike doing the crazy bottle spin ride.....

There's Mike......

Kayden........

Somewhere in there is Michael......

The papparrazi feeding Lily corn....

The boys on the hot air balloon ride...

Lily pooped!

Kayden excited to play in the ball pit!!!

This was an awesome coin operated ride.... The kids paid 1000 won ( $1.00) and it drove them around the kid area... No seatbelts, no track.....

The boys treating Lily to a chariot ride... She is such a princess.... and her brothers are such gentlemen!!!

Whooooooooww........

Lily was finally set free to roam the park... She was stoked!!!! As you can tell by her mischevious face!

Free at last!!

The parade.......

The school girls that swarm the boys... Kayden is so popular.... They just cant stop taking pictures of the boys... Michael is anti-photos and Kayden is all about the attention.....

Kayden and Lily posing with their fans....

Lily at the pool...

Michael doing the butterfly stroke....

The boys learning to swim......

In the fort that daddy built.....

Acting like mommy....

Thinking that the glasses bring power... Michael says I am being a bad girl.....

At the river walk where Mike likes to fish....

Lily loving the windows down!!