I am nine weeks away from D-Day and I am finding myself pouring any and all energy I have into the little shadow who is constantly at my feet, wrapped around my legs, crawling up onto my crowded lap.  About halfway through this pregnancy I realized my little guy is either going to be my biggest helper or my biggest challenger (probably a little of both at times), but after a pow wow with the husband we ramped up our objectives if you will (you can't take the teacher out of me, no way!) because every moment is a teaching moment and because the biggest lesson I have learned when working with children is expectations backed by relationship need to be higher than we can imagine.  Pastor challenged us on Sunday to bring Jesus into every corner of our littles's lives as soon as we can and I caught myself nodding my head.

Bug is working on a lot of things: numbers, colors, the abc's (thanks, nana) but what we spend most of our time working on and what I find myself melting over is "Yes, mama," and eyes shut, hands folded, loud "Amens!," running to me as soon as I say "come," staying when I say "stay," and his words "all done," when he starts to fuss and I shoot him the look.

A dear friend asked me if my toddler was testing me lately and after thinking about it I realized that for every time he tests me, I am testing him back double.  You didn't come right away?  I'm going to ask you to come to mama all day long now and especially at the park, in the middle of pushing your favorite toy, when there's a treat you are going for.  He is going to be in the thick of the terrible twos when baby is here and I realize that life will never be as easy as it is now.  One kid?  Piece of cake!  Two?  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous.  But, with every exhausting battle comes a bit of peace: the two's hopefully just got a little less terrible.

Our house is a constant shower of kisses and "good jobs!" as well as tears and "lets try agains."   It is Wee Sing Kids Bible Songs (Sorry Beyonce, I'll be back someday) and running to the window every time we hear a weeoo weeoo, but it is a sweet house with a sweet little soul growing in obedience and an older soul growing her patience, grace, and prayer life while hanging onto the truth that this next chapter is bound to be good (hard, but good) because the Shepherd is leading.