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My darling little girl,
I've been thinking about you so much these few days that I've been away. Do you have any idea how much I miss you? Being away has made me think of all the things I want you to know. About my love, about God, about courage and life and true beauty. I hope you always know, beyond my words, way deep down in your very soul, that I will always love you. A love that goes beyond the surface and is as fierce as a real Mother bear. A love that transcends decisions and actions, because you are my child, and because I love the person that you are. 
There are so many things I want you to know, but right now I'm just going to talk to you about beauty. Do you know that I think you're beautiful?
I tell you every day. But because you are my daughter you might think I say that just because I'm your Mommy. But do you know what? I say it because it is true. And I am going to say it again and again, because I want it to sink deep into your soul and become a part of who you are. Not because I want you to become vain. But because you never will be anything but beautiful and I want you to embrace that with all your heart. In a world that measures the size of your waist and judges the form of your nose and plucks away at the shape of your eyebrows, you are already perfect, and always will be. Why? Because God does not make junk. When God lovingly formed you inside my body, He made you perfect. He created you beautifully in His image, and sealed you with His mark. "I will praise You, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." {Psalm 139:14} You never need to worry if you are beautiful, because you are. There is no question - it is a fact! 
They say that the happiest girls are the prettiest, but I am going to tell you that is not true.
There is not girl that is prettier than another. Each person has been created perfectly in the image of God and He has no favorites. Neither, my precious girl, should you. Take these truths and apply them to everyone around you. I want you to learn to look at everybody as God looks at you. As perfect and equally beautiful And most importantly, as someone worthy of love and respect. I want you to embrace your beauty yourself. I want you to be able to go out in the world, when you're older, and be confident in the body that God has given you. Because He thinks your are perfect, and so, my dear, do I. With all my love, 
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The little boy had a great love for music, particularly piano music. His greatest dream was to be a great composer and concert pianist. So, when his Mom told him she was going to take him to hear a renowned composer in concert he was overjoyed! At last the day of the concert arrived and the little boy sat beside his Mom, waiting for the Maestro to make his appearance. While his Mom was busy talking to a friend beside her the magnificent grand piano on the stage seemed to beckon to the boy until he could resist it no longer. He silently slipped off his seat and made his way to the stage.  Suddenly the whole crowd was shocked by the sound of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" being slowly picked out on stage. The little boy was unable to resist the lure of the beautiful piano and he just had to see how the only song he knew how to play would sound. Murmurs sounded through the crowd. "What does he think he's doing?" "Who is the little brat?" "Where is his mother?" And then it happened. Halfway through the song the great Maestro walked onto the stage. The little boy was so enthralled with the piano he didn't notice, but the whole crowd held its breath, waiting to hear the Maestro's rebuke of the arrogant youngster. But instead of rebuking the little music lover the Maestro quietly sat down beside him and whispered to the shocked boy "keep playing". He then put his hands on either side of the little boy and transformed the child's simple, common little tune into a song of rare beauty with his rich accompaniment. When they finished the attitude of the crowd had completely changed and they all rose in a standing ovation. I read this story years ago and just very recently remembered it. And I felt God telling me something as I thought it through. I am that little boy. I am young and inexperience in life. I know only one, simple little song. And when I share my writings I can feel just like that little boy must have when he realized what he was actually doing  Do you ever feel the same way? So often we all feel like our song is simply a slowly picked out melody, grating on the ears of those around us. But if we let Him, the Maestro will sit down beside us, reach His big arms around us, and turn it into something beautiful. The little boy could've pushed the Maestro away and said "No! This is my moment!" He could've quivered in fear and slipped out from under His arms and ran off the stage. But he didn't. He humbly offered what he had to give and allowed the true Master to take the stage and glorify Himself through him. Did everyone look at the little boy and say "Wow! He has become amazing!"? No. They looked at the Maestro and they esteemed him more than ever. May we give our life song over to Him and do the same. Not for our glory, but for HIS!  If you liked this post, you might like these!
I laid in bed, thinking about her. Only a couple more minutes until midnight. Only a few more moments and she would be 4. I should've given her one more good night kiss when we tucked her in.
This little girlie who is growing so fast. I smiled as I thought of her birthday gift waiting for her out in the garage. Was she really old enough to be partially responsible for taking care of 2 little bunnies? And then I thought of the day she was born. 4-5 weeks early, weighing in at 4lbs 10 oz. But she was brimful of life and spunk from the very first breath she took. She didn't like to be coddled. She wanted to hold her head up, she wanted to see what was happening around her. Her eyes held a spark of daring in them from the first moment. 
And now she was 4. I had started preschool with her the week before. Now I started second-guessing myself.
What if she's too young? Am I pushing her too hard? Shouldn't she just be enjoying her carefree life, without schedules and learning? But in my heart I know - this is exactly what she needs in this stage of her life. Why? Because she is still just the same as she was 4 years ago. Full of energy and spunk and just a little sass, with a hungry little mind that never stops striving to grow and learn more and more and more. Do you have a child like this? They can be slightly high maintenance, strong willed and very determined. They can also be a little distracted and want to try to learn how to do everything at once. And I have decided that the best way to channel her energy is to fill that hungry mind up with food that is healthy and will gently guide her into a future love for school. Now before you think I'm trying to turn her in to the next Einstein or that I am being mean by chaining her to school books all day, every day, let me share a little bit of our school schedule. We only spend about an hour on it a day, and it fills up that little quality time love cup of hers that can be neglected because she is always "doing". And a big part of her school is simply hands on things that make her sit still and concentrate on problem solving and/or creating things. So, this is our "curriculum"
That's it for books, and we don't always do all 3 every day. Then we have several fun hands on projects and educational movies we sprinkle throughout the week.
Toddlers & Preschoolers are so much fun because you can turn almost anything into a learning experience. We use the Sneaky Snacky Squirrel game to reinforce colors with our 2 year old and teach counting to both of our kids - plus they learn about taking turns and being a good sport! 
Am I planning on our 4 year old learning to read this year? Not really. If she does, that would be great!
But what I really want her to learn is the ability to concentrate on a problem until she can fix it. I want her to learn a little self-discipline because she has to finish what she starts. I want her to learn to ask questions with meaning behind them, and not just for the sake of asking a question. And I want to foster a real love for learning in her little heart. We're on our 3rd week right now and so far we are both loving it - and I'm planning to keep it that way! :) One of our favorite things that we can all 3 do together {2 year old brother included!} is going through our alphabet cards. I didn't want to spend on any right now and I wanted ones that taught the actual sounds {like not I Ice-cream, but I Insect.} So...I ended up creating some myself and I would like to share them with you! They are 4x6 size so you can take them with you anywhere you go. I think your kids will love the animal theme - my kids sure do! :) 
So, should every child be doing preschool as soon as they turn 4? Not necessarily. I think it is so important to know what your child needs and then to purposefully give it to them! Will I do school with our 2nd child when he's 4? I'm not really sure yet! Right now he's having fun learning along with his sister when he can, but I don't know that he will need the structure and the mind food as much as she does.
Every child is different, they learn different, they have different needs and it's up to us as Moms to figure out what they need and to embrace it and give it to them! <3 Now it's your turn - I would really love to hear your thoughts! When do your kids start school? 
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Dear Exhausted Mom, You take a minute to scroll through Pinterest and several "Energetic Mom" posts show up on your feed. You switch to Facebook and the most popular post today is an article your friend shared: "8 Reasons to Keep a Neat House" And you sigh. And you exit out of it. And you want to throw your phone across the room as the guilt and condemnation piles on you and you feel like crying and giving up. You feel alone, like you can never be quite good enough. You can never measure up to other Moms. Because: You. Can't. Keep. Up. Because you have an unseen, exhausting sickness  There are so many posts, blogs and articles about being a Proverbs 31 Woman. And there needs to be! They need to be written and shared and read and shared some more!! We need that encouragement to be our very best. It is good to be challenged and inspired by Godly and energetic women. But there are times that some of us can not be that virtuous woman. Not when it comes to the "rising while it is still night" and "she girds herself with strength and strengthens her arms." Because you simply do not have the energy or the strength to do those things. Because all day you are making choices - do I use my energy to clean or make my kids feel loved? Should I cook a fancy supper for my husband or get all the laundry folded? Should I take a nap so I can feel good this evening or spend that time washing the floor? Because you know that you are limited in what you can get done. And it's ok. We are not here to be measured by other people's standards, but by God's. So, when your living room looks ready for company because the entire mess is hidden in your bedroom because all you had the energy to do was feed your family and dress your kids this week, it's ok. When you only have what it takes to make the simplest meals, it's ok. When the only thing you get done in a day is cuddling your kids and the most basic house maintenance because you hardly felt like you could get off the couch, it's ok. When you see your friends being frugal and pumping out the DIY projects and you can only think of your dozens of undone DIY Pinterest pins and sigh, it's ok. My dear friend, when you're giving your all and it doesn't look like anything, it's ok. Please, do not feel discouraged. Do not feel like you are not good enough. When you are too exhausted from chronic fatigue or some other sickness like that {or morning sickness!}, to be the Proverbs 31 Woman, you are still good enough. You are loved - you are loved with the all encompassing and gentle love of Jesus, who sees your heart perfectly and knows who you long to be. He is not watching you, thinking you should be doing more, waiting for you to achieve. You are perfect in His eyes. And you are worthy. Just look at what Jesus says about us - about you: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." Romans 8:1 {You are perfect in Jesus.} "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" {You are God's child!}  "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." 1 Corinthians 12:27 {You are part of the body of Christ!} "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 {God's got this! Everything you're going through right now is a part of His plan!!} "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:3 {This is what is truly important!} "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. . ." Ephesians 1:3-6 {God choose you. He knew everything you would be, and everything you would accomplish and He choose you! He has adopted you and made you His child!!} "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:6 {In God's eyes, you are one with His royal and glorious Son!} But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9 {Our own strength - anybody's strength, no matter who they are- is nothing next to Jesus's strength anyway. Let yourself be strong through Him!} "...because God has said 'never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.'" Hebrews 13:5 {God is here with us, always. He sees our hardships that may seem insignificant to some people, and "His heart is touched with our grief."} Dear exhausted friends, it's ok to not be the Proverbs 31 Woman. You are enough,through Jesus!! I created a printable for you to download and print out with all of these verses. Hang it up somewhere you can see it often, and when you feel the guilt and condemnation piling up, when you don't feel like you're enough, take time to read them and remember... You are perfect in His eyes! 
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I am on a journey to know Jesus better, and be the wife, mommy and friend that God created me to be, all within the walls of my own little home. <3
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