I Couldn't Protect Them

We are a homeschooling family. Some of you might think that means we shelter them. In some ways I agree. For us, it is a matter of letting them experience life as we feel they are ready to experience certain situations.

THAT IS NOT TO JUDGE HOW YOU RAISE YOUR FAMILY.

This is what we feel is right for our family.

But, as much as we try to protect them, we can't always...especially because we choose to be involved in many various activities each week where Tom and I are not with our kids....though we know who is!

This week, at one of the places that we go weekly (that I LOVE LOVE LOVE), Libby was playing with a friend who told her about a monster that lives in her friends basement. She apparently went into a lot of detail and I am not entirely sure how they even had time to have this conversation. I was not in her class with her.

She was terrified.

She asked me about it all day long. I tried to brush it off and not make a big deal out of it in hopes that she wouldn't make to big of a deal out of it.

But then bedtime came....and there was a lot of crying and screaming. She was so scared and I have never felt so bad in my life.

We prayed. We sang songs. She started to calm down but was NOT going to let me leave her room.

And then her sweet sister (who fights with her daily, I might add), invited her to sleep in her bed.

Instant cure. Instant cuteness.

I've never been so happy that my kids have siblings. I have never been so glad that they share a room.

This might be permanent and I don't even care.

Its so cute. I am not sure how a twin bed looks so roomy.

As a mother, I want so badly to protect my children and the reality is that sometimes I can't. So, when we can't protect them, we need to do our best to make them feel safe.

I feel like we had just recovered from The Shed incident and now it will start over.

Isn't it supposed to be the baby that keeps me awake at night?

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Start saving now!

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A Four Year Old's Question

Bedtime around here can be...well...a nightmare. haha. It is often filled with children thinking of ways to stay up later. Thinking of things that they NEED to do before turning out the light. Baby crying because he is put to bed in a different room and then hears chaos ensue in the room next door.

Usually at least one kid gets out of bed after we leave the room and tries to stall just a bit longer. You know...the usual.

Don't get me wrong. It CAN be filled with the good stuff too. Sweet Prayer time and songs about Jesus together. Hugs and Kisses galore and heavenly "I love You's".

But mostly, bedtime itself makes me exhausted.

Sometimes God give you those wonderful surprises, right when you need them though.

Tonight, after bedtime, we heard the girls door open and someone head to the bathroom...ok...no big deal. After that, the footsteps tiptoed over near the stairs. Tom headed over and Libby said, "Daddy, I was just going potty, but what does Redeemed mean?"

What an amazing question from our four year old. He took her back to bed and explained to her. (I have no idea what he said but he was gone a while).

She had heard a song on the radio that was stuck in her head and wanted to know what she was singing about.

I LOVE IT!

Parents, please understand that your little ones hear everything that is near them. Understand that their little hearts are open to hear and learn what they are surrounded by. I am so thankful that she was asking about redemption and not something horrid.

What a wonderful Bedtime stall tactic. If You only knew, sweet Libby Grace, you could stay up late every night asking questions like that.

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By Your Side...Even When We Fail.

This was a rough week for so many reasons. I won't go into any details but as you can imagine, life with 4 little ones, a husband who has a new job and can never take time off, not too many breaks....and because I am human, with human husband and four little human children! I definitely failed this week on so many levels. 

But this song just kept me going. It seemed to come on the radio every time I needed to hear it....and it got stuck in my head. So, I thought I'd share. 

I love the way that I can imagine Jesus talking to me. Lifting up my face. Reminding me that I cannot run or hide. He is enough. I need to stop fighting His hands that are holding me and when I do. Oh how life improves! 

By Your Side--Tenth Avenue North

Why are you striving these days

Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away 

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching
As if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

'Cause I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands at my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life 
I want to give you life

And I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here at my side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you 

'Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, yeah I'll love you
I'll never let you go, no, no

And I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here at my side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you 
Here at my side, my hands are holding you
Ohhh...





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