BUILDING CONFIDENCE

Yesterday, my kids began studying a new series at church.  For the next five weeks, my kids will embark on an adventure that will make them understand that God made them and loves them just the way they are.  I strongly believe that having confidence is a key to success.  Not the kind of cofidence that is popular right now where self entitlement breaks all boundaries.  I'm talking about the confidence that you know you were born with a purpose and that you should work hard to achieve your dreams.  As parents, we should work on building that confidence.  Kids needs words of encouragement every day along with discipline and total involvement from us, their parents.  A pinch of reality in a subtle kind of way is also needed to build such confidence.   Not all dreams will come true, but we should never stop dreaming, working hard, trying again and finding our purpose in life.  

Just last week, our 9 year old son tried out for the "upper grades" basketball team. Though he did play basketball this summer, we knew that he wasn't quite there yet.  My husband, who attended the tryouts, got to see how the 5th and 6th graders were more skillful than our 4th grader.  We never told our son that he was not good enough  But we chose to prepare him by letting him know that things don't always work out the way we expect or hope.  No matter what the outcome would be, we were proud of him for trying.  We had words of encouragement along with a pinch of reality.  Turns out he didn't make the team.  He was a bit down.  But I was relieved to know that our words had resonated in his heart as he echoed to me how he'll just have to work harder and try again next year.  He probably won't be the next Magic Johnson, but he's trying out, he's dreaming, he's pursuing.  One day, with our total support, he'll find his purpose in life. My kids fall is my fall, my kids success is my success! God has a special plan for each of them, is my job to build that confidence so they can find it.

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

MILESTONES

Did you have one of those "MileStone" keepsake baby book for your child?  I did have one for each of my kids (I only got 2 kids).  And I so enjoyed filling them out.  Milestones in the first year are one after the other just passing before your eyes.  After that, the process slows down, sometimes making it hard to remember to write it down.  Well, this time I really won't forget the day my 6 year old baby girl (she's the baby) read her first chapter book because I'm leaving it imprinted in this blog.  Yes! I'm beyond excited with her accomplishment.  It was this summer while I was working on preparing her for 1st grade when I noticed that she was having troubles with her sight.  Af first I thought she was having problems remembering her phonics, but then my motherly instict kicked in and we took her to her pediatrician.  It was heartbreaking when the doctor told us she didn't pass her vision test.  But it was more heartbreaking when we took her to the optometrist who showed us how bad her sight was!  Long story short, she was seeing all blurry.  I remember being at the optometrist office swallowing my tears.  I felt like the most horrible mother ever.  How could I have not noticed her condition earlier? How did she handle learning her sight words and sounds in Kindergarten?  The guilt was eating me up.  But my hubby and I picked up ourselves and showed our parenting strength (fake, of corse) for the sake of our baby girl.   Long story short, she has been wearing her glasses since July and she looks fabulous!

Deep inside I still worry sometimes if she got the right prescription, if her glasses are really helping her...etc!  (just being a mom)

Our bed routine includes reading books every night.  She has been reading "easy level" books since 1st grade started back in August (I just correct some words sometimes).  But tonight, tonight she read her first chapter book.  A book with very little pictures and with small black letters.  She did good.  She read with confidence.  I barely had to help her.  As she read, I had to swallow my tears once again.  I'm a hot mess and I know it.  My kids mean the world to me and every milestone, specially in the midst of a stumbling block, it's an unmessurable joy to my heart.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5

WEEKEND'S CHORES

Yes, it's a saturday morning and my little ones are not too happy with our weekend routine.  I know that they've been looking forward to the weekend just as much as I have, but the beds and the dishes will not wait till monday to be done.   

It was at the beginning of the year when I had a motherly epiphany.  What if my hubby and I were to (for whatever reason) not be there for our kids?  How would they be able to survive?  Have I done my best as a mom to prepare them?  It sounds very dramatic, but I've had too many losses in my life (different blog).  Sure it would've been easier to ponder if my kids were prepare to be responsible young adults?  Habits are created early on in life, not in the teenage years.  

Anyhow, after that "epiphany" the training began with the most simple of all task: making a PB&J sandwich.  Responsibilities since have grown to include doing the dishes (either both of them together and one of them with mom), choosing their clothes every night, and of course, cleaning their rooms every saturday (the beds are to be done daily, though sometimes the clock doesn't allow it).  I keep telling them that chores are because I love them too much that I'm training them to have a great future.  They don't seem to agree with me, but my mind is already set.  In fact, in just a few years, they'll be trained in doing laundry!  

I don't mind doing "things" for my kids.  After all, we chose to be parents and thought we weren't quite sure of how much work it was going to be, I still stand by my responsibility.  My responsibility, however, also includes building character, providing skills and shaping good citizens who can rely on their own through life. 

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Our elementary school is an visual and performing arts school.  Every year the
theater director puts together a musical.  My kids were part of the cast last year for the first time.  It was a lot of hard work  for 5 months, but  at the end (after 4 full house performances) they got to enjoy the fruit of their labor.  This year they have decided to audition again which means lots and lots of practice.  Now our after school routine also includes rehearsing singing a song and learning dancing steps to another song -(music director and choreographer have been added to my job description as a mom).  They usually start with so much excitement but after a little while (and I mean a short little while) they loose focus and I get a bit frustrated! Help! I do understand kids have a short attention spam but that's where I must keep my "cool" and stay focus as well. 

I think is so easy to loose focus of our goals.  Keeping in mind that "practice makes perfect" is a good motivation to always keep trying. There is no perfection, nor will there ever be.  But if we keep on trying and trying, we will eventually just get better at it.  We should never give up in our dreams, and we shouldn't rely just on our abilities.  Trying our best at everything we do, specially as parents will in time provide the most rewarding feeling we could ever have.  We should never give up trying to be the best parent we could be.  The more we practice a this parenting role, the better parents we become.  Keep calm and keep focus. Don't loose sight of what really matters.  

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9 

For now, we'll keep practicing until audition time and then we'll wait, hoping to see my munchkins names on the casting board (the fruit of our labor).

WEARY NIGHTS

Day 2
These days I find myself so weary at nights pondering how did I get myself into this? And how on earth did my mother handled "motherhood"?  From day one when I found out I was pregnant I chose to be an "involved" kind of parent.  As you all know, planning is not the same as actually living it or doing it.  Still, in spite of having a full time job (due to the economy), I have made every effort to spend as much time with my kids as possible. It may be a guilt issue or just something I yearned during my childhood.  Either way, from the time I wake up to get them ready for school (that includes cooking breakfast and prepping lunch) to the time I come back from work to do homework and extra curriculum activities with them, I try my best to give them my undivided attention.  I truly believe that being an involved parent makes a big difference in a child's life academically, emotionally and physically speaking.  And I honestly enjoy spending time with them and listening to their daily adventures.  The thing is that after I put them to bed (between 7:30-8) I still have quite a few chores to complete, making my way to bed around 9:30 or 10 so exhausted that TV is totally out of the question.  

Am I doing something wrong or is this how I should be feeling? Then it hits me!  Bang! I have it easy for crying out loud!  I've been truly blessed with a great husband who is there for me and my kids 100%.  We share parenthood as well as marriage as a team.  What about those single parents?  What about the parents that have to work overtime to make ends meet?  My mother raised me as a single parent and one of my sisters raised her 4 kids as a single mother.  They both did a great job in the midst of their situations.  So, I stop for a second and as I lift a prayer of gratitude for my blessing, I also lift of prayer requesting strength, patience and wisdom for not just the single parents out there, but for any parent going through a weary season.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10

31 DAYS OF MOMMY'S BUTTERFLY KISSES

Day 1

I’m super excited to join the “31 Day of Writing” blogging challenge for the very first time.  I began my blog a few years ago as a hobby which I truly have enjoyed.  As time passed by, finding time to write while having a full time job and being a full time mommy and wife just became nearly impossible.  For weeks I’ve tried to pick up where I left off and this is just the opportunity to do so.  


In my blog you will find my day to day journey as a wife and a mom of 2; a 9 year old boy and a 6 year old girl.  I will share my crazy stories for other parents to relate to my perfectly imperfect parenthood season.  After all, each day is a new opportunity and it sure brings its own challenges.  Join me on this journey and together we will find encouragement and support while having a good laugh in the midst of creating lasting memories.

I'll be adding a link to each day here.  Click on the link below for each day of October:

DAY 1 - THIS STARTING ENTRY

DAY 2- WEARY NIGHTS

Day 3 - PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

DAY 4 - WEEKEND CHORES

DAY 5 - MILESTONES

DAY 6 - BUILDING CONFIDENCE

DAY 7 - OUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED

DAY 8 - THE MOM THING

DAY 9 - EACH DAY IS A GIFT - MY BIRTHDAY

DAY 10 - THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

DAY 11 - SATURDAY

DAY 12 - PARENTING WITH A PURPOSE

DAY 13 - EBOLA; THE UNKNOWN

DAY 14 - DISAPPOINTMENT

DAY 15 - OVERBEARING

DAY 16 - THE LAST CHAPTER

DAY 17 - ORIGAMI OVERRATED - IT'S TOUGH BEING A PARENT

DAY 18 - OCTOBER MEMORIES

DAY 19 - THE LOST SOUL

He Took The Children in His Arms...and Blessed Them

As I prayed for the kid’s safe return to school for the year 2014-2015, my mother’s prayers evoked in my memory as a sweet sign of her love.  It’s until now that I understand the deep meaning of those prayers.  The love of parents for their kids is beyond measure and who best to turn to for supernatural care than to our ever so loving, mighty, compassionate God?   I believe with all my heart that God loves my kids more than I could ever love them and that my prayers for them move his heart to a greater level.  I will never stop praying for God to watch over my kids.  And I hope that my kids too will learn to depend on God and to call on him for guidance, wisdom, strength and everything else revolving around their lives.  So you could imagine how thrilled I was yesterday when I drove my two little ones to school and I heard them praying and singing, calling onto Jesus for comfort and support.  They were nervous, fearing the unknown of new teachers, new classes, new grades (1^st & 4^th).  Yet, they new that in the midst of their fear, calling onto Jesus was the best option.  I was moved by their prayers and their sweet voices singing “yes Jesus loves me”!  The rewarding feeling was beyond comprehension.  For now, I will continue to press on, pray and do my best to model a life guided by the one who has entrusted me with these two beautiful souls.

He said to them, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. Mark 10:14-16