22/365...Spring Break is for...Reading!

So much of parenting really is about observation.  Taking note of the details that make each kid who they are and connecting all their dots to see the beautiful picture that is your little person...or monkey!

My oldest monkey can wear. me. out. with all the drama.  She is a sass pot for sure.  I have finally landed on an appropriate and effective consequence for the sassy mouth.  Potty mouth cleans the potty. She's also a germaphobe (like her Dad).  Cleaning the potty ranks right up there with death by spooning out of eyeballs.  At least according to her.

I was recently reminded that all humans bear the image of God filtered through a screen of sin.  I want to grow in seeing beyond the screen and recognizing {observing} His workmanship in my monkeys.  This child of mine has a great passion.  For life, for love, for animals, for a good story, for monkey bars and cartwheels and for all things "fun"!  It is a God-ordained passion.  In a world of uniforms and uniformity/conformity, this passion is beautiful.

The feedback we received from her 2nd grade teacher at our recent conference..."It is such a great pleasure to hear her read aloud.  She uses such expression and gives each character a different voice.  It is such a pleasure!"  And this from our "little-engine-that-could" reader!

I walked in on these two huddled on the living room couch reading together.  What a pleasure for a parent to see this God-given passion channeled into the reading of a good book in the service of a brother.  She may give him an ear full a bit later, but for now she is loving him with her passion.