Change…

I can hardly believe that February is almost over. Between managing a busy school schedule, moving Madi and Parker into new twin beds, and surviving snow days, 2010 is flying by.

But what really sends me into a tizzy is if I stop and look at how quickly the kids are changing.

A blink of the eye, and suddenly, Madi is asking at the dinner table if we can “talk about the president”. At her last hair appointment, she had her hair not just cut, but “styled” into curls. Where is the girl who doesn’t even want me to brush her hair?

Parker is finally showing an interest in potty training, and I am actually entertaining the thought that we could be done with his size 6 diapers before summer. Of course, this alternates with screaming fits about sitting on the potty seat, but at least we are making progress.

And Fiona, well, she’s full of changes. She cut her first two teeth in January, making me ponder how long I am going to nurse her. This also goes along with her new obsession with eating “real ” food. I can’t seem to give it to her fast enough…cheese, turkey, graham crackers, waffles, piles of puffs, and anything else I can smush up. I can also see her little personality developing as she hams for the camera and screeches when something isn’t going her way (like when she is on her belly too long).

Changes in myself are much less noticable. I’m not learning new words like Madi, even though I do pick up new vocabulary occasionally. I may have a change in perspective, but it’s not as obvious as Fiona trying to scoot across the floor backwards.

However, I have been challenged lately to make my internal changes more visible. It’s one thing to say that I’m going to “choose joy”; it’s another thing completely to make it a noticeable part of my daily routine. And then there are all the things that I think about changing, but so often, I end up doing none of the above, so my house stays unorganized, my spiritual life stays stagnant, and my ideas sit in my “to do” folder…indefinitely.

Here’s to change…visible, impactful change…whether it is a crawling baby or a new distinct focus on prayer…

— Rachel