The Most Important Job

I was driving to the Dr. office this morning for a well visit for Malachi and I was praying. I usually will pray out loud when Niah is with me since she likes to talk in the car. Niah always loves to pray when I pray and she usually will ask me to pray for somebody. She will say, "Mommy, Kyah, Pray." Which means mommy pray for Kyah in toddler lingo. While I was praying, I began to think about a conversation I had with my husband, Matthew, last night as he was watching Preacher's Daughter (a reality tv show). I am not a fan of it, me being a preacher's daughter, and I feel as though it makes all preacher's kids look bad. We were talking about free will and the role parents have in a child's life, and how to help your child stay out of trouble. Matthew said he thinks it doesn't matter how the parents raise their kids, ultimately they have free will. I believe they have free will but I also believe that parents play a huge role in the choices their kids make. I can honestly say, my mom played a huge roll in our lives by first having a very close relationship with us before we became pre-teens. I would say that working as a youth pastor for 2 years, that is so important to have a close nit relationship with your kids before they are pre teens so they can come and talk to you when peer pressure hits through those teens years. Secondly, my mom never let us be bored. We lived in a very small town and it was very common for us to be going into Kansas City to eat, shop, go to the movies, anything that we thought was fun. We did this our whole lives. My parents took us on vacation, small weekend in trips, and even just over night stays in a hotel 30 mins from our home.

Since the day Niah was born I realized that being a parent is the most important job in my lifetime. As soon as I held her in my arms the very intimidating job of raising another human being became my number one priority. There is so much information and advice on children available and a lot of it contradicts it each other, it can be quite daunting. During my pregnancy with Niah, I collected a lot of books on pregnancies and babies but I began to realize that my greatest advice will come from someone that never contradicts, that is perfect, the best role model as a parent and is full of grace. I will never be a perfect parent or person but I will seek my Heavenly Father every single day for wisdom and guidance for my kids. I may go against society and some people may not understand my decision as a parent or judge them and that is ok with me. I will not rely on people or the world to tell me how to raise kids and may not follow the norm but I will fully rely on God. I do not answer to man but to the Father. I may listen to advice from others, and I may become knowledgeable in information on my kids but ultimately I will seek and rely on the advice of God.

I realize that I am not perfect and my children will not be perfect; but I will strive daily to live a life that honors my Heavenly Father. Hoping that my children will not only hear about God and how we should live but see it through my life and actions. I am my children's greatest influence right now and I do not take the task lightly. We live in a fallen world full of sin that is trying to capture and rob the innocent hearts and if the only thing I accomplish over the next 20 years is teaching my kids how to show the love of Christ in this dark world through my everyday life, I will have accomplished something greater than any diploma I have received in school, money I have made or any job I have acquired over time.

I do not consider raising kids a "job" because it is way to rewarding, fun, and the greatest thing I have done to be considered a "job." It will be the greatest and most important job I could have. I will provide the best opportunities I can for my children. I will strive to have the best relationship I can with them. I will stop what I am doing to listen, play, or talk to them when they need me. I will protect them. I will sacrifice personal gain, jobs, and luxuries for myself if I have to, to give my children the time and effort they need. More importantly, I will teach them and show them through my personal relationship with Jesus, who he is and how to live for Him. I will pray ever day for the spiritual welfare for my children as well as wisdom and guidance for me on how to raise them. I will not let society people, or poplar beliefs be the standard for my kids.

Picture Week

In Missouri you never know day to day what kind of weather you will have. This week it went from one extreme to the other so this mommy took advantage of it. Here are some hightlights of the week

The week started off cold. Here is my adorable little girl putting her Daddy's hat on



We started the week off playing inside in the gym..... Here is my girl Niah, with her cousin Kyah Check out her mommy's blog here

Here is my little ducky after a bath





There was a change in weather with 2 days that were in the 60's and 70's. We took full advantage with lots of walks!

The week ended cold. Here are my beautiful kids dressed for church

And so it ended with playing in the gym

I end this post with my babies sleeping after a good week

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Lil Man 7 weeks

My lil man is 7 weeks old. He is such a sweet baby! He is growing so fast, boys are a new experience for me but he seems to grow faster than Niah and is bigger than Niah (well she was a small little thing when she started out). Malachi just started wearing 0-3 month clothes last week.

Malachi, since the Daylight savings sleeps till 9 (so does Niah) I get him ready, he eats, goes back to sleep. He wakes up at around 12, eats, goes back to sleep. I usually wake him him up around 3:30 he eats and sleeps till 5ish. Then he starts to have a little awake time, he will really talk and smile during that time. Stays awake around 30 mins to an hour then eats and usually nods off to sleep. Around 7:30 he will wake up again eat and have some more awake time and nods off. He goes to sleep for the night around 10 and wakes up to eat around 1:30 and then wakes up again at around 4 and then sleeps till 9.

He just started getting fussy at night and around 8:30ish and wants his mommy. Will usually calm right down and sit as still as can be staring at my face. I realize that he is just a baby but I was worried he would not want his mommy like Niah did. All the books tell me I have till the age of 3 for him to want me and love on me and around the age of 3 they have this eternal switch that turns them to really strive to be like and want their dads. In fact they say it is so important for a Dad to really play a huge roll in their lives to help them developmentally and mentally from ages 3-5 (that is a subject I will save for a later date) I just thought it was interesting. Malachi just started taking a paci, he does not use it or want it during the day, he does not use it at all during the night, he usually will only want or take it in the evenings.

Daddy watched Malachi and Niah both at the same time twice this weekend, 2 hours both time. Once was when Niah was already in bed but she did wake up while I was gone, the other Saturday morning. He did well but replied with I never want to be a single parent and I do not know how you take care of them both all the time :-) My reply was God gave women the ability to multitask. I actually stress and worry and miss my babies when they are not with me.

Niah still adores Malachi. Her cousin is here as well and it is so sweet to see both girls' mother instincts kick in and they want to put a blanket on him, check on him when he makes noises, pat him and say "ok, ok, ok" when he cries, and tell me when he is hungry. Other than the fact that they don't realize they can not lean on him because they are bigger than him they are sweet and gentle. I love it.

I love him so much and can not remember life without him :-)

Mommy Moments Blog Hop

Hey mamas!

Welcome back for another great week of Mommy Moments Link Ups! Thank you for linking up and for spreading the word! I'm loving all of the great posts!

The most viewed link from last week's Mommy Moments belongs to Samantha from Hooah and Hiccups and her Modern Mama post!

Samantha writes about her love for fashion even as a mama. Forget the "mom" jeans, sweatpants and undone hair, Samantha gives some great tips for being a fashionista mom even on a budget! I hope you stop by her blog and check out the post.

This week we have Cara from Thoughts of Cara as our guest host. I hope you stop by and pay her a visit!

 



Now it's time to link up your posts! All you have to do is...

1. Follow Host: The Life Of Faith 

 Co-Hosts: The Not Quite Military Wife, and The Mrs. 

Guest host: Thoughts of Cara

2. Link up your post!

Post can include anything related to mommy-hood, children, homemaking, pregnancy etc. If you aren't a mom yet, feel free to link up your preparation for motherhood, your journey as you try to conceive, or even a post that would be encouraging to the other moms in the party!

3. Add the Mommy Moments button to your post or blog so everyone knows where you are linking up!

4. Explore some of the other posts in the link-up and say hello to some new blog friends! 

5. Tweet or Share the link up on Facebook so we can all make even more friends!

Tweet

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P.S. We will be having a new guest host every week! Want to be a guest host of the Mommy Moments Blog Hop? Send Faith a message at farmprincess14{at}gmail{dot}com. We would love to have you!

Love from,
Faith
The Life Of Faith
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Colossians 3:17

Love my Babies' Moments

I love my babies more than anything in the world. Being a mommy is my absolute favorite thing over anything I have done in my life. I will admit and I have said it before if I had the time and the finances I think I would have a dozen kids. For now, I will enjoy the two beautiful babies I have now. I believe that right now one of my biggest callings in life is to raise my kids in a loving home showing Jesus in everyday life. To raise them constantly seeking wisdom from our Heavenly Father to protect them and show them how to make decisions and live a life in this immoral world.

How could you not love these babies are they not adorable!!



Mommy hood has those moments though when.....

You look at your post pregnancy body and feel less than attractive
Your husband says do you smell that.... and it is you and the smell is breast milk and spit up
You are getting ready to walk out the door and change a diaper real fast for it to end like this....

This happened just yesterday, as I was getting ready to walk out the door, and somehow little man manages to either poop or pee on me at least 2 a week :-)



All mommies could add to the list I am sure. I have learned the best way to handle it is first to laugh. Then look at all those moments among those moments when your baby runs to you and hugs you. Or when you are in the car with your little girl and you are praying for someone she is in the backseat repeating the name of Jesus in her prayer or when she remembers you prayed for someone that day and wants to pray for them that night while you are doing nightly prayers. Or the special snuggle time reading a book, talking, or just laying on the couch. I welcome all those less than desirable moments everyday because they bring on those precious moments with your babies :-)