Curiosity Journal

It has been a few weeks. A lot has been going on, and life has been both crazy and good, but exhausting.

I am reading . . .

The Missional Mom intrigues, challenges, and encourages me at the same time. Many who read my blog also live in the world of mommyness. As one who holds an administrative role in that world, I often challenge myself to further my "education". The Missional Mom has been a good read that has challenged me to step outside my home and see how I can minister to others while teaching my kids the same. Fostering allows many opportunities to share with others and impact families for eternity. The Missional Mom gives clarity to what I feel God wants me to do as the mom in our family.

I am playing . . .

Last weekend we celebrated our little one's 7^th birthday and invited two friends over for a garden party. Their scavenger hunt prompted them to look for worms and bright yellow flowers along with many other spring treasures. They decorated their flowerpots purposefully with precisely picked pastel markers and enjoyed placing the purple pansies in them to take home. The menu provided more "worms" in their "dirt", fruity ladybugs, and ants on a stump. After my princess painted their little faces, the little girls enjoyed a game of pin the bee on the flower. I caved to the pressure and pleading, donned the blindfold myself, succumbed to the spinning, and made my way, bee in hand and hands held out to keep from falling, toward the flower thumb tacked to the bulletin board. Giggling girls made my silliness worthwhile.

I am learning . . .

My toddler challenges my parenting daily. I continually learn that every child is so different. What works for one child does not work for another. As we are limited in our discipline, the learning curve rises that much steeper.

I am learning how to budget better to make our family run more smoothly.

I am learning that renting a vehicle that will fit all of us is going to cost a lot of money – too much really. I am going to have to learn to be creative.

I am learning a lot about weather. I picked up a value book at the bookstore. My kids loved it the first time they set eyes on it. I am using it for 1^st grade science to finish the year. We are all learning much. Even my toddler is enjoying the vivid pictures and listening to all the vocabulary presented.

I am reacting . . .

Life goes so fast. My angel was asked to go to a spring formal at the school with whom we co-op.
This is a first for all of us. The young man's mom conversed with me before he officially asked her. That of course provided some interesting conversation in our home. Now the challenge is for my angel to find a dress. For one thing, she does not own a dress presently so to go from nothing to something formal is a stretch for her. I need to keep some of my reactions at bay as we go shopping together (pray for meJ ). I am sure I will need to write after the event is over. I promise I will include pictures.

I enjoy reading others' blogs to be challenged by what they are learning and to smile along with other moms whose lives are full and crazy. Some blogs make me cry, and others prick my heart to pray. If you are visiting today and have a blog of your own that I have not had the chance to visit, please feel free to leave a link. I love to see others' comments as well. Feel free to share what you are reading, learning, playing, and reacting to in your life.