The gift has traveled many miles.
The outside is scuffed, torn and rumpled. It looks different than when it was first sent out The delivery address and stamps are hardly visible.

After several attempts the package is delivered to the new location. The postman rings the doorbell.
The door opens. The box is lifted gently. It's opened with care. Gentle and expectant hands reveal something beautiful!

The ones who receive the gift are surprised. They are more than excited! It was more amazing than they could've ever imagined!

It was Christmas many years ago. "Did you mean it?" Those were the words I was hearing on the other end of the phone, and she was sobbing. "Yes. You can stay with us as long as you want." Christmas shouldn't be so sad for innocent kids.
Two teenagers needed a home. The wheels had completely fallen off the one they knew. We knew & loved them. We had a home for them; our home; our family.
The next several years were a crazy beautiful chaos. Five teenagers in the same home. You can only imagine! There were glorious highs & bottom dwelling lows. It was a new dance every week. We knew we had to just keep dancing...stumbling...and dancing.
Teenagers are an interesting breed of humans! They remind me of toddlers with bigger bodies and an expanded vocabulary. Storm adores teenagers! I adore toddlers! So I guess together we were a good fit in this adventure of five at one time!
The noise. The silences. The smells. The mess. The drama. The "come to Jesus" days. The manipulation skills. The tears. The humor. The laundry. The shoes. The groceries. The driving lessons. The boyfriends and girlfriends. Proms. Graduations. And POOF! It was over so fast!
​Before I could blink...they were all grown! They survived. We survived!! Good News: They are all wonderful adults loving their families and making Storm and I "Papa & Mimi"!
​
They all taught me so much:
1. Being a Mom was my favorite job!
2. Some things were over our heads when it came to blending a family. As hard and scary as it was at times, it was what God called us to do. He held our hands. He showered us with grace.
3. Kids will like you some days. Kids will not like you some days. Love them anyways.
4. It's supposed to be hard. It's worth it.
5. Kids grow up. So find the humor. Always believe in them. Give them grace. Enjoy the ride.
6. Doing the best you can is all you can really do. Trust God to hold their hands and hearts.
7. I am blindingly aware of my need for Jesus because I am a parent--and that is a very good place to be!

#veteranbaseballwifelife #blog #blendedfamily #lovethem
#guardianparent
#teenagersrock

#blog #veteranbaseballwifelife #baseball #life #baseballkids #mom #lovethem

I've found in my personal life & married life a lot of things are the mirror image of each other. For instance, my God given gift of serving can some days manifest itself as bossy manipulation. My creativity and grown up foodie taste palate to create yummy food also contributes to enjoying eating too much of that yumminess😁 Sometimes I appear angry when at the core I'm really tired or scared.

I believe many times the qualities that attracted us to our spouses are the very things that can annoy us. For example, I am more of a fly by the seat of your pants person. Spontaneity and making quick plans are more my style. My spouse is a steady planner. He gets up each morning with his day organized. He is also a morning person and I am not! Over the years of our marriage there have been some bumpy times due to our differences. But what I've also seen is that his strengths have started to fill the gaps of my weaknesses & vice versa. We have also, through trial and error, learned to yield to the other in the areas they are strongest. It has been a journey of truth/grace...and the friction in between.
GOAL: He is loving me for me. I am loving him for him--- Honoring each other.

I believe being in sync is a 2-way street. I believe that when scripture talks about "honoring each other" ...it's meant to be a gift we give on a daily basis..not a chore.
Over the years I have been given great counsel on ways to honor my hubby.
Here are just a few:
•Remember and remind him baseball is what he does...not who he is! Our husbands crave significance.
•Help him find the silver lining on hard days. Stay positive. The season is long. One game is not a deal breaker.
•Keep his private life and struggles private.
•Never talk about your sex life with your friends.
•Remind him and show him how much he is liked and loved.
•Speak truth in love. Listen to hear.
•Convey your thoughts timely, clearly & gently---men cannot read our minds! Refrain from verbal vomit---wait until you can speak truth with kindness.
•Encourage. Appreciate. Cheer for him!

On the days the roller coaster won't stop...and you 'don't really like him'..yes, there will be those days...go back to the archives and remember what first sparked your love...and park there for a bit. Flip the mirror around and see the other side and try to focus on the positive.

You are beautiful. You are strong. You are liked & loved. You make a difference. You are a treasure!💗