New Cereal and New Sidewalk

 

It was like Christmas morning here today.  For the very first time (that they can remember) the kids tried a different kind of cheerios!



This kind of cheerios is cracklin' oat bran, and it's amazing.  The kids loved it.  It was my favorite as a kid.



Christmas morning for me this morning included new sidewalks!  Our neighborhood's sidewalks have shifted over the years,  and they're really bumpy in places--plus, they collect water when it rains.  Maybe it seems silly to get so excited about new sidewalks.  But I can't help it.



And the added bonus of real, live construction vehicles on our very own street was such a thrill to the kids.  They were a little nervous about them -- they're pretty noisy.  But they were definitely fascinated, too.



It has been a month of growing for Lucy.  It's normal for kids to go through short periods of increased irritability.  But that little phrase, "increased irritability" doesn't really do it justice in this case.  I said more prayers for patience and confessed more anger and apologized more to Lucy than every before.  It was rough.



Her emotional highs have been very high.  And her emotional lows have been epically low.  Sometimes it's just rough being a 2-year-old.  And sometimes it's pretty rough being the mommy of a 2-year-old.  Or the daddy, for that matter.



We are so grateful to be parents -- but it sure does remind us of our need for grace.  I'm thankful God is able to redeem the impact on my kids of even my worst parenting moments.



It's all grace with Him.