Our Saturday...

Well we survived January, I had a lot of trainings and extra work hours. We also did a few house preps for the kids (that's fun and weird to say "the kids") bedrooms, hopefully I will post soon on those. We also had a storm shelter installed. So that to say the busy month left little time for updating the blog, hopefully February will find a slightly slower pace.

 

Tonight Ryan and Ava had a daddy daughter date night at church. I realized I think this was the first night since her birth that I enjoyed an evening home alone, with no where to go and nothing to do. I lived it up for course, watching a movie and then read a good book during a long uninterrupted bath. During this season of life I have to say it was a pretty enjoyable way to spend a Saturday night.  



Ava dressed and ready for date night.  

A little pre-date surprise in the sky?



Hot air balloons circling our neighborhood!

 

 Is there anything better than the mind of the two year old? At times nothing seems impossible, she was sure if she ran fast enough and reached high enough she could touch one.

 







 I was in a training this week and have been doing more reading recently on the effects of early trauma on a developing brain. It's been fascinating, disturbing and hopeful all at the same time. I have to say its hard for me thinking about maltreatment, abuse and neglect of children Ava's age. Of course its always been hard to truly connect too but more so now as a mother. Sometimes I can't help but think while I am in my warm, safe home, wrapped in the love of my little family, I think about the many somewheres out there at that same moment that there are little ones, vulnerable ones, who are not so safe and not so cared for. I can only offer a prayer in that moment when it all seems so big and so defeating. I know its strange that while I'm not thinking about any of them specifically somehow I hope thinking of them makes them less alone and less forgotten. I love the work I do because usually I get to connect with those on the healing side of that journey.  I try to lean on the hopeful message that the brain has remarkable capacity for recovery given the right conditions with the right relationships, over the right amount of time. God truly designed a remarkable piece of us that protects us and can help heal us too. So learning even more about the science behind the developing brain has me watching Ava with new curiosity and understanding this week. I loved watching Ava's wonder and delight of the hot air balloons. I loved thinking about all those sweet dads out for a night with their daughters, cherishing them in and nurturing relationships with them. and for those moments when Ava's toddler brain leaves me feeling frustrated and impatient I pray I can connect with the understanding of how her mind was designed to develop and that God has entrusted me with no greater task then to nurture and help it grow in a way that honors Him and the path he has prepared for her.