Kade

He climbed up on the platfrom under our dining room table and yelled,
"I'm hiding, Mom!"

Oh, this little boy.  He sure is quite the character.  Always on the go.  Always pushing the envelope.  Always pushing his Mama's buttons (and the buttons on the dishwasher, washing machine, etc). He is so incredibly inquisitive, determined, and independent.  I admire those three qualities in him so much, yet they are also my biggest challenge.

 I struggle daily with parenting this cute little fella.  I want him to grow up into a man of God and to use these qualities in a way to glorify Him.  I know that it is Marc and I's responsibility to try to get Kade to that point.  I just wish there was a road map guiding us along the way.

I would never want to change anything about Kade. His exuberance is contagious.  But, he needs rules, discipline, and consistency. So much time right now is being spent correcting him.   Sometimes, I even feel a bit bad for being on his case all the time.  He is usually not doing anything that is outright wrong or mean spirited.  Normally, it is Kade being curious, pushing the limits, and having zero fear.  That is what makes it such a huge challenge for me. Finding the line of correcting him just enough, but still letting him be who God made him to be.

I am far from the perfect parent. I have my less than stellar moments and get upset and frustrated, although I am really working on it.  Slowly, my patience is growing.  Once again, God is using one of my children to help teach me a lesson in patience. The days can be exhausting.  Often, I feel like the only thing I accomplished all day was correcting Kade.  But I know these days are numbered, and I wouldn't trade them for anything. I pray that by investing the time now, in his early years,  we will make things easier down the road.