Love in the midst of Chaos

I often wonder if we unknowingly as parents of toddlers sign an unwritten contract that we don't share with anyone else the chaos and the angst that sooo often comes with toddlers.

I am thankful that our son is exhibiting all the signs and symptoms of being a typical toddler- just a few months shy of 2. That means the bonding process, most likely, is going well, he feels comfortable in his place in this new environment and knows that we love him and won't leave him.

My hairline is a different matter. (from pulling my hair out...... :0)lol)

I had a thought on my heart the other day. It is during the ear shattering yelling and crying and fit throwing that we have the greatest opportunity to show our child the complete love of God for them. It is at that point that we have "reached our lowest" and are firmly located in the valley- Thank you, God, that even here You reach Your hand down and give us that extra measure of grace- sometimes to just walk away for a minute. It is here that Your love is all we have left in us to give. Our love, though deep, becomes almost buried under the chaos around us. Thank you that Your love shines through to touch our child.

Thank you that you trust us with this beautiful child. Let us remember the wonderful and great times in the midst of the chaos that threatens reason and sanity. Thank you for gently guiding us to be the parents you mean us to be. Thank you that I am realizing that at those moments you never stop talking to us- you are just whispering. I pray you'd tune my ears to your whisper, allow me to tune out the more cacophonous noises around me so I can follow your leading. 'Cause at those moments, the flesh in me is screaming pretty loudly :0) ('tho not quite as loud as our son- what a great set of lungs- we'll have to invest in voice lessons :)

For those out there in the waiting- it is trying. It is the most difficult thing you will ever love. And just when you think you can't stand another moment and you are going to go insane and you wonder what ever possessed you to embark on this adventure, your child comes running across the room, throwing them self into your arms in sweet abandon, kissing and hugging all over you. And everything else kinda seems to disappear. Almost like the electricity going out at a head banging concert- sudden peace- almost disorienting:)

I asked some close friends at church on Sunday why no one ever tells you how hard it is with toddlers. They replied that it is a memory that is blocked. They remember it as I speak of our experience, but the memory, though a painful one at times, has been deleted from their memory. I guess one more item in our family that gives us a view of giving birth, as that, too, seems to be forgotten quickly.

Father, allow us to focus on the amazing firsts our son is experiencing. Thank you for letting us see the world in a new way, fresh and vibrant way through the eyes of our son. Thank you for grace and strength to be the parents you planned for us to be when you first designed our souls. I lift our little one up to you and pray that we will be able to direct him to you and that he will know Your love. Thank you.