Kids of Character

 Unless this is the very first blog entry of mine you're reading, you know that I have three kids.  My oldest is not quite 7 and my baby just turned 2.  What you may not have figured out yet is that my kids are characters.   Aris has an unique sense of fashion and wants to be an African Lion's Safari Tamer when she grows up.   Zane climbs everything, talks a mile a minute and would like to be a super-hero when he grows up.  But if he can't be that, then he wants to design video games.  As far as we know, Kian doesn't know what he wants to be.  But he likes wearing cowboy hats and riding his dragon around the house.  I love my children and their wonderful imaginations so much!

 Unfortunately, they often put their creative energies to other uses like bugging their siblings.  Surprisingly, it is my sweet little baby that is the worst for this.  This morning while waiting for breakfast Kian started spitting at his brother.  Zane's cries of "No Thank You!" grew increasingly shrill as his little brother continued to spit.  I intervened and the spitting stopped.  Thirty seconds later it started again.  This time my wonderful husband stepped in and put Kian in time-out.  After his tears stopped, reconciliation began.  Kian apologized to Zane,  Zane forgave him and then they hugged. It was a touching scene, especially when Aris asked for a hug as well.

 Motherhood is tough.  Today was a rougher day on my motherhood scale as I was dealing with a defiant, disobedient little boy.  Some days I wonder what God was thinking when He gave me my children. I am far from patient or calm, both of which are traits my kids need in a mother.  But then I see these moments where my kids are growing and learning and I have a little bit more hope.   My wee one has had such a hard time apologizing, yet in the last several days he has started making things right sometimes even on his own.  Forgiveness is hard, even for a grown-up who knows how important it is.  Yet my children have embraced the process of reconciliation and are making it their own.  During my rough day, I held on to that tender breakfast scene and cherished it.  Hopefully this means that my children won't grow up to be axe murderers.