Well, Josiah is home from India. He is recovering from what we think is a parasite. And me and the kids are recovering from a nasty cold. When Arwyn saw him at the airport she ran up to him. He scooped her up and she smiled fondly and just touched his face like she was trying to memorize it. It was precious.
Since then we are back into the swing of things. We celebrated Josiah's 29th birthday yesterday (actual date was 26th). A tire blew out on the way home, on the yolo causeway of all places. But thank God we did not get in an accident. Not even later when a semi cut me off. I have never been so scared in the car before!
Today Josiah gets to address his over 300 hundred emails and who knows how many phone calls from being gone. He also gets to fix our tire, and search for a new cell phone, his got eaten by a Indian bus! So If you have tried to reach him via his 213.... number, be patient try him at work or at home.
I started writing this entry with Arwyn in mind but wanted to catch the other things up.
Arwyn, what can i say? You probably say, " she is an angel" or something of the like. She is a special girl thats for sure. God has given her a very compassionate spirit and she is very responsive to our correction. The other day i was hoping that the "terrific twos" stage was the one that hit when she was 18 mo. We had a couple of GREAT days where we enjoyed eachother alot. But lately i am beginning to reconsider. Maybe we are about to be unleashed apon. My biggest test yet in parenting might just be around the corner, peeking at me.
Arwyn has been saying, sometimes yelling "NO" at me/us when we ask her to do something, kicking her brother, blatlently doing the opposite of what we ask, etc. I'm not sure yet if its just the "i dont feel good" from this cold, coming out of her. Or maybe that Josiah was gone for so long and now she is expressing those emotions. Or maybe the age is coming out, with a vengeance i might add.
I find my anger coming out, when she is openly disrespectful and defiant, so I am feverishly thinking of ways to discipline other than spankings. If I spank in these angry moments, I know its wrong. Besides the fact that it doesnt do anything. I mean she cries, but it doesnt change her behavior. Wich is the whole point: to rid them of bad behavior and teach them right behavior. Today we have tried a variety of things, a time out in Malachi's crib, which she didnt like but the crib couldn't contain her. she simply crawled out. A "time out" in the corner, but she stayed in the corner fake crying, she seemed to fit in it like it was made for her. I have found an effective punishment for breaching "nap time", the binky and the blankie get taken away. But since she doesn't have them any other time I can't use this for other offenses. I have a feeling that as I/we tackle this new stage I will need more perserverence welling up inside me, an endless pit perhaps.
Malachi is MOBILE! and is he! He is into everything. I have just begun teaching boundaries with him, and he loves to smile oh so cutely and continue doing whatever i have asked him not to do. In these moments Arwyn wants to give the kind of correction she recieves, thats an interesting explanation to give to a 2 year old.
Two verse that encourage me during these times:
"For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child, in whom he delights" proverbs 3:12
"To discipline and reprimand a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplened child" - Proverbs 29 :15
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