Realing in Life

We had been without a working dryer for a month. This was not the only time in my life I have lived without a dryer, but it is an awkward transition from having to not having. We suspected the dryer belt was broken because it produced heat but didn’t spin. We set up a line drying system outside and in a spare room. Fortuitously, I found a blogpost at Living on a Dime about the best way to hang clothes. This information found its way to my email box shortly after ours stopped working. I learned a number of new ideas that helped our dryer-less state more bearable. Since we did have a way to dry our clothes, fixing the dryer was pushed to the back of the list. While we wanted to fix it ourselves (or attempt to), we lacked time.

I have started reading the study Love like Him as a part of HelloMornings. One of the challenges is to memorize 1 Corinthians 13. I have memorized parts of 1 Corinthians before, but I am glad to be revisiting this passage. I am starting by memorizing verse 1 this week.

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1 NLT)

Mother’s Day is such a good day. There is great excitement in the air at our house. I don’t know what will happen on Mother’s Day itself, but I am enjoying the energy–positive energy–in my direction as secrets abound. It doesn’t really matter how the day goes, I am happy to be the mother of four wonderful children. Nothing they can do or say or give me on Mother’s Day will be better than the gift they are to me.

I am thankful for my mom–and the many moms God has given me. God is so good.

A sleep routine is good for everyone. Children need to be given a routine. About.com has some good ideas to consider about bedtime routines. Here is my general nap and bedtime routine for my 2-year old, BabyCakes.

1. Change diaper (and into PJ’s if at night)
2. Brush teeth (She gets a turn to brush, and I get a turn to brush.)
3. Read a story (She has been wanting to “read” to me recently.)
4. Ba-Ba Little Sheep song
5. Jesus Loves Me (or Jesus Loves You) song
6. Pray
7. Kisses and hugs, and goodnight.