A Thousand Sharings

An excerpt from my current reading - 

“...we shall create a thousand strands, great and small,

that will link us together.

Then we shall be so close that it would be impossible

– unthinkable – for either of us to suppose

that we could recreate such closeness with anyone else. 

And our trust in each other will not only

be based on love and loyalty

but on the fact of a thousand sharings

– a thousand strains twisted into something unbreakable.”

The secret of enduring love from A Severe Mercy”

I love it.  I love the image.  

I love the reality of it, too.  

There is always something new to discover 

about your beloved and alongside your beloved.

A new strand to add into the thousands and thousands;

And the bond strengthens.

Me and Mo.  She's part of the strands that bind Scott and I

Nine Year Letter

Dear Scott,

Remember this?

Like it was yesterday, right?

Nine Years.  Nine years of being married to you.  This is something I love. 

 Nine years sort of seems like a long time.  But then, not really.
I hope this is just the dawn of our marriage.
I hope it goes on and on for many more years.  (60 or more?!)

Walking this life with you is a privilege and joy.
There are sometimes clouds in our skies, sometimes there is a lot of dirt.
We encounter rocks and weeds along our way.
There are also little wild flowers.  And cultivated ones, too.
Refreshing waters and soft grasses.

But the looking behind and ahead and in the right now, the view is really beautiful.

Things look lovely, standing here with you.  

Happy anniversary my love!

Your wife (Erin)




*First photo is our wedding.  Obviously.
Following photos are from our anniversary date,
Early morning hike at Wilder Ranch State Preserve Santa Cruz.
Then we had one of the best breakfasts ever at Cafe Brasil.
Brazilian food?  YUM.  I tried to do a Brazilian dinner tonight, in fond memory.
It did not compare.  I need to work on this.  But, I am not complaining.
It will be a fun work.
We bummed around the rest of our day, after breakfast,
shopping and walking and exploring more.
We bought the kids shark teeth and the Daddy told them a tale about Sharks at Wilder.
They were in awe.

Living & Moving "I Love You"

"I love you."  We say it to each other all the time, he and I.

It's true.  We do love each other.
But for the "I love you" to stay real and vibrant,
we have to recognize that those 3 little words are not simple.
They are all living & moving.

As Scott & I clean the kitchen together this week,
(only really a partial clean, people.  rarely is it all the way cleaned.)
he wonders aloud to me,
Does a man fall out of love with his wife, because he only sees her as "wife" or "mother"?
I say, I can see how that could be.  That may, very well, be true.
Couples get bored, because they think they have fully drawn of that well.

But can it ever be done?
Which of us can ever know another person all the way?

This had me thinking.
How easy it is to think we know someone as well as we possibly can know them.
We think "I get you."
But even as I look into his eyes and know well what he is thinking,
there is still more.  There is more that I don't know.  More for me to learn.
Mystery will always remain, even as we grow more in our unity in openness and honesty.
We will never plumb the depths.

As we love each other,
we have the privilege and the responsibility to learn of the other.
For the love to stay, strong and true, we engage in actively seeking each other.
Who are you?  What are your passions and dreams, struggles and pains?
It's about learning that my husband cannot be defined by any
personality quiz, gender study, love language,
career, family background, church denomination...
I know my husband better than I know anyone else,
and better than anyone else knows him.
But, the day I think I can draw up a precise definition of him,
that is the day I am failing to seek to know him well.
On that day, my "I love you" will fall far short.

I will not confine the love of my life to a narrow definition.
In loving him,
I will remember that he is one who is living and moving and changing,
therefore my love has to be the same.
I will never know the fullness of who he is.
May I never tire of learning of his every facet.


"I will love with urgency, but not with haste." -Mumford & Sons
Just because I listen to them all the time these days.  

First Lessons in Parenting

8 years ago today was a day that I don't think I will ever forget.
It was the day we went in to have our first ultrasound,
to check on the well being of our first baby.

I was nervous that day.  I had been having a large amount of blood loss.
We were trying to find out why.
The worst case scenario I had in my mind was
Placenta Previa and a necessary C-section.
It turned out that Placenta Previa would've been great news,
compared to what we got.
The tech told us our baby had something called Anencephaly.
We'd never heard of it.  What did it mean?
It meant that being born would turn out to be fatal for our baby.
He would not be able to survive for very long, once outside of my womb.

On February 6th, we found out that we would see our baby die, and soon.
We only had a few months of being able to parent Gabriel.
But we learned some life changing lessons in parenting
(and about love in general).

We loved our son.
But we also knew that our love would not change the course of his life.
Our love, as parents to child, was not about him making us proud.
Our love for him would not take away the hard stuff.
Our love for him would not make him into a better person.

Our love could only be about giving;
Genuinely giving all we had.

Sometimes we as parents, (spouses, friends, whatever),
get our actions of loved mixed up with actions of control.

We tell ourselves if we love them enough, then they'll love us enough.
If we love them enough, their life will be free from hardship.
If we love them enough, they will make all the right choices.

But not really...

Love is about giving.  It is not about results.
Love is powerful.  Don't get me wrong.
But the power of love is something we don't have much control over ourselves.
As soon as we start controlling with it, and trying to accomplish our will with it,
we aren't actually giving our heart in love anymore.

This lesson in parenting that our firstborn helped to teach us
is a key foundation for adoption.
Are we nervous about being the right parents for this child
who is currently a stranger to us?
Yes, if we're honest, we are.
Are we worried that he might have "problems"?
Are we nervous about the way he will "turn out"?
No, not really.
Not because we think he will be problem-free, and we are sure he will "turn out" well.
It's because being a parent is not about controlling the child and the end results.
But being a good parent is a lot about loving your child well.

Loving well is about giving, and not controlling what is done with that love.
Just love all the way.  Give it with joy.  We don't know what that love will accomplish.

This song, "All of Me" always reminds me of Gabriel.
Matt Hammit wrote this song when he & his wife were given a diagnosis
for their baby (still in the womb) that could be fatal.
I think the message can apply to a lot.
It's about loving all the way,
even though there is nothing sure about what the love will accomplish.

Current Events

Do you want proof of the hipness of Watsonville?

This week my sister and I meet for coffee.  At Safeway.
That's the local nightlife.

Nobody else seemed to be there chilling with the in-store Starbucks bev.
Hmph.
We had a beautiful time.

Also this week, I had a major brain lapse situation.
I was on a super quick grocery run, while my guy was home for lunch break.
I put the car in park, grabbed my purse & jumped out of the car.
My radio was still going.
Hmmm...  Curious.  I wonder why?  Electrical malfunction?
Oh.  Keys still in the ignition.  Car still running.
Although I was only in the store for a 10 minute blitz,
probably still would not have been a good idea...
Close call.

We have beautiful sunshine this weekend.
Which is a relief.
Because last week we were really bearing the burden of winter
with day time temps in the 30's.  I kid you not.  Cold stuff.
Gillian & I were up for our turn in the parent/child outing rotation.
We scored on a gorgeous day.
I took her to my favorite quiet time place, the New Brighton Cliffs,
to explore and hang out.
Fabulous day with my girl -

I have another recipe to share with you all.
It's another dessert thing.
I don't bake every day.  Really, I don't.
But, I guess I more inspired to share the sweet recipes, lately.
I'll try to do a change up on that soon.

This one is Peanut Butter Frosting.  Swiss Meringue Buttercream style.
SO good.
I put in a top chocolate cookies that were only so-so.
I won't share that recipe with you.
Find your own cookie recipe.  Or a chocolate cupcake.
A rolled chocolate cookie, cut in the shape of hearts, made into cookie sandwiches?
Sounds perfect for Valentine's Day.  (I love that day.)

This frosting is a tiny bit more complex than just turning the mixer on.
But, do not fret!  It is NOT hard.  But, you do need an electric mixer.
And it is SO good.

Peanut Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream
3 Egg Whites
3/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Butter, softened
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

Fill a medium sized pot with enough water to come up about 1 inch high.
Put over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

In your metal mixing bowl, drop your egg whites & sugar.
Whisk the whites and sugar continually over the the simmering water.
Whisk until the sugar is dissolved.

Now, click your mixing bowl into the mixer, with a whisk attachment.
Mix on medium speed until bowl is cool to touch.
You should have a gorgeous white fluff.

Now cut you soft butter into several hunks.
Change out the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment.
Turn the mixer on low and add one little hunk of butter at a time,
until it is all incorporated smoothly.

Now add the peanut butter.  Now turn up the speed to medium.
Beat for about 5 more minutes, until creamy and smooth.
Now slowing add the Vanilla until well mixed.

Spread on your cookies or cupcakes.
Or, just scoop it with a spoon and sprinkle with chocolate chips!

Meeting in the Middle

Source: etsy.com via Megan on Pinterest

Do you know the Diamond Rio song?

"I'd start walking your way 
You'd start walking mine 
We'd meet in the middle 
'Neath that old Georgia pine 
We'd gain a lot of ground 
'Cause we'd both give a little 
And there ain't no road to long 
When you meet in the middle "

I've always loved this song.

The story of finding the middle ground in the song is so sweet.

In real life?  I have spent a fair amount of time not liking that idea.

But, I am understanding that compromise can be a great gift.

Scott and I are a classic case of "opposites attract".

One tends toward clinginess, the other toward self-sufficiency. 
One of us, first response in a conflict is to fight.  The other's first response is flight.
One of an optimist, the other a pessimist.
One of us gets over involved in other people's lives, 
the other would rather not be involved at all.
Point being, we have conflict.

Conflict is okay.  It's not the bad guy.
Conflict can actually push us toward each other.

Conflict doesn't help join us together if we just run away from it.
It won't help if we always just concede and say, "fine have it your way!"
It won't help if we push and push for the other to completely agree with us.

The meeting in the middle?  That involves both parties reaching for the other.
Both speak with honest humility, and listen with the same.
We have to seek to understand the other, 
but know that even if we don't understand them, 
that doesn't mean their point of view is all wrong.
In the conflict, we can come to the middle ground of a healthy compromise.


"We'd gain a lot of ground 
'Cause we'd both give a little 
And there ain't no road to long 
When you meet in the middle "

Recently when we had conflict over an aspect of our opposite natures,
I had a simple realization, that hadn't really occurred to me in the past.
The place in between us, where we come to meet - 
I think that is the place where God wants us to be.
He made us two for oneness.

He Knows

I haven't been on the blog much.

I don't know what to say about some of the hard things that are around us all.

The shooting at Sandy Hook - what a heartbreak. What a massive heartbreak.  Why?

My friend Ian, who was suddenly diagnosed with a very serious form of Leukemia.

How can this be?  He was so healthy. 

Darling little Daisy, at age 8 diagnosed with cancerous tumors 
for the fourth time in her life.

How?  She's so young.

This is the real hard stuff of this world.  I really don't have any words for it.

I mostly just pray.  And even then, I usually don't know the words.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. 

For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, 

but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

Romans 8:26

I remember a story about a little 2 year old girl, teaching her own grandma about prayer 

in times such a this.  When you don't know what to say, 
it is okay just to give their names to Jesus.

I learn from her too, and I offer up names.

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, 

but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, 

that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Hebrews 4:15-16

He knows.  He knows my heart.  He knows their needs.  He knows the pain.  
He is able to sympathize with all our big, ugly, confused feelings.  

So, even in my lack of words, I can come boldly, in faith.

He knows His good plan.  He knows how to accomplish it.

Jesus, Ian.  Jesus, Daisy.  Jesus, Laura.  Jesus, Karen.  Jesus, Arielle.  Jesus, John....

Passion and Guts

The question was posed to a group of couples -
"What did you do differently to care for each other,
back when you were first in love than you do now?"

(The question bothered me because it presupposes that you have fallen out of love over time.
Some people do.  But, I wish we wouldn't act like this is a given.)

Regardless of that, it is a valid question to pose -
"What kind of things keep the passion burning?"

Am I trying to hide my nervous giggles?

What comes to mind is guts.  It takes a lot of guts.
Love is risky.  Love requires us exposing ourselves.
It takes guts to put your heart on the line for someone else.

Going back to the early days for us,
Scott had to have a lot of guts to win my heart.
I put up a little wall and my body language screamed, "no!"
He still stood close by.
I trampled his courage down with a cold shoulder.

Then God started to open my eyes to who this guy really was.
And I started falling in love with him.
(And beating myself up for being such a jerk.)
Now it was my turn.
I had to humble myself and expose myself & my remorse.
Now I had to have the courage to take a posture of openness.
(Like what Ruth did with Boaz by laying at his feet, maybe?
I didn't do that one.  I did bring him cough drops when he was sick though...)

Again, Scott had to take a chance, hoping he had read the signs correctly.
This time in a bigger way.
He showed me all his cards and told me really how he felt about me.
He laid open his heart to me.

He could have walked away with more disappointments.
Nothing was sure in this.
Except the fact that we would not be in love now,
if there was no risk taken.

I wonder if for love to stay strong,
we have to accept the fact that it will require guts,
throughout the life of that love.
We've got to have the courage to expose ourselves to the other, again and again.
We have to be willing to risk being hurt or disappointed.

Maybe it is right to say we shouldn't get too comfortable in our marriages.
The very foundation of actively loving is moving out of our comfort, right?
Don't wait to love your spouse until it seems like it is totally safe.
Just throw yourself out there.  Get some guts.
Waiting for safety means your going to miss out on the passion.

What do you think?  Do you think this is off?

(I have to admit I am hesitant about hitting "publish".
I am not advocating subjecting ourselves to people who are proven
to be unsafe and abusive.)

Let's Not Go Back

Dear Scott,

9 years ago I was falling in love.
We were sailing on a yacht in a tropical paradise.
We had less gray hairs, fitter frames, younger skin.
I was discovering how much I admired you.
We were learning that conversation was easy with each other.
It felt natural and it was satisfying.

In the months that followed we spent several evenings a week,
just kicking back with my sisters,
chumming around, playing cards & drinking tea.
We played tennis with my family on the weekends.
I wasn't any good.
(You don't really want to play tennis with me anymore.  I get it.)
Or what about the time you spent all day with me and my friend,
at a beekeeping workshop?
Those days were sweet.

We were talking on the phone & emailing each other
with increasing frequency.
I talked with my friends about you 
& how much I wanted something serious to happen
& was it safe to hope & would I just be brokenhearted?

Then you called me & told me that you that I was amazing.
You told me you'd never met a girl like me,
and you didn't want to let me get away.
And my head & heart were about to explode.
We drove around in your red Camaro that night
& were constantly amazed that this was real & we were in love.
There was so much to discover about each other.
So much to look forward to.
These days were good.

As much as I love remembering the days of our new love,
 let's not go back.
We've come so far.  We love each other more every day.
We tried to care for each other back then.
But, we didn't really know each other.
We were learning.
(And we are still learning.  Let's not ever stop learning.)

Source: bluepueblo.tumblr.com via Margaret on Pinterest

I don't want to go back, and I know you don't want to either.
What about this road we've journeyed?
All of the incredible joys, the deep sorrow, the sacrifices, 
the leaps of faith, the hopes, the fears?  
These have been part of binding us together.

Let's keep down this road, and not turn back.
Let's pile love upon love, as we face each twist & turn in this road.
God knows how to multiply His good gifts.
All the love is going to be pressed down, shaken together 
and running over, pouring into our laps.

Research

I haven't been blogging.  I haven't even been blog reading.

But, our life has still been going along really well, in spite of that.

Pretty much exactly a month ago, 

Scott & I got to go on a local getaway for our 8 year anniversary.

We are seriously grateful that we got to get out for a whole night & day.

It was sweet!

We went to the Dream Inn, which was super hip.

This was our morning view, off the balcony. 

No fog for us.  Evening or morning.

Our time was pretty much a research trip.  And super fun.

We researched each other & together.

Teachers in service day.  Is that what you call it?

I have also spent the last month being irritated & doing minimal research 

on this iphone photo issue.

We are hugging the elephant seal sculpture at Long Marine labs.

And, we took the photo on the iphone, in the vertical position. 

I uploaded it to my computer & it is on my computer in the vertical position.

I upload it onto blogger...  horizontal.

ARGH!  

I have given up.  

And I am postin them here to show you all that we are not smart enough for an iphone.

But, while at Long Marine, we studied up on all the ocean learning there, 

so we could bring our kids & teach them all we learned.  

We petted Swell Sharks, saw little baby ones wriggling around in their egg sacks,

watched quick moving Sunflower sea stars (they just keep growing more and more arms!).

These labs are small.  But, the signage is great & educational & 

the docents are very engaging as well.

{We brought them out 2 weeks later, 

after they were daily asking us when they could go and pet the sharks, too.}

sorry about the flash & the strong reflection.  hard to see, but this is the shark petting tank.

Back to our teacher's research day...
We took a birding walk, hunting for Black-Chinned Hummingbirds.
When we finally gave up on seeing the elusive hummingbird,
we did spot two hummingbirds above us.
But, they moved on too quickly for us to see what they looked like.
It was exciting nonetheless.  I had never thought I would go birding, prior to turning 65.
Now I have.  And, I liked it.  Mostly because of my birding partner.

We ended our outing with the Santa Cruz Food Tour.
People, this was SO fun.
I love good food.  And I like walks.
So, a walking food tour of downtown sounded great to me.
But, once the tour was underway we learned it was much more than that.
We got a really fun history lesson of the city.
We learned about the handsome Victorian homes of the 1800's;
about their builders & the home owners.
We learned about Mission Santa Cruz,
and visited the only original structure still standing.
We learned about the railway that came to downtown
(and how they had to stop outside of the downtown area
and hitch the train to a team of horses,
to take it all the way to the coast without disturbing the residents & merchants.)
Our tour guide was great.  And now we love Santa Cruz more.
We highly recommend this tour to locals and to visitors.

Exploring together was a blast.  We are grateful!

I love my work

If marriage is hard work, then I love working hard.

Today Scott & I have been married 8 years.

What a gift this work is.  I am so grateful!

When I hear someone talk about, in an exhausted tone, 

what hard work marriage is, I feel a bit bummed.

I've talked about love being hard before in a letter to my kids.

It can be accurate to say that marriage is hard work.

It is not a hobby.  It requires effort.

Marriage changes what you are.

And it does take work.

But marriage needs more public praise & celebration.

I want ya'll to know, that this is work I love.

It is easy working hard to love my husband.

He works hard to make it easy.

This is a sweet job.  It just keeps getting better.

I'm glad to stay in this work for the rest of our days.

This work makes me smile.

This song, Sharpened in Time, makes me say, "Yes!  That is it!"

Being your bride has let me see 
That I’ll teach you and you’ll teach me
In this life, Oh, I’m your iron
Sharpened in time
It’s so good to be with you

Cause we’ve got an easy kind of love

The kind that makes you say 

At the end of the day

It’s more than I deserve

It kinda makes you cry 

When you look back on your life and think

Oh, God is good, more than I deserve…

Not that it’s never been work, you see

But in this life some things will be

Worth the effort

You’re worth the effort

Whole & Holy, Two equals One

                                                                                       

The two shall become one.
Marriage is an ongoing merging.
The wholeness of two different people, continually coming together in unity.

By wholeness I don't mean perfect.
I mean quite the opposite.
Every bit of those two persons are to come together.
We continually meet together, baring all ourselves to the other,
the dreams, the darkness, the beauty, the struggles.

Marriage is learning to love the wholeness of that other one.
But a marriage with Christ at the center will be two who are becoming more holy.
These two becoming more holy, becoming more united,
are becoming a more accurate reflection of the wholeness of God's character.

Marriage is a mystery.
Whole & Holy, Two equals One.


p.s.  Have you read "Just How Married do you Want to be?"  I've started handing out copies.  You may be next.


photo Source: nicolecfranzen.tumblr.com via Karah on Pinterest

Bagging issues, summer driving conditions & such nonsense

The two big kids went to Vacation Bible Camp all last week.  I am tuckered out.

Leaving the house every morning, dealing with summer traffic, playing at the park,
being in the sun.

Oh.  Woe is me...

No.  In truth, everyone had a great week.  Me included.  

But, now we are tired & just sitting on our bums in a dirty house.

All the carseat time also took a toll on Kendall's hair.  (exhibit 2)

exhibit 1 - Kendall

exhibit 2 - carseat hair

Driving on the freeway around here in the summer time can be so lame.

All the vacationers clogging up the traffic.  Their cars overheating & causing more traffic.

Nonsense like that.  

Plus, Cal Trans picks this time of year to do all their road work.
Every where.  All over the county.

Making things even more bogged down.

I do like when vacationers ask for directions & such.  

I like telling people where to go & what they should do for fun times.

I also like when people talk to me with an accent.

And I like seeing cool license plates.

Vacationers really are great.  

Something else important that I have been pondering are issues pertaining to bagging.

More specifically, the bagging of groceries.

I don't know if stores train baggers anymore or not.

But I have some rules for them.

1. Please don't stand two wine bottles up in the bag you put my eggs in.
2. I appreciate the idea of separating cleaning supplies from food items.  And yet, I don't think I need my scotch brite pads put in their very own bag--I don't see how they will contaminate my pasta.
3. Please keep the leaky raw meat all to itself.  I get really mad when I unload and find meat juice dripped onto my Parmesan cheese.
4. When a customer asks you not to pack some such things together (e.g. beef stew meat with the ice cream), please don't roll your eyes at me like I am so horrible, bossy lady.  

Anyway.  My kids are all green snot nosed, after a week
of mingling with hordes of other young ones.

Its a day to lay low & play in our own sunny backyard.

Small Group of Two

He & I, we said we wanted to live this life together in love.
We came together to be joined.
The great mystery that is two becoming one.
In this oneness we stand together as equals.

He knows me & I know him.
Who else hears our biggest dreams & watches our deepest failures?

We hear it said that small groups & mentoring relationships
are key to growing in maturity.
We hear the admonition that "no man is an island",
so you guys should be gathering with us for Men's meals.
"Iron sharpens iron", so make every effort to attend ladies Bible study.
Get involved and grow.

We love church, we love our faith community.
We are involved & we are growing.
But we have a little secret.
Mostly we are home.
Mostly we are together.
Staying at home does not mean avoiding growth.

You know that part about marriage being one flesh?
We've got a built-in mentorship program going on here.
We can stay home, rest, fellowship, water our grass & grow.
He sharpens me & I sharpen him.
We grow.

We have a small small group, he & I.
We talk about real life, we hold each other accountable,
we encourage each other in righteousness & extend grace to each other.
And we grow.
Our hearts stretch up toward God & in that they stretch closer to each other.

**I continue to be inspired by Rachel Held Evans #Mutuality2012 blog event.
I also just got Just How Married Do You Want to Be?
per a recommendation on Laura Ziesel's blog.
I barely cracked it open.  But, I was inspired to write about 
the union of two equal persons.**

A Gift of a Day

In anticipation of Mother’s day, Gillian & Peyton had gone on an exploring adventure.

They gathered rocks & daffodils & a dandelion puff ball, all for me.

They were very serious about keeping their secret.

Peyton greeted me in bed on Sunday with a Ziploc bag & a rock.

We had a perfect breakfast at Wyatt’s.

We played at Moore park on Klamath Lakeshore.

At “home” we went on an exploring mission to find lava rocks for our goldfish tank.

Scott likes to always change the little fishies’ environment for them with new rock designs.

We rested in the shade on the lawn with our collection of rocks.

The kids created design & design idea.

It is such a gift, being a mom! 

a hair cut that gives wings to fly away on, courtesy of his mom...

Identity {5 minute Friday}

I know I am late - but I writing with Lisa-Jo & friends about Identity 

for Five Minute Friday...

 Go******************************

I am Erin- third born, home-schooled, church going my whole life.

When I moved from being a daughter in my parent’s home,

one of the biggest parts of me was changing drastically. 

I am still the same daughter, but it is different.

I am Mrs. and I love that part of me.  But that has not always been me.

I am mom to a team of tiny, energetic, smarty-pants kids. 

That takes most of what I have every day.

 But that will not always be.  They will grow, my role as mom will morph.

I am a good cook,

but sometimes I put a bad meal (or none at all) on the table.

I love flowers & I love arranging them, but it’s okay if I don’t get much chance to do so.

I have bangs, but plan to grow them out (if I can muster the patience).

I love to wear heals & dresses, but most days I wear jeans & a t-shirt.

There is so much that is part of me.  Most of it is forever changing, though. 

So where does the heart of my identity rest? 

In Jesus - from beginning to end. 

Whatever may come.

I am His daughter.  He formed me in my mother’s womb.

 He had a perfect plan for me then.

He still does.  He is still forming me. 

I am His creation - in process.

That is who I am.

Kids & Types {knowing}

I love personality assessments.  I’ve said that before.  Myers-Briggs and all that jazz.

I think I am an ESFJp 
I know that is cheating…  But, I waiver between the J & P.  

And sometimes I waffle on the N & S, too.  I am so confused!  Or maybe just balanced? ;)

My husband is an INTJ.  Totally.

As the kids are growing, 

I often wonder about their unique personalities & try to understand their own little “bents”.

I found this website that has an assessment quiz that you can do for your child.

Of course, I can’t resist that. 

The test is geared toward children 7-12.  I know mine aren’t that old yet.  

But, I gave it a go, for the two oldest.

Some of the questions were tough.  Surely I won’t be able to “get” their personalities completely.

But still, it has value to help me in trying to know them.

Giving it my best shot, I came up with the results of ISJ for my Gillian & IFP for my Peyton.

I can see how the results are fairly accurate, although some things are off.  

(Gillian is quite intuitive.  I may have come up with the completely incorrect letter there - N instead of S?)

I didn't do the test for Moira yet.  I am certain she is an E & probably a P, but not sure of the other letters.

I think she is perhaps a lot like myself.  So, it seems a little easier for me to “make sense” of her & what she does.

I like how the results offer learning style help for the different types. 

Try the test out your kids & tell if you think it seems helpful.

That’s about all I have for the thoughts on knowing your kids.

I was too lazy/shy to ask anyone to write a guest post.

If you have something you want to write as a guest post, let me know.

Check back Friday for my closing thoughts & a continuing blog community idea.