Pee, Pain and Perspective

It has been quite the week around here. When getting ready to make a diaper fun last week, we realized that we are spending $100 a month at least on diapers!! Oh my!

So, I decided that this week, it was potty training time! Yes, I'm possibly an idiot. Gracie has been interested for a while now and Davis is turning 3 (supposedly!) in 2 months. However, I've been dragging my feet. Who wants to potty train? Who wants to have to run to the bathroom with 3 toddlers at Chick Fil A? Not me!

I decided to do the "run around naked" approach. I bought a noise making potty chair that plays a tune anytime something touches the bottom (great idea, by the way!) and bought new fun panties for Gracie. Starting Tuesday morning, they've run around in just their undies every day. Thankfully, we have wood floors, so I just rolled back the rug and we played in the living room all week! Yes, I am going crazy. Staying on only the wood means no room time, no long breakfasts where they watch Diego and I blog and no play on the backporch time. . .why? because if you can't tell from my title there has been a LOT of pee around here. To be exact, Tuesday we had 25 accidents. no I am not kidding! 25! count 'em. . .25 times of cleaning pee of the floor and changing undies again! I almost cried a number of times. Thankfully, Wednesday we had 7 accidents and today only 4! All in all, I'm pleased with their progress. . but had a hard time thinking of that on Tuesday when Greg came home and I smelled like urine! yeah, keeping my eyes fixed on what is seen was a tad hard for me this week.

To top it off, I went to the dentist yesterday (don't you love using your babysitting time for appts like this! aagh!) and found out that I needed ANOTHER root canal! So, today was spent using my nap time getting my root canaled (nice verbage, huh?). I'm not a fan of this, in case you are wondering. . . as much as I talk, I really do have a freakishly small mouth so opening in wide enough to fit two people for an hour and half hurts!

But, you know what. . .I have 3 children. 3 children who are alive, happy and healthy. 3 children who have enough water to need to pee 25 times. and. . a house for them to pee in. . and extra undies. . and a washer to wash them. . and tv to entertain. . and tons of books. . AND dentists to take care of me. . and a hubby who has a job which can hopefully pay this dentist (let's pray for a couple new clients since dental insurance covers NOTHING!).

So, I choose joy. I choose perspective. I choose to be grateful in all circumstances. Well, that's what I want to choose. I can't say that I did it well every time I was covered in pee. However, I want to. I want the Lord to continue to renew my heart and change me so that in all circcumstances, I will choose joy. One of the things I was realizing after listening to "When the Saints" by Sara Groves (you guys HAVE to buy this cd!). . every saint mentioned went through amazing pain. From Paul in prison, to saints liberating the slaves, to Jim Elliott, to Moses standing before the Egyptians to a modern day hero liberating a woman sold into slavery. . each one of them chose joy and faith in the midst of horror. If I am asking God to make me a woman of faith, I may have to endure more pain in my life. To be ready for those times, I must choose joy today. . in whatever I face. . whether that be pee or pain. . that is so little in light of eternity and what is truly important! (ps: remind me of that if I call you crying next time my child pees on me!)

Here are some fun pics of my kiddos (Aunt Laura's been begging!). . .I also took ADORABLE potty training pictures today. .just not sure that I should post them on my blog. The cutest is Gracie in hot pink undies, a hot pink headband and pearls. .nothing else! Too cute that one! Davis is hilarious too, b/c he really does the lean well. . ya know, little boys need to really lean to get it all in and he thinks this is hilarious! But. .sorry I can't post them here!

We went to see Curious George at the bookstore last week. Davis hates characters so he's not in this one.Gracie sitting on Abbie's lap!Park time. . smiling for Aunt Jekka (Jess). . although she's starting to really say Jessica and neither Jess nor I want to handle that!Yeah. .did I tell you guys how HARD parenting has been lately? oh my! No time for more words, but let's just say that Davis and Brayden have lost ALL of their toys! Problem is. .they don't care. . as you can see, Brayden and Abbie found a new toy. a hiding place under the bed!