I can’t believe that today you are two!  I still remember bringing you home from the hospital, completely clueless as to what to do with you. These past two years have been quite an adventure.  Somehow I think we’ve found our rhythm as mother and daughter. You are my treasure; the best gift God has given me.

There are so many things that I love about you.  I love how nurturing you have become.  Whenever one of your friends is crying you will go over and give them a hug or their favorite toy.  I also love how special you think you are when you get to hang out with the “big” kids after church.  I love that you learned your alphabet by 16 months, but it took you until you were 18 months to learn animal sounds and colors because you were too obsessed with letters to even care about anything else.  I love that your favorite song is “Grace Is Enough” and you sing it into the turkey baster while I do the dishes.  I love your independence.  Once you know that you can do something by yourself you are insulted when someone tries to assist you.  I can’t even say your nighttime prayers with you anymore.  I love how when you’re sick or tired all you want is your mom.  I love that if I whip out the Goldfish crackers you’ll sit still and cuddle with me, but other than that you are constantly on the move working on your next discovery.  I love how sociable you’ve become.  You love to “fist bump” or wave at everyone. And while I run errands you say hello to everyone that walks by our shopping cart.  I love how your smile melts my heart.   

 I think that you are one amazing kid.  Today is a bittersweet day for me.  I have realized that today you are no longer a baby.  You’ve hit all those milestones that are on the baby checklist, with style might I add.  I can no longer count your age in months.  You are strictly 2, not 24 months.  However, while I might be finished teaching you all of those “baby steps”, I now get a front row seat at watching you become the young lady God has called you to be. I love you more than you’ll ever know and I’m completely honored that God chose me to be your mother. Happy Birthday sweet girl. 

That next day, I realized my whole world had changed.  I no longer had a baby who depended on me to get her from Point A to Point B.  She could do that on her own, and quickly at that.  I was a wreck.  What was I thinking encouraging such behavior?  She was into everything!  It was horrible!  So, my husband and I did what every other responsible parent would do in this situation.  Enter the baby gates.  All six of them!  I had control again.  I could do the dishes, vacuum, eat, etc. knowing exactly where she was at all times.  It was great!

Well, it’s been a little over a year since we’ve put those gates up and now I’m finding that I’m not using them as much.  I’ve even put a few in a closet.  I don’t need them anymore.  I can trust that Natalie knows what she can and cannot do in whatever room she wanders into.

As I was realizing all of this I couldn’t help it.  I thought about Nat and the safety gates and how that relates to how I develop relationships with others.  Almost everyone who has entered my life or “house” has experienced my “safety gates”.  I don’t reveal a lot about myself when I first meet someone.  I don’t give everyone I know total access to my dreams, my personal stories, or even my family, in some cases.  I need to trust that my breakables will not shatter before I remove a gate.  I’ve seen way too many people have to clean up their lives because they forgot to put up some gates.  I encourage you to look at your life.  Put up gates around what is important to you and only take them down for people who can walk throughout your life and value it as much as you do.

I thought that for my first blog I would write about ME.  Not because I have a huge ego or anything, but because I think you should have all the facts up front to decide if you’re going to “unfollow” or “follow” me (or whatever the appropriate terms are for the blog world, I’m still learning).  So, here it goes:

First things first, I’m a wife.  I’ve been happily married for almost 9 years to my best friend.  We’ve had our ups and downs in life and I can’t imagine sharing this journey with anyone else.  On top of that, I’m a pastor’s wife, but I don’t sing, play the piano, or organize potlucks.  So sorry to disappoint.  I do, however, love being in ministry and feel privileged to be a part of the church God has called us to.

I’m a mom.  I have the most beautiful toddler girl that has ever walked the face of this earth.  Because I have a toddler I found out that I have become an expert in tea parties, hair bows, and Elmo.  She has taught me so much about life and I am amazed by how she views the world.  I am blessed to be able to stay at home with her, which means that I have many tips on creating the illusion of a clean house when company comes over.

I don’t really have a lot of hobbies.  I watch reality TV.  I think that it’s important to remember that no matter how bad you think your life is at the moment, at least you’re not out in a rainforest somewhere rationing out a tablespoon of rice and some cricket guts with your tribe mates.  I enjoy cooking and trying out new recipes even though I’m not worthy of shining any of the iron chef’s spatulas.  I’m starting to jump back on the reading train.  It’s been very challenging finding time to sit down and get lost in a book with a kid running around, but that’s another one of my goals this year.

So anyway, that’s pretty much me.  I have a head full of ideas (good and bad), lessons learned, and dreams to fulfill.  Thanks again for setting aside a few minutes of your life to get to know my little corner of the world.