Creation

The box under Asher's bed holds treasured creations. There's the almost straight lines he drew when he was 2, the hand print turkey from last Thanksgiving, recent attempts to write his name (complete with a clearly drawn "A", the proud mother said!), and now his first identifiable drawing, a smiley face. I'm amazed at how quickly his artistic abilities have taken off since he started preschool. Now he colors close to the lines and works on drawing even straighter "straight lines." I watch his little artistic abilities grow and love encouraging this God-given desire to create.

I share Asher's excitement over making beautiful, tasty, and even useful creations.

Those rows of holey uneven yarn still hanging on the needle, waiting for me to learn how to cast off, represent my recent attempts to learn how to knit.

The bare walls in my kitchen where wallpaper hung yesterday morning show my intentions to create an updated space for my family.

And even the dozens of paper scraps lying here around my desk hold the beginnings to that next great article waiting to be written.

As summer has clearly given way to fall, as I button my jeans that popped open last year at this time because of the life growing inside of me, evidence of God's creative hand are everywhere. His creation story began thousands of years ago with an amazing garden, hilarious yet scary animals, and people, in the image of the Creator. And He continues to create.

Red yellow and orange leaves, squirrels hustling across the road, developing babies, and even the smiley faces of a three year old. His creation, and inspiration for us to exercise the gift of creation ourselves.

What do you love to create?

Whether its baking a scrumptious apple pie, singing joyfully, or knitting a few rows, attempting another washcloth, make creation a priority on your to do list today and glorify your Creator whose passion for creativity we share.

Three signs

1. No Dogs.
2. No Babies.
3. I love you!

These were the 3 signs Asher hung on our porch a couple of months ago. Don't look for them if you stop by, they exist only in his mind.

The first sign shows his intense dislike for dogs. Whenever we see at dog at the Farmers Market, walking on the trail, across the street, a mile away, anywhere, Asher launches into a dramatic soliloquy. It usually goes something like this (read in a very loud intense voice):

"Oh no! What is that creature up there that I don't like with its tongue hanging out? I do not like dogs! The whole earth is covered in dogs and none of them are nice!"

And so, we have a sign on our porch announcing that dogs are not invited to our home.

We are still puzzled by the third sign. It must have been hung because we ask Asher to say something nice whenever he says something mean. The nice thing he says is usually "I love you." So a sign on the porch covers anything mean he will say?

The second sign announcing his feelings about babies was our most troublesome one. It might as well just have said "No Amelie." because she was the motivation for hanging the sign. For over a year, Asher has felt the need to yell at babies and talk about how there should not be any babies allowed - anywhere.

When we actually brought a baby into our home, you can imagine his dismay! For months he has talked about how he doesn't like his sister and regularly describes very creative but mean things he wants to do to her. The most entertaining of those ideas has been to cover her in sap.

But out of the blue this weekend, he told us that he took down the No Babies sign on the porch!

And he has been absolutely true to his word. From that moment, he has loved his sister. There have been no more mean words directed to her, I don't have to shield her from being "hidden" under a pillow and he wants to give her a kiss every night.

Somehow he softened towards her and has not looked back. Babies are now allowed and welcomed in our home.

Sorry dogs, maybe your sign will come down soon.

Out of the office still

A year ago today, I packed up my cubicle and left the office for the last time.

I still don't regret the decision to be at home full time, but I do miss going to work more than I thought I would. I loved the researching, writing, working with interns, and presenting in my old job, but I think its getting dressed and going to the office that I miss the most.

My business casual clothes hung in my closet all year and I look at them some mornings and consider dressing professionally. But then I remember the items on my daily agenda include changing diapers, playing at the park, wiping crumbs off the floor and I reach instead for clothes that better fit my mommy profession.

Some days this year I've watched jealously as Walter grabs his coffee thermos puts on his dress shoes and drives away. I don't really want to drive away from my family, I know I would miss answering a hundred times a day why I go to the bathroom sitting down instead of standing up, but it would be exciting just for one day to rejoin the sea of employees walking into the office building.

Over the past year I've learned to enjoy drinking coffee while feeding a baby instead of while chatting with my coworker, George or hearing Sheryl's latest cat story.

I've birthed a baby rather than a hundred research papers.

I've met with other moms to strategize how to resolve potty training issues before preschool starts rather than deciding how to meet a request from the top floor that needs to be on his desk before the end of the day.

I've received payment in hugs and kisses instead of merit increases and bonuses.

And this last reason makes it worth every day I stay at home instead of making that trek up four flights of stairs to my old desk.

They are my investment in the future and the reason I stay home.