Love in the new year

Today at church, I was holding Elaina in the Ergo and she was snoozing peacefully. The message at church was about giving up control...what a fitting message for us as we head into a year of unknowns (me quitting my job and Joel starting to look for principal jobs, along with the unknown unknowns!). As I was listening to the message, I was staring at the perfect girl asleep on my chest. I was thinking about the perfect love that I have for my kids. I love everything about them, including their 'imperfections' (although, I don't consider them imperfections!)...stinky toots, stinky cheese hands, crazy hair, and every single little thing about them. One of the things I'm so thankful for as a mom is that it's given me a little glimpse of God's love for us. The way I love my kids is just a glimpse of the way he loves all of us. Our goal is to love people the way God loves us. The thoughts that came to me as I stared at Elaina's perfection is that it's my goal for me to love myself, Joel, and everyone the way God loves us. The closest way I know how to do that is to view myself, Joel and everyone else through the same lenses I view my children...as precious, precious, perfect souls. I'm not how this perfect love for my kids will change as they get older. Already, it's different between Ben and Elaina. I still think Elaina's little toots are cute and precious...meanwhile, Ben's toots are getting less adorable as he gets older. I'm SURE I won't think his teenager toots are cute at all! Who knows how my view of their other "imperfections" will change as they grow! I'm thankful for the baby stage where I'm programmed to love every.single.thing about them and to experience this perfect love!

Speaking of perfect love, here's a pic of Elaina nursing. I love love love nursing her and I wish I could bottle up the peaceful sweetness to carry with me forever!