Birthday Season!!!

( This was one of her celebrations last year, we will celebrate her turning 10 Sunday. Pray for me y'all)
The Birthday season has started!! This time of year makes me CRAZY!!! My family can't stand me ( but they always thank me).  I LOVE birthday parties. I love all the fine details and I kind of like the craziness.  I want every party to be perfect!  This year I decided I wasn't going to go all crazy, I am fighting the urge to do a pintrest search.  I just want a simple house party that doesn't cost a million bucks.  I told the Mr. that I would not spend life savings on the parties.  I seriously think I get all caught up in the parties to keep me from the sadness that my babies are getting older.  I know so many people counting down the day til 18, but I am NOT.  I can't imagine sending my babies out into the world.  I am covering them in prayer.  I am entrusting them in God's care but still......  I know that with each year of life is a year closer to them discovering the world outside of my protection.  I know in my mind that I can only protect them because of God's strength and wisdom.  However my hearts feels like it's something that I am doing to make it happen (silly I know).  I want to protect them from so many things but that isn't my job.  My job is to train them,pray for them and  to give them the tools to live this life.  The tools I hope that I have given to my children are 

• Prayer- prayer is everything
• The Word- I hope I've taught them to hide the Word in their hearts, I love how scriptures just pop in my head when I need them most
• confidence- I want them to be confident in who they are in God
• Compassion- I want my children to have a heart for people
• To be thinkers- Everyone needs the ability to think for themselves and to make wise choices
• Love- the greatest of these it love.  We have to love ourselves, people, children, what's right, and we have to love God.

It's so hard for me to even to think about them out of my house, out of my watchful eye!! I love them, we have so much fun together.  I love seeing life through their eyes. They keep my youthful and they encourage me to try new things. 

I remember being in marriage counseling many years ago and the minister told us how important it was to see the children as "just passing through". The ministers (husband and wife team) Told us the importance of keeping a solid relationship between us because one day "they will be gone". They told us (especially me) to cherish every single moment because one day I will " share them".  They even warned me not to get "too caught up in being a mom, that I forget to be a wife"  I  got so ANGRY at the ministers.  I wouldn't even continue the session. I couldn't believe any decent parents would say such things.  God had to change my perspective.  I often think about the couple that tried to "warn me".  I was so rude to them.  They were giving me truth that my heart couldn't receive.  I know that I am not there yet but I've come a long way.  I know God loves them more than I ever could!!