Having a Baby Changes Everything...

Haha, okay I've heard this phrase many, many, many times in my life and you don't realize how true it is until you have a child yourself. From the moment I found out we were pregnant our lives changed. Our cozy little one bedroom apartment became flooded with baby stuff and we thought then our lives had changed...

After over 36 hours of labor with both of us exhausted and zombie like holding our little girl we thought our lives had truly changed...

And I am sure that we will laugh as the years go by seeing just how much our precious miracle has truly changed our lives.

In my devotional book I am reading through lies that Women believe about their Children. This has created a huge sense of responsibility and motivated me with a desire to be the best parent I can be.
I have been very convicted this week that I should work very hard to focus on my daughter's spiritual training.

Haha, I thought this military training picture was a cute way to bring across my point.

I have had this deep conviction probably since I was young, but this week it had been exponentially increased. One thing my mother always said and I feel now more and more as I have my own child. She would say and still to this day says that her purpose for homeschooling us was not to get a better education than the public school system or to be 'better' as some view it but simply that it was more important to my parents that I learn about my wonderful Savior and be a Christian rather than read, write or spell. If I got all of the way through highschool and could not read, write or spell but I loved the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength her job as a teacher was complete. And that reading, writing and spelling were just pluses.

THAT IS CONVICTING. Homeschooling is very much more appealing to me when I think about where my focus should be for Adley. Her spiritual development is and should be my number one focus. No matter what I want her to love God. If she goes to heaven unable to read or socialize (a usual complaint against homeschoolers) but loves her Heavenly Father I do not think I can say that I have failed.

I'm not trying to get ahead of myself here, school is a long way off. Learning isn't though, it starts from the moment she was born!

This isn't a soapbox for homeschooling, this is me processing out loud how important of a responsibility I've been given. I love my daughter, and if I process my decisions through the most important question (essentially, how does this effect Adley's spiritual life?/what does God want us to do?) rather than what the world wants, prefers, thinks or says than we will be raising Adley in hopefully a Godly manner.

My devotional today had some great quotes...
The lie was 'We are not responsible for how our children turn out.'
This quote stuck out to me...'What parents tolerate in moderation, their children will excuse in excess.'
That quote was convicting. Now to process this all with my dear husband since this truly does change everything! ;)

Adley update-today I had her playing on her little play mat and she kept looking up at the center toy (a star). She loved staring at it, talking to it and smiling at it! I love watching her learn and grow! She is truly fearfully and wonderfully made.