A Woman of Noble Character ~ Week 7

Week 7:  Proverbs 31:28-29  Has your husband and/or children done something or given you something you did not expect?  Write a post about how your family has blessed you.

 28Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

 29Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

When I was a child, I pictured marriage as being somewhat confining.  I'm not sure why I thought that.  I guess I don't remember my mom ever really getting out with her girlfriends or anything.  She had close friends and they usually served in church callings together.  I remember her having presidency meetings at our kitchen table and she and her friends sitting around laughing.   Those meetings seemed to go on for hours--just a bunch of grown women laughing and having the time of their lives together.

I don't believe that my mom didn't get out because of anything my dad did or didn't do.  It was simply because she didn't have anything she really wanted to do.  She was content to be home.  My sister, however, knew another mom--same woman with a different way of doing things.  She was younger, had fewer kids and was a bit more adventurous back in her day.  By the time I came around, my mom had six children (five at home).  I think she was worn out by the end of the day.

I guess I pictured that that's how marriage would be.  That was my first thought when I read the questions for this post.  But it hasn't proven to be that way.  My husband has given me freedom.  First of all, he freed me from the poor self-esteem I had when we first met.  He lifted me up.

One week in church, he shared with me that they'd had a lesson on how men could help their wives (or something like that).  The gentleman teaching the class turned to the Warden and asked him specifically  how he helps his wife.  He shared that he allowed me opportunities to be all that I can be (those are not his words, but that's the basic essence of what he said).  That is true.  He encourages me to stretch and fly.  Funny thing is, I don't always take him up on these opportunities.  My ability to get my degree and raise seven children and keep things in the home running are, in a huge degree, possible because of him.

I only wish I could offer as much to him.

I attribute much of this characteristic in him to his mother.  There are many things she did in his growing up years that taught him how to be a fair and loving husband.  She took her opportunities to learn and fly.  I think the Warden observed this as a child and it became part of what he hoped for in his wife.  He tries to make that possible for me.  I don't think she knows that she did this, and I am the direct beneficiary of her actions.  I am grateful for the woman she is.

The Warden is not the kind of guy who comes in after a long day at work (and believe me, his days can be very long) and says, "Where's my dinner?" and "Why isn't this house clean?"  He's a jump in and get 'er done kind of guy.  I think he learned this silent service from his dad.

As for my children, they have given me everything--many sweet moments of peace and satisfaction, but also opportunities to stretch and grow--stressful and uncomfortable situations--as I've participated in their growth.  I am grateful for these that I've been entrusted with.  I feel strongly that they're mine for a reason.  I am thankful for their forgiveness as I try to get this motherhood thing right.

Never could I have imagined that my life would be like this.  It's far from perfect, but it sure has the potential for something great because of these wonderful people in my life.

This Girl....

...is 22 months old today.

I honestly chased her all over the house to get one photo of her.  This is the best I could do today.

She is a JOY! She's at the point where everyday has new words, or at least new words that I can understand and thus translate for the rest of the world.

Today, the word was "Ruum ruum." This means "car."
Yesterday, the word was "Hannies," which translates to "hands."
I truly love this age.

She still takes two naps a day, which is a total blessing considering I'm trying to get schoolwork done during the day. She has her favorite blanket, which, by the way, is known as a "Didi." She likes fuzzy blankets. My other kids, all but one, were into silky things. She is a thumb sucker, but only when she goes to sleep.  If you put her didi on your shoulder, she'll snuggle right into your neck, suck her thumb and be content there for a good long time.

She runs. She loves our dog and tells her to "Mom. Mom," which means "Come. Come." She slaps her thighs as she says this.

She'll walk into the bathroom and say, "Potty.  Potty."   I've put her on the potty twice, but she really doesn't have a clue what that's all about yet.

I've been thankful for #3's orthodontia and the need for rubberbands that are just the perfect size for pigtails for #7.

Please ("peeze") and "dit-du" (thank you) are big parts of her vocabulary, and it seems that she knows just when to use them.  Yay!

She also knows how to open the front door if the deadbolt isn't set.

Yesterday, while we were making cookies--she, #6 and two of #6's bubs--#6 had put a chair in front of the sink so the boys could wash their hands.  She climbed on the chair while I was getting ingredients out of the cupboard, reached across the sink (feet leaving the chair), and turned on the water.  She then proceeded to wash her hands--thus "hannies, hannies" being yesterday's word of the day.  That's what she said as she washed.

Two days ago, she somehow stripped #2's bed down to the mattress, climbed up on it--it's pretty high off the ground, and fell asleep right in the middle of it.  We were all pretty surprised.  #2 was pretty disappointed that he was going to have to figure out how to move the sleeping girl without waking her up and remake his bed entirely before climbing into it.

She's a character and is just starting to get into EVERYTHING...and away we go!

This, by the way, is my 900th post!