Potty Training

Juliette has decided she is ready to potty train!  Please note that I say "Juliette", because I HATE POTTY TRAINING!!! Please remember that I have trained 2 girls already and it is no more my favorite now than it has been in the past. I'm just not good at it and I'm not asking for advice this time, because honestly I've tried everything in the past and I've settled on one plan that seems to work well.  I just let them wear diapers until they decide they don't want to wear diapers anymore.  At first I thought that they might still be wearing them when they were teenagers, but then I slowly realized that human beings do not desire to be bound by plastic underpants.  We start out that way and unfortunately most of us end that way, but in between we will do whatever it takes to wear as little of that stuff as possible. Anyhow, all that to say that Juliette has begun WAYYYY too early for my tastes.  I would've been fine with her waiting until she was 4, but no she wants to do it now so here we go!  I do the rewards and she LOVES that part, but connected to her love for being naked is also her love of sitting on the toilet.  She says "Bik, Mommy, Bik." For any of you that don't speak 2 year old talk that means Book.  She wants to read a book while she sits there, and sits there and sits there.  She also says to me, "Go! Go!" She wants her privacy.  The only problem is that she CANNOT be alone in the bathroom or unfortunate events occur.  One time I turned around for a second and when I came back she was standing...IN THE TOILET!!! Thankfully this had not been a successful trip to the bathroom and Juliette was having a great time splashing in "clean" toilet water...EWWWWW!

This is why I hate potty training.  A diaper is a clean process. I am REALLY good at diapers now. Between my job(mom/baby nurse) and my 3 children in the last 6 years I would consider myself a professional.  The problem comes in when they decide they want to take the diapers OFF and then it is no longer a clean process.  Anyhow, that is my life right now.  In between potty runs, I quickly check on the older girls school and then run back to the potty.  Then I run and put a dish in the dishwasher and run back to the potty. and then another dish, potty, etc... you get the picture.  Please refrain from writing comments like the following, "Oh I trained my Susie in a weekend. She is amazing!"  "Oh Johnny when to the potty one time and that was it!" I used to think I was doing something wrong so I tried EVERYTHING.  Then I realized one day that between my girls and I this process was just meant to take longer than most people...Years longer than most people.  The good news is that Bethleen and Tia are actually potty trained fully.  Forget that it took from about 2 1/2 years from start to finish for each of them.  I've got my army boots on and I'm ready to roll.  We will successfully be done this journey of potty training in November of 2017 if all goes as before.  Wow that seems a LONG LONG way away, but I know it will go fast.  God bless all you fellow potty trainers. The following picture was taken in July of 2013.  This is Bethleen and Tia.

Some of you have commented on my posts and I love that so much!  It encourages and uplifts me!
We are doing well. Working hard on school and getting ready for Christmas.  We are headed out to my parents' house for Christmas for the first time ever.  The other day we put up our Christmas tree and Bethleen said, "Mommy, I'm not sure I want to go to Grammy's for Christmas."  I asked her why and her answer was, "Because we have such a beautiful Christmas tree."  I assured her that we would fully enjoy ours and that I was sure Grammy's would be very very beautiful.  These pictures were all taken courtesy of Tia. She loves to practice taking pictures with my phone. They may not be perfect, but they give very accurate pictures of our lives.  Especially miss Juliette's mischief!  Please note the bathing suit that she has to wear to bed every night.

Another day

So yesterday I felt like a super hero...Today I feel like a failure.  Thankfully God uses our failures for good.  I'm really hoping that he will use mine.  At the end of the day I feel like I've swung back and forth between solid and screamer.  I feel like one minute I'm trying really hard to be sensitive to my kids and discipline them properly and then the next minute I just want to scream and run out the door and I get so impatient with them.  I long for stability and that is what I am currently seeking from God.  Please keep us in your prayers.  I am learning to keep many of you in mine.  I realize right now that not a lot of people read this blog and I am finding that I am ok with that.  I find myself thinking clearer as I type out these thoughts.  Its very stress-relieving.  Today I am reading Philippians 4:10-20...with a main focus on verse 19.  I know a lot of people read large portions of scripture each day, but right now I am just trying to get back in the habit of daily time with God.  It may be short, but at least now I'm checking in again and really seeking to put my focus back on him.  God be with all of you tonight.  May you sleep in perfect peace with your mind stayed on him.  And for those of you who do not know my sweet Jesus, I cannot imagine living life without him.  Good night.

Spirit's Movements

Sometimes these movements of the Spirit are like a giant earthquake that you can't miss, but normally they are a soft gentle breeze and if you aren't paying attention you will miss out on the most glorious touch of the Spirit in your life.  That is where I am right now in my life.  The Spirit is moving and God is urging me to stop what I am doing and "know" his presence and work in my life.  I just finished reading in Genesis 22:13-14 where Abraham calls the place where God called him to sacrifice Isaac and then provided a substitute, "God will provide."  how often do I forget this crucial quality of my God...OF COURSE HE WILL PROVIDE!!  I just forget. I lose sight of what a might awesome God he really is.  Even more than that I often forget just how much he loves me.
Spirit, keep moving.  Don't give up on me.  Help me to stop and feel your gentle motions.  Help me to know you more and to walk with your daily.  Guide me.

Manje Kreyol

This life is such an adventure.  You see, I am a wife and I am a mother.  I am American, but I am also Haitian.  You see I became Haitian on February 23, 2009.  I didn't know it actually at the time, but its the truth.  I don't do things the same way I would've if I were only American.  Chicken for instance.  How long does it take you to prepare drumsticks to put in the oven for supper?  For most Americans it may take 20 seconds...or maybe 5 minutes if you're doing shake and bake.  For me, it takes me about 30 minutes. I even use a mortal and pestle(although apparently I can't spell it ).  I used to try my hand at Haitian food but doing it in an American way, but it was a disaster.  You cannot speed through Haitian food.  You have to take your time and do it right.  The chicken and I wrestled for what seemed like forever to prepare it just the way I should.  Do I have to do it that way?  No of course not. I could just throw it in the oven and make him put up with it, but I have started to realize that I truly do love him and I truly do want to do my very best for him.  In our situation that may look different than yours...or it might look exactly the same. All of us as wives have our challenges and many exhibit themselves in different ways.  I believe that when I'm all done with this I won't even know how to cook like an American.  See the fortunate thing is that I never really learned to cook in the first place so this is basically my first time learning.  Its easier doing it with a fairly clean slate.  Its also nice because my mother-in-law comes for a couple months a year.  You would think I would pay attention, but most of the time I am just glad someone else is doing it.  Every time though I do try to pick up a few new things and this time it was the chicken.  I have so much to learn and I know that I have only begun to learn what it means to be Haitian, but I LOVE this adopted country of mine and I LOVE the people that God has brought in my life as a result.

My youth pastor's wife solved the "stripping" problem.  We now duck tape Juliette's diaper and then put a bathing suit over her diaper and then her PJs.  She is not able to at this time get her shirt off so she can't take the swim suit off either.  I am so thankful that at least for the moment that adventure has taken a back shelf.

Enjoy your Christmas preparations, but don't forget the very sweet and wonderful REASON FOR THIS SEASON!
Maggie

Survival of the Fittest

I worked Thursday night after a VERY busy Thanksgiving day and then I worked last night(Friday night) as well.  I will tell you that even though I only work two days a week now it still sucks the life out of me.  I don't sleep well during the day so I get very scattered sleep.  However, the nice thing about being part time is that now I'm done for the week and I can get a good night sleep tonight as well as get back on board with my "other" life.  We did a little school today just to make up for some time we have missed recently and then we just spent time together as a family.  I love them so much!  Balmir takes such good care of them and they really enjoy spending daddy time on the weekend.
At this moment as I speak, I am finally sitting down and I can hear my two oldest daughters whispering and giggling as they somewhat attempt to go to sleep.  Also, I have just finished changing Juliette who we found stark naked in her bed with her sweet little buns sticking up in the air, fast asleep.  She has done this often lately.  We put her to bed and she seems to quietly go to sleep but really she is taking of her clothes(diaper and all).  She then often wakes up because she has peed all over her bed.  Sooo...that is an area where I would love any advice I can get.  This is totally new for us.  We have tried duck taping her diaper at night, but that only worked about two nights and then she figured it out.

I met some really sweet people at the hospital this week. It was so nice taking care of families who really love each other and support each other.  You never know when you're somewhere how much you can bless someone else.  I will probably never see these people again here on this earth, but they have really blessed me this weekend.

I just found this picture below of my sweet girl and I wanted to share it with you.

TIRED...Not sure I can even right much but I'll try a bit.  Nope...can't...I just fell asleep at the computer.  I did Thanksgiving all day yesterday and then went to work on a very nice night with some awesome coworkers!  Thanksgiving was at my house for the first time in my life.  It was so much fun!  Not much I can write cause I keep dozing off but I'll at least pody dp,rg u...

What a GREAT day!  It was super busy, but I learned a lot.  This morning started with my sweet Grandmother (Mama Shirley) teaching me how to make my very first stuffing.  Down here in the south they only make "dressing."  I'm not even sure what that is, but today I learned the good old fashioned normal way of making the "stuffing."  We had such a fun adventure finding all the gizzards and NECK(that was the most incredible part of all).  Thank you Mama Shirley for taking the time to pass on your skills.  I love you!
Also, my parents safely arrived!  We are so happy to have them here with us for Thanksgiving!  It is so good to see them and spend time with them.

This is the first holiday of many without our sweet Poppy.  In fact today is the one month anniversary of his home going to meet Jesus.  We miss him every day and it definitely is not easy, but its so sweet to know he is safe with Jesus.  How horrible death must be to those who have no hope.  I am so THANKFUL to know that my Jesus will take me to heaven when I die.

Well, I guess that is all for now.  I'm really enjoying having a place to put my thoughts into words.  Maybe as time goes on I'll get better at it, but for now its a great outlet.  God bless you all and enjoy the holiday with your families.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

So today is an amazing milestone!  It marks my 6th anniversary of being a MOM!  My sweet Bethleen turns 6 years old today! I can't believe it.  She is so sweet and so precious.  She helps me out a lot and always seeks to find ways to make us smile.  She is such a blessing to us.  Watching her grow has been the most amazing miracle of my life.
I have to go school them now, but I just wanted to share that with you all.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BETHLEEN!!!

Hello dear friends and family!

I have blogged many times before and yes who knows how long this one will last, but I feel that I must try.  I feel like my life is flying by and I can't even process it so here I am going to try to process it all and also to share it with you.  Life is crazy as a wife and mother of 3 rapidly growing children. We are having so much fun and developing in some amazing ways.  I don't mean that just they are developing.  I also find myself changing and growing and for that reason I have chosen "Jesus in Me" as the title of this blog.  Recently I feel this strong desire to reconnect with my Lord.  See for many years in highschool and even the beginnings of college, I was very in love with my Jesus.  I had a close relationship with him and considered him my lover and my best friend.  As years have gone by, I still consider him this, but I have allowed other distractions and priorities to come between us.  I now feel him moving in my soul and drawing me close to him...wooing me in a sense.  I am so thankful he does not ever give up on us.  

Also I am desperate to see him work in me regarding my children and my ministries that he has called me to. There is a lot of developing to be done in my life so that I may effectively serve him.  I want to be a good wife, and I want to be a good mommy, but I cannot do these things without God's work in my life.  

So, if you decide to read these posts or if not, that is not a problem.  This is going to be a place where I try to reconnect with my friends and also to help myself to work through all the amazing changes that take place every day in my life lately.

God bless you all and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!