Video Troubles

I have so many cute videos of the kids, and I have been trying to share them in various ways, but have been running into some difficulties.

These videos tend to be too long to share on facebook, instagram or the blog. They are too big to e-mail from my phone, and have to go through my computer first.

The best avenue I have found lately is YouTube. I can do something called unlisted, where you can only watch the videos if you go through the link, but I can share the link anywhere I would like, including the blog or facebook, but you can't find them if you search for them.

So, below are some links of recent cute videos. I hope you enjoy!

http://youtu.be/u_foXzGuTKc

http://youtu.be/aAtZN9EhOek

http://youtu.be/a8LWd6Z87fo

http://youtu.be/UD8RhM8eXjI

http://youtu.be/oQcqNpxbxwQ

I'll try to do this from time to time, while also looking at other ways to share these special moments. 

Different trainings needed

There is a Bible verse about running the race set before you, and as I am training for a race, running metaphors seem especially fitting lately.

Many Bible studies I attend talk about trails, and the difficulties of life that are sure to come, and I keep being apprehensive about the next " big one" I'll  experience. The adoption journey followed by the pregnancy journey felt like big ones, full of angst, tears and heartache. 

But since Remington was born, I haven't had another huge hard crazy time of crying out to God and I couldn't help but wonder if this time is just the calm before the next storm.

That may still be true, and maybe I will have a huge something come up soon, or it could be a different kind of training.

For my marathon, I am following an online training program, and some days are long runs with lots of miles, but a comfortable pace, and some days are short all out sprints mixed with jogs.

I thought about it today, that maybe I don't have to fear the next big disaster, because my testing/ trials/ training for heaven from God is sprint days for now.

It's the toddler tantrums and accidents and baby climbing up stairs hard days, that is just a day, but for that day is a lot harder than the long drawn out adoption process, which was hard because it was so long , but not full of acutely hard days.

Each day presents its own little challenges ( sprints if you will) that have to be overcome, but overall life is good. I'm thankful for the good, and will try to be better about my little tests ( and not give into the temptation to scream at my preschooler or cry to Blake about my days). I will try to be thankful that today's challenge for Grace is yet another low grade fever doctor visit night, and not months in the hospital battling something major ( my heart goes out to families that are facing this scenario instead). 

I also see this relative calm time as practice in prayer for others, who are going through their big trials (or long runs in my analogy) and need more prayer than I do. 

These are my thoughts tonight as I nurse Remington to sleep and Grace is at the doctor for a little fever yet again.

Time Flies When you are a Parent (Part 2, more pictures and video)

Building Grace's new tricycle together

Remington pushing the wagon around while Grace rode her bike.

Making bread together.

Remington's close encounter with an iguana at the fair.

Friends at the fair.

Family Vacation down to San Diego. Kids's first train ride.

Remington slept through it (which we wanted).

Grace's attempt to eat an ice cream cone.

The family Vans, all ready for the next day at the zoo.

Getting practice feeding himself.

First fair game.

Grace was quite scared about her first fair ride.

Her second went much better with Blake by her side.

Date afternoon at an Angels game (they won!)

Big fan of Doc McStuffins these days.

They look grumpy, but are having fun...just a bad picture.

Time Flies When you are a Parent

There are times that you don't notice your own speed. For example, the earth is constantly spinning, but we don't ever feel it because we have nothing to compare our movement to.

Life before kids was like that. It was moving, and moving pretty fast, but I never really noticed the passing of time. My theory is that I never had something so pointedly showing me how fast time was moving, we both just kept working at our jobs, year after year, same coworkers, etc.

But my kids really make it feel like life is flying by. Things that I feel aren't too long ago, actually took place quite a while ago. Like Remington's birth! Next month he will turn 1 year old. A year has gone by since being pregnant? Since giving birth to him?

I look at him and I know the baby is quickly disappearing into my little toddler. He still is too afraid to take that first solo step, but he cruises around with ease. Grace is talking in more of complete sentences, doing pretend play with a beautiful imagination and will be starting preschool next month!

I know it is a good thing, and my kids will always show me the passing of time, but it definitely shows just how quick time goes by.

The neglect of this blog is just a symptom of that. My free time is limited to an hour (or less) at naptime and a couple of hours before bed. There are tons of things I would love to do in that time, and somehow, my online record of their lives has been ranking low on the totem pole.

I do take plenty of pictures, and videos and am good about writing at least one sentence about their lives in my journal every night. So, I know this time will not disappear unrecorded.

Here is a record breaking big photo and video blog to make up for no blog in July.

Fourth of July

Dad's Birthday