encouragement

Hey friends and family,

My back is mostly healed and I'm back on schedule with martial arts training and tossing the twins up in the air as we play. What a difference a week makes! I have a new found respect and sympathy for those people who live with back pain indefinitely. It's really demoralizing and takes a strong will and heart to endure.

Anyway, on to the more important topic of the day which is Kendra's emotional well being. She's having a tough time right now with the difficulties of being a stay at home mom raising twin toddlers. I don't ask you as readers to do much and rarely have a "call to action", but right now Kendra could really use some words of encouragement from those of you who are able to call her. If you have her phone number give her a call any time day or evening.

She's doing a great job and I have no complaints, but she feels like she's not meeting up to her own self-imposed high goals and standards. She read several books and has been around kids her entire life so it's not as though this is new territory. The difference is, she realizes the magnitude of getting one shot to do this parenting thing right. More specifically, Layla is going through a stage where she willing, consciously disobeys on the simple things and she also presents a challenge in transitioning from one thing to another. For example, leaving the park and getting in the car is a struggle because Layla wants to play so badly.

I know there is no magical answer or silver bullet to solve it all, but Kendra is in need of some hopeful, positive thinking if you can spare some. I laid next to her in bed briefly tonight and did what a good husband should do in situations such as this... close my mouth and open my ears.

Anyway, on to the twins and what their up to lately. I found an old, old camera (that double word usage was in honor of you, Oma) and gave it to Easton and Layla. Since it doesn't have a battery, Easton was less than interested. Layla decided to take pretend photos. I didn't bother to correct her by turning the camera around because it didn't matter.


Spontaneous! From the early days of our dating life, I've always made an exaggerated effort to convince Kendra I am spontaneous! She sees me as a planner who thinks too much so every opportunity I have to show my "free spirit" nature, I take it. Yesterday afternoon we played in the front yard rocks. Our neighbor, Marsha, came outside with her German Shepherd and announced she was going to the local dog park. She loaded her dog in the car and drove away.

Before she even left our sight Layla turned to me and said, "we go to the dog park?" Since I had no other relevant plan for how to spend the evening I proudly announced, "Yes! Yes, we will go to the dog park. That's a great idea, Layla!" Easton happily agreed and they quickly obeyed the directive to get in the car. Neither of the twins had any idea of what a dog park is, but they were sure excited to go there! We arrived to find a 6 foot tall wrought iron fence enclosing the massive grass area and there was Marsha with Brandy. Layla immediately wanted to go inside, but when I got down to Easton's level and asked if he wanted to go see the dogs he clearly articulated a big "NO" with the accompanying head shakes.

Luckily, next to the dog park was a huge play structure jungle gym where the twins and I loaded up our crocs with sand. Easton used his "outside voice" as I gave him permission to do so. Talk about a high pitched scream of fun...


Layla thought the big kid swing would be more exciting so she gave it a try, albeit cautiously. I was happy she chose to approach it this way because I didn't want to pick sand out of her hair from flipping over the swing.


I wasn't around today to witness the excitement, but Kendra had 6 kids under 3 years old in our house. They played with water table in the back yard and I hear it was a big hit. Not quite as fun as riding horses, jumping on a trampoline, and feeding pigs, but it was still adventurous and enjoyable.

That's it for today, so I'll see you again soon!