I always think I'm not going to get sucked into the Olympics...I like sports but I'm far from die-hard about anything. Nonetheless, 4 years ago, I was on night-float as senior resident during the Beijing Olympics. This meant I came to work at 7pm and left at 7am for 2 weeks. Normally, things were crazy from 7pm til around 2am when the ER stopped sending patient up to the floor to get admitted. Then there was usually a few hours of quieter "down" time to check up on other patients and go to deliveries (we all know babies love to come into the world between 2am and 6am). So, I was one of the few Americans who watched the Olympics in real time because I was up in the middle of the night. At 16 weeks pregnant with Charlotte, I felt her "flutter" for the first time while watching Michael Phelps win one of his 8 golds! I know a lot of people love him and some don't, but I couldn't help but get teary as a pregnant mom-to-be while watching the interchange between he and his mom. I hoped that that little baby in my tummy would one day grow to do great things...but even more importantly, grow to love and appreciate and trust his or her mommy.
Now 4 years later, I can tell you without a doubt, that my 3 1/2 year old has every ounce of energy that Olympic games require. Her younger brother does, too. Her younger sister is quickly making gains and I am wondering what happened to my energy. Surely, I used to have some too? I look at them and wonder what they will be like. What will they love to do? We have a fun time trying to figure out which sport each child is suited for, fully realizing that the chances of making it to the Olympics are about as good as winning the lottery:) Nonetheless, we are excited about their lives and who they are and who they may become. Such a challenge to harness and mold those God-given personality traits into something productive and beautiful. I certainly can appreciate how important prayer is in that process because parenting books/methods are seemingly ineffective on many occasions! Charlotte and Philip are both tall for their ages and have no fear. Philip at 16 months can reach counter tops, climb on top of tables, lock doors etc.
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Above post was written a few weeks ago when I was in full-blown Olympics mode. I never finished it...probably because I was watching some event until midnight like a crazy person...hahaha. Anyway, I love to dream for my kids and going through what we have been through this past year makes you appreciate the little things that your kids can do. I definitely want to dream big for my kids, but I do pray that they would be kind, compassionate, loving, etc. That they would walk with Jesus and have ultimate hope and joy in Him while they live out His calling in their lives. For now, I'm in the trenches, trying to keep them from falling off a table, wetting their pants, running out into a parking lot alone, and hoping a gtube feed stays down, that they crawl, walk and run. I loved the commercials during the Olympics of the kids that were wrecking their parents' homes while they practiced for an event. I could identify, but I'm not sure if we'll ever bring home an Olympic gold to show for it....;) For now, I'm just trying to enjoy what I can, not get too overwhelmed and just be a good mom.
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