not to us

I feel like my children have grown up a lot over the past week.  It seems to happen that way with them.  They'll be fairly stagnant in their development for several months and then, BAM!, changes are abundant.  Have you noticed that with your kids?  Or even in your own life?

In the past week, Burke has:

started waving consistently
somewhat consistently saying words that we actually understand: hi, more, up, down, mama, and more  (No joke.  Six words in seven days.)
learned how to blow kisses
started following simple commands (go to the playroom, sit down, come here, pick up the toy, etc...)
only passed out once  (YAY!)
climbed onto the top of the dining room table
hidden my cell phone in the top pocket of a bookcase  (Not necessarily and developmental miracle, but I want to give him heck for it when he's older.  It took me an hour to find that sucker!)

Today, at naptime, I took him to his room, and I said, "It's time for night night."  I laid him down in my arms and started singing.  Usually, when he doesn't want to go to sleep, he starts to whine.  Today, he looked right up at me, reached his hand up and put it over my mouth, and said, "No no Ni ni."  I started laughing really hard, and I said, "No night night?"  And he said it again: "No no Ni ni."  Amazing!

In the past week, Ruby has:

turned three
learned how to hold up three fingers (using just one hand)
only had about one little fit per day (Whoo hoo!  Maybe the 3's won't be as bad as everyone says they are!)
started using all of her manners very consistently...nearly exclusively (please, thank you, using a kind voice)
corrected herself when she started talking too loudly
started expressing consistent and genuine gratitude ("Mommy, that was really nice of you to read me a book.  Thank you very much.")
started helping to get herself dressed
started eating well at meals without a hassle consistently

Last night, we were watching "Up", which the kids have watched at church recently.  It was apparent that Ruby was laughing at the parts that the big kids had laughed at, because she would laugh and then say, "All my friends at Elston Family Church laughed at that part!"  During the scene when Earl hits the construction worker with his cane, Ruby laughed really loud.  Without thinking, Mike and I both reacted, saying, "Ruby, that's not funny.  It's not nice to hit people."  We returned our attention to the movie, and Ruby was quiet for a few seconds before she started crying.  She said, "I was just laughing when the other kids laughed!"  We felt really bad that her feelings had been hurt, but it was a good lesson.  She's learning how to make good decisions and bad decisions intentionally.  She still chooses the bad decisions, but at least she knows there will be consequences.

Anyway...it's just incredible to watch them grow and change.  Even though it has very little to do with me, I get such a kick out of seeing them learn and grow.

And as for me?  I feel like I'm growing up, too.  On Sunday, our friend Luke shared about his recent trip to Papau New Guinea.  He showed a picture of some children playing soccer...with a completely deflated ball.  He said they were really excited, because it was a treat just to have a ball and not be playing with a rock or a tin can.  And then he said something that struck me.  He said, "Don't feel sorry for them.  Even though they don't have much, they have joy!"

But I did feel sorry for them.  Even though they were joyous, I still felt like they had a false understanding/enjoyment of the game.  Kicking a ball around can be loads of fun, but it's not soccer.

And, all of a sudden, I realized why I'm feeling a little "out of sorts" in my life/faith right now.  I think I have been playing with a deflated ball.  I've played real soccer before, and it's a lot more fun...so kicking a flattened ball around seems like a total waste of time to me.

But there are very few people who want to play real soccer with me.  It's a lot of work.  When that ball is inflated, it goes fast.  And you've gotta run hard after it.  And it moves completely differently than a deflated ball.  You've got to learn a new way to kick it and field it.  And you often want to reach your hand out to deflect the ball or catch it.  But that's against the rules.  And it's a temptation you never had when you were playing with the deflated ball, because the deflated ball never got more than a few inches above the ground.  It was natural to use your foot and not your hands.  But now?  That temptation is in your face all. the. time.  And sometimes it really does suck to deal with all of that.

But the first time you send a ball soaring past the goalie into the net?  Holy cow.  You're hooked.  And a deflated ball will never make do again.

I don't want to play with a deflated ball anymore.  I want a real, inflated soccer ball.  i want to be challenged.  I want to be panting out on the field, tired of chasing the dang ball around.  Because I can't wait to score another goal!