The kids had a parent-free extravaganza, with a weekend at my parents’ house, followed by a day with Rich’s parents. They were well fed and well entertained!

We hadn’t been away without the kids since I was pregnant with Joel (and that trip was only for one night). Before that, we had gone to San Francisco for a few days. I think we both needed some time to remember that we’re not just Mommy and Daddy.

As we walked through the Philadelphia Airport last Friday afternoon, I kept thinking how easy it was to travel without children and all their gear! No strollers or car seats to lug, only our own carry-ons to keep track of. Nobody to take potty, nobody to drag out from under the seats in the terminal, nobody to warn not to touch ANYTHING in the bathroom.

And that’s before we even got on the plane. Never mind not having to entertain four small people while in the air!

Even though we enjoyed our time together, we kept saying things like, “Wouldn’t the girls love this?” or “We should bring the kids here sometime.” There is definitely something special about traveling with your children. The joy that new experiences brings to their little faces is contagious!

One of the days, we called to see how the kids were doing. Rich was telling Sydney about some of the things we had done. When he wrapped up his talk with her, he said, “I miss you, Syd.” *crickets*

“I said, I miss you, Syd.”

Sydney: “I heard you.”

I guess it’s safe to say that all six of us had a great weekend!

But all too often, there is no check-off list, no list of rules to follow, or even if there is a list of rules, they are impossible to perfectly complete.

Parenting, for example. It seems like there are lists of rules everywhere for how to be a good mother, often contradictory. Let your child cry it out, so he learns to comfort himself. Or, don’t dare let your child cry himself to sleep, lest he develop a mistrust of his parents. Don’t overschedule your child, she needs time to develop her imagination. Or, make sure you give your child every opportunity to discover her gifts and passions.

There is no possible way to follow every rule. There is no way to be a perfect parent. I am going to mess up, make mistakes, and hurt my children sometimes.

It’s the same with every area of life. Relationships, jobs, even what we choose to feed ourselves and our families. There are so many differing opinions of what makes a “good” person that it is easy to give in to feelings of guilt and inadequacy.

This is one of the real questions of life, isn’t it? Am I good enough? Do I measure up? Will God be happy enough with me to let me into heaven?

I think if we are honest with ourselves, we know that the answer is no. No, we can’t really be good enough. God, by definition, is perfect. We, as humans, are not. No matter how hard I try to follow all of God’s rules, I can’t possibly be perfect or good enough.

That’s why I’m so thankful for grace, for God rescuing me through Jesus. He is perfect, and took the punishment I deserved for all the rules I have broken and will break. Grace gets rid of the guilt, shame, and striving to be everything I can’t be. Because of Jesus, I am not forbidden. I don’t have to follow every rule, because they have already been followed. God is happy with me because of Jesus, not through anything I have done on my own. What an amazing truth!

This post is inspired by I Am Forbidden by Anouk Markovits. Though not sisters by blood but through their Hasidic faith, Mila and Atara views the rules and structure of their culture differently. Mila seeks comfort in the Torah while Atara searches for answers in secular literature she is forbidden to read. Ultimately each must make an irrevocable decision that will change their lives forever. Join From Left to Write on May 8 as we discuss I AM FORBIDDEN. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

That’s why we were all excited to try out a new product called Gutzy Gear. This fun pick-me-up for backpacks comes with two soft, fuzzy backpack strap covers that attach to your child’s backpack straps (or rolling handle) with velcro. Then kids can go crazy choosing from tons of different “Gutzies”–velcro-backed patches that stick right onto the covers. There are lots of choices, from animals to snack foods to sports to electronics. And that velcro is sticky. I really don’t think they will be having patches fall off their bags.

I have to tell you, these patches are a huuuuge hit with my girls. All three of them immediately wrapped the covers around their backpack straps (and rolling handles, in the case of my older two), and stuck on the Gutzies. They were so excited to be able to each share a set with a friend, too. And my older girls said that the kids at school have asked about them.

You can find Gutzy Gear at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. They cost between $3.99-$9.99. Check out Gutzy Gear online, or like them on facebook.

Good news! I have a starter Gutzy Gear set (strap covers) and a surprise set of Gutzies to give away to one lucky reader. To enter, just leave a comment telling me who you would give your prize to, and make sure I have your email so I can contact you! Contest ends April 30. Winner has 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen. US addresses only, please.

Disclosure: I was sent Gutzy Gear sets for my children to try out and to hand out to some of their friends. I was also given a gift card as a thank-you for checking out the display in my local store. All opinions are my own, only influenced by my four kids.

And what is cuter than a little girl playing soccer? Not much.

But when my kids start to gravitate to something that I can totally identify with, that’s pure joy.

I started acting when, one day at the age of twelve, I decided to stay in from recess to try out for the sixth grade play. Somehow at the audition, I was paired up with the “ickiest” boy in school and in an attempt to survive the experience, threw myself into the part. I was given the leading role, and I never looked back.

Throughout junior high and high school, I spent most of my after-school hours in the “auditorium,” practicing for whatever show happened to be coming up. During those unfortunate months where there was no play happening, I took voice and piano lessons in preparation for the next show. I even directed a couple of plays at my church, and my senior project was directing and performing in the musical, “She Loves Me.”

So you can imagine I’ve been interested to see if any of my four children have inherited the flair for the dramatic from their mother. At the same time, though, I have always been very careful not to try to push them to get involved in theatre.

This fall, Audrey auditioned for her school’s 4th-6th grade play, “Goldilocks on Trial.” And she was thrilled to be chosen to play Goldilocks herself. I eagerly signed up to help the four high-school girls who were directing the production. Thanks to my mother-in-law’s help with my three younger kids, I was able to be at play practice once a week, helping with costumes, crowd control, and the kids who made up the jury.

Audrey loved being on stage. She worked hard at memorizing all her lines as quickly as she could, she listened to the directors when they wanted her to change something, and she threw herself into her role with such passion that it brought tears to my eyes. I loved being involved with the production, but not directly with her. That way, I could just watch her from the sidelines, doing her own thing. I didn’t have to push her, because she was running on her own.

Who knows what the future holds for my little actress? I loved sharing this special time with her. It was wonderful to watch her discover the magic of being on stage, of making the audience laugh. The feeling of both of you doing something you love is hard to beat. I’m looking forward to next year’s show already!

What special interest have you shared with your child?

Trish Herr’s then five year old daughter Alex wanted to hike all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000+ foot mountains. Would you let your five year old do the same? Join From Left to Write on April 12 as we discuss Up: A Mother and Daughter’s Peakbagging Adventure. As a member of From Left to Write, I received a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

But something I absolutely love is the way he’s learning language. It seems like every day, he is adding new words to his vocabulary. And it’s cute how he just comes out and says something, like he’s always been able to.

Last week, he said one of his first two-word phrases. I was changing his diaper, and like I always do, I was encouraging him to tell me that he needed a diaper change. Since he was little, I’ve told him, “Say, ‘I pooped,’” so that some day in the future, he will come and tell me without me having to sniff him out. Yes, I’m already looking forward to potty training this guy.

So, anyway, I was changing his diaper, when all of a sudden Joel said, “I……….pooped.” I looked at him, and he said it again, “I……….pooped.” I congratulated him on telling me, and he continued to proudly tell me, “I……….pooped. I…….pooped. I………pooped.” Over and over and over, he said it. For the next two hours, he would play, and then suddenly say, “I…….pooped,” like he was trying to remember it.

Joel has learned a lot of new words lately, and many are words he used to know as signs: cow (he used to say “mooooo”), bib, cheese (either the food or smiling for a picture, which he likes to do), yellow, blue (although he can’t reliably identify the colors, he likes to say them), his sisters’ names, couch…

He was being so sweet the other day, giving me hugs (“Huuuuug!”) and pats on the back. “I love you, Joel,” I said to him. He looked right into my eyes, and tenderly told me, “I……..pooped.”

One of his favorite topics of conversation is swimming lessons. He likes to tell Daddy about splashing (“Pash! Pash!”), going down the little froggy-shaped slide (“laddle-laddle-laddle” with his tongue going in and out like a frog’s) and how water gets in his ears when he goes under (“Eeeeeer. Eeeeeer.” while pointing to his ears and looking very concerned).

Often, he talks about swimming lessons while taking baths. He likes to blow bubbles in the bath water, and loves it when I pull the curtain over the tub so he and Sydney can splash up a storm. Last night, Sydney was playing with a toy he wanted and he was pointing at it and grunting. “Joel,” I encouraged him, “Say, ‘Can I have a turn?’”

Joel looked at Sydney sincerely, with his eyebrows raised, and carefully said, “I……..pooped.”

With a name like Amy, I was always envious of my friends with long names and nickname potential. So my first girl was going to be Elizabeth Jennifer, and the other five followed suit. Although I don’t remember any of the other names I had picked…

By the time I got to college, I had other goals and ideas about where I wanted my life to go, but mostly I still wanted to get married and have a big family. “Big” had changed to four kids instead of my original six.

In this month’s From Left to Write book club selection, Natalie Taylor’s husband dies suddenly during her fifth month of pregnancy. This was obviously not what she had planned on in her life. But with the love and support of friends and family, and wisdom from her favorite works of literature, she is able to eventually see sparks of joy as her life moves on from the tragedy.

As my life unfolds, things don’t always turn out the way I had hoped or planned. Although I do have my wonderful husband and four kids, like I wanted, motherhood isn’t exactly what I pictured as a kid. It’s not always the cuddles on the couch, giggles, and warm fuzzies. There are often piles of toys, tears (theirs and mine), and bumpy times of correction as we walk this road together. Times of heartache and sorrow can’t be planned for or predicted. And on the flip side, the times of utter joy can’t always be planned.

Clearly, we are not in control of the events of our lives. As much as I like to try to keep everything lined up in my life, it’s really just an illusion. I am thankful for the hope that I have that God is loving, he is good, and he is in charge. He has given me this life and these people to love, and I am thankful.

Join From Left to Write on March 29 as we discuss Signs of Life by Natalie Taylor. As a member of From Left to Write, I received a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

A few minutes later, I stacked some boxes of pasta into the cart and looked down at Joel. He had taken one of the heads of broccoli out of the bag and was happily munching on it!

You can just imagine the tantrum that ensued, as I explained that I had to pay for the broccoli before he ate it…

He was not about to let that broccoli go. Take a look at my buddy enjoying his lunch!

If only my girls loved their veggies this much!

I was excited to see this month’s DaySpring (in)spired deals, because I think it is great to have scripture around the house. It helps forgetful moms (and kids) to stay grounded in the truth.

I was sent two products to try out from this month’s collection. One is a little red plaque with Philippians 4:13 and “Your strength is as big as the God in you” on it. I have it on my kitchen windowsill, where I can see it while I’m cleaning up, or if I look out the window at my kids playing in the back yard.

The other product I was sent is a collection of eight pads of sticky notes. I am a sucker for this kind of thing! I just love paper/pens/writing supplies of any type.

Five of the pads have a scripture reference and little message, while the other three have a colorful pattern. These would be great to write a quick note on to stick in a kid’s lunch box, or to stick on a book you were loaning to a friend. Or, you know, to write the grocery list on. Just being real.

The set of notes itself would be a nice little hostess gift or even just something to give a friend to show you were thinking of her.

Are there certain Bible verses that really speak to you, or that have special meaning to you?

Disclosure: DaySpring provided me with each of the products described in this post to facilitate my review. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

I don’t know about you, but it is awfully easy to get caught up in trying to do it all. And I don’t know about you, but I know I just can’t. I can’t keep the house perfect, I can’t cook the perfect meals, I can’t make my children behave perfectly, I can’t have a perfectly happy attitude.

But here’s the good news. We don’t have to do it all! In Christ, God has already done it all. In Holley Gerth’s new book, You’re Already Amazing, Holley helps readers embrace this truth.

One thing I love about this book is how it is full of interactive charts, graphs, and lists for the reader to fill in. It is almost like a book with a workbook or journal integrated in.

And if you’re like me, and just can’t bear to write in books (I didn’t even highlight in my college textbooks!), you will love even more that you can download and print all the exercises from the author’s website. How great is that! It definitely makes it easy to share this book with your friends.

Disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

For the last few months, we have been dealing with a tough situation at Audrey and Georgia’s school. It all started when a boy, “Robbie,” developed a crush on Audrey. At first, I thought it was kind of cute. After all, my daughter is beautiful and smart (biased much?), so it’s to be expected, right? Audrey was completely uninterested in Robbie, or in any boy for that matter. We have been thankful that her circle of friends has not gotten to the “boy-crazy” stage yet.

But as the weeks went on, I began to learn more about Robbie. For a variety of reasons, he is significantly older than Audrey. He approaches her at lunchtime and at recess, when the children are not supervised as closely as in the classroom. And he is a persistent little guy!

Audrey started out being polite but direct. When he invited her to come to his house (over and over), she said, “No, thanks.” When he asked her if she liked him, she said, “As a friend.”

I went in to school in November for a special day when parents were able to have lunch with their kids. I sat down at Audrey’s lunch table, with all her (girl) friends, and Robbie plopped himself right down across from me. “So,” he asked me, “Did Audrey tell you I like her?”

And he’s forward!

All of this started to really grate on Audrey. So we talked to her teacher about it. Her teacher has separated the two of them even more than they were before, and told Robbie to knock it off. But then a couple of weeks ago he gave her a letter apologizing for his behavior. Nice, right? Except that he had included cash so she “would know he was serious.” The money was promptly sent back.

For a few days, all was quiet on the Robbie front.

Until I started hearing from Georgia.

She reported that Robbie was talking to her after school while she waited for Audrey. Every day, he asked her if Audrey liked him, or said things like, “I haven’t seen you for a while.”

Now, remember, this is a 5th grade boy (old for his grade) talking to a 2nd grade girl.

Then last week, Audrey said that Robbie kept cursing around Georgia.

That just seemed like the last straw to me. I mean, do we really need a big boy teaching that kind of language to our little 2nd grader? I told Audrey that she could tell him to stop.

I told her to tell him that cursing makes him sound stupid.

I think my next step is to email the teacher and principal and ask for a meeting with Robbie’s parents. Either that, or talk to him myself if I see him.

What do you think? Am I overreacting? Is this harassment or just an annoying boy? What would you do to help your daughters work through this situation?