My heart

My quote book is packed away still, but I wrote down a quote similar to, "Having a child is like having your heart walk around outside of you." Oh my word, so true! 

Jackson Matthew is my heart. He is such a joy. He is such a little stinker. He makes me want to be a better person so that he wants to be like me and he wants to marry a woman like me someday. I am not that person yet, but I am working on it for his sake. He has taught me so much about my God, my faith, myself, my life. He had stretched me in ways I didn't even know existed. He had forced me to become an extremely patient person, which was never a strength of mine. He has given me such joy. He is my heart. 

I have been meaning to do a picture update post. I don't think I can ever adequately catch up, so here are a few recents from my phone. 

Always smiley in the morning. Especially when Momma sneaks him into her bed. 

He pulled the chair out from the table and proceeded to "sit" in it. Close, baby! 

He has the best smile. Before he got teeth I thought his smile would be ruined by teeth. Wrong- cuter with each new pearly (and crooked) white.

Always so active. 

How can I not enjoy my "job"? 

Afternoon nap on Father's Day. These two=perfection. 

Making him happy (and smiley) is my goal each and every day. 

Just like Daddy.

His dinner of choice- long stalk of celery! 

Parenthood is a lifestyle. For me, it had been so incredibly rewarding and has gotten better with each day. I can't even adequately describe it. It is challenging, it requires constant acts of selflessness, it is tiring (haven't gotten a full night of uninterrupted sleep for about 24 months), it is constant. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Having a child helped life make sense in ways I didn't even know I was questioning. Suddenly I understand that our life is not our own, but Christ's because I want Jackson to live completely for Christ as he grows. Suddenly I realize how idle my hands were before when I had so much free time to waste that could have been put to better use. Suddenly I understand the phrase "This will hurt me more than you", even though I still hope I never use it with Jackson. Suddenly I understand why we are not to worry about tomorrow, for Christ has a plan for my son and that means He has a plan for me too. 

Being a mother, to me, has been so rewarding. Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with a son. And thank you for blessing me with Your Son.