Mercy for Japan

(photo credit Recorded Pictures)

Did you ever play the game of Mercy when you were a kid? You know the one - where someone pinches you or twists your skin or pummels you until you writhe in pain and cry for mercy. That's how it feels these days. Every time I turn on the news and hear of another earthquake or another tragedy, I cry out for mercy.

There are times in life when I just don't know what to say. This is one of those times. I've largely avoided the news from Japan, because, honestly, I just don't want to know. The devastation...the pain...the suffering...the heartbreak...they're all too much for me to handle.

It's almost as if I believe that if I pretend it's not there, then it didn't really happen. That people on the other side of the world aren't reeling from the aftershocks of a cataclysmic disaster. That the earth's axis hasn't shifted and that life as usual is going on. But, of course, it's not. Life as usual has ceased to exist for more people than I can imagine, and it will never be the same again.

Mercy, Lord, Mercy.

Until next time, grace and peace.

A New Adventure: Sharing Childcare

Today has been a fun and busy day. As many of you know, Dennis and I don't have any family around here, which makes life difficult sometimes. It would be nice to have grandparents around who could keep Micah whenever I have a deadline approaching or work overwhelms me, but I suppose it's just not to be. I chose to be a stay-at-home mom, and I want Micah at home with me, but sometimes, I just need to get some work done. Enter the new adventure.

I made a proposal to one of my sweet friends about swapping childcare two days a week. One day, I'll have her little girl along with Micah, and another day, she'll have both girls. Today is the first day of the new adventure, and it's been fun to see Micah playing with Chloe. They get along really well, and so far, this adventure is going well.

We'll see what Nikki has to say after keeping Micah tomorrow :)

If you need a day off during the week to get a few things accomplished, why not trade out babysitting with a friend? If you don't need or want full-time or even part-time daycare, then it's a solution that you should consider. Watching two is easier than watching one, because they can entertain and learn from each other. Best of all? I completely trust Nikki and know that I don't have anything to worry about with Micah under her care. AND, it's free, which, of course, is always nice.

The girls are really enjoying playing with each other, and I'm enjoying them. An added perk? Their nap times coincide, so we all get a break for a little while.

Until next time, grace and peace.

Signs of Life: Spring's Comin' Y'all!

You'll never believe what I've been seeing lately. This winter has seemed SO long, and every time I turned around, it seemed like we were getting more snow. That's saying something in Mississippi. Just so you know. Anyway, over the past few days, I started seeing signs of life that made me run and grab the camera to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Sure enough, the forsythia and Bradford Pear trees are blooming yet again.

Sigh.

I love those two heralds of spring. I've never been so excited to see blooming plants in my life.

Micah and I celebrated by spending the morning in the park. She played on the bouncy motorcycle thing, and I tried to coax her up the stairs to go down the slide, but in the end, she was satisfied to play with the multitude of acorns scattered across the ground. They fascinated her.

Oh, the life of an almost-18-month-old. Sometimes I wonder how the world looks through her eyes. She's so easily captivated by the simplest things, and there are moments when I wish that I could recapture some of that wide-eyed wonder.

We're so glad that spring is unpacking its bags and setting up to stay for a little while. How are you enjoying the warmer weather??

Until next time, grace and peace.