Deep Thoughts

There are so many conversations that you just don't think about having with your little ones.  Everyone always jokes about the first time  you have to tell them where babies come from, blah blah blah.  But seriously, sometimes I feel like there needs to be a manual on all the other conversations that you didn't think about them asking.  Course I'm sure even then no one would hit on all of them.  It's like we know about a lot of them that are going to happen, we just never think twice about planning for them.  Well I got to have another one of those conversations in the car today with Kinsleigh on the way to a friends house.  We passed by a huge cemetery on the way there and she saw all the flowers all over the ground so of course she got interested and needed to know what it all was.  Not sure if we've just never happened to pass right by one before with her in the car or what, but it has at least never been of interest until today.

My response more or less: "Well, that place is called a cemetery.  You know how Mommy and Daddy have told you before that everything dies?  Well that is a place that when people die, when they are very old or extremely sick, (no need for more elaborate details), they bury them in the ground to keep their bodies safe.  But remember, if you have Jesus in your heart, your soul in the inside gets to go to heaven to live with Him forever.  But your body has to stay here, so other people like their friends and family that love them very much, put them in the ground. Then everybody gets to decorate where they are really nice with flowers to make them beautiful because they are special."

Phew, I hate having to give such "deep" explanations on the fly.  I sure hope I did alright.  It's quite difficult to explain such a heavy topic to a 3 year old without making it sound scary.  Hopefully now she can see it as more of a happy place ???

What other difficult conversations have you had to have with your children that you never even thought of considering or just simply weren't prepared for?

Daddy Day 2012!

Thanks for putting up with our whines and making us giggle. For playing with us, cuddling with us, dressing up with us, dancing with us, reading to us, you name it!  You're the best!  And we love you with every single tiny piece of our hearts.  Happy Fathers Day! Love Kinsleigh and Kyla.

Decade

Decades. When you are a child, a decade seems like forever. But as the years go on and you get older, they truly do go faster. I guess it's believed because we are constantly looking forward to the next "thing" which makes the days just fly along. But only a decade ago I was 18! Weird just thinking of all the things that have changed since I was 18. Yet everything so much the same at the same time. But a decade ago today marks a very saddened memorable day. A decade ago today I lost a very dear and close friend in a tragic car accident. I remember every detail of June 3, 2002 from start to finish in vivid detail. From what I did before the accident, to when I found out, to how I responded and everything else in between. It took me about four years to stop having repetitive dreams of either Justin getting to come back for a short 24 hours so I could spend it with him in more meaningful ways or I myself dying and going to heaven and seeing him. He would always be in a blue collared shirt and black pants when I would see him there. As we have all aged ever so slightly every year, he will forever be etched as an 18 year old young man in our minds. When I think of all the things he has missed here on earth... college, going on to play pro ball, getting married...it saddens me, but then I am reminded that he gets to be in a much better place rockin out with Jesus. The impact he has made on thousands of people's lives since is unbelievable. Not many can leave such a powerful legacy. He is still dearly missed by all his friends and family but we are so proud of what he has done. I'm so glad you are forever happy. Miss you "mattress" (it's a long story)

The Revealing

Well friends, I finally got my blog updated a bit.  Added that second child in the photo that I had over a year ago now!  But I've done another crazy thing.  I've been working on it for awhile now just to get it all together for  you.  I've decided to take on a SECOND blog.  It's intended for children's activities only.  Yeah, I know I'm crazy.  I just love finding/coming up with new ideas I can do with my girls and keeping documentation of it for others benefit, reminders for me for the future, etc.  I started it off with A LOT of posts just to get me started and will be adding to it often!  You can find the link to my new blog here:

http://aprilkahlichteaches.blogspot.com/

My husband and I put our heads together and came up with the name for my blog together.  I wanted it to be unique to my girls.  So I had an idea in mind, then used his "english major mind" to make it get just the right ring to it.  Random thoughts refers to my oldest as throughout any given day, she can come up with the most crazy stories and it will most likely have nothing to do with what is going on at the moment.  Polka dots is for my youngest.  Ever since she was a teeny baby, she has been extremely attracted to polka dots.  Even now, any and everything polka dot thing she can find, she will grab it and carry it all over the place.  When I carry her in my closet, she finds a polka dot shirt and pulls it off the hanger.  She digs the polka dot clothes out of the piles of laundry.  It truly is hilarious.  So come see and continue to follow up with all the fun things we have going on here at the Kahlich house on a daily basis.  Many of my ideas are original but many others were taken/adapted from other mommy bloggers I follow and/or ideas I have gotten from Pinterest.  Credit is given to them too as my inspirations on the blog if you would like to follow them as well.  Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow me and feel free to "pin" my ideas as well. Now go have fun with your kids!!!

Forgiveness like no Other

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.



I was taught a huge lesson on forgiveness today.  I didn't go to any church, bible study, or listen to a podcast.  I learned it from the best teacher, my daughter.  During a total of about 30 min of our day today, we had a ROUGH time.  Saying that is so beyond an understatement.  And I lost it.  Literally, lost it.  And the way I spoke to her disgusts me.  I am so angry at myself for how I can lose it sometimes when she becomes difficult.  Once I was able to step away for a moment, I balled my eyes out, like I many times do in these situations.  And two or three minutes later, who was the one that came back with loving arms first?  Kinsleigh.  She heard me crying and her words exactly were, "Mommy, let me wipe your tear and give you a hug because you are sad."  I had just gotten so angry and hateful with her but she came back and loved me anyway! No bitterness, no anger, no sadness.  She had moved on and even told me she forgave me!  I'm so thankful that we have made it a point to teach her what it truly means to forgive like Jesus so she can actually understand what that means.  She is a REAL example of what it means to forgive as Jesus did!  And she's only 3!  She was the bigger person and put me to shame!  But I'm not ashamed about that, I love it!  I love that I can learn such awesome things from such a little person.  I of course forgive her always.  Immediately even.  Much more quickly than I am able to forgive others.  If only I can learn to forgive myself for the way I act sometimes and to forgive others as quickly and easily as she.

Happy Mom Day

I don't know what your Mothers Day was like but around here, it was like any other typical day for the most part as the hubs has to do his regular duties at the church all day. A special gift is always given and sweet hugs and kisses, but again, that last part is nothing out of the ordinary. This mothers day, we headed out of church, went out to lunch, then got the girls home for a good long afternoon of napping. That's the best gift a mama can get right there! Am I right?! Then we went about our regular evening business while Daddy was at evening church. Like I said, pretty typical. But it's not about going overboard with gifts or getting mommy out of the house for a "break." It's for celebrating with the ones who made you who you are! Who cares that I "just" hung out with my girlies like I do every other day. I was with the ones who make me feel so proud to be a mommy. And I'll tell you that at about 850pm tonight while Sean and I were doing our bible story and prayer time with Kinsleigh, my mommy day was made complete. Every night before we pray we ask her one thing about her day that she was happy about that she would like to thank Jesus for. Tonight, Sean just happened to change it up a bit and asked, "Kinsleigh, what makes your heart happy?" With a a big smile on her face, she turned, pointed at me and said "you." That is all I needed to hear.

 Happy Mothers Day!

Mind of a Child

Doesn't the mind of a child just fascinate you?  They just say the silliest things and at the end of each day I've usually got a quote or two that I could jot down in the memory book that just makes me giggle.  Things that are nearly meaningless to us can mean the world or the end of the world to them.

Just take trying to get a 3 year old to eat her veggies for example.  This is for real the face she gave me when I asked her to take a bite last night.

Yeah sure I know they aren't the best, especially since I buy them with "no salt added" but really???

But the thing that I love most about children is this...they see the good in all things.  Seeing bad in objects. people, anything, is something only learned by example in a broken world.  When you are 3 years old, Mommy's messy ponytail can be SO beautiful, an ant can be so adorable, the neighbors barking dog can be "oh so sweet", and a dandelion weed can seem to be the most beautiful and fascinating thing she's seen her whole life.  For me, I complain because my hair never looks right, I make sure I kill every ant I see get in the house, if the dog next door doesn't stop barking before I have to go to sleep I just may go crazy, and I want to do any and everything to get rid of those pesky dandelions in our backyard.

But then it's hard for me to want to get rid of them because she finds such joy in picking them and to her they aren't a problem, they are another one of God's beautiful creations.  What if we could have a positive outlook on all things in life like a child?  How different could our attitudes be and how far less judgmental?  Just a little thought for your day!  Happy Monday!