hang on

learning time has not just been for brendan nor has it been limited to the times we are doing crafts or reading books.  in the midst of our themed weeks, i have already learned that at the very most i should simply go into each day with a general direction and goal in mind instead of how i think every aspect could (or should) play out.

in the moments when i have stepped back and let brendan's imagination lead the way, i have watched him do and learn even greater things than i had imagined for him.  i now know he loves glue sticks, stickers, and markers.  a simple revelation, perhaps, but knowing how to best grab his attention at such a young age has made a huge difference.

aside from the actual learning time, we are also learning how to do this whole stay-at-home mom thing.  yes, we.  brendan has only ever had me (and lee) home everyday during the summers where schedules are a little more relaxed.  i realized i needed to shift my mindset and priorities when brendan started repeating a rather unpleasant phrase back to me, "hang on."  whether it was heading out the door or a request when i was in the middle of something else or him running down the sidewalk too fast, i discovered i was telling him to hang on far too often. 

i think God could have just simply left it at brendan repeating after me, but i think to really ensure that He got His point across, God gave brendan the ability to add just the right amount of emphasis to each of those words to really hit home.  most likely, this is how brendan heard them, too.  brendan was never truly in the wrong in these moments...mostly just being a busy little boy.  it was me who needed to hang on and assess the situation.  could i have waited to make him aware we were about to leave in order to gather everything i needed first?  could i have set my phone down and not updated social media yet again in order to read a book for the tenth time in five minutes?  could i have prayed for balance and soft ground if he fell on the sidewalk or, better yet, been more intentional to be right beside him in case he did fall?  absolutely. 

most of the time, it is i who needs to hang on and enjoy the moment without pushing it aside for matters that are probably less important than the kiddo right in front of me.