And Just Like That, Rory's Turning Two

The days are long but the years are short. How true that is! Tomorrow our little Ninja (remember her?) is turning two! Nothing could have prepared us for the epic adventure called parenthood; it's been unbelievably rewarding, frustrating, exhilarating, and refining. Both Blake and I firmly believe that God is using our roles as Papa and Mama to painstakingly break us down and build us up again to be more like Him. This is all the more obvious as our oldest continues to grow; babies are hard, two year olds are harder. Yes, when you're two, your world is full of extremes. One moment you're skipping through a field of rainbows and kitty cats (when mom acquiesces to your plea for a snack), and the next you're throwing yourself into the abyss of doom and despair (when Papa won't give you a bite of his quesadilla). How is a parent to handle the unsteady emotions and complete lack of self control of a toddler? Shake it off. Toughen up. Pray to God. Give lots of hugs. And spankings when needed. Expect the toy you spent hours making her to underwhelm. And the shoebox it was wrapped in to captivate. Appreciate that for all the work you're putting into raising up this child, God is doing more to raise up you. So happy birthday, my darling girl. And thank you for all you do for us.