Ever since Keagan was born Gavin has had to begin learning the meaning of patience. Just yesterday I found myself telling him that he was just going to have to be patient. He has recently started to ask the meaning of words that he doesn't understand so here he was asking me....."Mommy, what's patience?" or else he was whining...saying...."not patience....I don't like patience!!" So, trying to find the right words to explain, I simply told him that patience is waiting without complaining. It was my knee jerk response and I found myself wondering the actual definition of patience.
websters definition: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint.
Well, it struck me....when in my life have I ever waited without complaining. We all go through tough times, persevere, endure, struggle, and come out the other side. Sometimes, regardless of our attitude or behavior through these trials we can't change the circumstances. As I listen to Gavin whine while forced to wait for what he wants, I imagine how I must sound like to God sometimes. I try my best to give Gavin what he needs at the time that he needs it, so how much more should I trust God to give me what I need at the right time.
"Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
Colossians 3:12 NLT
As a friend recently stated, it is thankful month, and I certainly have so much to be thankful for. So I want to choose to walk not only in thankfulness, but also with patience.
Glenda, Keagan and I
Keagan warmed up to all the Thorntons as if he had always known them. Like family!!!
Sam and Emma had soccer games on Sunday and it was so great to see them play.
Emma just couldn't get enough of Keagan and just the same for Keags. He would just laugh anytime she came into his sight!
Sweet Sam and Emma....just loving eachother. I miss you guys!!!! 
I have been given the unbelievable gift of having traveled to many parts of our world. Through this I have had my eyes opened to so many things. Some beautiful and some not so beautiful. Experiencing other cultures, their traditions, their views, their struggles change you. It can make the world seem so immense and so small at the same time. I learned so many lessons about life as I walked alone in places so far from and so unfamiliar to home. In the last few years I haven't really thought about it much. Those lessons are in so many ways just a part of who I am now, how I view the world, and how I live my life. I don't have to think about it all the time, but it is a part of me forever. Lately, I have been pondering ways to pass these lessons on to my children. And more than just saying "eat your vegetables, there are starving children in Africa." I want my kids to value how intensely God loves each human life, to know that God has no borders, to be grateful for every little gift that they are given and to learn to be content with what they have, to have compassion and a heart of generosity, to find anger in their hearts at the injustices and indignities that one human imposes on another...and to then find the passion in their hearts to do something about it, to appreciate the beauty in differences of other people, to wonder at God's creation, to know that you can walk in God's presence in any place, circumstance or struggle. This is just a glimpse of what God spoke to me through my travels, and only the beginning of what I hope to pass on to my babies. I want to live intentionally before my children all that God has blessed me with.
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