March moments

March has always been my favorite month, being my birthday and anniversary month, but this March has been really special this year. Graham and I celebrated our 7 year anniverary yesterday and tomorrow brings my 30th birthday. As I enter into this new decade in my life, I am overcome with gratitude for the life I lead and the blessings God has given me. My twenties were wonderful--I fell in love, graduated college, started my career in social work, got married, became a mommy twice over, made many wonderful friendships, and had so many wonderful memories. Of course there were hard times too, but it was through those times that God's love shined even brighter, and I am thankful even for those hard times. But I am looking forward to my thirties with great expectancy of what God will do in my life and the life of my family during these years. I have to say that I have felt God's hand on my life more so in these past three months than I can ever remember. It's not in one particular way that these 3 months have been different, but rather in a million different ways that God is showing me that he is transforming me in ways that I don't yet understand. The wonderful thing is that I see this in Graham's life too and it is so exciting to be a part of. I'm living in a state of expectancy now, excited for what He has in store for us.
Life with the boys has been particularly sweet these days. Nolan is just so much fun. He's not yet at the point of tantrums and other challenges that come as you get closer to 2, but yet he's not a "baby" any more either and he's just plain fun! He and Nicholas have so much fun playing and laugh all day long at each other. He's into everything and I can't keep the house clean, but that's the stage he's in. I love that he is still so cuddly and loves to snuggle up with his head on my shoulder. I pray that lasts for a long time!
Nicholas is in such a great stage now and it just keeps getting better the closer we get to 4. He has such a sweet heart and really tries hard to do the right thing. The poor guy was really tested last week though! At home, Nolan twice came up to him with a golf club and banged him on the head. Nicholas cried but did not do anything back to him in anger. On Wednesday while playing in the church nursery while I was at my "Growing Kids God's Way" class, a little girl bit him! It was just about time for the mommies to come so Nicholas told the other little girl, Katie, that it was time to clean up and they need to stop playing with the train table and get ready for their moms to come (is he a first born or what?). Well Katie didn't like that one bit, so she bit him on the arm. Thankfully it didn't break the skin but it did leave a bad bruise in the impression of Katie's entire set of teeth. Poor Nicholas was so scared and upset by this but he never did anything back to hurt her, instead he went up to her sobbing and told her he was sorry! Then on Friday at school, his two little buddies hit him in the stomach and scratched him. Again, he never did anything back to them in anger and was very proud to report that he did the right thing and was a friend to them. We are so proud of him for the little boy he is and how much he's growing and understanding. I think one of my favorite things of parenting is sharing our faith with him and seeing him start to understand biblical concepts and God's love. He has a heart for God and I can't wait to see what God will do in and through him.
So here's to March and the blessings it brings (if only it didn't come with pollen too!)