More Purposeful in Everything

     As a result of reading Jen Hatmaker's "7" many things have changed in our world.  Some are still processing with few results, others are putting us in a different place in life.  The changes are sometimes subtle while others are much bigger.  Many are not public because they are personal for our family.  Sometimes it is hard to make changes when you are in such a routine of who you think you are and doing what you think you are supposed to be doing.  Becoming a foster family was different.  There were classes and a license to be obtain.  There was a starting goal and an ending goal.  With these changes they are about making changes in how we live and how, how we respond to EVERYTHING.  It is a process with no end goal in mind, but a life change.  Some times this goes well and many times it doesn't go well at all.  We have to re-visit what we want to accomplish and how we will do it.  Less of us and more of HIM is the goal, but that is too general.  We must get specific, really specific.

     In light of that, being more purposeful in EVERYTHING is part of that.  Setting goals for everything from daily chores, or education or how to maintain friendships comes under scrutiny.  I will share one such goal.  Potty train Paris.   Go ahead and laugh!  I would laugh too.  Do you know how many kids I have potty trained?  More than I have currently in my home.  I won't say this is easy, but it have never been a year long mission!  We started this last summer!!  It would not work.  We did timers, treats, pink potties, pretty training pants, and then more timers.  Nothing worked.  The biggest problem was.....get ready for gross stuff.....that Paris has NEVER had a solid diaper....in....her...life.  Well, okay, that is not true.  She has had about 4....in her 3 years and 4 months.  We have been to the doctor and then to other doctors.  She has been tested for allergies to EVERYTHING and then some including gluten.  We have done food diaries and restricted on dairy.  She has been tested for parasites and then more parasites.  She is now on medication which we think may have helped....it is still totally loose, but not 5 or 6 times a day and every time she goes potty so...this...is....a....good...thing.  When I began to evaluate just this one goal I knew that I was just treating it as an annoyance not a time to spend with my daughter to teach her an important skill and to love her through the process. 

I must report that as of August, Paris is now potty trained.  She still has some accidents from time to time and with her physical limitations, she will, but we have made great strides.  I am sorry my blog has gotten ignored during this process....not just potty training, but this time of reflection.  It just had to get placed in the proper place in my life and unfortunately that wasn't on a front burner.  I will be back!  I have 8 posts in process!!!! Some are just updates on life and others are more reflection and how we are doing life here with a busy house and yet not letting "busy" take over our world!