Proverbs 13:24

Proverbs 13:24

24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

Oh parenting.  With all the instruction manuals out there - why doesn't one come with kids?  

I guess part of being two is testing limits and boundaries.  Karsyn has gotten REALLY good at testing her limits with me. I'd say six times out of ten, I don't give in.  The four times I do give in don't help the situation (inconsistency).  Luckily, Ryan doesn't fall for her big alligator tears and sweet little voice.  I learn something new from him every day.  There is a way to discipline a child with respect - and he's really good at it.

Karsyn had a roller coaster evening as far as emotions (happy one minute, borderline fit the next).  Ryan told her at one point (during an almost fit moment) that if we had to get on to her one more time she'd have to go straight to bed (no stories).  *Sidebar - if you know Karsyn, you know the WORST thing you can do is not have a bed time story.*

While we were finishing up dinner, she did something I specifically asked her not to do.  Karsyn didn't even have a chance to blink.  Ryan scooped her up and put her in her bed.  Of course, this had never happened before.  In the past, I'd take away stories and at the last minute read one anyway. 

 Not tonight.  Ryan had her tucked in tight within two minutes of her infraction.  He explained everything to her - in a way she understood.  Me, being the bleeding heart I am, decided that moment would be a great time to take a shower.  When I got out, Karsyn was laying quietly in her bed.  Ryan informed me that she would like to apologize for not listening.

She was still pretty upset about having to go straight to bed, but she understood that she didn't listen.  

 I've heard parents and grandparents say, "This will hurt me more than it hurts you," when it comes to disciplining their child.  I never understood that until Karsyn.

I just hope that in the end she learned. 

I hope as parents, Ryan and I are doing the right thing.

Nothing major to report...

I'm sitting on my side of the bed...typing this blog.

Ryan is on his side of the bed...looking at new cars.

Karsyn is snoozing.

June Bug (the baby) is doing acrobatics in my belly.

Gibson is staring out the window.

Oh married life!

In other news, Ryan cooked dinner tonight!  Sloppy Joes - they were good!

Feels like things might be settling.

I like it!

Kim

P.S.  I feel like we've made some headway with some big decisions. In an earlier post, I was troubled about whether to switch Karsyn's school. I think Ryan and I are both comfortable with the decision to leave her where she is for now.

One Month

http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d7a41324d6a45784d44513d0d0a&blogview=true

Enjoy!

Love,
The Snell Family

Change is in the air...

With so many things already in the air, why would I consider adding more change to our plate?  

It's bizarre how opportunities for change present themselves.  This one came in the form of an unexpected email.  Prior to this electronic proposition, the thought of making this particular change never once occurred to me. My first thought was, "Nope. I'm happy with the current situation."  If that's the truth, why did I give this idea a second thought?

Not just a second thought...I am fixated on the idea.

Problem is, I am not a huge fan of big changes - and this one isn't small.

I've been doing research all day.  Websites, phone calls, talking to people about it...my brain just won't stop.

I know this falls under the category of:  Give it to God and He will guide us in the right direction.

The problem is:  I'm a control freak and letting go is hard.

Oy.

In other news, Spring Break is right around the corner and I don't have anything planned!  We were going to try to spend a few days in Denver, but the travel industry is sneaky and jacked the prices WAY up for the week.  So it looks like the Snells will be staying local this spring break. 

I'm thinking about hitting up the zoo, some museums, painting, catching up on some good books and catching some R&R.  Oh, and possibly finishing up some thank you notes since we are slowly (but surely) getting to open some of our wedding gifts.

Speaking of wedding gifts - we received a wonderful spice rack and a set of Pyrex, but the card that went with these items are nowhere to be found...so whoever gave us the spice rack and Pyrex, identify yourselves so we can send you a thank you note!

Alright.  Enough typing.  Karsyn needs a bath and I've got a home to maintain.  

A woman's job is never done...is it?

Two Weeks Later: Ryan's Point of View

So after 14 days of happiness I have come to the conclusion that marriage is tricky.. Not bad.. just tricky. A LOT of give and take! For some1 who enjoys solitude you get basically no privacy which is an adjustment.

 It's strange not having an escape after an argument but even better that you have the ability to make up and not let it linger. It's very nice to be able to be part of things such as b...ed time and stories. I rarely got to before and even though I'm not a huge part of that routine it's comforting to just be there.

 It's also nice to sit with each other, even if I'm playing playstation and Kim is blogging there is just something about being bored with each other that is so much more uplifting then being bored alone. 

One of my favorite things has been to see all the little quirks come to life. They are so annoying (as I'm sure mine are to her as well) but now that they are there I just can't imagine my life without them.

 The tricky part has been "How do you maintain individuality while living a codependent life?" I don't have the answer to this question yet. Maybe the answer is you don't. Maybe that's what makes a marriage special... or maybe the ability to live individual lives within a greater circle of dependancy is what makes a marriage special. Regardless of the answer I feel confidant, happy, and hopeful.

 To a lot of people 2 socially damaged people, a 2 yr old, a baby on the way, and a giant mutant slobbery boxer in a tiny 2 bedroom apartment would be the example of how not to wind up. For me that is exactly what my life is. It is exactly what suits me and defines who I am. It is exactly what God blessed me with and I couldn't be happier or more thankful that he did. 

While some people have huge houses, lots of $, fancy clothes, or flashy cars we have a loving household full of clueless people from me down to Gibson but we are making it work. Not only making it work but thriving in the love that holds this family together.

 For those that know me I never thought I would say this but I absolutely love my life & maybe that is the trickiest part of all for me. Accepting the fact that I am happy, that I do love my life, that I have the girl of my dreams, a wonderful daughter, a healthy baby on the way, and my best friend in Gibson here to share it with me.

 I thrive in chaos but nothing is chaotic. Everything is wonderful. To quote a friend of mine "This is a smile that I've never shown before, somebody wake me cause I must dreaming." But if this is a dream I say let me sleep forever. 

For a little punk to grow into a half decent man to have everything he could ever want before he turns 30... Not too shabby. =)

(Almost) Two Weeks and Counting

13 days of happily ever after.  Things seems to be gelling pretty well for us.  Some of our big worries have proven to be non-issues whereas things we (I) didn't give much thought to have reared their ugly heads. 

Ugly head:  Living Situation

Ryan and I are going to stay in my little two bedroom apartment until our lease is out (and we can find a bigger place). The biggest challenge so far is consolidating two homes into one.  He has the nicer stuff, I have basics. Making room for everything and deciding what stays and what goes has been an interesting process.  From what I can tell, we are switching couches, TVs, and possibly bedroom furniture.  Any volunteers to help us with this venture will be greatly appreciated...especially since the closer to June we get, the closer we are to meeting June Bug (our pet-name for the baby).

Non-issues:  We were concerned about how Karsyn and Gibson would get along living under the same roof.  Anytime they were together prior to living together, they would annoy each other.  Now that we share a space, they are pretty cute together.  They follow each other around, he wakes her up in the mornings and helps tuck her in.  She LOVES taking him for walks.  Karsyn even tells Gibson secrets.

Some fun things to report:  I was Ryan's date to a N.A.P.E (National Association of Petroleum Exploration) party.  IT WAS AWESOME!  His company hosted a party at the House of Blues downtown.  I loved dressing up, meeting his coworkers, and best of all, being introduced as his WIFE!  [Insert high-pitched squeal here]

Oh, if you're wondering - we haven't opened all our wedding gifts yet.  We are still working on that, so please don't think we don't appreciate you for your awesomeness - because I promise you - WE DO!

Love,

Kim and Ryan

Ryan and Gibson reading Karsyn a bed time story.