I am a planner. Shocker, I know! Well, life has thrown me two big curve balls….
#1 – So, for months before Christmas – even before we moved to North Carolina, I have been planning on potty training Kinsley after Christmas. Due to traveling to Encounter, I waited until the New Year. I had heard many friends rave about the Potty Training Boot Camp – do it in one day, makes potty training so easy, and so on, and so on, and so on. We picked this past Monday as our start date – I read and then reread the Potty Training Boot Camp ebook, we bought rewards, I even informed Ed on what to expect.
While I know you are dying to know how many accidents and how many successes Kinsley had each day, I will save you all the fun, and not-so-fun details, and tell you where we stand at the end of day 4. Kinsley is still having a few accidents each day, but has more successes (hitting the target) than accidents. She is still not self-initiating (telling us she needs to go) by herself, but the Potty Training boot camp has said that can happen anywhere from Day 2 until Day 7, or perhaps later, depending on the child’s age, especially the younger they are. So, I am determined to stick it out until Day 7 and pray fervently for an “aha” moment where she tells us herself and has very few accidents. Maybe tomorrow?
#2 – I have always been super healthy with no big issues..PTL. Last week, my back hurt a little but no big deal, life continued, and it went away. Then, two days ago, it started hurting again, but I just laid off of exercise and kept living life. Yesterday, it hurt still, but I thought maybe that would be the turning point. Today, I woke up unable to move AT ALL, and writhing in pain with every move I made. After medicine, rest, changing positions many times to no avail, having Ed stay home to take care of Kinsley because there was no way I could do potty times, carrying a toddler, and taking care of her when I couldn’t move, I am still hurting pretty badly. I am so thankful that my mom was an office manager at a chiropractic clinic for 30ish years and could direct me about where to go, what to do, etc. I have an appointment at 7:30 (what doctors work that early?) tomorrow morning, and I am praying that he is able to do something to provide instant relief. So, we will see.
The Lord has been really gracious in the midst of these small trails in many ways but here are two of the big ones –
On Day 2 of potty training, I was so frustrated with K for not using the potty and having accidents when she knew what to do and still didn’t do that. When she went down for her nap, I spent some good time with the Lord in the Word and prayer, and the Lord really laid on my heart that I needed to show her grace just like he continues to show me grace. How many times do I screw up and do things wrong when I know what is right and what the Lord has told me to do? Yet, he continues to forgive, love, and show me grace, time after time after time. It was a great, gentile reminder that allowed me to handle her accidents more graciously and continue to focus on Christ even in the midst of potty training.
I have learned a new appreciation for my husband. He is my hero today, managing Kinsley, working out, spending time with the Lord, working on campus stuff, doing laundry that I put off until today and now can’t complete, tidying up for his parents’ visit tomorrow, and taking care of his complaining wife. Every day I am so thankful to the Lord that he has given me someone to live life with and to lead me to the Cross, but today, I am thankful that my husband can be Mr. Mom without complaining.