I marvel at how many changes Ronnie and Lydia have had to face since our faces invaded theirs almost two years ago. They went from a room filled with babies screaming on an assembly line of diaper changes and feedings, to a single family home with only one other child…a brand new sister with whom they couldn’t communicate.  Then a plane trip filled with sights, sounds, and pressures they’ve never experienced before, a new country with different tasting food and drink, an apartment with hard floors, their own beds, and two old people that told them “no”.  Just as they were getting used to this, we upped and moved across the world with a month of switching family homes till landing in yet another country and home.  This home then changed a couple months later when all our stuff from Okinawa came.  Now they have been with us longer than any other group of people.  I wonder what they think of this or if they remember any other reality?

With this in mind, we decided to not potty train till now.  Although they have grown in every way, their communication and some motor skills are still about a year behind.  Training Bodily functions is not my favorite thing.  Not at all.  So we began this week with trepidation.  OK, I began this week with doubt, trepidation,  and much prayer.  We bought salty snacks, favorite juices, underwear, and put the potty training video on to learn the potty dance.  Everyone was super excited.  My alarm was set for 15 minute trips to the potty.  Day one morning proceeded with lots of changed underwear, surprised looks, and Lysoled floors and chairs.  My frustration came to a head when both sat on the potty for a minute, turned their heads to me and said, “no pee”, got off and peed all over the floor moments later.  The nap was welcomed.

The afternoon had enough success that I proclaimed to myself we were in it to win it.  Day 2 was similar, yet a bit more successful for both.  I have never been on the move so much in my life.  Once they realized that they get a treat for going on the potty, they were none stop asking to go.  So the relay of Lydia taking off her underwear, me putting her on, waiting, showing her how to replace her drawers, washing her hands, with Ronnie following suit with said rely was exhausting.  We had the TV playing, snacks sitting, drinks pouring, Annabelle showing, me running to one or two bathrooms every 10 minutes all day long…yes there were cheers!  And yes, there were jeers.  Looney Tunes was the theme music for this show.

Stay with me a bit longer…day 3.  I was hoping for success this day.  Yet, I began to realize that Ronnie had something else going on.  Some belly issue that made him contort and cry when his intestines were on the move and left him so sore that wiping was torture.  Four code browns later we moved to pullups.  I discovered that it doesn’t matter how big or small the code brown is, it is still the same amount of work with laundry, scrubbing, and floor mark discoveries later.  Confusion filled my mind, how do I help my poor boy?  Do we give up?  Or continue.  I determined to perseve.

So what have I learned from this? One of my morning Bible readings was on trust.  Do I trust the Lord with all things?  I say, “yes”, but really?  Do I trust Him when every day things that happen aren’t as easy as I hoped?  Do I think that when things are more difficult than I thought they would be that it’s OK to quit?  That I must have heard the Lord wrong?  Surely, when I’m trying to serve my kids (or anyone), it should be easy?  Huh.

We have a mile golf cart loop that circles our housing and I often take the kids on a walk or bike ride around it.  Ronnie and Lydia begged to take their bikes this week so we headed off with all smiles and joy.  Now that they have learned how to use their balance bikes they race ahead with smiles and cheers…until they reached the hills.  Oh the cries and moans as they pushed up the hills.  They begged me to get off and quit.  I encouraged them to go.  Annabelle walked beside me and asked why they were crying?  “Remember how excited they were to ride their bikes?  It’s so fun when its easy.  But when things get hard it’s easier to quit, so they are begging to quit.  But think about how much fun it’s going to be for them when they get to the top of the hill?!  It’s downhill the rest of the way!”  Yes Colleen, sometimes you will start things with excitement until it becomes hard, you beg to quit, but you will miss the joy of reaching the top.  Do I really trust my Heavenly Father when He reminds me of that?  Do you?

“Ronnie, Lydia, do you have to go potty?”