We survived Christmas and an Indoor Water Park all in one week.

Christmas was wonderful. Loud. Crazy. Joyful. Peaceful, yet hectic!

We worshiped together as a family on Christmas Eve. Celebrated with family on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Finally, on the day after Christmas, had to reorganize kids rooms to fit in all the new stuff. I will say the advantage to bigger kids is that their stuff is smaller (read more expensive for less gifts) and it normally does not require set up of 1000 pieces like the Playmobil Castle our son got on his 6th Christmas.

American Girl Dolls have been busy around here this week now that A has her own. Ruthie has joined our family and found that her best friend Kit already lived here. My husband and I have spent hours watching A play with the dolls, change their clothes, and plan out elaborate things for the "girls" to do together. Its imagination at it's best and so fun to watch in this day of electronic wonder. Of course, another DS has joined our family, too so there has been plenty of gaming happening.

On Saturday, I just about spit out my ice tea when I heard those dreaded words of parents everywhere, "I'm bored." I thought to myself, "Seriously you've got all kinds of new toys, time on your hands, and you are bored!" I wish that there was a way to inject children with a gene that allows them to understand how blessed they are to have all the time in the world to do what they want, toys and games galore to keep them entertained, and no worries about work, schedules, and to do lists keeping them down.

To combat the "boredom," we went to an indoor water park in town. The kids had earned a free pass from the Library by participating in the Summer Reading Program. We figured a cold winter day was the perfect time to use these coupons. They also expired on December 31, not that I was procrastinating.

Let's just say that trip across town was an eyeopener for their mother.

I have never seen so many tattoos, body piercings or small bikinis on not so small women/men in my life. When we arrived this morning at 10am, the place was almost deserted, but, by 12 noon there were 5,000 plus people there. OK, maybe a few less, but it seemed like it. Not one for crowds or tattoos, I was a little uncomfortable as the day went on.

As I walked around the water park today a Little phrase my mother used to say came to mind....

"Foolish names and foolish faces can always be found in foolish places." What does this mean you ask? When we walk around with adornments on our bodies to draw attention to ourselves are we not saying I'm not enough without this stuff? Are we not saying that the gift that God has given me is not good enough, I need to add to it to make it beautiful.

When I left this morning in my swimsuit, I was thinking that I wish I was thinner, I wish I had remembered to shave my legs, I wish that my fabulous summer tan had not faded to winter white. I was taking away from what God has given me. While I might need some work on the outside, I don't need to add to what I am to make it acceptable to God. What I have is enough. Who I am is enough. Just As I Am...

My prayer today is that my children will know they are enough. God and their family love them always. They are more than good enough just as they are. Maybe then they won't feel the need at 18 to get a piercing or a tattoo at all.