Imagining the Future...

One morning, the boys were talking about (as it sometimes comes up) who they thought they were going to marry. I told them that we don't know who it will be, only God knows. But that we can be praying for them even right now because they're probably alive right now, and living their lives with their mommy and daddy. They got really excited about that thought, and Dane decided that maybe they should draw pictures for them. I LOVE how they turned out. SO cute. Ok, so Jett's is the first one, and he explained to me that his wife is on the left, and he's in the middle protecting her from a bad guy (the one on the right). He told me that the circles in the middle of all of them were their bellies. Dane wrote "I love you wif" on the top, and then Teda quickly told him what that does not say wife, it says wif. Jett wanted it fixed as soon as possible so that it could read correctly. So an e was added after I took this picture. I love that you can see Jett's little finger in the picture as he was explaining it to me. He will be an amazing provider and protector for his wife, and very loving and caring, this I know for sure! 

This next one below, (sorry it's the wrong way... I'll work on fixing that!) is one of Dane's pictures for his future wife. He is SO loving and caring. He already loves his wife with all his heart. It's pretty sweet. He's all about emotion, so as you can see, he drew that emotion. Love it. He also I am certain will be an incredible husband to his wife. This is something that Zach and I feel is so important in this journey of parenting. Raising our boys to know how to care for, love, and understand their future wives. Not that they could "understand" them now, but I mean raising them to know how to understand and honor their own spirits, and be able to connect with and have a relationship with Jesus (who is Spirit). Then in turn, they will be able to care for and understand their future wife. I truly believe that most of this will be done as they watch Zach and how he lives his life... his consistency in journaling and spending time with God, and more than that is how he lives out his faith. Does he have the fruit of the spirit, and do the kids FEEL that? They will respond to it, if it's there. And they will likewise respond to it (negatively) if it's not there. They are watching, and will continue to watch how he treats their mom, his wife. They are taking mental notes, and I believe that this type of thing is mostly caught, and not as much taught. Talk is cheap if it's not truly lived out in a real and tangible way. 

I believe that the same thing will be for Teda. She will know what to look for in a husband by watching Zach, and then watching how I respond. Not that she will pick someone just like Zach (although I have to say, I married someone just like my own dad!), but she will know the qualities and characteristics that she wants in a husband. She is also watching me and how I treat Zach and how I respond to him when I'm cared for, and likewise how I respond when I'm not cared for. It's crazy to think that Zach and I totally have an audience now that we have kids. But it's SO good, it's amazing accountability knowing that there are eyes everywhere. :)

This next one below is another one by Dane. He wrote the name "Hana" on it because he thought maybe the girl he marries will be a girl from his school. He said he never talked to her, she was older than him in another class, but she was pretty and she laughed when he would be silly with her. I guess he tried to make her laugh each time he saw her. This is TOTALLY our Dane. And you know something, it's TOTALLY Zach! He told me that when he was a kid, in preschool, he had a little "girlfriend" that during naptime he would quietly make her crack up. He would shrug his shoulders and make a face like "I don't know" over and over. And she thought it was hilarious.

Not much has changed there. Our friends laugh because they joke and ask if at home it's mostly just Zach making me laugh and me cracking up at him. It's not like that ALL the time, but I have to say that often, this is just what is happening! I love to laugh, and Zach is a very funny guy, and we have a blast together! :)

Anyways, one more thing about this picture. He made it to look like a house, and he put both their names in the windows. Again, I just think this is how he imagines a marriage- happy, in a home together, and there is love all around. I think it's just beautiful. It's a wonderful reminder for me to begin praying for our kids future spouses!

It's so neat to think that God had all our days planned out before we were even formed in our mother's womb. The time we would enter the world, and even our time to go Home to Him. It's pretty incredible if you think about it! Psalm 139:13-18 are such awesome verses about this. :)