Loving Yourself Better

I've come up with this theory that loving myself and loving my kids are very much one in the same thing. Or it supposed to be anyways. Most of the time I think of myself as the father and they are the kids so they get special treatment because they're, well, kids. But I'm not so certain they see such a big distinction.

Perhaps they're right. I mean I was once their age. That child that I used to be is still there somewhere in there. I suspect that the way I care for them, discipline them, love them is lot like the way I deal with myself. I'm not certain but it sounds right.

I'd like to think that I'm easier on them and harder on myself. But I cut myself a lot of slack and I'm quick to set boundaries on the kids. So maybe it aint so cut and dry.

Toni and I have been talking about what we want for our kids. We say trite phrases like "all they can be" and "what God created them for." We talk about how we gotta identify talent and give them support.

But if we think about loving them as something not too far from loving ourselves, then we as parents would do well to "be all we can," and pursue "what God created us for." We need to identify our talents and support ourselves to ensure that God's gifts have not been squandered.

My fabulous wife Toni has a lot of gifts that are probably not being utilized to the fullest extent. She loves being a mother and a business owner. But I'm sure she has more to offer this world. I'm not sure what and she doesn't know either. But we think there's more.

Kaylie, my daughter, will be modeling her life after her mom's. She already tries. I don't want her to grow thinking that she can be all that she can until she gets married and/or has kids.

Same for me. I've gotta learn more about what God's plan for me has been. In this way, we as parents will love our children even better. Not by spending every moment watching our kids for signs of genius or superpowers, but by living the very things we'd like to preach to our children. They have been watching us more closely than we will ever be able to watch them. So we won't have to watch them.

Well, it's just theory right now. I'll let you know how it goes in say twenty years or so.

Before and After

I promised to show some pictures after the renovation. So without further ado ...

Here's the dining area before. You can see that the entrance to the kitchen was narrow. Chandelier was really old.

Here is the same area after the renovation at night time.

Wider entrance to the kitchen really makes a difference.

Here's a before and after look at the living area. The look of the living area was a bit dated too. Nothing a little paint and new furniture couldn't fix.

This was the kitchen, apparently, in the original 1970's style. Note the clumsy hanging-ceiling-lighting apparatus.

New cabinets and new clutter.

We had to redo the bathrooms too. Here's the old sink in the main bath compared to the new one.

It's hard to get a good photo of a bathroom. Well this could go on and on. I think you get the idea.

I also mentioned the playroom. But they also have a great playground too.

Mommy takes them out to the playground when the weather is nice.

The building also has a playroom which the kids absolutely love.

Well, I like it too. I can usually get a bit of reading done while they have their fun time.