I cannot describe the joy I get out of watching my sons grow.

I was fascinated by watching DJ learn object permanence: the fact that just because you cannot see something does not mean that is has ceased to exist.

Daniel picked that up so quickly it was almost scary.

I was talking with a co-worker the other day about how when other people look at my kids, they remark on how similar they are. And yet, when I look at them, I marvel at how different they are.

When DJ was a baby, he could take or leave toys. He wanted someone around at all times. He wanted to look at someone's face more than play with a toy. Daniel has wanted to have something in his hands constantly. He is very tactile. Of course the problem with that is he wants to put everything in his mouth!

DJ is very extroverted, but if he gets his feelings hurt, he gets very sad very quickly. Daniel lashes out if his feeling are hurt - he wants you to feel his pain (usually in an auditory way!). DJ gets in your face. Daniel will hit you in the face.

DJ is verbose, especially for his age. He is a talker. Daniel is a doer. And he likes to solve problems. They are both very smart, but they show it in different areas. It was amazing for me to watch DJ teach himself the alphabet at 2 with a toy; and again I watched in amazement as Daniel figured out how a puzzle worked just by looking at it.

I love my sons.

It is also very interesting to me to see human nature in ones so young. Daniel and I took a walk last night, and he was more interested in the loud cars in the distance than the beautiful woods around us. Isn't that just like us? We spend our time, energy, and attention on passing noisemakers instead of the quiet beauty that surrounds us.

How do we teach? What moments do we use to instruct? How do I explain to them that the world will fill up their eyes with bright shiny toys and their ears with loud noises, but none of those will be fulfilling? They are all like pretty cars that speed by on a highway. The true beauty is in the muted colors of the fall forest. The prettiest sounds are softly sung by the birds.

God whispers.

Do we listen?

"Be still, and know that I am God"