Gen. 33:12-14
Then Esau said, "Let us be on our way; I'll accompany you." But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the droves before me and that of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir."

Isaiah 40:11
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

My brother-in-law has three children.  When they were little, he used to say that he’d plan for thirty minutes of preparation per person whenever they planned to go anywhere.  Having two little ones myself, I have to lower my expectations for what I can accomplish in a day.  I think having to slow down is a gift that God gives us through our children, but we often miss that gift. I’d like to try and enjoy their chubby sweetness and not worry too much about the messes and delays.   

Joy