1930s wife

70 As a 1930s wife, I am Superior Take the test!

I found this silly little test here. Go on, take it yourself. Not sure how I scored so high...I really don't. Was I honest???

Uh, ouch!

"Impatience is a form of unbelief."

That was what I read on a board outside of a church on the way home yesterday. Yea, ouch!

Spoke too soon

Soon after writing my last blog, sweet girl woke up, I fed her, and up it all came. Niiice. As instructed yesterday, I called the doctor today to see if we needed to take her in. Indeed, we did. I called at 11:00 am, and the only appointment available was at 4:20 pm. Although I had no desire to wait all day, I didn't have a choice in the matter.

We still made it to lunch with Andy, which was nice, and I asked him to work from home in case anything happened with little one. Just having him here kept this new mommy much calmer!

And now, let me just say, I LOVE our pediatrician! He's so wonderful, and reassuring. I told him I'm trying to find the balance of concern and not being a paranoid new mom. He said, based on her symptoms, I was correct in bringing her in. Luckily, nothing major, though he said he thought it would be an ear infection based on what we had told him. Praise the Lord, it is not an ear infection! She does have a bit of a cold, back to the more expensive brand of formula rather than the awesome Target brand I was using this week, and hopefully all will be well in the world. Did I mention we have her 4 month check-up on Tuesday? Yea, too bad we had to take her in today. Oh well. So, we might just survive. And yes, when I fed her the formula we have been using? She downed 6 ounces, as opposed to the 2-3 she has been eating. The girl has tastes, what can I say?

A new day

Wednesday proved to be an eventful day, eventful indeed. Little one was fussy the vast majority of the day, and was driving me bonkers! Then at 5pm, she threw-up. And thirty minutes later, it happened again. Nothing like my child getting sick to make me feel horrible about my less than stellar attitude throughout the day. She hadn't been napping, was acting like a mess, and lo and behold, it was because she didn't feel well. Yep, I'm one intuitive mommy! HA!

Yesterday she didn't eat like she typically does, but after a call to the doctor, I was told that was normal. Normal maybe, but that doesn't stop me from worrying! Hopefully she'll get back on track today.

As for the napping, she's been asleep for almost two hours now. I'm hoping this trend will continue because the girl who emerges if no nap is taken? YIKES! I just want her to feel well and be her happy little self. We are also heading to meet Andy for lunch today, which will be a nice change of pace for us both. Plus, she'll get to see her Daddy, and that just makes her happy.

Know what makes me happy? The fact a three day weekend is coming up. That equals a few evenings of not having to wake up to care for little one because her Daddy is taking over that duty. Whooppee! It's the little things that excite me so.

Alas, there's not much more to write for today, so let me just end here before any reader becomes bored to death.

New Mommy Milestone

After much prodding, persuasion, and let's face it, peer pressure, I headed out to the gym this morning. I typically just workout at home, but it's hard to go for a walk outside when rain is coming down to give the earth a drink. What is the big deal? Well, let me tell you! There is a child drop-off room there, and that means for me to go workout, I would have to leave Zoe there. I would be in the same building, but would not be in the same room. Trauma! But, we survived. In fact, it was quite nice. Maybe I will stay longer than thirty minutes next time. We'll see. Gotta start somewhere, right?

Let it rain

There is a gentle roaring thunder rolling across the sky right now. Raindrops are delicately dancing on the ground. It is peaceful, it is quiet, it is beautiful.

We need the rain, the ground is thirsty and in need of refreshment. Let it rain! The sound of the drops hitting the windows is musical, with the occasional deep roar from the thunder, nature is creating a symphony. It is sweet, and it is lovely.

And for now, I must leave you there because I have a child who needs me more than this blog does.

To be continued....

A good reminder

Tiny steps = Huge progress

The following was received in an email from a brother-n-law this evening:

I got a call from the physical therapist yesterday. She told me that Mom took her first steps (while holding to a parallel bar). She took about 5 steps.

This is FABULOUS news people! Please continue to pray for Mary, my mother in law. Whooppee!

Thought for the day

Sunset
Originally uploaded by chelled.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never hear. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. (Psalm 19:1-3)

Gold or Bust?

I have noticed something while watching the Olympics this year. Anytime an American athlete does not win the gold medal, the media spins it as if the athlete has failed. Why is that? Since when is the silver or bronze medal worthless? However, in light of that, I have also come to respect this year's athletes a great deal. Across the board, they seem to have a great deal of dignity, character, integrity, and, all those characters I wish professional athletes would display consistently.

For instance, we have Shawn Johnson. This girl is one extraordinary gymnast, and was considered to be the gold medal contender. In the all around competition, she received the silver. The media, when talking to her, asked about diappointment and such. But Shawn? She stated she's having the time of her life, and doing the best that she can do, and yes, she's even proud of herself. Of course any athlete wants to win, why else would they compete? But in the midst of the hoopla, this little sixteen year old is handling everything better than overpaid professional athletes do. She even stated she wants her competitors to do well and appears to respect each of them. It's so refreshing! And this morning, I was happy to read this. Way to go girl.

Then you have Michael Phelps who set a goal of winning eight gold medals, and achieved his goal. But I wonder, would he be deemed any less of an athlete if two of those medals had been silver or bronze? I'm sure headlines would read that he fell short, didn't fully measure up. But really? That's insane. The fact he made it to the finals in all eight events is newsworthy enough. And did you see what his training routine is like? During interviews, he attributes much of his success to his coach, his mom, his teammates. Unlike so many others, he does not come across as arrogant or self-serving. Again, it's nice, and it's easy to cheer for someone with that kind of outlook.

And finally, there's the men's basketball team, deemed "the redeem team". Let me just admit, I cannot stand watching the NBA. In fact, I do not care for professional sports in general. Why? The egos, the obnoxiousness, and the lack of sportsmanship. But this year's team? They are trying to change things around, do things right on and off the court. I recently read that when the team was being put togther, "they wanted players who would suspend their egos, play with passion and pride and carry themselves well off the court." Now for each of them to carry this attitude to their NBA teams, wouldn't that be nice?

I wonder why it is that the media sees the silver and bronze medal as such horrible awards. Why is it gold or nothing? The fact these athletes work so hard, have set goals and are chasing after them. That is worth so much more than a medal. Why can we not applaud the efforts, the attitude, and the sportsmanship? We wonder why parents attack umpires at little league games, but with the "all or nothing" attitude we seem to have, it's really not surprising at all.

**Here's more proof Shawn Johnson just plain rocks, "I would never trade one of my silvers for gold," she insisted. "What I went through to get them is very special to me and really touched my heart." (full article, here.)

A little this and a little that

I am not sure why I get so worked up, worried and wondering if I am doing things right. In fact, I have no clue why I did not, could not, see that we did, in fact, already have baby girl on a schedule. Why did I need to consult other sources and then doubt what we are doing as parents? I do not know. I honestly and truly do not know. As I told my husband, I think it's time I just stop reading books and keep doing what we are doing. Here are the facts: she's growing and healthy, she naps (where no longer matters to me), and she sleeps in her crib at night just fine. Yes, she still wakes up once a night, but whatever. And yes, I will be beyond happy when she stops that, but we will get there. Bath time is always in the evening, we read to her, play with her, we even took her to the pool yesterday. Oh what a treat that is. We all had fun, we are all fine, and I'm done with the books.

In other news, my mother in law is getting stronger physically. She can now feed herself, which is fabulous news. They have left her feeding tube in, which provides nutrients for her throughout the evening. But, the entire staff loves her and they are happy when they are the ones to work with her. They have commented on how delightful and sweet she is, though I am not surprised at all by that. There are still other decisions to be made, but "the kids" are taking care of that and are all being quite wise in how everything is handled.

Finally, I have no idea what is going on with the few posts below. I tried to post those a while ago and they are just now showing up. Craziness. Whatever, welcome to technology. Now it's time for me to get back to resting so I can get rid of this cold that has invaded my body. Can't imagine why...it's only been a few months since I have had a good night's sleep! HA!

7/31/08 JOSHUA SOLO

Love him, and hope he wins!

My choice

The final night of competition for "So You Think You Can Dance" is tonight. I'm pulling for Joshua, but we shall see.

The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch

I am currently reading his book, and it's worth every minute. If you haven't done so already, go get his book, sit back, and enjoy.

Will Solo

Just so you can see how good he is...

Schedule Update

In an effort to make life easier, I am trying to get little one on more of a schedule. Here's the update:

* Still working on regulating her eating. Oh for the day there are no wasted bottles!

* I put her down in her crib for naps. If she wakes up crying at some point, I wait a few minutes, get her, then go ahead and put her in her swing. We're at least starting in the right spot, so we'll see. Hopefully her time in the crib will extend slowly. Until then, I'm cool with being flexible on that one.

*She still goes into her crib just fine at nighttime, which is fabulous.

Little one has excess snot right now, which I think is why she's crankier than normal. Besides, who can sleep when they can't breathe? Yesterday was a long, hard, rough day. Very rough, very draining, and completely exhausting. Today, I remembered posting this and thought, "oh yes, the attacks of the enemy, why am I surprised?" No wonder it's been such a long week; I should have been prepared for it after boldly posting that.

We will survive....I hope.

Wisdom of a kid

Last night, after taking the silver, rather than expected gold, medal in the women's gymnastics team competition, this is what Shawn Johnson had to say, "“I am not disappointed at all,” Shawn Johnson insisted. “We are human when it comes down to it. We make mistakes. And it came down to China had a better day today. Give us another day, we could probably come out on top.”

How true Shawn, how true.

Revamping the Schedule

This week, I'm working on putting baby girl on more of a schedule. That includes not allowing her to take naps in her swing. This my friends is where the problem lies. She is currently in her crib, wailing! And me? I'm in the office, door closed, trying to let her cry it out, or at least wait 15 minutes before going in there. The girl needs to learn to calm herself down!

Getting her on more of an eating schedule has been easy, but the sleeping part? She was taking naps pretty well, but now I seem to be messing with her and she, in turn, wails and wails and wails in protest. For instance, yesterday she cried from 4:40 pm to 5:40 pm. Praise the Lord her daddy walked in when he did!

Surely this is a good thing, right? I don't want her to rely on her swing because if we are out and about, or visiting other people, I want her to be able to get herself to sleep. She has no problems at night falling asleep in the crib, but for naps? Well, she is staging a very loud protest.

So, you seasoned moms out there, leave me any advice you have. I am asking, no, begging, you to! Am I crazy, or is this a good thing?

Dedicated

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)











Yesterday, we dedicated little girl at church. It was such a sweet, sweet time. Pastor asked us if she was planned, a surprise, etc. No, she was a two year process, and one we trusted God in entirely.

Pastor then asked what we hoped for and prayed for concerning our little girl. And he asked me for this answer. I knew I would cry, I could not help it. Thinking of the miracle of creating life in and of itself is amazing, and the fact we have been entrusted to care for this little one? It blows me away. As he handed me the microphone, I did my best to gain my composure and responded. Her name means "life," and God told us that is what we could call her even before the doctor's informed us we were having a girl. I went on to say that we want her to know the fullness of life found only in Him, and that she would speak life into others. I said something along those lines anyway, I truly can't remember the exact words I spoke, all I remember is thinking, "good grief, stop the blubbering!"

We were also blessed to have some precious friends join us for the dedication. Steve and Marjean journeyed up, with their daughter Sabrina, to stand with us. We have also asked them to be her God-parents. I'm excited they have agreed, and even prayed with us during their time here. Simon and his mommy joined us, and sweet Jami drove up to be here as well. Jami however was kind enough to sit in the front row and snap some pictures for us. She did a great job too!

It was such a sweet way to start our Sunday morning, and I'm thankful for every moment of it.

The shifting

Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

In the last few days, God has truly begun to shift my attitudes and ideas on motherhood. It has been an eye opening, wonderful, and sweet time. There have been many moments I have become completely overwhelmed with being a mom, at home, trying to balance ensuring my child's well being and maintaining order in our house. Oh yes, and there's the aspect of needing to get out and connect with others every now and then. My fuse was becoming shorter and I was becoming more stressed, and my attitude left much to be desired.

Then, God said no. That one conversation opened up the flood gate to so much more. Over the course of this past week, God has really shown me that for this time, for this season, my ministry is my daughter and my husband. In this moment, I am being called to meet the needs of my daughter to the best of my ability, and trust that He will be there, walking right alongside of us. God spoke to my very heart and reminded me that not every woman has the opportunity to stay at home and raise her child, but I have been given that opportunity. Will I squander it or will I cherish it? And then He said that even now, even this, is impacting her future, for the better. In ways I may never know myself, my time at home with her, exploring the world with her, will bring blessings into her life.

As each day passes, I am reminded that this is only for a season. Eventually, she will sleep through the night more than once or twice a week, and we will find a routine that suits us both. One day, she will not whimper if she is away from me, and one day, she may not scan the room to make sure I am there. She will eventually begin to meet her own needs and begin striking out independently; but for now, for this time, I am called to care for her. I have been driven to my knees in humility at this revelation, at what is being spoken into my own heart. Her ear piercing cries no longer bother me, waking up at 3am to feed her is now kind of fun and time for just us, and little adventures out of the house are another opporunity to watch her explore and see the world around us.

Staying at home is not for every woman, some are not able to, and for some, it is just better to have a job outside the home. It is different for everyone, and I respect the decisions others make in that. There was a time I would have never believed I would be married, have a child, and be staying at home with that child. Never in a million years would I have believed it.

But, this is exactly where I am, exactly the place I have been called to, at this time. More and more, I am realizing the blessing in that. I realized the positive impact my mom's choice to stay at home until my sister and I started school had on us, and called to thank her. Now? I get to pass that on to my daughter, and that just rocks my world.

At the end of the day, my significance lies in my faith and who God has already said I am:
Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God." (Galatians 4:6-7)
Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. (Isaiah 43:1)
And that alone, even when others just do not understand how much work is really involved in being a stay at home mom and that no, I do not get to sit around watching tv all day long, is enough. For now, I am confident I am walking exactly where God would have me, and as a result I am finding more joy in the adventure, even when it is late and nothing I do seems to calm my screaming child. (Now that is proof of a divine work!)

As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you. (Isaiah 66:13)
Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (Proverbs 30:5)

I'm cool like that

I called it, Joshua won So You Think You Can Dance. What's doubly cool is that the top female finisher, Katee, was given a cash award as well. Very cool, very cool indeed. Great show tonight. But sadly, now it is all over...until next year. Great job kids, great job indeed.

A letter to my body

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? (1 Cor 6:19)

Dear Body,

You and I, sadly, seem to have a love/hate relationship. Some moments, I am pleased with you, and think fondly of you, others, well, let's be honest, I verbally abuse you.

When I was young, I did not think too much of you. I was active, I was strong, and did not realize what society thought about certain body types. However, when the teenage years hit, things changed. And that, my friend, is when our relationship changed. I did not take very good care of you and allowed you to become less than what you were meant to be (or more than actually). I am sorry. I did not feed you well nor did I exercise well. But, I looked in the mirror, and did not like you.

College brought more of the same, as did a few years after college. It seems I was the girl who was cool enough but not pretty enough, and just a little too big for the taste of most young men. I got used to it I suppose, but I never did like it, and I certainly blamed you for it.

After I was married, I decided to take better care of you. The food I chose allowed you to function better and have more energy. And, we even started exercising more and learning how to maximize workouts. I started seeing changes in you, changes I was happy with, and started liking you a bit more.

And now, here we are, post baby, going through the same cycle of our relationship. I am proud of you for carrying a baby and taking such good care of her, for ensuring her health. However, now I want you to return to your former self, you know, the form you were in right before we found out we were having a baby? I know, I am impatient with the process, I admit that. But, I think we are on the right track.

Shoulders, I have always liked you. Your definition has always been something I have fancied, thank you for not straying. Arms, you come and go. We have some toning to do with you yet, but you are strong enough to hold our little girl tightly, and I thank you. Tummy, you were toned and strong, and then a baby came and invaded your space, stretching you out in ways even my unhealthy habits could not have done. But, you will become stronger and toned again. Hips and legs, you are my greatest nemisis it seems. But, let's review the facts. You have allowed me to complete one full marathon and four half marathons in recent years, and while growing up you provided the strength I needed to tumble well as a gymnast. I value your strength, but now, let's get rid of the excess that we do not need.

Body, I will no longer belittle you or mock you. I will not speak ill of you, but will do my best to care for you. Besides, there's a little girl now who will be watching what her Mommy does, and I do not want to pass on a dysfuntional relationship between her and her own body. I enjoyed our walk this morning by the way, thanks.

The other part of you.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. (1 Cor 9:24-27)

My choice

Tonight is the last night of competition for So You Think You Can Dance. I'm sorry this show is ending; I have completely enjoyed this season! Wow, the talent has been amazing. But alas, only one person can win, and, Joshua is my choice.

When God Says No

For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

For over a year now, I have been co-teaching a fitness class at church. The end of my pregnancy fell during the last session, so I hung in there as long as I felt was safe, then stepped aside, believing I would be returning. The past few weeks, I have been meeting and talking to our women's director, trying to figure out how the upcoming session should look, what we want to do, etc. The entire time though, doubts floated through my mind.

Friday, as I was driving home, happily singing along with my boy Daughtry, the thought came to my mind, "What if God is telling me no?" I paused at that. Why would He say no? This fitness class is something I have a passion for, I love the women, love to see them make positive changes. Would He really be telling me no? My answer came, "it's time to step aside from this, and serve your family." Instantly, a feeling of peace swept over me.

This morning, I spoke with our women's director and informed her of what happened over the course of the weekend. Surprisingly to me, she was not surprised at all. I will be working with her to help chart the course for F3 so that it can continue on. Maybe I will have more of a role again in the future, but for now, I am to step aside. Her encouragement and support of my decision blessed me in ways I cannot describe. But then, it's not really about me anyway.

For more on the matter, click here and listen to the sermon entitled "The God Designed Life." Trust me, it is worth your time.

The Last Lecture

If you have not done so already, read this book. It will be worth every minute you spend reading it.

For more information, and to order the book, click here.

Like Mommy?

I like to curl my toes up







Just like my mommy





The other night, while watching our favorite show, Andy looked down at my feet, and started laughing. He looked up at me and said, "That's where she gets it from! Mystery solved!" I looked down, noticed my toes were curled under, (and no, I do not know why I do that, but I often do) and joined him in the laughter. I guess some things are genetic.

Don't you love it when?

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)

Don't you love it when you get to spend time with an old friend, someone whom you haven't seen in years, yet it feels like no time at all has passed? I most certainly do.

Last night, we were visited by my friend Kristen and her family. I know Kristen from our college days, and I was even present for her wedding. Since that time, she has had three of the most precious blonde haired, blue eyed boys you will ever meet, and I have gotten married and had a kid of my own. But some things, time cannot touch, like great friendships.

They had been at a lake in Georgia, and opted to stop by on their return to Kansas. Words cannot express my excitement that they made that choice! I had not met her boys, and had not seen her in five years. As her boys walked in, I was greeted with hugs, and the fun began. They are precocious, full of energy, and as sweet as they can be. My poor girl had a bad day yesterday however, and was not her typical cheery, smiling self. Oh well, she did make her presence known.

Back to my original point here. Kristen and her clan were only here for about an hour and a half, and yes, I wanted them to stay longer, much longer. But still, as we were talking, it was as if we had just seen each other the day before rather than the five years it had been. My heart was leaping for joy to have her, her husband, and their kids in our home, in hugging distance!

I love it when God sends friends into my life who "stick." You know, time may go by in between visits, but it doesn't matter. The friendship? It is always solid anyway. And the time together? It will always enduce buckets full of laughter. Yea, I love it when that happens.