I had a really good day, and I’m feeling pretty satisfied with my accomplishments. I started off the day by getting up and going to the gym. Usually, if I can make it there on a Monday morning, the rest of the week is looking good.
While Karis took her morning nap Abbie and I went outside to find the prettiest leaves we could, and then I ironed them in wax paper and cut them out. She had so much fun taping them to the windows, and now our house looks even more autumn-festive!
I’ll be going to my second MOPS meeting on Wednesday. The leader told all the moms to have their kids bring in pictures of animals for the next meeting because the teachers would be talking about creation. Since I was on a craft kick this morning I decided to have Abbie look through magazines to find pictures of animals. I then cut them out and she taped them to a sheet of purple construction paper, one at a time. I was impressed that she spaced the pictures out over the page—no overlapping at all! I could tell she was proud of her work; I hung it up on the fridge to show it off (and so I won’t forget it on Wednesday!).
After Karis woke up, off we went to the post office to mail my mom’s camera back to her and then to a hardware store to buy more canning jars. My mom and I made apple butter this past weekend, but definitely did not have enough jars! We came home, ate lunch, then the girls ACTUALLY TOOK NAPS. I could hardly believe it!
So while they slept, I canned the rest of the apple butter. This was the first time I’ve attempted canning on my own, and it turned out perfectly.
I had a really good day :-)
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Am I a "play-it-safe Mom"??
I have a problem. I’ve been dealing with Restless Hair Syndrome for a few years now. I tried getting a long-hair perm in the spring of 2008. That was nice for a few months, but the longer my hair grew the more it felt like it was just taking over…and since I was pregnant with Karis at the time, re-perming was not an option. Next I tried a shorter, more feathery look. I was hoping for edgy-punk but it turned out much more mellow. A few months ago I went even further: really short in the back, longer in the front, with heavy bangs angled to the side. This style looks pretty edgy when I blow-dry it forward and style it with wax, but I have to admit it’s still a bit mild.
My sister colored her hair this past weekend. When I saw her copper-colored streak, I almost died. Why didn’t I ever think of doing that?! It looks awesome! Then while searching for cool hair styles online last night, I came across this description of Katie Holmes’ progression from short pixie cut back to, well, basically my current hair style: “Oops. From sexy youthfulness back to play-it-safe mom-do.” GAH! My hairstyle screams PLAY-IT-SAFE MOM! I simply cannot stand for this. I will be calling my stylist friend this week. This time, I will not settle for anything less than awesome.
My sister colored her hair this past weekend. When I saw her copper-colored streak, I almost died. Why didn’t I ever think of doing that?! It looks awesome! Then while searching for cool hair styles online last night, I came across this description of Katie Holmes’ progression from short pixie cut back to, well, basically my current hair style: “Oops. From sexy youthfulness back to play-it-safe mom-do.” GAH! My hairstyle screams PLAY-IT-SAFE MOM! I simply cannot stand for this. I will be calling my stylist friend this week. This time, I will not settle for anything less than awesome.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Proper attire required.
When he shall come with trumpet sound, o may I then in him be found
Dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.
~Edward Mote, My Hope is Built on Nothing Less, c.1834
Matthew 22:2-14
Have you ever watched What Not to Wear? If so then you’re familiar with jokes about fashion catastrophes that Stacey and Clinton would never approve of. The hosts of the show attempt to enlighten participants to just how awful their clothing choices are, and then bring them up-to-date so that they can show their “true selves” to the world by the way they dress. Clothing usually does make a loud statement about the way we want other people to think about us. If I’m rich, you’ll know it. If I want you to think I’m a punk, you’ll know it. If I’ve just given up and don’t care about myself anymore, you’ll know it.
Can you imagine the scene going on in this parable? The master’s servants are herding people into the banquet hall from right off the street—one guy was walking his dog, one guy was on his lunch break, one lady was finalizing a business deal via cell phone, a teenager was hailing a cab. This wedding invitation was immediate—there was no Save the Date involved, and no RSVP card to fill out. The food is ready NOW—come on in!
So when I read a few verses later where the master starts picking on some guy who didn’t have time to get all dressed up, I’m a little put off. Give the dude a break! He came right from work and didn’t have a chance to go home and change. When you’re so last-minute about something like this, you really can’t expect anyone to be prepared!
But that’s one big difference between our culture and the culture of the people Jesus was telling this parable to. Proper wedding attire was provided by the host for all the wedding guests. Wouldn’t it be nice to attend a Black Tie event where the tuxes and gowns (in just your size!) were ready and waiting for you in the coat room?! That’s what the master was doing for his guests. All they had to do to get into the banquet was put on the clothes he provided for them.
Apparently, this one guy just wasn’t down with that. Maybe the tux just wasn’t his style. Or maybe he didn’t want to look like everyone else there---maybe he wanted to wear his business suit and tie to show everyone else at the wedding what a good job he had, or how far up the ladder he’d climbed, or how hard he had been working all day (and so really deserved to be there). Whatever his motivation for refusing the master’s only request, he wanted people to notice him—and so he stuck out like a sore thumb.
It was obvious to everyone that he was more interested in himself than he was in honoring the son who this wedding feast was all about in the first place.
Do you remember when Paul (in Philippians 3) rattles off all his accomplishments—that he was raised as a good Jew, he followed the law to a T, and he did great works for God—all things that should have given him the right to stand before God? Yet after this list he makes this shocking statement:
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him,
He’s referring to Isaiah 64:4 which says: “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” And neither Paul nor Isaiah are just talking about needing to do laundry or take out the trash. The words “rubbish” and “filthy rags” literally translate to ‘soiled menstrual cloths!' Ok, even in our culture where women having their period aren’t considered unclean or forbidden to go to church, that’s a pretty disgusting image. This guy waltzed into this beautiful banquet on his own terms—wanting to show off his achievements—but he was basically dressed up in…well…filthy rags. You get the idea.
You and I have been invited into the feast of the Kingdom of Heaven. But what do we have to wear to get in? What is the gift that God has freely given us that, unless we receive it, we have no place celebrating with him? Paul follows up his shocker with a simple answer to this question:
not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
In order to get into the Kingdom of Heaven, we need to dress ourselves with Christ Jesus, and freely (and humbly) accept what HE has accomplished on our behalf—the forgiveness of our sin and the right to stand unashamed before God. No matter how long we’ve been going to church, no matter how many good deeds we did for strangers last year—none of our righteousness can dress us well enough to attend the banquet.
You’re standing in the banquet hall cloak room, staring at that tux or gown. If you put it on, you will look like everyone else at the party. Nothing will distinguish you, and you won’t be able to wear your accomplishments on your sleeve. If you decide to stay in what you’re wearing, everyone will notice you for sure…but you’re only going to be thrown out.
Will you be humble enough to leave behind your own statement to the world about how much good you’ve done? Will you become more about celebrating and honoring the Groom than you are about making sure others know who you are and what you’ve done? Then in faith get dressed in the clothes God has provided to you free of charge: forgiveness, mercy, grace, and righteousness, and get ready for the time of your (eternal!) life!
Dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.
~Edward Mote, My Hope is Built on Nothing Less, c.1834
Matthew 22:2-14
Have you ever watched What Not to Wear? If so then you’re familiar with jokes about fashion catastrophes that Stacey and Clinton would never approve of. The hosts of the show attempt to enlighten participants to just how awful their clothing choices are, and then bring them up-to-date so that they can show their “true selves” to the world by the way they dress. Clothing usually does make a loud statement about the way we want other people to think about us. If I’m rich, you’ll know it. If I want you to think I’m a punk, you’ll know it. If I’ve just given up and don’t care about myself anymore, you’ll know it.
Can you imagine the scene going on in this parable? The master’s servants are herding people into the banquet hall from right off the street—one guy was walking his dog, one guy was on his lunch break, one lady was finalizing a business deal via cell phone, a teenager was hailing a cab. This wedding invitation was immediate—there was no Save the Date involved, and no RSVP card to fill out. The food is ready NOW—come on in!
So when I read a few verses later where the master starts picking on some guy who didn’t have time to get all dressed up, I’m a little put off. Give the dude a break! He came right from work and didn’t have a chance to go home and change. When you’re so last-minute about something like this, you really can’t expect anyone to be prepared!
But that’s one big difference between our culture and the culture of the people Jesus was telling this parable to. Proper wedding attire was provided by the host for all the wedding guests. Wouldn’t it be nice to attend a Black Tie event where the tuxes and gowns (in just your size!) were ready and waiting for you in the coat room?! That’s what the master was doing for his guests. All they had to do to get into the banquet was put on the clothes he provided for them.
Apparently, this one guy just wasn’t down with that. Maybe the tux just wasn’t his style. Or maybe he didn’t want to look like everyone else there---maybe he wanted to wear his business suit and tie to show everyone else at the wedding what a good job he had, or how far up the ladder he’d climbed, or how hard he had been working all day (and so really deserved to be there). Whatever his motivation for refusing the master’s only request, he wanted people to notice him—and so he stuck out like a sore thumb.
It was obvious to everyone that he was more interested in himself than he was in honoring the son who this wedding feast was all about in the first place.
Do you remember when Paul (in Philippians 3) rattles off all his accomplishments—that he was raised as a good Jew, he followed the law to a T, and he did great works for God—all things that should have given him the right to stand before God? Yet after this list he makes this shocking statement:
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him,
He’s referring to Isaiah 64:4 which says: “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” And neither Paul nor Isaiah are just talking about needing to do laundry or take out the trash. The words “rubbish” and “filthy rags” literally translate to ‘soiled menstrual cloths!' Ok, even in our culture where women having their period aren’t considered unclean or forbidden to go to church, that’s a pretty disgusting image. This guy waltzed into this beautiful banquet on his own terms—wanting to show off his achievements—but he was basically dressed up in…well…filthy rags. You get the idea.
You and I have been invited into the feast of the Kingdom of Heaven. But what do we have to wear to get in? What is the gift that God has freely given us that, unless we receive it, we have no place celebrating with him? Paul follows up his shocker with a simple answer to this question:
not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
In order to get into the Kingdom of Heaven, we need to dress ourselves with Christ Jesus, and freely (and humbly) accept what HE has accomplished on our behalf—the forgiveness of our sin and the right to stand unashamed before God. No matter how long we’ve been going to church, no matter how many good deeds we did for strangers last year—none of our righteousness can dress us well enough to attend the banquet.
You’re standing in the banquet hall cloak room, staring at that tux or gown. If you put it on, you will look like everyone else at the party. Nothing will distinguish you, and you won’t be able to wear your accomplishments on your sleeve. If you decide to stay in what you’re wearing, everyone will notice you for sure…but you’re only going to be thrown out.
Will you be humble enough to leave behind your own statement to the world about how much good you’ve done? Will you become more about celebrating and honoring the Groom than you are about making sure others know who you are and what you’ve done? Then in faith get dressed in the clothes God has provided to you free of charge: forgiveness, mercy, grace, and righteousness, and get ready for the time of your (eternal!) life!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Rethinking 'Rethink Church,' pt. 1
Have you seen this commercial?
Or these?
These are a little older, but check them out anyway:
I'd love to get your initial thoughts on any or all of these ads. What do you think the main message of these videos is? If you were (or are) not a Christian, what would you say the point of going to church is, based on these ads? If you are a Christian, what do these ads say to you?
I sat in a workshop this past weekend that presented the United Methodist Church's new "Rethink Church" campaign. We watched some of these videos and discussed what it would look like for our churches to change the way we "do" church to be more outwardly-focused. I think there are some positive aspects of this message (a point on which I will ellaborate in a future post), but something is bugging me big time as well. Let me know what you think it is!
Or these?
These are a little older, but check them out anyway:
I'd love to get your initial thoughts on any or all of these ads. What do you think the main message of these videos is? If you were (or are) not a Christian, what would you say the point of going to church is, based on these ads? If you are a Christian, what do these ads say to you?
I sat in a workshop this past weekend that presented the United Methodist Church's new "Rethink Church" campaign. We watched some of these videos and discussed what it would look like for our churches to change the way we "do" church to be more outwardly-focused. I think there are some positive aspects of this message (a point on which I will ellaborate in a future post), but something is bugging me big time as well. Let me know what you think it is!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Praying
Yesterday Abbie was playing with her dollhouse toys. She brought out the table, chairs, and the "Mommy" and "Daddy" to the living room. After a few minutes, she laid the two dolls face-down on the couch and I overheard her say "Mommy, Daddy praying. Thank you Jesus, so much. AMEN."
It made my week.
It made my week.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Because no one else is reporting it.
Army of the Lord? Obama Seeks Health Care Push From Pulpit
Thousands of religious leaders got a call from on high Wednesday as President Obama reached out to Jewish and Christian clergy, asking some to sermonize in favor of health care reform.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/20/army-lord-obama-seeks-health-care-push-pulpit/
Thousands of religious leaders got a call from on high Wednesday as President Obama reached out to Jewish and Christian clergy, asking some to sermonize in favor of health care reform.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/20/army-lord-obama-seeks-health-care-push-pulpit/
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Two-year-old theology
At lunch this afternoon, Matt asked Abbie if she knew who made the spinach we were eating. He told her, "God made spinach." Not long after that, Abbie replied, "Jesus...made spinach!"
Apparently, my two-year-old grasps trinitarian theology. Most fabulous.
Apparently, my two-year-old grasps trinitarian theology. Most fabulous.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Starting college?
Have you noticed all the going-back-to-school commercials targeted at college freshmen and their parents that have cropped up in the past few months? I've started to see a trend that not only encourages but also sanctions the irresponsible and risky lifestyle of college students that the media has been so fond of portraying. The latest Target commercial, for example, features a student's mother (in all her maternal naivete) buying her son a bed comforter (which he subsequently uses to hide the fact that he's making out with a girl at a football game), a dorm-sized refrigerator (which he packs with Red Bull and other dangerously overly-carbonated drinks), and a desk lamp (which he uses as a blacklite to pimp out his raucous dorm room party). The last scene of the commercial shows the son calling his mom up, seemingly to report what a good student he's being.
Now, I went to a Christian college. My roommates never had boys sleep over. I never went to parties featuring beer kegs or drinking games. I got in trouble during my freshman year for overspending on my debit account, and I gained way too much weight on french fries and other junk food. So I'm not saying that I made the best choices as a college student. But the idea portrayed in these commercials that parents should stay blissfully ignorant while unleashing their irresponsible kids on the world to sew their wild oats is just absurd! I'm a big supporter of kids going away to college (because I've seen so many people my own age who lived at home during college or didn't attend college at all and now are living dead-end lives), but I also believe that with so much freedom comes a butt-load of responsibility. I think it's unfair for adults to expect and encourage kids to live irresponsibly during the first big test period of their lives. So to all my friends starting college this year: MAKE GOOD CHOICES!
Now, I went to a Christian college. My roommates never had boys sleep over. I never went to parties featuring beer kegs or drinking games. I got in trouble during my freshman year for overspending on my debit account, and I gained way too much weight on french fries and other junk food. So I'm not saying that I made the best choices as a college student. But the idea portrayed in these commercials that parents should stay blissfully ignorant while unleashing their irresponsible kids on the world to sew their wild oats is just absurd! I'm a big supporter of kids going away to college (because I've seen so many people my own age who lived at home during college or didn't attend college at all and now are living dead-end lives), but I also believe that with so much freedom comes a butt-load of responsibility. I think it's unfair for adults to expect and encourage kids to live irresponsibly during the first big test period of their lives. So to all my friends starting college this year: MAKE GOOD CHOICES!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Saying goodbye to Lucy
After three and a half years of having Lucy as a part of our family, Matt and I have decided that it's time to find a new home for her. We've been realizing over the past few months that we haven't been very fair to her in terms of giving her the amount of attention, play, and exercise that a lab really needs to thrive and have a happy life.
I'm sad that we're giving her away. She's been a terrific dog for the kids--she's gentle and unobtrusive and she lets the kids get away with anything! She's obedient, easy to train, and very apologetic when she does something wrong. She never messes with anything that's not hers. Really, we couldn't have asked for a better dog.
But I'm also happy because she'll be going to live with my sister-in-law's family. My niece and nephew fell totally in love with Lucy when we lived in Jersey during June, and my sister-in-law and her husband are really looking forward to having a dog again (especially one who's already house-broken). They have a huge fenced-in backyard where Lucy can run free and since they've owned dogs before, they know what having a dog entails.
We've been talking to Abbie over the past few weeks that Lucy is going to live with her cousins, and that we'll get to see her once in a while. I think she understands. Still, I think she is really going to miss her. I think I will too. Thanks for being a great dog for us, Lu, and we hope you love your new home!
I'm sad that we're giving her away. She's been a terrific dog for the kids--she's gentle and unobtrusive and she lets the kids get away with anything! She's obedient, easy to train, and very apologetic when she does something wrong. She never messes with anything that's not hers. Really, we couldn't have asked for a better dog.
But I'm also happy because she'll be going to live with my sister-in-law's family. My niece and nephew fell totally in love with Lucy when we lived in Jersey during June, and my sister-in-law and her husband are really looking forward to having a dog again (especially one who's already house-broken). They have a huge fenced-in backyard where Lucy can run free and since they've owned dogs before, they know what having a dog entails.
We've been talking to Abbie over the past few weeks that Lucy is going to live with her cousins, and that we'll get to see her once in a while. I think she understands. Still, I think she is really going to miss her. I think I will too. Thanks for being a great dog for us, Lu, and we hope you love your new home!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Wherein I gush with parental pride
I am so proud of my daughter. It is exciting to see her personality emerging and the goodness of her heart being expressed throuh her actions.
She loves to share with her little sister. Although sometimes this is problematic (say, when there's an extra Easter basket or rice heat pack to share), Abbie is getting really good at making sure Karis has a toy to play with. Whenever Karis cries, Abbie is the first to bound over to her, coo "Oh, Karis!" and give her a comforting hug and kiss (before commanding, "Mommy, feed Karis!"--ha!)
Abbie has also been practicing doing very grown-up things lately. She's working on getting her baby doll into a nap routine; she puts her in a diaper, nurses the baby, then puts the baby to sleep in Karis' bassinet. Then she announces to me in a whisper "Baby sleeping." The best part, of course, is watching her sit in my rocking chair and nurse her baby. I must be raising her right!
And then there's her frequent desire to pray. As a family, we've always prayed before meals and before bed, but recently I've added prayers once or twice a day for sick people in our church, or just people who are on my heart. Apparently, this has inspired Abbie. Sometimes in the middle of a meal she'll reach out her arms to Matt and me and say "Pray!" Then we all hold hands, bow our heads (yes, she bows her head too) and thank Jesus or tell Him we love Him. Sometimes I'll say, "I love you, Jesus" and she'll add "SO much." !!!!!!!!!!! I love that she understands who Jesus is and knows that she can talk to Him anytime she wants. (So to all the nay-sayers against infant baptism--yes, my 2 year old has indeed been brought into the grace of God and is becoming a disciple of Christ.) She challenges me to grow closer to the Lord, too...and to have faith like a child.
She loves to share with her little sister. Although sometimes this is problematic (say, when there's an extra Easter basket or rice heat pack to share), Abbie is getting really good at making sure Karis has a toy to play with. Whenever Karis cries, Abbie is the first to bound over to her, coo "Oh, Karis!" and give her a comforting hug and kiss (before commanding, "Mommy, feed Karis!"--ha!)
Abbie has also been practicing doing very grown-up things lately. She's working on getting her baby doll into a nap routine; she puts her in a diaper, nurses the baby, then puts the baby to sleep in Karis' bassinet. Then she announces to me in a whisper "Baby sleeping." The best part, of course, is watching her sit in my rocking chair and nurse her baby. I must be raising her right!
And then there's her frequent desire to pray. As a family, we've always prayed before meals and before bed, but recently I've added prayers once or twice a day for sick people in our church, or just people who are on my heart. Apparently, this has inspired Abbie. Sometimes in the middle of a meal she'll reach out her arms to Matt and me and say "Pray!" Then we all hold hands, bow our heads (yes, she bows her head too) and thank Jesus or tell Him we love Him. Sometimes I'll say, "I love you, Jesus" and she'll add "SO much." !!!!!!!!!!! I love that she understands who Jesus is and knows that she can talk to Him anytime she wants. (So to all the nay-sayers against infant baptism--yes, my 2 year old has indeed been brought into the grace of God and is becoming a disciple of Christ.) She challenges me to grow closer to the Lord, too...and to have faith like a child.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
What can I say?
This is the question that has kept me from posting during the last few days/weeks. I'm now married to a high-profile man (relatively speaking) and I have no idea who's reading my blog, and if or how much my opinions, frustrations, disagreements, ramblings, etc. will "reflect" on him, and in what way. I feel like I should just lay it out there: this is my blog and the opinions I express are wholly my own. If you're reading this to spy on my husband, you've come to the wrong place. And if you read something that insults you or ruffles your feathers, talk to me about it--don't go to him.
Don't get me wrong--I love Dingmans Ferry. Everyone we've met has been friendly and hospitable, and we've felt very welcomed. The area is much more remote than I'm used to, but it's beginning to grow on me. The more I see of it (one of the church guys took Matt and me off-roading in his Jeep on Monday--SO awesome) the more I fall in love with the area. I've seen more deer and turkies than I have in years, not to mention the family of Canada geese crossing the road in a straight line and the tiny turtle sunning itself on a rock. It's really charming.
And the parsonage is surprisingly wonderful. It's so much bigger than our Wilmore house, with so many closets and kitchen cabinets we barely know what to do with them!
I guess I just needed to lay my cards on the table. Ever since I said some negative stuff in a previous post about Matt not getting commissioned for ordination (which I changed after hearing indirectly from a blog lurker through Matt that it was a touchy subject and I shouldn't bring it up), I've felt hesitant about expressing my opinions, especially if they're negative. Especially about the UM church. And believe me, I have a LOT of disagreements with the UM church! However, I believe that the Lord called Matt to be a minister of the Gospel through the UM church, at least for this time in our lives. And when we got married, I promised Matt that his people would be my people.
But I digress.
Bottom line: I like it here. I love the church and the house, and I'm really looking forward to serving DFUMC as a layperson while seeing how the Lord uses Matt's gifts and talents for His glory and the Church's edification. However, I reserve the right to express my opinions in this blog, and respectfully ask that anyone reading/lurking would respect that right without assuming that what I think/say reflects negatively on my husband in any way.
Thank you for reading. I look forward to you journeying with me (although silently, which seems to be the case for many of you!) as I continue to grow as a person, wife, mother, and daughter of God in the coming months.
Don't get me wrong--I love Dingmans Ferry. Everyone we've met has been friendly and hospitable, and we've felt very welcomed. The area is much more remote than I'm used to, but it's beginning to grow on me. The more I see of it (one of the church guys took Matt and me off-roading in his Jeep on Monday--SO awesome) the more I fall in love with the area. I've seen more deer and turkies than I have in years, not to mention the family of Canada geese crossing the road in a straight line and the tiny turtle sunning itself on a rock. It's really charming.
And the parsonage is surprisingly wonderful. It's so much bigger than our Wilmore house, with so many closets and kitchen cabinets we barely know what to do with them!
I guess I just needed to lay my cards on the table. Ever since I said some negative stuff in a previous post about Matt not getting commissioned for ordination (which I changed after hearing indirectly from a blog lurker through Matt that it was a touchy subject and I shouldn't bring it up), I've felt hesitant about expressing my opinions, especially if they're negative. Especially about the UM church. And believe me, I have a LOT of disagreements with the UM church! However, I believe that the Lord called Matt to be a minister of the Gospel through the UM church, at least for this time in our lives. And when we got married, I promised Matt that his people would be my people.
But I digress.
Bottom line: I like it here. I love the church and the house, and I'm really looking forward to serving DFUMC as a layperson while seeing how the Lord uses Matt's gifts and talents for His glory and the Church's edification. However, I reserve the right to express my opinions in this blog, and respectfully ask that anyone reading/lurking would respect that right without assuming that what I think/say reflects negatively on my husband in any way.
Thank you for reading. I look forward to you journeying with me (although silently, which seems to be the case for many of you!) as I continue to grow as a person, wife, mother, and daughter of God in the coming months.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
My Review of Nature Babycare Diapers 30 Ct - Size 4
Nature babycare is the result of many years of intense work and development. The first award winning ECO-friendly high-performance diaper, based on new green technology, protected by a Swedish patent. The diaper is soft, thin, comfortable, & the ultra-thin construction gives a non-bulky fit,...
WOW--no blowouts!
Mom of two under 2 Pike County, PA 6/27/2009
Pros: Highly Absorbent, No poop blow-outs, Snug Fit
Cons: Stiff
Best Uses: Infants
Describe Yourself: Parent of Two or More Children
My 6 month old daughter was leaking through her cloth diapers at night, so we had been using Pampers. Unfortunately, every SINGLE time she pooped, the Pampers leaked. So gross. I decided to give Nature Babycare a try. AMAZING! Highly absorbent, and absolutely no poop blowouts (the leg gussets contain the mess while not being too tight). I'm thrilled that this chlorine-free, biodegradable diaper is comparable in performance to even the most expensive brand of traditional disposable diapers. From now on, when my baby's not in cloth, she'll be in Nature Babycare!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
End of Intermission.
In some ways, our short stay here in Jersey has been sort of like the intermission in the Beatles' movie Help!
Here's a brief wrap-up of what's been going on with us during the past few weeks:
1. We sold our house! In other words, we've officially been homeless for two weeks now. Let me tell you, it was a weird experience closing on a house via overnight mail!
2. We bought a minivan. But when you see me driving around in a 2009 grey-blue Honda Odyssey wih leather seats and power everything, don't write me off as the average soccer mom. According to Matt, our kids will never, EVER, play soccer. :-)
3. Staying up late, sleeping in late. We may not be healthy, wealthy, or wise, but we sure are rested and quite happy!
4. Abbie has finally grown out of her bedtime separation anxiety. Now when we put her to bed, we sing a few songs, pray, then tuck her in and say goodnight. And she goes right to sleep! Relief.
So our intermission will come to an end on Sunday when we caravan up to Dingmans Ferry to move into the parsonage. Woot!
Here's a brief wrap-up of what's been going on with us during the past few weeks:
1. We sold our house! In other words, we've officially been homeless for two weeks now. Let me tell you, it was a weird experience closing on a house via overnight mail!
2. We bought a minivan. But when you see me driving around in a 2009 grey-blue Honda Odyssey wih leather seats and power everything, don't write me off as the average soccer mom. According to Matt, our kids will never, EVER, play soccer. :-)
3. Staying up late, sleeping in late. We may not be healthy, wealthy, or wise, but we sure are rested and quite happy!
4. Abbie has finally grown out of her bedtime separation anxiety. Now when we put her to bed, we sing a few songs, pray, then tuck her in and say goodnight. And she goes right to sleep! Relief.
So our intermission will come to an end on Sunday when we caravan up to Dingmans Ferry to move into the parsonage. Woot!
Monday, June 22, 2009
How is this possible?
My little baby is 6 months old. Well, more like 6 months and one week old at this point. And she's sitting up! How in the world did six months go by like blur?
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Day trippin'
Matt and I took a day trip to Lanchaster county, PA today. We were mostly going to check out a non-toxic Strobel mattress that represented too big of an investment to make blindly (and the closest showroom happened to be 3 hours away), but we decided to take the kids and make a day of it. We had such a great time as a family! We ate a big lunch, went to the model train museum, and did some shopping before we even went to check out the mattress. Abbie absolutely loved the horse-drawn buggies. We even saw a horse and buggy going through an ATM drive-through. Odd. Matt splurged and bought me an antique drawing table which I am enthralled with! And I was pleasantly surprised with how well the girls did without naps. Awesome, refreshing day.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Pastures new
Have you heard the song Pastures New by Nicklecreek? If you have, then you'll know how I'm feeling about moving away from Kentucky, to New Jersey, and ultimately to Eastern PA. The song is wistful, sad, and hopeful at the same time. And that pretty much sums up the mixture of feelings I've been experiencing this past week. I turned in my last assignment of the semester on Tuesday night (well, actually more like 1am Wednesday morning), celebrated a make-shift birthday for Abbie and Matt on Wednesday, then started intensive house-packing on Thursday when my Mom arrived. Matt's parents came in on Friday afternoon, right after I got my tattoo finished (pictures to follow...eventually!) and right before our open house when our friends stopped by to wish us well. More packing Friday night, graduation events on Saturday, more packing, church this morning, final packing, then Matt, his dad, and my mom hit the road around 1:30. Matt's mom, the girls, and I are spending our last night at Asbury Inn, and we'll fly back to Jersey tomorrow afternoon. Needless to say, I haven't had very much down-time to rest, much less process my thoughts and feelings about ending this phase of our lives and beginning the next. So, while I'm sitting in the dark listening to Bella's Lullaby (from the Twilight soundtrack) on repeat in an attempt to get Abbie to finally fall asleep, I'll do one of my favorite things: make a list :-)
Things I'll miss about Kentucky:
the big sky, and especially the amazing sunsets
our church. our small group. our Sunday school class, and all our church friends
Ryan, Aura, and their awesome kids
my professors and classmates who have taught me SO much
Christmas in Wilmore
our first home, where Karis was born
the many odd and goofy "Kentucky Moments" (my favorite was a homemade bumper sticker on a rusty pick-up truck that said "I'm the only hell my mama ever raised." Classic.
seeing tractors and the occasional horse driving/trotting down our street
my friends from school
Ale-8-1
Things I'm looking forward to about PA:
waking up to singing birds
making new friends
being closer to all 4 parents
being closer to the city
seeing our backyard in the fall and winter
moving into a new home
Abbie's Goodnight Moon room
seeing Matt grow into his calling as a minister of the Gospel
I am so thankful that the Lord brought us to Wilmore to begin our life together as a married couple and to start our family. Although we've experienced some extremely lean times, we've lacked for nothing. We've made friends who have loved us and cared for us and our kids, and who have taught us how to really BE friends, even though we knew that our time here was short. The Lord has truly provided for us in every way, which had helped me to trust Him even more.
The church I grew up in had a message in big gold Gothic letters painted on a panel across the ceiling. It said "He Goeth Before." I know that's true for us as we rest in Jersey for the next month, and then as we move to PA to start our ministry. Praise be to the Lord for His faithfulness. How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me?
Things I'll miss about Kentucky:
the big sky, and especially the amazing sunsets
our church. our small group. our Sunday school class, and all our church friends
Ryan, Aura, and their awesome kids
my professors and classmates who have taught me SO much
Christmas in Wilmore
our first home, where Karis was born
the many odd and goofy "Kentucky Moments" (my favorite was a homemade bumper sticker on a rusty pick-up truck that said "I'm the only hell my mama ever raised." Classic.
seeing tractors and the occasional horse driving/trotting down our street
my friends from school
Ale-8-1
Things I'm looking forward to about PA:
waking up to singing birds
making new friends
being closer to all 4 parents
being closer to the city
seeing our backyard in the fall and winter
moving into a new home
Abbie's Goodnight Moon room
seeing Matt grow into his calling as a minister of the Gospel
I am so thankful that the Lord brought us to Wilmore to begin our life together as a married couple and to start our family. Although we've experienced some extremely lean times, we've lacked for nothing. We've made friends who have loved us and cared for us and our kids, and who have taught us how to really BE friends, even though we knew that our time here was short. The Lord has truly provided for us in every way, which had helped me to trust Him even more.
The church I grew up in had a message in big gold Gothic letters painted on a panel across the ceiling. It said "He Goeth Before." I know that's true for us as we rest in Jersey for the next month, and then as we move to PA to start our ministry. Praise be to the Lord for His faithfulness. How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me?
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Abbie's birthday!
A few pictures from today's events for your enjoyment!
Breakfast in bed with Daddy
"I'm TWO!"
First ever haircut--before...
...during...
...after!
Abbie's cake, decorated lovingly by Aunt Aura, Jesse, and Caleb...
...which she inhaled :-)
Isn't she lovely?
Isn't she beautiful?
Painted nails!
First ice cream cone
Happy birthday, sissy!
Breakfast in bed with Daddy
"I'm TWO!"
First ever haircut--before...
...during...
...after!
Abbie's cake, decorated lovingly by Aunt Aura, Jesse, and Caleb...
...which she inhaled :-)
Isn't she lovely?
Isn't she beautiful?
Painted nails!
First ice cream cone
Happy birthday, sissy!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Tattoo: phase one
Last night I endured about two and a half hours of being stuck thousands upon thousands of times with a needle injecting ink into my dermis! Ha--that sounds so dramatic. I was actually pretty surprised with how little the process hurt; the only time I had to employ my labor relaxation skills was when Elli was doing the initial outline toward to top of my shoulder. Other than that all I felt was a mild stinging sensation and as long as I was talking or someone was talking to me, I was distracted enough not to feel any pain at all. Fortunately my best friend Pamm came with me and provided much comic relief. If you're at all interested in learning how tattoos actually work, check this out.
So at long last, here it is!
I am VERY pleased with how it came out. I have an appointment in two weeks to have the artist add color; I have to wait until my skin heals from the first phase. She could have done it all at the same time, but the shop closed before she could start with the color.
So at long last, here it is!
I am VERY pleased with how it came out. I have an appointment in two weeks to have the artist add color; I have to wait until my skin heals from the first phase. She could have done it all at the same time, but the shop closed before she could start with the color.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Milestones!
Karis was chomping on my knuckle this afternoon and I felt something tiny and sharp--her first tooth is starting to come in! I was a little shocked, because she really hasn't been drooling that much, and she's only been a little fussy during the last few days. Yaay for pain-free new teeth!
Have I mentioned that she rolled over from back to front for the first time last week? She still gets stuck on her belly :-)
Also, equally as shocking--on the way back from our family trip to Kroger this afternoon Matt and I suddenly realized that Abbie (sitting in the back seat, babbling to herself as usual) was reciting the alphabet! RECITING THE ALPHABET! Yes. She is 23 months old.
Have I mentioned that she rolled over from back to front for the first time last week? She still gets stuck on her belly :-)
Also, equally as shocking--on the way back from our family trip to Kroger this afternoon Matt and I suddenly realized that Abbie (sitting in the back seat, babbling to herself as usual) was reciting the alphabet! RECITING THE ALPHABET! Yes. She is 23 months old.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Falling in love (again)
This experience with potty training Abbie has been pleasantly surprising! Although we have a little potty I used when I was doing infant potty training with her when she was a few months old (which I still think is a fabulous idea, and I'm fully convinced that it would have worked if I would have been more persist ant...but wuddia gonna do), Matt and I decided that it would be better to put her on the big potty every time, for consistency's sake. This is really only possible because Matt is done working at UPS, so we've both been home the whole week.
Basically several times a day I sit on a folding chair across from Abbie and just hang out. I guess I hadn't realized how little time I've spent one-on-one with her since Karis was born. These times with Abbie have really made me fall in love with her again! I think for several reasons we've been functioning in survival mode as a family for a few months now, not just because we have a toddler and an infant to care for, but also because school/work have been stressful and we've been so busy preparing to move. It's been easy for me to just be a functional mom for Abbie instead of functioning + fun + affectionate, which is what I want to be for her. I love hearing her squeaky little girl voice repeating the alphabet after me and seeing the HUGE smile on her cute face when she finally pees! It's hard to believe that she's almost out of diapers.
Basically several times a day I sit on a folding chair across from Abbie and just hang out. I guess I hadn't realized how little time I've spent one-on-one with her since Karis was born. These times with Abbie have really made me fall in love with her again! I think for several reasons we've been functioning in survival mode as a family for a few months now, not just because we have a toddler and an infant to care for, but also because school/work have been stressful and we've been so busy preparing to move. It's been easy for me to just be a functional mom for Abbie instead of functioning + fun + affectionate, which is what I want to be for her. I love hearing her squeaky little girl voice repeating the alphabet after me and seeing the HUGE smile on her cute face when she finally pees! It's hard to believe that she's almost out of diapers.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
TMI
...is it really weird that I excitedly took a digital photo of Abbie's first potty poop? C'mon, other parents! Fess up! :-)
Monday, April 27, 2009
So much to blog about!
A LOT has happened since last I blogged.
Make 'em an offa they can't refuse
On Friday morning our realtor called us with VERY good news: the couple that had viewed the house on Wednesday made an offer!! So far everything is going smoothly—we’re waiting for the housing inspector to stop by sometime soon. Our house was only on the market for 3 weeks! This is definitely an answer to prayer.
ER
Also on Friday morning Karis woke up gasping for breath. I brought her to her doctor who gave her an ambuterol (sp?) treatment which seemed to help a little bit. He sent us home with a prescription for antibiotics (although he thought she had viral bronchitis, he wanted to prevent phenomena) and a nebulizer just in case she had breathing problems again. That was around 10:00am. Around 12:45 she started gasping again, so I (frantically) put Abbie down for her nap and gave Karis another breathing treatment. Which didn’t help at all. So I called a friend to come stay with Abbie while I brought Karis to the ER. Matt met us there and they took us back right away. One epinephrine treatment, one steroid treatment, three x-rays, and 3 hours later, Karis was diagnosed with croup. Which both Matt and his dad had when they were younger. I stayed with her at the hospital overnight, and by about 3am she was breathing normally again. I was so proud of her—she handled the experience like a champ.
Potty success
After Abbie’s bath on Saturday night she was running around the house without a diaper and had a tiny accident. I brought her to the potty and after a few minutes…she peed! Last night we put her on the potty again before bed and had another successful visit! So today we started potty training in earnest. We have a few pairs of cloth training pants and bought some pull-ups to use in lieu of diapers. We’re using homemade banana chips, dried cranberries, and banana nut cheerios as incentives to stay on the potty. I know potty training is something most parents dread (I’ve read that some people actually HIRE professional potty trainers to train their kids—can you believe that?!) but I think it’s going to actually be a fun experience. Since Karis was born I sort of have to parse my attention during most of the day, and usually only get to spend one-on-one time with Abbie during bedtime. But sitting on a folding chair opposite her sitting on the potty lends opportunity for all sorts of fun---we count cheerios, point to our elbows, ankles, knees, ears…sings the ABC’s while I teach her signs for the letters, and even read books. It would be so awesome to have her out of diapers by the time we move in with Matt’s parents!
Scraped knee
On Sunday Abbie got her first scraped knee while walking from church to our car. I loved putting Neosporin and a band-aid on. I felt like a commercial mom!
Eight hours
I nursed Karis last night at 11:00. And didn’t nurse her again until 7:45 this morning. GLORY!
And that’s why we don’t vaccinate (against non-deadly diseases)
Here’s my rant: what is the deal with this swine flu epidemic?! How in the world did a virus that infects pigs morph into a virus that could infect humans (and, as an aside, is resistant to the two oldest forms of the normal flu vaccine—there are four altogether). Oh wait, I know. Maybe because everyone and their uncle is too much of a wuss to deal with a little seasonal flu that they rush out to get an unnecessary vaccine which then causes the virus (that a normal person’s immune system would be able to fight off without a problem) to morph into a super virus that even a normal immune system has problems fighting! Is it really in the interest of public health to perpetuate these sorts of vaccines?
Make 'em an offa they can't refuse
On Friday morning our realtor called us with VERY good news: the couple that had viewed the house on Wednesday made an offer!! So far everything is going smoothly—we’re waiting for the housing inspector to stop by sometime soon. Our house was only on the market for 3 weeks! This is definitely an answer to prayer.
ER
Also on Friday morning Karis woke up gasping for breath. I brought her to her doctor who gave her an ambuterol (sp?) treatment which seemed to help a little bit. He sent us home with a prescription for antibiotics (although he thought she had viral bronchitis, he wanted to prevent phenomena) and a nebulizer just in case she had breathing problems again. That was around 10:00am. Around 12:45 she started gasping again, so I (frantically) put Abbie down for her nap and gave Karis another breathing treatment. Which didn’t help at all. So I called a friend to come stay with Abbie while I brought Karis to the ER. Matt met us there and they took us back right away. One epinephrine treatment, one steroid treatment, three x-rays, and 3 hours later, Karis was diagnosed with croup. Which both Matt and his dad had when they were younger. I stayed with her at the hospital overnight, and by about 3am she was breathing normally again. I was so proud of her—she handled the experience like a champ.
Potty success
After Abbie’s bath on Saturday night she was running around the house without a diaper and had a tiny accident. I brought her to the potty and after a few minutes…she peed! Last night we put her on the potty again before bed and had another successful visit! So today we started potty training in earnest. We have a few pairs of cloth training pants and bought some pull-ups to use in lieu of diapers. We’re using homemade banana chips, dried cranberries, and banana nut cheerios as incentives to stay on the potty. I know potty training is something most parents dread (I’ve read that some people actually HIRE professional potty trainers to train their kids—can you believe that?!) but I think it’s going to actually be a fun experience. Since Karis was born I sort of have to parse my attention during most of the day, and usually only get to spend one-on-one time with Abbie during bedtime. But sitting on a folding chair opposite her sitting on the potty lends opportunity for all sorts of fun---we count cheerios, point to our elbows, ankles, knees, ears…sings the ABC’s while I teach her signs for the letters, and even read books. It would be so awesome to have her out of diapers by the time we move in with Matt’s parents!
Scraped knee
On Sunday Abbie got her first scraped knee while walking from church to our car. I loved putting Neosporin and a band-aid on. I felt like a commercial mom!
Eight hours
I nursed Karis last night at 11:00. And didn’t nurse her again until 7:45 this morning. GLORY!
And that’s why we don’t vaccinate (against non-deadly diseases)
Here’s my rant: what is the deal with this swine flu epidemic?! How in the world did a virus that infects pigs morph into a virus that could infect humans (and, as an aside, is resistant to the two oldest forms of the normal flu vaccine—there are four altogether). Oh wait, I know. Maybe because everyone and their uncle is too much of a wuss to deal with a little seasonal flu that they rush out to get an unnecessary vaccine which then causes the virus (that a normal person’s immune system would be able to fight off without a problem) to morph into a super virus that even a normal immune system has problems fighting! Is it really in the interest of public health to perpetuate these sorts of vaccines?
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Nightmares + egg hunts
I had a nightmare last night that our house was suddenly infested with rats. We found two dead rats on the kitchen floor, and I watched one chew its way through a wall. So creepy. I think it's my psyche's way of dealing with my increased amount of anxiety over selling the house after a few things have gone wrong in the past week: the piping under our kitchen sink is leaking, the door knob on the office closet has jammed (although Matt says that's an easy fix), and I noticed a lot of mold on our backyard fence yesterday afternoon after a downpour. The fence is definitely too weathered to handle a pressure wash, so I think we're just going to have to let that one go. Our realtor put our house up already, albeit without pictures. I must say it is extremely surreal to see the For Sale sign in our front yard. I nearly cried when I saw it for the first time (which was partially due to the fact that I had stayed up until 4:30am the night before attempting to clean and stage the house for pictures, and was emotionally unstable).
Also, have you noticed all the Easter commercials this spring? I've seen all sorts of commercials for "spring" dresses, shoes, cheap candy, and pre-fab Easter Bunny baskets. An ad in Parents magazine proclaimed: "Perfect dresses for egg-hunt day." And a WalMart commercial assured me that "Easter costs less at WalMart." Really? I was unaware that the church holiday celebrating Jesus' victory over the grave to which He sacrificed His life to atone for the sins of all the world could be more cost-effective at a major francise. I know Jesus and Santa have been duking it out for years, but it seems like the next round will be between Jesus and the Easter Bunny. A good friend of mine invited me to bring Abbie to an egg hunt this afternoon hosted by her family-centered church. I declined. What used to be an innocent compliment to the celebration of Easter is slowly and deliberatley morphing into a secular distraction from the highest Holy Day of the Christian year. Sorry, Easter Bunny--you're cute and all, but I'd rather encourage my daughter to hunt for the empty tomb than your candy-filled eggs.
Also, have you noticed all the Easter commercials this spring? I've seen all sorts of commercials for "spring" dresses, shoes, cheap candy, and pre-fab Easter Bunny baskets. An ad in Parents magazine proclaimed: "Perfect dresses for egg-hunt day." And a WalMart commercial assured me that "Easter costs less at WalMart." Really? I was unaware that the church holiday celebrating Jesus' victory over the grave to which He sacrificed His life to atone for the sins of all the world could be more cost-effective at a major francise. I know Jesus and Santa have been duking it out for years, but it seems like the next round will be between Jesus and the Easter Bunny. A good friend of mine invited me to bring Abbie to an egg hunt this afternoon hosted by her family-centered church. I declined. What used to be an innocent compliment to the celebration of Easter is slowly and deliberatley morphing into a secular distraction from the highest Holy Day of the Christian year. Sorry, Easter Bunny--you're cute and all, but I'd rather encourage my daughter to hunt for the empty tomb than your candy-filled eggs.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Our house looks awesome!
Our house has never looked better! Over the weekend Matt and I dug out all the weeds in our front flower beds and perennial garden, laid down new mulch, Matt cut the grass, pruned the hedges (ha--I hope you know that quote!), and power-washed the mold off the shingles on our storage shed. I washed the windows (and window sills, which were truly gross), organized and vacuumed Abbie's room, did the same in the office, and did some serious work in the bathroom: scrubbed the floor, cleaned out and organized the laundry closet and under the sink--basically made it shine like the top of the Chrysler building (movie quote #2!). Our friend from school spent 3 hours cleaning our shower on Friday because Wilmore water is nasty, and now it's actually white!
I never knew how satisfying REALLY cleaning the house could be. I decided that it would be a good idea to do this kind of intensive organizing and cleaning at least twice a year...because we've never done it before and after four years living here, cleaning is pretty time-consuming.
Another thing that cleaning like this does is make me feel proud of our space. I've always enjoyed our house but I think I've taken it for-granted to some extent. Matt used to have a problem with how I left my clothes and stuff around the house because it wasn't respectful stewardship...and my excuse was that I just wanted to be comfortable in our house. And I've always liked having a clean house, but was never motivated enough to keep it clean. The more I think about moving into a new home, the more I'm looking forward to a clean start (literally), and having a chance to find the balance between cleanliness/organization and creating a space that we're all comfortable in.
I never knew how satisfying REALLY cleaning the house could be. I decided that it would be a good idea to do this kind of intensive organizing and cleaning at least twice a year...because we've never done it before and after four years living here, cleaning is pretty time-consuming.
Another thing that cleaning like this does is make me feel proud of our space. I've always enjoyed our house but I think I've taken it for-granted to some extent. Matt used to have a problem with how I left my clothes and stuff around the house because it wasn't respectful stewardship...and my excuse was that I just wanted to be comfortable in our house. And I've always liked having a clean house, but was never motivated enough to keep it clean. The more I think about moving into a new home, the more I'm looking forward to a clean start (literally), and having a chance to find the balance between cleanliness/organization and creating a space that we're all comfortable in.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Tattoo in progress!
This afternoon my bff Pamm and I went to a tattoo shop in Lexington to talk with one of the artists about my sparrow and lilies tattoo. Pamm was with me when we got our first tattoos in college, and when I got my belly button pierced (I missed her most recent ear piercing, unfortunately), so we kind of have a tradition going. Although I've been collecting ideas and sketching for a few weeks, I realized that I needed the help of a professional artist if it was going to look really good. We talked to a girl named Elli (check out her portfolio here) who was really patient as I tried to explain the image I was thinking of. And I think she's going to be able to create something really cool. She told me to call her toward the end of next week and she'll update me on how the design is coming along. !!!! I'm SO EXCITED to see what she comes up with!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Packing
This week is my reading week (aka spring break), and Matt took off Wednesday through Friday from work. It's been really nice having him home! Yesterday I was so productive--all before noon I met with a small group of classmates to discuss our upcoming class presentation, got the dog's nails cut at the groomer, renewed my car registration and got a new driver's license. (I'm usually still shuffling around in my pj's at noon!)
But our main goal this week is to get the house looking presentable for potential buyers. This feat entails purging our closets, taking old clothes to goodwill, dusting, vacuuming, and packing up books and decorations to give the appearance of tidiness and as much space as possible. We're even hiring a friend from school who cleans houses to come over tomorrow morning and clean our shower (which is stained from Wilmore water--ewwww) and lenoleum kitchen floor. We're also working on the landscaping...neither Matt nor I are really big into gardening, so all the flower beds are overgrown and not very attractive at this point.
I'm trying to be optimistic about being able to sell the house. I know that my optimism or pessimism isn't going to affect whether or not the house sells, so I'm choosing optimism for my own mental health. :-) The best we can do is get the house looking its best, hire a good realtor (which we've already done), and trust that God will provide for us like He has countless times in the past.
After almost four and a half years here, it's finally time to start saying goodbye.
But our main goal this week is to get the house looking presentable for potential buyers. This feat entails purging our closets, taking old clothes to goodwill, dusting, vacuuming, and packing up books and decorations to give the appearance of tidiness and as much space as possible. We're even hiring a friend from school who cleans houses to come over tomorrow morning and clean our shower (which is stained from Wilmore water--ewwww) and lenoleum kitchen floor. We're also working on the landscaping...neither Matt nor I are really big into gardening, so all the flower beds are overgrown and not very attractive at this point.
I'm trying to be optimistic about being able to sell the house. I know that my optimism or pessimism isn't going to affect whether or not the house sells, so I'm choosing optimism for my own mental health. :-) The best we can do is get the house looking its best, hire a good realtor (which we've already done), and trust that God will provide for us like He has countless times in the past.
After almost four and a half years here, it's finally time to start saying goodbye.
Monday, March 30, 2009
DITL March 30, 2009
It's been a long time since I've done a day in the life blog entry. In fact, it's been almost a year since the last one! This is my way of documenting my family's life in tribute of our average days and average adventures. Enjoy :-)
Yes, that's right. No one in our house woke up before 9:45am. Amazing!
Look at that blue sky and those blooming trees next door!
Abbie eats breakfast with Daddy. Kix, banana, and cheese. This is the third day in a row we've given Abbie dairy products (cheese, butter, chocolate) WITHOUT INCIDENT! Do we dare to believe that she's grown out of her milk allergy?
Back in bed to nurse Karis.
Full tummy = happy baby!
10:30am: Matt leaves for work and the girls watch Seasame Street. You'll notice that our living room is a disaster, Abbie is wearing underpants as a hat, and Karis is wondering what in the world is going on. This is pretty much our life on a daily basis! During this time I consider washing dishes, doing my hair, or eating breakfast. Breakfast wins out.
Much of my morning consists of changing diapers. Two in cloth is...challenging.
I couldn't resist uploading this one as well :-)
1:00pm: Ready to go! Stop #1: the salon to get my monkey eyebrows waxed (finally!) Stop #2: Pet shelter to visit our friend Anna and the new kittens they just got.
We go to visit our friend Anna, who works at the Jessamine County pet rescue center. Abbie LOVES the cats, but is not so fond of the barking dogs. Would have taken more pictures, but Karis was crying and needed to be held!
2:30pm--Lunch for Abbie and Karis and then...naptime. Glorious, glorious naptime!
I debate the pros and cons of doing homework against the pros and cons of napping with the kids. Ok, ok, I think--I'll nap for an hour. Then suddenly my phone is ringing--it's Matt saying he's on his way home. It's 5:00. D'oh!
Sorry kiddo--it's 5:45, you need to wake up!
Everything's better when Daddy comes home. Abbie and Matt play while Karis finishes her nap and I make dinner.
6:40pm: Dinner is ready. Peanut chicken satay with onions and rice. Pretty good, even without the fish sauce.
After dinner pics:
We decide to take a walk after dinner. It's still sweatshirt weather, but spring is everywhere!
We still like each other :-)
8:00pm: I put Abbie to bed while Matt works out. Goodnight, Moon. Goodnight, Abbie :-) Then I nurse Karis and she falls asleep, too.
Other plans tonight include washing the huge pile of dishes, reading for class, and pouring myself into bed around 1am.
Yes, that's right. No one in our house woke up before 9:45am. Amazing!
Look at that blue sky and those blooming trees next door!
Abbie eats breakfast with Daddy. Kix, banana, and cheese. This is the third day in a row we've given Abbie dairy products (cheese, butter, chocolate) WITHOUT INCIDENT! Do we dare to believe that she's grown out of her milk allergy?
Back in bed to nurse Karis.
Full tummy = happy baby!
10:30am: Matt leaves for work and the girls watch Seasame Street. You'll notice that our living room is a disaster, Abbie is wearing underpants as a hat, and Karis is wondering what in the world is going on. This is pretty much our life on a daily basis! During this time I consider washing dishes, doing my hair, or eating breakfast. Breakfast wins out.
Much of my morning consists of changing diapers. Two in cloth is...challenging.
I couldn't resist uploading this one as well :-)
1:00pm: Ready to go! Stop #1: the salon to get my monkey eyebrows waxed (finally!) Stop #2: Pet shelter to visit our friend Anna and the new kittens they just got.
We go to visit our friend Anna, who works at the Jessamine County pet rescue center. Abbie LOVES the cats, but is not so fond of the barking dogs. Would have taken more pictures, but Karis was crying and needed to be held!
2:30pm--Lunch for Abbie and Karis and then...naptime. Glorious, glorious naptime!
I debate the pros and cons of doing homework against the pros and cons of napping with the kids. Ok, ok, I think--I'll nap for an hour. Then suddenly my phone is ringing--it's Matt saying he's on his way home. It's 5:00. D'oh!
Sorry kiddo--it's 5:45, you need to wake up!
Everything's better when Daddy comes home. Abbie and Matt play while Karis finishes her nap and I make dinner.
6:40pm: Dinner is ready. Peanut chicken satay with onions and rice. Pretty good, even without the fish sauce.
After dinner pics:
We decide to take a walk after dinner. It's still sweatshirt weather, but spring is everywhere!
We still like each other :-)
8:00pm: I put Abbie to bed while Matt works out. Goodnight, Moon. Goodnight, Abbie :-) Then I nurse Karis and she falls asleep, too.
Other plans tonight include washing the huge pile of dishes, reading for class, and pouring myself into bed around 1am.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Home remedies + staying healthy
I've been fighting a sinus infection during the past few days. I get infections at a ridiculous frequency, which is really quite annoying. It seems like if there's any chance I could possibly get an infection, it happens. Well anyway, I decided to do everything in my power this time to clear out my sinuses and avoid getting yet another sinus infection this season. Have you ever used a Netti Pot? If not, I highly recommend this handy little device. It's basically a little teapot in which you mix a salt solution with distilled water, then insert the spout into one nostril, tip your head forward and to the side, and let the water solution flow through your sinuses and out the other nostril. It feels freaky the first time or two, but the feeling of clear sinuses is OH so worth it! So I've been using the Netti Pot like it's going out of style. I've also been a separate sinus rinse with grapefruit seed extract (1 drop mixed with 2ml water)--putting a dropper-full of the solution into each nostril while my head is tipped back, then swinging my head forward and down to force the stuff into my sinuses. Now, this really burns! But bad bacteria doesn't stand a chance against grapefruit seed extract! I've also been adding about 20 drops to a full glass of orange juice, along with liquid echinasia in hopes of boosting my chronically weak immune system. So far, the remedies are working and my sinuses are starting to be more clear than stuffy.
Oh, and did you know that breastmilk works to clear up pink eye in adults as well as in babies? I now have first-hand experience with this home remedy as well.
(Yes, my winter has been plagued with less-than-optimal health.)
Here's another thought. A few weeks ago a friend of mine sent me an article describing the dangers of hand sanitizer for young children. Basically, a 4-year-old licked a puddle of hand sanitizer off her hand and wound up having a blood alcohol level that was through the roof. This is exactly why I've never used the stuff on Abbie (and obviously not Karis). I mean, this kid's hands are ALWAYS in her mouth. But after giving that article some thought, I realized that I've never even had Abbie wash her hands with handsoap. Not even once. The most we do is wipe off her hands with a wet washcloth after meals...and I always keep her fingernails short because of all the crud that gets underneath them otherwise. And you know what? I can count the number of times Abbie's been sick in her whole life on one hand. Is there a correlation here? I don't know. But what I do know is that she (unlike me) has a very strong immune system--an it's not as if she's not around other kids or in germy situations ever.
So what home remedies do you use?
Oh, and did you know that breastmilk works to clear up pink eye in adults as well as in babies? I now have first-hand experience with this home remedy as well.
(Yes, my winter has been plagued with less-than-optimal health.)
Here's another thought. A few weeks ago a friend of mine sent me an article describing the dangers of hand sanitizer for young children. Basically, a 4-year-old licked a puddle of hand sanitizer off her hand and wound up having a blood alcohol level that was through the roof. This is exactly why I've never used the stuff on Abbie (and obviously not Karis). I mean, this kid's hands are ALWAYS in her mouth. But after giving that article some thought, I realized that I've never even had Abbie wash her hands with handsoap. Not even once. The most we do is wipe off her hands with a wet washcloth after meals...and I always keep her fingernails short because of all the crud that gets underneath them otherwise. And you know what? I can count the number of times Abbie's been sick in her whole life on one hand. Is there a correlation here? I don't know. But what I do know is that she (unlike me) has a very strong immune system--an it's not as if she's not around other kids or in germy situations ever.
So what home remedies do you use?
Monday, March 23, 2009
That all happened in one week?!
I talked to Matt a few times during his 2-day retreat last week. Each time he sounded relaxed, but I could hear a little hesitance in his voice whenever he would say that he thought it was going well. Now, we've always been painfully aware that this was not going to be a "rubber stamp" situation; we know all too well that he might not pass his interviews. However, we got our hopes up the week before because Matt's district superintendent told him that they had an appointment set up for him, provided he passed his interviews. We decided to risk having Karis and me fly up to Jersey mid-week, just IN CASE we got to meet with the church during the weekend.
It's hard to describe the emotional crash that I experienced after a long day of traveling with a 3-month-old by myself (our 1:40pm flight was delayed until 6:00pm) all the while anticipating good news from Matt when I landed, and instead hearing him tell me that he didn't pass his interviews. I began crying almost immediately (a very rare reaction for me) and I felt so angry and confused. The board had some good reasons for not passing him. They also had some reasons that I very much disagree with, and which I intend to address more in detail at a later date, because I think my voice and my experience as a Christian speaks directly against the board's theology.
For the following two hours, our future was in limbo. Matt's DS told him that the appointment might still happen, but couldn't say for sure. Would the board send Matt back to Kentucky to work for UPS for another year and expect him to gain church experience on his own? or would they take a chance and appoint him as a licensed local pastor? Matt was reserving his emotional response until he heard; I was letting it all out.
Then we get a call from Matt's DS saying that she had spoken to the bishop, who had spoken to the new DS, who had AGREED TO TAKE HIM ON and mentor him through his first appointment! Now here's the curve ball:
the church is in Pennsylvania.
Dingman's Ferry, Pennsylvania.
It's located in the middle the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which basically means it's in the middle of the woods. I can see only one other house from the parsonage, and I have to strain my neck and squint to even see that one! BUT the church is phenomenal. And the parsonage is really nice; I'm already planning a Goodnight Moon-themed new room for Abbie! And for being in the middle of no where, the church is big! And it's been growing in the last few years...it seems perfect for Matt and our family. Adjusting to the location will probably be the biggest challenge for me, but I'm also looking forward to the beautiful fall colors, camping trips, and learning how to fire a gun! (And I've already been daydreaming about giving birth to our next baby in a birth pool on our huge back porch in the middle of the night....ahhhh---all that nature around me and then POOF! A new little creation! :-)
So, I'm emotionally spent. But I can't shake the feeling that God is very near to us, providing for us and preparing us for this adventure.
(Picture taken from http://dfumc.com)
It's hard to describe the emotional crash that I experienced after a long day of traveling with a 3-month-old by myself (our 1:40pm flight was delayed until 6:00pm) all the while anticipating good news from Matt when I landed, and instead hearing him tell me that he didn't pass his interviews. I began crying almost immediately (a very rare reaction for me) and I felt so angry and confused. The board had some good reasons for not passing him. They also had some reasons that I very much disagree with, and which I intend to address more in detail at a later date, because I think my voice and my experience as a Christian speaks directly against the board's theology.
For the following two hours, our future was in limbo. Matt's DS told him that the appointment might still happen, but couldn't say for sure. Would the board send Matt back to Kentucky to work for UPS for another year and expect him to gain church experience on his own? or would they take a chance and appoint him as a licensed local pastor? Matt was reserving his emotional response until he heard; I was letting it all out.
Then we get a call from Matt's DS saying that she had spoken to the bishop, who had spoken to the new DS, who had AGREED TO TAKE HIM ON and mentor him through his first appointment! Now here's the curve ball:
the church is in Pennsylvania.
Dingman's Ferry, Pennsylvania.
It's located in the middle the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which basically means it's in the middle of the woods. I can see only one other house from the parsonage, and I have to strain my neck and squint to even see that one! BUT the church is phenomenal. And the parsonage is really nice; I'm already planning a Goodnight Moon-themed new room for Abbie! And for being in the middle of no where, the church is big! And it's been growing in the last few years...it seems perfect for Matt and our family. Adjusting to the location will probably be the biggest challenge for me, but I'm also looking forward to the beautiful fall colors, camping trips, and learning how to fire a gun! (And I've already been daydreaming about giving birth to our next baby in a birth pool on our huge back porch in the middle of the night....ahhhh---all that nature around me and then POOF! A new little creation! :-)
So, I'm emotionally spent. But I can't shake the feeling that God is very near to us, providing for us and preparing us for this adventure.
(Picture taken from http://dfumc.com)
Monday, March 16, 2009
Matt's schedule
Just in case you want to pray for Matt (hint, hint!) here is his schedule for the next two days (topics and interview times):
Monday (March 16)
4:30p - Theology
7:15p - Preaching
Tuesday (March 17)
9:30a - Teaching
2:15p - Polity (UM church structure)
Monday (March 16)
4:30p - Theology
7:15p - Preaching
Tuesday (March 17)
9:30a - Teaching
2:15p - Polity (UM church structure)
Sunday, March 15, 2009
(so quiet!)
It's 1:32pm on Sunday afternoon. I am sitting on my bed, next to sleeping Karis, listening to the birds outside. And nothing else! Normally around this time on a Sunday Matt's music would be blasting from the living room while we all finished up lunch and got the girls down for their naps (after which time Abbie would be babbling and singing to herself in her crib for the next hour or so before actually falling asleep). But today Karis and I dropped Matt and Abbie off at the airport and now we're home alone!
In case you haven't yet heard, there's good news on the Riley front. Matt will meet with his Board of Ordained Ministry tomorrow and Tuesday in New Jersey (Abbie is staying with his parents) and if he passes these interviews, he'll be approved to start his provisional membership which is a 2-3 year trial period before UM pastors get to be fully ordained as Elders (i.e. head pastors). Matt put together a mock interview with some folks from our church a few weeks ago and feels really prepared since then. But here's the good news: last week on Monday Matt's DS called him and asked him to fill out a form that they use to match pastors with church appointments, because decisions were being made the next day. And here's the GREAT news: The DS called AGAIN later that week and said that the bishop wanted to know if he could stay in Jersey through the weekend because, provided the interviews go well, he wants Matt to interview with the church where he'll be appointed!! As you can imagine, this is a pretty rare situation. I'm so thankful that we're not going to have to wait 2 or 3 more months to know where we'll be living--this means I can mentally prepare, apply for a practicum site, and start praying for the specific church we'll be at. Wahoo!
After that phone call I decided that I wanted to meet the church too (it's normal for the spouse to go on the church tour)--so Karis and I will be flying up to Jersey on Wednesday and staying through Sunday when we'll all fly back together. I'm so excited! Not only to meet the church and see our new house, but to see the family, for everyone to meet Karis, to have a break from school, and to eat real pizza :-)
Until then, I have an annotated bibliography to work on for my research class and a very messy (but quiet!!) house to clean up. Oh, and just to clarify--NO, Matt and I are NOT trying to get pregnant right now. I thought that went without saying when I wrote my last post, but apparently not :-)
In case you haven't yet heard, there's good news on the Riley front. Matt will meet with his Board of Ordained Ministry tomorrow and Tuesday in New Jersey (Abbie is staying with his parents) and if he passes these interviews, he'll be approved to start his provisional membership which is a 2-3 year trial period before UM pastors get to be fully ordained as Elders (i.e. head pastors). Matt put together a mock interview with some folks from our church a few weeks ago and feels really prepared since then. But here's the good news: last week on Monday Matt's DS called him and asked him to fill out a form that they use to match pastors with church appointments, because decisions were being made the next day. And here's the GREAT news: The DS called AGAIN later that week and said that the bishop wanted to know if he could stay in Jersey through the weekend because, provided the interviews go well, he wants Matt to interview with the church where he'll be appointed!! As you can imagine, this is a pretty rare situation. I'm so thankful that we're not going to have to wait 2 or 3 more months to know where we'll be living--this means I can mentally prepare, apply for a practicum site, and start praying for the specific church we'll be at. Wahoo!
After that phone call I decided that I wanted to meet the church too (it's normal for the spouse to go on the church tour)--so Karis and I will be flying up to Jersey on Wednesday and staying through Sunday when we'll all fly back together. I'm so excited! Not only to meet the church and see our new house, but to see the family, for everyone to meet Karis, to have a break from school, and to eat real pizza :-)
Until then, I have an annotated bibliography to work on for my research class and a very messy (but quiet!!) house to clean up. Oh, and just to clarify--NO, Matt and I are NOT trying to get pregnant right now. I thought that went without saying when I wrote my last post, but apparently not :-)
Friday, March 13, 2009
Result: negative.
I've taken two pregnancy tests since last night. Matt finally convinced me to take one after the past few weeks of feeling extremely tired, hungry at night (even after eating a full supper and snacking every few hours), and being scent-sensitive. Both tests came out negative. To be honest, we're both a tad bit disappointed. I knew for sure that the result would be negative (I thought it was silly to take the test in the first place), but I couldn't help hoping--just a little--to see the pink positive sign. What can I say? We like babies :-)
Friday, March 6, 2009
Birthday blog (pt. 2) + new tattoo
Well, the rest of my birthday was as good as I hoped. Matt threw a surpise party for me with our small group from church and a few of our friends. We had chili (that I made--oh yum) and ice cream cake, and Matt gave me an AIR POPPER so we had pop corn too. (I've been wanting an air popper for just about ever.) And the whole time we listened to the Aradhna albums Matt bought for me. This band is amazing. And you've probably never heard of them, so do check them out. We had a lot of fun.
I'm not sure if it's because I am now officially into my "mid-twenties" or if I'm just feeling the intra-pregnancy itch, but I've decided that right now is the perfect time to do some twentysomething things before it's too late. I'm planning to cut most of my hair off into a spikey/feathery/textured look as soon as I can get an appointment with my stylist. I'm also contemplating the design for my next tattoo! I've been wanting another one for a while now, but because 1)I was pregnant and 2)I had no idea what I wanted, I've been waiting. Then the other night a brilliant idea came to me, and now it's just a matter of designing it. What I want is a flying sparrow like this or this (not a swallow--there is a huge difference in symbolism) and a lily or lilies (but I haven't decided on whether I want and Easter lily or more wildflower-type lilies), over my shoulder something like this. It will be black and white with lots of shading--I want it to look like a realistic, detailed pencil drawing. I'm thinking it will probably be one that needs to be completed in 2 or 3 phases, which means a lot of pain and a lot of money. :-) But I'm excited! I'll write more about the symbolism later. Tell me what you think!
I'm not sure if it's because I am now officially into my "mid-twenties" or if I'm just feeling the intra-pregnancy itch, but I've decided that right now is the perfect time to do some twentysomething things before it's too late. I'm planning to cut most of my hair off into a spikey/feathery/textured look as soon as I can get an appointment with my stylist. I'm also contemplating the design for my next tattoo! I've been wanting another one for a while now, but because 1)I was pregnant and 2)I had no idea what I wanted, I've been waiting. Then the other night a brilliant idea came to me, and now it's just a matter of designing it. What I want is a flying sparrow like this or this (not a swallow--there is a huge difference in symbolism) and a lily or lilies (but I haven't decided on whether I want and Easter lily or more wildflower-type lilies), over my shoulder something like this. It will be black and white with lots of shading--I want it to look like a realistic, detailed pencil drawing. I'm thinking it will probably be one that needs to be completed in 2 or 3 phases, which means a lot of pain and a lot of money. :-) But I'm excited! I'll write more about the symbolism later. Tell me what you think!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Birthday blog (part 1)
I am twenty-six years old today! At 3:40am on this day back in 1983 my mom pushed me into the world (with the help of forceps but no pain meds--ouch). I was 7 lbs., 2 oz, and (let's not be modest) really cute. Thanks, Mom!
So anyway, back to the future. Birthday festivities began on Saturday, when one of my oldest and dearest friends, Pamm, brought me out to eat at Red Robin and then to the movies to see Taken. We also went to Starbucks in-between because we ended up having a lot of extra time. It was so fun to go out with her and leave the girls at home with Matt--it's nice to feel like a person in my own right now and then :-)
Earlier on Saturday I took the girls on our first shopping venture as a trio to Old Navy. This went surprisingly well! I nursed Karis before we left and timed coming home perfectly with Abbie's lunch and needing to nurse again. Score. I set out to buy new jeans partially because I'm sick of maternity jeans and partially because all the jeans I own are either flare or boot-cut, and I've decided the look is getting a little young for me. So I found a great pair of wide-leg jeans (albeit two sizes larger than I was wearing pre-pregnancy with Abbie, but I figured, heck--they look good on me and I need to take it easy on my body. After all I've popped out two kids in under two years). When I came home, Matt had done most of the dishes, which is usually my chore.
Last night Matt gave me a new slow cooker which was half the size of the one we already have. I was planning to make chili for our small group tonight and knew that even our big crock pot wouldn't be big enough to feed thirteen adults and six children. He said that was the least exciting of the four gifts he was giving me. And I think that was a pretty good gift! So I'm looking forward to whatever else he has up his sleeve.
Today has been a normal day so far at home with my beautiful daughters. Except that I got to open my birthday cards that I've been accumulating all week long. I hate to admit it, but I LOVE receiving cards on holidays. I know it's cheesy and commercialized and expensive...but I love it nonetheless. I also got roses from my dad which was a really nice surprise, and made French toast for myself and Abbie for lunch. (I am addicted to French toast, but it has to be served with butter, cinnamon/sugar, and just a little syrup to be acceptable. YUM.)
On a totally unrelated note, this video make me laugh so I thought I would share:
So anyway, back to the future. Birthday festivities began on Saturday, when one of my oldest and dearest friends, Pamm, brought me out to eat at Red Robin and then to the movies to see Taken. We also went to Starbucks in-between because we ended up having a lot of extra time. It was so fun to go out with her and leave the girls at home with Matt--it's nice to feel like a person in my own right now and then :-)
Earlier on Saturday I took the girls on our first shopping venture as a trio to Old Navy. This went surprisingly well! I nursed Karis before we left and timed coming home perfectly with Abbie's lunch and needing to nurse again. Score. I set out to buy new jeans partially because I'm sick of maternity jeans and partially because all the jeans I own are either flare or boot-cut, and I've decided the look is getting a little young for me. So I found a great pair of wide-leg jeans (albeit two sizes larger than I was wearing pre-pregnancy with Abbie, but I figured, heck--they look good on me and I need to take it easy on my body. After all I've popped out two kids in under two years). When I came home, Matt had done most of the dishes, which is usually my chore.
Last night Matt gave me a new slow cooker which was half the size of the one we already have. I was planning to make chili for our small group tonight and knew that even our big crock pot wouldn't be big enough to feed thirteen adults and six children. He said that was the least exciting of the four gifts he was giving me. And I think that was a pretty good gift! So I'm looking forward to whatever else he has up his sleeve.
Today has been a normal day so far at home with my beautiful daughters. Except that I got to open my birthday cards that I've been accumulating all week long. I hate to admit it, but I LOVE receiving cards on holidays. I know it's cheesy and commercialized and expensive...but I love it nonetheless. I also got roses from my dad which was a really nice surprise, and made French toast for myself and Abbie for lunch. (I am addicted to French toast, but it has to be served with butter, cinnamon/sugar, and just a little syrup to be acceptable. YUM.)
On a totally unrelated note, this video make me laugh so I thought I would share:
Monday, February 23, 2009
I smell like Jesus
Yesterday my Sunday school class decided to spend our time together praying for each other rather than doing the typical lesson/discussion. Every week we take prayer requests at the end and throw up a short general prayer, but most of us have been going through unusually hard times lately, so it seemed like it was time to do some more serious praying.
So we went around the room, family by family, sharing our concerns. After one family shared, a few people would gather around them to pray. It was a strangely wonderful blessing to hear others' prayer concerns and to share their burdens if only for a few minutes. One of the class members brought anointing oil with him and offered to anoint each person as we prayed for them. Now, my knee-jerk reaction to being anointed with oil is pretty negative; during high school, when I was going through multiple surgeries on my ankle and not healing, several well-meaning folks anointed me with oil at different times, hoping that God would perform a miracle and I would be totally healed before their eyes. Needless to say, that didn't happen, and I couldn't help but feeling like I had disappointed their expectations or hurt their faith by not getting healed. So when Shawn offered to anoint us, I just sort of complied. And, as I expected, nothing "happened."
But as I left church that afternoon, I kept getting a whiff a frankincense every now and then (it took me a few times to remember that the smell was coming from my forehead). A few times that afternoon Matt jokingly told me "You smell like Jesus!" And it made me realize that the oil represented God's presence with me. Which was really comforting.
So we went around the room, family by family, sharing our concerns. After one family shared, a few people would gather around them to pray. It was a strangely wonderful blessing to hear others' prayer concerns and to share their burdens if only for a few minutes. One of the class members brought anointing oil with him and offered to anoint each person as we prayed for them. Now, my knee-jerk reaction to being anointed with oil is pretty negative; during high school, when I was going through multiple surgeries on my ankle and not healing, several well-meaning folks anointed me with oil at different times, hoping that God would perform a miracle and I would be totally healed before their eyes. Needless to say, that didn't happen, and I couldn't help but feeling like I had disappointed their expectations or hurt their faith by not getting healed. So when Shawn offered to anoint us, I just sort of complied. And, as I expected, nothing "happened."
But as I left church that afternoon, I kept getting a whiff a frankincense every now and then (it took me a few times to remember that the smell was coming from my forehead). A few times that afternoon Matt jokingly told me "You smell like Jesus!" And it made me realize that the oil represented God's presence with me. Which was really comforting.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
New pictures
Karis dressed up in Mommy's dedication dress.
...and this was Abbie's first time holding her little sis :-)
7 hours
That's how long Karis went between feedings last night, which means that I got a solid six and a half hours of sleep. Glorious!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
New president!!!
Asbury Seminary announced this morning that Dr. Timothy Tennent will be inaugurated as our new president! This is great news, as we have been lacking presidential leadership since the Fall of 2006. I don't know much about Dr. Tennent, but I have read his book, Theology in the Context of World Christianity which, if you remember, was on my Best Of 2008 list as a book you MUST read.
Welcome, Dr. Tennent, and may the Lord be with you as you take on the task of leading Asbury!
Welcome, Dr. Tennent, and may the Lord be with you as you take on the task of leading Asbury!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Why my kid's mouth is purple
I've gotten a curious reaction from a few other moms when I've mentioned that Karis has thrush: their eyes bug out, they gasp and/or groan, and then give me a pitiable look before saying, "Oh, I'm SO sorry! Thrush is SO HARD to get rid of!" Hmm. Well, during an impromptu trip to the UTC last Saturday when I brought Karis in for what I thought might be pink eye but was actually just a plugged tear duct, I asked the doctor to swab Karis' tounge and, sure enough, a little bit of yeast turned up on the culture. Her tounge has had a thick white coating since she was about 3 weeks old, but because it wasn't spreading in her mouth, she wasn't passing it to me, and she wasn't complaining, I figured I'd wait it out. But the white stuff hasn't gone away, so I've decided to tackle the problem with gentian violet. This stuff is EXTREMELY MESSY and will basically dye anything it touches, even after it's dry. Since Karis has had a diaper rash also for a few weeks, I've decided to let her go diaper-free for a few hours a day and expose the rash to sunlight (yeast hates sunlight, apparently) as well as using yogurt to treat the rash. Yummy. Hopefully, all these magic remedies will work and my baby will finally have a normal pink tonge. Until then, she'll look like this:
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)