Andy + Jaime - This is true love

Right now...

2012-04-05T13:21:38-06:00

Noelle and Evan just finished their quiet time. We decided last week to have Evan stop napping to see if it would help at bedtime, and I think it has. That means I only get an hour of "free time" during the day, though, and that's if he cooperates fully.

Noelle wants to play on the iPod, so I told her she had to read 3 books to Evan first. That gives me another 10-15 minutes alone, plus some practice for her and entertainment for Evan. Wins all around! She has become such an excellent reader, and devours new books as soon as she gets them. I need to take her to the library more often.

Mason is napping, and he is the kind of sleeper I have always wished for. It took him longer to sleep through the night than many babies, but now he is amazing. At night he sleeps 7PM-9AM, sometimes closer to 10. He's ready for a nap again right around lunch time, and sleeps 3 hours on average, sometimes more. If he gets disturbed at all, during his nighttime or naptime, he will cry out in an annoyed tone and then go back to sleep. HE GOES BACK TO SLEEP! If he cries for any length of time, you can guarantee he has a dirty diaper or is sick.

I am reaching for my 5 millionth kleenex of the day, hoping the storm that is supposed to be coming washes away all traces of pollen. I'd love to be able to breathe again.

Okay, she's finished reading to Evan, time to head out there!

Date Night

2012-02-05T20:23:23-06:00

For Christmas this year we gave Noelle and Evan 12 date cards - 6 with mommy, 6 with daddy. They will get to choose one every month so we can have some quality time together. We totally forgot to pick one in January (great start!) so both kids got a date this weekend.

Andy took Noelle to see a movie on Saturday. They even got popcorn and a coke, what a special treat! Noelle absolutely loves movies, and loves her daddy, so it was a perfect afternoon for her.

Today, Evan and I went to the store to pick out a new toy for him. On the way I said maybe we could also get a candy bar to share. His response? "Nah." I asked why, and he said, "I'll just eat it myself." Ah, I see! But the point is that you get half and then give me half. "Okay, I'll eat half, and then I'll have the other half." Well will you at least share your new toy with me? "Yes. Actually, no." Goofball.

I'm pretty sure Evan looked at every single toy in the store. We eventually had to pull out about 8 of his options and put them on the floor together, then systematically eliminate one at a time until finally he was satisfied. He chose a Thomas the Train railway set. We split a peanut butter cup and were on our way. It's not often that I'm with just Evan. Being in the middle, he's always either part of "the big kids" or "the boys." It was fun to see how he acts when it's just him.

We'll see what the kids choose for February. Planning and cooking a meal of their choice, doing a craft project together, choosing a cookie recipe and baking together...it will be something to look forward to each month!

Organic for me, nothing for you

2012-02-03T12:12:43-06:00

Everyone I know is making an effort to eat better foods. Natural, hormone free, organic, whole, no artificial colors or flavors, and no preservatives are what many people are looking for. This is a great thing, and certainly we would all be healthier if we ate this way all the time. I recently read an article about ground beef having red dye added to make it look better for consumers, among other issues like the diet of the cows. Chickens are fed unnatural diets and raised to be heavy chested so we can have our boneless skinless meat. Processed and packaged foods can have all kinds of strange and potentially harmful ingredients in them. I recently read that "caramel color" is thought to be a carcinogen, found in pop, soy sauce, lunchmeat, and many other foods. We have decided to cut out certain additives and ingredients from our diet, and there are some things we buy organic. But recently we have developed more of a heart for the poor, and I was left unsure of how to move forward.

I recently responded to someone's link about disgusting McDonald's burgers by saying it's a tough balance. It is such a first world problem to be able to say my abundance of food isn't high enough quality for me. Our church just watched the movie Live 58, about living out the message of Isaiah 58. We think our healing will come in the form of pure, perfect eating, or raising our children in the exact right way, or rehashing our past and current problems over and over to achieve some kind of understanding or growth. These are noble goals to have. I don't think they will bring healing as much as serving the poor. Get your mind off yourself. Find someone that needs the love of Christ more than you. Carry someone else's burden.

To say I deserve the best quality food for my family and will spend extra money to get it, but then know that there is a mother in Ethiopia that cannot feed her children every day just doesn't sit right with me. I'm not saying we should all just eat whatever junk is cheapest and send all of our money to the needy. It is important for us to take care of our bodies and give them proper fuel, and we should take advantage of the opportunities we have here in America to do so. There isn't one right way.

For us, we have decided to ease off on our concern about a few things. I'm going to keep buying the $1.99/lb Perdue chicken instead of the organic free range variety, and that money can be used to help feed the hungry. We're going to have a basic, modest meal on Sunday nights to free up more money. We are going to find ways to meet the needs of those in poverty right here in Nashville, with our time and other resources.

The bottom line for me is something that came to mind when I was reading the blog of an extreme health nut. As she was describing all the rules she has created for herself (ex: eat these foods raw, never these) I thought MAN! Doesn't she realize that we are all going to die? Her life may be a little longer and healthier than mine, but is it worth it? I can't answer that for her, but I have for me. God does want me to take care of my body and my family, but even moreso, he wants me to care for all of his children in the ways I can. I will do what I can for my family to eat clean, as long as it doesn't get in the way of me loving others. Our finances are tight right now, so in small ways I have to choose, me or them. I pray that whenever I am faced with a choice like that, I choose them. I am so thankful to have a choice.

Evan's New Year's Interview

2012-01-03T09:41:31-06:00

Favorites:

Cereal - Life
Vegetable - pickles
Fruit - apple
Drink - almond milk
Toy - Dinosaur Train
Show - Dinosaur Train
Game - puzzles
Book - Cars
Restaurant - McDonalds
Holiday - Halloween
Animal - flamingo
Way to spend time - with people
Friend - Quetzal Sol

If you could change your name, what would you choose?
whiney pants

What do you love about each person in our family?
Daddy - He tickles me
Mommy - She tickles me
Noelle - tickling me (can you tell he was being silly?)
Mason - gets on me and tickles me

Where would you like to go on vacation this year?
Nana and Papa's

What was your favorite thing we did last year?
Played in the backyard

Evan turned 3 in October, and has validated my feeling that 3 is harder than 2. He is extremely energetic, has a hard time focusing and listening, loves to be a daredevil, and changes his mind constantly when you ask him a question. I try to find anything he can help me do that won't drive me totally nuts, because he needs to be active or I'm in trouble. He is slowly starting to reject his nap, and I am really not looking forward to that. I got a whole year more out of him than I did Noelle, though!

Noelle's New Year's Interview

2012-01-03T09:41:05-06:00

Favorites:

Cereal - corn chex
Vegetable - red pepper
Fruit - apple
Drink - Evan's milk (almond)
Toy - Lucy
Show - Phineas & Ferb
Game - Sorry
Book - books I can read myself
Restaurant - Subway
Holiday - Christmas!
Animal - baby giraffe (fourth year in a row!)
Way to spend time - playing games
Friend - Declan

If you could change your name, what would you choose?
Evan

What do you love about each person in our family?
Daddy - He's so cute
Mommy - Her hair is pretty
Evan - We have lots of fun
Mason - He plays with me

Where would you like to go on vacation this year?
Grammy and Papaw's

What was your favorite thing we did last year?
went to the beach

Noelle turned 6 this year, and started Kindergarten which she is loving. She is learning so much, and reading incredibly well. She picked it up and ran with it, and it's fun seeing her discover the world through reading. Often she'll tell me something she learned at school, and be surprised that I knew it, too. I tell her that I went to Kindergarten also! She thinks she knows everything, and gets upset when she finds out she doesn't. As a perfectionist myself, I know all about wishing I just knew everything and had all skills necessary in life without even trying. We have a big job teaching her that not knowing, and therefore learning, is actually a fun part of life.

Baby's First Day

2011-05-01T21:22:45-06:00

A week from tomorrow, my episode of Baby's First Day will be aired on TLC. The crew documented my labor, delivery and homecoming with Mason last November, and now everyone will get to see it! I have to say, I'm a little bit nervous. I've seen enough reality tv to know that there's probably always a lot more to the story than they have time to show. They are editing for tv, for the best drama and interest the story has to offer. They probably have 15 hours of footage, and it will all boil down to maybe 11 minutes of tv time. What part of me will they show?

The footage of the actual labor and delivery is all fairly legit and straightforward. I was a little disappointed in myself because I didn't prepare well for the natural labor with induction and I panicked. I had a natural delivery with Evan, but it was so quick that I hardly had time to think. I knew this time around, the contractions might be worse and labor would last longer, and I wish I would have done some homework on how to make it through. I don't care that everyone will see me screaming and vulnerable, but I do wish I could have been stronger. There was a moment off camera that I told my mom if not for the tv crew, I'd want an epidural. I wanted to make it through for the viewing audience!

I asked for the epidural, and my midwife asked if she could check me first. I reluctantly agreed, because I had only been at a 5 not long before that. Well I was at a 9 - no wonder I wanted an epidural! I had said before labor started that the moment you think "I CAN'T DO THIS!", you are about to meet your baby, and I forgot that in the moment and totally panicked. The anesthesiologist was there, and suggested she give me just a little something in my IV to take the edge off. She said it would bring me down to a 7 or 8 pain level instead of a 10. I agreed, and it was just what I needed to make it through.

While I am a proponent of natural childbirth for many reasons, I also know that babies do better with happy mommies. I would suggest to anyone thinking about how to labor to study natural methods, do some training (it is like a marathon after all!), and trust your body. Then in the moment, do what you've been training for, but don't be afraid to do what you need or want to do to be comfortable and happy.

So we had such an amazingly fun time with the crew taping us. They were hilarious and made the day of waiting so much better. Even if the show never aired, or I look like a total wacko, it was worth it just to have that uniquely fun experience. The only part I didn't totally love was when they filmed me talking about the labor and delivery in present tense, a week after the fact. In front of a green screen. Wearing a random robe. Not wearing my glasses! It was totally not natural, and I am not an actress, so I am sure I will look and sound very unlike myself in some of that footage. I had to keep starting over trying to use the right tense, and the interviewer would ask me to repeat certain phrases so they could pick and choose for editing. She would say something and I would say it back, over and over different ways, and by the end I hardly even knew what I was saying!

The premiere of the show is tomorrow, so I'll get to see a week's worth of other women's stories before mine comes on. Hopefully that will prepare me for what it might be like! I can't say I've ever seen myself on tv before. It's fun to see my name on the info screen for upcoming shows! We are reality tv stars!

Evan sayings

2011-04-28T14:52:37-06:00

Here are some fun things Evan is saying lately.

it's windin in my woom = the a/c is on and blowing the curtain around

pwaygog = playground

in last day = yesterday or earlier today, as in "We went to da pwaygog in last day"

it's too ficey = too spicy, used to describe anything with a strong flavor from pepperoncinis to grape juice

can I lay wif you? = he is my little cuddle bug, I hear this at least once a day

mana = banana

can I have the west of your mana? = I use part of a banana for my breakfast each morning, and he asks for the rest of it every day

oh man! = used when he is surprised by something

patterkiller = caterpillar

can you do my eardwops? = the boy has had several ear infections lately, and asks us to put his drops in

I may add to this in the next few days if I think of more! I love this age of language.

A Lesson in Patience

2011-03-29T19:18:56-06:00

One could say that life with small kids is in and of itself a lesson in patience, with their dawdling, endless questioning, misbehaving in the same ways over and over again, and love for hearing songs, reading books, and asking you to "do it again" many times a day. Today required an extra measure of patience because we were at the doctor's office. The wait there is getting to be too much, I don't know if they are more popular, booking patients too closer together, or what, but sitting in an exam room for an hour before the doctors come in is torture with little ones. I was getting all riled up, thinking of what to say to the doctor about it, when I had a thought.

I am so fortunate that my kids have great medical care. If there is ever an emergency they can be seen right away. Sick visits happen on the same day. I don't like to pay a $30 co-pay only to find out it's a virus, but I can afford it. There are people, lots of people, in this country and others, that cannot access or afford a doctor. They would gladly wait an hour to be seen and cared for. I have nothing to complain about.

So I left the doctor's office and went to a drive thru, I knew I wouldn't have time to make lunch because we had someone coming to give us an estimate on painting the upstairs. The line was SO SLOW! I couldn't believe it! And what do you know, I started feeling the anger bubbling up again.

I told Evan "I guess we're learning about patience today, buddy." If I want food, I go get it. And I get exactly what I want, any kind of food, from all over the world. It's all available to me basically 24 hours a day. I can afford it, I can drive to get it, and my stomach is never empty. Nothing to complain about!

We got an offer on our house today. Finally sold (again) after 6 months! Our patience paid off! Oh, wait, as we were preparing our counter, they withdrew their offer. No explanation, we don't think it could have had anything to do with us, but it's gone. We have a house, though, and we are all together, we can make our mortgage payments, we can send our kids to a great school. We are blessed. And hopefully a little more patient than yesterday.

Priorities

2011-03-16T10:38:58-06:00

Taking a shower while home alone with 3 kids can be tricky, which is why I only do it maybe once a week. Usually I put Mason somewhere safe from the big kids and let the other two watch a show. 9 times out of 10, I finish my shower and they are still watching a show, no problems. Today was the 1 out of 10.

I turned off the shower, and I heard the scooping of dog food. That's never good, because it means that Evan is in the dining room.

"Noelle, what is Evan doing?"

"He poured dog food in the dog's water bowl!"

"Can you please go get him out of the dining room?"

More scooping.

"Noelle?"

More scooping, and is that throwing?

"He's throwing food EVERYWHERE!"

"Go GET HIM! TACKLE HIM! LAY ON HIM! STOP HIM!"

I am dripping wet, and Mason's swing is in the bathroom with me blocking my way to a quick exit, so I'm depending on Noelle to get in there. By the time I am able, there truly is dog food everywhere. Love for Evan was not my first response, I'm sorry to say. I grabbed him and put him in his crib for a time out, then set to work cleaning up. Thankfully it was just dry dog food and easy to sweep, although the food in the water bowl had to be dumped down the disposal. What a mess! This picture only shows a tiny area, it was all over the dining room and kitchen floors.

After I got everything clean, I realized that Noelle had gotten down the remote that we use for DVD's, meaning that when she saw Evan flinging dog food everywhere, her first thought was, let me take a moment to get the remote and pause my movie so I don't miss anything. Sigh. I suppose I shouldn't expect anything different from a tv loving 5 year old. Maybe I should have had her sweep!

TV Tickets

2011-03-15T12:31:32-06:00

TV - how much to watch, when, who gets to choose the show - is an issue in the lives of most parents. I have several friends who have banished the television altogether, and while I can see the merits of doing so, it's not for me. At least not during this stage of raising kids. We were having a little too much whining and constantly asking for shows, though, so we needed a plan.

I had read a long time ago about giving kids tickets to turn in for tv watching. They get a certain number a day or week, and when they are gone, the tv is off for the day. I finally found a printable form online and put them to use in our house. I used the tickets found here, blue for Evan and pink for Noelle. They each get two in the morning. One ticket equals one show or 30 minutes of computer time. Two tickets can be used for a movie. Any tickets left at the end of the day unused can be put towards the purchase of books. We've only had one day so far that any were left, but I hope that they take advantage of that option more in the future.

There has definitely been a little manipulation (Evan, do you want to use one of your tickets?) but overall it is working SO well. Most importantly, there has hardly been any whining at all! It's not me telling Noelle she can't watch anymore shows, there just aren't any tickets left. She is in charge of whether she uses them for tv, movies, or computer, and that control is really meaningful to her. She is finding other things to do without me having to tell her. Evan usually could not care less about shows, he might ask to watch one, but then after 10 minutes he's off playing. For Noelle, though, this is amazing. I wish I would have printed these out a long time ago!

Responding or Reacting

2011-03-13T20:13:22-06:00

When children try your soul, as they will,
When they cause you grief, as they do,
When they rouse your anger and provoke your wrath, as is their way,
When they reduce you to tears and prayer, as often happens,
Love them.
Don't bother about anything at all
Until you have first made clear to yourself
That your love for the child in question
Is holding firmly, swelling warmly in your heart.
Then, whatever you do will be as nearly right
As it is possible for human judgment to be right.

~ Angelo Patri, 19th Century Educator, New York City

I ran across this poem on a blog this week and it really spoke to me. In my Bible study we talked about responding, not reacting, when our kids misbehave. The word react means to change in response to a stimulus, to act in opposition to a force or influence, or to undergo a chemical reaction. That takes it out of my hands. They act, I react. It doesn't take any real effort on my part, because it comes naturally. Unfortunately, what often comes naturally out of me when my kids misbehave is anger, irritation, impatience, and frustration. Knowing that about myself, I need to pray and work towards a response. To respond means to say something in return, make an answer. Making an answer takes time, thought, and prayer. It isn't thrown out on a whim of emotion, but rather it is considered and spoken carefully.

Right after I read this poem, Evan started scraping his hand against the air return vent. Not the worst thing a kid could do, but it's annoying and loud, and we've told him not to do it many times. I slowly walked over to him, got down to his level, and said, "Evan, I love you." He gave me a big hug, and I said, "You are not allowed to do that to the vent." He said okay and moved along to something else. I don't expect it to work that way every time, but I do think it would work at least as often, probably more often, than yelling or showing irritation. More importantly, it won't harm my relationship with Evan and in fact will serve to grow our relationship. Stopping to think about my love for my children before responding to their behavior can only do great things. God calls us to compassion, which I can have more of when I choose to see the person, God's beloved, before the behavior.

Surviving, or Existing

2011-03-07T05:41:38-06:00

I was trying to think about why I don't blog anymore, and several reasons came to mind right away. Facebook is a big one. Anything I might have written a blog post about, I can instead write a quick status update and be done. Plus I get instant feedback, and it turns into a form of communication that a blog, or at least this blog, just isn't. Facebook is quick and easy, which leads to my second reason - time. Three kids, two dogs, a husband, a house on the market, a (very) part time job, Bible study...blogging is very low on my priority list. I have the time, certainly, I make time to watch all my shows on the DVR and read all the blogs I like to keep track of on Google Reader.

I think a bigger reason is that I don't know what I would even blog about. Right now I am mostly just surviving each day, or a better word might be existing. Surviving implies a day that I'm barely making it out of alive, and that's not true most days. Certainly some more than others, especially with all the sickness we've had the last few months, and the house being sold, thinking we had a lot of repairs to make, then having it unsold and back on the market. Noelle and Evan gang up on me some days, and I feel like all I'm saying all day is "Noelle! Evan! Noelle! Evan!" as they repeatedly offend each other and me, or Mason.

More often, though, existing would be a better description of how I am going through my days. Take the kids here, take them there, make them lunch, make them dinner, watch this show, change this diaper, comfort this crying one, clean for a showing, clean for a showing again, blah blah blah. I'm not finding much meaning in my days. I'm not looking for much meaning in my days.

A few weeks ago I read a blog where the author was writing out things that inspired him. One was his wife. He listed things she did such as comforting their crying child, playing a game for an hour with their son, making two creative meals for company. Part of me thought, that's inspirational? Please, that's just our job. No one cares. A deeper part of me thought, please, someone care. I forwarded it to Andy and said maybe words of affirmation matter more to me than I thought, because I'd like to hear things like this.

When I sit and think about the job of raising children and caring for a home, I can understand its importance. There are three little people that will be significantly shaped and formed during their time with me. When I look at the big picture, I can see that while making my 500th peanut butter and jelly sandwich might not be heroic, the love and time that I can put into each sandwich might be. There's nothing innately inspirational in most of what I do every day, and so it's easy to get caught up in just making it through. I can see that doing so belittles God's calling for me during these mothering years, and I know I need to find a way out. I think spring will help. New life all around.

Noelle's New Year's Interview

2011-01-06T14:52:48-06:00

Favorites:

Cereal - still Honey Nut Cheerios
Vegetable - peas
Fruit - plum
Drink - milk
Toy - Lucy and Unicorn Pillow Pet
Show - Curious George
Game - Guess Who
Book - Princess stories
Restaurant - "Orange Mexican"
Holiday - Christmas
Animal - baby giraffe (third year in a row!)
Way to spend time - outside
Friend - Audrey

If you could change your name, what would you choose?
Pam

What do you love about each person in our family?
Daddy - Playing in the lake
Mommy - Swimming
Evan - Playing dominoes
Mason - holding him

Where would you like to go on vacation this year?
Grammy's

What was your favorite thing we did last year?
Played in Nana and Papa's basement

Noelle is 5 this year! If I had to choose one thing this year has been about for her, it would be treasures. The child will pick any little thing up from any place at all and deem it a treasure. We started out letting her put her things in a few tiny boxes, but it became too much of a mess. When Mason was born, Grammy bought Noelle a sewing box to store all her treasures in. It goes in the hall closet, and can only come out when Evan is napping. Sometimes I go through and throw away things I'd rather her not have, like broken rubber bands, rusty bolts, and things I have no idea when she picked up like thumbtacks. Most of it is just tiny lost items that no one but her would have any use for.

One of her notes from her teacher this year said she overheard Noelle picking up a tiny something from the ground and muttering under her breath "this will be perfect for my collection!" When I roll my eyes at her, my mom is quick to remind me that I too collected tiny things when I was a girl. It makes her happy, so I try to let her enjoy it as much as I can!

I tried to get Evan to answer interview questions but he just wasn't interested. Next year!

Choices

2010-12-16T06:03:11-06:00

I wasn't sure it would happen until this morning, but the kids will be going to school today! The predicted ice storm turned out to be just a bit of freezing rain that served to melt all the snow and then gave way to warmer temperatures this morning. Woo hoo!

Now my dilemma is that this is their last school day until January 5, and I have a whole lot to do. Christmas shopping, house cleaning, groceries, finding someone to watch the dogs when we go to Chicago, getting ready for Noelle's birthday party Saturday...and I sure would have loved to take a nap.

So I have to prioritize. What is best to do without the kids? What can I do with them home? I guess I'll start with Christmas shopping and go from there! Let's just hope no one calls for a showing today.

Playland

2010-12-10T14:27:05-06:00

We were quite a sight this afternoon, I'd imagine. We had a showing from 1-2, so after cleaning the house the best I could with 3 kids at home, I loaded everyone into the car, dogs included. We are in desperate need of a mini van, but until we sell the house all 3 kids are in the back seat of my car, with Noelle in the middle. Both dogs sat in the passenger seat. The dogs were dropped off at our friend Robin's house for a play date with her dog, and the kids and I headed to McDonald's.

I had sort of thought things through about this trip to McDonald's, but when it came down to it, I just didn't have enough hands to accomplish everything! I asked for our meals in bags instead of a tray, because Noelle could carry the bags. Also, I learned when Evan was a baby that a Coke cup fits nicely in the triangle-shaped handle of the car seat, so that frees up a hand as well. Mason held onto Noelle's milk bottle. I still had to hold Evan's hand, though, because it was "CHRISTMAS!" in the store and he wanted to touch everything.

Inevitably we forget something the first time we head into the play area, and this time it was straws. I got the kids set up at a table and put Noelle in charge (!) for a second while I ran out to get them, along with the extra bag of apples I ordered but didn't get.

Thankfully Mason slept the entire time, there were only a few times Evan almost escaped out the exit, and Noelle and Evan only got hit in the head by the swinging chairs they insisted on playing with one time each.

When we were done I started the assembly line of shoes and coats and blanket for Mason, and we headed out, picked up the dogs, and made our way home. The people were still at our house for the showing even though it was 2:15, which I hope might be a good sign. Evan said "I tired" and wanted to go home. Noelle never would have said such a thing! We circled the block a few times and finally we were cleared to head home. Now the boys are sleeping and I have a moment to recover from a "simple" trip to McDonalds!

Right now...

2010-12-08T13:19:30-06:00

Noelle is watching a Christmas movie out in the living room. She had 30 minutes of quiet time playing with tiny things in her treasure boxes, then chose a movie to watch. I've been letting her watch movies during Evan's naps because there is nowhere to have quiet time other than the living room.

Evan is napping in his crib. He's been going through grandparent detox and new brother adjustments, and this is the first nap since all of that went down that he didn't scream for even a second. It would be awesome if he'd go back to his sweet natured, easy napping self!

Mason is napping in his swing in the dining room. I tried putting him in the bassinet, but I think his tummy hurts so he wasn't happy there. He settled into the swing immediately.

I am in the office thinking it would be nice to clean up in here. My "to file" drawer is near overflowing, the kids school bags and lunch boxes and coats and DVD's are strewn about, and I'm not going to admit how many candy wrappers I have on my desk.

Please welcome Mason Everett Matthews

2010-11-28T12:54:05-06:00

I wanted to invite you to welcome our new baby boy, Mason Everett Matthews, into the world. He was born at 6:15 on Saturday the 27th. He weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces and was 21 inches and was delivered naturally. The delivery went well, although it took all day before he was ready to join us.

Here are some pictures for you to look through. Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes.

Waiting for baby.

2010-11-27T14:52:34-06:00

Today is the day my son Mason will be born. But we're waiting, waiting. We made it all the way to his due date, but our midwives don't want Jaime to go past it due to possible complications on his part. So we're here at the hospital to be induced.

We arrived this morning at 7:30 to be greeted by the crew of TLC's new show "Baby's First Day". A few months ago Jaime submitted our family for their consideration and we were selected from among hundreds of families to have our special day filmed for their show. It's a little surreal having everything filmed, having to do (and say) things multiple times so that they can get our words and actions from multiple camera angles, but Pablo, Cheryl, and Madison are great and we're having a real blast with them.

Our excellent nurse Mary gave Jaime a drug called Pitocin this morning around 9:30. This drug mimics the chemical Oxytocin produced naturally by women's bodies during labor. It helps prepare her body for labor and "speeds things up" a little. By 2pm there wasn't much change, but things are definitely progressing. We'll add more as we go along but it looks like today will be the day, he's just being bashful. Come on out little buddy so we can meet you!

Two more months

2010-10-01T23:14:35-06:00

Can you believe there's only two more months until our lives are disrupted yet again by an alien presence who does nothing more than eat, sleep, and poop?

Neither can I and I'm stoked about it!

Stress

2010-08-18T05:57:11-06:00

A month or so ago I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in a while. As I was updating them on my life, they pointed out that we were going for a new job for Andy, a new house, new baby, and new car all at about the same time. I hadn't thought about it all together like that, and suddenly I realized how stressed I should be! I wasn't feeling it at the time, but now that house repair is well under way, I'm there.

Getting quotes from 5 different drywall guys, and now a few different flooring companies, then making those decisions, is stressful to me. Having someone here working all day every day, keeping the kids out of the way, making sure everything is done the way we want it, is stressful. Transferring money to our checking account to pay for the work and having it take a full day longer than it should have, therefore making the check bounce, is stressful and embarrassing. Trying to pack the house up for staging and figure out where to put everything, what to get rid of, is...you guessed it, stressful.

Also in the stressful category is the fact that Noelle is out of school and we don't have Bible study until September, so we're all together all day every day. Andy dislikes his job and although there are some possibilities, we don't really know where he'll end up. Therefore we don't know with 100% certainty where in Nashville we want to buy our next house.

Also, as I mentioned in my last post, my car is in need of repairs. My brake lights don't work, and so every time I drive I am in almost constant fear that I'm going to get hit or pulled over. I'm flashing my hazards every time I brake so at least the people behind me know something is going on, but I can only hope it's enough. This morning I'm bringing it to someone else who will hopefully be able (and willing!) to fix it. When I drop it off, the kids and I are going to walk across the street to the McDonalds playland. And wait. Andy is willing to take the time off work to pick us up and take us somewhere, but with all the interviews, house repair, and other stuff going on, I hate to make him take even one more minute.

And then there's little Mason, who I guess I haven't even mentioned on the blog. Due November 29th, our little boy is growing well and moving all the time, but has some potential health issues that we won't know the extent of (or lack thereof) until he's born. If he's anything like Evan, I can hope that we think all kinds of things are wrong with him but it all turns out to be nothing. For now, we're doing bi-weekly ultrasounds, and I've had more blood drawn than I care to remember.

Stress.

I have to ask myself, though, is God stressed about all of these changes and uncertainties going on in my life? As quickly as I ask it, I can answer obviously of course not. Yes, it's true that he knows where we'll live and where Andy will work, he knows Mason's little body because he created it, and he probably even knows what stuff we'll keep and what we'll put in a yard sale.

It gives me some peace to know that my future is in God's loving hands. At the same time, I want to grasp the idea that these little details in life, while important to God, are not the point of my being. God might know where we're going to live, but he cares more about the neighbors we are going to be able to show His love to than the floor plan. He might know where Andy is going to work, but he cares more about Andy's influence on his co-workers and the Godly character he displays on the job. He knows what stuff we'll keep, but he cares more about how our hearts feel about stuff over loving others well.

So, even in the midst of stress, I can confidently know that my only real responsibility is loving God and therefore loving others. Everything else will fall into place.