the one about perspective

Wednesday I found a huge puddle of liquid on the ground underneath the front of the car. Fast forward 24 hours, and we paid $1300 (strike that-we put $1300 on a credit card) to fix our car.

I've been memorizing James this fall with a friend. After my immediate pity party over the money, I thought about reasons I can consider this trial joy.

-I am grateful we have a beautiful, fancy car to drive our family around in total comfort. 
-I am grateful to have a car that transports me to Bible study, ministry opportunities, and fellowship.
-The process of paying off the credit card will mean we have to be disciplined, hard working, self-denying, and steadfast. All of these things are very good.
-This is another event to remind me that we need to be faithful with our resources.


Today I went to the drug store with little Lily. She's had bad diarrhea for a few days. Otherwise, she's super healthy, it's just that the diarrhea has caused awful diaper rash which is making her bottom bleed and she's sobbing whenever she goes poop or has her diaper changed. 

I walked into the drug store and bought probiotics and extra strength diaper rash cream. I checked out and it was $50. My first thought was to despair. "How can we afford all this?" My thoughts were racing.

As I climbed into the car I remembered that diarrhea is the second leading cause of death among children. In impoverished countries, mothers hold their beloved toddlers in their arms as they scream with the pain of diarrhea...and those mothers cannot go to the drug store to help ease their children's discomfort. Rather, they just simply hope the diarrhea doesn't end in death.


I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I allow the gluttony of my culture to affect my attitude more than the truth of the Word. I am sorry that I'm doing NOTHING to help the precious children who are dying from unsafe water and lack of sanitation today--all 4,500 of them. 

I'm so sorry.

But I'm also grateful. Grateful that the implanted Word in me is changing how I react and how I view things. Grateful that God has not given up on me, but that He is at work refining me. Grateful that His mercies are new each morning, and grateful that He gives me grace.

I'm so grateful.

the one about a movie

I just watched a movie on Netflix that I’d never heard of before-The Rebound*. It stars Catherine Zeta Jones and Justin Bartha. I liked him from National Treasure and I’m a closet romantic comedy fan, so I watched over the course of a few days while I did dishes, ironed, etc.

*[Disclaimer: the movie is rated R which is normally against my rules. It has language and one sex scene]

Long story short, Aram and Sandy fall in love. Aram is 25 and Sandy is 40. She ends up leaving him after a pregnancy scare because of the age difference. She encourages him to travel the world and live. He does just that. There is a 5 minute montage of Aram in Paris, Bangladesh, Istanbul, on safari in Africa, teaching cute orphan kids to write; in short, the dream of every 20 something. And this life, the life of a wandering traveler is held to be the prize of culture. Sandy discovers in the end, like Aram knew all along, that love is better than the world.

I am blessed that I did get to travel the world in my 20s. I’ve sat on unspeakably beautiful beaches in Queensland, hung out with cute orphan kids in Zambia, joined in on a village dance in remote Ethiopia, stood at Poseidon’s Temple as the wind whipped through my hair,  and ate falafel from a food cart on the shores of the Galilean Sea.

I’ve also loved deeply and started a family of my own. I have a husband I adore and two daughters who are happiness personified.

 
However, neither is the answer. Although traveling is great fun and having a family is rich beyond measure, relying on either to fill you up will leave you empty and alone.

Jesus is the answer. Jesus is the only one that satisfies. When traveling is done, when family is miserably hard, when life raises questions for which you can find no answers, Jesus is the only truth that sustains and the only joy that is everlasting.

the one about Lily

I just sent an update to my family and some close friends on Lily's health. I figure those of you who read this care about me and my sweet girl, so I'll put the update here for you as well. I'm grateful for Lily, for this journey we've been on, and for all the rich lessons God has taught me as we've walked it.

 Here's Lily eating-yay! She'll be 16 months Sept 2.

I thought I'd send an update on Lily since it has been a while. During May and June Lily met four times with an Occupational Therapist from the Bell Center. The OT helped incredibly with Lily's refusal to eat solid foods. She also saw some problems with Lily's ankles and recommended special shoes. Within two weeks of getting her shoes Lily went from not standing at all to cruising around the furniture! As far as her eating is concerned, she is making real improvements.

We saw Lily's GI specialist today. I went in fully expecting this to be our last appointment. Although there are no longer any signs of reflux, the GI specialist said she isn't going to release Lily as her patient until she is at a healthier weight, walking, and eating more. She is doing this for my benefit, because whenever we meet with her we also see a Nutritionist. They advised me to start Lily on Pediasure to help her gain weight. They also referred her to a Physical Therapist at Children's to start meeting to help teach her to walk.

Overall, Lily has made big improvements since May but still has some more obstacles ahead. However, all it takes is a 3 hour doctor's appointment at Children's Hospital to humble me and remind me that our problems are so small compared to many other families!!!

Here are a few bullet point concerns for Lily for you to keep in your prayers:

1. Lily needs desperately to start drinking from a cup. This would help her drink pediasure and whole milk and make her eating times more independent.
2. Lily needs to start eating more foods-especially nutrient rich foods. Other than strawberries and bananas, she currently will not eat any fruits or vegetables.
3. Lily needs to sleep through the night!!!! (I'm not sure how much of an effect this has on her health, but it has a huge effect on mine!!!)
4. Pray for her ankles and hips as she starts to walk, and for the strength to reach this next milestone.
5. Finally, pray for wisdom for Adam and I as we meet with different doctors and therapists, pray for patience for us-getting through a meal time with Lily can be very frustrating, and pray that God would continue to provide for Lily's care financially (as He always does).

Thank you so much family and friends! I am grateful that you care for our baby girl!

the one when I ingnored my children

Today I intentionally ignored my children as they played outside at the water table so I could do this. I may have a problem...

It's things that Chloe Belle says. so precious...

the one with subway art

I have always loved subway art and wanted to make some of my own, but I've never taken the time out to be so frivolous. But I did tonight and I had soo much fun! Here it is-verses from my James memory project!

Here's the awesome post that told me all about how to do it! yay!

the one with the same

 same age, same onesie, same kitchen. same fraggle rock hair.

the one about batman

I understand that my blog is pretty cheery kitchen-kids-Jesus fare, but I really need to complain, and if you can't complain on your own blog, well, then, there's no hope for us.

I saw The Dark Knight Rises yesterday. I am  HUGE Batman fan, and have been since I was a small child.

I HATED IT. Three hours of my life that I will never get back. In addition, Christopher Nolan ruined a little of the Batman lore for me.

I spent some time reading reviews of the movie for the first time this morning, and was glad to find many people who agree with me. Read this:

Without dipping my toes too far into spoiler territory, there's a difference between closure and closing, and by choosing to make The Dark Knight Rises not just his last Batman, but the last Batman, Nolan essentially tells the story that should never be told, and does so in a way that leaves the status quo so cracked that the only way to put Humpty Dumpty back together is to reboot the thing yet again. Which is a shame.

from Zaki Hasan's review.

This story should never have been told. yick.

the one about summer so far

 Lily met with an AMAZING occupational therapist for 6  weeks. Praise the Lord, she is finally enjoying eating, she's learned how to swallow solid foods, and she's gained a little weight! BEST part of summer so far!!!

 Chloe Belle has spent tons of time playing with friends, and generally being awesome. No surprise there.

 Lily isn't so much interested in spending time with friends as she is being cuddled and treated like a baby at all times.

 I started keeping Brooke Allen three afternoons a week. Chloe Belle is facinated by her. Lily mostly tries to crawl over her.

 Every week we have a fun new color on our fingers and toes.

 Lily has spent some time exercising all stylish and 80s style.

 I've loved being a stay at home mommy and playing with these two all day long.

 We started having tea parties. Monkey is a big fan.

 Check out that little pinky in the air. She's a rockstar.

 Fourth of July with favorite people. Love these kiddos.

 happy.

And of course, Chloe Belle has gotten some quality time with her #1 favorite: "my Noah" as she calls him.

 We've been to a dozen weddings this summer. I love Mrs. Coats!

 Mrs. Lang

 I don't think this was for a wedding, but they sure are cute!!

 Mrs. Hall-this was hands down the most fun wedding I've ever attended!

 Having fun at Chris + Brooke's wedding! So pumped for Kate + Bradley!

I love my man.

the one where I say hello

Hello there friends. 

It has been 5 1/2 weeks since I left my job and started the journey of being a stay at home mom. I can't believe its been that long. Didn't know my life has changed so radically? Here's a short blog post about my decision to leave.

Anywho, I've really enjoyed my time at home. It certainly has had it challenges; some of which I was expecting and some I didn't see coming.

I'll try and catch you up a bit and I'll try to post more. Oh well, we know how that goes.

the one with the prom date

AK always loves to chaperone the prom. He didn't actually take this little cutie as his date, but she got all dressed up to take the traditional prom pose pic. She's pretty amazing, huh?

the one with pictures

My life is fuller than its ever been. I have lots to say. I have no time to say it. So, here are a few facebook albums that I put together tonight. I haven't even been taking the time to do fb albums, but somebody made a comment this weekend about how we aren't doing for the second child what we did for the first and it made me mad so I spent an hour making albums. Ridiculous, right?

general springtime cuteness

thomas the train day of fun

spring break

my brother got married!

the one where I explain myself

Hi there. I don't know who will read this, as I haven't posted in 3 or 4 months. Maybe Bethany?

Anywho. I'm not blogging anymore, as I'm sure you can tell. I really don't want to give this up permanently, but it's looking more and more as if that's my reality. Here are my explanations:

1. These little ones rule my existence.


2. Sometime in November my computer died. I had a 7 year old Dell laptop to use, but let's be real, it wasn't quick or easy. We just got a new computer and I've inherited the 5 year old MacBookPro that is struggling but still pretty rockstar. This may or may not have an affect on my blogging.

3. Adam started graduate school in January. Now, I'm not here to complain or tell you that our life is busier than yours, but one teaching job+full time graduate school+super busy college ministry+two crazy kiddos+laundry+dishes=no blogging.

I'd love to blog more. Lots of awesome things happen in my life that I want to tell you so you'll laugh and lots of hard things happen in my life that I want to tell you so we can share honest life.

We'll, there's me. Maybe I'll be back soon, maybe not. Hope you are well and loving Jesus.

Here's my latest Facebook album, it should help a little with updating you on the girls.