Time flies as my child tries
And bruises bear witness
To gravity.
Hearts beat strong
-Though for how long?
Breathe my prayers to carry.
Fingers holding, feet flying
Tears not as abundant
As laughter.
Time flies, and hard as I try,
A baby gives way
To a toddler.
Sun shines like big blue eyes,
And I’ll follow him...
-Long as he’ll let me.
Love bears weight,
And being heavily blessed,
Will remember to whom we give glory.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tyler
...is apparently not napping.
But anyway.
What I have found interesting about working part time is the intensity I feel about spending quality time with my boy. My schedule right now is I work 2 days a week and then 3 days a week, alternating. This is my '2 days a week' week and I just love it. I love taking my time with Tyler instead of rushing to love him in as many ways as possible as quickly as possible before rushing out the door in the morning. I read books to him slowly. I sit with him on the floor while he runs around me and shows me things. I laugh with him while he's in his high chair making animal noises. I love taking my time.
Tyler has personality like crazy. He is constantly pushing boundaries and limits, though not ever maliciously or in a bad space. It's more an exploration of his world and what would happen if he did....this. Or this! Or...uh oh. I'm in trouble again. He is not really a soft and snuggly boy, yet at bedtimes will wrap his arms around my neck, put his head on my shoulders, and hum. He is fiercely independent and doesn't often want to hold my finger as he walks anymore. His first choice is to pull everything out of my dishwasher, but will settle for closing it on me instead. He loves books and will sit still as long as I will read to him. He is constantly running up to me with another book to be read to him. He LOVES his dad. He has quite a good sense of what time it is and in the late afternoon starts to get antsy and hangs around by our front window a lot so he can see his dad pull up the driveway. He talks and babbles and tries to repeat everything I say. I tell him 40 times a day that he's the smartest person I know. He runs with reckless abandon and falls hard and often. He says hi to every single stranger who walks by and won't stop saying hi until they say it back. He gives wonderful open mouth slobbery kisses, but never to the person holding him.
Oh, how I love my son.
But anyway.
What I have found interesting about working part time is the intensity I feel about spending quality time with my boy. My schedule right now is I work 2 days a week and then 3 days a week, alternating. This is my '2 days a week' week and I just love it. I love taking my time with Tyler instead of rushing to love him in as many ways as possible as quickly as possible before rushing out the door in the morning. I read books to him slowly. I sit with him on the floor while he runs around me and shows me things. I laugh with him while he's in his high chair making animal noises. I love taking my time.
Tyler has personality like crazy. He is constantly pushing boundaries and limits, though not ever maliciously or in a bad space. It's more an exploration of his world and what would happen if he did....this. Or this! Or...uh oh. I'm in trouble again. He is not really a soft and snuggly boy, yet at bedtimes will wrap his arms around my neck, put his head on my shoulders, and hum. He is fiercely independent and doesn't often want to hold my finger as he walks anymore. His first choice is to pull everything out of my dishwasher, but will settle for closing it on me instead. He loves books and will sit still as long as I will read to him. He is constantly running up to me with another book to be read to him. He LOVES his dad. He has quite a good sense of what time it is and in the late afternoon starts to get antsy and hangs around by our front window a lot so he can see his dad pull up the driveway. He talks and babbles and tries to repeat everything I say. I tell him 40 times a day that he's the smartest person I know. He runs with reckless abandon and falls hard and often. He says hi to every single stranger who walks by and won't stop saying hi until they say it back. He gives wonderful open mouth slobbery kisses, but never to the person holding him.
Oh, how I love my son.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Just a reminder...
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 4:4-7
-Philippians 4:4-7
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Muffin Success
I love cooking, and I especially love making recipes my own. Pretty sure I've already said that before on here so I won't expand. Here is my latest modification:
Raspberry whole wheat muffins.
mmmmmm.
So I took the standard blueberry muffin recipe and made some changes and here's what I came up with:
1 3/4 c. Whole wheat flour
1/4c white sugar (though the next time I might try with some brown instead)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of cinnamon (ok you could probably say dump rather than dash for me, but put in what you want)
1 egg, well beaten
1/3 c apple sauce (here's where I'm not sure what do to...it calls for 1/3 oil but applesauce is a great and healthy substitute. However judging by how they turned out a little dry this time around, I'll go half oil, half apple sauce next time).
3/4 c milk
1 cup rasberries (or 2 cups...I put LOTS in)
Mix dry ingredients, make a well and add liquid ingredients, though only gently mix. Add raspberries, give it a good stir or two, and put the batter in your muffin cups. Bake at 400f for 25 min.
I love baking something healthy that both Tyler and I can enjoy and he loved these.
Raspberry whole wheat muffins.
mmmmmm.
So I took the standard blueberry muffin recipe and made some changes and here's what I came up with:
1 3/4 c. Whole wheat flour
1/4c white sugar (though the next time I might try with some brown instead)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of cinnamon (ok you could probably say dump rather than dash for me, but put in what you want)
1 egg, well beaten
1/3 c apple sauce (here's where I'm not sure what do to...it calls for 1/3 oil but applesauce is a great and healthy substitute. However judging by how they turned out a little dry this time around, I'll go half oil, half apple sauce next time).
3/4 c milk
1 cup rasberries (or 2 cups...I put LOTS in)
Mix dry ingredients, make a well and add liquid ingredients, though only gently mix. Add raspberries, give it a good stir or two, and put the batter in your muffin cups. Bake at 400f for 25 min.
I love baking something healthy that both Tyler and I can enjoy and he loved these.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Followthrough
I love seeing evidence of my prayers being answered. Today was the continuation of one of those days. One of the downsides to Mitch changing jobs is that he no longer is able to spend Tuesdays at home with Tyler. We have been thinking and praying about who was going to be able to care for Tyler and just couldn't figure anything out. All of our babysitting resources are already used up and our friends all have babies of their own.
A few weeks ago we had some friends over for supper who we've known for a long time. Kelsey has visited with Tyler a few times and he's always responded SO well to her. That evening after they had gone home I was thinking about our childcare dilemma again and Mitch asked "well, why not ask Kelsey?" Duhh...I hadn't even thought of that, but it made perfect sense. I wasn't sure how she would respond, but it never hurts to ask. Her response blessed me more than I could say.
I phoned her and asked her if she would be willing to care for Tyler one day every other week. She responded with "Oh! I would LOVE to! I have actually been thinking that I would love to babysit Tyler would didn't think I would get to because of how much family you have around". Oh, my heart. To hear that someone is excited about looking after your child and has actually wanted to do it is such a wonderful thing. Today was their first day together and it went SO well. I haven't left Tyler with many people other than family so I admit I was a little apprehensive, but the day was a smashing success.
We all see the wonderful things about our own children, but to have someone else acknowledge them as well is so special. We are blessed.
A few weeks ago we had some friends over for supper who we've known for a long time. Kelsey has visited with Tyler a few times and he's always responded SO well to her. That evening after they had gone home I was thinking about our childcare dilemma again and Mitch asked "well, why not ask Kelsey?" Duhh...I hadn't even thought of that, but it made perfect sense. I wasn't sure how she would respond, but it never hurts to ask. Her response blessed me more than I could say.
I phoned her and asked her if she would be willing to care for Tyler one day every other week. She responded with "Oh! I would LOVE to! I have actually been thinking that I would love to babysit Tyler would didn't think I would get to because of how much family you have around". Oh, my heart. To hear that someone is excited about looking after your child and has actually wanted to do it is such a wonderful thing. Today was their first day together and it went SO well. I haven't left Tyler with many people other than family so I admit I was a little apprehensive, but the day was a smashing success.
We all see the wonderful things about our own children, but to have someone else acknowledge them as well is so special. We are blessed.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Progress
So yesterday I had phone calls saying things like this:
"Have you ordered your windows already? yes? Well do you think it's too late to change them? Well because I just realized they wont' fit."
and
"So we're going to have to change the height of your basement...which means your framing package you've already had quoted is going to be wrong now."
and
"Well we didn't realize the angle of your lot was so severe so the way the house has to sit now, your backyard is only going to be 20 feet deep."
...those are only portions of several conversations I had yesterday. It was...a bad day. However! I did not freak out. (Except the part where I maybe raised my voice a little bit for a little while at my drafts person). I did not cry (except when Tyler's teeth somehow rammed into my lip and for some reason caused me to shed a few tears for a very long time). I did not tell myself that our life is over and this house will never get built and I will have to declare bankruptcy (...well okay except for when I did exactly that).
So what I'm saying is...at least I'm self aware?
It looks like everything got worked out yesterday and it's also looking like our drafts person (who is also a contractor) is willing to do some work on our house for free to help us offset the costs of all the mistakes they have made. Silver lining to a very stormy cloud.
"Have you ordered your windows already? yes? Well do you think it's too late to change them? Well because I just realized they wont' fit."
and
"So we're going to have to change the height of your basement...which means your framing package you've already had quoted is going to be wrong now."
and
"Well we didn't realize the angle of your lot was so severe so the way the house has to sit now, your backyard is only going to be 20 feet deep."
...those are only portions of several conversations I had yesterday. It was...a bad day. However! I did not freak out. (Except the part where I maybe raised my voice a little bit for a little while at my drafts person). I did not cry (except when Tyler's teeth somehow rammed into my lip and for some reason caused me to shed a few tears for a very long time). I did not tell myself that our life is over and this house will never get built and I will have to declare bankruptcy (...well okay except for when I did exactly that).
So what I'm saying is...at least I'm self aware?
It looks like everything got worked out yesterday and it's also looking like our drafts person (who is also a contractor) is willing to do some work on our house for free to help us offset the costs of all the mistakes they have made. Silver lining to a very stormy cloud.
Monday, May 2, 2011
On Faithfulness
Our life is fullllll. In the past 3 weeks we have done the following:
Gone to Mexico
Listed our house for sale
Made the decision for Mitch to change jobs.
And that's just the last few weeks, not to mention house building excitement, job at camp ramping up for summer, and our always busy boy.
Mitch changing jobs is both exciting and uncertain. He has been sought out by an electrical company who has heard great things about his work ethic and is starting his long journey of becoming a journeyman electrician. This means a pay cut, an increase in hours, and it also means that Mitch starts at the bottom of the occupational food chain which is never easy. It will be extremely rewarding in the long run, but has required a leap of faith on our end to step out and accept this opportunity.
I was talking to a friend of ours about this the other day and also mentioned that we're feeling pretty stressed about selling our house for the amount of money we'll need to survive the costs of building a new house, and then taking a pay cut on top of that. Things are going to be pretty stretched and I'm nervous. Our friend told me this: I need to stop questioning God's faithfulness. We are able to do everything are doing now because of His faithfulness. He has brought us this far and would not have done so to let us fall now. Don't hear any prosperity gospel crap here...I'm not saying that faithfulness = financial providence. I'm saying that we need to remember that God is in control and whether our plans come to fruition or they don't, God has put us here for a reason and will not abandon us.
So we'll just keep walking forward, praying for guidance, giving praises of thanks for opportunities, and requesting wisdom with every step.
Gone to Mexico
Listed our house for sale
Made the decision for Mitch to change jobs.
And that's just the last few weeks, not to mention house building excitement, job at camp ramping up for summer, and our always busy boy.
Mitch changing jobs is both exciting and uncertain. He has been sought out by an electrical company who has heard great things about his work ethic and is starting his long journey of becoming a journeyman electrician. This means a pay cut, an increase in hours, and it also means that Mitch starts at the bottom of the occupational food chain which is never easy. It will be extremely rewarding in the long run, but has required a leap of faith on our end to step out and accept this opportunity.
I was talking to a friend of ours about this the other day and also mentioned that we're feeling pretty stressed about selling our house for the amount of money we'll need to survive the costs of building a new house, and then taking a pay cut on top of that. Things are going to be pretty stretched and I'm nervous. Our friend told me this: I need to stop questioning God's faithfulness. We are able to do everything are doing now because of His faithfulness. He has brought us this far and would not have done so to let us fall now. Don't hear any prosperity gospel crap here...I'm not saying that faithfulness = financial providence. I'm saying that we need to remember that God is in control and whether our plans come to fruition or they don't, God has put us here for a reason and will not abandon us.
So we'll just keep walking forward, praying for guidance, giving praises of thanks for opportunities, and requesting wisdom with every step.
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