God, Give Me Patience With This Child

It started last week, suddenly. At first I thought it was cute, but soon it started to be just plain scary.

My little boy has discovered his ability to destroy things and is fully enjoying it. I didn't really think anything of him crushing his goldfish crackers to dust between his thumb and index finger. I mean, it's harmless, right? Well, then he cracked the screen on my computer. Then the found out how to climb up on the counter tops. Then he smashed a rather large flowerpot to smithereens. Then he discovered where we keep the silverware. Then he shoved my phone into the sub-woofer. Thank goodness it's wasn't dead! I got it out after removing just a few screws. It's gone on like this for the past few days.

I get no rest when he's awake because I'm terrified that he's going to get into something dangerous and hurt himself. Suddenly he's gone from reading books and building towers to searching for breakable things to destroy. To be honest, I've been at my wit's end over the past few days. Stressed. I've raised my voice. I've tried so speak reason to a baby...he responded by looking at me and giggling like I was funny. I've felt like I've lost my mind.

Well, after he smashed my pretty flowerpot this morning, I had had enough! It was time to get out of the house and let him expend some of his energy elsewhere. I just couldn't take any more destruction! So we loaded into the car and I turned on my favorite Christian radio station...and what do you know...the most perfect verse came over the airwaves:

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." Ephesians 4:2

I just love those little moments when God puts things right in front of my face so that I can't possibly miss what He's trying to get me to see. Patience. Gentleness. Patience. Humility. Patience. Love. Patience. Bearing with one another. Patience. 

After all, as I sit here typing with this cracked screen, I've realized that it's just a screen. It can be replaced. I can replace the flower pot. I was able to find my phone. I can lock the silverware drawer. It's going to be okay. My precious boy, whom I love with all my heart and soul, is just learning boundaries and his new found strength. I can...and I must teach him those boundaries without getting so stressed out. I must set an example of humility, gentleness, patience and love even in the hard times.

Thank you, Lord, for this verse today, for putting my day in perspective, and for teaching me how to be a better mommy. And please help me remember it tomorrow.

10 Things I Never Imagined I'd Say as a Mommy

Ah, motherhood. Rewarding. Demanding. Fun. Hard. Awesome and surprising. Some of the things that have come out of my mouth as I care for my toddler son make me shake my head and wonder, "did I actually just say that!?"

Here are some of my favorites so far: 

1. "How on earth did your shoe get in the kitchen sink?" 

2. "Eat your carrots." I hate carrots. But they are good for him. If anyone ever hears me tell him to eat his brussel sprouts, you might as well lock me up. I'll have gone mad.

3. "Please don't eat the flowers." Life is so unfair.

4. "Stinky, stinky, stinky! Peeeee uuuuuuuu!" It's impossible to hold your nose when changing a diaper...

5. "The trash can is not a toy!" What is it about the dang trash can?!

6. "Don't suck on the washcloth." Because rubber ducks are boring, apparently.

7. "Son, we don't put pillows in the bathtub."

8. "Give me the snake!" It's a toy, but still!

9. "Honey, it's broken. Things break when you throw them down stairs." And I'm secretly thankful that I'll never have to hear that toy beep again.

10. "Yay! You pooped!" You just can't understand this until you're a mom, but once you are, you totally get it.

I'm sure that a few months from now I'll have another list to compile for you.  There's never a dull moment around here...and I wouldn't have it any other way! 

Forgetting Labor Pain

They say you forget all about the pain of childbirth when you hold your newborn. This was not the case for me. I must be a wimp because I remembered it vividly for at least six months. When my precious boy was around a year old, I remembered it, but a little less vividly. I remembered it enough to know that I didn't want to go through it again any time soon.

And now, several months after that, I'm finally starting to forget about it. I was beginning to think that I might never forget, that I might never be "ready" to have another child. This morning I realized that thinking about childbirth didn't automatically cause me to relive the pain. I mean, I remember that it wasn't pleasant but I can't actually remember the specific pains. Weird.

Here's what I do remember: being completely exhausted and really, really swollen. Somehow, pain is not part of the equation anymore. And somehow, childbirth doesn't seem nearly as difficult as I used to remember.

Does this mean that I might be ready to have another baby?

Uh...

I still remember vividly how hard it is to function on 3 hours of sleep.

Nope. Not yet.

I'm treasuring these days with my only child, these days where I can give him my undivided attention. Honestly, I still feel like I'm learning so much about being a mom. And we are settling into a routine, getting long, restful nights of sleep, and starting to enjoy getting out and about with other little ones his age.  It's a wonderful time and I don't feel the least bit bad about admitting it! :-)

4 Totally False Myths About Baby Boys

I suppose it's natural that many women dream of dressing their real life babies up in frills and dresses, putting bows in their hair, and finding matching shoes for every outfit, even if they will only fit for a few weeks. I was one of those.

When we found out that we were having a baby, I suddenly didn't care whether "it" was a girl or boy; I just prayed for a healthy little one.

And then we found out that we were having our precious baby boy and I realized that I had let myself believe some really silly myths. Let me save you some trouble and debunk these myths for good.

1. Baby boys aren't as fun to shop for as girls.  I'm naturally drawn to pink, floral, and frills. I'm not naturally drawn to blues, trucks, and dinosaurs...at least not until I had a boy. As it turns out, shopping for my boy is totally fun. I love to dress him up in preppy little boy clothes. His feet grow so fast that I get to buy him new shoes frequently...and I buy them to match his preppy little outfits. I absolutely LOVE looking for new toys that he will enjoy. It's actually hard for me to walk away from a store without all the fun things that I want to spoil him with.

2. Girls are sweeter than boys. I have no idea where this myth came from, but I see it emphasized often, especially with stuff that says, "Boys: a noise with dirt on it" or "Sugar and spice, that's what little girls are made of. Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails, that's what little boys are made of". Some people may think it's cute, but I think these little sayings give little boys a bad wrap. My little boy is precious. For the first year of his life, I rocked him to sleep every night because that's how he wanted to fall asleep. He loves it when I give him kisses, read him stories, put extra bubbles in his bath, and take him to see animals of any kind. He is noisy, but he is so cheerfully noisy that I love it. And we are learning that he actually doesn't like being dirty. Playing in dirt: yes. Having dirt on him: no. Boys are incredibly tenderhearted.  You can make them feel on top of the world or deeply hurt. Boys are just as sweet as girls, maybe even sweeter. They are different, but equally precious.

3. Boys are always wild and crazy. Ok, boys can be wild. Boys are wonderfully energetic (which can be exhausting, there is no hiding that fact), but they are also calm. For example, my precious boy is calm and cuddly and as sweet as he can be when he wakes up in the morning. He loves to get a few big hugs and then plays quietly for about half an hour. He is quiet and calm when he is eating (and he eats a lot), when he naps, when he wakes up from a nap, in the bath, when I read to him (and I read to him a lot). He is energetic but I think that his lack of fear is more exhausting. I'm always watching him closely because I know that he will attempt things without thinking for a second of the dangers that await, like plunging over the back of the couch head first. Sometimes I think we confuse boys' lack of fear with wildness. It's a learning process for moms everywhere. :-)

4. Baby boys will pee all over you when you change their diaper. Maybe this is true for some moms, but it's not been true for me at all. He's gotten me twice, maybe three times, and it's been well over a year now that I've been changing his diapers...thousands of diapers. Seriously, it's not anything to worry about.  I don't even know why people make such a fuss!



So if you are nervous about having a little boy, or if you are just finding out that you will be blessed with a precious little man, have no fear!  Boys are wonderful. You are blessed.

Check here for a great resource on parenting boys.

Parenting: Discipline

Click here to get the book for yourself.

It's pretty much official. We have a toddler. Honestly, I am loving the toddler phase for many reasons. He's more independent, he's developing a sense of humor, he is sleeping through the night, he is learning so much every single day, and he is starting to talk! I love it!

But there is one thing about this stage that is especially difficult...the temper tantrums. We (the newbie parents) are still learning how to deal with them. Thank goodness for our own parents who have been through these stages before and can help us figure them out!

My mom gave us a great book about learning to discipline in a Biblical way. There is one thing that we read that was particularly helpful to me.  So simple, yet so important. It's exactly the way I will explain our rules to our son.

Ready for it?

It'll go something like this:

"Son, I didn't make up right and wrong. God did. He gave us rules to follow. You have to obey them and I do, too."

So simple!  I didn't create right and wrong, but I will help my child follow God's laws. It's my God-given responsibility as a parent. Rules in our house will have an eternal and Biblical perspective. For example: no hitting is a rule in our house, but we have that rule because of God's word:

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

As I grow as a parent and encounter many instances where I have an obligation to discipline, I hope that I can continually explain why we have certain rules to my son. It will require me to be well versed in what the Bible says. It will challenge me to live according to God's laws in a much more conscious way.

Hopefully it won't create an authoritarian atmosphere, since God is the ultimate authority and our sweet boy will witness his parents submitting to God regularly. Hopefully it will help our son to understand God's rules are meant for our protection. Hopefully he will learn God's character and love in a way that will eventually lead to the most important decision of all: accepting Christ as Lord and Savior.

Have a great day!

Peace in Suffering

I had an opportunity to hear a woman's story that touched my heart and put my own trials in perspective.

This woman suffered from disease as a child, living in hospitals for much of her childhood, endured three miscarriages, lost her precious two-month-old son, contracted a debilitating disease in adulthood, and recently lost her husband to another woman. Talk about suffering! Yet she still spoke with hope and love and peace. She knows that God is using her suffering for His glory. I was touched by her story, but even more touched by her love for our Savior and the obvious refuge that He offers her spirit.

She spoke about the son that she lost. He was born with a heart condition and had a successful surgery shortly after birth. He was recovering so well that is doctor mistakenly decided to take him off his medications. Tragically, he died shortly after. In the midst of her pain and suffering, her friend (a songwriter) wrote a song about her precious boy and the Living God who wrapped His arms around her soul. Take a moment to listen to it:

This song has been a blessing to so many people grieving over the years This mom thanks God for using her son's short life in such a meaningful way.  When you take comfort in the Lord because of this song, it's a blessing to the mommy who lost her sweet baby boy.

I can't begin to imagine the sadness that this woman has endured. Life has been unfair to her in so many ways. Her message was simple: God can use our suffering for good. He is doing it in her life, even as her story is still being written. .

In this life we will have trouble. We will suffer. It's not fair, but it's just the reality of living in a fallen world. I am so thankful that we have Jesus to cling to in times of such intense pain.

My prayer is that He uses whatever suffering I endure during my life for His glory, that His light will shine through me in a way that others cannot deny Him.

If you are suffering today, cling to Jesus. He will hold you.

Teacher Confessions: 5 Things Teaching Taught Me About Parenting

 

Although I left my teaching career behind with the birth of my son, I can't forget the lessons in parenting that I learned from the families I met and worked with during the course of my career.

I had the rare opportunity to get to work closely with many types of families as a teacher. When you work closely with children, you get to know the family dynamics. It plays such a critical role in the child's development. I worked with families even more in-depth when there were problems with learning or behavior and I couldn't help but notice some recurring themes. I'll share them with you today.

1. Be the parent, NOT the friend. It still surprises me how some parents prefer to be viewed as the "cool" mom or dad. They do not want to take responsibility for the discipline of their children. Rather, they think it's alright if the child figures life out for himself.  I've actually had parents tell me that they are tired of hard situations, ask me to stop telling them and "just deal with it" at school. They spend lavish amounts of money on parties and activities with little structure or boundaries. I have witnessed that children raised this way can learn to become manipulative, prone to tantrums and lying, disorganized, and can have more behavior problems at school when compared to peers raised in a home where the parents are viewed as respected authority figures. I must remember: if I fill my home with love, acceptance, and boundaries, my child will follow suit. The same goes for filling a home with sarcasm and disrespect. Even if I think they will pick up the "right stuff" over time, they are learning daily from me. They are following my lead, whether I like it or not. They will pick up my values, so I'd better take responsibility and teach by example.

2. Care about the little things. Occasionally my class would prepare events for parents to attend (plays, poetry recitals, projects). Eventually, after several weeks of hard work and preparation, the students would be ready to show me (and their parents) the fruits of their hard work. Every time there would be one kid whose parents said they would try to be there, but ultimately would not show up. It broke my heart a little every single year. But it's not only that. Parents were often too busy to help with homework or sometimes even stay for a sporting event where their child was participating. I know this because I was sometimes invited to kids' games in the place of an absent parent. That's rough. These things mean a great deal to kids. They feel accepted and loved when their parents care about the seemingly small things. They will strive to achieve when they know it matters to their parents. It's a lesson I'm glad I learned before having kids of my own.

3. Be flexible and understanding. One of the most sad things I witnessed during my last year of teaching was a child crying in the corner of the restroom, terrified to come out for fear of what the father would say about a grade. Terrified. Shaking. Refusing to get off the bathroom floor. I made a mental note that day to never be so rigid and demanding that my child would be so scared to tell me about anything. Of course there should be consequences for disobeying and a little bit of fear of those consequences is healthy, but the expectations and consequences should be reasonable. My child should know that regardless of a mistake, he will be loved unconditionally.

4. Kids need structure. It's not up for debate. There's truth to the saying "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise".  It makes kids alert, better behaved and more organized. I know this is a fact. I've seen it over and over and over again in the classroom. We owe it to our kids to put them to bed at a decent hour, to keep them on a fairly regular schedule, and help them feel secure by knowing what to expect on a "normal" day. It was sad but not surprising that kids who had no idea who was picking them up from school or where they were sleeping that night were an emotional wreck.  May I never do that to my son.

5. Above all else, never withhold love.  I've said this before and I'll say it again. It doesn't matter how much excess stuff you can provide for your kid. Seriously, the name brand clothes, expensive toys, lavish vacations and whatever else you can imagine really don't matter in the end. All a child really wants is to know that his parents love him and are taking care of his needs. He also feels far more secure when he knows his parents love each other. It may be controversial to write that statement, but time and time again, I witnessed that it's true. I will love all my children equally and love their father...period.

Sometimes I might have to stay up a little later in order to make time for homework help. I might have to get up earlier every day to make sure a healthy breakfast is prepared before school. I might have to postpone an important meeting to be at my kid's school play. Maybe dinner out with my girlfriends isn't quite as important as making it to that baseball game. I will have to discipline my child. I will have to show love and grace when someone doesn't deserve it. I want my son to feel so loved and secure in our family that he never feels the need to seek for it in destructive ways. I hope that my husband and I are creating a family atmosphere where we can be our son's rock and his soft place to land.

Baby Boy's First Birthday!

We celebrated one year with our Bundle of Joy this summer. I still can't believe how fast the first year went by!

Anyway, I wanted to have a themed party that was cute, cheap and fun but not overdone. You know what I mean? I browsed Pinterest, like any mom would do for ideas...
And here's how it turned out:

Baby Boy loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (who doesn't?) and the theme was born. I made the caterpillar using a few sheets of scrapbook paper. I used a bowl to trace the circles and used the book's cover as a guide to finish him off.

My sister gave us a wonderful photo shoot (lots of balloons involved) and I was able to reuse the balloons for this! So fun!

I just so happened to have this little jar...so I had to make another caterpillar friend for the table. Find the directions here.

Since the party was small (just us, grandparents, and one uncle), we had foods that the grown ups would enjoy, but also that fit the theme. I tried to incorporate foods from the book, thus the watermelon, "green leaf" salad with apples, berries, candied nuts and strawberry dressing, and then some crackers, meats and cheese. It was tasty.

Call me old fashioned, but I really wanted to make the cake myself. Sure, it would have been prettier coming from a bakery (and I have some friends who put me to SHAME), but I remember how much I loved my mom's homemade birthday cakes. They were so special, made just for me. And I want to continue that tradition with my son. Behold: the (cup)cake(s).

Maybe I'll aim for something more challenging on next year's cake...

So there you have it! We had a blast. :-)

Growing So Fast!

My baby boy is not so much of a baby anymore.

It hit me today like a ton of bricks.

First, he turned the channel from HGTV to the Little League Championship on ESPN. Even if he doesn't understand baseball yet, he still preferred watching it instead of my show.

Then he brought me the dog's leash. And the dog. Entertaining him, I put the leash on the dog. He took the leash, looked at me and waved goodbye.

We went to the grocery store and I decided to stroll down the baby isle, just to see if we needed anything. We didn't. In fact, all my baby boy will ever need from that isle again is diapers and wipes!

Later, he climbed onto the couch all by himself and started turning lights on and off, on and off, on and off...and so on. Since when could he reach that switch!?!

Tonight at dinner, he clearly shook his head in disgust when I offered him more food.

And then, to top it all off, I asked him if he wanted to get out of his crib tonight. Clear as day he said, "yeh" and smiled.

I am LOVING this stage. He is so much fun to play with and watch. I absolutely adore him! But at the same time, I am sad to realize how fast the time is passing. Tomorrow he will be off to college.

I am going to savor every moment, for even all the ones that I have don't seem like enough. 

I love you with all my heart, Baby Boy! 

Raising Rough and Tumble, Lovable Boys

My husband got me a fabulous book for Christmas last year. I've just now gotten around to reading it and I must say, it's been very helpful.

Bringing Up Boys by Dr. James Dobson

As a new mom, I was hoping that this book would help shed some light on how I can raise my son to be a God-fearing, family man. It does just that and more. I hardly think anyone could accuse Dr. Dobson of being a feminist sympathizer or politically correct (which is perfectly fine with me).  He shares hard truths, statistics, and sound, Bible-based common sense. This book had me laughing and crying at different moments. Above all, it has once again renewed my fervor in praying for my son's future and my beloved country.

Anyway, it's definitely worth the read if you are a girly-girl turned mommy to a rough-and-tumble boy.

Inhuman Project

Perhaps you have heard of the Kermit Gosnell case, the Philadelphia abortion doctor who was convicted (thank God!) for murdering a newborn baby during a botched abortion. If not, please consider taking some time to read this post: A Discussion Worth Having.  If you are familiar with this case, perhaps you were as shocked as I was to hear of his barbaric abortion methods. I was shocked at the unbelievable cruelty and lack of compassion, so I started digging a little deeper.

The Inhuman Project is presented by LiveActionFilms. A pregnant woman was sent undercover into several abortion clinics across the country, asking lots of questions about the abortion she was supposedly there to have.

Please watch at least one of these:

Arizona

New York

Washington D.C.

You don't have to watch long to get an idea of the depraved attitudes that these abortionists have toward unborn human lives. I believe that there are more Kermit Gosnells out there who need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. LiveAction is doing great work to uncover the horrific reality of abortion in America. 

Please consider getting involved with LiveAction at www.liveaction.org

Precious Moments Alone

One of the most challenging things about staying home with my son has been adjusting to the very few moments that I get to myself. Before I became a parent, I had ample time to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted to do it (as long as it came after work). Now, not so much. While my husband's work day ends around 5:00 most days, mine goes from "son up to son down".  And nap time is getting shorter as my precious boy grows. So, basically, I have come to understand that moments like right now, when my awesome husband volunteers to take care of our little man and give me a break, I am taking full advantage.

I don't think I mentioned that my baby has cut 3 molars in the past two weeks, did I? Well. Yep. We are on teething overload around here. That means less sleep, more fussiness, and longer days in general.

So it's moments like these that make me love my husband even more...

Here's to all the awesome husbands who get it. :-)

How To Take a Road Trip with a Baby

It's summertime! And with a mobile baby boy, I have little time to rest, much less keep up this fun blog. However...he is taking a long nap today (thank goodness for nap time!).

Recently, my little family took our first very long road trip. It was about 17 hours each way. We drove for a total of 4 full days...with a baby...in our smallish vehicle...filled to the top with suitcases and supplies.




I was so nervous about the trip.
I prepared myself mentally that we would be stopping every hour.
I prepared myself to listen to a lot of crying/whining.
I was not exactly looking forward to the drive.

But! 

I got some advice from other, more experienced moms. This has proven to be my best source of information and help when it comes to "tricks of the trade".

They suggested occupying Baby Boy's time with three main things:
1. Food
2. Naps
3. New, never before seen toys

I also brought along all of his favorite books and a few favorite toys.

We took a special trip to Target just find some new toys in the dollar bins and we also got some with lights and buttons and noise (my least favorite type) and packed them in the car with easy access for the trip.

These methods worked wonders. I kept a stash of cheddar Goldfish and a sippy cup for whiny moments. I introduced new toys when we could not stop to get out. We took nice, long breaks at state parks or local attractions along the way (shopping!). We ate picnic lunches where Baby Boy could run around instead of being made to sit in a highchair at a restaurant. And he actually did take long naps, which was wonderful!

Actually, the last hour of the trip home was the longest for this mom and dad...but Baby Boy was perfectly content playing with a cell phone.

All said and done, we'll do it again. I think it's easier than flying because when my baby is crying, nobody is there to give a nasty look, you know, the shut-your-kid-up-and-give-us-all-some-peace look. I hate that look. It stresses me out. And we didn't have to worry about carrying all that extra baby stuff through the airport, in and out of security, on and off different connecting flights, etc.

A longer trip, yes.
A more stressful trip, no.
It was much better than I had anticipated.

We're already planning our next road trip! :-)

Ugly. Nasty. Danger!

Do you ever have those moments where you are so thankful that God is there, watching over you? Well, I had one of those moments a couple of weeks ago.

It was a typical Saturday- sunny, beautiful, and spent catching up on yard work.  I brought Baby Boy outside and set him in his walker (a tactic I use when I want him to stay out of certain places...like my flowerpots, for example). Dad was a few feet away, trimming some plants. I walked inside to get a drink. I was only gone for a minute (probably less) when I heard Baby Boy start to cry.

I looked out the window.
He had rolled his walker to the edge of the patio and got himself stuck.
Dad had his back turned for the moment.
It was not an emergency...
So I finished pouring my drink and returned to "rescue" my baby.

That's when I saw it.

About 6 inches from the walker, lying in the thick grass, was a large SNAKE. It was all coiled up with its little, disgusting head raised.

Was my sweet baby crying because he had been bitten by that evil creature?!
Panic!

Immediately, I grabbed my poor baby up from his walker and removed his clothes to look for a snake bite.
It's amazing how fast your mind and body work together when you fear for your child's safety. I'm sure I had him undressed in under two seconds and I had figured out how long it would take to get to the nearest emergency room before I had removed his socks...

And that's when I realized how thankful I am for God's watchful eye protecting my baby in those moments when I cannot see the dangers of this world.

There was no snake bite. Thank God. Literally, I thanked God.

As for the snake, well... he'll never be coming into my yard again.

When it comes to protecting my baby, there is one good snake: a dead one.

Mother's Day Thoughts

This past Sunday was my very first time being able to celebrate Mother's Day as a mom. It was kind of strange (new), but also wonderful. My husband put a lot of effort into making it special for me. Even my own mom and siblings thought of me. Of course, Baby Boy is too little to understand, but I know he will appreciate my hard work for his life someday.

People often ask me if I'm thrilled that I'm a mom now.

Well, yes. I love being a mom.

But as continue to learn how to be a great mom, I am constantly reminded that it's by far the hardest job I've ever encountered. The stakes could not be higher. I am responsible for my son and how he grows up. I must teach him how to become a respectable citizen, how to have proper manners, how to play nice, how to work hard, how to treat others, and most importantly, I must teach him about the love of the Lord.

Some days are harder than others. Some days my son's strong will is stronger than mine. Some days I'm tired or sick or have a splitting headache. Never is there a day that goes by where I have a "day off" or get to "sleep in".  Motherhood is definitely not a good fit for the lazy...

I know that I'm not alone. Every mom who chooses to love and care for her children has experienced the joys and the trials of motherhood. From new moms like me to experienced moms like my own mother, we all work hard to accomplish the greatest task that life could present to us- raising children.

Even though some people think it's ridiculous to be recognized for just one day of the year, I think it's nice. I felt like my hard work actually doesn't go unnoticed and I'm appreciated more than I sometimes realize. Someday when I'm doubting it, I'm going to pull out those sweet cards from my very first Mother's Day and they will be a precious reminder.

If you're a mommy to someone who is barely walking or maybe to someone who is having children of her own, or even somewhere in between, I hope you had a great Mother's Day. :-)

What's Wrong With Abortion?

In my first post about the tragedy of abortion, I shared the literal words of what happens in a D&E procedure. Today I saw this illustration. It's gruesome and difficult to look at, but necessary to share. You can read more about the source of the photo here.

This breaks my heart. When I was 23 weeks pregnant, I knew that I was going to have a son. We were picking out potential names for him. We were buying his crib and getting the nursery ready. I could feel him moving all around inside me, kicking, waking me up at night. I had my maternity photos taken. We were so excited about this little life growing inside of me.

What's the difference between my baby at 23 weeks and one such as the baby pictured above? Nothing other than the fact I chose to give my baby life and many mothers, for whatever reason, choose to have their precious babies dismembered and ripped from the warm and cozy womb where they once lived. 

I can't understand how any mother could knowingly and willingly pay someone to kill her baby in this manner. Maybe they just don't understand what abortion entails?

Please consider joining the National Right to Life. Please don't turn a blind eye to the horrors of abortion.

Baby Boy Joy

Some days are easier than others in the life of a stay-at-home-mommy. Sometimes I feel like people see the most tired, worn out side of me (especially when I go anywhere after 5:00)... but I can't express how much joy it is to experience this life. I'm feeling especially thankful for it today. Not sure why. I'm just thankful.

I'm thankful for the ear-to-ear smiles that Baby Boy greets me with each morning, the time that I have to read him stories, rock him to sleep, take him on walks, show him new and exciting things...and so much more. He is starting to walk now, eat regular food (no more baby mush), and has developed an incredible love for the outdoors and our dog. I am seeing his little (big) personality unfold a little more each day, and I'm so proud to be his mommy.

This overwhelming love that I have for my son is teaching me so much about God's love for me. I am His child and His love is greater than any other. I just want to make Him proud and bring Him joy, as I am understanding more and more that He loves me far more than I can comprehend.

He loves you, too, even if you don't realize it yet. :-) 

Have a great day! 

Human Rights & Abortion

All through American history, people of all kinds have fought for equality and human rights. People have fought for equality of race, marriage status, disability, gender, and more. However, I am saddened about the human rights battle going on for those who cannot speak for themselves: the unborn.

There is currently a push in this country to pass more lenient laws concerning abortion. What is so wrong with this? Why is this so controversial?

First, we must understand what abortion is.

2nd Trimester Methods

Dilation & Evacuation (D&E): About 13 to 24 Weeks After LMP ^{26 (PP. 133-56), 33} 

The majority of second trimester abortions are performed using this method. The cervix must be opened wider than in the first trimester abortion because the fetus is larger. This is done by inserting numerous thin rods made of seaweed a day or two before the abortion and/or giving other oral or vaginal medications to further soften the cervix. Up to about 16 weeks gestation, the procedure is identical to the first trimester one. After the cervix is stretched open and the uterine contents suctioned out, any remaining fetal parts are removed with a grasping tool (forceps). A curette (a loop-shaped tool) may also be used to scrape out any remaining tissue.

After about 16 weeks, much of the procedure is done with the forceps to pull fetal parts out through the cervical opening, as suction alone will not work due to the fetus’ size. The doctor keeps track of what fetal parts have been removed so that none are left inside as this can potentially cause infection. Lastly, a curette, and/or the suction machine are used to remove any remaining tissue or blood clots, which if left behind could cause infection and bleeding. 

Medication Methods for Second Trimester Induced Abortion ^{26 (PP. 178-92), 34}

This technique induces abortion by using medicines to cause labor and eventual delivery of the fetus and placenta. Like labor at term, this procedure typically involves 10-24 hours in a hospital’s labor and delivery unit. Digoxin or potassium chloride is injected into the amniotic fluid, umbilical cord or fetal heart prior to labor to avoid the delivery of a live fetus. The cervix is softened with the use of seaweed sticks and/or medications. Next, oral mifepristone and oral or vaginal misoprostol are used to induce labor. In most cases, these drugs result in the delivery of the dead fetus and placenta. The patient may receive oral or intravenous pain medications. Occasionally, scraping of the uterus is needed to remove the placenta.

Potential complications include hemorrhage and the need for a blood transfusion, retained placenta and possible uterine rupture (splits open). Source: Gateway.

What's the difference between late term and partial birth abortion?  Here are the facts:

Late Term Abortion:

D&E When Live Birth is Possible (From about 24 weeks and up)^{26 (PP. 157-77)} 

This procedure typically takes 2-3 days and is associated with increased risk to the life and health of the mother. Because a live birth is possible, injections are given to cause the fetal death. This is done in order to comply with the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 which requires that the fetus be dead before complete removal from the mother’s body. The medications (digoxin and potassium chloride) are either injected into the amniotic fluid, the umbilical cord or directly into the fetus’ heart. The remainder of the procedure is the same as the second trimester D&E. Fetal parts are reassembled after removal from the uterus to make sure nothing is left behind to cause infection.

An alternate technique, called “Intact D&E” is also used. The goal is to remove the fetus in one piece, thus reducing the risk of leaving parts behind or causing damage to the woman’s body. This procedure requires the cervix be opened wider; however, it is still often necessary to crush the fetus’ skull for removal as it is difficult to dilate the cervix wide enough to bring the head out intact. Source: Gateway 

Partial Birth Abortion:

Partial-Birth Abortion is a procedure in which the abortionist pulls a living baby feet-first out of the womb and into the birth canal (vagina), except for the head, which the abortionist purposely keeps lodged just inside the cervix (the opening to the womb).  The abortionist punctures the base of the baby’s skull with a surgical instrument, such as a long surgical scissors or a pointed hollow metal tube called a trochar.  He then inserts a catheter (tube) into the wound, and removes the baby's brain with a powerful suction machine.  This causes the skull to collapse, after which the abortionist completes the delivery of the now-dead baby.  Source: NRLC

What is post-birth abortion?  It's basically killing the baby after induced labor. The baby is born alive and then killed. This can be done in a variety of ways; sometimes the baby is simply not given medical care when born alive during the process of a failed abortion. This process is more commonly referred to infanticide.  

Please take some time to listen to this woman, Alisa Laport Snow, a lobbyist from Planned Parenthood, who stood before Florida lawmakers this month:

The abortionists are hard at work in this nation. The complete lack of value for the lives of babies is apparent from this woman's testimony. Planned Parenthood released a statement later saying that this situation is hypothetical, highly unusual, and they clarified that they would support following the current laws by providing lifesaving medical care to the infant. 

However, there is an abortionist doctor form Pennsylvania who got caught. You may have heard of him, Dr. Kermit Gosnell, who is currently on trial, charged with 8 counts of murder. Please watch this short documentary about the abortion clinic that he operated. You will find that his practices align directly with the testimony from Ms. Laport Snow and contradicts the statement released by Planned Parenthood. 

You will not find much coverage of this horrific case on most news networks. Why? Because it is incredibly damaging to the political views and leftist ideals of the media. It's important to understand how abortion is damaging not only because it's the lawful (or unlawful) murder of an innocent baby, but it is also damaging to the emotional state of the mother, her future fertility, and in some cases, her life. 

I beg you, please care about this human rights tragedy in America today. Stay informed. Figure out a way to get involved. Speak up in love. Your one voice may be all that is needed to help save the voice of an unborn child. If you are considering having an abortion, please don't. Please give your precious baby life and consider adoption.

You can find out more from the National Right to Life.

Read more:  What's Wrong With Abortion? and The Inhuman Project

Too Few Hours...

There are so many good things that fill up literally every moment of my day, yet there is one thing that I am having the hardest time figuring out how to fit into my regular schedule as a mom.

Devotions. Ones that aren't crammed into a 15 minute session or follow a program. Devotions that leave me feeling so refreshed, comforted, and engulfed in God's love.  I miss those.

My days are packed. Starting around 6:00 a.m, I become a half-awake playmate for a busy baby boy. I feed him breakfast, lunch, make dinner for the family, wash-dry-fold endless amounts of laundry, clean my house, walk the dog, bake treats, change diapers, keep a tiny bit of a social life, spend time with my husband, and by the end of the day... I am spent.

Before having a baby, I had no trouble finding ample time for devotions regularly. Now, I'm lucky to get one decent session in any given week.

How can this be?

So I am once again re-thinking the way I do life. What should I spend less time on so that I can have more time with God? Maybe I should cut out time on the internet? But then I would miss out on so much going on with people, news, etc...Can't do that. Maybe I should do devotions when Baby Boy is sleeping? But that is my nap time, too! Such precious down time... Can't do that. Maybe I should stop watching the news? But I MUST keep updated on the latest world events! Can't miss that.  Maybe we should just get rid of TV all together.  But then the husband would miss sports and I would miss my design shows...Can't do that.

What exactly is the answer?  I know. I make excuses.

Each day, I wake up thinking that today will be the day that I devote a good amount of  time to individual Bible study...and the day passes...and I crawl into bed at night...and I haven't gotten around to that precious devotional time that I promised myself. And I feel convicted. I've let myself down. I've let God down. I think about my testimony as a Christian. Sure, I go to church and listen to the sermons. I go to small group and study with other believers. I meet with a group of friends for a Bible-based book study...and those are all good things that I love and keep me accountable, but I really, really miss having time to read God's Word on my own. I miss just getting lost in the Bible and forgetting completely about the time or any other responsibilities, knowing that I'm having quality time with my God and He is actively speaking to my heart.

So I write this post not to tell you that I've figured out the key to having a perfectly balanced life, but to  keep myself accountable. I can't make excuses. If God is absolutely the most important part of my life, my reason for existing, I can't keep spending so much time on other trivial things each day. I have got to make my devotional time a priority.

As I wrap up this post, I am heading straight for my Bible and my journal. I'm going to read about whatever God leads me to read. I'm going to write down what He speaks to my heart. I will make Him a priority today. It's a start, right?

And I plan to do it again tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that day. And so on.

Next week, I'll let you know what I've learned about being a new mommy with a jam-packed day and trying keep up with daily devotions.  Maybe I won't fall flat on my face...and maybe...just maybe I'll have learned something worth sharing.

Ephesians 6:11-17- "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"

Spring Weather + New Baby = Fun!

The past few days have been glorious around here! Weather is just perfect for playing outside...and we have been taking advantage of it.

Our boy is fully mobile now and needs activities that burn off energy. Oh, he has so much energy! We have already started a little collection of fun outside toys, but with a very (and I mean verrrrrry) small amount of storage space for outside kid stuff, we are trying to make purchases that won't clutter up our property. You know what I mean. We all have them...the neighbors who have a million kid toys randomly strewn about their yard, with no proper place to be put away. I'm determined not to be that neighbor.

Thanks to Grandma, we have one of these amazing wagons. I love it because it folds up small enough to slide pretty much anywhere in the garage. The bottom is surprisingly sturdy and when it's set up, feels very secure. And it's BIG. It'll fit our boy plus a few more. So fun!
 

And bubbles! Our little one is giggles galore when I bring these out. You can't beat the price- under $1. It's almost too much fun to sit in the sunshine blowing bubbles for a happy baby (am I really an adult?). I love it!

And this hangs from a tree in our yard. It's also been a huge hit. It's super easy to install and costs around $25. For all the fun we are going to have in it, I thought it was well worth the cost. It holds up to 50 pounds of kid, too, so he won't outgrow it super fast. And it's easy to take down and put away. I like that feature (keeps it from getting dirty and moldy).

I'm sure there will be more toys added to this little collection over time. We're looking forward to practicing T-ball and basketball and football, riding trikes and bikes, running through sprinklers, and more that I can't even think of yet. One thing is sure- there is much fun in store for us!

Have a great day and enjoy the sunshine!