Monday, August 31, 2015

PACI-FAIL! What now?

It was decided last night...today would be the day we start weaning my daughter from her pacifier (which she only uses during sleeping times)

BUT....

I woke up this morning with a swollen throat, hardly able to talk. I quickly realized that mom's get no sick days. What would this day hold?

I crept downstairs to steal a shower before daughter woke up...success! At least I am starting the day clean! (A huge accomplishments on most days). As I dressed, daughter stirred in her crib, quickly arising to tell me it was breakfast time.

"I got this," I said to myself as I sung the song "Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory."

As I prepared breakfast for my little, she was sitting content in her highchair sipping on some milk. Perfect time to put the dishes away (without a little monkey climbing into the dishwasher to "help"). She happily munched on her fruits, cereal and yogurt while I organized all of the clean dishes left from yesterdays brunch.

I opened up the cabinet that holds the plates and bowls. Busily, I started putting dishes in the proper place when.....two heavy ceramic coffee mugs come (literally) crashing on my head, bouncing off the left side before shattering all over the counter (and my daughter's prepared breakfast) all while slicing my pinkie finger.

Strike two for the day.

"When is nap time?" I whispered under my breath,

After a quick errand out and a now fussy daughter, naptime was upon us...the first day of pacifier weaning. Since she was the perfect amount of tiredness (not too sleepy but sleepy enough) I started the naptime routine...minus the pacifier. At first she did okay, fussing slightly as I placed her on the cream crib sheet. I quietly left the room and went downstairs to frost some sugar cookies made the previous night.

Out of nowhere bursts of crying. Our first "I don't have my paci" fit. I let it go on for about 15 minutes before going in there. She was so worked up! Red face, sweaty hair. So, I decided to cut a small hole in one of her pacifiers to see if that would offer any sort of relief...NONE. Screaming continued. I picked her up, rocked her for a moment and in a moment of weakness (and desperation because now it had been about 25-30 minutes since this ordeal started) I gave her her beloved glow-in-the-dark paci. PACI-FAIL!

So, the question that I leave you all is....what now?

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Time is Running Out....

We have all heard the many sayings about time and how it slips by so fast, or how you just never know the days remaining, or the saying about hurrying up just to wait.

They are all true.

My little "Monkey-Moo" just turned one a few weeks ago. Oh, what a joyous and fun celebration reflecting back on this one year that God has blessed us with! In this year, He has taught us the most importance lessons...on love, hope, patience, compassion, sacrifice, among a few. He has taught us to rest in Him on the most challenging of days while finding something to rejoice in every single day. Like the many mini milestones: saying a new word, clapping hands, picking up food with two fingers...all of which seem insignificant but the overall picture is one of growth and learning. We are blessed.

With just 19 weeks before Baby Boy, Little Foot, arrives, I feel as if time is running out to spend special time with my oldest, my sweet daughter. I find myself hugging her a little tighter and a little longer. Smelling her sweet baby smell. Longing to spend hours playing with blocks on the floor or cuddling to read her favorite books. I savor our walks and "talks" a little more, appreciating her love for learning, exploring and saying "hi" to everyone (and everything). I try to capture these moment on camera so I can remember the smallest of details of what life was like with just her...the child that made me a mother.

...but time is running out.

Before I know, we will be ushering in the newest member of our family. I fear that my time will be so divided caring for a newborn and recovering for delivery that these sweetest of moments with my daughter will become few and far between (at least for a little while).  The tender moments of rocking her, snuggling her before bed, swaying her in my arms...my arms will no longer be reserved just for her. How will my heart contain love for my Jesus, husband, first born, second born, family and friends?!? My heart aches over the loss of my signaler "mommy-focus" yet at the same time my heart aches to swaddle my baby boy.

Life will change as I know it.

Being a parent is the greatest, most amazing, challenging, rewarding, scary, fulfilling "job" I have every had. It has changed me in ways that I cannot even describe. At first, I didn't even want to be a mother, but thank goodness Jesus changed my heart. I never thought I wanted two children, again, Jesus changed my heart. I trust that my Savior has the best in mind for His Glory and my good. 

Although time might be running out in this particular season, I am praying that God will reveal to me the next "truths" and life lessons He desires me to learn as we prepare for Little Foot. In the meantime, I am going to snuggle my little girl like there is no tomorrow! I am going to rock her a little longer, play with her a little harder, and enjoy every second that God allows me to be her mommy.

Man! Am I blessed!


Thursday, August 13, 2015

Object lesson: Hunger

**WRITTEN A FEW MONTHS AGO**

Last night a beautiful but skinny black and white cat approached our front door.

It had no home and it was hungry.

Due to the kindness of my husband's heart, he brought out the hard cat food and laid some before the scrawny little creature. The cat ate up quickly but we could tell that it was scared that the food might either be taken away or that the cat might be harmed. Sad.

I thought my husband's gesture was very nice but didn't think another thing about it.

This morning when I was walking out the front door to meet a friend for coffee, the same cat was pacing at our front door steps. I called to my husband to bring the hard food so that I could give this weak, starving cat it's first meal of the day.

I coaxed the cat onto our front steps and showed it the food that I had placed down. I sat there and gently stroking the cat's fur wondering how this cat got in the situation. Moments later I walked off to the car. I did not want to be late for my coffee date. I had to make a quick stop at the grocery store before meeting my friend.

As I drove into the store I saw a homeless man holding a sign on my left hand side. To be honest I cast judgment and thought, "I have no need to bring this man any food." I ran into the store to get a few items that I needed and then I approached my car, hoping I would not be late to meet my friend.

As I walked toward my car I saw the woman who was ahead of me in line. She had purchased a random selection of items in the store; as I stood waiting my turn impatiently I wondered what she was doing with such an eclectic assortment of items. The same woman took that bag of groceries and brought it to the man holding the sign. This brought instant conviction.

God really convicted me through these two situations: the one with our new cat friend and the homeless man holding the sign.

If I can show so much compassion for a stray cat, why was I unable to show compassion towards this homeless man sitting on the side of the road in the parking lot?

I'm not sure I know the answer yet but through God's help in prayer I pray that God will instill in me a compassionate heart. A heart that is willing to trust Him and to serve those He puts on my heart to serve. I am thankful for that woman and her generosity. Without knowing it, God used her to teach me a very valuable lesson!

Falling Short

True confessions: There are many things in my life in which I fall short.


  • I sometimes forget to return phone calls or text messages.
  • I "sent in" the mortgage payment only to find it back in my mailbox a week later...I somehow self-addressed it to myself. Oops for the late submission of my payment!
  • Often produce goes bad in our fridge.
  • I do a poor job of planning out meals.
  • I put sleeping over housework, including the piles of dishes in the sink and the laundry the needs to get folded. ( I {heart} naptime!!).
  • For the first time, I left the house to run errands...AND THE HOUSE WAS DIRTY! Toys, folded laundry (plus the laundry my 1-year old "helped" fold), unsorted mail, kitchen counters not wiped down...all littered my house.
  • Projects left half done.
  • Half-read books collecting dust on the coffeetable in hopes that one day I will actually get around to reading them (and returning them to my friends who so graciously lent them to me). 
  • A "to-do" list that is half complete.
Despite these things (and the many other areas in my life in which I fall short), I pray that I never fall short in the most important pursuits in my life (and in this order, too!!): 
  • Being a faithful follower of Jesus.
  • Being a loyal, trustworthy, reliable wife to the most amazing husband.
  • Being a loving, compassionate, consistent mother.
  • Being an involved, caring, good listening friend.
In our media-crazed world, it is so easy to compare, daydream, overstretch ourselves to things we are not called to even be doing. Why is this? To save face? Make ourselves feel more significant? To have "purpose?"

I often times think, "Oh, I'm good! I got this." But then I am reminded that in scripture not even Jesus allowed people to call Him "good." It is only through His relationship with God that He credited Himself as good. So how arrogant am I to say that I have this crazy life under control...without even consulting the One who made life! 

There are many stresses and struggles I face in my everyday, yet those days in which I put Jesus first, life somehow seems to be a little easier. The tasks seem to go a little smoother. My attitude reflects more patience and love towards challenges (include my daughter who sometimes resists during mealtime and decides it is "fun" to throw food and her sippy cup!!). More strength to endure is produced.

Being faithful to Jesus FIRST helps everything else in my life fall into place. I want to serve my husband more, love on my daughter more, engage in life with friends. It is amazing how much can change by simply re-ordering priorities.

This is not an easy struggle to win, however. For example, I set out to have quiet time this morning and my daughter decided to wake up an hour earlier than she normally does...so much for a hot cup of coffee and a relaxing devotional. But in that moment, I had to make a choice. I allowed my sweet little human to play in her crib, fuss a little, and talk with herself to sneak just 15-minutes with Jesus. Wow! Those 15-minutes were powerful! God honored my sacrifice to put Him first and taught me a valuable lesson about comparison and the destruction that it can bring.

So, friends, I know life is hard. Life is busy. And that we all fall short....it is okay to confess it! But confession without change is like a promise unfilled...empty. Jesus wants to radically change your life through a loving relationship with Him! To do that, we must all shift our priorities and spend time with the One who made life. Trust me, it is worth it! Allow Jesus to fill in all of those places you fall short. Allow Jesus to give you rest from the stresses and burdens of this life. HE CAN DO IT! And He will, if we simply re-order our priorities.

Go in prayer and peace, knowing that Jesus stands by you and desires you to serve Him. When you do, life challenges won't magically disappear but they will be much easier to handle.

Maranatha.