Sleepy Sesame Street

We've been so busy lately. This week started out with Justin's parents visiting, then I have been working afternoons planning with my new coworker, and it will end with our move to Hays, KS for the month of July. Yesterday, Joel actually slept in until almost 9:00. It was great. It made me miss days of old when I used to sleep in until after 10!
Sometimes when Joel wakes up really early, I feed him breakfast and then resort to laying on the couch and letting him play and watch Sesame Street. Is that terrible? I feel guilty sometimes...hopefully, I'm not making him accustomed to a life of TV addiction or causing ADHD like all the experts say. On that note...I think I'm headed to the couch for a little nap.

Miracles

A picture of my miracles.

This was an e-mail I got today after receiving a few text messages from my best friend Lori:

I went into preterm labor on Sunday, June 8. I was 31 weeks along. We were flown to Denver and I was able to "stay pregnant" for 6 more days. Lucas Reid Raile arrived June 14 at 11:11pm at Presbyterian/St.Lukes in Denver. He weighed 3 lbs 2 oz. and was 16.75 inches. He didn't tolerate labor well at all and after several scary hours he was delivered by emergency c-setion. It was quite a day for all of us.
I am currently still in the hospital recovering and Lucas is in the Neonatal ICU. We are both doing well. He is on a ventilator but the doctors are hopeful that will be able to be removed soon. He is going to be fed via a feeding tube starting tomorrow. He is a precious little guy who already has quite a personality. He has tons of really dark hair and beautiful blue eyes. We are already so in love with him. We haven't been able to hold him yet but he will hold onto our fingers tightly.

So when I first found out about this, I noticed that the first text message that I still had in my inbox was from Lori about what she thought then was a miscarriage.
Just to catch you all up...Lori had a really hard time getting pregnant with this little miracle. They went to an infertility doctor, Clomid...the whole bit. She called me a few days before Christmas, after the doctors told her they thought she was having a miscarriage due to decreasing HCG levels. It broke my heart. Justin and I went through a very early miscarriage (undoubtedly the hardest thing in my life despite the earliness of it) just a little over a month before Joel was conceived. But this was not to be the story for Lori.....the HCG levels rose and finally they were high enough to be seen on ultrasound. On Christmas eve, while I was at my in-laws' church in Ohio, Lori called to let me know that there was indeed still a baby and they weren't miscarrying! Oh, what a Christmas present that was! It just reminded me what a miracle this child already is. There are only a few friends who truly cry when you cry and rejoice when you rejoice and Lori is totally that person for me. Today I was doing both, crying and rejoicing for her.

Romans 12:10-
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;

not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Birdies

Joel and I go for at least one walk every day. Usually we walk to the park so that he can play and run off some energy and then I can get somewhat of a workout on the way there and back. He always calls out the things that he sees. Today we saw a bunny, a squirrel, a duck, and some birds. His personal favorites are birds, which he affectionately calls "boobies". Which is great when other people are walking past us and my son is yelling " BOOBIES" with a big smile on his face. I keep correcting him with "birdies" but it doesn't seem to matter. He also calls blueberries, "boo boobies". It's funny that he can say words like "Play" and "Uncle Josh" and even "Joel" so clearly, but he can't say birdies. Ah,well. The next time you see a child scream something like that, just smile and think of me....red faced in back of a stroller.

Answered Prayers

This weekend Justin, Joel and I went to St. Louis to see Josh's new baby, Keagan and to visit the St. Louis Zoo. It was a great quick trip. Doesn't Josh look so proud? The baby was perfect. He had a little jaundice, and some fluid in his lungs so they kept him for a few more days, but other than that...he is perfect. It has been a journey. Looking back over the last 18 months of Joel's life, I still remember the moment that they laid Joel on my chest. I remember being completely overwhelmed with joy. At that moment, I knew that God truly answered prayers in the biggest way. Saturday was another one of those days.

Psalm 100: 1-5

A psalm. For giving thanks.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generation.

Here are some pictures of our trip:


Joel playing in the fountains at the zoo.

Cooling off!

Uncle Josh, Justin, and Joel.
Happy and Hot!

Politics and Prayer

Today is a sad day that should be a great day. Justin's brother Josh's soon to be ex-wife is in labor as I write with their son. And Josh can't be there. Are there no rights for fathers? It seems that there are some but there is so much red tape that you have to cross first that most fathers would just lose hope and give up. Justin's mom reminded us this morning that God is in control even in the worst circumstances. I definitely believe that, but it seems in my own life there have been so many instances where the "bad guy" wins that it becomes discouraging. So I ask for your prayers. I can't imagine being in this circumstance...on either side. Joel's birth was such a joyous, bonding time for Justin and I. Most importantly, my prayer is that God will take care of this baby, that he will be healthy and that Amy will realize that this baby needs two loving parents despite her feelings.

This is what I read today in 1 Thes. 5:12- 18 that goes along perfectly with the circumstances:

"Final Instructions: Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

I especially love the part about not paying back wrong for wrong. So I guess the best thing to do today is to just pray and give thanks, no matter what the politics.

The Dream Giver

So, yes, I have now given in to the world of blogging. It all seems kind of odd...like letting someone read my personal journal. But I keep faithfully reading all of my friends blogs....including my husband's........and even tend to read even a stranger's blog (yes, I'm pathetic, but it's so sad...http://www.mattlogelin.com/) so I decided it was just time to get my own.

Anyway, today was day 3 of my first real week of Summer. Last week I had summer conference and earned 2 grad credits so Justin had baby duty. Joel has so much energy and finding things to keep him busy is definitely challenging. He's so much fun though, and I love to make him laugh. Yesterday we went to the park, to Deanna Rose (great place for kids by the way), and played in the little pool that Justin bought for our backyard. Today went like this: Sesame Street and breakfast, colored, went to the park and on a walk, lunch, naptime and a haircut for me, pool time in the backyard, dinner, bathtime, walk (ride for Joel), and bedtime. Seems so simple but yet, so tiring. I keep meaning to write down the things that he says...but he says so much that I just don't get them down. Maybe tomorrow I will add a list of the words that he says...it will be long.

Yesterday, I read Bruce Wilkinson's book "The DreamGiver". It's pretty good and I like the metaphor usage of the "Ordinary" becoming a "Somebody". What it really made me think though is that it's not really the book for me. I feel like I have my dream..maybe not all of it, but I do think that I am doing exactly what I have always dreamed of: being a wife, a mom, and a teacher. I am not always content with life, but I don't feel like there is something huge out there that I haven't gotten to do that I've always wanted. Does that make me a non-dreamer? Or just someone who is "living the dream"? Not sure I would have described my life as that, but maybe I should. Our small group is doing this cool accountability thing and I have not been doing a very good job of keeping up. My goal is to spend time in the word and journal every day...a very attainable goal, but with a toddler it seems really hard! I'm starting Beth Moore's Heart Like His study. I'm hoping it's good!