As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, I am mindful of the MANY things I am thankful for in my life. I don't have to stop and think for very long to begin a list of blessings from my Heavenly Father that I don't deserve. Thanksgiving used to be one of those holidays that I only looked forward to because of the plethora of food and time with family, but as the years have gone by, I have begun to use the entire month of November to ponder all the things I am thankful for.
Living far from family during the holidays can be difficult, but God has always provided us with a place to go and celebrate with friends. What would we do without the body of Christ (the church)? Jason and I have depended on the church to be our family since we got married and moved straight to North Carolina. Now we are in Georgia, and we are always grateful for the invitations we receive to the family get-togethers of those who are our church family.
This holiday week, I am going to be 38 weeks pregnant with our 3rd child, Emmarie. I am thankful for a smooth pregnancy thus far, and I pray my labor and delivery is just as great as my last one! This will be the first Christmas that we do not travel up to Ohio/Indiana to celebrate Christ's birth with our families. It would be crazy to travel with a couple weeks old baby! I am thankful that both of our parents will make the effort to come down to Georgia to spend some time with us during Christmas/New Year's. We wouldn't want to spend it "alone"!
I am so thankful for God's provision in our lives! I am thankful for my salvation through Christ alone, by faith alone! I am thankful for my husband and children! I am thankful that I am not in control of this crazy life, but that the Almighty, Sovereign, Gracious, Creator of the Universe is in control of every minute of every day of my life! So much to praise Him for!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
North Myrtle Beach Trip
We headed out on the open road early last Monday morning headed for N. Myrtle Beach, SC. I hadn't been to Myrtle Beach since I was an adolescent, but my parents traded their time share week for a condo with a beautiful ocean view, and they wanted us to come and enjoy it with them. Well, truthfully, they probably just wanted to spend time with Ethan and Elaina....but who can blame them?
Our drive there went pretty smoothly, although we thought we had gotten off the interstate at the wrong time for a few moments. We quickly realized that we were still on the right path, and I apologized to "Maggie"-our trusted GPS because I am quick to blame her if anything goes wrong in our navigation. The kids did well in the car for the most part. The last hour or so is always a little challenging for them, and us. That is when I bring out the secret weapon-the portable DVD player!
My parents were so excited to see us, when we finally arrived. It was around 1:30pm, so we ate lunch together and then started planning what to do first. We wanted to go to the beach, swim in the pool, play corn hole, go to Alligator Adventure, go to a cool putt putt golf place, and spend time relaxing. We actually got to do all of those things, which was super!
The kids enjoyed the beach. Elaina had a few bad experiences with the sand the first time we went out because she tried to swallow a handful of it, which made her gag. She then proceeded to try to suck her fingers that were wet and sandy, which also was not a good idea. She LOVED the ocean! In fact, we had to make sure we were always holding onto her when we even got near the water because she would take off running into the ocean, if we let her go! She had no fear! She would laugh with joy each time a wave smacked against her tiny body! Ethan was quite the opposite. He understood the power and danger of the ocean, so he didn't want to go near the water. We walked him into the water just a little ways, and he would scream and yell that he wanted to get out even though we were holding his hands. He was only okay if he barely had his feet in the water! Crazy boy! He enjoyed building (and destroying) sandcastles with Jason.
In the pool, the kids were both so comfortable. Ethan swam all around with his little arm floaties on, and Elaina just splashed and enjoyed it so much. Ethan never wanted to get out of the pool, but Elaina was usually ready because she would get a little cold.
We went to Alligator Adventure twice, which was really neat. It was like a zoo that mainly had reptiles. They also had some mammals, but their focus was on alligators and crocodiles, of course! They had over 600 alligators in their park! It was pretty amazing, and Ethan loved it!
The putt putt golf place we visited had a train that we rode to the top of the course, and then we worked our way down as we played. It was called Lost Treasure Golf. Ethan kept looking for the treasure expecting to really find some!
The only negative thing about our trip was that Elaina was a little sick through the end of the week. I think she had a virus, but we were thankful she still did as well as she did. We were cautious on the drive home because we didn't want her to get sick in the van, and we made it all the way home with no "getting sick"!
What a fun time! Thank you mom and dad for allowing us to have a fun vacation with you! We all enjoyed it tremendously!
Our drive there went pretty smoothly, although we thought we had gotten off the interstate at the wrong time for a few moments. We quickly realized that we were still on the right path, and I apologized to "Maggie"-our trusted GPS because I am quick to blame her if anything goes wrong in our navigation. The kids did well in the car for the most part. The last hour or so is always a little challenging for them, and us. That is when I bring out the secret weapon-the portable DVD player!
My parents were so excited to see us, when we finally arrived. It was around 1:30pm, so we ate lunch together and then started planning what to do first. We wanted to go to the beach, swim in the pool, play corn hole, go to Alligator Adventure, go to a cool putt putt golf place, and spend time relaxing. We actually got to do all of those things, which was super!
The kids enjoyed the beach. Elaina had a few bad experiences with the sand the first time we went out because she tried to swallow a handful of it, which made her gag. She then proceeded to try to suck her fingers that were wet and sandy, which also was not a good idea. She LOVED the ocean! In fact, we had to make sure we were always holding onto her when we even got near the water because she would take off running into the ocean, if we let her go! She had no fear! She would laugh with joy each time a wave smacked against her tiny body! Ethan was quite the opposite. He understood the power and danger of the ocean, so he didn't want to go near the water. We walked him into the water just a little ways, and he would scream and yell that he wanted to get out even though we were holding his hands. He was only okay if he barely had his feet in the water! Crazy boy! He enjoyed building (and destroying) sandcastles with Jason.
In the pool, the kids were both so comfortable. Ethan swam all around with his little arm floaties on, and Elaina just splashed and enjoyed it so much. Ethan never wanted to get out of the pool, but Elaina was usually ready because she would get a little cold.
We went to Alligator Adventure twice, which was really neat. It was like a zoo that mainly had reptiles. They also had some mammals, but their focus was on alligators and crocodiles, of course! They had over 600 alligators in their park! It was pretty amazing, and Ethan loved it!
The putt putt golf place we visited had a train that we rode to the top of the course, and then we worked our way down as we played. It was called Lost Treasure Golf. Ethan kept looking for the treasure expecting to really find some!
The only negative thing about our trip was that Elaina was a little sick through the end of the week. I think she had a virus, but we were thankful she still did as well as she did. We were cautious on the drive home because we didn't want her to get sick in the van, and we made it all the way home with no "getting sick"!
What a fun time! Thank you mom and dad for allowing us to have a fun vacation with you! We all enjoyed it tremendously!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
My Return to blogging!
As you know, it has been almost an entire year since I have updated our family blog! I decided to join the Facebook craze, and because I could keep up with everyone so easily there, I completely neglected my love of writing on the blog.
With the passing of many months, many things have changed in our family. Ethan is now almost 3 1/2, and Elaina is approaching 18 months. We are also expecting our third child December 8th! I am 30 weeks pregnant with our second little girl. Life is never dull around our house! Sometimes I wonder how I will manage to keep things in order around here once we have 3 little ones, but I am always reminded that it is God-the Holy Spirit who works in and through me to accomplish all that He has set before me! We are blessed!
Jason is still serving as the Youth Pastor at Line Creek Baptist Church, just south of Atlanta, Georgia. We have learned so much in these three years...about ministry, about ourselves, and about our passions and gifts. God is faithful and good! We are always excited to follow Him wherever He leads and serve Him with all we have been given. Our journey continues....and it will never end....well, until we are in eternity with Jesus.
I hope to keep blogging regularly, now that I have returned to my love of writing! There is so much more I could say, but that will come.
With the passing of many months, many things have changed in our family. Ethan is now almost 3 1/2, and Elaina is approaching 18 months. We are also expecting our third child December 8th! I am 30 weeks pregnant with our second little girl. Life is never dull around our house! Sometimes I wonder how I will manage to keep things in order around here once we have 3 little ones, but I am always reminded that it is God-the Holy Spirit who works in and through me to accomplish all that He has set before me! We are blessed!
Jason is still serving as the Youth Pastor at Line Creek Baptist Church, just south of Atlanta, Georgia. We have learned so much in these three years...about ministry, about ourselves, and about our passions and gifts. God is faithful and good! We are always excited to follow Him wherever He leads and serve Him with all we have been given. Our journey continues....and it will never end....well, until we are in eternity with Jesus.
I hope to keep blogging regularly, now that I have returned to my love of writing! There is so much more I could say, but that will come.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Where'd November go?
Wow! It has been a long time since I've taken the time to blog. Some of this neglect can be blamed on Facebook, but most of the blame should be placed on simply being busy and crazy with two young kids, church ministry, and life in general! Don't get me wrong, I am truly thankful for my little family, but times can sure be crazy around here! Ha ha!
Anyway, since I last wrote, Elaina has started talking and crawling. She did both of these things before Thanksgiving. I couldn't believe that she did both around the same time, and I am amazed everyday how much more personality comes out of my petite little girl! She says "Da Da!" all the time, and she has also learned how to wave "Hi." Well, she doesn't wave perfectly, but she raises her left hand in the air and makes a sound that resembles "Haaaaa." It is too cute! As far as crawling goes, she is quick! I put her on the floor a lot, but now it is not so easy to keep her busy without her getting into Ethan's things! Ethan is a good helper, but he can sometimes be a little too rough when I ask him to take something away from Elaina that she shouldn't have (ie. his little hot wheels cars). I'm trying to help Ethan understand that some of his toys he needs to share with Elaina, but others are not safe for her to play with. This concept has it's challenges! It's all a learning process for us!
Elaina is also eating baby food and drinking formula. She's doing pretty well with the baby food, but she is not a huge eater. There are times she eats very well, and other times it is a struggle to get her to eat much at all! Oh well.....as long as she keeps growing, gaining weight, and is happy and healthy!
Ethan is a good big brother. He still loves to play with cars, and one of his new favorites are these action figures we were given by a friend. They are the "Planet Heroes" collection, and he thinks they are the greatest! He has a great imagination, and he and Daddy have lots of fun together acting out Bible stories, playing with action figures, and going on "treasure hunts". They still love playing outside in the woods, but those days are getting fewer as the weather gets colder. Ethan has always been a very good communicator, and his vocabulary continues to grow daily. We are always amazed by his learning and abilities! It is hard to believe how fast he is growing and learning! He has begun to desire to wear big boy underwear, so I am hoping this may be the beginning of real potty training for us. We shall see. I have a more realistic expectation of him this time around, but now he is the one who wants to do it instead of me forcing him, so it may be the right time! I hope so!
Jason and I are staying busy with church activities and youth ministry. We are humbled by the fact that God uses us to do His work. We are learning new things everyday about full time ministry, and we're excited to see what God will do with us in the future. He is so good! It is the only way to live life--following God's leading and seeking to serve Him in everything we do!
We have pictures to post, but they'll have to come at another time!
Anyway, since I last wrote, Elaina has started talking and crawling. She did both of these things before Thanksgiving. I couldn't believe that she did both around the same time, and I am amazed everyday how much more personality comes out of my petite little girl! She says "Da Da!" all the time, and she has also learned how to wave "Hi." Well, she doesn't wave perfectly, but she raises her left hand in the air and makes a sound that resembles "Haaaaa." It is too cute! As far as crawling goes, she is quick! I put her on the floor a lot, but now it is not so easy to keep her busy without her getting into Ethan's things! Ethan is a good helper, but he can sometimes be a little too rough when I ask him to take something away from Elaina that she shouldn't have (ie. his little hot wheels cars). I'm trying to help Ethan understand that some of his toys he needs to share with Elaina, but others are not safe for her to play with. This concept has it's challenges! It's all a learning process for us!
Elaina is also eating baby food and drinking formula. She's doing pretty well with the baby food, but she is not a huge eater. There are times she eats very well, and other times it is a struggle to get her to eat much at all! Oh well.....as long as she keeps growing, gaining weight, and is happy and healthy!
Ethan is a good big brother. He still loves to play with cars, and one of his new favorites are these action figures we were given by a friend. They are the "Planet Heroes" collection, and he thinks they are the greatest! He has a great imagination, and he and Daddy have lots of fun together acting out Bible stories, playing with action figures, and going on "treasure hunts". They still love playing outside in the woods, but those days are getting fewer as the weather gets colder. Ethan has always been a very good communicator, and his vocabulary continues to grow daily. We are always amazed by his learning and abilities! It is hard to believe how fast he is growing and learning! He has begun to desire to wear big boy underwear, so I am hoping this may be the beginning of real potty training for us. We shall see. I have a more realistic expectation of him this time around, but now he is the one who wants to do it instead of me forcing him, so it may be the right time! I hope so!
Jason and I are staying busy with church activities and youth ministry. We are humbled by the fact that God uses us to do His work. We are learning new things everyday about full time ministry, and we're excited to see what God will do with us in the future. He is so good! It is the only way to live life--following God's leading and seeking to serve Him in everything we do!
We have pictures to post, but they'll have to come at another time!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Elaina's 6 Month Well Check
I took my sweet girl to the doctor this morning for her 6 month well check. She is doing well, except that she is kind of a lightweight. She weighs 14 lbs 9 oz, and she is 26 inches long. Her weight is in the 20%, and her length is in the 61%. The doctor asked how much Elaina is eating and drinking, so I told her. She said we need to encourage Elaina to eat more baby food, and make sure we're offering her enough formula, since my milk supply is almost gone. I have been supplementing with formula for about a month now, but as Elaina loses interest even more with nursing, my milk production has almost stopped! At least we made it this far!
So, we need to get Elaina eating 2 baby food meals a day and drinking around 24 oz of formula a day. The doctor said she should be able to eat a whole jar of Stage 2 baby food plus some cereal at each meal! Elaina struggles to even finish a whole Stage 1 baby food jar right now! She is just a petite little girl! Well, as long as we're trying.....I guess that's the best we can do!
So, we need to get Elaina eating 2 baby food meals a day and drinking around 24 oz of formula a day. The doctor said she should be able to eat a whole jar of Stage 2 baby food plus some cereal at each meal! Elaina struggles to even finish a whole Stage 1 baby food jar right now! She is just a petite little girl! Well, as long as we're trying.....I guess that's the best we can do!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)