An Epiphany

So I had  an epiphany yesterday (a moment of sudden revelation or insight) or rather maybe just a confirmation... 


The week started Monday morning at the Dr.'s office.  All 3 of us had gotten a little under the weather over the weekend.  I think God has given me a special grace as a wife and mom so I could take care of my "boys".  It was a long morning, in fact it was almost 5 hours that we spent at the Dr.'s - they said I was fine, nothing we can do for Mack and Micah is now on 3 antibiotics. Not exactly how I would have liked to go into these week, especially since I have a little extra going on. This Friday I am leading a Girl's Night with our high school girls, this means I have to prepare to speak twice amongst all the other details of organizing an event.  


Tuesday and Wednesday's morning routine was a little different as I got ready for the day, dropped Mack off at my mother-in-laws and went to work with Micah. I had two productive days working on the girl's night but I had this moment... as excited as I am about discipling these youth girls and partnering with Micah in youth ministry, there was no place I would have rather been than at home keeping up with the cleaning and taking care of my baby.  I know that this is just a one time event but if anything I believe it solidified in my that I am doing exactly what I'm called to do - be a stay-at-home wife and mommy.  I couldn't imagine having to get up and go to work every morning and leave my son all day. If I ever doubted my calling, God confirmed that I'm right where I'm supposed to be and I'm so thankful for that.  


Still looking forward to all that God has in store for these girls this weekend and I know He will use me to minister to them.  Micah will get his first experience of being dad alone!

April 1st

Dear Mack,

A year ago today at approximately 5:00 am I took a home pregnancy test... waiting that 3 minutes seemed like an eternity but it was well worth the wait to see those two little pink lines.  I think my heart skipped a beat as I rejoiced - the Lord had finally answered our prayers.  Now I had to decide, do I let your daddy keep sleeping or wake him up... I crawled back in bed thinking I would try to get a few more minutes of sleep myself but the excitement made me restless and I couldn't wait to share the news. I woke daddy up and to his disbelief we lay there in shock - what now?  Daddy laid his hand on my belly and we prayed our first prayer over you.  It was a long day ahead of us as we anticipated sharing the news but the ironic thing was it was April Fool's Day and many didn't know whether to believe us or not. 

Oh the next 9 months were the longest as we dreamt about what you'd look like, what color your eyes would be, if you'd have any hair, would you be shy like mommy or outgoing like daddy... and here you are at 4 months - a good mix of us both, blue eyes, a little blond hair and just as perfect as can be!

March in Review

March - where do I begin...


Micah turned 27 on March 2nd, Cody and Tiffany share the same Birthday so we had Master's and Interns over to celebrate with us. 

Last June Micah officially became the youth pastor in addition to leading Master's so basically he was doing 2 full-time jobs and needless to say it was wearing on him. To make a long story short Pastor Rick encouraged us to get away for a few days without Mack.  As hard as it was for me to leave him we were all better for it.  Micah and I enjoyed a wonderful time on the Riverwalk.

Out of no where Mack began having diarrhea, after 2 doctor visits and lab work that came back normal we decided to switch his formula and realized he has a milk allergy.  This didn't completely surprise me since I was also allergic to milk as a baby.  He's been doing a lot better since we've switched his formula.  Yesterday he had his 4 month check-up.  Weighing in at 13 lbs 1 oz and 25 1/4 inches long he is in the 10% bracket which is a little under average but the doctor said that's right where he expected him to be with his weight gain history and said he's doing great!  A lot of people say he's long but he just looks that way because he's lanky.  He also got his 2nd round of immunizations which this time has caused him to have a fever.  He's just been very lethargic the last day and wants to be held. Here's my baby after his shots - it only last a couple minutes.

Due to the increased violence and unrest in Mexico, Master’s Commission is no longer working there. We have stopped our current projects as well as cancelled all our Outreach plans for the the upcoming summer including the summer internship.

Also, after much prayer and discussion, we have made the decision that our current class of Master’s Commission will be our last. This ministry has thrived for 16 years and been instrumental in many of our lives. However, as the leadership we believe that God has something new and different in store for us in the future. While we do not know specifics of that at this time, we are humbly taking it one step at a time.

This year for Spring Break, Micah took several of our youth students to Six Flags in San Antonio. Unfortunately one of the vans got broken into and 9 people's belongings were stolen including Micah's laptop. Overall though I think they had a great time!

Well it seems like there's so much more to recap but I've pretty much covered the big events so I'll leave it at that if you've even made it to the end :)

Mack - 4 Months

My baby is just growing too fast - He's 4 months already, where does time go!

My baby is beginning to perceive me as a separate individual from him. He now exhibits genuine pleasure at the sight of family members and others he knows and likes. He loves "talking" to me and almost anyone else who will converse with him.

We're finally starting to see a little hair - still looks very blond most of the time but in certain light it looks brownish - we'll see what comes of it. I believe his eyes are going to stay blue as they seem to only be getting lighter as time passes. Mack is officially in the drooling stage and may be in the beginning stages of teething.  

Even more pronounced than the alterations in my baby's appearance are the changes in his physical abilities. His body is beginning to fill out as his muscles grow. While lying on his tummy, he can support the weight of his head and chest on one arm. By the end of the month, he should be able to hold his head steady although he's doing quite well already. When lying on his stomach, he can lift and hold his head at a 90-degree angle. He can turn his head in all directions, lift it when lying on his back, and look at his feet. He's also gained the ability to stick those cute little feet in his mouth.

Mack's senses are developing as well. He can hear almost as well as an adult now, discerning the source of sounds and responding to music. He also shows interest in making sounds and will recite some over and over. Between this time and 6 months of age, Mack will develop the ability to make some vocal sounds, which means we may hear the words we've been dreaming about, namely "ma-ma" or "da-da." While child development experts say it's too early for our baby to connect those sounds with me or Micah, that won't make hearing them any less exciting.  By the end of the month, he will be able to see in color. His eyes focus well now, and can see at distances up to about 12 feet. His eye movements are less jerky, and he can easily follow the progress of a moving object or person. He'll even move his hand toward an object with his fingers spread to its approximate size.

Another big accomplishment this month is sleeping between 10 and 11 hours straight and taking two or three naps during the day. To help him sleep better, I've learned to put him down while he's groggy and he falls asleep on his own.

Sometime between now and 6 months we will begin introducing solid foods. However, Mack has had some unfortunate diarrhea for almost 3 weeks so I may not be starting right away. After giving it a weeks time and no sign of improvement we had some lab work done only to come back normal so we've recently switched formulas in hopes this will help. 

Well that's not all inclusive but you get the gist - we'll be back next month with some more updates!

Mack - 16 Weeks

Mack sure does keep me entertained, Micah and I often wonder what we used to do before having a baby.  It seems like so much has happened in the last 4 weeks... Mack has become quite accustomed to seeing himself in the mirror and smiles every time - although they say he won't realize it's himself until he's around 2 years old.

This little guy loves to hear his voice as he's been squealing at a pitch only a mother could love.  One of his most excited times is when he's getting his diaper changed.  He also loves to sing with me  -  a couple of our favorite songs are "Jesus is the Answer" and "Jesus loves Me".  One of our new favorites to sing along with is a Baby Praise video that creates a nurturing environment for the baby's spiritual and intellectual development.  This video combines popular praise and worship songs with images of children enjoying God's creation, colorful animation and real world objects.  It helps to actively engage a baby's spirit and mind, stimulating early learning in the areas of tactile, cognitive, social, emotional and most importantly spiritual development.  Mack loves it!

Mack had a few milestones this month as did Mommy. I'd been working on getting Mack used to a little play-time on his tummy although normally he gets very fussy. He's had no trouble holding his head up or even doing a mini pushup, he just prefers to be on his back. However, like I said, I've been trying to give him a little tummy time each day to get him ready for the next phase - crawling! About a week ago to my surprise he so gracefully rolled from his tummy to his back; a little early for his age.

I'd been checking out the church nursery since Mack turned 3 months (when they can officially be put in the nursery). I don't know, maybe I'm a bit extreme but I'd like to know who I'm leaving my baby with and how they handle the babies... well I finally left him after 3 weeks of scoping things out, of course I checked on him at least 3 times and yes he was perfectly fine. 

Then just 2 days later Micah and I went out of town for a little getaway and actually left Mack with the in-laws for 3 whole days! I couldn't believe it myself but Micah and I needed it and we're better for it - we all are.  

A few cute things Mack has been doing is sticking out his tongue,

and sucking his toes - gotta love it.

If you think of it, keep Mack in your prayers - he's had diarrhea for the last 5 days. He's already been to the doctor and is taking pedialyte. Doesn't seem to phase him but I'd like him to be done with this already.  Thanks!

Weekend Getaway

A couple weeks ago Micah came home from work and surprised  me by saying we were going to get away for a few days without the baby!  At that point I was still struggling to leave Mack in the church nursery let alone anywhere over night.  I had only left him with the in-laws for a few hours at a time.  I didn't think I could actually go out of town and leave my 3 month old baby behind.  However through many tears, prayer and the reassurance of my husband that we'd all be better for it, we made it happen.  The in-laws were ecstatic about getting a whole weekend with the little guy. Micah and I headed to San Antonio and we thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing weekend on the Riverwalk.  We didn't realize just how much it was needed... we are so grateful for a Pastor/boss who understands the importance of getting away - we are refreshed!

A Game...

Cierra @ California Creations tagged me in this game


The rules are:
Open your first photo folder
Scroll to the 10th photo
Post the photo (no cheating) and the story behind it
Tag some peeps


So here's my photo:  Micah and me at our Wedding Shower in Kansas City, August 19, 2004

Alright for this little fun game I'm tagging:

 Lora over at Lola and Peaches

February in Review

February has flown by so quick but so much has taken place! Master's once again teamed up with Pastor Jose Camarillo, in Reynosa, MX to help start and train leaders to build a kids church/ministry within one of the church plants. This is a great opportunity for our students as they get a cross-cultural experience as well as the responsibility of planning and writing children's lessons.  

Axis, our youth group, officially went to 2 services on Sunday morning and increased roughly by 30% - that is exciting! Every year our church takes part in a season of Lent which is a time for reflection, repentance, and renewal - a time when Christians are invited to prepare themselves spiritually for the celebration of the resurrection of Christ.  This year Axis is taking part by fasting all beverages except water.  We've called this the Axis Water Project.  So anytime they would normally purchase a soda or other beverage, instead they set aside that money and Axis will put it towards putting in a water well in Africa. So not only are we giving something up, we are giving to others in the process.  Each student got a bracelet that says "The Axis Water Project" as a reminder.

As I mentioned before our church is setting aside some time for Lent.  It's purpose is to create space in our lives to experience God.  As a Christ-community, we are setting aside the next 40 days to be intentional about pursuing God in our daily lives. It is a season where we fast.  Why fast?  When we fast, we are one-on-one with God, offering not only our time, but the attentiveness that we otherwise might be giving to eating, shopping, surfing the web, or watching television.  Fasting aligns our lives (hearts, minds and bodies) with God and what He really wants to do.  

During this first week of Lent the church fasted television, music and media of some sort.  The goal this week is to help us develop an ear to listen for and become attune to the still small voice of God.  Micah and I decided it would be healthy for us to turn off the TV this week... instead we spent that time as a family playing with Mack, talking and we even worked on putting a puzzle together.  We realized it's not so hard to give something up for a week but it's important to understand the reason why we are doing this.  It's easy for us to "check off a box" but are we really gaining anything from it...We are looking forward to the weeks ahead as God has already been challenging us.

2010 Goals - well as you know goals that are set at the beginning of the year are a desired ambition but not always achieved throughout the entire year...  

1. We are still doing family devotions and for the season of Lent we are using the 40-day devotional from Palm Valley.
2. Instead of reading my Woman's Devotional Bible - Sanctuary I've decided to read along with the youth students in their assigned chapter a day reading.  I've actually found myself spending a little more time really reflecting rather than just checking a box that I've ready my quota for the day.  We've read through the book of John, Ephesians and now are on Acts.  We're still daily positing on facebook.
3. I've kept up with my blog at least twice a month.
4. I've faithfully kept a daily picture of Mack on photobucket - although I'm not great at posting daily - usually once a week I upload, sorry for those of you who continually check for new pictures.  
5. I stared to read 2 new books this month but haven't quite been able to finish them.

• One book I started was "A Reason for God" by Timothy Keller.  It's a bit heady for me and will take a little more time to finish. I think I may even take a break from it and come back at another time.
• Micah and I also started reading together "Shepherding a Child's Heart", seems great so far - will let you know how it is once we finish.

Mack got his first little cold this month with a stuffy nose and a bit of congestion. The doctor said there isn't much you can do at this age but give it time to pass.  I think it was harder on me to see him coughing and sneezing.  He never seemed too bothered by it though.  Mack started exploring new sounds like squealing - it's so cute!  A pastor friend of ours said, "We spend the first few years teaching them to talk and walk, and the rest of their life telling them to sit down and be quiet". After working with Mack the last 2 weeks on getting to bed a little earlier he finally slept 10 hours (previously it'd been about 81/2 hrs.) last night and woke up just as happy as can be.  I've introduced a few toys to him, I think he likes them :)

On a personal note I've been very motivated to keep up with the house cleaning, it helps that Mack is like his mommy - he likes keeping a schedule, this allows me to have designated time to get things done around the house.  The other day while cleaning I got in one of those moods (Micah always says, "Oh Boy") where I had an itch to rearrange or redo something.  Without breaking the bank I decided it would be sufficient to simply work with what I had.  I switched out the decor in the guest bathroom and rearranged the living room furniture once again - I think I like this new arrangement, for now anyway.

Mack - 3 Months

My baby is officially 3 months old -  can't believe how time flies.  He's changing so much everyday! Here's just a few pictures from the last couple of days.

A Walk in the park - he was happy

Mack playing with his basketball rattle (thanks Kirk & Donna)

Officially 3 months old today - February 23rd

Daddy reading "Goodnight Moon"

Mack - 12 Weeks

At 12 weeks Mack is not quite 3 months (well at least until February 23rd). 


Physical Development

Conventional wisdom has it that most babies sleep through the night--loosely defined as six to eight hours--by 12 weeks of age. Lucky for us Mack has been sleeping through the night since 7 weeks.  At 12 weeks we are working to extend his 8 hours to 9-10 hours.  I've been noticing that he's having a hard time staying up to finish his last feeding so maybe it's time to increase the size of an earlier feeding. We've also found that Mack does quite well if we lay him down in his crib and let him fall asleep by himself.  This also helps if he does wake in the night (as everyone wakes several times during the night) he is able to drift back asleep on his own.  

Social Development

As Mack has been sleeping more consistently, he's also crying a lot less when he's awake. There are several reasons for this miraculous change:

We've learned to anticipate and meet many of his needs, making crying less necessary.

His nervous system is maturing, and with it, the ability to cope with stress.

He is finding new ways to communicate: squeals of frustration, joyous giggles, whimpering when he's tired.

Experts agree that the more promptly and consistently you respond to your child during the first six months of his life, the less demanding he is likely to be when he is older. Once he is completely secure in your affections, he'll be able to separate from you over time and become a happy, independent person.

Intellectual DevelopmentIt's been said that, for babies and toddlers, "repetition is the soul of wit". In addition to amusement, the repetition of simple activities has another important function: It helps build memory. The more an act is performed, the more likely it is to be remembered and a memory trace established in the brain. Once a baby can remember things from one day to the next, he'll be able to add new behaviors to his existing repertoire rather than "reinventing the wheel".

It is so cute how Mack loves to mimic our facial expressions as well as our sounds.  His new favorite is gurgling. I've tried to get a video of it but he seems to get shy every time. Mack has also discovered his hands and he's quite fascinated with them.

A study by the Educational Testing Service suggests that 3-month-olds have developed short-term memory--they're able to recall repeated signals well enough to become bored by them. At the same time, it's clear that your baby remembers you well enough to brighten when you enter the room. From this point on, he'll be constantly enhancing his memory skills.

Well I won't keep this too long this time but here are a few of our favorite pictures.  

Apple Crisp

Think I may try this recipe...

Apple Crisp

• 5 cups sliced, peeled apples (about 8 medium)
• 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place apples in 2 quart square baking dish. Stir in granulated sugar. In a separate bowl for topping, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in butter with two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts and sprinkle over fruit. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden. Serve with frozen yogurt, if desired.

NUTRITION VALUES Servings: 9 Calories: 295
	Protein:	3g
	Carbohydrate:	48g
	Fat:	12g
	Sodium:	86mg
	Fiber:	3g

Mommy or Daddy look-a-like?

It's funny how many people comment on who Mack looks like.  Here's our pics at approximately the same age.  What do you think?

Micah

Mack

Buffi

Proverbs 30:7-9

During the month of January Micah challenged our youth group to start the year off reading through the book of Proverbs. Each day coinciding with the date we read one chapter and from that chapter we pick our favorite verse of the day to post on our facebook status.  Then we are to comment on it and others can comment as well.  This has become my favorite feeding time with Mack as I read the daily Proverb aloud to Mack and truly meditate on which verse spoke to me from that passage. Today was Proverbs 30 and these verses have really stuck out to me:


7 O God, I beg two favors from you;
  let me have them before I die.8 First, help me never to tell a lie.
  Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!
  Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, "Who is the Lord ?"
  And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God's holy name.


In particular the part that says, "Give me just enough to satisfy my needs." Wow, how often are we asking God to give us enough so we don't have to worry. This guy sums it up well, check this out.


Lord, I pray help me to be content with just enough to satisfy my needs. May I never be greedy for more or ungrateful for what I have but satisfied with your provision as I seek you first.

2nd Mommy's Day Out

This week we met at Rachel Williamson's house for our Mommy's Day Out. There were a few new ones that joined us this time - this has the potential of getting really big. I didn't realize how much this is needed. 


I found it interesting as I sat and listened to several mom's talk, how many different methods and preferences there are to child-rearing.  I guess we all have to figure out what works for us and stick with it, I just want to be careful that I never come across as though I've got it all figured out or that there is only one way. I'm thankful for this group and look forward to learning from each of them.

January in Review

January 2010 welcomed the 15th class for Mission Master's Commission (It's hard to believe I came down here 9 years ago thinking I will complete my 7 months and be on my way - I'm still here). We had 5 first year's join us this semester - one is from our own youth group, another from Oklahoma, one from Kansas, one from Mississippi, and one from Guatemala. They seem to be meshing quite well. Looking forward to all God has in store for them. Little do they realize how much 7 months can change your life - it did mine!


The youth group is gearing up for their first big event of the year - Life Challenge Retreat. This event is designed to be a personal-growth-oriented outing focused on building self-confidence, leadership abilities, and communication skills. During the retreat, students and leaders will work their way through a huge obstacle course, challenging problem-solving situations, and enjoy quiet God-moments, encouraging each other along the way. We've got 67 going - that's exciting!


Earlier in the month I posted about a few goals I set for this year:

1. We are still going strong and really enjoying the devotional "Moments with the Savior".
2. I'm still reading my Woman's Devotional Bible - Sanctuary but I've made some modifications to the reading plan. I've also enjoyed reading through the book of Proverbs with our youth group and daily posting on facebook.
3. Wanted to update my blog at least twice a month and I've actually posted 5 times this month - yeah!
4. I've faithfully kept a daily picture of Mack on photobucket - I really like doing this.
5. I was able to read through 2 books this month (feeding times really help). 

• One of the books I read is called "The Prodigal God" by Timothy Keller - it breaks down the famous story in the book of Luke known as the parable of the prodigal son. A story about a son who takes his father's inheritance and wastes it all and then returns home to a forgiving father. But it is a great mistake to think this is a story about just one son. It's actually a tale of two sons. It's a story about a younger brother and an elder brother... I'll stop there so as not to give too much away but I would definitely recommend this book.
• "On Becoming BabyWise" by Gary Ezzo & Robert Bucknam is the other book I read. On Becoming Babywise brings hope to the tired and bewildered parents looking for an alternative to sleepless nights and fussy babies. The Babywise Parent Directed Feeding concept has enough structure to bring security and order to your baby's world, yet enough flexibility to give mom freedom to respond to any need at any time. It teaches parents how to lovingly guide their baby's day rather than be guided or enslaved to the infant's unknown needs.   Although there has been some controversy on the methods used in this book I believe if you take it as a grain of salt and use what works for you, you can benefit from it.  It may not be for everyone but it has worked for me and I would recommend at least looking into it and forming your own opinion.

Myself and a group of other mom's with young children decided to have a Mommy's Day Out twice a month where we can bring our kids and have a time of fellowship. I've enjoyed the two we've had and look forward to many more.


Mack is growing so fast - the other day I was sitting on the couch kissing Mack's little cheeks and talking to him when it dawned on me there will come a day (probably when he's in junior high) that it won't be "cool" anymore for mom to kiss him, Micah just laughed at me buts it's true. Mack had his 2 month check-up and is doing great! I'm so glad I get to stay at home with him, I couldn't imagine being away from him all day. I really feel for the women who have to work but want to stay at home. I know it's not for everyone but I wouldn't want it any other way. 


Micah is doing great - he amazes me at how well he juggles everything on his plate from being the Master's Commission director, youth pastor, intern director, husband, friend and dad... he deserves an award! We are more in love than ever and enjoy life together.


2010 has gotten off to a great start and I'm looking forward to seeing what else God has in store for this year.

Mack's 2 Month Check-Up

Today was Mack's 2 month check-up with is pediatrician.  He is right on schedule weighing at 10 pounds 6 ounces (in the 25% bracket), 23 inches long (50% bracket), and head circumference at 15 1/4 inches (25% bracket).  He had his first set of Immunizations which are designed to protect against serious illnesses ranging from polio and tetanus to measles, mumps, and the seasonal flu. 
Immunizations are vaccines made of either weakened or "killed" versions of the bacteria or virus that causes a particular disease. When these altered viruses and bacteria are injected or taken orally, the immune system mounts an attack that stimulates the body to produce antibodies.

Once produced, the antibodies remain active in the body, ready to fight off the real disease. For example, if whooping cough broke out in our area, an immunized child would be much less likely to contract the disease than one who wasn't immunized.

Today he got the following vaccines:

DTaP, to protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough)

Hepatitis B (HBV), to protect against hepatitis B, which can cause the liver disease hepatitis

Hib, to protect against Haemophilus influenza type B, which can lead tomeningitis, pneumonia, and epiglottitis

Pneumococcal (PCV), to protect against pneumococcal disease, which can lead to meningitis, pneumonia, and ear infections

Polio (IPV), to protect against polio

Rotavirus, to protect against rotavirus, which can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and dehydration (given orally, not as an injection)

One cool thing that our Doctor uses is a numbing cream that helps the shots to not be so painful.  Most offices don't provide this because insurances don't cover it but our pediatrician offers it as a complimentary service because they know how hard it can be to see your child hurting.  Mack did cry but it wasn't near as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Here he is at the Dr's.