I'm in Denial

So, it occurred to me this morning that my mornings would go much more smoothly if I would get up before the children. I mean, get up, get showered and completely ready to go, and eat breakfast, all before the kids get up. I used to do this and it really did help things go better in the mornings. Today we rushed around trying to get the kids ready and fed before dropping off Hannah at school. Me, though? No shower, no breakfast. Because I'm the mom and the kids come first. And because I chose to sleep rather than take care of myself and my own needs. So the denial comes in because I don't want to admit that to make our mornings run better, I need to get up even earlier. *sigh* Wish me luck making a good decision at that hour of the morning while the bed is still warm and cozy.

The Best Part of My Day

I have a confession: I love nursing Henry. I have another confession: This hasn’t always been the case. I was DETERMINED to nurse him after my experience with Hannah and I vowed nothing would stand in my way. It’s not been an easy journey, as I’ve encountered supply issues, milk blisters, plugged ducts, and so on more times than I can count at this point. As the one year mark approached I became increasingly restless, wanting my body and my time back just for me. In short, I was feeling selfish. A few months later it hit me: This is fleeting. This precious, very special aspect of my relationship with Henry will one day end and that one day is coming soon. So now my longing to be finished with nursing my young has been replaced with deeply felt appreciation that I’ve been blessed with this gift of time with Henry. Time to nurture not only his body, but his soul as well. I relish this special time because my baby will soon be a boy, one that needs his momma in new ways but no longer in this one. And this is the best part of my day – nursing my sweet baby boy to sleep each night. What a privilege and blessing it is.

My Big Girl

Hannah has her first day of preschool today. I'm excited for her in that she will get exposed to new people and experiences, and will have lots of fun. I'm nervous for her at the same time because I'm not there to protect her - from the hurt of rejection, from misunderstandings, etc. It's a whole new world for both of us today. I've been praying for her this morning. I am so blessed to have this precious girl as my child.

Henry and I went to the store after dropping off Hannah. Once we came home I realized just how very quiet it is here without her. I'm realizing once again how much animation and life she brings to our family. I can't wait to see her again when school gets out.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity-Jig

We got home yesterday from our Illinois trip for Doug's wedding. The wedding was wonderful. We couldn't be happier for Doug and Regina both. On the flip side of things, Phil threw out his back on Saturday and missed the wedding entirely, as well as missed out on visiting with anyone after that. Poor guy! I'm thankful we were able to fly yesterday, as I wasn't sure he'd be able to tolerate it quite yet. In light of having traveled recently, here's two big things I appreciate about our home:

1. It's childproof. This is a biggie right now as Henry's into EVERYTHING. It's a luxury to be able to go to the bathroom and not wonder if he's going to electrocute himself, knock over a grandfather clock on himself, or do other bodily harm while I am out of sight for three minutes.

2. Our bed. I love our bed. It's a sleep number bed and does wonders for my back.


I have to say that the kids did amazingly well on the entire trip. No major issues or meltdowns occurred, which, in my book, is a success. Phil said maybe we should get Hannah something special after returning, as a reward for being so wonderful with her behavior. I asked him "Something special, like a puppy?" to which he replied, "Not that special." Just asking.

Ministry - Here and Now

Since having children, I’ve had several periods of time when I really struggled with not participating in ministry at church on a regular basis. I’ve helped out here and there around holiday times or special services, but I still haven’t felt plugged in or that I’m really contributing in any tangible way. God has recently opened my eyes to some ways that Phil and I are both ministering to others during this season of our lives, even if it’s not by signing up for a structured ministry through the church. For example, one campus of our church does not have an usher present in the Parent Room, so Phil takes it upon himself to provide New Believer Growth Packets to those who accept Christ in the Parent Room at the end of the service. He’s also available to go with them to the Prayer Room, if need be. Recently a new couple began attending our church and they stay in the Parent Room with their young son. By seeing them for the past several weeks, we are building a relationship with them and hopefully showing them Christ’s love and acceptance. I’ve run into several other moms in the nursing mothers’ room over the past year and have taken those opportunities to be an encouragement to them, especially when they are going through those tough newborn days. I think the biggest thing I’ve realized, though, is that during this season of our lives, having young children is our ministry. We are investing in the future and hopefully for eternity when we invest our time, effort, and energy into our kids. I look forward to seeing the fruit this bears someday.

Change

Obviously I changed the background and layout of this blog. When I originally created my blog, I wanted things to be clean, simple, clear, unadulterated. Now I'm feeling a bit like my Grandma Bates - bold, colorful, lively. I think the new background certainly reflects that. What do you think?

Sweet Little Henry

I’m really enjoying watching Henry’s first year of life. He’s such a sweetheart, which just adds to the pleasure of spending my days and nights with him. Yes, I get frustrated and tired at times like everyone else, but I still really enjoy seeing him grow and develop. He’s such a busy little guy, which I guessed at when I was pregnant, based on his level of activity en utero. I love that his eyes smile along with his mouth – his whole face just lights up. He’s very affectionate also, which I adore and try to soak up every chance I get. He snuggles and gives physical affection so easily to others as well, which I like seeing. He loves to wrestle with Hannah and Phil, not seeming to mind getting playfully tossed around. Lately he’s been scooting around the kitchen floor knocking plastic toys around with another toy, sort-of like playing baby hockey. He just started clapping recently and seems so pleased with himself and his new skill. What a delight this child is.