When I nervously sent my firstborn off to kindergarten, a church lady kindly offered to babysit Bright Eyes and Dimples so that I could volunteer at the school once a week. It was a godsend. That kindergarten year was more than we had bargained for. It was a very stressful, chaotic environment for poor Sunny. Seeing the classroom firsthand and interacting with the other students gave me the perspective I needed to support Sunny through that year.
I met the autistic boy who regularly had epic rages of throwing chairs and smashing things. I worked with a precious blond-haired boy with learning disabilities, sensory processing issues, and probably several other labels were you to read his file. I heard that blond boy defeatedly reply, when encouraged to work hard on a particular assignment so that his parents would be proud, "They don't care about me."
And then there was Aaron. I couldn't find a box to put Aaron in. He had some serious trouble with self-control, but he wasn't ADHD. He wasn't on the autism spectrum. It was definitely more than "Five Year Old Boys Can't Sit Still for Eight Hours" syndrome.
It was almost the end of the year when I finally learned the missing link to understanding Aaron. His situation was heartbreaking. The circumstances of his life had already, at five years old, set him on a path towards a future controlled by the enemy. If nothing changed in his world, I was filled with sorrow picturing what he would become.
And so I prayed.
I pleaded for God to intervene. I fervently asked the Father to save that boy's soul. I felt so honored to be in that class, during that year, to meet that kid, in order to pray for him. Because who was there in his sphere to pray for his good?
The eyes of the Lord are in every place. I imagined a kids' sci-fi cartoon with a big robot walking the streets of the city. Out of the robot's eyes shined green light beams, and you could tell where it was looking based on where the green lights were. The robot was remotely controlled by the villain in a tower somewhere. The villain had a computer screen for the RoboCam. All the visual imput from the robot was viewed by the villain.
Okay now that you have the visual of what I'm trying to convey, imagine that it isn't a bad guy watching the RoboCam. It's God. Yeah, God can see everything all by Himself, but the eyes of His followers are like special security cameras that give Him footage of the people we come into contact with. Through us, He can see the hurting, humble, lost, and tender-hearted. He can see which hearts are desperate for Him, who are trapped and longing for freedom. We can shine a searchlight on people like Aaron and shout, "Hey God! We found him! He's over here and he needs rescue!"
Man have I prayed for that kid.
First grade came and went, and Sunny was not in the same class as Aaron anymore. Second grade came (and has almost went) and they were in different classes. I have continued to pray, although I no longer had contact with Aaron or information about how he was doing.
Then, on the very last night of Awana for the year, I walked into the Sparks room and was shocked to see Aaron standing right in front of me.
"AARON???!!!???"
Aaron had been brought to Awana by the son of one of my mom friends. Praise the Lord!
As the Awana night unfolded, it was extremely apparent to the other Awana leaders that Aaron was a challenge. You didn't have to know him to be able to tell that he 1) didn't come from a church-going background, and 2) he really, REALLY needed to be exposed to Jesus and His followers. At the end of the night, I was gushing. "You guys!!!" I told the other leaders, "I HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR THIS KID FOR THREE YEARS!!!"
The next week, I was able to talk to my mom friend who had brought him. She said that her son and Aaron were in the same Cub Scouts pack. Also, in the fall they had been on the same sports team. His parents were in the middle of a divorce, and his mom's new boyfriend attended church at Antioch. As a result, Aaron and his mom had started going to Antioch too. Well it just so happens that my mom friend goes to Antioch. So God effectively DUMPED my friend's family into Aaron's life. I am amazed.
I'm amazed to see any results of my prayers at all. But I'm super amazed that the Lord used a friend of mine to answer my prayers! It's so cool! She had no idea that I even knew Aaron, much less that I was praying for him. I had no idea that she knew Aaron, much less that her family was in the process of building into him. They now have him over fairly often. He commented one time, "Your family is awesome!" Oh my word, it's such a miracle for him to witness a stable, loving, God-fearing family.
We are not out of the woods yet. There is much, much more to be done for Aaron to become a committed disciple of Christ. And unfortunately, Awana is now over for the year and Cub Scouts will end soon. I am certainly not relieved of my duty to pray for him. But there is hope! And hope does not disappoint.
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Saturday, July 15, 2017
Feel a Prayer
There was a place in the Big City where the presence of God hung a little lower than usual. Low enough that it extended down from heaven and touched the world of mortal men. Do you know of such places?
There are certain locations on the earth that possess a mysterious power to still the mind, calm the heart, and fill the soul. You don't have to work at it to commune with God in these places. Like Anne of Green Gables says, you just "feel a prayer."
The Lake was this type of place. The Lake was Father to all. It was a soft teddy bear; a silky scarf; a tender kiss between righteousness and peace. In the midst of urban apartment life with voices constantly beneath, above, and beside you, the Lake was quiet. It was our backyard oasis.
When something was pressing heavy on your mind, you went to the Lake to think about it. When you were joyful and needed a place to celebrate, you went to the Lake. When you wanted to experience the bonds of deep friendship, you met up at the Lake.
The Professor and i went there all the time. We went together, to walk hand-in-hand and talk of many things. We went alone, to think, feel, or pray. Without that sacred place, life in the city would have been soul-crushing.
When we moved to the Kingdom of the Cornstalks, one of the first orders of business was to find a new Lake. Another place that fulfilled the same purpose. It seemed natural that Cornstalk River would be to the Kingdom of the Cornstalks what the Lake was to the Big City.
Wrong.
The locals feared Cornstalk River. Whereas the Lake demonstrated the gentle, loving nature of God, Cornstalk River exhibited His fearsomeness. Cornstalk River was not a tame lion. Three years before we arrived, Cornstalk River had flooded and caused significant damage. The city was JUST starting to rebuild but wasn't sure if it could open its heart to the River again. Cornstalk River was a place where angels feared to tred.
After sadly crossing Cornstalk River off the list of possible God-places, i searched for new ideas. Except, i couldn't find anything. I could not for the life of me figure out how people could live like this??? WHERE ON EARTH do they take their hearts to be renewed?
At long last, after living here for six years, i found it! I found the God-place!
Unfortunately, it is somewhat remote and not easily accessible. To get to the Lake, all we had to do was walk east for one block. The new God-place is off of a hiking trail in a state park.
On our family adventure today, we went hiking in a new place. We could see a glorious-looking bank on a river, but had to work hard to find a way to get to it. After veering off the path and cutting through some vines, we made it! And the instant we stepped foot on the riverbank, we felt the magic. The air, the sky, the enchantment—it was all there. Sunny and Bright Eyes felt it. Dimples was having the kind of day where being two years old was a little too distressing, but i know she will feel it in time. While we were there, time froze and our cares melted away. When it was time to leave, we all felt refreshed.
No wait, i take that back. We all felt EXHAUSTED! The trek back was a very steep uphill climb. The ever-energetic Sunny and Bright Eyes ran up ahead, but soon they too were huffing and puffing. Dimples was riding in the Ergo on The Professor's back and said, "This is hard work!" You know a trail is hard when even being carried on it is difficult!
We arrived at the van sweaty and thirsty with hearts pumping from exercise. And yet, here is evidence that the God-place was real: no one was grumpy! The car ride home was filled with people living in that satisfaction that comes from a meaningful experience.
It remains to be seen if this new God-place can take a permanent place in my life due to its remoteness. But at least for that one time, i could breathe the free air. One day, the dwelling place of God will be with His people. He will wipe away their tears and make all the sad things come untrue. Until that day, i hope to find more places where God comes down and walks with men in the cool of the day.
In the Garden
(Grandma Mac's favorite hymn)
I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses
and the voice i hear, falling on my ear
the Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me
and He tells me i am His own
and the joy we share as we tarry there
none other has ever known.
He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet, the birds hush their singing
and the melody that He gave to me
within my heart is ringing.
I'd stay in the garden with Him,
though the night around me be falling
but He bids me go, through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.
There are certain locations on the earth that possess a mysterious power to still the mind, calm the heart, and fill the soul. You don't have to work at it to commune with God in these places. Like Anne of Green Gables says, you just "feel a prayer."
The Lake was this type of place. The Lake was Father to all. It was a soft teddy bear; a silky scarf; a tender kiss between righteousness and peace. In the midst of urban apartment life with voices constantly beneath, above, and beside you, the Lake was quiet. It was our backyard oasis.
When something was pressing heavy on your mind, you went to the Lake to think about it. When you were joyful and needed a place to celebrate, you went to the Lake. When you wanted to experience the bonds of deep friendship, you met up at the Lake.
The Professor and i went there all the time. We went together, to walk hand-in-hand and talk of many things. We went alone, to think, feel, or pray. Without that sacred place, life in the city would have been soul-crushing.
When we moved to the Kingdom of the Cornstalks, one of the first orders of business was to find a new Lake. Another place that fulfilled the same purpose. It seemed natural that Cornstalk River would be to the Kingdom of the Cornstalks what the Lake was to the Big City.
Wrong.
The locals feared Cornstalk River. Whereas the Lake demonstrated the gentle, loving nature of God, Cornstalk River exhibited His fearsomeness. Cornstalk River was not a tame lion. Three years before we arrived, Cornstalk River had flooded and caused significant damage. The city was JUST starting to rebuild but wasn't sure if it could open its heart to the River again. Cornstalk River was a place where angels feared to tred.
After sadly crossing Cornstalk River off the list of possible God-places, i searched for new ideas. Except, i couldn't find anything. I could not for the life of me figure out how people could live like this??? WHERE ON EARTH do they take their hearts to be renewed?
At long last, after living here for six years, i found it! I found the God-place!
Unfortunately, it is somewhat remote and not easily accessible. To get to the Lake, all we had to do was walk east for one block. The new God-place is off of a hiking trail in a state park.
On our family adventure today, we went hiking in a new place. We could see a glorious-looking bank on a river, but had to work hard to find a way to get to it. After veering off the path and cutting through some vines, we made it! And the instant we stepped foot on the riverbank, we felt the magic. The air, the sky, the enchantment—it was all there. Sunny and Bright Eyes felt it. Dimples was having the kind of day where being two years old was a little too distressing, but i know she will feel it in time. While we were there, time froze and our cares melted away. When it was time to leave, we all felt refreshed.
No wait, i take that back. We all felt EXHAUSTED! The trek back was a very steep uphill climb. The ever-energetic Sunny and Bright Eyes ran up ahead, but soon they too were huffing and puffing. Dimples was riding in the Ergo on The Professor's back and said, "This is hard work!" You know a trail is hard when even being carried on it is difficult!
We arrived at the van sweaty and thirsty with hearts pumping from exercise. And yet, here is evidence that the God-place was real: no one was grumpy! The car ride home was filled with people living in that satisfaction that comes from a meaningful experience.
It remains to be seen if this new God-place can take a permanent place in my life due to its remoteness. But at least for that one time, i could breathe the free air. One day, the dwelling place of God will be with His people. He will wipe away their tears and make all the sad things come untrue. Until that day, i hope to find more places where God comes down and walks with men in the cool of the day.
In the Garden
(Grandma Mac's favorite hymn)
I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses
and the voice i hear, falling on my ear
the Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me
and He tells me i am His own
and the joy we share as we tarry there
none other has ever known.
He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet, the birds hush their singing
and the melody that He gave to me
within my heart is ringing.
I'd stay in the garden with Him,
though the night around me be falling
but He bids me go, through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Celebrating a Difficult Kindergarten Year
You may recall that Sunny had a great deal of trepidation on her first day of kindergarten. Thanks to the encouragement and prayers of family members, she bravely went through with it. What we didn't know on that first day was that the same Bible verse of "be strong and courageous" as well as the motivation of "you can do this!" would be required not just on the first day, but throughout the entire year.
Someone came up with a rule that on your child's first day of school, you are supposed to take a picture of them by your front door holding a chalkboard sign that says (in fancy lettering, of course) "First day of Kindergarten 2016." Naturally your child will be dressed in the latest back-to-school fashions with their hair styled perfectly. The whole point of this is to subsequently share the photo on social media.
Well, we broke the rule. Mornings do not agree with Sunny and i, so there was no expertly styled hair nor was there any spare time for pictures by our front door. Instead we hopped in the car with oatmeal residue still on her face and zoomed like escaped convicts to the school so that she wouldn't be late on her first day.
The same rule applies to the last day of school, except on the last day you have two options. You can either 1) retake another picture in the same spot as the first day and collage the two side-by-side to illustrate how much your child has grown, or 2) take a picture of your child hugging his/her kindergarten teacher with glowing smiles on both their faces. Option Number Two also involves a write-up about how wonderful the teacher was and how thankful you are for his/her role in influencing your child for good.
For a couple of weeks in May/June, facebook is filled with these end-of-the-year pictures. When i saw people posting pictures from Option Number Two, it really got to me. The reason it affected me was because the image of a happy, hardworking teacher hugging a beaming, fulfilled child was the exact opposite of our experience.
Sunny's first year of school was a huge challenge. She herself thankfully didn't know how difficult it was because she had nothing to compare it to. My problem was that i had way too much to compare it to. I don't remember my kindergarten teacher, but i sure remember the teacher i had in first grade. She was a legend. She was the epitome of everything a godly teacher should be. She was nurturing, caring, and wonderfully soft to hug. It's as if when God invented the job description of a loving first grade teacher, she was the prototype He used to build all the others.
I attended a private Christian school and Sunny is in public school, so of course i didn't expect her teacher to be exactly the same as a Christian teacher. But i did at the very least think that a kindergarten teacher would behave like someone who likes young children.
A couple of months into the school year, i found out that our school is a struggling, over-crowded, low-performing Title I school. I learned that the teachers were all horribly burnt out and exhausted. I could look in their eyes and see that on some days they wanted to quit on the spot. There are way more children with issues than can be accommodated. A couple of times a month, one of the troubled kids in Sunny's class would have a violent outburst of aggression that resulted in either physical damage to the classroom or physical injury to other students.
So when i was faced with other families' joyful pictures on the last day of school, i decided that we needed to have a major celebration. Sunny's kindergarten experience was awful but you know what? SHE DID IT. She made it through. Every day she returned to a room full of crisis, anxiety, and yelling. We all made it through, because it took a lot out of the Professor and I too. Because she wasn't aware of how tough her school conditions were, she wasn't aware of how admirable her perseverance was.
We kept the whole thing a surprise. The Professor picked her up from school while Bright Eyes and i set everything up (with Dimples following around trying to undo all our work). There were balloons, posters, noise blower things, and confetti. We sat in the front yard straining our eyes to catch a glimpse of the car coming down the street. As soon as they were in range, we held the posters up high and went to town on our noise blowers. The Professor pulled into the driveway and when Sunny got out of the car we cheered and threw confetti into the air.
At times she can hate being the center of a big fuss but i could tell she was touched. I feel confident that our little family party communicated what i wanted it to: that she is special and we are all behind her.
Who knows what her first grade year will hold, but i am so proud of her and thankful that the Lord carried her through that experience.
Someone came up with a rule that on your child's first day of school, you are supposed to take a picture of them by your front door holding a chalkboard sign that says (in fancy lettering, of course) "First day of Kindergarten 2016." Naturally your child will be dressed in the latest back-to-school fashions with their hair styled perfectly. The whole point of this is to subsequently share the photo on social media.
Well, we broke the rule. Mornings do not agree with Sunny and i, so there was no expertly styled hair nor was there any spare time for pictures by our front door. Instead we hopped in the car with oatmeal residue still on her face and zoomed like escaped convicts to the school so that she wouldn't be late on her first day.
The same rule applies to the last day of school, except on the last day you have two options. You can either 1) retake another picture in the same spot as the first day and collage the two side-by-side to illustrate how much your child has grown, or 2) take a picture of your child hugging his/her kindergarten teacher with glowing smiles on both their faces. Option Number Two also involves a write-up about how wonderful the teacher was and how thankful you are for his/her role in influencing your child for good.
For a couple of weeks in May/June, facebook is filled with these end-of-the-year pictures. When i saw people posting pictures from Option Number Two, it really got to me. The reason it affected me was because the image of a happy, hardworking teacher hugging a beaming, fulfilled child was the exact opposite of our experience.
Sunny's first year of school was a huge challenge. She herself thankfully didn't know how difficult it was because she had nothing to compare it to. My problem was that i had way too much to compare it to. I don't remember my kindergarten teacher, but i sure remember the teacher i had in first grade. She was a legend. She was the epitome of everything a godly teacher should be. She was nurturing, caring, and wonderfully soft to hug. It's as if when God invented the job description of a loving first grade teacher, she was the prototype He used to build all the others.
I attended a private Christian school and Sunny is in public school, so of course i didn't expect her teacher to be exactly the same as a Christian teacher. But i did at the very least think that a kindergarten teacher would behave like someone who likes young children.
A couple of months into the school year, i found out that our school is a struggling, over-crowded, low-performing Title I school. I learned that the teachers were all horribly burnt out and exhausted. I could look in their eyes and see that on some days they wanted to quit on the spot. There are way more children with issues than can be accommodated. A couple of times a month, one of the troubled kids in Sunny's class would have a violent outburst of aggression that resulted in either physical damage to the classroom or physical injury to other students.
So when i was faced with other families' joyful pictures on the last day of school, i decided that we needed to have a major celebration. Sunny's kindergarten experience was awful but you know what? SHE DID IT. She made it through. Every day she returned to a room full of crisis, anxiety, and yelling. We all made it through, because it took a lot out of the Professor and I too. Because she wasn't aware of how tough her school conditions were, she wasn't aware of how admirable her perseverance was.
We kept the whole thing a surprise. The Professor picked her up from school while Bright Eyes and i set everything up (with Dimples following around trying to undo all our work). There were balloons, posters, noise blower things, and confetti. We sat in the front yard straining our eyes to catch a glimpse of the car coming down the street. As soon as they were in range, we held the posters up high and went to town on our noise blowers. The Professor pulled into the driveway and when Sunny got out of the car we cheered and threw confetti into the air.
At times she can hate being the center of a big fuss but i could tell she was touched. I feel confident that our little family party communicated what i wanted it to: that she is special and we are all behind her.
Who knows what her first grade year will hold, but i am so proud of her and thankful that the Lord carried her through that experience.
Confetti face
Dimples and Sunny
Posters
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Maiden Voyage of the New Van
We are now the proud owners of a minivan! We bought a van from the good people at Warehouse Auto and then promptly put that sucker to work driving 2,458 miles on a big ole Christmas road trip.
Taking two small kids on a trip of that magnitude was a huge undertaking that required weeks of preparation. It had been two years since we last visited our homeland in Dixieland, and we were more than ready to go back! Bright Eyes had several great-grandparents who were anxious to meet her for the first time.
The trip was both the best of times and the worst of times, as is typical of long-awaited events of that nature. It was exhausting and draining on all of us to be on the road so much. However, in the midst of so many travel difficulties were periods of great joy. When we could finally sit still and just be, it was sheer bliss. The beach is always a great place for being. Our time there was very restorative.
Our girls saw the ocean for the first time and flew a kite for the first time. The BabyGirl bonded with Granny over biscuits and Bright Eyes established a connection with Granddaddy over apple slices. We breathed in the sweet sea air. We ate tons of seafood and i actually liked raw oysters!
The beach is a very, VERY long way from the Kingdom of the Cornstalks, so we were fortunate to have the opportunity to go there. It was a special time that i will always remember. It was a true vacation in that our usual cares and concerns about day-to-day struggles were exchanged for beautiful scenery and meaningful relationships. And the food! Granny's cornbread, Kay's turkey, my dad's grouper sandwiches—the whole week was delicious!
After a week at the beach, we continued our trek to spend a week with The Professor's family. Our time there was a blur of go, go, go to see as many family members as possible. Lare & Amy were so hospitable to have a big group over to dinner with children running around all over the place. We had Christmas festivities at The Judge's house with kids frantically tearing into presents. Grandma Jackie and Grandpa Lou had us over for a wonderful visit in their home. We were delighted to see Grandmother in her new assisted living apartment. Allison helped me get caught up on Top Chef, and our girls played with their cousins to their hearts' content.
When it comes down to it, an undertaking of this level is simply not possible without a good deal of help. There were many people along the way who eased our burden by looking after us. We are so thankful to the people who took the time to notice our needs and lend us a hand.
For example: On our drive to Lare & Amy's house, we took a winding, curvy, hilly road. The Professor made the comment, "You don't see roads like this in the Kingdom of the Cornstalks!" Immediately from the backseat we heard the sound of poor Bright Eyes throwing up. She had never in her life driven on hills and curves, and she was not accustomed to the motion of it. We therefore arrived at our destination with a child covered in vomit. Amy dropped what she was doing to dig up some clean clothes for Bright Eyes to wear.
After dinner the kids were all playing and the BabyGirl asked me to come upstairs to help her with something. While i was up there, Amy came up to rotate some laundry. It struck me as kind of an odd time to be doing laundry while hosting a houseful of people, but ya know, whatever. I was actually pretty impressed with the multi-tasking she displayed; i would never have remembered about my laundry with all those people over.
When it was time for us to leave, she said, "Oh! Let me grab Bright Eyes' coat!" She presented us with a freshly-washed, vomit-free coat hot out of the dryer and smelling like lavender breeze. Turns out the load of laundry that i was criticizing her for was MY DAUGHTER'S COAT.
I was blown away by the thoughtfulness of it. She saved me so much hassle by washing it then and there. Also, that particular coat is special because it's been in the family for decades. I was so glad it had been washed promptly so that it didn't stain.
It was a small act of kindness that made such an impact.
Bright Eyes is in that stage of getting into EVERYTHING. It is so much fun because she is exploring non-stop and learning new things every moment. She has to get her hands on each new thing she sees: What does it feel like? What does it taste like? Can I bang it on the table?
I really love this age. The caveat, though, is that she has to be watched like a hawk 24-7. It requires a lot of energy to take her into someone else's home, where she grabs the glass ornaments off the Christmas tree, splashes in the cat's water bowl, digs through the trash, pulls on the table cloth, and knocks over every drinking glass she encounters. Uncle Stan was so attentive to our needs and made the experience of keeping up with her so much easier. I was trying to cut Bright Eyes' food into small pieces while holding wiggly, squiggly Bright Eyes in my lap at the dinner table. The task necessitated six hands. Stan saw me from across the room and came over to cut her food for me.
Throughout the evening, he continued to bring me things so that i didn't have to get up from my post of watching or holding Bright Eyes. I had mentioned that i like cashews, so he brought me cashews. He came to my seat to offer me coffee. When i said that i could only drink decaf at that time of night, he offered to make me decaf.
The job of watching Bright Eyes at a big family dinner is one that prohibits you from participating with the group. While everyone else is eating dinner, you are feeding her. While everyone else has dessert, you are in the other room changing a diaper. While everyone else is engaged in conversation, you are chasing her from room to room. Uncle Stan saw all that and made sure i wasn't alone.
I was so inspired by Uncle Stan. He serves everyone around him so effortlessly. It's truly a gift. I do not inherently possess this quality, but i long to develop it.
One of my favorite names of God is El Roi, the God Who Sees. In order to effectively help someone, you have to see their needs. Amy saw that Bright Eyes needed a clean coat to go home in. Uncle Stan saw that i couldn't take care of myself while keeping up with Bright Eyes. My dad saw that we could never afford a beach vacation.
So many people over the course of the two weeks saw our needs and met them. Things like that are what turn a grueling road trip into an experience of God's character.
Taking two small kids on a trip of that magnitude was a huge undertaking that required weeks of preparation. It had been two years since we last visited our homeland in Dixieland, and we were more than ready to go back! Bright Eyes had several great-grandparents who were anxious to meet her for the first time.
The trip was both the best of times and the worst of times, as is typical of long-awaited events of that nature. It was exhausting and draining on all of us to be on the road so much. However, in the midst of so many travel difficulties were periods of great joy. When we could finally sit still and just be, it was sheer bliss. The beach is always a great place for being. Our time there was very restorative.
Our girls saw the ocean for the first time and flew a kite for the first time. The BabyGirl bonded with Granny over biscuits and Bright Eyes established a connection with Granddaddy over apple slices. We breathed in the sweet sea air. We ate tons of seafood and i actually liked raw oysters!
The beach is a very, VERY long way from the Kingdom of the Cornstalks, so we were fortunate to have the opportunity to go there. It was a special time that i will always remember. It was a true vacation in that our usual cares and concerns about day-to-day struggles were exchanged for beautiful scenery and meaningful relationships. And the food! Granny's cornbread, Kay's turkey, my dad's grouper sandwiches—the whole week was delicious!
After a week at the beach, we continued our trek to spend a week with The Professor's family. Our time there was a blur of go, go, go to see as many family members as possible. Lare & Amy were so hospitable to have a big group over to dinner with children running around all over the place. We had Christmas festivities at The Judge's house with kids frantically tearing into presents. Grandma Jackie and Grandpa Lou had us over for a wonderful visit in their home. We were delighted to see Grandmother in her new assisted living apartment. Allison helped me get caught up on Top Chef, and our girls played with their cousins to their hearts' content.
When it comes down to it, an undertaking of this level is simply not possible without a good deal of help. There were many people along the way who eased our burden by looking after us. We are so thankful to the people who took the time to notice our needs and lend us a hand.
For example: On our drive to Lare & Amy's house, we took a winding, curvy, hilly road. The Professor made the comment, "You don't see roads like this in the Kingdom of the Cornstalks!" Immediately from the backseat we heard the sound of poor Bright Eyes throwing up. She had never in her life driven on hills and curves, and she was not accustomed to the motion of it. We therefore arrived at our destination with a child covered in vomit. Amy dropped what she was doing to dig up some clean clothes for Bright Eyes to wear.
After dinner the kids were all playing and the BabyGirl asked me to come upstairs to help her with something. While i was up there, Amy came up to rotate some laundry. It struck me as kind of an odd time to be doing laundry while hosting a houseful of people, but ya know, whatever. I was actually pretty impressed with the multi-tasking she displayed; i would never have remembered about my laundry with all those people over.
When it was time for us to leave, she said, "Oh! Let me grab Bright Eyes' coat!" She presented us with a freshly-washed, vomit-free coat hot out of the dryer and smelling like lavender breeze. Turns out the load of laundry that i was criticizing her for was MY DAUGHTER'S COAT.
I was blown away by the thoughtfulness of it. She saved me so much hassle by washing it then and there. Also, that particular coat is special because it's been in the family for decades. I was so glad it had been washed promptly so that it didn't stain.
It was a small act of kindness that made such an impact.
Bright Eyes is in that stage of getting into EVERYTHING. It is so much fun because she is exploring non-stop and learning new things every moment. She has to get her hands on each new thing she sees: What does it feel like? What does it taste like? Can I bang it on the table?
I really love this age. The caveat, though, is that she has to be watched like a hawk 24-7. It requires a lot of energy to take her into someone else's home, where she grabs the glass ornaments off the Christmas tree, splashes in the cat's water bowl, digs through the trash, pulls on the table cloth, and knocks over every drinking glass she encounters. Uncle Stan was so attentive to our needs and made the experience of keeping up with her so much easier. I was trying to cut Bright Eyes' food into small pieces while holding wiggly, squiggly Bright Eyes in my lap at the dinner table. The task necessitated six hands. Stan saw me from across the room and came over to cut her food for me.
Throughout the evening, he continued to bring me things so that i didn't have to get up from my post of watching or holding Bright Eyes. I had mentioned that i like cashews, so he brought me cashews. He came to my seat to offer me coffee. When i said that i could only drink decaf at that time of night, he offered to make me decaf.
The job of watching Bright Eyes at a big family dinner is one that prohibits you from participating with the group. While everyone else is eating dinner, you are feeding her. While everyone else has dessert, you are in the other room changing a diaper. While everyone else is engaged in conversation, you are chasing her from room to room. Uncle Stan saw all that and made sure i wasn't alone.
I was so inspired by Uncle Stan. He serves everyone around him so effortlessly. It's truly a gift. I do not inherently possess this quality, but i long to develop it.
One of my favorite names of God is El Roi, the God Who Sees. In order to effectively help someone, you have to see their needs. Amy saw that Bright Eyes needed a clean coat to go home in. Uncle Stan saw that i couldn't take care of myself while keeping up with Bright Eyes. My dad saw that we could never afford a beach vacation.
So many people over the course of the two weeks saw our needs and met them. Things like that are what turn a grueling road trip into an experience of God's character.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
The Shedd Then and the Shedd Now
There are some beloved memories that we have of certain things we did with the BabyGirl when she was a baby. Also we have some favorite photos of those events that are in our family lexicon. We have a twinge of sadness, every now and then, that we live in a different state now and can't recreate those memories with our second daughter.
This past weekend though, we visited the BabyGirl's birthplace and were able to go to some of our favorite places! It was so wonderful to take the BabyGirl back to the Shedd, where we had so many wonderful times together. Thank you Mr. Dudich for making our Shedd visit possible! Here are some "then and now" photos for reminiscing and comparison:
This past weekend though, we visited the BabyGirl's birthplace and were able to go to some of our favorite places! It was so wonderful to take the BabyGirl back to the Shedd, where we had so many wonderful times together. Thank you Mr. Dudich for making our Shedd visit possible! Here are some "then and now" photos for reminiscing and comparison:
Our little penguin at 14 months old
Our little penguin is now three!
The BabyGirl about to climb the stairs
Bright Eyes climbing the stairs
8-month-old BabyGirl smiling in front of the mural
3-year-old BabyGirl smiling in front of the mural
The BabyGirl flying in the air at the Lake
Bright Eyes flying in the air at the Lake
The BabyGirl enjoyed both the Shedd and the Lake just as much (and probably more so) now as she did then! And Bright Eyes enjoyed the Shedd and the Lake as much as the BabyGirl did when she was Bright Eyes' age. And the Professor and i enjoyed seeing our girls enjoying themselves! It was a win-win for everyone!
Monday, May 13, 2013
Daddy's Girls
The BabyGirl is a major Daddy's girl.
And understandably so, he is a world-class Daddy. I happen to love him quite a bit myself, so I'm not surprised that she thinks he is great too.
Sometimes, however, i want to tell her, "Back off; he's mine! I had him first!" She seems to think that his sole purpose in life is to spend every waking moment with her. This doesn't always work for him. Or for me.
So with Bright Eyes i hoped that she would not be a Daddy's girl, cause it's getting to be stiff competition around here! Sometimes there isn't enough of him to go around.
Well guess what, Bright Eyes ADORES Daddy. Thinks he's the greatest thing ever. Whenever he enters the room, she drops whatever she is doing and insists that he hold her right that very minute. If i happen to be holding her when she lays eyes on Daddy, she leaps out of my arms like a flying squirrel. They are very sweet together. They have this cute thing where The Professor rubs his face on her cheek (kind of like a kitty does), and then she rubs her face on his cheek. Of course Daddy gives the best tickles and the best raspberries on her tummy.
It is an unbearable hardship for the BabyGirl to be parted from Daddy during the course of the workday. It then becomes an unbearable hardship for me to deal with the BabyGirl and her anguish. To cope, we have instituted two "Daddy Songs." The first one we composed a year ago, and it goes like this:
(to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Where is Daddy, Where is Daddy?
He's at work
He's at work
Daaaaaddy loves you
Daaaaaddy loves you
Yes he does, Yes he does
This past week, we came up with another one. It was about 4:30pm and Daddy was due home at 5:30. The BabyGirl had asked if Daddy was coming home. I told her that yes! he was coming soon. Well she needed to know the specifics of how soon is soon. Is he driving in his car right now? No. In that case, it's not soon at all and the devastation shall continue. We got into a debate of semantics. I could easily tell her that he would be home in an hour, but that had no significance to her. For some reason she kept saying, "Is he coming home soon, or sooner?" And thus our next Daddy song was born:
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see our Daddy!
I think i sang that song for a solid hour until Daddy got home.
Recently the BabyGirl and Daddy have begun a tradition of eating popsicles together outside on the doorstep after dinner. When The Professor was little, Grandma Jackie always made homemade Koolaid popsicles. To this day, every time he visits Grandma Jackie's house (which regrettably is not very often), she always has homemade popsicles for him. Years and years ago she gave us a set of popsicle molds so we could make them too! The BabyGirl loves them and loves eating them together with Daddy even more. They made a game out of sneaking bites from the other's popsicle. It's a very special time that they share together.
Even though at times i'm kind of unwilling to share The Professor with these little usurpers, I'm unendingly greatful for what a great father he is. Both our girls love him with their whole hearts. Thank you Professor for your devotion to our family!
And understandably so, he is a world-class Daddy. I happen to love him quite a bit myself, so I'm not surprised that she thinks he is great too.
Sometimes, however, i want to tell her, "Back off; he's mine! I had him first!" She seems to think that his sole purpose in life is to spend every waking moment with her. This doesn't always work for him. Or for me.
So with Bright Eyes i hoped that she would not be a Daddy's girl, cause it's getting to be stiff competition around here! Sometimes there isn't enough of him to go around.
Well guess what, Bright Eyes ADORES Daddy. Thinks he's the greatest thing ever. Whenever he enters the room, she drops whatever she is doing and insists that he hold her right that very minute. If i happen to be holding her when she lays eyes on Daddy, she leaps out of my arms like a flying squirrel. They are very sweet together. They have this cute thing where The Professor rubs his face on her cheek (kind of like a kitty does), and then she rubs her face on his cheek. Of course Daddy gives the best tickles and the best raspberries on her tummy.
It is an unbearable hardship for the BabyGirl to be parted from Daddy during the course of the workday. It then becomes an unbearable hardship for me to deal with the BabyGirl and her anguish. To cope, we have instituted two "Daddy Songs." The first one we composed a year ago, and it goes like this:
(to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Where is Daddy, Where is Daddy?
He's at work
He's at work
Daaaaaddy loves you
Daaaaaddy loves you
Yes he does, Yes he does
This past week, we came up with another one. It was about 4:30pm and Daddy was due home at 5:30. The BabyGirl had asked if Daddy was coming home. I told her that yes! he was coming soon. Well she needed to know the specifics of how soon is soon. Is he driving in his car right now? No. In that case, it's not soon at all and the devastation shall continue. We got into a debate of semantics. I could easily tell her that he would be home in an hour, but that had no significance to her. For some reason she kept saying, "Is he coming home soon, or sooner?" And thus our next Daddy song was born:
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see our Daddy!
I think i sang that song for a solid hour until Daddy got home.
Recently the BabyGirl and Daddy have begun a tradition of eating popsicles together outside on the doorstep after dinner. When The Professor was little, Grandma Jackie always made homemade Koolaid popsicles. To this day, every time he visits Grandma Jackie's house (which regrettably is not very often), she always has homemade popsicles for him. Years and years ago she gave us a set of popsicle molds so we could make them too! The BabyGirl loves them and loves eating them together with Daddy even more. They made a game out of sneaking bites from the other's popsicle. It's a very special time that they share together.
Even though at times i'm kind of unwilling to share The Professor with these little usurpers, I'm unendingly greatful for what a great father he is. Both our girls love him with their whole hearts. Thank you Professor for your devotion to our family!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Regarding Mother's Day
Attention Everyone:
Due to the Three-Year-Old Sleeping Crisis of 2013, Your Mother's Day cards have not been made\purchased yet. As such, they will not arrive by Mother's Day. They may or may not become purchased prior to Mother's Day 2014.
Perhaps we'll just declare this The Year of the Fathers. Last year i handmade Mother's Day cards for all the notable women in the family, and then didn't really do squat for the grandfathers on Father's Day. So this year we'll reverse that; we will make great Father's Day cards but not do much for Mother's Day.
I wish i had mad graphic design skills like the talented Laura G! Then i would just take that picture of the girls in the stroller wearing their sunglasses and add "Happy Mother's Day" in a totally awesome font in whatever color is popular in graphic design this year. (I'm thinking coral? I don't know, i have to get Molly Z to keep me informed about these types of things).
With or without Mother's Day, i am extremely greatful for Grandmother, Granny, Mother, Kay, Grandma Jackie, and Mimi! We love you guys so much. Thank you for all your love and encouragement across the distance. You are all a very important part of our life, even though we don't get much together time.
Happy Mother's Day!
Due to the Three-Year-Old Sleeping Crisis of 2013, Your Mother's Day cards have not been made\purchased yet. As such, they will not arrive by Mother's Day. They may or may not become purchased prior to Mother's Day 2014.
Perhaps we'll just declare this The Year of the Fathers. Last year i handmade Mother's Day cards for all the notable women in the family, and then didn't really do squat for the grandfathers on Father's Day. So this year we'll reverse that; we will make great Father's Day cards but not do much for Mother's Day.
I wish i had mad graphic design skills like the talented Laura G! Then i would just take that picture of the girls in the stroller wearing their sunglasses and add "Happy Mother's Day" in a totally awesome font in whatever color is popular in graphic design this year. (I'm thinking coral? I don't know, i have to get Molly Z to keep me informed about these types of things).
With or without Mother's Day, i am extremely greatful for Grandmother, Granny, Mother, Kay, Grandma Jackie, and Mimi! We love you guys so much. Thank you for all your love and encouragement across the distance. You are all a very important part of our life, even though we don't get much together time.
Happy Mother's Day!
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Just Because It's Sunny, Doesn't Mean It's Warm
Easter this year was very hard. The week leading up to Easter was difficult, exhausting, draining, and painful. It was reminiscent of the suffering that Jesus Himself endured that week. Easter Sunday is supposed to be a joyful time of celebration, but we didn't feel like celebrating. Honestly, had it not been Easter Sunday, we would have stayed home from church because we just didn't have it in us. We were tired, worn, and broken.
But the truth of the matter is that tired, worn, and broken people are exactly why Jesus came to earth in the first place. So we took ourselves to church with gratitude for His sacrifice and with hope in His victory.
It was quite a task to get everyone dressed, primped, and beautified in time arrive at church 30 minutes early. Not our usual 10 minutes late, but EARLY. The minute we walked in the door, the BabyGirl spotted her best friend and kindred spirit, Addy. Addy was also wearing a purple dress and they made an adorable pair. Anytime the BabyGirl and Addy are together, a massive hugfest ensues. They embraced each other tightly and everyone around ooo-ed and ahh-ed. It was very sweet.
Since we went through the ordeal of getting all dressed up, gosh darn it i wanted some pictures to commemorate. And not just ordinary sitting-on-the-same-old-couch pictures. I wanted great pictures! Clearly, the place to take great Easter pictures is outside. Growing up, we always took pictures in our elaborate handmade Easter dresses standing in front of blooming azaleas, tulip trees, or daffodils.
Well, we don't have blooming azaleas here in the frozen tundra. But on that particular day we had abundant sunshine! With glorious sunlight, how can you go wrong? I herded all the younglings outside for some wonderful family photos. Once we got outside, the reality became obvious: it was freezing cold.
Bright Eyes was the first one to voice her opinion. She's never had an Easter before, so she wasn't aware of my childhood photo-taking traditions.
What bothered the BabyGirl was the frigid wind. She complained, "I need a hat!!! My hair is blowing everywhere!!! I don't want my hair blowing!!!"
We all tromped back inside for warmer clothes, and then went out to try again.
It was short-lived, however. Eventually we had to face the facts and take pictures in the same place we always take pictures. The only spot in our entire house that has decent light is the living room couch.
But the truth of the matter is that tired, worn, and broken people are exactly why Jesus came to earth in the first place. So we took ourselves to church with gratitude for His sacrifice and with hope in His victory.
It was quite a task to get everyone dressed, primped, and beautified in time arrive at church 30 minutes early. Not our usual 10 minutes late, but EARLY. The minute we walked in the door, the BabyGirl spotted her best friend and kindred spirit, Addy. Addy was also wearing a purple dress and they made an adorable pair. Anytime the BabyGirl and Addy are together, a massive hugfest ensues. They embraced each other tightly and everyone around ooo-ed and ahh-ed. It was very sweet.
Since we went through the ordeal of getting all dressed up, gosh darn it i wanted some pictures to commemorate. And not just ordinary sitting-on-the-same-old-couch pictures. I wanted great pictures! Clearly, the place to take great Easter pictures is outside. Growing up, we always took pictures in our elaborate handmade Easter dresses standing in front of blooming azaleas, tulip trees, or daffodils.
Well, we don't have blooming azaleas here in the frozen tundra. But on that particular day we had abundant sunshine! With glorious sunlight, how can you go wrong? I herded all the younglings outside for some wonderful family photos. Once we got outside, the reality became obvious: it was freezing cold.
Bright Eyes was the first one to voice her opinion. She's never had an Easter before, so she wasn't aware of my childhood photo-taking traditions.
What's wrong with you people??? It's freezing out here!!!
What bothered the BabyGirl was the frigid wind. She complained, "I need a hat!!! My hair is blowing everywhere!!! I don't want my hair blowing!!!"
We all tromped back inside for warmer clothes, and then went out to try again.
It was short-lived, however. Eventually we had to face the facts and take pictures in the same place we always take pictures. The only spot in our entire house that has decent light is the living room couch.
Much better.
For Easter dinner, we were invited out into the country to visit the Griffiths. We had such a wonderful time! They have a beautiful home on 40 acres with a picturesque view in every direction. Their middle-school aged daughter Selena was so sweet and patient with the BabyGirl, helping her to feel comfortable in a new environment. Because we had such stimulating conversation, we stayed well past the girls' bedtime, a costly sacrifice that we don't make for just anyone. Our time together with them was so rejuvenating after our draining week.
My main disappointment was that i didn't get to do as much teaching with the BabyGirl during Holy Week as i wanted to. We weren't able to properly focus on Jesus' death and resurrection because of other issues going on. Yet somehow, she managed to absorb a lot and i'm so thankful! During the church service, in that quiet moment when the singing has finished and everyone just sat down, she exclaimed excitedly, "We're here because Jesus' boo-boos are all better!" And later at home she said to The Professor, "Silly Jesus! He needs to put His cross away when He is done with it!"
The next day we had some Christian music playing on Pandora. I don't even remember which song it was, but there was a line that said, "He is risen." The BabyGirl was so energetic, "They said 'He is risen' just like Jesus is risen!"
He is risen indeed!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Anticipatory Helping
(This is a story from February that i never found the time to finish. Now that spring might actually happen, I am trying to wrap up all my winter posts!)
The adjustment to life with a new baby sister was a difficult one for the BabyGirl. She loved her sister, you better believe it, but all of a sudden life was different. It was uncertain and unpredictable. These bleary-eyed zombies who had replaced Mama and Daddy didn't act right. They hardly ever smiled, they didn't play as much, and they constantly demanded silence.
The BabyGirl's confusion intensified when The Professor first went back to work and left me to keep the two girls alive all on my own. In those early months, it took FOREVER to put Bright Eyes down for a nap. During the seemingly interminable process, the BabyGirl would stand in the corner and bawl her eyes out. Because of her loud crying, it then took double-forever to get Bright Eyes to sleep. I employed my most creative age-appropriate logic to inform her that as soon as Bright Eyes went to sleep, she would have me all to herself! We could snuggle and laugh and read books and play dolls just the two of us. But the louder that she was during the put-down process, the longer it would take, and the longer until i could devote myself to her.
She could not grasp the concept.
Eventually though, life settled down and the uncertainty abated. Or at least it settled down a little. She understood our new rhythm and no longer cried during Bright Eyes' sleeping procedures.
And then, one magical day, she was a step ahead of me.
I was changing Bright Eyes' diaper in preparation for a nap. The BabyGirl was perched in her spot, standing on the arm of a chair next to the changing table so she could interact with Bright Eyes. In my head i thought about asking the BabyGirl to grab the Woombie from Bright Eyes' crib. I decided against it because it sounded so lazy of me; for crying out loud it was four steps to the left.
Well that BabyGirl hopped down from the arm of the chair, got the woombie, and proudly presented it to me at the changing table! IT WAS LIKE SHE READ MY MIND. Since i never verbalized my request to her, it was kinda creepy that she did it immediately.
I gushed with thanks to her because i truly was impressed. Then she abruptly ran out of the rooom. I thought it was odd, but whatever. I continued woombying up Bright Eyes. A moment later the BabyGirl returned, lugging one of her little chairs. Ugh, i thought. We're having such a happy time, i don't want to get onto her for that right now.
She had recently realized that if you want something that is out of your reach, simply use a chair! Need something from the very back of the kitchen counter? Bring a chair over! Want something from on top of the dresser? Get a chair!
There were chairs in every room of the house. She was constantly taking those things into the kitchen to reach all kinds of dangerous things. Her favorite was to take a chair into the bathroom to turn on the bathroom sink and play in the water for 30 minutes while i was occupied with Bright Eyes. I was SO OVER IT with her chairs. All of a sudden the only safe place to hide things i didn't want her to have was on top of the fridge. You can only fit so many things on top of the fridge, and i had exceeded capacity.
It was our daily struggle; her bringing the chairs out of the living room and me taking them back.
So when i saw her schlepping a chair into Bright Eyes' room at the exact minute i needed stillness and silence for the naptime protocol, i was annoyed. But i held back for a minute to see what would develop before i laid down the law on the chair.
She placed the chair in front of the light switch. Then she stood on it with her hand hovering over the switch. She was at the ready for my command. She said to me, "I'll turn the light out for you, Mama!"
Once again, i was amazed. She knew the naptime sequence by heart, and was helping me before i could even ask! She anticipated my next move and started working to meet my needs without me having to request it.
It was so beautiful. My sweet girl had come such a long way from the days when she had stood in the corner and cried her eyes out. She studied my every move for months until she figured things out, and now here she is confidently participating. It reminded me of Jesus saying, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business." The BabyGirl knew my business, and was actively involved.
Anticipatory helping is a very valuable gift. It requires insight into a person's needs, and a well-timed intervention. It involves an understanding of the situation.
During the past few weeks, we have been blessed by a wonderful act of anticipatory helping by The Professor's dad, aka The Judge.
You see, our tiny little rental house comes with two driveways and 17 miles of sidewalks. Seriously, i think that we have more square footage of concrete outside our house than we have flooring inside it. When we first looked at this house, it was summer. It did not occur to us at the time what all that concrete signified: HOURS OF SHOVELLING IN THE WINTER.
We did not own a snow blower when we moved here from the Big City. We did at least own a shovel, but through some mix-up it got left behind (and subsequently stolen). During that first winter here, we could barely afford toilet paper, let alone a snow blower. We bought the cheapest, humblest snow blower that money could buy. In its defense, it is better than shovelling by hand. But it is no match for the 17 miles of sidewalks. On an average snowfall, it takes four hours to clear one driveway and all the sidewalks (we gave up on driveway #2). It is a huge time commitment for the poor Professor, with many late nights and early mornings out in the snow.
In a huge act of love and generosity, The Judge gave us a wonderful gift! He arranged for a snow removal company to come clear our snow. He did all the research, got estimates, selected a company, and paid for it all behind our backs. We were not involved at all. A big winter storm was headed our way with a forecasted 12 inches of snow. The Judge called and said that he had handled everything! All we had to do was sit back and wait for the snow man to come!
Because of The Judge's generosity, we were able to have the best snow day of our lives. We made some beautiful family memories that i will carry with me always. Relieved of the burden of snow removal, we were able to have a completely carefree day playing in the snow and enjoying ourselves. The BabyGirl in particular had the time of her life! We tromped and sledded and made snowmen to our hearts' content! The BabyGirl thinks that the best thing to do with snow is to eat it, so she chowed down. It was so much fun.
Without The Judge's gift, our day would have been much different. The BabyGirl would have been elated to find that Daddy was not going to work! And then she would have been crushed to discover that he had to spend the equivalent of a work day outside clearing snow. When he finally finished, she would have said, "Now can we go play in the snow???" But he would be sick and tired of snow, having just spent six hours fighting to subdue it.
Another benefit of all that free time was that The Professor was able to help our elderly backyard neighbor with her sidewalks. It was the gift that kept on giving!
We are SO THANKFUL to The Judge for giving us a wonderful day together as a family! Well, Bright Eyes might not be quite so thankful. She did not enjoy being stuffed into her bunny suit and dragged out into the cold:
However, the rest of us enjoyed it enough to make up for her!
The adjustment to life with a new baby sister was a difficult one for the BabyGirl. She loved her sister, you better believe it, but all of a sudden life was different. It was uncertain and unpredictable. These bleary-eyed zombies who had replaced Mama and Daddy didn't act right. They hardly ever smiled, they didn't play as much, and they constantly demanded silence.
The BabyGirl's confusion intensified when The Professor first went back to work and left me to keep the two girls alive all on my own. In those early months, it took FOREVER to put Bright Eyes down for a nap. During the seemingly interminable process, the BabyGirl would stand in the corner and bawl her eyes out. Because of her loud crying, it then took double-forever to get Bright Eyes to sleep. I employed my most creative age-appropriate logic to inform her that as soon as Bright Eyes went to sleep, she would have me all to herself! We could snuggle and laugh and read books and play dolls just the two of us. But the louder that she was during the put-down process, the longer it would take, and the longer until i could devote myself to her.
She could not grasp the concept.
Eventually though, life settled down and the uncertainty abated. Or at least it settled down a little. She understood our new rhythm and no longer cried during Bright Eyes' sleeping procedures.
And then, one magical day, she was a step ahead of me.
I was changing Bright Eyes' diaper in preparation for a nap. The BabyGirl was perched in her spot, standing on the arm of a chair next to the changing table so she could interact with Bright Eyes. In my head i thought about asking the BabyGirl to grab the Woombie from Bright Eyes' crib. I decided against it because it sounded so lazy of me; for crying out loud it was four steps to the left.
Well that BabyGirl hopped down from the arm of the chair, got the woombie, and proudly presented it to me at the changing table! IT WAS LIKE SHE READ MY MIND. Since i never verbalized my request to her, it was kinda creepy that she did it immediately.
I gushed with thanks to her because i truly was impressed. Then she abruptly ran out of the rooom. I thought it was odd, but whatever. I continued woombying up Bright Eyes. A moment later the BabyGirl returned, lugging one of her little chairs. Ugh, i thought. We're having such a happy time, i don't want to get onto her for that right now.
She had recently realized that if you want something that is out of your reach, simply use a chair! Need something from the very back of the kitchen counter? Bring a chair over! Want something from on top of the dresser? Get a chair!
There were chairs in every room of the house. She was constantly taking those things into the kitchen to reach all kinds of dangerous things. Her favorite was to take a chair into the bathroom to turn on the bathroom sink and play in the water for 30 minutes while i was occupied with Bright Eyes. I was SO OVER IT with her chairs. All of a sudden the only safe place to hide things i didn't want her to have was on top of the fridge. You can only fit so many things on top of the fridge, and i had exceeded capacity.
It was our daily struggle; her bringing the chairs out of the living room and me taking them back.
So when i saw her schlepping a chair into Bright Eyes' room at the exact minute i needed stillness and silence for the naptime protocol, i was annoyed. But i held back for a minute to see what would develop before i laid down the law on the chair.
She placed the chair in front of the light switch. Then she stood on it with her hand hovering over the switch. She was at the ready for my command. She said to me, "I'll turn the light out for you, Mama!"
Once again, i was amazed. She knew the naptime sequence by heart, and was helping me before i could even ask! She anticipated my next move and started working to meet my needs without me having to request it.
It was so beautiful. My sweet girl had come such a long way from the days when she had stood in the corner and cried her eyes out. She studied my every move for months until she figured things out, and now here she is confidently participating. It reminded me of Jesus saying, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business." The BabyGirl knew my business, and was actively involved.
Anticipatory helping is a very valuable gift. It requires insight into a person's needs, and a well-timed intervention. It involves an understanding of the situation.
During the past few weeks, we have been blessed by a wonderful act of anticipatory helping by The Professor's dad, aka The Judge.
You see, our tiny little rental house comes with two driveways and 17 miles of sidewalks. Seriously, i think that we have more square footage of concrete outside our house than we have flooring inside it. When we first looked at this house, it was summer. It did not occur to us at the time what all that concrete signified: HOURS OF SHOVELLING IN THE WINTER.
We did not own a snow blower when we moved here from the Big City. We did at least own a shovel, but through some mix-up it got left behind (and subsequently stolen). During that first winter here, we could barely afford toilet paper, let alone a snow blower. We bought the cheapest, humblest snow blower that money could buy. In its defense, it is better than shovelling by hand. But it is no match for the 17 miles of sidewalks. On an average snowfall, it takes four hours to clear one driveway and all the sidewalks (we gave up on driveway #2). It is a huge time commitment for the poor Professor, with many late nights and early mornings out in the snow.
In a huge act of love and generosity, The Judge gave us a wonderful gift! He arranged for a snow removal company to come clear our snow. He did all the research, got estimates, selected a company, and paid for it all behind our backs. We were not involved at all. A big winter storm was headed our way with a forecasted 12 inches of snow. The Judge called and said that he had handled everything! All we had to do was sit back and wait for the snow man to come!
Because of The Judge's generosity, we were able to have the best snow day of our lives. We made some beautiful family memories that i will carry with me always. Relieved of the burden of snow removal, we were able to have a completely carefree day playing in the snow and enjoying ourselves. The BabyGirl in particular had the time of her life! We tromped and sledded and made snowmen to our hearts' content! The BabyGirl thinks that the best thing to do with snow is to eat it, so she chowed down. It was so much fun.
Without The Judge's gift, our day would have been much different. The BabyGirl would have been elated to find that Daddy was not going to work! And then she would have been crushed to discover that he had to spend the equivalent of a work day outside clearing snow. When he finally finished, she would have said, "Now can we go play in the snow???" But he would be sick and tired of snow, having just spent six hours fighting to subdue it.
Another benefit of all that free time was that The Professor was able to help our elderly backyard neighbor with her sidewalks. It was the gift that kept on giving!
We are SO THANKFUL to The Judge for giving us a wonderful day together as a family! Well, Bright Eyes might not be quite so thankful. She did not enjoy being stuffed into her bunny suit and dragged out into the cold:
However, the rest of us enjoyed it enough to make up for her!
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Bible Sisters Inspire Confidence
Last night we had dinner at "Chick-a-way" as a special treat. We're technically not supposed to eat Chick-a-way, but every now and then we cave in. The BabyGirl of course LOVES the play place. And with 8 inches of snow of the ground, what kid wouldn't???
The trouble is that as much as she loves it, she is too timid and cautious to climb up through the tunnels. Honestly i don't blame her, it is very high up and you cannot see most of it from the ground, so you wouldn't know until you were up there what it is like or where it goes. She is definitely a girl who likes to study a thing and think about it before proceeding. To a little girl, those stairs going up to a hidden tunnel that becomes a slide look a whole lot like the treacherous stairs that Gollum leads Frodo and Sam up in The Return of the King. She has no proof that there is not an enormous, deadly spider lurking inside. So she stays on the ground, running around and enjoying the general excitement and hullabaloo typical of an indoor play place. Nonetheless, she is missing out on a major part of the experience.
Currently she also LOVES other girls. She gets soooo excited to see girls when we are out and about at the grocery, Walmart, restaurants, or wherever. Other girls are her favorite.
While we were eating our dinner at Chick-a-way, before going to the play place, i saw a family with three beautiful brown-haired stairstep girls come in. They sat several booths away, out of view of the BabyGirl. I knew she was going to go nuts over those girls. You know how sometimes you can just tell by the look of a family that they are quality people? This family had that look. I am not sure exactly how old the girls were, from my estimate maybe 8, 6, and 4.
Once we finished eating, The Professor and the BabyGirl took off for the playplace. Not long after, the brown-haired stairstep sisters went in also. Bright Eyes and i stayed at our table. I did not have a full view of the playplace; i could only see a small portion. They played in there for what seemed like forever to a person holding a wiggly, squiggly, bouncy, squeeling baby.
When The Professor and the BabyGirl emerged triumphantly, The Professor announced, "The BabyGirl climbed up to the top! And went down the slide! She did it and it was so much fun!" Her proud, beaming face confirmed his assertions.
I wondered what in the world had motivated her to take the plunge and go for it??? The Professor told me the story:
She did in fact notice the Stairstep Sisters and began playing with them. She told them, "I'm chasing you!" and they had fun pretending to be chased. Then they bounded up the stairs and she stopped dead in her tracks like they had just run into a pit of molten lava. The oldest sister noticed that the BabyGirl was not following. She said sweetly, "Don't you want to chase us?"
Then the three sisters took the BabyGirl under their wing. They led her up the steep stairs and guided her through the tunnels. They played with her up there in the highest heights and looked after her. Then they helped her onto the slide, where she zoomed down and was scooped up into The Professor's safe arms.
The Professor overheard the sister's names during the course of all the playing: Esther, Abigail, and Naomi. I knew there was a reason that i liked those girls! The BabyGirl fit right in. If her hair was a little less auburn and a little more brown, she could have passed as their fourth sister. They certainly treated her as such! I'm so greatful to them for their compassion. They took the time to notice a shy 2-year-old in a crowd of running kids, and it blessed her tremendously. They embodied all kinds of Bible verses that they may or may not have even learned yet. And they definitely exhibited the same strength of character as their namesakes.
May God bless the Bible Sisters, and continue the good work that He has done in their hearts!
The trouble is that as much as she loves it, she is too timid and cautious to climb up through the tunnels. Honestly i don't blame her, it is very high up and you cannot see most of it from the ground, so you wouldn't know until you were up there what it is like or where it goes. She is definitely a girl who likes to study a thing and think about it before proceeding. To a little girl, those stairs going up to a hidden tunnel that becomes a slide look a whole lot like the treacherous stairs that Gollum leads Frodo and Sam up in The Return of the King. She has no proof that there is not an enormous, deadly spider lurking inside. So she stays on the ground, running around and enjoying the general excitement and hullabaloo typical of an indoor play place. Nonetheless, she is missing out on a major part of the experience.
Currently she also LOVES other girls. She gets soooo excited to see girls when we are out and about at the grocery, Walmart, restaurants, or wherever. Other girls are her favorite.
While we were eating our dinner at Chick-a-way, before going to the play place, i saw a family with three beautiful brown-haired stairstep girls come in. They sat several booths away, out of view of the BabyGirl. I knew she was going to go nuts over those girls. You know how sometimes you can just tell by the look of a family that they are quality people? This family had that look. I am not sure exactly how old the girls were, from my estimate maybe 8, 6, and 4.
Once we finished eating, The Professor and the BabyGirl took off for the playplace. Not long after, the brown-haired stairstep sisters went in also. Bright Eyes and i stayed at our table. I did not have a full view of the playplace; i could only see a small portion. They played in there for what seemed like forever to a person holding a wiggly, squiggly, bouncy, squeeling baby.
When The Professor and the BabyGirl emerged triumphantly, The Professor announced, "The BabyGirl climbed up to the top! And went down the slide! She did it and it was so much fun!" Her proud, beaming face confirmed his assertions.
I wondered what in the world had motivated her to take the plunge and go for it??? The Professor told me the story:
She did in fact notice the Stairstep Sisters and began playing with them. She told them, "I'm chasing you!" and they had fun pretending to be chased. Then they bounded up the stairs and she stopped dead in her tracks like they had just run into a pit of molten lava. The oldest sister noticed that the BabyGirl was not following. She said sweetly, "Don't you want to chase us?"
Then the three sisters took the BabyGirl under their wing. They led her up the steep stairs and guided her through the tunnels. They played with her up there in the highest heights and looked after her. Then they helped her onto the slide, where she zoomed down and was scooped up into The Professor's safe arms.
The Professor overheard the sister's names during the course of all the playing: Esther, Abigail, and Naomi. I knew there was a reason that i liked those girls! The BabyGirl fit right in. If her hair was a little less auburn and a little more brown, she could have passed as their fourth sister. They certainly treated her as such! I'm so greatful to them for their compassion. They took the time to notice a shy 2-year-old in a crowd of running kids, and it blessed her tremendously. They embodied all kinds of Bible verses that they may or may not have even learned yet. And they definitely exhibited the same strength of character as their namesakes.
May God bless the Bible Sisters, and continue the good work that He has done in their hearts!
Sunday, December 9, 2012
She DID NOT WANT To Have Her Picture Taken
The BabyGirl and now Bright Eyes as well have both been so blessed by many wonderful gifts from friends and family members. I think the BabyGirl was a year old before i had to buy her any clothes. Gammer and Granny in particular have kept our girls very well dressed, and we are so thankful. It was especially helpful last fall, when money was so tight. The BabyGirl would not have had any clothes had we not received so many generous and loving gifts.
Early in the BabyGirl's life, i made a special effort to take pictures of her in the outfits that Gammer and Granny sent. They live far away and do not have opportunity to see how cute she is in their clothes. Well then i really dropped the ball while i was pregnant, and have been trying to get in the habit again. Except, now the BabyGirl has a mind of her own. She does not always want her picture taken:
It was really very tragic, because she liked that dress so much and really enjoyed wearing it. My photo efforts simply caught her at a bad time. We had gone to McDonald's with the Three Brothers after church. An hour of running around in the play place was a little more excitement than she could handle. She was none too thrilled when it was time to leave, and she was none too thrilled that it was naptime as soon as we got home. So we tried again:
Nope, still doesn't like it. Therefore i am instituting a new method. I'll take a picture of the clothes themselves so that we can all remember who sent them. And if i get a picture of the clothes actually being worn, the it's a huge bonus! But if not, oh well, c'est la vie. Here's our first batch:
Early in the BabyGirl's life, i made a special effort to take pictures of her in the outfits that Gammer and Granny sent. They live far away and do not have opportunity to see how cute she is in their clothes. Well then i really dropped the ball while i was pregnant, and have been trying to get in the habit again. Except, now the BabyGirl has a mind of her own. She does not always want her picture taken:
It was really very tragic, because she liked that dress so much and really enjoyed wearing it. My photo efforts simply caught her at a bad time. We had gone to McDonald's with the Three Brothers after church. An hour of running around in the play place was a little more excitement than she could handle. She was none too thrilled when it was time to leave, and she was none too thrilled that it was naptime as soon as we got home. So we tried again:
Nope, still doesn't like it. Therefore i am instituting a new method. I'll take a picture of the clothes themselves so that we can all remember who sent them. And if i get a picture of the clothes actually being worn, the it's a huge bonus! But if not, oh well, c'est la vie. Here's our first batch:
Cute clothes from Granny! The gray shirt on the right, the one that says "Star," is her current favorite. She wears it every day. Fortunately, i got a picture! This is a bonus feature because she's wearing a shirt from Granny while opening a present from Aunt Kay:
Tune in next time for First Christmas Bib, and if we're lucky we'll also have some Christmas Minions!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Good Things
Despite the woes of the final weeks of pregnancy, the oppressive heat, and the limitations of my SI joint, there are several good things happening over here. Martha Stewart may think she owns the copyright to the term "good things", but i'm not talking about recipes and kitchen organization. I'm talking about every good and perfect gift that comes from the Lord. Here are a few of the blessings we've been enjoying recently:
1. Mother's Helper - A sweet and considerate girl from church offered to come over and play with the BabyGirl one morning so i could get some stuff done. She was a saint. She played so patiently with the BabyGirl! At ten years old, she definitely has a gentle and quiet spirit, something i long to cultivate myself but doubt i'll ever achieve.
2. The Grabber - Oh people, i love this thing! It used to be the case that whatever items landed on the floor during the course of the day simply remained there until The Professor got home. Unless i could sweet-talk the BabyGirl into picking something up for me, it wasn't going to get picked up. And since the BabyGirl was the reason that 97% of those things came to be on the floor in the first place, she wasn't often in the mood to retrieve them up. Until i received The Grabber. A nice older man at church gave it to me. I later found out the back story. His wife had broken her arm a few years ago, so for Christmas he bought her The Grabber. He thought it was clever and amusing; she was appalled. She told him, "Get that thing out of my sight!" It was never spoken of again until they were getting ready to go to church and he said, "Wait one minute; i have to get that Grabber." She was irritated to learn that it had still been dwelling under their roof because she thought he had disposed of it. But when he told her that he was passing it on to me, she was pleased to know that it was going to a home where it would be loved and appreciated. And boy is it appreciated! We've been grabbing like crazy over here. I think from now on I'm going to buy one for anyone who gets pregnant.
3. Baby Name Books - My friend Carrie-Who-Is-Not-Scary heard about our baby name dilemma. She checked out a stack of baby name books from the library and delivered them to my house! It was so thoughtful of her during the time when i couldn't get out of the house much because i couldn't walk well. One of the books she checked out was an Irish name book. While entertaining, it was not very useful. Irish names are just plain weird. Somehow we latched onto the name Sinead and joked about it for several days. (SPOILER ALERT: the baby will not be named Sinead.)
1. Mother's Helper - A sweet and considerate girl from church offered to come over and play with the BabyGirl one morning so i could get some stuff done. She was a saint. She played so patiently with the BabyGirl! At ten years old, she definitely has a gentle and quiet spirit, something i long to cultivate myself but doubt i'll ever achieve.
2. The Grabber - Oh people, i love this thing! It used to be the case that whatever items landed on the floor during the course of the day simply remained there until The Professor got home. Unless i could sweet-talk the BabyGirl into picking something up for me, it wasn't going to get picked up. And since the BabyGirl was the reason that 97% of those things came to be on the floor in the first place, she wasn't often in the mood to retrieve them up. Until i received The Grabber. A nice older man at church gave it to me. I later found out the back story. His wife had broken her arm a few years ago, so for Christmas he bought her The Grabber. He thought it was clever and amusing; she was appalled. She told him, "Get that thing out of my sight!" It was never spoken of again until they were getting ready to go to church and he said, "Wait one minute; i have to get that Grabber." She was irritated to learn that it had still been dwelling under their roof because she thought he had disposed of it. But when he told her that he was passing it on to me, she was pleased to know that it was going to a home where it would be loved and appreciated. And boy is it appreciated! We've been grabbing like crazy over here. I think from now on I'm going to buy one for anyone who gets pregnant. 
3. Baby Name Books - My friend Carrie-Who-Is-Not-Scary heard about our baby name dilemma. She checked out a stack of baby name books from the library and delivered them to my house! It was so thoughtful of her during the time when i couldn't get out of the house much because i couldn't walk well. One of the books she checked out was an Irish name book. While entertaining, it was not very useful. Irish names are just plain weird. Somehow we latched onto the name Sinead and joked about it for several days. (SPOILER ALERT: the baby will not be named Sinead.)
4. Baby Gifts! - We have been so greatful for all the wonderful gifts we have received for BG2! Our UPS man probably has our address memorized. If and when BG2's room ever gets presentable, i will be so excited to show you the before and after pictures. Every morning i go look to see if magic gnomes showed up in the night to put everything in order for me, and every morning it's still a big mess.
It has been so wonderful to receive such help and generosity from family and friends these past few weeks. Thank you to everyone for taking care of us!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Tenderhearted
My debilitating, unbearable Sacroiliac Joint pain is back. With a vengeance. I've been in horrible pain for a week. Sometimes i can barely walk. It also hurts when i sit down. Lying in bed is painful too.
The Professor and the BabyGirl have been so wonderful to me in my suffering. After i'd already endured several days and it wasn't getting better, my coping skills disappeared. On one particular day when the pain was really bad, i started crying. The BabyGirl and i were sitting at the kitchen table eating lunch, and i just burst into tears without warning. At first she looked at me with a "what in the world is happening here" expression. But within seconds it changed into concern. She said to me softly and with compassion, "Mama crying. Why tears, Mama?"
I told her that i was going to rest on the couch and finish my crying; she nodded understandingly. I remembered to grab a box of tissues en route and the BabyGirl trotted after me. As soon as i got settled down on the couch (which is no small feat), i wanted a glass of water so badly. Well, as luck would have it, one of her favorite things in this world is carrying my water cup. Most of the time she is prohibited from doing so because it results in lots of spilled water.
When i nicely asked her to please fetch my water cup from the kitchen table, she thought it was her lucky day. It was as if she was born for this. She was SO HAPPY to run back into the kitchen and get my water cup from the table. The task should only have taken a second. Instead, i heard chairs being pushed around and some grunting. Then she mumbled to herself something about, "Reach!" Finally she returned triumphantly with a cup in hand. Unfortunately, it was not my current water cup that was left on the edge of the table within easy reach. It was Daddy's water cup from dinner last night, which had not been cleared away. It had been moved to the very center of the table where you could not easily get to it if you happened to be 36 inches tall. But she had gone after that day-old water cup with everything she had. She climbed and grunted and reached until she claimed her prize. Mama had requested water, and the BabyGirl was not going to return empty-handed.
She was so pleased with herself as she presented me with the day-old cup she had procured. I thanked her profusely and made a big deal about what a great helper she was and such a big girl to get the cup all by herself. Nonetheless, i couldn't bring myself to drink the small amount of water that was in that cup. Day-old Daddy backwash was swimming on the surface and taunting me. It really grossed me out.
But i was so touched by her desire to help that it took my mind off the pain a little. Then she sat down next to me and snuggled up close. She gently rubbed my leg and said, "All better, Mama. All better."
I'm so greatful for that moment. She doesn't have the first idea about sacroiliac joints, but she dropped everything to be present with me when i was in need. She has repeatedly demonstrated her compassion during her short life, and i am so impressed by her caring nature.
A few weeks ago it was my turn to serve in the nursery. The kids were sitting in chairs quietly eating their crackers at snack time. A mom came in carrying her three-year-old girl who was in the middle of a tantrum. It wasn't a kicking, thrashing tantrum; it was a fairly well composed crying tantrum. The girl just wanted to cry and nothing else. She didn't want to be comforted by her mom, she didn't want to talk about it, she didn't want to be distracted with toys, she just wanted to cry. So her mom put her in a chair in the corner and left.
Most of the kids in the nursery took little notice of this. They continued enjoying their snack. The BabyGirl, however, was full of concern. She had such a worried look on her face when she said to me, "Girl is crying!" I asked the BabyGirl if she wanted to go give her a hug, which is exactly what she wanted to do. Unfortunately, the crying girl wasn't so much in the mood for a hug. She had her head buried in her lap, and none of her body parts were very accessible. The BabyGirl did the best she could and hugged as much of the girl as she could get to.
(We later found out that the crying girl had lice at the time (her mom didn't discover the critters until that afternoon), so i was VERY RELIEVED that the hug wasn't a close embrace!)
Once again, the situation proved that the BabyGirl is a very tenderhearted soul who is attentive to others.
I didn't fully grasp the significance of all these things until a friend asked me if the BabyGirl was treating me okay while i'm so physically limited. I told her that the BabyGirl's favorite pasttime is snuggling, and that she is perfectly happy to curl up with me and read books. My friend was shocked. She has three little boys, so she didn't even know that such a thing as snuggling existed in the world. Her boys want to spend all day playing Hide & Seek, Superheroes Jump Off the Couch, and Pillow Attack.
It was the words "pillow attack" that really got to me. I'm pretty sure that pillow attack would be the end of me. The only foreseeable outcomes are either several weeks in traction, or a Clinitron bed with a Sip 'n Puff.
I was extremely greatful for my BabyGirl prior to that conversation, and now i'm exponentially more greatful! Praise the Lord for snuggles instead of pillow attack.
I am excited to see the plans that God has for the BabyGirl, and the ways in which she will be able to apply her gift of compassion. I pray that He gives me the wisdom and insight to point her towards the woman He created her to be.
The Professor and the BabyGirl have been so wonderful to me in my suffering. After i'd already endured several days and it wasn't getting better, my coping skills disappeared. On one particular day when the pain was really bad, i started crying. The BabyGirl and i were sitting at the kitchen table eating lunch, and i just burst into tears without warning. At first she looked at me with a "what in the world is happening here" expression. But within seconds it changed into concern. She said to me softly and with compassion, "Mama crying. Why tears, Mama?"
I told her that i was going to rest on the couch and finish my crying; she nodded understandingly. I remembered to grab a box of tissues en route and the BabyGirl trotted after me. As soon as i got settled down on the couch (which is no small feat), i wanted a glass of water so badly. Well, as luck would have it, one of her favorite things in this world is carrying my water cup. Most of the time she is prohibited from doing so because it results in lots of spilled water.
When i nicely asked her to please fetch my water cup from the kitchen table, she thought it was her lucky day. It was as if she was born for this. She was SO HAPPY to run back into the kitchen and get my water cup from the table. The task should only have taken a second. Instead, i heard chairs being pushed around and some grunting. Then she mumbled to herself something about, "Reach!" Finally she returned triumphantly with a cup in hand. Unfortunately, it was not my current water cup that was left on the edge of the table within easy reach. It was Daddy's water cup from dinner last night, which had not been cleared away. It had been moved to the very center of the table where you could not easily get to it if you happened to be 36 inches tall. But she had gone after that day-old water cup with everything she had. She climbed and grunted and reached until she claimed her prize. Mama had requested water, and the BabyGirl was not going to return empty-handed.
She was so pleased with herself as she presented me with the day-old cup she had procured. I thanked her profusely and made a big deal about what a great helper she was and such a big girl to get the cup all by herself. Nonetheless, i couldn't bring myself to drink the small amount of water that was in that cup. Day-old Daddy backwash was swimming on the surface and taunting me. It really grossed me out.
But i was so touched by her desire to help that it took my mind off the pain a little. Then she sat down next to me and snuggled up close. She gently rubbed my leg and said, "All better, Mama. All better."
I'm so greatful for that moment. She doesn't have the first idea about sacroiliac joints, but she dropped everything to be present with me when i was in need. She has repeatedly demonstrated her compassion during her short life, and i am so impressed by her caring nature.
A few weeks ago it was my turn to serve in the nursery. The kids were sitting in chairs quietly eating their crackers at snack time. A mom came in carrying her three-year-old girl who was in the middle of a tantrum. It wasn't a kicking, thrashing tantrum; it was a fairly well composed crying tantrum. The girl just wanted to cry and nothing else. She didn't want to be comforted by her mom, she didn't want to talk about it, she didn't want to be distracted with toys, she just wanted to cry. So her mom put her in a chair in the corner and left.
Most of the kids in the nursery took little notice of this. They continued enjoying their snack. The BabyGirl, however, was full of concern. She had such a worried look on her face when she said to me, "Girl is crying!" I asked the BabyGirl if she wanted to go give her a hug, which is exactly what she wanted to do. Unfortunately, the crying girl wasn't so much in the mood for a hug. She had her head buried in her lap, and none of her body parts were very accessible. The BabyGirl did the best she could and hugged as much of the girl as she could get to.
(We later found out that the crying girl had lice at the time (her mom didn't discover the critters until that afternoon), so i was VERY RELIEVED that the hug wasn't a close embrace!)
Once again, the situation proved that the BabyGirl is a very tenderhearted soul who is attentive to others.
I didn't fully grasp the significance of all these things until a friend asked me if the BabyGirl was treating me okay while i'm so physically limited. I told her that the BabyGirl's favorite pasttime is snuggling, and that she is perfectly happy to curl up with me and read books. My friend was shocked. She has three little boys, so she didn't even know that such a thing as snuggling existed in the world. Her boys want to spend all day playing Hide & Seek, Superheroes Jump Off the Couch, and Pillow Attack.
It was the words "pillow attack" that really got to me. I'm pretty sure that pillow attack would be the end of me. The only foreseeable outcomes are either several weeks in traction, or a Clinitron bed with a Sip 'n Puff.
I was extremely greatful for my BabyGirl prior to that conversation, and now i'm exponentially more greatful! Praise the Lord for snuggles instead of pillow attack.
I am excited to see the plans that God has for the BabyGirl, and the ways in which she will be able to apply her gift of compassion. I pray that He gives me the wisdom and insight to point her towards the woman He created her to be.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Friendly Neighbor Gift
A very nice older lady who lives two doors down gave the BabyGirl a bag full of beanie babies. Apparently this lady was quite the beanie baby collector at one point, because she she said that she had already gotten rid of "most of them" before she remembered the BabyGirl, and was sad that she was only able to give us "the few that were left." We recently had instituted a strict NO MORE STUFFED ANIMALS policy, but who can say no to a nice old lady? Additionally, the BabyGirl loves them, so i think we'll be keeping up with them for a while. Thanks, friendly neighbor!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
A Geriatric, Pediatric, and Obstetric Vacation
This week was The Professor's spring break. His Uncle Stan and Aunt Vicky thoughtfully invited us to meet up with them in the cute town of Galena. We had the most wonderful time! Honestly, it was the most relaxing and refreshing vacation we'd had in YEARS. It's not very often that all the details work out so perfectly to provide you with the optimal vacationing experience. There were a few things that made this trip so great.
First of all, we had a nice, leisurely pace. Uncle Stan and Aunt Vicky, though definitely spry and vivacious, are well advanced in years. They have passed the point of pushing themselves to see\do every little thing on vacation. They were content to go out, and they were content to stay in. It worked out perfectly with the BabyGirl's nap\bedtime regimen. When it was time for her nap, we simply went back to the hotel and napped. No one was concerned about the experiences we might be missing out on. It also worked out perfectly for me, aka the pregnant lady of the group. I wasn't moving very fast; neither were Stan and Vicky. I needed to sit down every so often; so did Stan and Vicky. It was great!
Secondly, we had the most beautiful weather! It was very odd for mid-March. Usually at this time of year, you would expect snow. Instead, it was 70 degrees with blue skies! We spent every possible moment outside. Even just BEING outside was vacation in and of itself. Sitting on a bench in the sunshine was all the recreation we needed. Well, except for the BabyGirl, that is. She loves being outside, but she isn't content to just sit still on a bench. She ran her little heart out. She ran and ran and ran some more. The poor Professor had to chase her all over the place. We were visiting the home of Ulysses S. Grant (whom the GPS liked to call "Ulysses South Grant"), which had an enormous yard for the BabyGirl to run around. When it came time to leave there and head to our next event, the BabyGirl thew a fit getting into the car. Finally we told her that we were going to "Another outside," and she was okay with that. And because she played hard during the day, she also slept hard at night.
Another component of Optimal Vacation was our hotel. Uncle Stan and Aunt Vicky booked it through their timeshare deal. We had a spacious suite with a living room, kitchen, and separate bedroom. The beauty of this is that the BabyGirl didn't have to sleep in the same room with us! Praise the Lord! Sleeping in the same room as that child is disastrous. Disastrous for her, disastrous for us, disastrous for everyone in the building, and everyone on that street. For the first time in her whole little life, she slept beautifully while in a new place. It was truly a miracle.
And finally, the food. OH THE FOOD. Back when i lived in the Big City, i was totally a snob about other city's restaurants. Now i live the middle of nowhere with terrible, awful restaurants. Incidentally, Stan and Vicky are in the same situation. They have travelled the world and eaten all sorts of unique things, but now they live in a podunk town with no decent restaurants. All of us were so excited to eat good food. Thankfully, there was plenty of it! We went to a Greek steakhouse and ate, quite possibly, the best steak of our lives. If not the best, then definitely in the top 3. Each of us had to think long and hard if we'd ever had a better steak. We enjoyed it so much that we went back 2 nights later to try the lamb. Also, throughout our stay we kept to a Two Desserts Per Day Program. It was heaven! If BabyGirl#2 ends up with a sweet tooth, i think we can blame it exclusively on the amount of in utero dessert she ate on this trip.
At the end of the trip, when we were all saying our goodbyes, Stan made the comment, "Well, we had two goals for this trip, and i think we accomplished them!" The Professor and i were both confused. Goals? I don't remember discussing any goals.
He said, "The two goals were for Vicky and I to get to know the BabyGirl, and to spoil you three as much as possible."
In that case, yes, they did accomplish their goals! They paid for EVERYTHING for us. We didn't spend a dime. The steak, the lamb, the two-a-day desserts—they paid for it all. They wined-and-dined us like kings. We resorted to all sorts of trickery to attempt to pay for things, and our efforts were always thwarted. It was so generous and so loving of them. I'll always remember their kindness.
These past few months, The Professor and i have been the recipients of some truly astounding acts of generosity. I knew before, but now believe so strongly that grace is powerful. A gift like Stan and Vicky's, that was completely unmerited, and that we could never hope to repay, is so deeply moving. It inspires me all the more to live a life worthy of the calling i have received. Like Jean Valjean, to use this gift to become an honest man.
I want to be as giving as Uncle Stan and Aunt Vicky. They have their own children and their own grandchildren. They didn't have to take us on vacation; they could have very easily spent that money on a trip with their grandchildren. I don't know why the Lord put it on their hearts to spoil us, but they certainly went to it with gusto!
First of all, we had a nice, leisurely pace. Uncle Stan and Aunt Vicky, though definitely spry and vivacious, are well advanced in years. They have passed the point of pushing themselves to see\do every little thing on vacation. They were content to go out, and they were content to stay in. It worked out perfectly with the BabyGirl's nap\bedtime regimen. When it was time for her nap, we simply went back to the hotel and napped. No one was concerned about the experiences we might be missing out on. It also worked out perfectly for me, aka the pregnant lady of the group. I wasn't moving very fast; neither were Stan and Vicky. I needed to sit down every so often; so did Stan and Vicky. It was great!
Secondly, we had the most beautiful weather! It was very odd for mid-March. Usually at this time of year, you would expect snow. Instead, it was 70 degrees with blue skies! We spent every possible moment outside. Even just BEING outside was vacation in and of itself. Sitting on a bench in the sunshine was all the recreation we needed. Well, except for the BabyGirl, that is. She loves being outside, but she isn't content to just sit still on a bench. She ran her little heart out. She ran and ran and ran some more. The poor Professor had to chase her all over the place. We were visiting the home of Ulysses S. Grant (whom the GPS liked to call "Ulysses South Grant"), which had an enormous yard for the BabyGirl to run around. When it came time to leave there and head to our next event, the BabyGirl thew a fit getting into the car. Finally we told her that we were going to "Another outside," and she was okay with that. And because she played hard during the day, she also slept hard at night.
Another component of Optimal Vacation was our hotel. Uncle Stan and Aunt Vicky booked it through their timeshare deal. We had a spacious suite with a living room, kitchen, and separate bedroom. The beauty of this is that the BabyGirl didn't have to sleep in the same room with us! Praise the Lord! Sleeping in the same room as that child is disastrous. Disastrous for her, disastrous for us, disastrous for everyone in the building, and everyone on that street. For the first time in her whole little life, she slept beautifully while in a new place. It was truly a miracle.
And finally, the food. OH THE FOOD. Back when i lived in the Big City, i was totally a snob about other city's restaurants. Now i live the middle of nowhere with terrible, awful restaurants. Incidentally, Stan and Vicky are in the same situation. They have travelled the world and eaten all sorts of unique things, but now they live in a podunk town with no decent restaurants. All of us were so excited to eat good food. Thankfully, there was plenty of it! We went to a Greek steakhouse and ate, quite possibly, the best steak of our lives. If not the best, then definitely in the top 3. Each of us had to think long and hard if we'd ever had a better steak. We enjoyed it so much that we went back 2 nights later to try the lamb. Also, throughout our stay we kept to a Two Desserts Per Day Program. It was heaven! If BabyGirl#2 ends up with a sweet tooth, i think we can blame it exclusively on the amount of in utero dessert she ate on this trip.
At the end of the trip, when we were all saying our goodbyes, Stan made the comment, "Well, we had two goals for this trip, and i think we accomplished them!" The Professor and i were both confused. Goals? I don't remember discussing any goals.
He said, "The two goals were for Vicky and I to get to know the BabyGirl, and to spoil you three as much as possible."
In that case, yes, they did accomplish their goals! They paid for EVERYTHING for us. We didn't spend a dime. The steak, the lamb, the two-a-day desserts—they paid for it all. They wined-and-dined us like kings. We resorted to all sorts of trickery to attempt to pay for things, and our efforts were always thwarted. It was so generous and so loving of them. I'll always remember their kindness.
These past few months, The Professor and i have been the recipients of some truly astounding acts of generosity. I knew before, but now believe so strongly that grace is powerful. A gift like Stan and Vicky's, that was completely unmerited, and that we could never hope to repay, is so deeply moving. It inspires me all the more to live a life worthy of the calling i have received. Like Jean Valjean, to use this gift to become an honest man.
I want to be as giving as Uncle Stan and Aunt Vicky. They have their own children and their own grandchildren. They didn't have to take us on vacation; they could have very easily spent that money on a trip with their grandchildren. I don't know why the Lord put it on their hearts to spoil us, but they certainly went to it with gusto!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
BabyGirl Goes Strolling
This weekend we enjoyed some beautiful weather, and the BabyGirl finally got to take her baby doll outside for a walk! The doll + stroller were an ingenious gift from Aunt Kay, who is one of the world's leading experts on little girls and everything related thereunto. The BabyGirl had a blast pushing her stroller on the driveway and sidewalk. After a while, however, she decided that she preferred to run, so she abandoned the doll in a neighbor's yard and sprinted down the street. The duty then fell to me to keep up with the doll and stroller =].
Here are a few pictures of our experience:
Here are a few pictures of our experience:
Thursday, March 1, 2012
We're Watching TV!
We've been without tv for several years. My parents, who watch a lot of television, are always saying, "Did you see that commercial where . . . ?" Most things in life remind them of a commercial. It's one of the funny quirks about them that i love. The thing that makes it so funny is that they have continued asking this for years, when we have no possible way of seeing any commercials, because we don't have tv.
We purposely cancelled our cable forever ago but we could still get about three main network channels plus four Spanish channels and a couple of home shopping channels. We could still watch big events like the World Series, the presidential inauguration, etc. In fact, i have very fond memories of being in labor while watching the Braves' home opener. It was Bobby's last season, as well as Jason Heyward's rookie debut.
Eventually the television broadcast made the switch to all-digital, and then we no longer got any channels. We still had the physical tv set, which we used to watch DVDs and play Wii, but we couldn't watch any actual tv on it.
At one point The Professor went to buy a converter box, but the store was sold out. The dude in the blue polo shirt said that they always sell out the same day that they receive a shipment. The shipments arrived randomly, and they never knew which day the converters were coming. If you weren't in the store within the first few hours of a day the converters arrived, then you were out of luck.
Well we certainly weren't committed to tv enough to warrant stalking Best Buy just to buy a digital converter, so we forgot all about it. We happily lived our lives for a long time without tv. Occasionally there are big events that we are interested in seeing, so we just invite ourselves over to other people's houses.
But here's where the story changes: our good friend Audrey gave us a converter box! It was so generous of her. We're so greatful and excited!
It took us a few days to get around to hooking it up once we got it, and wouldn't you know but the same day we plugged it up was a Big Event TV Day! We watched the Oscars! During the show they kept talking about the fact that billions of people around the world were watching, and they were talking about us! We're included in those billions. Small villages in Central America, all the proud people in France, and us in our basement.
And, the commercials were great! I didn't watch the Superbowl this year, but according to the world of facebook, the commercials were just so-so. Well i'll tell ya: the Oscar commercials this year were impressive. Or maybe they've been showing these same commercials for the past 4 months and i just didn't know about it.
I remember that in years past, the morning after Oscar night, numerous co-workers would show up to work looking haggard, and would spend all day complaining about how tired they were because they stayed up way too late watching the Oscars. In one particular job we started work at 5:30am, so watching tv until 11pm was in fact VERY late. This year, the BabyGirl also got to share in the experience of staying up way too late to watch the Oscars.
Truth be told, she wasn't "watching" the Oscars at all. She was having the time of her life running around in the basement and getting into all kinds of mischief because she knew i was paying her no attention whatsoever. Her bedtime was smack in the middle of Billy Crystal's opening ceremonies, and i couldn't tear myself away. Therefore, she got to stay up past her bedtime. I could just imagine her the next morning feeling tired and sluggish like all my old co-workers, and complaining to her friend David (whom she calls "Daybid") that, "I stayed up WAY too late watching the Oscars."
This small development in our lives has brought us much enjoyment. It is a fun diversion that we would otherwise not have but for the kindness of a friend. It's a break from routine, as well as a *free* source of entertainment. So thank you once again, Audrey!
We purposely cancelled our cable forever ago but we could still get about three main network channels plus four Spanish channels and a couple of home shopping channels. We could still watch big events like the World Series, the presidential inauguration, etc. In fact, i have very fond memories of being in labor while watching the Braves' home opener. It was Bobby's last season, as well as Jason Heyward's rookie debut.
Eventually the television broadcast made the switch to all-digital, and then we no longer got any channels. We still had the physical tv set, which we used to watch DVDs and play Wii, but we couldn't watch any actual tv on it.
At one point The Professor went to buy a converter box, but the store was sold out. The dude in the blue polo shirt said that they always sell out the same day that they receive a shipment. The shipments arrived randomly, and they never knew which day the converters were coming. If you weren't in the store within the first few hours of a day the converters arrived, then you were out of luck.
Well we certainly weren't committed to tv enough to warrant stalking Best Buy just to buy a digital converter, so we forgot all about it. We happily lived our lives for a long time without tv. Occasionally there are big events that we are interested in seeing, so we just invite ourselves over to other people's houses.
But here's where the story changes: our good friend Audrey gave us a converter box! It was so generous of her. We're so greatful and excited!
It took us a few days to get around to hooking it up once we got it, and wouldn't you know but the same day we plugged it up was a Big Event TV Day! We watched the Oscars! During the show they kept talking about the fact that billions of people around the world were watching, and they were talking about us! We're included in those billions. Small villages in Central America, all the proud people in France, and us in our basement.
And, the commercials were great! I didn't watch the Superbowl this year, but according to the world of facebook, the commercials were just so-so. Well i'll tell ya: the Oscar commercials this year were impressive. Or maybe they've been showing these same commercials for the past 4 months and i just didn't know about it.
I remember that in years past, the morning after Oscar night, numerous co-workers would show up to work looking haggard, and would spend all day complaining about how tired they were because they stayed up way too late watching the Oscars. In one particular job we started work at 5:30am, so watching tv until 11pm was in fact VERY late. This year, the BabyGirl also got to share in the experience of staying up way too late to watch the Oscars.
Truth be told, she wasn't "watching" the Oscars at all. She was having the time of her life running around in the basement and getting into all kinds of mischief because she knew i was paying her no attention whatsoever. Her bedtime was smack in the middle of Billy Crystal's opening ceremonies, and i couldn't tear myself away. Therefore, she got to stay up past her bedtime. I could just imagine her the next morning feeling tired and sluggish like all my old co-workers, and complaining to her friend David (whom she calls "Daybid") that, "I stayed up WAY too late watching the Oscars."
This small development in our lives has brought us much enjoyment. It is a fun diversion that we would otherwise not have but for the kindness of a friend. It's a break from routine, as well as a *free* source of entertainment. So thank you once again, Audrey!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Mission Accomplished
It was late July of 2011, and we were a few days away from loading up the U-Haul to leave the Big City. Since we were a few days away from moving, and since we wanted to eat at our favorite restaurants one last time, I had ordered takeout from an amazing Latino restaurant in our neighborhood.
I walked to the restaurant in the evening twilight. It was the most perfect time of day. The whole world was bathed in a pink glow of sunset, and the temperature had dropped slightly. People were headed home from work, and life was quieting down. It was a very peaceful and reflective walk.
The streets were very familiar to me; i had spent the past six years in this neighborhood. But when you are about to leave a place, you frequently notice things you passed over before. I noticed each building, each smell, each sound. I wanted to soak everything in and store it up in my mind for good.
It was a very nostalgic walk. I truly love that neighborhood. Nonetheless, it was bittersweet. I was moving away because i wanted to. Actually, i was desparate to move. I had cried and begged and pleaded with God to be able to leave. He graciously and providentially answered my prayer. But in that moment, when everything was pleasant and peaceful, i thought, "Now why exactly do i want to leave this?"
I looked around at all the hundreds of apartment buildings filled with people, and thought, "All these people live here and do fine. What's wrong with me that i can't?"
The other pedestrians with me on the sidewalk, they rode the bus home and stopped at the market for dinner and will walk up multiple flights of stairs to their apartment. How come they do it just fine but it makes me so incredibly cosmic? The problem wasn't with the Big City; it was with me. If i was a stronger person, i could manage all the logistical difficulties of urban life. If i was strong enough, i could stay here in this place i love.
But I'm not strong enough, so i'm leaving. I felt embarrassed. I was leaving with my tail between my legs, white flag raised in surrender.
Then, on our last Sunday at church, all our dear friends prayed over us. After the service, our pastor and good friend Keith said that during the prayer, he kept hearing the words "Mission Accomplished." He was very encouraging, and said that as the Lord was closing one chapter of our lives and opening another, we could take pride in the fact that we had accomplished the work that had been given to us.
Well that was the complete opposite from what i had been feeling. I thought i failed the mission; now you're saying i'm victorious?
I told him my thoughts about leaving in defeat, and he said matter-of-factly, "That's a lie."
In the months that followed, the lie of defeat once again became easy to believe. If we'd just stayed in the Big City for another 15 years until the economy improves, then we wouldn't be having all these issues with our condo.
Now we are back to present-day February 2012. The Professor, BabyGirl, and i made a pilgrimage back to the Big City to visit. It was a wonderful trip. We got to see all our old friends. I saw Clare Adella perform at Pressure, i celebrated at Emily's baby shower, and we went to our old church.
Going back to church again was such a moving experience. People that i'd only casually known were SO HAPPY to see us. It didn't make any sense. It was touching, but it didn't make sense. The people that i had known very deeply were exponentially more happy to see us. It wasn't until i stood in that church service that i truly believed that our mission was accomplished. It finally sank into my heart. I was so joyful to be there worshipping with dear brothers and sisters that i love with all my heart.
Being back again and seeing how warmly we were received finally proved to me that we had given our all to that church. We had engaged it 100%. We had held nothing back. I was at peace with the fact that our work was done. We had served that church for several years. Now we have passed on the torch, and the church is still flourishing.
We have so many beautiful relationships as a result of our time there. For example: when you stay at someone's house for 3 nights, and every single night your BabyGirl wakes up screaming at 3am, and screams so loud that you can hear it a block away, but at the end your hosts hug you tightly and thank you for coming; that's how you know what a true friend is.
Or the fact that another friend gave us her digital converter box. And another friend had multiple friends and family in town but took time out of her busy schedule to meet me for coffee.
As a result of my time in the city, i will always have a heart for urban ministry. It is HARD. Hard in a way that outsiders just can't understand. I will always have a heart for refugees. I will always have a heart for prostitutes and people in slavery. I will always have a heart for school violence. I will always love Polish people, and Indian will always be my favorite ethnic food.
Who knows if our urban life chapter is truly closed, or if we'll find ourselves back there someday. All i know is that i spent the formative years of my adulthood in the Big City, and it has made me who i am. It was a mission that i am forever greatful to have been given. "To God be the glory, great things He hath done!"
I walked to the restaurant in the evening twilight. It was the most perfect time of day. The whole world was bathed in a pink glow of sunset, and the temperature had dropped slightly. People were headed home from work, and life was quieting down. It was a very peaceful and reflective walk.
The streets were very familiar to me; i had spent the past six years in this neighborhood. But when you are about to leave a place, you frequently notice things you passed over before. I noticed each building, each smell, each sound. I wanted to soak everything in and store it up in my mind for good.
It was a very nostalgic walk. I truly love that neighborhood. Nonetheless, it was bittersweet. I was moving away because i wanted to. Actually, i was desparate to move. I had cried and begged and pleaded with God to be able to leave. He graciously and providentially answered my prayer. But in that moment, when everything was pleasant and peaceful, i thought, "Now why exactly do i want to leave this?"
I looked around at all the hundreds of apartment buildings filled with people, and thought, "All these people live here and do fine. What's wrong with me that i can't?"
The other pedestrians with me on the sidewalk, they rode the bus home and stopped at the market for dinner and will walk up multiple flights of stairs to their apartment. How come they do it just fine but it makes me so incredibly cosmic? The problem wasn't with the Big City; it was with me. If i was a stronger person, i could manage all the logistical difficulties of urban life. If i was strong enough, i could stay here in this place i love.
But I'm not strong enough, so i'm leaving. I felt embarrassed. I was leaving with my tail between my legs, white flag raised in surrender.
Then, on our last Sunday at church, all our dear friends prayed over us. After the service, our pastor and good friend Keith said that during the prayer, he kept hearing the words "Mission Accomplished." He was very encouraging, and said that as the Lord was closing one chapter of our lives and opening another, we could take pride in the fact that we had accomplished the work that had been given to us.
Well that was the complete opposite from what i had been feeling. I thought i failed the mission; now you're saying i'm victorious?
I told him my thoughts about leaving in defeat, and he said matter-of-factly, "That's a lie."
In the months that followed, the lie of defeat once again became easy to believe. If we'd just stayed in the Big City for another 15 years until the economy improves, then we wouldn't be having all these issues with our condo.
Now we are back to present-day February 2012. The Professor, BabyGirl, and i made a pilgrimage back to the Big City to visit. It was a wonderful trip. We got to see all our old friends. I saw Clare Adella perform at Pressure, i celebrated at Emily's baby shower, and we went to our old church.
Going back to church again was such a moving experience. People that i'd only casually known were SO HAPPY to see us. It didn't make any sense. It was touching, but it didn't make sense. The people that i had known very deeply were exponentially more happy to see us. It wasn't until i stood in that church service that i truly believed that our mission was accomplished. It finally sank into my heart. I was so joyful to be there worshipping with dear brothers and sisters that i love with all my heart.
Being back again and seeing how warmly we were received finally proved to me that we had given our all to that church. We had engaged it 100%. We had held nothing back. I was at peace with the fact that our work was done. We had served that church for several years. Now we have passed on the torch, and the church is still flourishing.
We have so many beautiful relationships as a result of our time there. For example: when you stay at someone's house for 3 nights, and every single night your BabyGirl wakes up screaming at 3am, and screams so loud that you can hear it a block away, but at the end your hosts hug you tightly and thank you for coming; that's how you know what a true friend is.
Or the fact that another friend gave us her digital converter box. And another friend had multiple friends and family in town but took time out of her busy schedule to meet me for coffee.
As a result of my time in the city, i will always have a heart for urban ministry. It is HARD. Hard in a way that outsiders just can't understand. I will always have a heart for refugees. I will always have a heart for prostitutes and people in slavery. I will always have a heart for school violence. I will always love Polish people, and Indian will always be my favorite ethnic food.
Who knows if our urban life chapter is truly closed, or if we'll find ourselves back there someday. All i know is that i spent the formative years of my adulthood in the Big City, and it has made me who i am. It was a mission that i am forever greatful to have been given. "To God be the glory, great things He hath done!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)