These Two Couldn't Be Better For One Another

Jennavieve took her first steps the other night.  The pure delight on her face was priceless.  It's like she knew that her little legs were figuring something out and she nailed it.  She didn't go far, just a few steps a time, but that was enough for me.  We clapped, cheered, and squeezed her tight, reveling in her new found freedom.

Then, something amazing happened.  Mason scooted over to me, looked up at my face and I knew that he wanted to try.  I lifted him to his feet, helped him to get going and before we knew it he had walked across the whole room.

He had taken a few steps here and there, but never this far.  He just needed to see someone his size do it first.

Now, a few days later, they're both toddling all over the place.  Jennavieve is definitely stronger and getting closer to truly walking on her own.  But Mason is not far behind.  He delights in his little sister's accomplishments, and I think he really loves to watch her get around.  She gets going first and if he's able, he'll find something to pull up on and walk right along with her.  I can't wait to see them chasing each other, or better yet, holding hands walking together.

I had a lot of fears about having another baby so close in age to Mason.  Down syndrome causes developmental delays in children, and it's impossible to predict what those delays might be.  I wanted Mason to be his own person, reach milestones before his baby sister and truly be the big brother.

These two couldn't be better for one another.  Jennavieve pushes Mason to be stronger, more independent, and brave.  Although it's not exactly the way we would want her to communicate, Mason has taught Jennavieve how to get our attention, he is the one who showed her how to push their little cart.  He gives her kisses and hugs, waves to her from his crib in the morning and cares for her as only he can.  Mason is the big brother in every way.

I never thought I would sit and wonder at both of my children learning how to do things together.  But it's wonderful.  My heart bursts with pride and joy as I watch them learn and grow.

We don't always get an open window to see what God is doing, or has done.  Sometimes He keeps those things secret.  Every now and then, though, He gives us these glimpses to remind us that He is working something far more wonderful than we could ever imagine.

What I Learned :: June/July Edition

I take a lot of pictures of feet.  This is what my husband told me when looking through my Instagram photos one day.  I told him he just didn't get it.  Also, those sandals were only $17 at Target, thanks to a tip from my sister.  She says they look just like some of Steve Madden's.

Steve Madden is a designer.  I had to google him after finding out about the look-alike at Target.  {see above}.

Dolly Parton wears wigs. I overheard this on a TV while shopping in Target.  I haven't verified the accuracy, but it makes sense.  I always wondered how her hair looked perfect all.the.time.

You can live without a bed for 12 days and survive.  This, and some other things about how God showed me that I love my stuff too much, written up in a blog post a few weeks ago.  You can read it here.

No matter how old I get, there are still days when I just want my mom and dad.  Life changes do that to me, like having a baby and moving.  There have been many days since we moved to Florida that I would love to be with my parents, sitting in their living room drinking coffee and chatting.

Having a GPS on your phone doesn't mean you won't get lost.  Navigating my way around our new town has been a challenge for me.  Everything is so spread out.  When we lived on the West Coast it was easy for me to tell directions because I could just look for the water.  For some reason the water of the Gulf Coast has me all confused.  I make a lot of u-turns and try not to get frustrated when running errands takes twice as long.

Making friends as an adult is just as hard as it was in middle and high school.  I get all nervous, spending way too much time thinking about what to wear assuming that somehow that is what will make people like me, and then I chicken out and won't even ask for someone's phone number because of the insecurity that I feel.  Please, tell me I'm not the only woman in my 30's who still struggles with this!!

Apparently I slam on the brakes.  A lot.  When stopping at a light the other day, Isabella said to me, "Mommy, why do you always do that?"  I don't really think I have a problem with this, but maybe it has to do with the u-turns and getting lost {see above}.

There is a man here in Pensacola who fishes seven days a week, 14 hours a day, in the same spot, and earns a living of about $75K a year.  That's pretty amazing.  He loves his job.  And people who visit the Gulf Coast must really love to eat fish.

 H&M has some amazing prices on kids' clothing.  I ordered some dresses for Isabella the other day, and we're eagerly awaiting their arrival.  How did I never know about this store before now??

The average piano weighs 600 pounds.  I know this because we were exactly 600 pounds overweight on our recent move and Bradley thought was certain it was because of the piano.  I'm sure it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we purchased bedroom furniture since our last move...

My kids are pretty incredible.  I already knew this, but had to include it here.  They've put up with a lot of change, busy parents, no friends, traveling in the car, strange schedules, etc., and they have handled everything beautifully.  Yes, we've had our share of tears, bad attitudes, grumbling, and disobedience.  But they truly are flexible and adaptable.  God is good and has showered us with countless blessings, four of which are our precious children.

What have you learned this summer?? I'd love for you to share!

Linking up with Chatting at the Sky

What I Learned :: April Edition

Joining with some others today for a little re-cap of lessons learned in April.  It was fun to think back on this month about the varying lessons I've learned.  Some are serious, some might seem insignificant, both are channels of change.     

1. My husband can throw a baby shower.  He planned and organized a baby shower for one of his Navy buddies.  It was a corn hole tournament.  Everyone could buy in to the tournament for $20; half of the proceeds went to the parents-to-be, and half was divided between the members of the winning team.  We had a blast, and I would highly recommend it!

2. Eating by a strictly Paleo diet is not fun, but it did teach me to have better self-control.  I needed to completely eliminate sweet foods and carbohydrates from my diet for a time, so that I could go back to a more moderate form of eating.  It was amazing, too, how much I learned about self-control in other areas of my life.  {This has made me want to do a thorough study on fasting in Scripture}.

3. It is possible to keep the top of my dresser clutter-free.  We've had our house on the market for about 52 days now, and it's been spotless {my dresser, not the house}.  My husband used to say he was going to buy me a dresser with a slanted top so that everything would just fall off, forcing me to keep it tidy.  Change is possible.

4. I love banana pudding.  I served it twice to company in April, using this Southern Style Banana Pudding recipe.  Delicious.

5. There are some wonderful connections to be made via Instagram.  Pictures from all over the world are coming into my feeds every day.  It's inspiring, encouraging, reminding me to pray, and sharing life in a small way with people around the globe.

6. If you drop a jug of milk on the floor, it will quite possibly crack in half, burst open, covering your floor with its frothy sticky substance.

7. 1 Peter is quickly becoming my favorite book of the Bible.  We're studying this in our Women's Bible study at church right now and I am loving it!

8. I learned about www.blueletterbible.org.   Some of you may be familiar with this site already, but it was new for me.  When I was in Bible college we had to flip through concordances, commentaries, Bible dictionaries, etc., for help in studying; that's the only way I've known how to do it all these years.  Now, I can just type in a word or phrase and this website will pull up all kinds of information for me.  {See #7 as to why this is so exciting}.

9. My children are learning spiritual truths.  We talk to our kids about the Lord, read God's Word to them, and strive to live out our faith in front of them.  We don't always know, though, what's really sinking in.  The other day, my oldest daughter, who is 5, brought me a piece of paper and a marker and said:

"Mommy, can you please write: Pray When I Am Scared on this piece of paper?  I'm going to put it on my nightstand, and when I look at it I will remember to pray.  Sometimes when I'm scared I forget to pray, but this will help me remember." 

Thank you, Lord, for working in her little heart.



What do you learn in April? 

 Linking up with Chatting at the Sky today.  Come on over!

Giving the Paleo Diet a try

Dieting is not a favorable task in our home.

We love food.

When my husband told me the other day that he wanted to do a Paleo diet for a month, I responded in a not so submissive wifely manner.  Meaning, I said don't you realize there are five other people in this house that require food every day, how could you possibly think that adding this to my plate right now is a good idea and there is no way I am going to do it?!

Not my finest moment as a wife.

The Lord convicted me of my wrong attitude, and I started looking through the Practical Paleo cookbook that has been sitting in our kitchen for over a year now.  To my surprise, I found that in many ways we were eating like that already.  Processed foods aren't generally in my weekly meal plans, and I do cook mostly from scratch, so it didn't seem as challenging as I thought.

The nice thing about this book is that included with the recipes are 30 day meal plans based upon what kind of issue you are addressing. I'm adapting the fat loss plan a little bit, to fit more our daily schedule, but following the guidelines as much as possible.

In preparation for this diet, we did what any food lover would do and we went out for dinner Saturday night.  I had to capture this food with my camera phone:

Steak au poivre with pomme frittes

Chocolate chip Cheesecake

Yesterday was Day 1.

At 3:15 yesterday afternoon I said to Bradley, "This diet is dumb."

And as we grumbled a little bit about it we realized that we have a problem.  We couldn't even go a few hours without feeling the need for something sweet, dairy or carbohydrates.

For me it boils down to this:  a lack of self-control.

So, we're sticking this diet thing out for at least a week, since I planned meals for one week's time. And during this time, I'm really asking the Lord to teach me about self-control.   Not just in my eating, although that is foremost on my mind, but in other areas like attitude, speech, reactions to unpleasant circumstances, etc.

As I watch what I put into my mouth a little more closely, I'm hoping that what is displayed in my life will reflect more powerfully the Spirit at work to change me and make me more like Christ.

Lunch: Avocado with balsamic vinaigrette 

Dinner Day 1: hamburger with caramelized onions, Dijon, and tomato; grilled veggies; roasted sweet potatoes

Our Home

It's official, our home is now on the market.

The sign and lock have been out for almost two weeks now, but due to the MLS site being down last week, our home has officially been listed for six days.

There are certainly plenty of  mixed emotions as we begin the process of saying goodbye to what has been our home for the past 3 plus years.  Just like our first home, this home has provided a place where the unexpected has changed us.

We said goodbye to one precious baby shortly after moving in, and for the first time I understood the grief that so many mothers-to-be face with a miscarriage.

We watched our second daughter take her first steps and learn to talk.

Our hearts rejoiced as we welcomed our third child, our first son.  And with his life came the unexpected journey of Down Syndrome that has forever changed us.  

Our fourth child came home from the hospital to this house, and she's growing and learning here.

We've entertained friends and strangers, praying that their hearts would be encouraged and they would see Jesus in our home.  

My home has been a safe haven for me during some of the most challenging years of my life. These walls have seen my tears, heard my cries, felt my angered footsteps and leaps of joy.

So, I guess I'll be saying goodbye to a friend when I close the door and walk away to begin a new chapter in our journey.

This journey that we're on has taken us to many places, and now we're just three months away from another new place.  There are countless unknowns on the horizon, of which I'm both terrified and excited.

In the midst of it all, though, I'm so thankful that God remains constant.  Walls cannot contain Him.  God is with us, Emmanuel.  He remains steadfast, unshakable, unchanging, always wise, always loving, always good.

It is with confidence, eagerness, and joy that I can embark on the unknown, because I know the One who goes before me.

Reading Lately

Each year I have a pile of books that I want to read, and as the year progresses, I add more to the list and tend to put off some of the older ones.  This year I've been trying to read books that I already own {with the exception of two}, before purchasing any new ones.  There are quite a few that I'd love to have copies of, but I'm sticking to my plan, and so far it's going quite well.

Here's what I've been reading lately:

//Grace Based Parenting, Tim Kimmel.  An excellent read for any parent or grandparent.  And it's not all about forgetting discipline and structure in your home.  This book is full of practical and philosophical information on how to have a home that is centered around God's grace.  Living, teaching, and exemplifying grace to my kids is tough; this definitely challenged and encouraged me.

//Choosing Gratitude, Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  My mom gave me this for Christmas, and it truly helped my attitude at the beginning of the year.  I was struggling with anger and discontentment, and as the Lord worked in my heart, teaching me to be thankful in everything {again--I just can't seem to get this!}, I started seeing my day-to-day challenges not as negative but as good.

//Radical, David Platt.  This book took me almost an entire year to read.  I felt convicted and challenged.  My dad heard that I was reading it and jokingly said, "Don't read that one!  It will mess you up!"  Mess you up in a good way, that is, to think of life in a way that contradicts our American norm.  If you are comfortable with your life, then you should probably read this book.

//Don't Make Me Count to Three, Ginger Plowman.  I've had this book on my stack every year since I became a mom in 2008.  And, I've read the first half of it about 5 times.  I finally finished it.  The main lesson I learned from this book was the importance of Scripture in training our children.  It takes time, energy, and a lot of thought -- which are running low in my life -- but if I want my kids to really understand how to live life in relationship with God, then they need to know how Scripture applies to the situations they encounter everyday.

//A Praying Life, Paul Miller.  One of the best books I've ever read.  And it is transforming my prayer life.  I was mostly challenged to pray big and not to overspiritualize my prayers.  If you're not sure what I mean by that, read the book :).

//Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, Crystal Paine.  This book caught my eye while in Barnes & Noble one day.  I promptly went home and bought it online {much cheaper}, and loved it.  Some of the principles Crystal shares have helped me in practical ways over the past month or so.  For example, I believed that myth that all good homemakers had a 'laundry day'.  And it drove me nuts!  Crystal suggests doing one load of laundry every day, and it really has transformed my outlook on this overwhelming task.  I'm still working to get my loads folded and put away before the next day arrives, but it's coming.

//Hope for the Weary Mom, Where God Meets You in Your Mess, Stacey Thacker and Brooke McGlothlin.   I've been asked to share some of my story with a group of women who are going through this study, so I thought it would be helpful to read  it first.  As a woman who often feels like things are a mess, I appreciated so much the biblical reminders and practical advice.

My current read is Shattered Dreams, by Larry Crabb.  We shouldn't be surprised by challenges and trials, but when they come at unexpected times and in unexpected ways, it can really shake us.  I can't give a full report on this one yet, but I will say that I wish I could take a few days and read it cover to cover, soaking in everything he says; there's a lot to digest.

Stepping Heavenward -- I've started this one, but haven't gotten very far.  It's going on my nightstand for my bedtime reading.   

What are you reading right now?  Do you have any recommendations for me?

Seven months and my fears are lifted

When I found out I was pregnant with my fourth child I was scared.  Our son was just six months old and we were still adjusting to the fact that he had Down Syndrome.

Would this child also have some sort of special need?  How would I be able to truly care for both of them?  Surely someone is going to be neglected.  Will I love another child more or less?  

We had talked about having more children, but it was always way down the road, like after Mason learned to walk, and maybe once he was potty trained.  But here we were with a baby who still couldn't roll over at six months, and another one on the way.

That pregnancy was filled with ups and downs emotionally as I anticipated the arrival of that little girl.  There was relief when we found out all the prenatal testing came back negative.  But, then there was also guilt over feeling relieved.

When I arrived at the hospital on the day I was to be induced, they admitted me to the same room where Mason had been born.  All the memories came flooding back, and when the doctors arrived for the delivery, I made sure they knew to examine my daughter closely for any signs of anything that might not be normal.

And then that moment came when we welcomed our baby girl into the world.

It was just as wonderful and exciting as the previous three times.  We loved her with the same love, rejoiced in her precious life, and waited excitedly for the day we could bring her home.

Today our baby girl is seven months old.

 We've had seven precious months of watching another life grow and develop.  Seven months of watching our oldest girls wonder and exclaim over her.  Seven months of watching our son with Down Syndrome adore his baby sister.

My fears have been lifted.

Mason is quick to comfort Jennavieve when she cries.  He scoots himself over to her and carefully lays his head on her tummy.  He brings her toys when she has none.  They have started 'talking' to one another, copying sounds and squeals.

Yes, it's challenging having two babies who can't walk and some days I grow sad over the developmental delays in Mason when I see his younger sister quickly catching up.

I wouldn't want it any other way.

My children are learning to love and serve others.

I am learning to love and serve and to rejoice in the little achievements of my children.

Most importantly, I'm learning to desperately depend on God.

And as I depend on Him, I find joy and wonder even in my most challenging moments.  Not because it's easier, but because He is becoming greater and more precious to me.

Snow Day in Georgia

We've lived in our home now for 3 years, as of this past Sunday, and Wednesday was the first time we experienced snow here!  That's what happens when you live in Georgia.  The girls were so excited when they woke up in the morning and saw their little picnic table out back covered in snow.  And by covered, I mean about 3 inches.  Yes, 3 inches is an enormous amount of snow in the south, and we go out and play in it as if it is the biggest snow storm ever!