Tidbits from the week

IT has been a good week! Nothing too out of the ordinary, but a good week at that.

Hunter turned 6 weeks old this week (!) and had a check-up on Monday. It's always so exciting to see how much a little one can grow in just a short time. At his appt. he weighed 10 lbs 11 oz and was 21.5" long. I cannot believe how quickly he is growing. (Over two pounds and 1.5" in just a few weeks!) I feel like he even looks so much different than a week ago.  He is also smiling SO much, and I can't get enough of it! I love this little boy more than I could have imagined.  We are getting on a more consistent and predictable schedule, which makes for less stressful days and more sleeping at night.  So needless to say-- I am pretty stoked about that! :)  Evelyn is continuing to keep me on my toes and give me plenty of laughs every day. She is so funny and full of life. It is so fun to see her & Hunter together.  She loves him and he loves to smile at her attempts to make him laugh. We are taking full advantage of every nice day to play outside in the yard or go to the park.  Ev LOVES being outside so I am not really looking forward to cold weather that will keep us cooped up inside...ugh! But for now, just enjoying the nice days. She continues to amaze me with her capacity (and desire) to learn.  That girl is a sponge!  She can now count to 14, name her colors, several shapes, and MOST of her ABC's (she skips a handful here and there lol), and repeats literally EVERYTHING we say. And last but not least, she slept in her big girl bed all night last night! I think it was a bigger deal for mommy than for Evelyn :)

This week was also the first night of fall Cross Check, our Youth Group.  We had 24 Jr. & Sr. Highers which was awesome! We had kick off party at our house and had a fire, played games, and had lotsa food. It was so fun & I am excited to start the year off!

Also, I made a new recipe this week that was a hit! It was Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili.  BUT I substituted a lb. of stew meat (and shredded it) for the chicken due to a certain poultry allergy in our house ;-) It turned out SO yummy! (And it makes a lot, so we had enough for leftovers & some to freeze--Score!) I served it over rice, with grated cheddar cheese & sour cream on top. I purposely made it on Tuesday when it was cold and rainy all day--the best time for a nice warm chili! :-) 

Those are the highlights from this week. And I few pictures for good measure...

 fun @ the park

the cutest little brother around!

So sweet!

My life

(click to view full post)

There are definitely different stages of parenting.  And each stage brings it's own joys and hardships. The newborn/baby stage is when your parenting basically consists of meeting all of the physical needs of this tiny human totally dependent on you. As that newborn grows and develops and miraculously transitions into the toddler stage, your parenting is still marked by meeting the child's physical needs...but also enters a little thing called discipline. Ay yi yi. The newborn stage is tough.  The toddler stage is tough.  Being in both stages  simultaneously is doubly tough! :-) But it also brings double the joy and blessings.  That sounds like a cheesy little cliche, and it kind of is-- But the Lord is graciously allowing me to see the truth of it!  I will be honest,  the first couple weeks were rough.  Not because Hunter was a "bad" baby, but it was just exhausting!  And emotional.  And being really honest, I had kind of a bad attitude.  I recall a conversation with a friend where I said "Yeah, I am realizing how much I hate the newborn stage!".  Bringing that to mind now, I am actually ashamed that I said that.  Or more so, ashamed that I really did feel that way.  The reason I wasn't enjoying it is because I was constantly thinking of ME. What I wanted to do. (sleep.) What I didn't want to do. (NOT sleep). haha.  I was not content.  I longed for a time where I would sleep again, where I could actually go places again, where I felt like I had some sort of control over my day, where I could (and would desire to) take a shower and put on real clothes.  All the while, my little man is growing and time is moving on.  I know things will get easier. I know I will sleep again.  But at that point, I will be missing all of the sweet things you get with a baby baby.  I know that in this stage there is much the Lord longs to teach me.  There are many joys I can experience if I just stop focusing on me!  "This too shall pass" is a reminder that things won't always be this stressful. But it also reminds me that this precious time with my little ones will one day come to an end. These days, while hectic, really are such a blessing.  And with this change of heart, they have only become better!  I look at my silly, funny, ball of energy named Evelyn and thank the Lord for her. I love her joy and her vibrant personality.  I look at the face of my sweet little boy and it is amazing that I love him so much-- but I know as he grows and I get to know who he is, I will love him even more.  If nothing else, I hope you take this away from my babblings... Learn to be content!  Each season of life is so special and so unique, carrying with it a new set of trials and blessings.  Choosing to be content and choosing to find joy in your circumstances makes all the difference. And we can rest in the fact that a Lord who loves us is in control.  And because of that there is always joy to be found!

I'm baaacccckk!!!!!!!

(click to read full post)

Well basically I stink at this blog. S-T-I-N-K, stink. It has only been 6 months since I've posted...I mean,come on. I do find it funny that I started this blog like, 3 weeks after giving birth to Evelyn...and somehow I find myself moseying on back here 4 weeks having Hunter. Apparently the craziness of having a newborn leaves me longing for an outlet for my mind. When your life is now all about caring for a newborn, keeping up with a very active too-smart-for-her-own-good toddler, endless diapers from one, potty training another, not to mention making sure everyone is fed, clean, clothed, entertained (ha!), and loved, I guess it just feels good to verbalize my thoughts-- even if it's just to make sure my brain is still functioning properly.

Again, I find myself learning, or re-learning, one of the same lessons from the short 19 months ago when Ev was born. Though my world seems upside down (in a good way) and crazy (also, in a good way!), my God is never-changing. He is sufficient. His truth remains true regardless of my circumstances and feelings.

I love hymns. There are a handful (or a few handfuls) or hymns I just love. Their words are so rich, and the depth of truth in them is such an encouragement and refreshing for my soul. I find myself singing them to Hunter in the middle of the night..I think because that is when I need them the most! So I want to share a quick verse from one of my favorites, He Leadeth Me.

"Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me."

It just is a reminder to me first of my dependence on the Lord for guidance. Then also just remembering that when I am depending on and following Him, I can be confident that since He is the One in control, I have nothing to fear, nothing lacking, and nothing to complain about. I can be content whatever circumstances come my way, content (and joyful) even on the crazy days, because it is my God that is leading me. 

I am not making any promises, but I hope to be blogging a bit more regularly... I know you all missed me ;-)