Vacation

What  a handsome man!

Vacation

So, I've been around randomly lately.  After the new year, I'll be back to posting more regularly!  Until then, enjoy some Christmas pictures!

Here is Little Man in his first suit on his way to the Christmas Eve service at church!

Christmas!

I wanted to share a photo of our Little Man running full tilt to his Christmas present!  He LOVES his new horse!  What a blessing to see his little face light up!  He played HARD with every single toy he got.  He sat down and spent time "reading" every book he got.  He even played with his clothes!

Merry Christmas Eve!

I have no words to go with this.  The song says it all.  It brings me to tears each time!  Have a blessed celebration of Chris's birth!

Mary's Response

Imagine this - you are a young girl, betrothed, and starting your life as a new family.  Imagine that God tells you that you will bear a Son - HIS Son.  You aren't married.  You are shamed publicly as is your future husband.  You don't have much money at all.  How would YOU respond?

I know I would be tempted to worry.  Not just tempted.  I would worry 24/7.  I would question God's choice.  I would question my abilities.  I would question my future husband's loyalty to me - does he believe me that I haven't been unfaithful?  I would worry about how others would perceive me.

Mary had an amazing response.  What an overwhelming task she had - to bear and raise the Son of God.  Rather than respond sinfully, she praised God.  What would you do?

Luke 1:46-55 (New Living Translation)

46 Mary responded,
  "Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
   and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
 49 For the Mighty One is holy,
   and he has done great things for me.
 50 He shows mercy from generation to generation
   to all who fear him.
 51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
   He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
 52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
   and exalted the humble.
 53 He has filled the hungry with good things
   and sent the rich away with empty hands.
 54 He has helped his servant Israel
   and remembered to be merciful.
 55 For he made this promise to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and his children forever."

Breastfeeding: One Million Campaign

Thousands of babies fell seriously ill in China because the milk they drank was contaminated with melamine. Some even died. These babies were not breastfed because

baby milk companies convinced parents that their products were better than breastmilk women lacked adequate support to breastfeed their babies at the work place women lacked correct information about infant feeding Growing evidence points out how vital breastfeeding is to infant survival with health. Women are being forced to stop breastfeeding and give their babies infant milk powders because of lack of facilities and support to women to breastfeed and increasing commercial interference in infant feeding. Potential disasters are waiting to happen across the world. We have submitted our FIRST call to world leaders by submitting a petition to the H.E. Mr. N. S. de Silva, President of the 62nd World Health Assembly , Honorable Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition, Government of Sri Lanka, in May 2009. this was submitted jointly by IBFAN , World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action(WABA), Corporate Accountability International and Churches Action for Health, World Council of Churches. As we continue to move towards getting ONE MILLION VOICES, on its way we shall submit our petitions to world leaders at different fora, including the World Economic Forum, next World Health Assembly and also mobilise national level submissions. RAISE YOUR VOICE TO SUPPORT WOMEN TO BREASTFEED. Sign the petition now… To world leaders:As citizens, we call for a stop to commercial interference in infant nutrition, the strict implementation of the International Code for Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and ensuring support for women to breastfeed. We urge you to create/implement legislation that restricts infant milk manufacturers from promoting their products as breastmilk substitutes/baby foods, to have a budgeted plan of action to promote and support women for optimal breastfeeding and to ensure breastfeeding friendly workplaces with adequate nursing breaks in the public and private sector so that working women are not forced to abandon breastfeeding.

Christmas Traditions

Oh - what a wonderful time of year!  It looks like we will have a beautiful white Christmas this year!  I know many of you read my post yesterday about the Santa dilemma (join in the heated debate if you'd like!  I love all the comments!) and today I am seeking even more stories.

You see, this is only the second Christmas in the nearly 10 years that Hubby and I have been married where we have been home for Christmas day.  We have been so busy over the years that we haven't really created our own Christmas traditions.  Now that we are a growing family, those traditions are important to us.

So far, we have our Advent calendar which is a work in progress.  Each sock will have (hopefully by next year) a Bible verse, an activity, and an item.  Right now, we have a few items (mainly nativity figures) in the socks but that's all we have had time for!  We are making Christmas cookies as a family (we'll see how helpful a 14 month old can be!), and we are working out our Christmas morning traditions.

Growing up, my family had a ritual of torture for the children.  We grew up believing in Santa.  We put cookies and milk out Christmas eve.  We put carrots out for the reindeer (they are so often forgotten).  We always went to the Christmas eve service.  We would often celebrate at least weekly through Advent as a family.  Christmas morning was filled with rules that, over the years, I have come to love.

1. Family goes downstairs together - nobody goes down before Mom and Dad are awake - no earlier than 7am.  Everyone will be either dressed or in a robe and slippers with teeth and hair brushed.
2. Dad leads the family down stairs after securing the sheet over the living room doorway.  The family eats a full breakfast and cleans up.
3. After breakfast is cleaned up, stockings were opened.  That mess must be cleaned up as well.
4. Only at this time would Dad take down the sheet from the doorway so we could see the tree and the bounty beneath.
5. Once our excitement and awe subsided just a little bit, we began the long process of opening gifts.  We opened them one at a time so everyone could enjoy everyone else's excitement at their gift.
6. Once the paper was cleaned up, the Christmas Weapons came out.  One stocking gift each year has been weaponry of some sort from nerf guns to rubber bands.  For about 2 hours following gift opening, we have a family-wide and house-wide war complete with bunkers and forts and everything.
7. After the war subsided, the boys would work on assembling toys while the girls worked on Christmas dinner.

As adults, we still keep many of these traditions when we get together as a family.

As Hubby and I are creating our own family traditions, we'd love to hear yours in case it is something we really like and might "borrow!"

Santa Question

Ok.  I have a toddler and one on the way.  We didn't even need to think about the "Santa Issue" last year as he was just a couple years old.  Now, we are starting to think about what we want to do.

How do you handle Santa at your house?  Do you go all out?  Do you have a "Santa-free home?"  What has worked for you? 

I ask this because of a statement a friend of mine made a few years back.  She said that she had a really hard time believing in Jesus once she learned that Santa wasn't real.  I don't want to put a stumbling block in our children's paths.   I don't want to deprive them either.

Our current thinking is that Santa will be a cartoon figure based on the real life Saint Nicholas.   Gifts probably won't come from Santa although Santa decorations won't be "banned."  That's about as far as we have gotten.

What does your family do at Christmas?

Christmas is Coming! Why is Jesus the Reason for the Season?

You'll hear "Happy Holidays."  You'll occasionally hear "Merry Christmas."  You will also sometimes hear "Jesus is the Reason for the Season."  I make it a point to say "Merry Christmas."  It is now a bit counter-cultural after all!

I like the sentiment behind "Jesus is the Reason for the Season."  It is a simple reminder that Christmas isn't about Santa or the STUFF.  The phrase has become trite over the years though - a little quip to throw out  now and again.  What does it really MEAN, though?

Let's look at some scripture to remind us all (I need to hear this every day) why Jesus is the center of the Christmas season:

Romans 3:22-26 (New Living Translation)

22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

With the end purpose of Christmas in mind, it just amazes me to think that Jesus came as a helpless babe.  He cried when He was hungry.  He went through teething.  He learned to take his first tentative steps.  These are all things that now seem so much more real to me now that Little Man is here and learning all these same things.

What an amazing God we serve.  Keep all this in mind this fantastic Christmas season!

Good Friends

Good friends are such a blessing.  I have posted previously about my own struggles to find good, close friends.  Here is some scripture to encourage you to keep building those godly friendships!

2 Corinthians 7:5-7 (New Living Translation)

5 When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. 6 But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. 7 His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!

Breastfeeding Myth: I Am Too Small/Large Busted to Nurse

As I read through posts on a parenting forum, I saw that many expectant moms were under the impression that their breasts are either too large or too small to adequately feed their baby.  This is simply  a myth.  Breast size has no bearing on one's ability to nurse.

First, it is important to understand that the breast is not a storehouse but a factory.  Yes, the breasts do store milk which is why we feel engorged from time to time, but storage is not their main function.  An empty breast actually produces milk faster than a full breast.  Breast storage capacity does not depend on breast size although it can be limited by size.

Breast size and storage capacity does not dictate ability to nurse.  A mom with a smaller storage capacity will still be able to produce plenty of milk for baby, but may need to nurse more frequently whereas a mom with a greater storage capacity can go longer between feedings because of the amount of milk stored. 

It is essential to understand how milk production works.  Kellymom does a great job of explaining the process.   Below is an excerpt from a Frequently Asked Questions page that should answer some other questions you may have.

What happens between feedings?

Milk is produced at all times, not just between feedings. Between feedings, milk collects in mom's breasts. Volume of milk stored in the breast is greater when there has been a greater amount of time between feeds. The amount of milk that can be stored in the breast between feedings (milk storage capacity) varies significantly from mom to mom and is not determined by breast size (although breast size can limit storage capacity). For most women there is not a lot of storage room. Although mothers with both low and high milk storage capacities produce enough milk for their babies, mothers with a greater milk storage capacity may be able to go longer between feedings without impacting milk supply and baby's growth.

Do breasts need time to refill?

Many people mistakenly think of a mother's milk supply as being like "flesh-covered bottles" that are completely emptied and then need time to refill before baby nurses again. This is simply not how we understand milk production to function.
First of all, milk is being produced at all times, so the breast is never empty. Research has shown that babies do not take all the milk available from the breast - the amount that baby drinks depends upon his appetite. The amount of milk removed from the breast varies from feed to feed, but averages around 75-80% of the available milk.

Trying to completely empty a breast is like trying to empty a river -- it's impossible, since more milk will keep flowing in while milk is being removed.

Research also tells us that the emptier the breast, the faster the breast makes milk. So when baby removes a large percentage of milk from the breast, milk production will speed up in response.

Rather than thinking of nursing or pumping as "pouring milk out of a container" think of it as flipping on the "high speed production" switch!

Yet another analogy: Imagine you are using a straw to drink from a glass of water. As you drink, a friend is very slowly pouring water into your glass. The emptier the glass, the faster your friend pours the water. Would you be able to drink all the water in your glass?

Waiting a set amount of time to nurse your baby (under the mistaken belief that breasts need time to "refill") is actually counterproductive. Consistently delaying nursing will lead to decreased milk supply over time because milk production slows when milk accumulates in the breast.

Busy Busy

So busy getting Hubby ready for a conference!  Here's a picture of Little Man enjoying his first spaghetti dinner!

Giveaway Winner

Congrats to Jess!  She is the winner of the two Christmas childrens books!

Keep checking back for more giveaways!  I have two more fantastic Zonderkidz books to giveaway after Christmas!

Getting to the Bottom of Christmas

What is so special about Christmas?  If you look deep in your heart and are honest with yourself, you will realize that Christmas is more than Santa and gifts and family time.  

Christmas is simply amazing to me.  That God would send His Son to Earth to live a sinless life amazes me.  That Jesus gave up his "status" and place in Heaven to come to Earth.  He didn't come as a king.  He didn't come with anything.  He came as a helpless babe.  He was born into a poor family.  He went through childhood like all of us.  He experienced life as a man. He was tempted.  He was ridiculed.  He was mocked.  All so that He could save us.  All so that we could be made new and washed clean.  Merry Christmas!

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (New Living Translation)

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ.

Busy Day, Blessing Boutique

Oh, I just love my church!  The church strives to be  a ray of light in the community by being involved quite often, from handing out free hot cocoa at a parade to passing out free cold bottles of water on a hot summer day to serving many community groups such as soup kitchen, to running a free store for specific areas of the community for people to stock up on free toiletry items. 

Tomorrow is our first Blessing Boutique.  This is a store for parents to shop for baby gear, toys, and children's clothes (even some adult clothes) all for free!  Donations are not required.  It is a chance for people who are struggling to get nice (freshly washed and pressed) clothing without cost at all.

I stayed after MOPS today to help set up.  I had taken several bags of donations to wash and press and put on hangers.  I was amazed as I brought all those items in to the sanctuary.  There was hardly any room to walk!  We were so blessed with donations!  We filled the sanctuary with hanging racks and tables of clothes PLUS we had to put all summer clothes donations into storage PLUS we had stacks of boxes of clothes just ready to be put out as displayed items are claimed.

I am just amazed.  I can see what a huge difference this boutique can have in a family that is struggling for necessities.  I can see how this boutique can allow families to have a nice Christmas for their children (there are even brand new Christmas trees and decorations to be had!).  I was nearly brought to tears.

Thank you to my friend, Missy, who took pictures of the amazing set-up!  Just a note - we were still in the throes of setting up as these pictures were snapped!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for two Christmas Children's books!  Enter daily until Sunday at 6!

Christmas Book Giveaway!

Oh - I love Christmas.  I love books.  I love reading.  I love giving things away!

ZonderKidz has been so kind to send me some books to review and give away! 

Today I am offering up two fantastic books just in time for Christmas!  These will be great for the little ones in your life!

Who Was There on Christmas Night?  
by Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton
illustrated by Buket Erdogan

Little Man was enchanted by the sweet rhymes and colorful illustrations.  He was delighted at the interactive wheel included in the story.  I love that this board book introduces concepts and participants of the first Christmas.  This book is perfect for toddlers through kindergarten.  What a fantastic book!  You can purchase this book here if you would like!

We Believe in Christmas
by Karen Kingsbury
illustrated by Daniel Brown

From the jacket:

'If we want the perfect star to shine upon our tree, look and see that Brightest Star and there will Christmas be."

On Christmas we give and get presents, we sing songs, and we decorate our homes.  But what is Christmas really about?  Is our happy holiday a Holy Day?

Find out why we place the star on the Christmas tree.  Imagine Christmas guests as travelers of long ago.  And let  beautiful song "Silent Night" fill your mind with pictures of the night Jesus was born.  Because Christmas is God's gift to us - and if we look around and remember, we'll learn to see the real Christmas.

This endearing story by bestselling novelist Karen Kingsbury will capture the hearts of children, and parents and grandparents will appreciate the applications they can share.

I absolutely loved this story.  It is definitely not suited for toddlers.  Little Man was more interested in trying to eat the book than listen to the story.  Amazon lists the age range as being 4 - 7.  I know the younger ones can still benefit from the story, however the older ones will more easily grasp the concepts.

This is a great book of discovery and of looking at the world differently for little ones.  Kingsbury helps these children grasp the real meaning of Christmas in a way that relates it to their lives.  You can purchase this book here if you would like.

Giveaway Rules:

1. Giveaway is for the United States only (sorry!). Giveaway will close at 6pm on Sunday, December 13 eastern time.
2. You may enter the giveaway once daily with a simple comment.  Make sure there is a way for me to contact you.
3. You may earn additional entries (one time only) by: 

• blogging about this giveaway and leaving a link in the comment
• tweeting about this giveaway and leaving a link in the comment
• becoming a follower and letting me know with a comment (let me know if you already follow!)

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions!  My email address is penguinelk at yahoo dot com.  (You will need to change at to @ and dot to . - I post my email this way to limit spam).

Good luck!

Works for me Wednesday - Duct Tape and Christmas Tree

Ah - the joys of life with a toddler.  Yesterday, Little Man and I decided to start decorating the tree.  Our adventure began with a box of ornaments crashing to the floor - glass ball ornaments do not hold up well to ceramic tile.  After sequestering baby and dog, I got the mess safely cleaned. 

Next  begins actually decorating.  Our tree is a small artificial tree that I got on black friday a few years back for just $20.  It's about 5 feet tall.  I decided to put it on top of an end table and place it in a front window.  It looks great there especially now with a baby grand piano next to it!  Anyway, please ignore the mess beside the tree and that it isn't centered on the window - now that the piano is there, it is centered, cleaned up, and looks much better!

I made it a point to take out the kid-friendly ornaments and let Little Man play with them, however, the temptation of the tree was just too much.  Those little hands reached out for the tree skirt and yanked that tree nearly onto his little head.  Thankfully, my cat-like reflexes enabled me to grab the tree before disaster struck.

Well, I can't build a fence around the tree (actually, I COULD - a friend of mine DID - but I am just not willing - Little Man needs to learn limits) so I needed a solution to make the tree safer.  Enter Duct Tape!  Have you heard the rule "if it doesn't move and should, use WD-40, if it moves and shouldn't, use duct tape?"  I figured the tree isn't supposed to move so duct tape seemed logical.  The legs are now safely taped to the table under the tree skirt.  Works for me!

Head on over to We Are THAT Family for more great tips and ideas!

Babywearing - A Music Video

This music video made me chuckle! It is based on Beyonce's "Put A Ring On It."

Hot Topic: Teenage Pregnancy and Athletics

I saw this story when it originally aired on ESPN last weekend.  I saw it again this morning on Good Morning America.  You can read the story HERE.

I am curious what you think about this story.  The basics - a high school senior became pregnant and was kept from playing Volleyball.  After getting a doctors note (that stated the need to monitor heart rate and avoid collisions), she was still not allowed to play due to the inherent nature of the sport.  Next she got a note from her nurse at that doctors office which cleared her to play without restriction.  She was allowed back on the court but found her playing time decreased significantly.  In addition, she found that her coach had told the team about her pregnancy.  Her mother is fighting the school on the grounds of sex discrimination.

My take?

I think this story is just absurd.  Yes, pregnant women CAN exercise during pregnancy but should be careful about dehydration, overheating, and raising heart rate too high.  Pregnant women should also avoid physical trauma such as collisions or falls (biggest problem during the 3rd trimester).  As a former teacher (taught high school for 3 years), I understand the difficult situation the school is in.  They need to look out for the safety of the students first and foremost.  They also need to guard against lawsuits.    What would happen if this student miscarried after a physical game?  Would this mother who is fighting so hard for her daughter to play turn around and sue the school for not monitoring her carefully enough?

Also, schools often are looking for ways to educate their pregnant students while not encouraging teenage pregnancies.  I watched as students began wishing for a baby once they held a friend's baby or saw the ultrasound pictures.  One comment I heard repeatedly, "It wouldn't be that hard - I'd have somebody to love me."  Some of those girls who made those comments became pregnant shortly after making those comments.  By limiting some activities (limiting sports, altering class schedule to help student graduate before delivery, etc), other female students will see that life DOES change with a pregnancy and with motherhood.  The girl in the ESPN/ABC piece repeatedly said that she knows there will be a little change, but she wants life to continue the way she planned.  I am not advocating segregating pregnant students from everyone else, but the LOGICAL needs of the new mom need to be taken into account before trying to keep everything the same as it was before pregnancy.  Everything is NOT the same.

I just feel that the health and well being of the unborn baby should be the priority.  The new mom may need to alter her lifestyle a bit - that's just part of LIFE and part of being a MOM!  Why am I so enraged over this issue?  I was just walking during my last pregnancy.  I tripped and fell on my belly and started contractions at 29 weeks.  Thankfully, the doctors were able to stop labor.  The odds were NOT in our favor for a healthy delivery at that point.  I ended up delivering at 35 weeks and 6 days and thankfully, Little Man was healthy enough to come home with me even though he was a month early.  I wonder daily if that fall contributed to my early delivery.  I worry that I won't be able to stay pregnant as long as I need to this time around either.

I wonder where common sense has gone in our society.  What do you think?  Is this sex discrimination?  Is the school district at fault?  Is the mom at fault?  How should this be handled?  Who is right?  Discuss!

Hearts at Home

Everyone loves a good sale, Right? We'll let me tell you about a great one:

It’s a Hearts at Home
Black Friday after Black Friday Sale Dec. 7-11

Did you sleep in on Black Friday? Did you drag yourself out of bed, but still miss out on some awesome deals because you were standing in line too long at one store? Do you still have shopping to do, but dread the crowds, traffic, and cost? Let Hearts at Home help!

Their Black Friday sale has been extended to the week of December 7-11. Shop in the convenience of your own home and receive an unprecedented 25% off all of Hearts books and merchandise. They have great gifts for everyone in your family.

Find gifts for friends, teachers, bible study leaders, bus drivers, and everyone else on your list. You may even find something for yourself. This is a great time to stock up on all those Hearts at Home books you’ve been wanting to read.

Let your family know how much you would love a Hearts at Home gift certificate so you can use it for your Hearts at Home conference registration and/or Mom’s Night Out tickets.

Go to Heartshoppe.com, choose your gifts, and enter code “HEARTGIFT” upon checkout. You will receive 25% off your total purchase (before tax and shipping).

I also want to fill you in on a couple of other great opportunities!

Be sure to check out Jill Savage's blog this month (she is the founder and CEO of Hearts at Home). She is doing one giveaway A DAY through Christmas.

And, if you stop by the Hearts at Home blog December 8 - 11, you will have an opportunity to win a Heart's at Home prayer journal. The prayer journal is a brand new resource from Hearts at Home.

Merry Christmas from Hearts at Home!

Finer Things Friday - Baby Snuggles!

This happened Thursday morning (actually happens many mornings), but it is most definitely a Finer Thing!  Head over to Amy's Finer Things to read more stories!

Thursday morning was simply so sweet.  I brought Little Man in to our bed around 6:15.  Hubby was already up for the day.  I let Little Man nurse and then I heard Hubby in the shower.  Little Man and I just snuggled.  I love his sweet breath as he sleeps sweetly.  I love the feel of his fuzzy head on my cheek as he snuggles close.  I love the feel of his tiny hands as they rub my arms.  I love his juicy, messy kisses.  I love his big grin after a hug.  I love his baby chatter as he discovers new things in the room.  I love how he intently watches his Daddy get ready for work.  I love how he tries to immitate his Daddy by "doing his hair."

There is just nothing better than baby snuggles in the morning!  What are your Finer Things?

I do want to share my favorite holiday recipe to go along with the Bloggy Progressive Dinner!  I absolutely LOVE these treasures!  They are so easy to make and simply divine!

Oreo Truffles!

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
• 1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Footnotes

• How to How to Easily Dip Truffles
• Place truffle ball in melted chocolate to coat; roll if necessary. Lift truffle from chocolate using 2 forks (this will allow excess chocolate to run off) before placing on wax paper.

Christmas and Financial Prosperity

Are you blessed financially?  If you live in the US and own one vehicle, no matter if it runs or not, you are in the top 5% of wealth in the world.  Does that amaze you?  It certainly does me!  I feel like we have been so strapped for cash for so long - especially when Hubby was in school and now that we have our first child.  As I look around, I am starting to see the luxuries that we often see as necessities.

• cable tv
• tv at all
• large home
• internet
• cell phones
• decorations
• cd's
• dvd's
• baby toys
  

The list could go on forever!  I want to use my money for the Kingdom of God - to bless others - this Christmas.  I have previously posted about some very worthy organizations:

• Gospel for Asia
• Free Wheelchair Mission
• WorldVision

What does the Bible say about riches?

1 Timothy 6:17-18 (New Living Translation)

17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.

How will you bless others this Christmas?   I can't say right now since some recipients read this blog!

Living the Busy Life

Why in the world did I ever think I would be LESS busy - especially during the holidays - if I would stay at home rather than teach?!?!  Oh - I had it all planned out.  Plenty of time to do laundry.  Plenty of time to decorate early so we could enjoy the season.  Time to bake special goodies.  Time to try new recipes.

I was sooo wrong!  Maybe as our kids grow, things will get a little easier, but it certainly is hectic now!  Little Man and I spent the day running errands: Bank, Kroger, Macy's (in the next town over 20 minutes away), Staples, back to our town to another Bank, and Home.  Throw in a hungry baby in Macy's with a cashier who has no idea how to do an exchange (Hubby's birthday present of a leather jacket had a rip in the leather) for an extra fun time.  Also add in a baby playing with a sippy cup and spitting milk out so the whole stroller has to be washed.  Fun!

Add in a good workout for Mommy.  Little Man is in his Graco SafeSeat carrier that goes up to 30 pounds.  I had the joy of carrying him napping in a downpour into the second bank and back out then up to the second floor of our house all the while  day-dreaming of him continuing his nap for another hour so I could get at least a few pairs of pants washed.  Nope.  As soon as I, huffing and puffing, set him down in his room, BING!  Eyes pop open!  Time for food and time to play!

Making dinner is a three-ring circus.  I constantly trip over Little Man and over the dog trying to cook.  Little Man loves to "help" by emptying my cabinets (the safe ones).  Just more stuff added to the dinner obstical course!

Ah, well, this is the life I am called to.  This is the life I have chosen.  This is the hectic life I love.  I love being able to serve my family.  I love surprising Hubby with a special meal or special dessert every now and again.  I love watching Little Man as he excitedly tries to climb, naked, into the tub.  He doesn't yet realize that since the top of the clawfoot tub comes to his eyeballs, there is no way his little knee is getting up there to climb in.

I wouldn't change a thing - except maybe add in a dash more sleep and a few more minutes to myself each day!

Gratituesday: This Past Week

Oh - what a fabulous week!  I cannot choose just one thing to be thankful for!  Here's a recap of a fantastic week.  We are so blessed!

Tuesday - We had a surprise overnight visit from dear old college friends!  We hadn't seen them in about 4 or 5 years!  Our toddlers got to meet and play and we had a fantastic visit!

Wednesday - Had my first trimester screen test including a big ultrasound and tons of blood work.  It is always unnerving when the ultrasound tech is so quiet and isn't allowed to say anything.  After meeting with the doctor, we were assured that the baby looks fantastic and shows no signs of chromosomal abnormalities.  My due date was moved up a bit from June 1st to May 30th.  There is a chance this little bun could be born on Uncle Justin's birthday on May 6th!  Hopefully the birthday will be much later than that though!

My parents came in for the night on their way to my brother's house for Thanksgiving.  We had offered to watch their pooches while they traveled.  It is always great to see them, even briefly.  They left before we woke the next morning.

Thursday - We had a lazy Thanksgiving day.  No travels for us.  We were too wiped out from Hubby's crazy work schedule (nearly 3 weeks without a single day off), Baby's teething, and my pregnancy.  We ate all our favorites for dinner and were truly thankful for all we have been blessed with by God.

Friday - We opted to not face the crowds on Black Friday.  We had a lazy day followed by some lazy late evening shopping. I decided to surprise Hubby with his birthday gift early - a winter leather jacket.  There were lots of great sales, so I knew he'd enjoy the hunt of finding a great jacket for a great price.  I love spending time with my Hubby!

Saturday - Hubby went to work for a playoff football game.  The team had a good run - the best in many years.  I am sort of thankful they lost - I get my hubby back now!  We spent more time together shopping and found the perfect jacket!

Sunday - We went to church in the morning and enjoyed wonderful spirit-filled worship and heard a fantastic  and challenging message on Advent and getting back to the REAL meaning of Christmas.  I love my church!  Late that evening, my parents returned with tons of pictures of their visit!  My brother FINALLY has found a wonderful girlfriend.  She works as a giraffe keeper at the zoo and gave my parents a special behind-the-scenes tour of the zoo.  Amazing!  I can't wait to meet her! 

Monday - Hubby went back to work.  My parents stayed a bit and helped with Little Man.  Mom and I got to do a little shopping while Dad did some babysitting.  It was really nice to have a little break from the fussy Little Man who has been teething and not sleeping for weeks.

Tuesday - Now it is Tuesday again and I am amazingly rested!  Little Man pulled a 180 last night and slept from 9pm - 3:30am without waking!  The last time he did that was 10 months ago!  Granted, he was a bear to get to sleep, but once he was out, he was out!  He just now woke from a nearly 2 hour nap as well after not napping more than 30 minutes a day for 2 weeks!  Halleluia!

It is so good to list and remember all these wonderful things especially in the light of the current annoyances and hardships - mainly the refinance of our home.  It just seems no matter what we do, despite near perfect credit and a perfect track record of payments over 8 years, that we just aren't good enough to be given a loan.  All we want to do is reduce our interest rate and drop our monthly payment.  We want to be good stewards of the money God has given us.  My tasks for today include tracking down a ton of extra paperwork to appease the PMI company who doesn't agree with our appraisal and may want to lower it more (appraisal came in a tad too low - more than $10K less than the appraisal just a year ago - to completely do away with PMI, but we're a lot closer).  Thankfully, our mortgage broker is fantastic and has assured us that she will not hold us to paying for the appraisal if we choose to back out and go elsewhere at this point.  We are praying that God will work all this out for our good according to His purpose!

What are you thankful for today?  Check out Heavenly Homemakers for more stories of thanksgiving!