about yesterday

Those who know me well will attest to the fact that I've never been, nor am I now, a huge fan of "days" that Hallmark has created to get people to spend money on their sweeties. Oh, I understand that all, or at least mostly all of you out there roll your eyes when you hear this, or when you hear me go off on Hallmark holidays, or just at me in general. So I must put your rolling eyes to rest, at least on the topic of Valentine's day.

Some myths I would like to dispell:

• I am not against Hallmark. In fact, I like the store. Very much. A little too much, perhaps.
• I am not against having a sweetie. In fact, I have one. He's the sweetest ever.
• I am not against romance. I like it, a lot. I like smooshy gooshy cards, fun date nights, kisses under the mistletoe (which, by the way, we still have up in our house) and other creative measures by which one expresses affection.
• I am not against candy, flowers, pink, red, or even little hearts (although, all in moderation, of course)
• I am not harboring residual bitterness over previous Valentine's Day mishaps, mistakes, or misjudgements. I think that should about cover it.
• I am not against St. Valentine. (although, I do not ascribe to his theology) Apparently, he aided Christians and stood up for the right to marry, and performed secret marriages, under Roman Emporer Claudius II's crazy law that cancelled marriages and engagements so more men would sign up for the army. (This Claudius was pretty crazy)

Here is why I don't particularly care if I get, or do not get, a Valentine card from my sweetie or anyone else - or if we make, or do not make, February 14th a celebratory event. Are you ready for this?? I think a random bouquet, card, or other gesture, means even more on a day that the whole world wasn't reminding him that he loves me.

TA-DAH! that's it. So you see, it all boils down to my wish for surprises. (ok, and maybe my rebellion against commercializing love has a little tiny bit of something to do with it. But I'm not going to mention that here!) And I would never EVER say to my sweetie, "NO WAY we can't stop at Coldstone on the way home from church!!!! People might think we're celebrating Valentine's Day!!"

Which is why, when I close my eyes and think about it, I can still taste the delicious flavor of coffee ice cream mixed with chocolate shavings melting slowly in my mouth.

I hope you all had an excellent day, reveling in the perfect Love of God!

my new favorite breakfast

1 banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup fresh pineapple
a splash of chosen liquid for consistancy purposes

blend it up, consume. All the fruit I need for a day and Vitamin C galore. I usually eat a little cheese or a handful of raw almonds with this to offset the sugar in the fruit.

Oh, and I've neglected to mention it, but Aaron has cut his first tooth (like a week ago!)

works of God Monday

Jehovah Jireh! The Lord provides!! (all the time, but I am especially thankful for the washer and dryer that came to us today, free of charge!!) and I am also thankful that we had to go only one week without a dryer! Hallelujah!!!

taste and see

e·piph·a·ny [i-pif-uh-nee] - a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.

As my life progresses, I am more amazed. Amazed because with life experience, comes, by God's grace, a more full understanding of my God and His Word. More specifically, I speak of the illustrations that are used throughout Scripture. Intellectually, we are all capable of understanding that we the church are the bride of Christ, waiting His coming. We understand that we are the children of God, and we are sheep needing a shepherd. Experientially, I am only beginning to "taste and see" all He has for me to learn.

Today, as my little one squirmed and screamed in an attempt at freedom, I had another of these moments. I knew Aaron didn't really want what he thought he wanted - specifically, go flying off my lap, off the couch, and onto the concrete floor. As I held him closer and tried to get him to look me in the face, I said, "Aaron, you don't really want to go there. Trust me." As those last two words tumbled out of my mouth, I realized in stunning brilliance another reason I am referred to as a child of God.

My stubborn refusal to trust Him is childlike. I don't see the whole picture. I don't know what lies beyond the lap of His blessing. I think I want something SO badly, and I try with all my might to get there, all the while crying "IIIIEEEE'M SOOOOO MISERABLE!" when really, I am in exactly the right place for me. God loves me infinitely more than I am capable of understanding, and He gives what is best. Where else are all my needs met in such a loving way? Something tells me that I can sit happily and rest in Him, or I can squirm around and make myself miserable.

1 Jn 15:9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love."esv

Well, our little man has had his first taste of the delicious and delightful fruit of the avocado tree. I had been dragging my feet for quite some time on adding "solids" to his diet, since I didn't feel like he was ready OR that I was!!! I finally realized that starting solids didn't have to be an all or nothing venture - that it would be OK to introduce solids here and there instead of making them an immediate and daily occurance. So, to date, Aaron has eaten smashed up avocados twice. He loves it, and reaches for the spoon to "help" mom. The adventure has begun, my son. Taste buds, awake! Rejoice!

as the winter winds blow...

Sitting at my computer, I can feel a draft from:
- the bottom of the wall, where there is no baseboard trim
- the window, also without trim
- the wall itself, with inadequate insulation
- my brain, forgetting that God is always good, all the time.

So I grab a blanket, and check Google weather before settling down to business

Today 10° | -2° Wed 14° | 4° Thu 20° | 2°

and I am so happy to see that the temps will rise again!!

new pics

I know I'm a little biased, but he's almost edible.

search for a good cause

Check out how you can contribute to a good cause by trying out a new search engine.

happy 6 months?!!?!

6 months have passed
since Aaron Carter Muth
joined our family. It doesn't
really seem possible!

Praise God for His Goodness
and His blessings at all times!

farewell, old friend - hello, new feature!

This weekend, we took down our Christmas tree. I know, I can hear some of your gasps of disbelief. Last year, though, our tree made it to Valentine's Day! The video of Aaron over to the side was taken last week and clearly shows our tree behind the little cutie.

The new feature I speak of is our "feature film" over to the side. We have been changing the video every few days...gotta love digital cameras!

Aaron is growing, HURRAY! We went to the doctor last week to make sure the cold he'd had for 2 weeks was JUST a cold (it is) and found out that he's up to 13lbs, 3 oz. This is great news for me, as I've been feeding him more often (I feel like I have a newborn again!) and it was nice to hear that the work has paid off! He's such a little wiggle-buns, I think he just needs more calories.

Speaking of wiggling, yesterday after church we put Aaron on his blanket to play while we changed, and we came back to an empty blanket. We found the little munchkin under a chair... smiling devilishly. I guess he's gotten the hang of hide and seek...

excuse me, do I smell?

My good friend Debbie emailed these verses to me today:

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 says, "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."

These verses make me think of things I like to smell - freshly baked brownies, clean sheets, crispy fall air - all make me take deep, savor-the-moment breaths. But these smells are not the only ones in my house. There are a few places that occasionally cause me to step away with a "ptwhth!" face...Aaron's trash can, our fridge when we have forgotten about leftovers...

What a convicting thought - that I am the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ! What does that smell like? (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control, for starters) Do I make those around me take a sniff and wonder, "Hmm, what is that delightful scent?" and cause them to want to know Christ more? Or do I leave a stinky diaper/old refridgerator smell in the noses of "...those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."

Thanks, Deb, for directing me to God's Word, and making me think today!

you can say mean things about me, but...

Call me old fashioned, call me closeminded, call me brainwashed, or whatever else you like, but I'm sticking to my guns. I like hymns and songs with theological depth.

Today I stayed home from church with a raw throat and congested child, and as I listened to our church service on the radio, I was once again thankful for the godly leadership at our church and their desire to lead the church in corporate Sunday worship, as well as point out that worship is supposed to take place all week long, not just on Sundays.

The congregation sang (among others) one of my favorites, "My Hope is in the Lord"

My hope is in the Lord Who gave Himself for me,
And paid the price of all my sin at Calvary.

Refrain:
For me He died, For me He lives,
And everlasting life and light He freely gives.

No merit of my own His anger to suppress.
My only hope is found in Jesus' righteousness.

And now for me He stands Before the Father's throne.
He shows His wounded hands and names me as His own.

His grace has planned it all, 'Tis mine but to believe,
And recognize His work of love and Christ receive.

Try as they might to convince me, no one will ever be able to get me to think this song (and there are plenty other good songs out there!) can compare to some of today's shallow favorites. Sorry, kids, but "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" just isn't on the same plane.

I thought I always bought jumbo olives...

Until I opened the can!!! Then I realized that I probably just bought the large ones. These are gigantic olives! Michael is having fun eating them on his fingers for the first time in years!










And speaking of eating things, Aaron's newest chewing preference is his own toes. He likes to do this especially while getting his diaper changed, which calls for a sharp eye and quick reflexes in case the situation gets out of hand.

two hours passed

cuddled up
enjoying
the blue expanse
of still-warm sheets
our little person
sleeps
eyelashes sweep
his pale pink skin
I take this moment in

each minute flies
each breath
each cry
there is a place inside
that screams for time to stop
so I can swallow
these seconds slowly

his little fingers twitch
his sleepy smiles
his heavy sighs
what dreams, what dreams

what dreams have I

opinions?

Tell me what you think of internet dating, or finding your spouse online.

weekend extravaganza!

This weekend, the Newlands came up and we went down to Holland, MI, converging upon the St. Clair hometown. It was great - we hadn't all been together in one place in a couple years!

a strapping lad

Well, Aaron is a shrimp. And we love him. At 4 1/2 months, he weighed in at 11lbs 13 oz and I went home armed with instructions to up the feedings. Today, at 5 months, the kid weighed in at 12lbs, 4oz. Our doctor says a gain of 1 oz per day is "normal" but I think he is crazy. (and I think someone's only been studying formula-fed children.) Our little guy is happy, healthy, and developmentally is doing great, exceeding the "normal" for his age. We have a happy shrimp.

Ephesians 3

Last night at church our youth pastor spoke from the last part of this passage. I came home and read it again - it has been an encouragement to me to meditate on it and I thought it might also encourage you.

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3, ESV

welcome to moose park?!?!

Why do all the little infant sized boy clothes have graphics? What is wrong with a PLAIN little shirt? Why add the screen printed graphic? It might be cute for other people's kids, but I want the plain clothes. That I don't have to pay baby Gap prices for.

I've seached high and low for long sleeve un-printed onesies, and this burning question lingers. It seems to me that it would be cheaper to make plain clothes. So who decided to decorate? Who decided it would be cuter to take this perfectly adorable little shirt and add something to the front? My fruitless searching causes me to ask things like, "I wonder if I could bleach that out?"

I suddenly find it imperative to impose my preference for unprinted t-shirts on my son, aged 5 months, who obviously will follow in his mother's footsteps when it comes to clothing tastes. Obviously.

The search continues.

aaron's christmas commentary

Merry Happy Days!

It was super fun to get together with my mom's side of the family on Christmas Eve Day - Uncle Gary & Aunt Connie got to see Aaron for the first time and it was pretty great.







Mom wanted a picture of us by our tree. Aaron is having a bit of a rough day, but he managed to make it through the photo shoot without screaming. HA.








And we have 4 generations here while Michael takes the picture. I love our tree, decorated courtesy of Michael's family when they were out for Thanksgiving.







I had forgotten how many ornaments we got for our wedding. This year is the first one with the big tree, and we filled it up pretty easily. We've got some pretty special ornaments that have neat-o memories connected to them from childhood. Our tree is topped with a wooden cross, handmade by Dad Forbes, also a wedding gift. I still remember the first Christmas that it dawned on me that it was different to have a cross on our tree - dad told me that it was to remind us of the reason Christ came. Today it was fun to read the Christmas story to Aaron and to tell him the reason we give gifts to each other at Christmas. We did not buy him anything this year, but he did have fun playing with the paper!

What kind of unique traditions do your families have?

happy anniversary to us!

It's hard to believe that three whole years have passed since Michael & I got married. I am so thankful that God sent me such a wonderful husband! He has taught me so much, and has shown me Christ's love on a daily basis. Praise the Lord that He directed me to this godly man who is so perfect for me!

Alicia is (one of) my Hero(s)

I think the first memory I have of you, Al, is from my freshman year when Kathleen, Sarah, & Al took pity on little me and took me to a local eatery. We had a little too long of a good time, and on the way back took a wrong turn. I vividly remember seeing many trees and hills, and hearing Alicia go "AH! we can't be late!" as we flew with great haste back to campus. More memories of that year include the heisting of old NBBC uniforms and dodging the security guards (which were much less uptight than in more recent times) Yes, Alicia, once you guys graduated, the "good old days" came to a close. *sigh*

What I really want to say is THANK YOU FOR FIXING MY FORMAT!!! Those underlines were driving me nuts. You're the best.

Josh & Jason go "witnessing"

don't buy the big packs and you might as well ask

Has anyone else noticed what I have about superstores like Meijer & WalMart? Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that I can buy groceries and blank CD's all in the same store, but their little pricing games have me saying "ah-HAH!!" and triumphantly approaching the checkout lane with more packaging for less money. I have learned something astounding in my 27 years on the planet, and I am about to share it.

The big pack is not always the cheapest way to go.

Now, you might think that you would get a better deal if you were willing to buy and store 375 paper plates and 48 rolls of toilet paper - after all, there is less packaging for the company to pay for and, after all, didn't our mothers tell us that we can save money by buying in bulk? All I have to say is it might be true, but you'd better do the math. I once saved $4 on 8 bars of soap because I bought the 2 packs rather than the 8 pack. That was a good day.

Today, I had another "ah-HA" moment. I called Charter to see what the cost of upgrading our high speed from 3M to 5M, and lo and behold it turns out that I will save $3 per month by having the higher speed. Go figure.

thanks, dad...

For anyone who is interested, there are some pretty funny pictures of Aaron and I on my parents' site.

And, YAY we are now beta bloggers! Hurray!

NEW NOTE: OK, NOT yay we are beta bloggers. Anyone who can help me get those stupid underlines off the post titles let me know. I think it looks so cluttery and I can't seem to be able to isolate the HTML code that is responsible. HELP!!!

anyone remember this?

I am looking for anyone who might know if Ben Nyce ever published his arrangement of "Complete In Thee" that he taught us all at NBBC. If anyone has any information concerning the whereabouts of this song written out in sheet format, please tell me!

Updated: Here is one version. Email me if you'd like more information on this song, or a version that has the guitar chords. (click image to enlarge)

tiny munchkin

When Mom & Dad Muth were here, they commented on how the pictures on our blog make Aaron look much bigger than he actually is in person. So I guess it's the angle. (Now if only I could figure out the angle to make me look smaller in person...) So here's for all of you that say Aaron's getting "so big" - this is a picture of my little sweet baby on our futon in the office. He's sitting in between 2 pillows here. I think he's about the right size for 4 months, especially since I thought for sure we'd have one of those babies that looks, directly from the womb, like a stuffed sausage. My sore back and arm muscles rejoice that this is not the case. As an added non-related note, I'm actually quite excited about our $10 futon cover. I made it out of 2 clearanced tablecloths from Target. Hoooray for clearance!

And here's the little man in his car seat. We finally took out the newborn insert!!! Grandma Forbes got him this junior size reindeer hat and matching slippers to keep him cozy in the car. Thank you, Grandma!!! (he must have a big head from us telling him how cute he is over & over again...the hat leaves a little mark around his forehead when we take it off. OH WELL it made for a cute picture!!)

before you know it, I'll be crawling!

Happy 4 months, Aaron Carter Muth!

Thanksgiving Weekend

We were blessed to spend a great 5 days with some of our family - Mom & Dad Muth, Mary & Malcham. Anna, Tom, and their kiddos, Karissa & Christian, were able to come up on Wednesday as well, and we had a great time catching up a little with them. Nate & his wife Lissa were also here for the weekend, staying with Mom & Dad Forbes, and we were able to get in the Forbes Family Christmas Present opening ceremony in as well. Aaron was pretty excited to meet all his relatives, and our Thanksgiving day celebration went very well with 16 people in our house! We got a couple of folding tables and a more than a few extra chairs, add a bunch of good cooking potluck style (and of course, our 7 pies) and it was deliciosso!! We also had a chance to tell 5 things we were thankful for and it was really cool to hear thankfulness to God pour out of everyone! We are so blessed to have a Christian family!!!

here's a question for all you moms

OK everyone with any mommying experience! Here is the question I need help with. We are feeding Aaron on a schedule and he loves it - it's about every 3 hours during the day and he sleeps through the night, which means he's eating 6 times a day. Here's my dilemna. I don't want to start feeding him solid foods quite yet - I would love to wait until at least 6 months, BUT I don't want my baby to starve either!

According to some scheduling sources, you are gradually supposed to drop the late night feeding and stretch out the time between feedings...but I would be afraid that if I am not introducing solids, this would not be a good idea, since milk is so easily digested (equalling hungry baby). I also want to make sure to keep up my milk supply, and am a little concerned that fewer than 6 feedings might have a less than desirable effect.

Anybody out there ever delayed solids while feeding on a schedule? Or do I pretty much need to pick between the two? And, if you have delayed solids, what did you do with spacing out feedings?

and not only that, but...

Our email account is a wonder. It has a great spam filter, and best of all, at the top of the spam box page is a recipe for the original chopped pressed meat product. Today was Spam Fajitas. Previously, I've seen Spam Ginger Salad and Savory Spam Crescents.

I am not that brave.

autumn happenings

I hope I never forget

1. how you take in life with curious eyes
2. your adorable noises (experimental) with voice and lips and tongue
3. how you wake up with big stretches and fall asleep grunting
4. big blowout diapers (the stories we'll tell)
5. the look that says "thanks mom, for feeding me"
6. full body yawns
7. your little arm curled around my neck
8. how sometimes you look like a little old man (without wrinkles)
9. your "little bug" blinks
10. the way you startle when daddy sneezes

such a little person...
such a big God
such creativity

the child laughs

Sunday night, for the first time, Aaron laughed. At Michael's funny faces. How appropriate. So glad daddy could be there for this fabulous milestone. Can anyone else see the resemblance here between father and son? This is Michael's kindergarten picture - and our little mini-Michael. Aren't they adorable?

small big blessings

last week, my wonderful husband surprised me with a bag full of lightswitch and wall socket covers. a bag chock full of love straight from Home Depot. it just doesn't get much better than this.

well, actually, it does. every day with Michael is a good one. I am so blessed.

all of us went together at 7am

the Muth "Mansion"

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

Here it is - another miracle! This is the house that God allowed us to buy! We closed on it last December and got to work in January. Eleven months, more than a few sore muscles and a little money later, here we live! And, at long last, here are updated house project photos. You will notice that we still haven't unpacked all the boxes, and there still isn't much on our walls. It will come together eventually, I am sure. We're still busy plugging away, remembering that the tortoise, did, after all, win the race.

Current plan is to be here for 5 years, improve as we can, and sell the house (which of course will make us filthy rich, LOL) The remaining projects are lighting, siding, flooring & trim, with a few little projects here and there; then the kitchen gets a major overhaul. Stay tuned, and keep praying!

don't forget ...

you've gotta vote. no excuses.

Happy 3 months old to Aaron C. Muth. Unbelievable how fast the time flies when you have a living, breathing reminder of what leaps of growth can occur in 3 months. Oh, that we would grow as much and as quickly in our knowledge of and love for God...

happy reformation day!

Well, I briefly thought about posting my conspiracy theory of how "Reformation Day" got turned into Halloween (aka "Free Candy Day"), but as I pondered the wisdom of that, I realized it would not be the best since few people can judge the exact tone of the printed word. Anyone interested will have to see me in person for that. I also have a great theory about how Santa makes his rounds on Christmas Eve...even though Michael says it's unreasonable.

It's the first Halloween we will be living in a house that kids might actually try to come to the door to get free candy. Previously, we've had a long, scary, wooded driveway. This year, we're 30 feet from the road and chiefly unobscured by foliage. Cheapskate that I am, I bought the candy that lingers for weeks after Halloween (after all the good stuff gets eaten) Yep, individually wrapped LifeSavers, and the short little Tootsie Rolls. Just in case kids come to our door despite the lack of outdoor lighting. I hear that this year they are starting at 4:30. Weird if you ask me. But I sure don't want to take a risk that certain kids play tricks on us for not having candy.

As a kid, I was never allowed to go trick or treating. We won't talk about the trauma I suffered the year my parents were out of town and my little brother was allowed to go with a friend and came home with a huge haul that he didn't share with his loving sister. (You might see how this traumatic experience may have inspired creativity in the conspiracy theory)

This is not to say that I never went...I just wasn't a kid anymore. My first gathering of free candy was indeed during my freshman year of college. Two of my roomies and I went to a nearby residential area and exercised the principle of good stewardship, gathering free candy from the happy townfolk. It was back in the day that the Harvest Festivities were semi-optional. Suffice it to say, we did not break any known rules of our institution of higher learning, and we had a lot of fun. That was the one and only time I went trick or treating for the purpose of candy-gathering. I've been several times since then as a chaperone to minor children, which is pretty fun in and of itself.

We haven't decided yet what to do when Aaron gets old enough to a) know about candy and b) scheme about the best way to get MORE candy. There are lots of people that say that Halloween is a horrible holiday and no Christian should participate, but there are also those who look at it as an opportunity for their kids to dress up and get candy for free!

Michael and I have talked about it a little bit, and think it has a lot to do with where you live and who lives around you, and what the general community understanding is of the said holiday. I do know that Halloween is bigger now than it was when I was a kid, so who knows what it will turn into as Aaron and any future kiddos grow older. I think it's going to have to be a pray-as-you-go issue.

At any rate, this day is also the day that changed a lot of things as far as the church goes. This day was the day that Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the door of the church in Wittenburg, Germany, sparking the Protestant Reformation. It's unbelievable to see how God moves hearts to study His Word and works in hearts to allow men and women to discover and understand truth. Praise Him for His sovereign plan for us, and for being alive and at work in our lives daily! (This is something we can celebrate wholeheartedly and without controversy!)

weird but yummy

I love fall...and fall foods. Squash, apples, pumpkin... ESPECIALLY pumpkin. And those happy fall desserts like pumpkin donuts, pumpkin bread, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin dip, pumpkin pie...all very delish, and not exactly at the top of the healthy list. I found this recipe online and modified it a little. It's amazing, and the best part? I am eating veggies & whole grains for breakfast and it tastes great!!!

Pumpkin Oatmeal (2-3 servings)
1 cup quick oats
1 1/4 cups water (or more)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
2 T brown sugar

Mix oats & water, microwave 2-3 minutes or until thick. Add pumpkin, spice, and sugar, heat through. YUMMY! * Make pumpkin pie spice at home! 1T cinnamon + 3/4 tsp nutmeg + 3/4 tsp ginger + 1/2 tsp cloves and you've got some for now and for later.

Try it and let me know what you think.

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

he got it from his parents, obviously

Well, it's official. We have a genius child. Aaron is now playing quite enthusiastically with the little toys hanging down from his swing, and smiling at himself in the mirror. (demonstrating, of course, that he likes to look at himself and thereby confirming his pagan status)

Oh, how we love this little pagan genius-baby.

break out the holy hallelujah hands

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17 (ESV)

I NEED to praise the Lord for His miraculous provision on our behalf. The holy hallelujah hands have gotten a bit dusty...at least, the blogging ones. My offline self has been greatly rejoicing, but I've got to let you know what God has done in the past several weeks.

1. We have a new roof!! It took all day one Saturday (with 12, count 'em, 12) volunteer helpers and Sunday from 1 til dark (with an additional 8 volunteers) but we're secure for the winter (and hopefully many winters to come!!) Jehovah Jireh! God provided labor and materials, and we are grateful

2. Aaron continues to sleep through the night and nap well. He's growing and developing great, and we are SO thankful and humbled that God has chosen to give us the blessing and responsibility of parenting this little man.

3. God sends money. Really. Checks in the mail, meeting our needs. Michael & I joke about winning the Home Depot sweepstakes, but how much better is it to watch God provide. I have never been more convinced that God delights in our dependence on Him for all things. Praise Him for His provision and for the generous giving of fellow believers!!!

4. God provided a part time job for me, working from home. Basically I'm calling businesses on behalf of other businesses to pave the way for salespeople to call with more info. It really is delightful to wake up and walk down the hall to work during Aaron's naptimes.

5. God continues to work in our lives, convicting us of changes that need to be made. Discipline, and plenty more of it. Lifestyle changes that need to happen. With His grace, we shall overcome our selfishness and laziness and get busy doing more of His work and less of our play.

6. Free carpet. Enough for all 3 bedrooms plus, pad included. All Michael had to do was go pick it up. (and of course, we still have to put it in...)

7. More little blessings for free...a window for our garage, an air conditioner, garage sale deals on light fixtures, mirrors, clothes for Aaron, the list goes on...

ISN'T GOD GOOD? All the time.

bye, bye Luvs...hello poopiness

As a baby shower gift, we recieved some of the fabulous one-size pocket diapers by BumGenius! that Tricia drew to my attention way back when I was pregnant. We've decided that we're going to give them a trial run to see how they work for us. We only have seven of them, which won't last too long. We have some money set aside for more, however at $18 a pop, the trial run is essential to make sure these diapers are going to do the trick on our son's little bum. Even better is that they are on sale right now for $14 each!!

They're in the washing machine right now...

I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about this venture. I am very used to the convenience of throwing away the used diapers, but there are so many plusses to cloth diapering that I am pretty sure I can get used to the slight inconvenience. Especially since we also got as a shower gift...the wonderful diaper sprayer which will, no doubt, make life easier!!

The biggest thing I'm nervous about is that Aaron is a poop-saver. Yep, he waits 2-3 days, then poops more than I ever thought possible for such a little guy. We are talking total blowouts. One Sunday at church it was all in his pant leg and sock and down the front of mommy. Fun times.

Today, we're up to 5 days. I called the doctor, actually, because I was nervous. They told me to give him a glycerin suppository. I DON'T THINK SO! I've read too much about breastfed babies and how it's not possible for them to be constipated to think that a suppository is the answer. The nurse also said I could do some "rectal stimulation" with a thermometer to try to motivate a little action. After I called the doctor, I read some stuff online that says anywhere up to 10 days can be normal, and Aaron seems to be his normal happy self today. So, I think I'll just wait a couple more days.

I'm open for comments! Anybody have a poop-saver and/or done cloth diapers?

Immune System Booster

Okay, usually I'm not really into natural products for sickness. If I've got a cold, load me up with the good stuff, bring on the cough & cold meds for sure. (and I've got the medicine cabinet to prove it). However, when Aaron got a cold at 4 weeks and all I could do was saline and suction, I was up for anything I could do.

A friend recommended (and then delivered) this great product, called VS-C, available from Nature's Sunshine. We gave a few drops to Aaron (a mini-mini dose) several times a day and it seemed to help.

What really got me is that about a week later I woke up with the scratchy throat - you know, that feeling that says "HELP! I'M GETTING SICK!!" and I thought I might as well try the liquid herbs and see if it worked. Michael had similar symptoms, so we both thought we would try it. Let me tell you, that little cold or virus or whatever LEFT US ALONE. Seriously. We had scratchy throats for a day or 2 and kept taking 2 doses a day for about 3 days.

I've never been so surprised by a natural remedy in my life. I am amazed. It tastes sweet and is spicy like cinnamon. The recommendation is to stir it into water, but we stirred it into iced tea and it was great.

an enlightening read

This book is one I have recently read, and I would recommend it to all parents. It's a very good resource for descriptions of childhood diseases and details of the recommended/required shots. I found it to be fair and reasonable, a resource that allows parents to get facts clearly laid out in an easy to understand format. It is Excellent. (notice the capital "E") At B & N for around $6.

Aaron Overload

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

fireside with friends

Tonight we went to hang out with some of our friends from church--our "adopted" sunday school class...we get to do the fun stuff with them. Hanging out with junior highers is its own brand of fun, and we do enjoy teaching jr. high sunday school, but it is nice to have some people our own age to fellowship with.

Aaron went along with us despite the dropping temps. Here he is hanging out in his warm garb, and then waiting for bathtime and bed. (thanks, Mrs. R. for the cute hat!!!)

high speed at home

things here are flying at high speed...

...and yesterday the Charter truck brought us high speed internet and a new telephone. I am a very happy girl, and am getting ready to start my at-home job.

My wonderful husband and I went on our first date since Aaron's birth last night, and mom & dad watched our little guy. Hallelujah for grandparents!! Michael planned a "surprise" date for me - I didn't know what we were going to do until we got there! We went to ColdStone Creamery (YUM!) and then to a pottery glazing place (called Amazing Glaze) where we made a set of salt & pepper shakers. They will be ready next week, and I'll post a photo. It was loads of fun, and great to spend time with Michael by ourselves.

so now that we have internet at home, hopefully we will be able to post more pictures! Coming soon: House update photos!!!

family self portrait

my boys.

joy

I knew I would like being a mom, but I had NO IDEA it would be this fabulous!!

I wish I had pics to post tonight, but alas, I do not. Aaron is growing and is a smiley, happy baby. He is learning about his tongue this week. Last night Michael was holding him and sticking out his own tongue making goofy noises, and it looked like Aaron was sticking his out in response to his daddy's! It was so cute we got it on video!

We were supposed to have our roofing party last Saturday, but God had rain planned for that day, so instead we hung some stuff on the walls and had a relaxing Saturday. Hopefully this weekend will bring us a new roof! Hurray!!! No more big bright blue tarps!!! My favorite thing is that our garage, now a leaky sieve, will be able to house some of our items that are currently in our guest room. I am thrilled to have a place to store some of the items that we don't use on a daily basis!

Friday is Aaron's 2-month checkup. I can't believe he turned 2 months old on Sunday. It seems like time goes by so much faster when you have kids to measure it by. I'm sure he'll be in school before I know it.

Last week I started to schedule Aaron according to a controversial resource (any guesses what that could be? wink, wink) I don't think I was ready to do that system until I knew Aaron could calm himself and sleep. Prior to last week I don't think he could have done it. I must say the system works like a charm for us and we've been continuing to enjoy full nights of rest. PRAISE THE LORD!!

That's it for the updates! God is ALWAYS good, and His blessings are beyond measure!!