Motherhood

Christmas Letter 2011

2011-12-21T09:05:00.002-05:00

Dear family and friends,

God has been just as good as ever. His mercies are new every morning. He is a faithful and loving Father. But our Great Physician has prescribed some rather bitter-tasting medicine for our family this year. No doubt it has, is, and will be to our benefit and His, but that does not lessen the difficulty of swallowing. Some of you know of our recent struggles. Some of you do not. So, here is our annual family Christmas letter, recapping the last year with highlights of the ups and the downs.

We started 2011 off with a lovely trip to Florida to accompany Chris to a conference for aeronautical/aerospace engineers. Upon returning home, we promptly came down with every nasty bug making its way around Ohio. We were pummeled by waves of illness, on the verge of recovery only to drop like flies once more with something new. The storm eventually subsided in late March.

In February, I took Hosea to our family physician to address some concerns I was having. It had been wonderful to have such a content, easy-going newborn. I even felt blessed to have a “slow” infant with whom I could cuddle more and trust to stay in one place. But by the time he was 7 months old and not even rolling over, I was concerned that something was wrong. The doctor agreed and gave us a referral to see a developmental pediatrician, though she didn’t give me the impression at the time that anything more than a few months of physical therapy was likely to be called for in order to get him “caught up.” The pediatrician, however, saw a different story, and thus the true roller coaster began.

The first suspected diagnosis was Mowat-Wilson Syndrome, a rare, fluke, genetic disorder characterized by moderate to severe mental retardation, limited to non-existent verbal communication, and seizures, just to hit a few highlights. We waited 6 weeks for the test to come back, during which time I had an early miscarriage, just to be told the results were inconclusive. This was followed, a week later, by a geneticist sharing his opinion that Hosea did not have Mowat-Wilson, though his reasoning wasn’t clearly explained to us. We were happy to hear it all the same, and it raised our optimism for a time.

Following up with the pediatrician in early June, it was clear she still felt strongly about her suspicion of Mowat-Wilson. She felt it was too coincidental that we found an abnormality on the very gene sequence (out of thousands upon thousands) that we had targeted, even though it wasn’t the type of abnormality normally associated with MWS. All things being equal, I’d be more inclined to believe a geneticist over a pediatrician when interpreting genetic test results, but I didn’t have any way of countering, and her argument seemed to make sense. Maybe she was right. At any rate, no one was offering any other possibilities. I wanted to know what long-term issues she thought we might be dealing with, regardless of any potential diagnosis. She agreed to give me a guess at his next visit.

The rest of the summer sped by. Chris, Hosea and I flew to Hawaii for yet another aero conference while the girls stayed with grandparents in Tennessee. I was ready to get back to our girls by the end of it, but, oh, how I wish I could have brought the ocean, flora and perfect weather back with me! We celebrated birthdays, and Chris worked hard to finish up his dissertation, which he defended (and passed!) in August.

As school started up again, I tried to keep my spirits up and brace myself for the busy schedule ahead. Hosea had started physical therapy in May, added speech/feeding therapy in July, was scheduled to start occupational therapy in October, and we were always filling in the gaps seeing one doctor or another or having a new test of some sort. Homeschooling became on-the-go schooling, and many a book was read and many a worksheet completed in waiting rooms and doctor’s offices. Throughout this time, Hosea was making progress and even began crawling on his belly, but the gap between his skill level and his age was widening. In late September, he got glasses (and looks oh-so-very cute in them!).

At the 15-month check in October, Hosea’s pediatrician volunteered to send us to Cincinnati for a second opinion with a geneticist. She also ordered a brain MRI and genetic testing for Angelman and Chrisitianson syndromes. And, as promised, she reluctantly told me that she guessed Hosea would test positive for mental retardation once he became old enough to test (at age 5). She wouldn’t, however, speculate as to where in that spectrum he might fall.

A few weeks later, an MRI showed a normally structured brain, and while we waited (and are still waiting, I might add) for the results from the tests for Angelman and Christianson syndromes we met our new geneticist. He, too, shared his concern that Hosea was at risk for testing positive for mental retardation when the time came and that Hosea may have some dependency issues even as an adult. However, the geneticist was doubtful that either the Angelman or Christianson test would come back positive. He also reviewed our test results for Mowat-Wilson and explained to us, to our satisfaction, why the test was, in fact, negative and that we could rule it out. Hosea had more blood drawn, this time to test for Fragile X syndrome, and we waited.

Two weeks later we got a “negative” result on the Fragile X test and the decision was made to do one more blood draw for a panel which tests for 92 different syndromes similar to Fragile X. Unfortunately, I don’t yet have those results to share with you because it takes 4 months to get them back! If the entire panel comes back negative then we are likely going to have to wait for testing to advance and/or for Hosea to develop clearer signs and symptoms as he gets older.

Of course, while the search for a diagnosis and all of the tests, therapies and other appointments have indeed been the picture of much of our year, they do not make a complete picture. The girls are each a year older (now 7, 5 and 3) and a grade higher (Eliana is in 2^nd grade, Evangeline is in Kindergarten, and Anastasia enjoys coloring with us at the table). Other events of interest include the addition of “Ph.D” to the end of Chris’s name (Congratulations, love!), Chris beginning a new assignment as an assistant professor at the school from which he just graduated (though the ceremony is not until March), and our family joining a new church. It’s been a year of blood, sweat, tears, and lots of prayer.

When we gave our son the name “Hosea,” we did so because we wanted his name to be a constant reminder to him of God’s faithfulness to His people (among whom we count Hosea) and of the need for him to be faithful to God and to his family, no matter the cost. (If you don’t know why “Hosea” sends this message then we strongly encourage you to read the story of his namesake, found in the Bible in the book of Hosea.) While this message is just as important as ever to our son, we have found it dearly comforting to realize that God placed that name on our hearts to send that very same message to us in the midst of this trial. We pray that you all may also be blessed by this reminder as we celebrate the birth of the Messiah, our faithful God’s perfect, holy gift to wayward sinners. He promised, and He delivered!

His love endures forever,

Jennifer, for the Martins

P.S. Hosea does currently have the general diagnoses of “global developmental delay” (meaning he is developmentally delayed in all categories) and “hypotonia” (meaning he has low muscle tone).

P.P.S. I know many of you have probably never even heard of the syndromes I’ve mentioned in this letter. I hadn’t heard of them either before this year. However, I thought it best not to fill up the Christmas letter with explanations of potential syndromes and their respective symptoms. I’ll leave it to those of you interested in knowing more to look it up on your own or to simply ask us. We’d love to hear from you! :)

Our Blessings

2011-12-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Holland

2011-11-28T18:34:00.003-05:00

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

As Long As You Are Glorified

2011-03-17T12:43:00.004-04:00

Lyrics

Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings
Yet not welcome any pain
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine
Yet grumble in days of rain
Shall I love You in times of plenty
Then leave You in days of drought
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest
But when winter winds blow, then doubt

Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

Are You good only when I prosper
And true only when I’m filled
Are You King only when I’m carefree
And God only when I’m well
You are good when I’m poor and needy
You are true when I’m parched and dry
You still reign in the deepest valley
You’re still God in the darkest night

© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

2011-02-12T16:07:00.003-05:00

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her
she has to plan for supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook
("101 Things To Do With a Pound of Hamburger").
The cookbook is setting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The check book is in her purse
that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two-year-old's diaper.
While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her
that she was going to have a cup.
And chances are... If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

~Kathy Fictorie

Eliana's 1st Piano Recital

2011-01-21T13:35:00.003-05:00

Eliana started taking piano lessons in November and had her first recital on December 20, 2010. Sorry it's taken me so long to post, but here it is! (The woman playing with her is her instructor.)

Stylish and Medicinal: A Winning Combination!

2010-12-23T17:00:00.000-05:00

So, check out this nasty batch of eczema! Poor baby! Hosea had this on his chest for 2 months straight. I finally looked at some hazelwood necklaces from Inspired by Finn. According to the website:

Hazelwood is an ancient remedy first used by aboriginal people -- It has the medicinal property of neutralizing the body's acidity.

It relieves or prevents ailments such as ulcers, acid reflux, heartburn, skin problems (psoriasis, eczema, acne), arthritis, constipation, migraines, sensitive & bleeding gums, helps reduce dental cavities and more. These necklaces are a great remedy for heartburn and nausea during pregnancy!

I figured, at best, it might help him. At worst, it's fashionable. So we gave it a try. I'll let the before and after shots speak for themselves. The "after" picture was taken a little less than 24 hours after he began wearing the necklace.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Ever!: The New Exclamatory

2010-12-03T09:13:00.005-05:00

Do you ever find yourself saying something to your children like, "Don't ever (fill in the blank) again," with the emphasis on "ever"? Yeah, so do I. Sometimes I even add an extra "ever" on the end to convey the true finality for this particular wrongdoing. So then, perhaps it goes something like this, "Don't ever do that again. Ever."

In another startling realization that my children do actually listen, I have had this little word repeated back to me (and the rest of the family) a lot recently. However, the exact meaning has gotten a bit lost in translation. You see, little Anastasia, in her ever increasing state of drama, has really caught onto this word as a catch-all exclamatory to be used when needing to add emphasis of any kind to any statement, which, when you're two, is every other sentence. For instance, the first words spoken to me this morning were, "They took my box EVER!" Other examples include, "I need milk EVER!" "They made me sad EVER!" and, "Abijawbahnakiwudana EVER!"

I know I'm not helping matters, but sometimes when she comes to tell or ask me something I can't help but ask, "Ever?" just to hear her so sincerely answer, "Yes." I even admit to having fun trying out this new exclamatory in some of my own statements. The nonsensicalness of it really does add great emotional emphasis.

So, next time you're at a loss for just the right thing to say to drive home a point with real passion, give "ever" a try. Anastasia says it works great EVER!

Letter to Hosea

2010-09-08T15:03:00.007-04:00

My precious baby boy,

As I again find myself captivated by your tiny body in my arms I am struck once more by God's goodness to me. I am a mother--a mother!--and you, a priceless treasure, are my son. I cannot look upon you without feeling blessed to be in this moment, and, at the same time, I almost feel as if I can see the future. I am living tomorrow's memory.

I pray that someday these tiny lips of yours will sing God's praises.
But today they are puckered so sweetly in sleep.

I pray that your cheeks will one day know the roughness of stubble, as you grow and mature in body and in spirit.
But today their softness begs to be caressed.

I pray that your mind will be stretched by amazing truths concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and His creation.
But your sucking right now reveals that, for now, your mind is mostly concerned with dreaming of your next meal!

I pray that your eyes will one day behold a God-fearing woman joyously walking down the aisle to be your bride.
But today, you only have eyes for me.

I pray that your strong arms will one day hold my grandchildren.
But today your arms are rolling with baby fat.

I pray that your hands will build up, restore, strengthen and encourage all with which they work.
But today your tiny fingers are wrapped around my thumb.

I pray that your grown legs will support you well as you labor in this life.
But today your legs only kick in the cutest bicycle-pedaling sort of way.

I pray that your feet will know the toughness that comes with good use, as you follow where God leads.
But today I find these little feet and toes to be the most kissable things ever!

I pray that you will one day be a strong, God-honoring leader for your family, that our Lord would be pleased to use you to pass on the light of the Gospel to the next generation.
But today...today you are my baby.

And today is a blessing.

With everlasting love,
Your blessed mother

A New Blog is Born!

2010-08-30T17:34:00.004-04:00

I am excited to announce the creation of my new blog, Random Thoughts by Evangeline & Co., which I intend to be an archive of entertaining questions and statements by and conversations with my children.

This blog will still highlight my adventures in motherhood and life in general, so keep checking back. My one-handed, baby-holding typing these days often limits my patience for typing out more thoughtful posts, but I promise to keep it up as life allows.

Presenting...Hosea Christopher!

2010-07-07T19:59:00.008-04:00

We have a SON! Our newest addition was born Sunday, July 4, at 4:28 a.m. He weighed 8 lbs. and measured 21" long. We praise God for His goodness and faithfulness to us! It was another smooth, gentle birth, and we are all doing well.

We have named our firstborn son Hosea Christopher. The name Hosea means "salvation" and is borne by one of the minor prophets of the Old Testament. Hosea declared the Lord's unfailing love for His people, and he called Israel to repent and turn away from the wickedness in which they had entangled themselves. Hosea's own family life reflected God's faithfulness to His unfaithful people.

"Christopher" means "bearer of Christ" and is, of course, also husband's name. We pray that our Hosea's life will be a testimony to the good news that "God is salvation" as He bears the name of Christ and remembers God's covenant faithfulness to His people.

And now, without further ado, I will share with you some photos from our first days with Hosea:

just a few minutes after birth

Eliana & Evangeline were eager to hold baby brother.

Weighing in at 8 lbs. even!

Eliana holding her brother for the first time

Evangeline holding her brother for the first time.

one of Hosea's first close-ups

Anastasia holding her brother for the first time.

exploring the outdoors

Mommy & her SON!

Hosea taking a bath with eyes open!

napping

the proud father

Sisters

2010-06-29T14:43:00.001-04:00

Now Entering the Baby Zone

2010-06-11T07:00:00.001-04:00

It's hard to believe in some ways, but baby #4 is considered "term" today (i.e. 37 weeks, or 3 weeks before my arbitrary "due date"), which means we are cleared for take-off whenever he/she decides to make his/her appearance over the next, oh, 5 or so weeks.

You know what that means! It's time to submit your guesses. When do you think baby will be born? Do you have a hunch about the gender? Think you know how much the baby will weigh? If you already have your answer ready, go ahead and leave it in the comments.

For those of you analytical thinkers (who like to make guesses based upon what is often inconsistent and irrelevant data) here are some answers to the most common questions I get from those trying to make an "educated" guess:

1.) Do you feel any differently this time compared to your previous 3 pregnancies? Umm...yes and no. And for that matter, I would pretty much say the same thing when comparing those 3 pregnancies to each other. Some similarities. Some differences. I've had varying degrees of nausea in the first trimester with each pregnancy, though I will say that I've had occasional stages of tummy sensitivities and heartburn throughout my pregnancy only this time. And so what if I have felt a little more tired and hormonal this time--I have 3 kids! I think that gets more and more true with each passing pregnancy. :)

2.) Are you carrying any differently this time compared to your previous 3 pregnancies? Yes and no. Sorry, I know I'm not being very helpful. I am "all baby" again, but I am carrying lower this time than ever before. Then again, that could have something to do with that business about this being my 4th baby and my abdominal muscle being split down the middle...

3.) When (gestationally speaking) were your other babies born? Our firstborn came 15 days before her Estimated Due Date (EDD). The second and third were both born 2 days before their respective EDDs.

4.) How much did your other babies weigh? 7 pounds. No, that's not an average. They have each been exactly 7 lbs. or 7 lbs. 1 oz., which is really just a difference of who peed on me more before having their measurements taken. And keep in mind, that's even with a significant difference in gestation.

5.) Do you have a "feeling" as to what the baby's gender is? No, and I'm really not kept up at night wondering about it, as some seem to think. I truly enjoy the open possibilities of the unknown and the anticipation of our big surprise. We'll be finding out pretty soon now!

As an added bonus, for those of you "visual" guessers, the pictures in this post were taken about 2 weeks ago. Okay, it's time to comment if you'd like to guess!

Protecting Midwifery Care in TN

2010-05-13T13:34:00.004-04:00

My friend Toni has made me aware of a new grassroots organization in Tennessee working to fight back against some recently drafted regulations that could limit Tennessee families' access to evidenced-based maternity care (i.e. midwifery care). Check out the Tennessee Birth Coalition's website to read more about the goals of this organization and to find out how you can get involved.

Anastasia Ushers in the Terrific Twos

2010-04-21T15:54:00.004-04:00

Birth Unbound

2010-04-15T15:24:00.004-04:00

Here's a shout out to Toni Payne, a dear friend and fellow childbirth educator and doula. Toni lives in the Chattanooga, TN/North Georgia area and recently started a new blog about childbirth called Birth Unbound. Check it out at: http://birthunbound.blogspot.com/

I'm still working on updating my own blog. Thanks to those of you who have let me know you're still out there and have encouraged me to keep it up! I have managed to back-post about my business, so feel free to scroll down and take a look. More is coming, so hang in there with me!

Been waiting for an update?

2010-04-12T16:46:00.003-04:00

Hello, dear readers! Should any of you be out there still holding out hope for my blog I want to let you know that I am still here and I apologize for the lack of posts in, well...a really long time.

This has been such an incredibly busy season of life for us--busier than I think it's ever been before! I've had a lot to post about, but somehow I kept getting behind on actually posting it. So, here you go. Spring is here, I have lots of pics and updates I want to share with you, and the blog is back on my radar. I'm going to try to catch up and back-post a little over the next few weeks, so keep your eyes open for new updates. In the meantime, you can enjoy the above picture taken of our Evangeline while waiting for this year's Easter egg hunt to begin. More pics to come soon!

Oasis Birth Services, LLC

2010-01-31T15:00:00.002-05:00

As of January 1, 2010, my business, Oasis Birth Services, LLC, is registered in the state of Ohio! I am really enjoying the work I do as a birth doula and a childbirth educator, and business is really picking up! If you haven't seen it yet, check out my website at: http://www.oasisbirth.com

Good Things Come in Small Packages

2009-12-19T21:53:00.002-05:00

Yesterday marked 12 weeks completed in a new pregnancy. Our new baby is now about the size of a lime and quickly working on outgrowing even that magnificent achievement.

We thank God for this new life He has created and hope that you will rejoice and pray with us as we anticipate with great eagerness the arrival of the newest member of our family (probably around the end of June).

"Taking the Birthing World by Calm"

2009-11-17T14:54:00.003-05:00

Want to learn more about calm, gentle birthing with HypnoBirthing (the childbirth education method I teach and personally use)? This video gives a good overview:

The Sweetest Kiss

2009-10-15T12:02:00.003-04:00

Eliana: Mom, if I hold my lips out in the air, what am I kissing?
Me: Umm...the air?
Eliana: But, Mom! How can I kiss God? I want to hug Him and kiss Him!

Childhood Imponderables: Astronomy

2009-09-16T22:36:00.004-04:00

Astronomy fascinates me. I even used to dream of becoming an astronaut one day. My girls have started showing some interest lately in the celestial bodies, probably because we've had a few too many late nights recently.

It started last week as we were coming out of Target. When we had entered the store, there was still daylight. When we left, it was night. Eliana and Evangeline had a great time marveling together that they were in space!

Eliana and I have been having a lot of conversations lately about different time zones around the world, and I've been attempting to explain to her that it is not the sun which moves around us, but it is we that keep spinning around while we circle the sun. I can't quite seem to fully convince her that I'm not kidding, but the wheels are definitely turning.

On the way home from church tonight Eliana, who was evidently star-gazing in the back seat, asked me, "Do you know why the stars don't fall to the ground?" I just thought that was so precious.

A short while later, as I was getting Evangeline into her pajamas at home, I was asked, "Is the sun asleep? Is it tired? Is it with its mommy and daddy sun?" Precious!

And then there's Anastasia. As we got out the car tonight I tried to turn her attention upwards. This was actually more difficult than it sounds because she was busy pointing to all of the neighborhood lights. When she did finally notice the glitter-plastered night sky, however, she was happy to point out all of those wonders to me, too. Precious!

Every time I think on the greatness and majesty of the universe I cannot help but be awestruck over and over again at God's greatness and majesty! After all, if this is the creation, who can even begin to imagine the full glory of the Creator! What a precious hope we have in Jesus Christ, that one day we, God's children, will meet this Creator face to face and be welcomed as sons and daughters and heirs with Christ!

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

A Message for Daddy

2009-09-13T08:58:00.002-04:00

By Request

2009-09-12T11:37:00.004-04:00

The girls put on another dance show--this time with baby sister.

Here they are taking a bow.

Captain Daddy

2009-08-13T14:03:00.003-04:00

Congratulations on your promotion yesterday, love! Thank you for all the hard work you do for our family and our country.

Glory Dwelleth in Emmanuel's Land

2009-08-08T13:33:00.002-04:00

The bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear Bridegroom's face.
I will not gaze at glory,
But on my King of grace;
Not at the crown He giveth,
But on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Emmanuel's land.

From "The Sands of Time are Sinking"
Words: Anne Cousin (based on Samuel Rutherford's letters)

The Girls Cut a Rug

2009-07-28T19:10:00.004-04:00

One Big Photo Shoot

2009-07-24T14:02:00.004-04:00

While we were in Tennessee last month I took the kids to have their pictures made with my brother's children, Lucas and Kayla. I thought I'd share some of the pictures here.

Eliana and Kayla were easy enough to capture with a smile on their faces. I wish I could say the same for the younger two girls...

I had given four little girls a pedicure the day prior. We thought this shot would be easier to get than all of them sitting still and smiling, since all we needed was their feet. This did not prove to be true, but I'm happy that we finally managed to get it.

It was a miracle, but we did manage to get this one shot of all three sisters by themselves.

While I was trying to nurse Anastasia and convince her that photo shoots are, in fact, really fun the older two sisters had a few shots taken together.

Don't they just look adorable? It's amazing the things you can get kids to do when you bribe them with ice cream.

I just have to say that I love Evangeline's face in this picture. It so captures her personality!

This is attempt #2 at getting all of the girls in a picture together. Though I (obviously) hadn't planned on being in any of the pictures, I thought if I held Anastasia she'd do better. Thankfully, the picture turned out better than I could have hoped for given how things seemed in the moment.

Once that ordeal was over, the photographer asked if there was anything else we'd like her to get. In a rare, sudden moment of brilliance I asked her to go ahead and take a few shots of Evangeline by herself to save me the trouble of having to repeat this nightmare in a couple of weeks. Here she is scratching some bug bites.

Her she is with her mischievous grin. We've been seeing more and more of that lately...

I love this picture! Is this Evangeline or what?

The photographer and I kept trying to get Evangeline to be still, look at the camera, and smile all at the same time. She'd manage one or two of our requests, but couldn't seem to coordinate her efforts for all three. Frustrated, she finally sobbed, "I can't! I not big! I just too little!" It was hard work, but she finally pulled it off for the above picture. Way to go, Evangeline!

Make a Stand with Me

2009-07-21T13:00:00.001-04:00

A Month in Tennessee

2009-07-13T13:46:00.013-04:00

I'm Still Here

2009-06-16T11:32:00.002-04:00

I know, I know. I've all but totally fallen off the blogosphere. If anyone is still out there, please accept my apologies and know that I do plan to resume blogging again in July. I've just been having too much fun visiting family and assisting births in Tennessee these last few weeks. I promise to try to get back with the program when I return to Ohio.

The Mother of All Rallies

2009-05-07T11:53:00.005-04:00

On International Midwives Day, May 5, Anastasia and I (and a lot of other people--those pictured above are just a few of us from the Dayton area) went to the state capitol to celebrate and rally for legislation that would grant licensure to Certifed Professional Midwives (CPMs) in the state of Ohio. Anastasia made a great little activist. With smiles flashing from her cute, little face peeking over her evidently "amazing" wrap she was undoubtedly winning state representatives over left and right. We can hope, anyway! Actually, from what I can tell from the handful of encounters I was privy to I think we had a good influence overall.

To read more about this campaign visit the Ohio Midwives Alliance and Ohio Families for Safe Birth websites.

Out For a Stroll

2009-05-02T21:14:00.002-04:00

I know, I know. I'm going to have to get her some little knee pads. But I'm telling you, she refuses to walk on the grass when there's concrete around. And as for that, it is simply a means of making it to the street. She is instinctively drawn to the road like a moth to flames. Good thing we live on a cul-de-sac and have a fenced in backyard!

A Little Glimpse at April

2009-04-30T16:44:00.001-04:00

A Note to the Birthday Girl

2009-03-31T15:08:00.001-04:00

My darling baby,

I give thanks to God as I remember the amazing day we shared on this day last year. It has been such a wonderful year watching you grow and learn, laugh and play, love and be loved. You are such a blessing to our family and such a beautiful reminder of God's love and goodness to us. Loving you is such a joy, and I feel truly blessed to be your mother!

May God continue to bless you with health and beauty, and may He never cease drawing you to Himself. By God's grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, may you know and love Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. I love you oh so very much, sweet girl!

Hugs & kisses,

Mommy

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T10:10:00.001-05:00

Anastasia Sends Her Love

2009-02-09T10:20:00.002-05:00

Eliana's Haircut

2009-01-27T10:08:00.001-05:00

Before:

After:

Budding Philosopher?

2009-01-17T20:05:00.004-05:00

Evangeline's quote of the day:

"I talking to my E-BANgeline. Myself I am not."

The Best Medicine

2009-01-16T11:20:00.002-05:00

What Will She Say Next?

2009-01-14T10:11:00.005-05:00

I don't know if it was the heavy snow gear husband had on or if our daughter is just losing her grip on reality, but this morning, as husband was leaving for work, Evangeline said, "Bye, Dad! Where's your spaceship?"

Popsicle: It's What's for Dinner

2008-12-05T16:45:00.003-05:00

Eliana had surgery yesterday for a partial tonsillectomy, an adenoidectomy, and ear tube insertions. We are very thankful to our Lord that the surgery went so well and that she seems to be recovering wonderfully. We also appreciate those of you who have been praying for her. And for those who didn't know about it, I apologize for not putting it on the blog beforehand. While we knew the surgery was in the near future, we didn't have a set date until less than 48 hours before, and it's been incredibly busy here, as you may imagine. So busy, in fact, that while I could say many things about this whole experience, I must, for now at least, leave it at this basic update and go get another popsicle for my little patient.

A Picture of Grace

2008-11-11T16:25:00.002-05:00

Last week, Eliana and I "read" Peter Spier's Noah's Ark for the first time. The wonderful illustrations (which do not include the above) do all the "talking." I think it was the first time the devastation really sank in with Eliana. When she saw pictures of other animals standing outside the closed ark deep in water she finally realized how many more animals died in the flood than were saved. I suppose her response was typical--"That's not fair."

But praise the Lord we do not get what is "fair!" If that were true, then there would be no hope for any, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) We can choose to focus on the "bad" things that happen in the world as a means of trying to question God's character, or we can look at the many blessings in our lives and wonder in utter amazement, "How is it that good things happen to sinful people?" Let us thank the Lord our God, who is mysteriously well-pleased to lavish upon us His love and grace.

Looking at an illustration of the ark at sea, I thought I would try a lead-in to point out Noah's great faith in God again. I asked Eliana how she thought she may have felt being on that ark, adrift at sea, rain falling from the sky, surrounded by water and no land in sight for so long. Her response?

"Wet."

Three Cheers to the Master!

2008-11-07T12:47:00.003-05:00

Okay, so this is actually a picture from 2005. And husband hasn't officially graduated with his master's yet, but that's just a technicality now. IT IS FINISHED. I am so proud of you, love!

You must be this tall to enter

2008-11-02T21:04:00.003-05:00

Oh, the things Eliana asks when we're driving in the van! I could fill up the blog daily with this stuff if I only had the time. She seems to think the van is the best place to ask all thought-provoking, life-altering questions, such as the time she decided to ask, "May we get a pet?" while I was fighting to strap a very resistant Evangeline into her carseat before everyone else in the parking lot was convinced that I must surely be kidnapping the child. I guess you could say she really needs to work on her delivery. Anyway, here's a nugget from today:

Eliana: "Mommy?"

Me: "Yes?"

E: "I want to be a mommy now."

Me: (playfully) "Well, you know, once you become a mommy you can't ever stop, no matter how tired you may be."

E: "No matter how tired you are?"

Me: "Yeah, no matter how tired you are."

E: (thinking)... "Well, I'm ready to be a mommy. (pause) I'm just not tall enough yet."

Me: (laughing)

E: "Am I tall enough yet, Mommy?"

Me: "No, sweetie. I don't think you're tall enough yet."

Let's Polka!

2008-10-31T08:51:00.002-04:00

Happy Reformation Day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU0f_qJLkLg

A Day at the Farm

2008-10-24T21:32:00.005-04:00

The girls and I, earlier this week, on our way to the pumpkin patch.

Enjoying the hayride

Eliana liked playing with the hay.

Evangeline enjoyed eating it.

Baby Fluff

The girls each picked out their own pumpkins.

Making our way through the corn maze

Trying not to lose them
(It didn't work, but, thankfully, it was a small maze.)

Evangeline making friends with a goat

(She walked right up to it, full of excitement and expectation, and said, "Hi! Whatcha name, goat?" Ahh, you just had to be there.)

Adventures in Oregon

2008-10-21T16:00:00.012-04:00

Between having no internet access for three weeks, going out of town, and just a really hectic month, I haven't posted in a while, but watch out, because I have a lot to catch up on. To start, here are some pics from our trip to Oregon a week and a half ago:

Look at that smile! We were honored to take part in the wedding of Justin and Julie and so happy to see them married!

Congratulations, friends!

It was so nice to catch up with Tim and Kristin at the wedding. We miss you!

We enjoyed seeing Multnomah Falls while we were in the Portland area.

We also drove up to Washington for a couple of hours. I couldn't help but be amused at the state highway symbols shaped like President Washington's head.

Then we drove to the coast, where we walked on the beach and ate way too much clam chowder.

Anastasia's thoughts on seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

I had drawn a picture of myself walking on a beach for some birth art I did while I was pregnant this last time. Interestingly, this beach looks exactly like the one in my drawing.

Anastasia enjoying this view of Montana on our way home.

Q & A with Eliana

2008-09-08T18:48:00.006-04:00

As you can see from the above picture, Eliana is learning a lot these days. She's been asking more and more questions about Christ's work on the cross and her standing before God. We have been very encouraged by her increasing interest in these things, though we often find it difficult to give adequate reponses, particularly to a 4-year-old. Though we try to look for natural ways to bring up spiritual matters with the girls, Eliana is frequently bringing up these matters more on her own, naturally and not-so-naturally.

The other day we were driving down the road when out of the blue Eliana inquires from the back row of our minivan, "Mom, where is your soul?" Unfortunately, having absolutely no context and trying to hear her over the sound of the engine, a baby crying and two rows of seats I had thought she had said, "Mom, where's your school?" I repeated it back to her several times, asking if that's what she had said and what did she mean, only to keep hearing, "Yeah, where's your school?" So, I told her I didn't have one. Oops.

When she finally gave me some context to her thoughts I had to make another mental note to be sure I understand the question she's really asking before I give an answer. I wonder how many times I've confused her with my response. (She's certainly confused me a number of times!) But thank God for His grace! I'm glad I had the chance to correct my blunder.

Getting Settled

2008-08-29T19:42:00.002-04:00

Well, we're here! It's difficult to say when things will get "back to normal," though. Turns out more stuff + more kids = painfully slow unpacking and organizing in the new home. It also doesn't help that our household goods were randomly thrown (and, yes, I mean "thrown") into boxes on the other end. But, oh well! We hope to be here in Ohio for about 7 years (a very long time for the military!), so I guess I have time!

More to Celebrate!

2008-07-21T14:25:00.005-04:00

I know, I know. I haven't picked up blogging again as easily as I'd hoped. I was hit with one strange illness after another for nearly two weeks, and now I'm just frantically trying to get everything done before we have to pack up and leave.

But I simply cannot leave one major event unmentioned any longer. You see, earlier this month our little Evangeline turned TWO. We thank God for blessing us with this little person with a big personality. She brings us such great joy and has been one of God's major instruments in teaching us more about patience. We are now holding on for dear life but definitely enjoying the ride.

We took Evangeline to a portrait studio on her birthday to forever capture her two-year-old self in some nice birthday pictures. Below you can see part of the finished product. I think we succeeded. :)

Fifth Time's the Charm

2008-06-28T13:01:00.003-04:00

Praise the Lord! We finally have a house waiting for us in Ohio! Well, it's not exactly waiting on us. In fact, the current owners won't be out until the end of August, leaving us homeless for a few weeks. But, at any rate, we are thrilled to have this humongous decision behind us!

Some of you know what an ordeal we've been through trying to buy a house in Ohio, but for those of you who don't....well, I won't bore you with the whole story, but it took 5 attempts to buy a house before one stuck. And this wasn't even one of the houses Chris saw on his house-hunting trip last month. Oh, well! I'm just relieved to have it finally behind us. This has taken up far too much of our lives over the last 6 weeks--lives that are already crazy busy with 3 small kids and a husband/daddy trying to finish a master's thesis. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up blogging again now that I've made a little room in my mind to think about something else!

Okay, we're off to Chick-fil-A to celebrate!

Celebrating Four Years

2008-05-14T23:00:00.000-04:00

Child of the Covenant

2008-05-11T23:00:00.000-04:00

Hiking the Tent Rocks

2008-04-26T23:00:00.001-04:00

The Many Faces of Anastasia

2008-04-25T11:56:00.000-04:00

Catching Up With Pictures

2008-04-24T21:19:00.004-04:00

"Monday's child is fair of face"

2008-04-08T15:51:00.003-04:00

She's Here!

2008-03-31T22:30:00.000-04:00

Anastasia Cosette made her entrance into the world today at 10:14 a.m. She weighs 7 pounds and is 19.75" long. (Hmm...those measurements sound very familiar. What can I say? We only know how to make one kind of baby!) "Anastasia" comes from the Greek, meaning "resurrection," and "Cosette" is of French origin, meaning "victorious people." And maybe we did miss Easter, but, hey, we were close!

The labor and birth went beautifully. We praise God for His goodness to us! We are now a happy, healthy family of five, and, so far, everyone seems to be adjusting well. Here are some pictures from our big day:

A final pregnancy picture, taken shortly before I give in and stop "getting things ready"

Evangeline coming to check on Mommy

She didn't stay in the room very long because she wanted to get in the tub, too!

Moments after birth

Eliana was present for her newest sister's birth and was actually a big help to Mommy.

Getting her newborn exam

Evangeline meeting her new baby sister (and claiming her as her own)

Eliana is SO excited about her new baby sister. She wants to hold her all the time.

Our friend Katie

Thanks for coming to help!

Anastasia with her birth day cake, made with love by Katie, Eliana and Evangeline

It was good.

Eliana enjoying her new ViewMaster, a congratulations-on-becoming-a-big-sister-again present

Evangeline enjoying her new bubble machine, a congratulations-on-becoming-a-big-sister present

....and, finally, the fluff you've all been waiting for

The Home Stretch

2008-03-13T00:30:00.002-04:00

I am 37 weeks pregnant today and therefore considered "term." That basically means I'm cleared to have the baby anytime in the next five weeks. So, when do you think Baby Martin #3 will make her big debut?

You know you're nesting when...

2008-03-05T15:18:00.002-05:00

...you wake up in the middle of the night after only 4 hours of sleep and all you can think about is your sudden urge to get up and clean or organize something.

You then spend the next hour+ trying to reason with the chattering busy-body in your head that if you get up now then you won't have the energy to be as productive during the day.

Enough blogging. I need to take a nap.

Change of Plans

2008-03-01T14:28:00.007-05:00

You may recall a recent post in which I wrote about Chris's upcoming separation from the Air Force. Well, that's not going to happen after all! I'll spare you the details, but basically a certain someone in the Air Force made the mistake last year of putting Chris's application for the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in the wrong pile. Yes, I know. Anyway, they have finally righted the wrong and are now offering Chris the opportunity to stay in the Air Force and pursue his Ph.D. in aeronautical engineering at AFIT starting this August. He has decided to take it! So, Lord willing, we'll be moving to Ohio in about 5 months. Please pray for our transition.

The Business of Being Born

2008-02-26T16:33:00.002-05:00

A new documentary about birth in America was released on Netflix today. I saw a benefit screening of it at the beginning of January. I think it's a good introduction to some of the current issues facing birthing women in this country. If you're looking for a place to start looking into these issues, consider renting this. There is a preview found on their website, The Business of Being Born.

In other related news, many states in this country are introducing legislation this year (or are at least planning to) to establish regulations and licensure of Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs)! While we are fortunate that about half of the states in this country already have licensure available, it is a sad truth that there are still some states where out-of-hospital midwifery care is not legally protected, and in some cases, is even illegal. Thankfully, though, The Big Push for Midwives, a nationally coordinated campaign, is advocating for licensure and regulation in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The map below breaks up the current situation state by state. I would love to see the day when it is all dark blue!

Prepared to Pacify

2008-02-22T09:52:00.010-05:00

Unbelieveable as it seems most days, this baby is coming soon! I have less than 6 weeks to my "due date," that arbitrary date which I have never before hit. I'm hoping this may be the first time, though. It feels as though there are so many things to do in preparation for this new little one, and the thought of making the adjustment to three seems overwhelming some days.

One thing I have already made sure to have on hand is a couple of pacifiers. Not that I necessarily plan on using them right from the start (I'd rather establish a good nursing relationship first), but who knows when I'll leave the house again. I figure I should be ready to survive at least the first month or two without a trip to Babies 'R' Us.

With help from Eliana, I tried to pick the cutest BPA-free pacifiers available at the store. I'm hopeful the baby will love them as much as Eliana seems to. Eliana eagerly anticipates the birth of her new sister so that she can promptly shove one of these pacis in her mouth. Perhaps she'll finally be able to accomplish what I was never able to do--get my girls to take a pacifier. That never seemed all that bad to me until Eliana developed a high, narrow palate and a cross-bite from excessive thumb-sucking. I'd much prefer the paci (which I can take away) over dental appliances. I hope the baby will agree.

Personalities Shining Through

2008-02-06T14:31:00.000-05:00

Husband and I kept referring to Eliana as "fiesty" throughout the last half of my pregnancy with her. My midwife, after noting the baby's movement during every prenatal visit, finally asked one day, "Is she always like this?" During one of the ultrasounds the tech commented that she had never seen a baby move so much and that I was sure to have my hands full. Then, to top it all off, my midwife's assistant, whom we had never met before the birth, commented just moments after the birth that, "This baby is fiesty!" And, sure enough, she is still a neverending ball of energy and movement.

With Evangeline, I kept commenting in pregnancy that she was very "particular." She would always let me know if I was doing something she didn't like! I told Chris I was afraid of having a fussy baby. I even had nightmares of her being born and fussing so much that no one wanted to hold her. When my parents came out to meet her when she was 4 months-old she screamed so much that they both quickly handed her back to me--my nightmare come true. I'm confident that she will always be a princess. :)

I have prayed for a mellow baby this time. I think I'm due for one. So far, though, I can't say I have any good reason to hope for it. My one-word description for this baby--"spastic."

Yes, Indeed!

2008-02-02T11:14:00.000-05:00

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

A New Chapter

2008-01-18T10:41:00.000-05:00

We recently learned of the Air Force's approval of Chris's request for separation. This means that, starting August 15 of this year, we start a new chapter in our lives. I don't know where we'll we living in 7 months. Sometimes that makes me feel somewhat anxious and frightened, but mostly it seems exciting and adventurous (even if it is in a stomach-churning sort of way). I could site so many examples of God's gracious and amazing providence in our lives, and I have faith that this situation will be no different. May He place and use us where and how He pleases.

Our Shining Star

2008-01-09T09:45:00.001-05:00

Eliana had her first dance recital one month ago on December 8. I hate that I'm so behind on posting, but better late than never, right?

She did a fantastic job! We are so proud of her. I could tell that she wasn't quite sure what to make of the experience when she first walked onto stage, but she quickly fell in love with the spotlight. When it was over she was asking to go back on stage and do it again.

So here's our our little ballerina at her dance recital:

(Eliana is the 4th from the left--the one with her arms up following the 7-year-old stand-in leader.)

Welcome Home, Justin!

2007-12-10T21:46:00.000-05:00

Just over a week ago we had the pleasure of welcoming home a good friend that had been deployed in Afghanistan for the last 6 months. We were all very excited about your return, J, and we give thanks to God for preserving you through this time. It's good to have you back!

Eliana's First Ballet

2007-12-07T15:24:00.000-05:00

Eliana and I attended a performance of The Nutcracker ballet last weekend. It was Eliana's first time attending any such kind of performance. I was rather nervous as to how she would behave and if she would even enjoy it, especially since she scares easily. I was fearful that the Rat King's entrance in the first act would mark the end for us, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Leading up to the performance Eliana was very excited, and I did my best to prepare her. She watched the beginning of the ballet with wonder and excitment. I said another prayer when the Rat King entered, but Eliana just watched with amazement. We whispered a little back and forth about the events taking place on stage, and I could tell that she was really caught up with it.

During intermission, she insisted several times that we return to our seats, so as not to miss a second of the ballet. When the second act began, Eliana started to look for the Nutcracker and the Rat King. Though the Nutcracker was sitting, I explained to her that the Rat King was gone and would not return, but this was obviously a great disappointment to her! She would say, "Well...he will come out in a minute." This happened many times throughout the second act. Thankfully, she seemed to enjoy many of the other dances, even though they failed to include a giant, terrorizing rat being put in his place.

I am so ecstatic to have been able to successfully share this with my young daughter. A week later, the Rat King still seems to have had the biggest lasting impact. I'm just so glad it was a positive one! Events like this remind me of similar outings with my mother. I love getting to pass this on and make new special memories with my daughter.

Our Elf Family

2007-12-06T22:15:00.000-05:00

I know lots of these have been flying around lately, but here's our family's elfamorphosis: http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1180342980

I had way too much fun using unbecoming pictures of Chris (and even one of Evangeline crying). "Angry Elf" really took the cake though, and is featured in the above clip, so enjoy!

Blogger Superlatives

2007-11-28T11:50:00.000-05:00

For a "regular" blog poster, I realize that I am pretty irregular. While I have managed at least one post per calendar month since my blogging debut, that's about the only thing you can truly count on from me (though I do aim for more). Will I post again tomorrow or a month from now? You just never know! I realize this may irritate what few readers I have, but I am a tired and busy pregnant mama. I make no apologies. Instead, I'm going to give myself an award!

Most Sporadic Blog Postings

So, which award should you or your blog receive? Don't be shy!

Driving Lessons

2007-11-01T16:00:00.000-04:00

We have a new driver in our family--a backseat driver. While Eliana has long desired the freedom to actually drive our vehicles, she now seems to believe that she is ready to take the written driving test.

She figured out that red lights mean "stop" and green lights mean "go" all by herself. Approaching a yellow light one time, I began to slow down and stop. Eliana then announced that yellow means "stop" too. Far be it for me to ever run a yellow light again.

I am scolded every time for legally turning right on red. I am told to "go" as soon as a light turns green, even if there are cars still sitting in front of me. Eliana is currently learning about turn arrows, but I still frequently get a, "Go, Mom!" when a light is green (without an arrow) and there are three lanes of congested traffic to cross. I try to use such instances as opportunities to show that we still have to give others a turn and that it is more important to be safe and courteous than to exercise every right.

Wherever we drive now, she is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to make us better drivers. In reality, she is learning a lot about traffic rules, and I have found that to be a great platform for teaching her other important lessons. It also serves to keep me on my toes, such as the times when I am asked, "Mommy, are you going fast?"

"That's relative," I tell her.

Happy Reformation Day!

2007-10-31T10:08:00.000-04:00

Today marks the 490th anniversary of the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg, thus starting the Protestant Reformation. Today we celebrate the preservation of these truths:

Sola Scriptura! Scripture alone is the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God.
Solus Christus! By Christ's work alone are we saved.
Sola Gratia! Salvation is by grace alone.
Sola Fide! Justification is by faith alone.
Soli Deo Gloria! To God alone be the glory.

IT'S A...

2007-10-22T10:53:00.000-04:00

Girl!!!

We recently learned that we are blessed to again be expecting another little girl. Chris, Eliana and I all expected it, but it's still weird to actually know. Now we're really going to be put under pressure to decide on a name! Eliana's been asking for weeks, "What is her name?" and we would tell her that we couldn't name the baby until we knew whether it was a boy or a girl. She would always respond, "Mom, it's a girl!" When we told Eliana that she was right she looked at us like, "What? You guys didn't know?" Honestly though, she has a good track record for these things. I really should start charging for her services.

So...three girls. Wow. God has not only hand-picked her for our family, He has handmade her. I had ultrasounds with my other two girls, but it never ceases to amaze me to see a unique individual with fingers and toes moving inside me. I can hardly believe that the Lord has so graciously blessed our family with this new, precious daughter. Please join us in praying for her (and for us!).

In Christ Alone

2007-10-07T21:51:00.000-04:00

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

A Must-Have for Minivans

2007-10-06T16:29:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to let any fellow minivan drivers out there know about this SafeView Back-Up Lens I got from One Step Ahead. It makes me feel so much safer backing up in my big, long vehicle since it gives me such a wider view of my rear blind spot. I have ordered quite a few neat baby products from this site and have been very pleased.

That's all for now. Just wanted to share!

We Have a Heartbeat!

2007-09-27T14:27:00.000-04:00

I had my first prenatal visit with my new midwife on Tuesday. We had a good visit, and I'm pleased with our decision to hire her. We all went as a family, so together we got to hear the heartbeat for the first time. We didn't get to hear very much, though, because the baby kept moving. And I was really hoping this kid would be mellow... :)

More Big News

2007-09-24T09:26:00.000-04:00

A few of you may understand the significance of the above pictures. For those of you who don't, allow me to joyfully explain:

I was beginning to think I may not live to see this day. This is Eliana's first time experiencing dippin' dots ice cream. Why is this such a big deal? Because it has been a promised reward for the past many months of successfully using the potty. That's right. My 3-year-4-month-old finally potty-trained a week and a half ago. PRAISE THE LORD!

For those of you who don't have children, have only a very small child, or have had ridiculously-easy trainees you may not understand what a HUGE deal it is to expereince the pure elation of putting away the diapers after nearly two years of repeated completely unsuccessful attempts. Let me just say, it is beautiful--so beautiful, in fact, that I feel as excited as my 3-year-old to tell the whole world about it.

We're still working on the modesty aspect, so it's probably best not to mention her new panties to her. You're likely to get more than you bargained for. Perhaps we should contact Fruit of the Loom and tell them we have a new model for them.

God is Good

2007-09-19T10:30:00.000-04:00

We are now 12 weeks into our wait for the new bundle of joy God has so graciously given us. We had been hoping and praying that God would bless us with another child in His timing and in His way. Due to my low progesterone levels we thought it would probably be a while longer, but we were pleasantly surprised to get this back in July:

We were supposed to send in our application for a New Mexico adoption on the day we found out God had other plans for us (for now anyway).

Surprisingly, April 2 doesn't really seem that far away. There is so much happening between now and then and with two other littles growing up quickly that I really believe the time is going to fly by on this one.

We are so thankful for this new life and for God's grace and mercy in sustaining this pregnancy to this point. My progesterone is being supplemented and seems to be just fine. Thanks to everyone who has given us hearty congratulations. Please keep us in your prayers.

A New Family Portrait

2007-09-16T15:31:00.000-04:00

Memory card: $20

Digital camera: $400

Knowing there are actually five people in this picture: PRICELESS

Lessons From Sunday School

2007-09-14T11:32:00.000-04:00

The other day, Eliana and I were discussing what she had learned in Sunday School this week. I could see from her take-home handout that she had learned about Peter's denial of Christ. She was eager to tell me the story herself, though. Here's how it went:

"Peter heard a rooster crow and that made him very, very sad. The rooster said he did not know Jesus."

I then attempted to correct this by saying that it was Peter who denied Jesus. She quickly picked up again:

"Yeah. And the rooster said, '"I forgive you, Peter.'"

Again I downplayed the rooster's role by telling her that it was Jesus who forgave Peter.

"Mom, let me tell you a cock crow story!"

At first I thought she had said, "a cockroach story," but then I realized that she was actually saying, "a cock grow story." To further illustrate her point, she motioned the rooster's growth with arms stretching far apart and then went back to her story:

"And the rooster growed REAL BIG and then he made a noise and that made Peter very, very sad and he cried."

I then asked her why that had made Peter so sad. After confirming that she had no clue other than that the noise itself was quite disturbing to Peter I went on to explain that the crowing was a reminder to Peter of what Jesus had said and of how Peter had sinned. I tried talking to her about how Peter loved Jesus and that's why the sin upset him so much. But she wasn't about to let me take over the story:

"So then Jesus said, 'Follow me, and I will show you something cool!'"

I just laughed and gave her a hug. While her comprehension of the story leaves something to be desired, it warms my heart to see the eagerness with which she longs to tell it and to hear the excitement and drama pouring out of every word. And, after all, she did manage to retain some grasp of Peter's sin and repentence, someone's forgiveness, the rewards of following Jesus, and, don't forget, a very large and disturbing rooster.

Happy Grandparents' Day!

2007-09-09T10:30:00.000-04:00

From Eliana and Evangeline with love...

Like Sister, Like Sister

2007-09-03T23:04:00.000-04:00

We have a new shark lover in the family. Here are some pictures from our most recent trip to the aquarium (nearly two months ago--better late than never, right?).

Adorable.

Too cute.

Remember this picture?...

Still loves sharks.

Just like big sister.

Evangeline's shark face.

What Timing!

2007-08-22T16:24:00.000-04:00

God's timing can be really mysterious and perplexing. Sometimes His timing of a certain event leads us to praise Him and marvel at His goodness. Other times we are left wondering, "Why, oh, why now?" It can seem especially difficult to see what God is up to when it hurts. Even behind the things I look at and say, "C'mon! I mean, really?! Now?!" I can trust that He is sovereign and has amazing purpose, but that doesn't mean that coping with those difficulties is smooth sailing. Still, what a comfort it is to rest in the knowledge of His goodness...and in His perfect timing.

Vaca Pics Recovered!

2007-07-30T14:59:00.000-04:00

I big thank you goes out to TJ's Photo Center, who successfully recovered ALL of our vacation pictures off of our reformatted memory card! I am so happy to have the memories of our wonderful trip preserved so well now. I know it's been quite a few weeks since our San Diego adventure, but I'd still like to share with you what a suberb time we had. I hope you enjoy!

Visiting Joey

You can tell he doesn't quite know what to think of our spirited girls! Eliana kept wanting to "baby" him, and Evangeline kept playing with all of his toys.

SeaWorld

Eliana signing "whale" just outside the "Dine with Shamu" venue.

Evangeline really loved watching the whales. She was determined to let her presence be known amongst them.

Eliana's up-close and personal encounter with a killer whale.

Having a blast at Shamu's show

We all loved petting and feeding the dolphins!

A dream come true: Eliana gets to hold a real starfish.

Of course we had to see the sharks, too!

Chris runs a marathon
This man just ran 26.2 miles. He's my hero. :)

The girls were very proud of Daddy as well.

The Beach
The girls and I were all seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

Evangeline was a big fan of the ocean. She was sure to let it know she was there.

San Diego Zoo
Eliana was eager, as always, to see the elephants.

As promised (Justin!), Chris made his camel face for the camera.

I'm not sure which made a bigger hit, this statue or the real hippopotamus.

Me, feeling like an elephant carrying two tired little girls

A Year of Evangeline

2007-07-12T18:40:00.000-04:00

10 days

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

1 year!

Happy 1st Birthday to the Princess!

2007-07-11T13:25:00.000-04:00

The smallest among us celebrated her first birthday on July 5! I can't believe it's already been a year since her birth! Our precious, little girl is growing up so quickly and doing so many new things now! It's as if she understands that she's a big girl now and has decided to prove it to us. She is a walking, talking, signing fanatic! I just love to see how proud she is of herself.

She had a great first birthday! See for yourself:

She really loved opening her gifts. She kept handing me all the little pieces she tore off.

Her new walking toy. She now wants to walk everywhere! Thanks, Grandma & Grandpa!

Blowing out the lone candle (with some help from Mommy).

Getting her first bite of cake! (For those that are interested, I made the Bunny Birthday Cake from Super Baby Food.)

Mmm...this is good!

Back off! This is my cake!

Evangeline, you are so very beautiful to me, and I thank God for making me your mommy. Happy birthday, princess!

Eliana's Wish Come True

2007-07-03T22:57:00.000-04:00

We are back from Las Vegas! It feels so good to be home. We had the wonderful opportunity to attend a live Signing Time! show during our trip. Eliana was, of course, beside herself with excitement. Evangeline, too, was obviously excited to see Rachel and try to sign along with her. She is becoming quite the Signing Time! fan herself actually.

Seeing a star-struck three-year-old has to be one of the cutest sights ever. It was such a big moment for her, and I just love that we got to do this.

San Diego

2007-06-14T10:47:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful time in San Diego at the beginning of this month! Unfortunately, we lost ALL of our pictures. (None of the pictures in this post were taken by us.) Instead of crying about it, though, I'm going to share with you what we did on our trip.

On our first night, we had dinner with Andy, Megan and Joey, stars of There's Treasure Everywhere. They are friends from our Albuquerque church that moved out to California last fall. We had a wonderful time visiting with them and meeting Joey for the first time. Thanks, guys!

The next day, we went to SeaWorld. This was definietly the highlight of our trip for Eliana. (You really should ask her about SeaWorld sometime. She has much to say about it!) SeaWorld is a fun and interesting place for anyone, but our little lover of marine life was beside herself with excitement all day long. Shamu, of course, made a big hit, so much, in fact, that we no longer have a little girl. That's right, we now have a baby whale in the family.

The tide pool made a big hit, too. Eliana got to hold a starfish (another favorite of hers). We also enjoyed feeding and petting the dolphins. I loved getting to see penguins and manatees for the first time ever. There was so much to see and do. I wish we had had more time. I'm already trying to think of ways to go to SeaWorld again. We all really had a wonderful, very memorable time. A big thanks to SeaWorld for the free admission!

The following morning, husband ran his first marathon (26.2 miles)! I simply cannot express how very proud I am of him! His official time was 4 hours 54 minutes. Remember that this was in spite of the fact that we had just been walking around an amusement park the entire day before not drinking nearly enough water. What an amazing man I am married to! I love you, husband!

After relaxing in the hotel pool for a while that afternoon we dined at a nice seafood restaurant overlooking the ocean. It was my first time to see the Pacific, and we enjoyed a nice, brisk stroll by the water's edge after dinner.

The next day, we visited the world-famous San Diego Zoo. It was big, beautiful and had many different animals, the most exciting of which was the pandas. However, it was the elephants, as usual, that made the biggest impression on Eliana. We truly did enjoy our time there, but at the end of the day, it was still just a zoo. I'm glad we went, but next time I would choose to spend two days at SeaWorld.

So, that pretty much sums up our trip. The flights went relatively well. We even got to see the Grand Canyon from the sky! The Denver airport's USO was fantastic and made our travel so much more enjoyable. Thanks to everyone who prayed for us!

Busy Times

2007-06-13T16:33:00.000-04:00

Whew! What a month (or so) we've had! We've been up to so much, and I haven't had a chance to blog about it! So here's my fly-by post about a little of what were up to in May:

Evangeline said her 1st word (other than "Mama" and "Dada") - "Hi!"
She has since added "Uh-oh."
She still signs "milk" a lot and has recently started signing "Daddy."
We are now up to 4 teeth!

Mother's Day
What can I say? I love my precious little girls, and I love being a mommy! Thank you, God!

Eliana's Birthday

My little girl is now three-years-old! Sometimes I just look at her and wonder where the time went. I thank God that I am blessed to be a part of her world!

(Don't laugh at the cake. It was husband's fault.)

Our Anniversary

Celebrating 6 years! I am still crazy, madly in love with the amazing man God chose for me. He is my best friend in all the world. I am so very grateful for our life together and pray that God will be pleased to grant us many more years together.

10 Reasons Why I Love Worshiping With My Children

2007-05-19T17:41:00.000-04:00

10. "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise." Psalm 8:2

9. It's a reminder of God's Covenantal Promises. As members of the Covenant Community, children of believers have been present in formal worship down through the ages. There are plenty of Old Testament passages that tell of this, including Exodus 12:24-27, Deuteronomy 12:17-18, 29:10-13 and 31:10-13, Joshua 8:35, 2 Chronicles 20:13, and 1 Samuel 1:4. And just so there's no confusion over appropriate ages, Joel 2:15-16 calls children, to include "those nursing at the breast," to the sacred assembly.

8. My children are learning to worship and trust in the Lord even at this very young age. Recall Samuel, who had just been weaned, worshipping in the house of the Lord in 1 Samuel 1:28 (and later in his youth in 2:18 and 3:1). We also have the example of David trusting in the Lord at his mother's breast (Psalm 22:9).

7. God not only can be praised by children, He wants to be! Matthew 21:15-16 describes the Pharisees becoming indignant when children in the temple (a place of worship) shout, "Hosanna to the Son of David." Jesus, however, gladly received their praise and rebuked the religious leaders.

6. I fear the Lord. The disciples rebuked those who brought little ones to Jesus in Matthew 19:13 (also recorded in Mark 10:13 and Luke 18:15), but Jesus called the children to himself and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Luke 18:16) In Matthew 18:5, Jesus says, "Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me," but then warns in the following verse, "But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea," and in verse 10, "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."

5. Children are blessings not just to their parents, but to the whole Body of Christ. Children model the kind of faith God expects of us. "I tell you the truth, unless you become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3-4) And what a blessing it is to all of us in the Church to see His kingdom advanced by these precious gifts He has blessed us with! The reminder of children in worship can and should help us in stirring up genuine praise to God, returning our focus to God and His blessings in our lives.

4. To arouse their curiosity and bring them to ask questions. Just as one of the purposes of including children in the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread was to stir up questions from them ("What does this ceremony mean to you?" Exodus 12:26), so our worship services and observation of Sacraments offer a valuable opportunity for our children to witness and question important aspects of our faith and worship. However worship is conducted, questions will be raised. What message does it send to our children when they are sent out to play or quarantined behind glass walls during worship?

3. To cultivate a love for God and a sincere desire to worship Him. My toddler asks nearly every day to go to church and pushes us all out the door on Sunday mornings, eager to worship God. Things I have the privilege of hearing during the week include, "I want to go to God's house," "I love Jesus," "I want to give money to God," "We are in Jesus's family," "God loves me!" "I want to answer my catechism questions," "Can we read our devotion book?" "Let's sing 'Holy, Holy, Holy,'" "I want to read about Jesus!" "Jesus is at God's house. Can we go to church?"

2. To impress God's commandments on the hearts of our children. We are commanded to do this in Deuteronomy 6:7. Being such a rich source of this, surely corporate worship would be one expected means of accomplishing this. Examples of this have already been pointed out in Reason #9.

1. I see the gleam in my toddler's eyes when she listens to the proclamation of God's Word and whispers to me, "I was made for Jesus."

I Love This Face

2007-05-10T11:18:00.000-04:00

Spring Has Sprung!

2007-04-30T16:10:00.000-04:00

We have birds! I discovered a nest in the wreath on our front door during the last week of March after hearing a bird singing at my door for hours on end. Mama bird sat faithfully on her four babies for two weeks before they hatched.

All four baby birds seemed to be doing well until one evening just over a week ago. A neighborhood cat managed to jump high enough to hit the wreath and cause it to turn on its side. Two of the baby birds fell out and were eaten. After that, we decided to intervene and move the nest (and wreath) to a higher, safer location. Mama bird returned and continued caring for the remaining two birds. They have grown so big and, I expect, will be leaving the nest soon. I'm so proud! :)

Remembering

2007-04-12T10:42:00.000-04:00

Today is the anniversary of the day we named our lost baby (which was Evangeline's twin). The story behind this is very special to me, and I believe I am now ready to share it on a wider scale. So, here goes.

We lost Evangeline's twin during the 9th week of my pregnancy--around Thanksgiving, actually. A couple of months later I had a dream in which I saw myself out shopping with my children, which included twin boys. Their names were Zachary and Machary. There wasn't anything exciting or very noteworthy about the dream, but I awoke to a bittersweet feeling, as if seeing a glimpse of how my life might have been. I related the dream to Chris, who joked with me that I was not allowed to name any of our boys (turns out he wasn't too keen on "Machary"). I told him not to worry, "I'm sure my mind was just coming up with a name to rhyme with Zachary, although I can't imagine why I would have thought of that name either, as I've never considered using it." (This is coming from someone who has poured over countless baby names and meanings over many, many years.)

Life went on, and I occasionally found myself thinking back on the uneventful dream with a strange sort of nostalgia. I rarely talked about our lost child outloud, but I thought of him often. I knew I wanted to name the baby, but I kept putting it off.

The time finally came in April when I was ready to face the full reality of our loss and felt a very strong desire to name the baby. The meaning behind a name has always been of great importance to us, even more so with this child that we would never hold on this side of Heaven.

During Eliana's nap I did backward searches for names, using a meaning I thought might be appropriate for a keyword and looking over the list of names with some kind of tie to that meaning. Nothing seemed to "fit," though. I finally decided to put off the search for that day and go take a much needed nap.

As I lay in bed with sleep quickly trying to overtake me it suddenly hit me--hard. Remember. I knew that this was the keyword I had been looking for. I tried to tell myself that I could look it up later--that now was the time to sleep--but after a few minutes of vainly struggling against the idea, I surrendered to it. Sitting down at the computer, I typed "Remember" and then saw

Zachary

and every variation on it looking out at me from the monitor, with meanings such as "The Lord remembers" and "Remembered by God" listed. First, my jaw dropped and every hair on my body stood straight up. Then I bawled.

When Chris came home, I told him all about it, and we quickly agreed that we would name our lost child Zachariah. Thomas, meaning "a twin," came just a few minutes later as the middle name.

It is this mother's comfort to say that the Lord has indeed remembered Zachariah.

"I shall go to him, but he will not return to me." -2 Samuel 12:23

It's strange to know that she is surely at peace. And that she is well off there, very well off, and yet to grieve so much! -Martin Luther, on the death of his daughter, Magdalene

Happy Blogiversary to Me!

2007-04-01T18:15:00.000-04:00

Today is my one-year blogiversary. For fun, I would like for everyone (this means YOU) to post a comment with a fun slogan about yourself or something you love. (At least say hello or something!) If you'd like some help, you can use this advertising slogan generator.

Here were some of my favorites:

Designed for Motherhood, Engineered to Last
Stop. Go. Mother.
We don't just make babies. We make babies better.
My Anti-Drug is Jennifer.

Have fun! :)

A Better Way

2007-03-30T13:45:00.000-04:00

I have another product recommendation, but this one is just for the ladies. Guys, trust me, just move on. Unless you have a strange interest in menstrual products, you'll be better off not reading this post.

With my disclaimer out of the way, let me ask you, pre-menopausal ladies, if you are satisfied with your menstrual product(s)? Tampons are not healthy for us, disposable pads are uncomfortable and messy, and neither of them is environmentally friendly. But is there anything available that is not harmful to our health and yet is comfortable, clean, and environmentally friendly? I believe there is!

I have only had The Diva Cup for one cycle, but I already love it. This soft medical grade silicone cup has a higher learning curve than pads and tampons, but that's really the only downside I can think of.

How much do you spend on pads and tampons every year? The Diva Cup costs about $35 (including shipping), is guaranteed for one year, though it should last much longer.

How much waste to you produce with disposable pads and tampons (and don't forget packaging)? One Diva Cup will probably last 5-10 years. So, that's years of compiled waste from tampons and disposable pads (plus packaging and applicators) versus one diva cup and its packaging.

How reliable are your tampons/pads? The Diva Cup can hold about a third of what you lose during your period, so unless you don't empty it for days or you don't have it in correctly, you should be leak-free!

I could go on, but I'll let you read up on it for yourself (or feel free to ask me for more info). If this sounds at all interesting to you then I recommend that you check out Diva Cup's website, read reviews on Amazon, and check out what Wikipedia as to say about menstrual cups. Maybe you'll find Aunt Flo's dreaded, inconvenient visit doesn't have to be so bad after all.

Signing Time!

2007-03-27T15:58:00.000-04:00

I'd like to share with you a wonderful product for teaching children (and parents) American Sign Language (ASL). First, let me just say that I can't say enough good things about signing with children. It allows them an opportunity for earlier communication, decreases frustration in communication, increases their verbal vocabulary, can be instrumental for opening the door of communication for children with special needs (such as autism), promotes literacy, gives them (and you) an opportunity to communicate discreetly, is LOADS of fun--oh, I could go on and on!

Two Little Hands Production has a great series of DVDs and corresponding CDs that teach ASL. The signs are reinforced with many different children signing and some really great songs. We started letting Eliana watch these around the time when she turned 2, and, a year later, she still LOVES them. We began signing with her when she was 6-months-old, but Signing Time definitely gave a huge boost to her interest in and excitement for signing.

If you have an interest in signing with your child, check out Signing Time's website. They have many other products, ideas, and even a forum. You can also check out the "Sign with your baby!" link on this page under "Resources" for baby ASL classes in your area. And, of course, feel free to ask me any questions!

Fellowship

2007-03-26T16:27:00.000-04:00

We had such a wonderful time in Colorado! A big "thank you" goes out to the Bishop family, who graciously opened their home to us and blessed us with warm hospitality. Eliana, like the rest of us, was sad to leave. She is still recounting our trip to the farm and other fond memories of her new friends Caleb, Caroline and Joshua.

A few days ago, after our devotion, I asked Eliana for whom she would like to pray. After a few moments of serious thought she replied, "Caroline." She then bowed her head, closed her eyes, and, with hands clasped, prayed, "Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for Caroline and Caleb and Joshua and Ms. Joy and Mr. Bishop. Thank you for their house and for their lives. Please work in their hearts. In Jesus's name, amen."

Ditto. :)

My Sweet Ride

2007-03-05T11:45:00.000-05:00

Mommies like new toys, too! We are now the proud owners of a blue 2005 Honda Odyssey. The girls and I will be enjoying the leather seats and other nice features tomorrow on our way to visit some friends in Longmont, Colorado. Unfortunately, the new DVD system will have to wait to be installed until after we return, but we're still very excited about it.

One of the things I'm most excited about is the van's 8-passenger capability. That means we can, Lord willing, get even more out of it until we (hopefully) have to graduate to a cargo van! ;)