Going to the Letters

This morning, I have the opportunity to ride on a friend's guest pass and work out at the "Y". So, I was telling the boys this morning about our day. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: "Boys, you're going to go with mommy to the YMCA and play with your friends while mommy works out with her friends."

Me: (to clarify for them, thinking to myself they probably don't know what the YMCA is since they've never been there) "We're going to the gym."

Judah: "Mommy, can I go to the letters with you?"

Is that too adorable or what?!

Need More Advice

Thanks for all the advice re: potty training.
I think the consensus is I wait a few more months.
I may give it a go with only one of the boys and see how that goes. But, if it doesn't go well, I feel better about waiting given all the input regarding boys and their "delayed" cooperation!

Moving on from potty training to painting....
Lawrence and I have LONG wanted to overhaul our master bedroom, like since we moved into the house in 2003! Anyone who has seen the bedroom will agree that it needs some serious attention. Lawrence and I are not agreeing (surprise!) about where to begin. I say get the bedding first and work the paint around it. He says pick out paint first and work the bedding around that. Any other opinions out there? Help!

Potty Training Advice?

Anyone want to offer some potty training advice to a clueless mom of 3 year old twin boys?
Laurie and Suzanne, I'm particularly interested in hearing from ya'll, of course! But, anyone is free to give their two cents. :)

Do I leave diapers on them? Pull ups worth it? Let 'em go naked? Sit in the bathroom all day? Only train one at a time given only one of them seems really interested in it anyway? The other is nearly refusing to go on the potty? What about naptime and bedtime? They still wet their diapers at nap and bedtimes. Stay home all day until they get it? What to do when we have to go out? And, anything else you might think I need to know about.

Thanks for your input!

Use For Garden Tomatoes

I haven't written in a bit but not for a lack of things to write about as much as a lack of time to do so. Lawrence just finished up two weeks on the road except for a much too short "visit" home this past weekend which we were all grateful for. He's home now, and life feels right again. In his absence, we kept quite busy. Made a trip to PA to spend a few days at grandma and grandpa's house. Thanks Mom and Dad. The boys had a blast swimming in the pool with you, going to Knoebels Grove (the most wonderful family park around!), and watching much more TV than they usually get to watch here at home. On Demand Kids' Channels are amazing!!

In addition to our trip to grandma's, Bella had her 6 month checkup which, apart from having to keep the boys from climbing the walls, went rather well. She appears to be growing just as she should and, though she cried like any normal baby would when receiving shots, did rather well.

Again, Judah proved to be the bravest little boy around at the eye doctor last week. In addition to cooperating well with the parts of the exam he knows well, he also allowed Dr. Abrams to check his pressures which is typically done with him under anesthesia as it involves eye drops and allowing the doctor to basically poke on his eyeball with something called a "tonopen". He was hesitant, but mustered up the courage to sit still for this. And, his pressures were the lowest they've ever been in his life, a definite sign that the surgical interventions he's had are working and were worth it. We are definitely giving thanks for this.

And, finally I come to the reason for this post's title: "Use for Garden Tomatoes".
My mom gave me some fresh tomatoes from her garden which I used in a great, easy recipe tonight out of my Real Simple magazine. The recipe is for something they call, "Pasta with marinated tomatoes and mozzarella". (I have to laugh at their recipe titles as they are basically just a list of all the ingredients) :)

Here it is with my improvisations:

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, diced
1/2 small sweet onion, roughly chopped
2 T. olive oil
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed
1 pound fettuccine (used spaghetti but it would probably be better with thicker noodles)
1/2 cup fresh basil, torn

In a large bowl, gently combine the tomatoes, onion, oil, mozzarella, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 3/4 tsp. pepper. Set aside and let marinate at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Add the drained pasta and basil to marinated tomatoes and toss to combine. Divide among individual bowls.

**I added some shredded chicken breast to it that was first boiled and then heated up with an oil/butter combination to add a bit more protein to the meal.

For me, it had all the components of a great summer dish: fast, easy, oven-free, healthy, use of fresh ingredients and tasty!! Really, it doesn't get any better than that!

Miracles DO Happen!

Beginning last night, I mentally prepared for today's adventure with the kiddos: a trip to Sears Photo Studio....ALONE! Yes, I went where no mom should go alone and survived! The miracle is that every child remained CLEAN (no clumsy falls into the dirt loading into the car, no juice spills down one's shirt, not even spit up from the baby until right after the photo shoot was over).

As if this isn't enough, NO child threw a temper tantrum, not even mild whining!! My boys obediently held on to the stroller to and from the car (twice because I forgot a coupon in the car and had to go out and get it); they played contentedly with their cars on the floor while I chose photos and sat quietly eating their animal crackers while the photographer shot a few individual poses of Bella. And, while the pictures aren't the most amazing in the world, I walked away with some "good enough" pictures of my babies who are all growing up so fast!

If you'd like to view them, let me know and I'll send you the link. Make sure I have your email address.

A Fun Tag

I have several things to write about, like the boys' recent 3rd birthday that we celebrated with great fun or the week ahead of me when I must 'hold down the fort' while my hubby travels for work. But, instead, I wanted to do this fun 'tag' found on my friend, Beth's blog.





A--Available/Single?--Always and Forever to the best hubby ever, Lawrence!


B--Best Friend? God has blessed me with many close friends


C--Cake or Pie? Cake, but only if it's super moist or anything from "Apple Annie's"


D--Drink of Choice? water or this summer, iced coffee


E--Essential Item You Use Everyday? glasses or contacts


F--Favorite Color? any bright color on my husband



G--Gummy Bears or Worms? worms, but not really a gummy fan



H--Hometown? Lehighton, PA



I--Indulgence? getting my hair done at Bubbles, Dunkin donuts coffee and choc. chip muffin, watching TV in the evening and anything chocolate



J--January or February? February, the month my Bella was born



K--Kids and their names? Judah, Tucker and Isabela



L--Life is incomplete without? God, His church, my family and friends



M--Marriage Date? March 16, 2002



N--Number of Siblings? 2 sisters and 4 brothers



O--Oranges or Apples? Mandarin Oranges



P--Phobias/Fears? massive, nearly unhealthy fear of bats and of my hubby dying on me



Q--Favorite Quote? don't really have one



R--Reason to Smile? I get to see my daughter smile and sons laugh nearly everyday.



S--Season? I'm definitely a fall girl...love hayrides, pickin' pumpkins, making apple everything, fall smelling candles, pulling out jeans again, the crisp air, etc.



T--Tag people? I don't usually like to



U--Unknown fact about me? Given my LOVE of chocolate, it might seem strange that I don't really prefer chocolate icecream.



V--Vegetable you don't like? beets



W--Worst Habit? eating something sweet in place of a meal



X--X-rays you've had? teeth and wrists



Y--Your favorite food? fruit, chocolate, anything my mom bakes



Z--Zodiac sign? Libra

Our Time Away

I figured I should get something new on the blog since we're well past the asthma episode.
Judah responded well to the nebulizer treatments and has since had no more asthma episodes. The boys are both back on their daily steroid through the nebulizer and probably will remain on it through the fall and winter now. I hate having them on a daily medication, but it is much better than having an asthma attack land us in the ER.

After MUCH deliberation and prayer, Lawrence decided that Bella and I would go with him to Florida earlier this week. It was not an easy decision for either of us, but God was gracious to reveal some lessons He was seeking to teach us through it all, mainly about Lawrence's leadership and my submission. More on that in another post someday (maybe).

Bella was an absolute joy to have along with us. She did amazingly well on the flights. Late night flights, though putting you at your destination late at night, are much preferable for traveling with babies as 1. they tend to sleep through the flight and 2. there are typically less people on those flights. Bella was my companion during the day while Lawrence was in class. We ate breakfast and lunch at Panera, about a 10 minute walk from the hotel. We had our first "cream tea" at a local place called The Chai House. (well, I had the tea and scone; Bella just watched me eat and got a 'taste' of it later when she nursed). :)

She and I took our first girls only shopping trip where I stumbled upon a great little boutique that had a coat I really wanted to buy. See it here. It also had a line of embroidered items that I fell in love with, one item being a onesie that had "Sweet Pea" embroidered on it selling for a measly $18.

In between many phone calls home to check in on my sick boys, I read parenting books, Christ Our Mediator, watched an entire episode of Hells Kitchen, got to see Martha make brownie cookies for icecream sandwiches which I may try to duplicate for the boys' upcoming 3rd birthday party, took a long, uninterrupted nap, played around with styling my new haircut and adored the rare opportunity to have one on one time with my baby girl.

Lawrence and I were able to catch up in the evenings for dinner. One night we walked all over the place trying to figure out where we'd eat only to end up back at the hotel for some undercooked chicken and french fries. Mine was the undercooked chicken and thankfully, I didn't get sick from it. But, we did get my meal for free! The 2nd night, we ate at an American Cafe where I had better luck with a Hawaiian salad that was one of the best salads I've ever eaten. It had glazed chicken, grilled shrimp, pineapple, toasted cococut, mandarin oranges, pecans, and mixed greens. It was so flavorful, I didn't even need to use the sesame dressing that came on the side. We topped our dinner off with one of our favorite summertime desserts: icecream!

Writing it all out, I see that God provided some great memories for me with my daughter and husband, time for rest and re-envisioning as a mom and protection for my boys while they stayed at home with our sitters (who were amazing to willingly and lovingly care for our little sickos while we were gone...thanks, Kristin and Melissa). Unfortunately, I had a hard time while away really separating myself from what was happening here at home with the boys. I find it seems to get harder and harder to leave my kids for any amount of time even if it's time I know I need and will be well appreciated after the fact. I guess this is common to motherhood. Nevertheless, I am back in my "nest", re-envisioned for the hard but wonderful task of mothering my three little gifts.

Thank you, Lord, for time away to hear from you without the distraction of a dishwasher needing unloaded and three diapers needing changed all at the same time. Thank you for wonderful resources like Shepherding a Child's Heart and Teach Them Diligently that help to guide Lawrence and me in parenting our children for your glory. Thank You for Your Word that reveals the depths of my heart and need for You as I try each day to be a godly wife and mom. Thank you for Judah, Tucker and Bella, truly good gifts from You!

Asthma Returns

Judah and Tucker both have a history with asthma. We've been in the ER on several occasions, but last fall and throughout the winter, it seemed we had gotten it under control. The boys were put on a daily steroid via nebulizer which seemed to help them significantly get through colds without struggling with asthma. They recently started with colds or allergies (can't tell which it is), and had been handling it fine even though I've had them off the steroid for a couple months now....until this afternoon.

Judah woke up with a fit of asthma and on went the nebulizer mask. In the past, it's been difficult to control once an asthma attack occurs. The preventative measures seem to work best for our guys which means having that daily steroid in their system. Well, they've been off of that and so I'm a little anxious as to whether or not we'll be able to get this attack under control.

In addition (and we are finding this to be so par for the course in our home), Lawrence and I are planning to fly to Florida with Bella on Sunday evening for a CPE class he has down there. Every summer Lawrence usually has to fly somewhere to take continuing education classes, and I try to go with him if at all possible as we only end up paying for my flight since his flight and hotel costs are covered by his firm.

Please pray that we can get Judah's asthma under control and that Tucker and Judah's colds will clear up with enough time for me to confidently join my husband next week.

A Tucker Funny

One day recently, Lawrence's parents, for whom Spanish is their first language, were hanging out at our house. I often ask Mrs. Almengor to speak Spanish to the boys when she is here because Heaven knows, they're going to learn much more from her speaking it than they ever will from me.

As Mrs. Almengor was changing Tucker's diaper, my husband overheard him say to her the following:

Tucker: "Is you gonna change my diaper?"

Mrs. A: "Si, hijito" (spanish for little son)

Tucker: "Is you gonna say 'oofa'?" (the spanish way of saying "p.u. or stinky")

To Love God More

I'm not sure what I want to write; I just know that I want to write something.
Writing is a way of processing for me, and so this post is mostly for myself. If any reader wants to read on, great. Hopefully, there'll be something encouraging for you, too.

I just spent the last several days caring for a dear friend and her family who have experienced great loss...Sweet, baby Livi went to be with the Lord after battling a rare form of Leukemia for more than a year. She was only 2 years old. Those 2 years went quickly, but they are filled with many wonderful memories of precious, fun times spent with her family and friends.

Only hours after Livi passed, I was hugging and crying with her mom in the kitchen of their home. Over the course of the weekend, I listened to many stories about Livi that brought both laughter and tears. I helped Emily go through her clothing, watched her bravely enter Livi's brand new room for the first time which her dad sacrificially prepared for her while she was in the hospital. I read Emily's drafted obituary for her daughter and corrected a misspelled word (What are friends for? Ironically, it was the word "friend" that was misspelled.)

I did some laundry, organized some shoes, brought some food and tissues. I drank some wine and cleaned some dishes. I met some of Emily's friends for the first time and re-acquainted myself with some of her extended family whom I have met in the past. I sat in silence. I also wept. I laughed and listened. I gave permission to be yelled at, kicked out, have things thrown at me or whatever. I just wanted to be there.

Some might find it difficult or uncomfortable to be around those who are grieving the death of a loved one, but I found it more difficult to not be there. I was reminded while there all weekend of the verse in Ecclesiastes 7:2, It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart. I wanted to be near my dear friend and her family who are also so dear to my heart. I have to consider how much more God is desiring to be near to all of them right now; He is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

I spent time in Emily and James' home. I was also at the funeral home and the church where Livi was memorialized. In all those places, at various moments everything in me wanted to stand up and scream, "THIS ISN'T RIGHT! THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING." I can only imagine how much more Emily and James are feeling that right now. I know that death was not in God's original design. I know He created us to live forever. And while we still do live forever either in Heaven or Hell, we have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death. It feels permanent even though the separation is only temporary. And while we give thanks that one day we will see Livi again and we will be reunited, that temporary separation is so very painful. It leaves us with an ache in our bones almost and an empty feeling in Emily's arms. She wants to hold her baby. She wants to see her laugh again. She wants to care for her, plan for her days, love and cherish all the milestones. I want this for her, too.

At the same time I wanted to scream, I was praying all the while one prayer for myself, for Emily, James and their families. I was and am praying that somehow we will all love God MORE for this and even because of this. It is a prayer of faith because I cannot see how that can happen. I only know of God's power to redeem, to cause us to draw near to Him, to cause us to persevere in Him and to love Him more fully. Somehow, through the most tragic of life's circumstances, we come to know God and love God more deeply. Sometimes, the path that takes us to this place is quite circuitous, winding through bitterness, anger and despair before we come to the love, faith and hope. But, we get there. Why? Only because of God's faithfulness to His own, because of His relentless committment to our good, ultimately because of His unswerving, never faltering love for us.

What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Even in the death of a very loved little girl, God is being mindful of us and not just mindful, but good. I know this even though I can't see how.

The New Look

I thought I would write about the reason behind the new look/new title. First, I'm still working on the new look. I'd like to get my husband's input and help with it because he's a lot better at that kind of thing than I am. But, this is what I did on my own, which for someone technologically disinclined, is pretty good I think! :)

The new title is first a practical move. The blog has morphed into an online journal about my whole life, not just updates on Judah's health as it once was. I now have three children, and I want to brag about all of them to the world. For those as technologically disinclined as myself (Gretchen), the address remains the same: http://www.judahupdate.blogspot.com/, so don't worry about changing that on your favorites list or RSS feed (is that right?...I mean bloglines and things like that). Only the title and look has changed.

The new title, "Pleasant Places" also comes from a verse that has become my life verse of sorts. I have found too often I'm tempted to look at my circumstances and doubt God's goodness. Anything as tragic as losing my father to brain cancer at age 12 to the less tragic but nevertheless heartbreaking incidents of unrequited loves (yes, there was sadly more than one).

I am constantly having to confront my sinful heart that seeks to compare my life and lot to others' lives and situations and accuse God of witholding good from me, or at least the best. I think, "my life is good, but it could be better." I play the "if only" game far too often. This verse has informed my thoughts and moved my heart on more than one occasion, bringing me to a place again and again of both surrender AND joy in all that my life is and all that it is not.

This one verse consistently says, "SHHH" to my disquieted heart that grumbles and complains. It reminds me of what is true, that truly God has placed the boundary lines of my life in pleasant places and that I do indeed have a delightful inheritance in Him.

A Busy Friday

I have a rather full day ahead of me tomorrow. In the morning, I'll be going to a friend's house to have a short play date. I'll be leaving Tucker with my friend in order to take Judah to Hopkins for a laser treatment. I'll also be taking Bella with me. My sister in law is meeting me at the hospital in order to watch Bella while I take Judah into the laser room. Then, we'll all head to her house so that I can feed Bella and wait for my husband to pick the kids up after work so that I can stay at my sister in law's house for a ladies' night she has planned. Lawrence, then, will have to pick up Tucker and has agreed to keep all three of the kids tomorrow evening so that I can enjoy a night out.

I'm tired just thinking about it!

Please pray for our family tomorrow....for Tucker who will be left with a "newer" friend of ours, for Judah to cooperate with all that's involved for his laser treatments, for Bella to be the flexible, "peach" of a daughter that she typically is, for Lawrence to receive much grace in his desire to bless me by keeping all the kids and for me, that I would not grow weary of crying out to God for His grace throughout the day because I know I'm going to need it in large measure tomorrow.

Please pray for our friend and her family as she has so willingly offered to keep Tucker while she has 4 of her own!

Thanks!

My Bella Girl

I recently took Bella for her 4 month check up. I can hardly believe she's already 4 months old! She's growing and changing so quickly, much faster than I remember the boys growing up. She is doing very well, per the pediatrician: in the 75% for weight at 14. 6 lbs, the 95% for height at almost 26 inches and is developmentally right on track. She giggles and coos, rolls over from belly to back, makes some serious eye contact, is very intent on studying people and loves her mommy most of all.

Because I do not yet have a baby book for her (classic 2nd child [really, 3rd child, but 2nd pregnancy for me] syndrome), I decided I would write some things down here on the blog to help me remember these days that are flying by.

We moved Bella to her own bedroom at 4 months old. Mommy was sad to see her go. She was my own personal sound machine. And, I was sad to see her in that big room all by herself. The boys have each other, and I have Lawrence. It doesn't seem right that she's all by herself. But, no announcements to make, I promise! :)

Bella is attached to her nuk, which is fine for now. It helps her sleep and be quiet when she's growing cranky which is seldom. Bella is a pretty happy baby for the most part. She has been getting up around 6 a.m. when I give her medicine for reflux or try to get her to go back to sleep. Usually, by 7 or 7:30, I give her the first feeding of the day. She's up with the boys and me until about 9/9:30 when she goes to bed for a morning nap. She's usually up again around 11:15/11:30, when she eats again and plays with the boys and me until we all go down for an afternoon nap around 1:30.

It is super nice to have that afternoon nap still, though it's hard to come by some days with the boys needing a lot of discipline to stay in their beds.

I have to give Bella her reflux meds. again around 2/2:30 and sometimes, this keeps her from getting a good nap in. Sometimes she'll go back to sleep, but other times she just spends the next hour or so fussing off and on until I finally wake her up for the 3rd feeding of the day.

After she nurses, I usually make dinner and enjoy some alone time with my girl while the boys still sleep (this is on a good day when the boys actually nap!). The boys wake up anywhere between 4 and 5 and I frantically try to keep my sanity while getting dinner together and wait for Papi to come home.

On a good day, Papi will be home by 5:15/5:30. We'll eat dinner together while Bella sits in her Bumbo seat on the table. Mommy cleans up while Papi plays with all the kiddos. Sometimes, we'll take walks as a family after dinner. Bedtime is around 7/7:30 for Bella and the boys are typically about a half hour behind her.

I have to wake her up again around 9:30 p.m. to give her reflux meds. and then I feed her about a half hour after that. Because she only eats 4 times a day at this point, all her feedings tend to be hearty ones (hearty for Bella anyway which means about 5-6 minutes on each side). Papi and Mommy get some alone time with just Bella which we have cherished. It's usually brief, but we love spending this time with just her. I put her down for the last time in the day and she sleeps through until the next morning. She has slept through the night since almost 7 weeks. I am very fortunate, I know.

Right now, she enjoys playing in her exersaucer, playing with her little duck wrist rattle, laying under her singing star on the playmat and most of all when mommy just spends time talking and playing with her. She loves her brothers and her brothers love her. They have done really well with her, are very gentle and attentive, sweet big brothers.

A quirky, little fact about Bella that I want to remember just in case it goes away: her hands and feet are always clammy.

We love our little, beautiful Bella!

My Son's a Genius!

I know, I've had this title before. But when one's told her son could be mentally retarded hours after he's born, she sort of appreciates any moments he proves to be anything but a little more than the average proud momma. Such was this morning.

As I encouraged Tucker to eat the apple he asked for, "Tucker, you must eat your apple before the timer goes off. You may drink your water with it....and so on," I hear Judah pipe up from the living room with, "Eat it with a goat!"

For a moment I was puzzled until I remembered we read Dr. Seuss's "Green Eggs and Ham" yesterday. :)

Judah's Follow Up

Judah's appointment was fine yesterday for the most part. He was unusually upset by being at the doctor's office. He grew upset as soon as we walked in the building and initially resisted letting the nurses triage him. Eventually, (like after he realized he would get a sticker if he was good), he warmed up to everyone, and we were fine.

Dr. Comi and I mostly talked in between checking Judah's reflexes, talking about his development and looking over his measurements. Not seeing her for more than 6 months, there were a few things to discuss: Judah's growth, the hypertrophy (swelling) on his face/arm, potential circulation issues, etc.

I am able to give thanks that Judah's situation is not really acute or emergent (as they say in hospital world), meaning there's nothing that needs to be done immediately. He's not really "sick" in the way we typically think of "sick". Yet, there are things going on in his body that will have an impact on his way of life, some things we can only guess might happen and other things we may not see coming at all.

It can be difficult at times to know how to proceed in Judah's care as most of the treatment for SWS is based on symptoms, a reactive approach rather than preventative. I spoke with Dr. Comi about this just to make sure that I was thinking correctly about Judah's syndrome. There is indeed, very little that can be done preventatively for SWS; it's mostly treated per symptoms. There are so many aspects of SWS that are simply not understood by the medical community to date. So much more research needs to happen.

What that means for Judah and for our family is this.
Judah COULD have growth hormone or thyroid issues. We are going to start bloodwork to find this out.
Judah COULD have trouble in the future with the hypertrophy, but we're hopeful that laser treatments will help with this or that he just won't have the kind of trouble that some folks afflicted with SWS have.
Judah COULD have a like syndrome known as Klippel Trenaunay Syndrome which would affect his arms/legs, but we need to do further imaging to find out.

I walked out of the dr.'s office yesterday again crying out to God for wisdom. I don't know what tests to subject my son to and what tests can wait or not be done at all. I don't know what experimental supplementations to possibly try and what ones won't be necessary or might actually harm him. I don't know what information to seek out and what is better left unknown. Sometimes, I don't know how aggressively I should invest time, money, energy, etc. into gaining all the knowledge out there on SWS, knowing that it's man's wisdom, and that seems to change with time. What was recommended 10 years ago is quite different than what might be recommended today.

I walk away from these appointments and conversations tempted to feel very vulnerable and insecure about taking care of my child. But, I have to continually remind myself that God has promised to teach me and instruct me in the way I should go. He has promised me His Holy Spirit to be my guide. He has promised to grant me wisdom lavishly without finding fault if I simply ask Him and believe that He will be true to His promise.

SO, I have a couple lab slips, other doctors' phone numbers to call in order to set up further imaging for Judah. I have a list of things to bring up with our pediatrician. And, I am where I often don't like to be but where I most intimately come to know Lord: completely dependent upon Him to tell me what to do, to look out for me, for Judah and for our family, to once again show Himself strong and faithful and good to us.

We may not have "emergent" needs for Judah, but we certainly have needs. And, as always we covet your prayers as we seek to do our best in caring for our child and glorifying God with the lot He has assigned to us.

A doctor's appointment

I know we haven't had one in a while! Actually, we have had some appointments for Bella and things are looking good for her. I will post another time about her progress.

Tomorrow, I am taking Judah to the neurologist for a follow up visit. We now see her every 6 months which for us seems like an eternity between visits. I'm grateful for this; it's a sign that Judah is doing well. :) But, there are a few things that I need to discuss with her. Judah's syndrome is such that most of his health needs, for Judah anyway, don't tend to be emergent. They are nevertheless present and need to be addressed.

I need to bring up Judah's growth with her again, see how he's tracking in the charts and what we want to decide if need be about growth hormone testing. I have some concerns about his circulation and the hypertrophy I continue to see on his face, neck and one arm. And, we will most likely be scheduling a follow up CT Scan to see that his shunt is working appropriately.

Our appointment is at 10 a.m., and I will be leaving both Tucker and Bella with my mother in law. Hopefully, Bella will just be sleeping while I'm away, and the visit won't run too long so that I can get back in time to nurse Bella.

We would appreciate your prayers for tomorrow's visit, and I'll try to let you know how things go soon.

A Father's Grace

Grace: a disposition to kindness and compassion
Mercy: compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender...

There are many ways I could honor my dad today, but I want to share a story in which my dad exemplified these two words to me in an unforgettable way.

When I was in highschool, I worked at a local dairy scooping icecream among other duties. One night, I was leaving to drive home and backed up into my co-worker's new Toyota 4 Runner. I don't remember it doing a whole lot of damage to her car, but the tail light of my dad's minivan came off along with some other structural damage. I was so upset about it and wished that my quick 5 minute drive home could have been longer to prolong the announcement I'd have to make to my parents when I got home.

When I arrived home, I walked into our dining room where my parents were jointly working on the budget adding insult to injury to my forthcoming announcement. Dejected, I threw the tail light onto the table and waited for the lecture to begin. What followed I will never forget. My dad calmly asked what happened, a tone of compassion in his voice rather than the irritation I expected to hear. Once he heard what happened, he said something like, "Don't worry about it. It'll get taken care of." Then, he reached in his back pocket and pulled out a 10 dollar bill, threw it down on the table and told me to go get some pizza with friends and forget about it for a little while.

Do not be mistaken. My dad always sought to make us responsible and not cover for our mistakes. But, my dad saw in this moment that I was certainly disposed to do what was right and pay for the damages myself. He saw that there was a greater lesson to be learned that night, not one of responsibility, but of grace and mercy. He sought (whether intentional or not) to teach me what it means to receive something we don't deserve.

That incident forever became a tangible picture to me of God's love for me. God, in His mercy and grace, gave me the gift of His Son's death to pay for my sins, when I did not deserve it.

Since then, I have cost my dad much money, even recently when I again crashed his truck trying to get out of a parking garage. Stuck on the fourth floor of the garage, I called my dad crying and fearful that I would never be able to get his truck out of the garage. True to his character and love for me, he only sought to care for me, calming me down and giving me a strategy to get the truck out of the garage.

Dad, there are so many things I could say to honor you. Today, I'm choosing to focus on one thing that has made a profound impact on not only feeling secure in your love for me but also in God's love for me. You have been a picture of my Heavenly Father in these incidents and others. Thank you for giving me that precious gift. Happy Father's Day!

Need Some Help

My near 3 yr. old boys cannot for the life of them seem to figure out how to blow their nose. I feel like I've tried many things to teach them the concept of blowing OUT of their nose. They don't get it. Are they too young or am I missing something in my instruction?
Any suggestions?

Zone Out, Freak Out or Cry Out

Recognize this scene?

Multiple people needing you all at the same time. Most, if not all of them are not asking but demanding your attention, lacking gratitude for your service and thinking they are entitled to all you have to offer them because they are, after all, the center of the world. Of course, I'm being a bit dramatic here for effect, but you get the picture.

Maybe you're a teacher to 2nd graders or better yet, pre-schoolers! Maybe you work under multiple bosses (like my husband) who don't always communicate with each other the entirety of their expectations of you. Maybe, like me, you're a mom of several children who daily require much attention and energy.

Whatever your position, I think most people at some point in their lives find themselves in this type of stressful situation. I found myself there tonight (and really, almost any night at our house these days). All three children managing to need me at the same time while my husband is fixing to go do some work out in the back yard. I looked at my husband and actually said, "If I don't zone out right now, I'm going to freak out." Now there's a godly response for you! :)

My gracious and oh so patient husband quickly ushered 2 of our 3 children to the van for an after dinner drive to leave me to some peace (and probably hoping I'd get it together for once!).
This may sound strange to some of you, but to be left to a quiet house where I can clean without interruptions brings me peace. Should it? Who knows. But, it does. However, this time, the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear, "Washing your dishes right now might bring you peace in the moment but it is not going to help you when those boys walk through the door in about a half hour. You need ME."

So, I put down my sponge and went to read my Bible. It dawned on me that when I said, "If I don't zone out right now, I'm going to freak out," I was convinced those were the only two options for me in that moment. I had forgotten a third option and really, the only option if I am seeking to glorify God in the midst of tempation. That was to cry out to God. I went searching God's Word for promises made to those who cry out to God and here's what I found.

Psalm 34:17
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

I thought of the many troubles I have found myself in over the years: some big troubles, some not so big troubles. But for every one, the Lord has heard and delivered me when I've called out to Him for help. It has not always been easy. In fact, I find I often have to apply much effort to take my thoughts captive to believe the truth and to act upon God's truth, and then my emotions eventually change even if the circumstance doesn't. Sometimes, however, God has delivered me from the very thing that is troubling me and in some way or another provides very tangible relief.

So, I went back to my dishes asking God for help. Not long after, the boys all walked back thru the front door, and I was tested again. My hubby asked me to do bedtime with the boys, which at our house can be like herding cattle into the barn at night, a very slow and laborious process. I took a deep breath (sad, isn't it that this opportunity to love on two little boys presents temptation for me), asked God for help and got the boys ready for bed.

Tonight, even as I post this I have another opportunity to cry out to God as I hear both my boys screaming from their bedroom. They need me AGAIN! My husband's needs me to take care of it so that he can attend to other things. I will cry out to God for help to serve all my men; He will hear me and once again deliver me from all my "troubles".

Cilantro Anyone?

I bought a bunch of cilantro on Saturday for a recipe I tried last night which was very good. I have a lot of cilantro left over and wanted to offer it to anyone who thinks they might use it this week. I don't think I'll use it all before it goes bad. SO, any locals want some of my cilantro?

I will even provide the recipe I used it for, and if you want to try it, you'll have the cilantro to go with it. :)

From Cooking Light:

Spiced Chicken Thighs with Yogurt Sauce

1 cup uncooked couscous (which I didn't have and didn't use)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander (I didn't have this on hand)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric (I didn't have this either)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lbs)
Cooking Spray
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic (I used fresh)
1 (6 oz.) carton plain fat free yogurt
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Cook couscous according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. (Obviously, this recipe is fine without the couscous, or you could use rice as well.)

Combine cumin and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a bowl; stir in 1/4 tsp. salt. Sprinkle spice mixture over chicken. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray (I used olive oil). Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.

Combine remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, chopped cilantro, garlic and yogurt in a bowl, stirring well. Serve with chicken and couscous. Garnish with cilantro sprigs if desired.

IF any locals want my cilantro, leave a comment in my comment box.