What Can I Do to Help?

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." I Timothy 2:1-2

Have you ever wanted to help someone else but didn't know how?  I think a lot of people have felt that way recently. My heart breaks for the hundred or so people who have been denied the opportunity to finish the Russian adoption process.  They're being forced to leave their children behind in Russian orphanages, and there's nothing that we can do about it.  And I think about the citizens of North Korea who are captive to a corrupt regime and who are living in poverty beyond our wildest imaginations. Even if we wanted to send them humanitarian aid, we couldn't prevent their government from stealing it from them.  (I'm reading a disturbing book by a Christian who has observed life in North Korea.  More on that in another post).

So often, people have needs that we want to meet, but we just don't know how.  When we see people who have these needs that we can't do anything about, we're often told to donate money to some charitable organization.  And while donating to charity is good and necessary, it still won't solve the hurt and pain that many people experience. This is so frustrating when we want to help, but we just don't know how.

Sometimes, there's nothing that we can physically do to extend relief or aid to other people.  But that doesn't mean that we have no effective measures to help them.  Too often we forget that we have the ability to pray to a mighty God who can do the impossible.  We shouldn't rely on prayer as our back-up plan for helping others.  It should be the first thing that we do.  In fact, as Paul urges us in I Timothy, we are to "pray for all people."

I have been convicted about the fact that I don't pray enough for the needs of others.  When I was working in the hospital as a nurse, I used to start my days off praying for my patients (and literally praying that I wouldn't make a mistake that could harm them.)  But for some reason, when I see someone in need outside of the hospital setting, I don't always start the helping process with prayer.  Yet, praying to God is the most powerful tool that I have to help other people. 

So the next time my heart is heavy and burdened for someone else, I'm going to pray for them before I do anything. I know that my God is great and can provide comfort to those who are hurting and relief to those who are suffering.  My God can do anything, so why not help others by praying for what seems impossible?

May You Have a New Year of Peace

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27

Since today marks the beginning of a new year, I decided that I needed a new word for 2013.  In light of recent events both in my life and in our national headlines, "Peace" seems to be an appropriate word for this new year. 

Growing up, I always kind of thought of peace as a bad word.  I know it's silly, but somehow peace was this hippy concept associated with these 70's peace symbols.  And then there has been the talk of world peace, something that cannot be achieved in a sinful world.  Somehow, I guess I just didn't understand the concept of peace.  Until recently.

 A few weeks ago, when I was lying in a hospital bed and my young son was across town in another hospital's emergency room I realized how wonderful God's peace is.  At that time, I was completely helpless, and I was surrounded by family members who were literally freaking out.  I'm the nurse, and I'm supposed to be the one handling these situations.  But that night, I had to give the situation completely to God. And He gave me peace.  It was amazing

I want to be a person who has peace and confidence that my Heavenly Father is always in control.  I don't want to be known as a person who worries and is constantly afraid.  (Let's be honest, worriers are scared, stressed out people.)  I've heard it said that parents are supposed to worry about their children.  But that's a lie.  We're supposed to trust God to take care of our children, and we're supposed to teach our children to trust God.  We are not supposed to be people characterized by fear.  In Philippians 4, we are instructed to "not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

So 2013 is not a year for fear, but for peace.

Here Comes the Sun

 
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

2012 is almost over.  And I can honestly say that I'm not sad.  The words of the Beatles' song above kind of sums it up for me.  The winter, 2012, is moving out and I'm seeing the sun through the clouds as 2013 nears.

2012 has been a hard year--good, but hard.  The first 2 months of the year were pretty much consumed by studying for and taking the Bar Exam.  Then I had a month of rest.  In April I found out we were expecting Baby #3 and suddenly I was consumed by pregnancy, morning sickness, and every virus you can imagine.  The misery lasted for most of my pregnancy until my blood pressure ultimately went nuts and prompted my doctor to deliver our baby at 37 weeks.  But the next day, child #2 ended up in another ER across town.  Thankfully, by the end of Thanksgiving week, we were all home.  Then 2 weeks later, Mommy got the flu, then the boys got the flu, and we spent the next 2 weeks in quarantine--right up until Christmas.  Ugh, nothing has been easy this year.

But, 2012 was also a year of blessings:

•  Even though we "lost" our church at the end of 2011, in January we found a new church home at The Mount.
• After 3 months of studying like a crazy woman, I DID pass the February Bar exam. I am now officially a nurse attorney.
• Our month of rest in March included a 10 day trip to Hawaii.
• My April-November misery resulted in the birth of our beautiful daughter.
• Despite being MIA from work for most of 2012, at the end of the year I still have a job.
• As it turns out, my boys and I now have immunity to at least 1 strain of the flu this season.
• And I could go on...

I'm sorry that I haven't blogged much this year, but to be frank, I was barely surviving for most of the year.  I spent many months sick in bed and was barely able to keep up with my 2 boys.  Thus, I didn't keep up with housework, blogging, work, and things that I normally do.  Life was literally on hold as we waited for Baby G.

My theme for 2012 was "Family." Although that theme didn't run through my blog as much as I wanted it to, this year really did end up being about family.  Expanding our family, vacationing with our family,  finding a new church family, and enjoying the gift of family.  If there's one thing that I learned this year, it's that I love being a mommy and spending time with my family.  It may not be the easiest job.  And it may take all of my energy.  But my family is worth it. 

I hope you had a fulfilling 2012.  I look forward to sharing with you in 2013!

He's Either Incredibly Smart or He's About to Get Fried...

Our cat, Lou, is obsessed with the fireplace.  But this is the first time I've actually seen him inside the fireplace when the fire was burning.  I did wonder what he expected me to do if his plan didn't work.

Happy Anniversary

It was this day 8 years ago that I married my college sweetheart.  So today, I want to tell Dear Husband that I love you so much.  The last 8 years have definitely been eventful with 3 babies, 3 graduate degrees, 3 places to live, changing churches, and adopting pets, but I'm so glad that I got to share these years with you.

I'm not one of those girls who periodically needs a "girls weekend."  I don't need social functions where I get dressed up.  I don't need "me" time away from the family.  And I don't need my own pursuits apart from you.  I just need to be with you. 

We do everything together.  We make decisions together.  We travel together.  We plan together.  You and I are perfect together.  And I'm so thankful to have married my best friend.  I love you!  Happy Anniversary!

3 Car Seats in a Row

I've heard many people say that once you have 3 children, you might as well have 4.  They typically support this statement by saying that once you have 3 children, you have to upgrade the cars and the house in order to "fit" the expanded family.  It's apparently at the 3 child point where most mothers bite the bullet and go for the (da da da dummmmm)--THE MINI VAN.

Maybe I'm an insecure snob, but I just don't see myself driving a mini van, ever.  I am well aware that they are practical and mom/child friendly, but I just don't want a mini van.  I have friends from all walks of life that rave and rave about their mini vans.  But I still don't want one.  So, when I found out that baby #3 was on the way, I was determined to find a way to fit my 4 year old, 2 year old, and infant in the back bench of my Dodge Charger. 

We bought the Charger when Baby #2 was born with the knowledge that it could be useful should we have Baby #3, because it is equipped with 3 car seat harnesses in the back.  Plus, the backseat is huge.  So I have to confess that I was floored when Dear Husband and I couldn't fit our booster, our front facing car seat, and our rear facing infant carrier across the back.  Thus began my mission to find the "solution" to the 3 car seat dilemma.  After all, it's a lot cheaper to buy an expensive car seat than a new car.

The rule of thumb for properly placing 3 car seats in a car is that they must all fit in the back without touching each other and with enough room for any child in a booster seat to buckle their own seat belt.  Thus, you've basically got to find the narrowest car seats on the market.  Unfortunately, as the genius government has forced cars to get smaller, the safety "idiots" have made car seats larger and have discontinued many narrow seats.  This means that mommies and daddies have to either get creative or look to our friends the "Europeans" for some help. 

To start my car seat project, I chose a Graco Snuggle ride infant carrier so that I could use the bases that I already purchased when my boys were babies.  So seat 1 that needs to go behind the front seat passenger is the infant Graco seat.  (I went ahead and purchased the entire travel system so that it was both "girly" and clean compared to my old travel system.)

 Graco Spree Travel System, Ariel

Next, I searched online for the narrowest front facing car seat I could find.  That's when I discovered the Evenflo Tribute.  It's 17 inches wide, available at Walmart, and priced very reasonably compared to some of the other 17 inch seats.  This seat fits nicely behind the driver's seat.


 Evenflo - Tribute 5 DLX Convertible Car Seat, Saturn

Lastly, I had to find the perfect booster seat for my 4 year old (who weighs enough to meet the 4 years/ 40 lbs requirement to safely ride in a booster seat).  Finding a narrow booster is easier said than done.  Mainly, because most boosters have arm rests that rub alongside the infant carrier base or the car seat.  While the armrests are removable from these seats, safety experts warn that if you have to remove the arm rests to make the seats work, then the booster seat doesn't really fit. 

After purchasing 2 narrow booster seats that still didn't fit in my car, I discovered every mommy's secret weapon.  First used in Europe, the Bubble Bum is a small inflatable booster seat that has finally been approved for use in the U.S.   This seat is awesome and affordable (thanks Amazon).  It's a sturdy and narrow booster seat that is small enough to fit in the back seat of a Porsche. And it fits perfectly in my Charger.

Bubble Bum Car Seat Booster

So I have officially solved the car seat crisis for mommies with sedans and 3 children of car seat age. None of my car seats touch.  My son can easily buckle his own seat belt.  We now have an inflatable booster that we can easily pack and travel with.  And the best part of the story is that Mommy is still driving her fun little Dodge Charger and is living happily ever after...  So much for the mini van and the need for 4 kids.

She's Here!

After waiting 37 weeks and 3 days, our baby girl has finally arrived!  She was born on November 20 at 2:04 pm.  Weighing in at 7 lbs 3 oz, our baby girl has a head of black hair and she looks a whole lot like her big brother.  What a blessing to have this little one join us right in time for Thanksgiving!

I wish I could say that Baby G's birth was without drama, but births in our family are always a little crazy.  When I went to my OB for my 37 week appointment, I pretty much experienced deja vu when they told me that afternoon that I had preeclampsia and would need to be admitted to the hospital sometime in the next 24 hrs.  (This all happened with pregnancy #1.)  Anyway, I was admitted on Tuesday morning, started on my day's worth of Magnesium (can you say one permanent hot flash?), and Baby G was born a few hours later.  Thankfully, my blood pressure and labs were stable this time around, so Baby G and I were able to move to the Mother-Baby unit the next day.  That's when the craziness happened.

I got a phone call that evening from my mother informing me that my youngest son had somehow reached onto a shelf and had ingested someone's prescription medication.  Per my school nursing instincts, I requested that she call poison control and follow their advice.  Poison control then directed my mom to take my son to our local children's hospital for further care.  As a result, Dear Husband left the baby and me at our birth hospital and drove across town to spend the night at the children's hospital with our 2 year old.  Poor daddy got very little sleep as they monitored our little one all night long and had to restart his IV 3 times (thank you nurses for catching the infiltration and saving his arm!).  Anyway, on Thanksgiving morning, Dear Husband called and said that all was well and that he and our little guy had been discharged and were heading home. 

So as it turns out, we had lots to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.  We didn't get to enjoy a big family dinner with turkey and stuffing.  And we didn't get to enjoy a day of relaxation and football like we had hoped.  What we did get was a reminder of how precious life is, how precious children are, and how wonderful it is to be a family of 5.  Watching my healthy 2 year old bounce off the walls of my hospital room on Thanksgiving afternoon while my 4 year old posed for pictures holding his baby sister was priceless.  

A Better Day

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you unto myself, that where I am you may be also." John 14:3

I'm officially 37+ weeks pregnant at this point.  That means that I'm safely within the "full term" parameters and will be allowed to deliver Baby G should labor progress.  I say progress, because I've been having contractions for approximately 15 weeks now and am looking forward to seeing those contractions turn into real active labor.  Oh how the waiting is killing me.

Sometimes I just sit around and talk to Baby G about what fun she's missing on the outside.  I tell her about her brothers and how they're about to give me a coronary.  I tell her about her pink and green room with all the flowers and frills.  I tell her about the fun outfits, hair bows, and shoes that I've been collecting for her.  And I tell her how much fun it's going to be when we get to do girly things together.  Despite all of these conversations, as of right now, she seems to be content where she's at.

Thinking about how exciting it is to prepare for a new baby makes me think about the conversation that Jesus had with his disciples prior to his death when he told them.  "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you unto myself, that where I am you may be also." John 14:3. As is evident from their behavior prior to the crucifixion, the disciples had no concept of what Jesus meant by this verse.  They couldn't fathom the greatness of their home in heaven that Jesus had prepared for them, because they were too comfortable with their earthly home.  And yet, Jesus, knowing full well what the future had in store for his followers, repeatedly told them about the joy set before them in heaven.

It has occurred to me that I am too often "comfortable" with life on earth and, like the disciples, am not really getting Jesus' point.  Just like Baby G, I get comfortable knowing that my parent is there, yet I don't get to experience the joy of being in the glorious, physical presence of my Father.  Yes, God has given me an earthly existence with glimpses of Himself through His Word, His creation, and His Holy Spirit.  But in Heaven, I will finally get to see and be with my Creator.  It is there that I can fully enjoy Him.

At the latest, my doctor has promised that I will finally get to hold Baby G on November 30.  And when she's in our arms and can finally cuddle with her Daddy, I will not forget how glorious it will be to someday be in my heavenly Father's presence when He allows me to enter my eternal home.  Until then, let me not grow complacent and comfortable with my life on earth.

While meditating on John 14:3 this morning, I just wanted to sing this song as I contemplated the future that my Heavenly Father has prepared for me.  Oh what a day that will be!

My Very Own Curious George

I've heard that the Curious George type of child really does exist.  And now I believe what I've heard, because I have one.  My "middle child" is adorably sweet and charming, but he gets into EVERYTHING.  Whereas my oldest child is a thinker and has learned to follow rules extremely well, his little brother is a doer and likes to be a helper by doing things without being asked.  Unfortunately, his helpfulness usually results in a huge mess for Mommy to clean up.

For example, the boys aren't supposed to mess with Mommy's cleaning supplies or Lysol wipes.  But a few weeks ago, my 2nd child decided he would "help" mommy by cleaning the refrigerator.  Unfortunately, he just coated everything in my fridge with a layer of carpet cleaning solution--the brand that I happen to be allergic to.  As a result, we had to clean out and throw away almost everything being refrigerated AND Mommy's arms broke out into a painful itchy rash. Ugh!

This same child is very fascinated by the baby things that Mommy has purchased and organized for his new baby sister.  One day, I actually found this boy crying inside the crib with his chocolate milk.  To this day, I have no idea how he managed to climb inside the crib.  On another day, he took it upon himself to change the diaper on one of his sister's dolls (the same doll that I played with 28 years ago).  When I went into the nursery, he had the doll and all of my baby supplies laid out on a big cardboard box.  And of course, he had covered the doll in baby lotion.

The older he gets, the more discoveries my little guy seems to make.  I probably have hundreds of stories I could tell about things he has "innocently" done around our house.  Sadly, it just occurred to me that I haven't done a very good job actually documenting his little interventions.

That said, last week I made a discovery that made me laugh and laugh.  While I was sitting at my desk, my little guy was busy turning himself into a monster with Mommy's make-up (see below).  Thank goodness he got into the box of eye shadow that I was about ready to throw away.

Every day is a brand new adventure with my little guy--kind of like watching a new episode of his favorite show, Curious George.  But you know what?  I wouldn't trade the headaches and the crazy hours I spend cleaning up after him for anything.  It's all part being a Mom!

It's a Surprise!

I should have known something was up when Dear Husband called to see how I was feeling on Wednesday afternoon.  Don't get me wrong, he regularly calls me to say "hi" but he doesn't usually call me at my hair appointments to ask how I'm feeling.  Anyway, since Baby G "dropped" on Tuesday, I was feeling a lot better on Wednesday.  Until the contractions started.  So I called him back an hour later to inform him that my contractions had started back up and were every 15 minutes apart.  He told me to pack a bag and agreed to meet me at church 3 hrs later.  This seemed like an odd response, but I was a little too distracted to argue.

Anyway, I eventually made it to our Wednesday Bible study at church and was running late thanks to the fact that my youngest child took a really long nap.  I noticed that my pastor's wife was waiting for me in the toddler drop-off room, but since she has a toddler I didn't think much of it.  But when we headed upstairs, I was in for a big surprise!

Our sweet friends at church threw me a surprise baby shower!  There was food, an amazing homemade cake, a fancy diaper cake, balloons (despite a local helium shortage), paper flowers, and a box full of goodies and gift cards.  It was so much fun and really special to get to enjoy the experience with Dear Husband who has never experienced a baby shower.  We were overwhelmed by the kindness of our church family.

It's amazing to think that it was about this time a year ago that we were given an ultimatum by our former church leadership--either plan on helping the church move to west Texas or find a new church.  I remember being in shock and being depressed during the entire holiday season wondering if we would ever find a new church "home," let alone find new church friends whom we could trust. 

Wednesday night was a great reminder that God can use those bad experiences in our lives to lead us to a new place for ministry and fellowship.  I'm so thankful for our new church family.  Baby G already has so many people who love and care about her.  It's really exciting to bring a new life into this world knowing that she's surrounded by all this love!

Tomorrow we're at 36 weeks!  It won't be long now...