Here's one of my all-time favorite answers to a relatively common question/idea among Christians, from The Simple Way.
Should I give money to homeless folks or beggars?
Jesus said give to everyone who asks. That’s a tough command. Sometimes we wonder what Jesus would do in the Calcutta slums or in these heroine-haunted streets where folks ask for change on every corner. What we can say with confidence is that we are to give something to everyone who asks – dignity, attention, time, a listening ear. Sometimes we may give money, sometimes not. But we can always give love. And there are times when giving money can even be a way to insulate ourselves from friendship or the messiness a real relationship might demand. So you can toss a few coins to a beggar or write a check to charity precisely as a way of insulating ourselves from relationships (and still appease our consciences)… but at the end of the day Christ’s call is to relationship and compassion. When Jesus speaks in Matthew 25 about caring for “the least of these”, the action he speaks of is not about distant acts of charity but personal actions of compassion – visiting the prisoners, caring for the sick, welcoming the strangers, sharing food with the hungry. Better than sharing money is sharing life, a meal, a home. Having said that, most Christians need to get taken advantage of more. And we can usually spare some change. Sometimes folks say this question about giving to beggars and panhandlers with suspicion, speculating that homeless folks will just use their money for drugs or alcohol… which happens sometimes. But we don’t always ask what CEOs are doing with our money when we give it to their companies (and the recent events on Wall Street raise some flags about how responsible they are!). In the end, if we cannot take someone to dinner or give them a ride when they ask for money, we might as well give some money. It’s better to err on the side of grace than on the side of suspicion. And we doubt that Jesus is going to reprimand us for giving too much money to addicts… more likely, we will discover we could have been a bit more generous than we were.
Thanks, Shane and friends, for that reminder!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Randoms
1. My piano students had their Christmas recital tonight, and they all performed splendidly. Tonight was the first winter recital in four years that was not canceled/rescheduled due to snow or missed so I could deliver a baby. Score! Also, I was given several sweet gifts from students, including a Starbucks gift card. Someone knows me well, and it can be assumed that I will be taking a little outing with the kiddos tomorrow. :)
2. I've eaten a lot of cookie dough this week. And leftover cupcakes from Brooklyn's birthday. And an abundance of junk food in general. And while it's been a delight to my taste buds, I'm starting to feel pretty nasty. If you've had extra sweet treats around your house, then I'm guessing you know what I mean. So.....for the month of January, Jeremy and I are going vegan. Honestly, I just want to see if we can stick with it for a month, and if so, see how we feel at the end of it. Want to join us? My plan is to create weekly menus and post them for anyone that's interested in joining in. (I mean, really, what else is there to do in January?) Mostly, I just need a little accountability to stick with it. We tried it for a week last summer....and made it 2.5 days. I would love meal/recipe ideas!
3. In case you're just waking up from a cryogenic slumber*, Christmas is almost here. Which means that there has been a lot of talk about Baby Jesus around this house:
"I want Baby Jesus to sleep in my room!"
"I need to feed Baby Jesus!"
"Baby Jesus is in the sky outside. I need to listen to him in my ear!"
It is a pretty exciting thing, really. Jesus coming to earth as a baby to save humanity. The greatest act of sacrificial love. Yep, definitely something to celebrate!
4. Our house is a disaster. I have approximately 2,734 projects that I would like to accomplish in the next two weeks. Here's hoping that I can make it through the first two...
5. Jack got a haircut (thanks Aunt Sonya)! And it's sooo much more manageable.
*Is that even an appropriate usage of the term? My sci-fi-knowledgeable husband is currently sleeping...
2. I've eaten a lot of cookie dough this week. And leftover cupcakes from Brooklyn's birthday. And an abundance of junk food in general. And while it's been a delight to my taste buds, I'm starting to feel pretty nasty. If you've had extra sweet treats around your house, then I'm guessing you know what I mean. So.....for the month of January, Jeremy and I are going vegan. Honestly, I just want to see if we can stick with it for a month, and if so, see how we feel at the end of it. Want to join us? My plan is to create weekly menus and post them for anyone that's interested in joining in. (I mean, really, what else is there to do in January?) Mostly, I just need a little accountability to stick with it. We tried it for a week last summer....and made it 2.5 days. I would love meal/recipe ideas!
3. In case you're just waking up from a cryogenic slumber*, Christmas is almost here. Which means that there has been a lot of talk about Baby Jesus around this house:
"I want Baby Jesus to sleep in my room!"
"I need to feed Baby Jesus!"
"Baby Jesus is in the sky outside. I need to listen to him in my ear!"
It is a pretty exciting thing, really. Jesus coming to earth as a baby to save humanity. The greatest act of sacrificial love. Yep, definitely something to celebrate!
4. Our house is a disaster. I have approximately 2,734 projects that I would like to accomplish in the next two weeks. Here's hoping that I can make it through the first two...
5. Jack got a haircut (thanks Aunt Sonya)! And it's sooo much more manageable.
From this:
To this!
6. Brooklyn loves music. She dances uncontrollably the minute I start singing or playing the piano and tries to sing along. It's pretty precious.
In case you can't tell, she's singing "O Holy Night"
Alright, that's all for tonight. Thanks to items #1, 2, and 4, I'm getting pretty sleepy and in danger of rambling even more than usual. Here's one more picture of sweetness to hold you over.
*Is that even an appropriate usage of the term? My sci-fi-knowledgeable husband is currently sleeping...
Sunday, December 12, 2010
My Dearest Brooklyn...
When I found out I was pregnant with you, Daddy didn't believe me. Your Uncle Mark was the one who finally told him, "I think there really is another line there." I couldn't imagine loving another child as much as I already loved your brother, Jack. But your Grandma told me that my love would just multiply. She was so very right.
When we found out that you were a girl, I was the one in disbelief. I had no idea how amazingly sweet it would be to have a daughter. But I know now. You have a smile that lights up the room. You've always liked me to hold you, and I love that about you. I wish I could always hold you.
When you were born on that cold December morning, it was....incredible. I was the one to pull you into my arms, perfect little you. And I will never, ever forget the way that Daddy held you for the first time, as though you were the only two in the room. You are captivating like that.
When you got sick at five weeks old and we had to take you to the ER, I cried. I cried even more when they poked and prodded and gave you an IV in your tiny hand. But I look back on those next few days in the hospital with you fondly; we bonded during those quiet hours.
When you started to sit up and eventually crawl, Jack started to play with you more, and you two have become fast friends. I love how he says, "I need Brooklyn in my room!" and how you giggle at his every move. I hope you are always close friends and look out for each other.
When you were seven months old, Daddy and I took you to Florida. You were the best traveler and a delight to everyone. We got to see a lot of things and spend quality time together. I know you won't remember it when you grow up, but I have some incredibly cherished memories from that trip with you.
When I sing silly songs about being in the kitchen or I sit down to play the piano, you dance and squeal, and it warms my heart. I hope you'll let me teach you how to play the piano, but if you don't want to, that's ok too.
When we celebrated your first birthday today, I found it hard to believe that it's already been a year since that amazing day. You are a delight to Daddy and me (and a lot of other people, too!), and we thank God that we have the privilege of being your parents. We love you so very much, sweet Brooklyn. Happy birthday.
Love,
Mommy
When we found out that you were a girl, I was the one in disbelief. I had no idea how amazingly sweet it would be to have a daughter. But I know now. You have a smile that lights up the room. You've always liked me to hold you, and I love that about you. I wish I could always hold you.
When you were born on that cold December morning, it was....incredible. I was the one to pull you into my arms, perfect little you. And I will never, ever forget the way that Daddy held you for the first time, as though you were the only two in the room. You are captivating like that.
When you got sick at five weeks old and we had to take you to the ER, I cried. I cried even more when they poked and prodded and gave you an IV in your tiny hand. But I look back on those next few days in the hospital with you fondly; we bonded during those quiet hours.
When you started to sit up and eventually crawl, Jack started to play with you more, and you two have become fast friends. I love how he says, "I need Brooklyn in my room!" and how you giggle at his every move. I hope you are always close friends and look out for each other.
When you were seven months old, Daddy and I took you to Florida. You were the best traveler and a delight to everyone. We got to see a lot of things and spend quality time together. I know you won't remember it when you grow up, but I have some incredibly cherished memories from that trip with you.
When I sing silly songs about being in the kitchen or I sit down to play the piano, you dance and squeal, and it warms my heart. I hope you'll let me teach you how to play the piano, but if you don't want to, that's ok too.
When we celebrated your first birthday today, I found it hard to believe that it's already been a year since that amazing day. You are a delight to Daddy and me (and a lot of other people, too!), and we thank God that we have the privilege of being your parents. We love you so very much, sweet Brooklyn. Happy birthday.
Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
My Vote
In honor of this heated midterm election week, here's what I'm voting for:
*Wearing the same jeans every single day. Ironically, even though I find myself wearing the same jeans and over-sized sweatshirt (hello, What Not to Wear??), there always seems to be an abundance of my clothes in the dirty laundry pile.
*A break from teething. Good golly miss Molly! Brooklyn's mouth has been an explosion of teeth this week, and Morgan's been working on a couple too. That being said, they've actually handled it pretty well, so I can't really complain. Although...Brooklyn's diapers have been a force to be reckoned with. Yeesh!
*Coffee. If you know me at all, you know that I'm pretty addicted to coffee. I have exactly 2.5 cups every morning to get me going. I don't know how you moms that can't have any survive! We try to buy fair-trade coffee as a small and simple way of recognizing the value of the laborers producing our goods. "Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor." Jeremiah 22:13. We still have a long way to go in terms of the clothes we wear and things we use on a regular basis, but I guess you have to start somewhere, right?
*Wild Rice Burgers. Jeremy's parents recently introduced us to this heavenly recipe, and I am smitten. I'm pretty sure that world peace could be achieved if all the world leaders sat down to a meal of this goodness. No joke.
*Music. I don't know what I would do without it. Singing the babies to sleep, helping my piano students develop, leading worship at church, or singing silly songs with Jack about everything from elephants to trains. Music is definitely a sanity-saver.
*Laughter. Being married to Jeremy Jennings and being the mother to two little ones, I laugh a lot. A LOT. You should too! Laughter reduces stress/pain/anxiety, increases immunity, and just feels good. Don't have much to laugh about? Come have dinner at our house! I'll even make wild rice burgers. :)
*Wearing the same jeans every single day. Ironically, even though I find myself wearing the same jeans and over-sized sweatshirt (hello, What Not to Wear??), there always seems to be an abundance of my clothes in the dirty laundry pile.
*A break from teething. Good golly miss Molly! Brooklyn's mouth has been an explosion of teeth this week, and Morgan's been working on a couple too. That being said, they've actually handled it pretty well, so I can't really complain. Although...Brooklyn's diapers have been a force to be reckoned with. Yeesh!
*Coffee. If you know me at all, you know that I'm pretty addicted to coffee. I have exactly 2.5 cups every morning to get me going. I don't know how you moms that can't have any survive! We try to buy fair-trade coffee as a small and simple way of recognizing the value of the laborers producing our goods. "Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor." Jeremiah 22:13. We still have a long way to go in terms of the clothes we wear and things we use on a regular basis, but I guess you have to start somewhere, right?
*Wild Rice Burgers. Jeremy's parents recently introduced us to this heavenly recipe, and I am smitten. I'm pretty sure that world peace could be achieved if all the world leaders sat down to a meal of this goodness. No joke.
*Music. I don't know what I would do without it. Singing the babies to sleep, helping my piano students develop, leading worship at church, or singing silly songs with Jack about everything from elephants to trains. Music is definitely a sanity-saver.
*Laughter. Being married to Jeremy Jennings and being the mother to two little ones, I laugh a lot. A LOT. You should too! Laughter reduces stress/pain/anxiety, increases immunity, and just feels good. Don't have much to laugh about? Come have dinner at our house! I'll even make wild rice burgers. :)
Monday, October 18, 2010
Open Mouth, Insert....
Boob.
First, this blog is about breastfeeding. Consider yourself warned.
Second, this blog is in no way intended to make anyone feel guilty about not being able to breastfeed. I know firsthand how difficult it can be, and not everyone has an amazing lactation consultant for a mother-in-law like I do! If anything, this is just to be an encouragement for those that are considering it or are trying desperately to stick with it.
I guess I'm thinking about all of this right now because my little barracuda baby is less than two months away from her first birthday. Remember this?
Those days are far behind us, and now I'm realizing (with some sadness) that I probably won't be nursing much longer. And it's kind of strange to think about because I've been pregnant or breastfeeding for nearly three and a half years straight. I'm pretty much a factory.
Here's why breastfeeding has been awesome:
1. It's free
2. It builds up baby's immunity (Jack has only had one ear infection requiring antibiotics ever...Brooklyn has had none)
3. It's easier for baby to digest
4. It's always available, even in the middle of a blizzard or flood (assuming I'm alive)
5. It requires no prep in the middle of the night
6. It requires no bottles, brushes, formula, water; all I need is a nursing cover (of course, lots of nursing moms do pump and use bottles, etc)
7. It releases the hormone, prolactin, which helps to relax the mother and lower stress (uhhh, THANK YOU, Lord, for prolactin!)
8. It burns more calories (approx 500 per day) and helps with that pesky baby weight
9. It also has possible long-term benefits, such as helping to prevent cancer, diabetes, and other diseases.
Convinced yet?
I know that I have things pretty ideal.....my mother-in-law is an excellent lactation consultant, and I'm a stay-at-home mom (most of the time). And despite that, it was still a challenge getting each of my babies to nurse well (ok, Brooklyn nursed well but was equivalent to a paper shredder). All that to say-it has been worth it.
So there ya go. For me, it was just nice to know that others had struggled through it and survived. You can too!
First, this blog is about breastfeeding. Consider yourself warned.
Second, this blog is in no way intended to make anyone feel guilty about not being able to breastfeed. I know firsthand how difficult it can be, and not everyone has an amazing lactation consultant for a mother-in-law like I do! If anything, this is just to be an encouragement for those that are considering it or are trying desperately to stick with it.
I guess I'm thinking about all of this right now because my little barracuda baby is less than two months away from her first birthday. Remember this?
Here's why breastfeeding has been awesome:
1. It's free
2. It builds up baby's immunity (Jack has only had one ear infection requiring antibiotics ever...Brooklyn has had none)
3. It's easier for baby to digest
4. It's always available, even in the middle of a blizzard or flood (assuming I'm alive)
5. It requires no prep in the middle of the night
6. It requires no bottles, brushes, formula, water; all I need is a nursing cover (of course, lots of nursing moms do pump and use bottles, etc)
7. It releases the hormone, prolactin, which helps to relax the mother and lower stress (uhhh, THANK YOU, Lord, for prolactin!)
8. It burns more calories (approx 500 per day) and helps with that pesky baby weight
9. It also has possible long-term benefits, such as helping to prevent cancer, diabetes, and other diseases.
Convinced yet?
I know that I have things pretty ideal.....my mother-in-law is an excellent lactation consultant, and I'm a stay-at-home mom (most of the time). And despite that, it was still a challenge getting each of my babies to nurse well (ok, Brooklyn nursed well but was equivalent to a paper shredder). All that to say-it has been worth it.
So there ya go. For me, it was just nice to know that others had struggled through it and survived. You can too!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Tequila!
Let me start off tonight with a story that is completely unrelated to the rest of this blog.
First, in case you haven't met my mom, she is the very last person on the face of this earth that would drink alcohol. A couple of years ago we were playing the game Taboo as a family, and the person giving hints said something about a Mexican drink. My mom shouted "tequila!" very excitedly. We all stopped and looked at her, at which point she sheepishly said, "that's a drink, right?" Ever since then, tequila jokes have been made with our family on a fairly regular basis.
Ok, now on to the rest of this totally unrelated blog.
Jeremy and I had another Friday night date tonight. We've been making it a habit lately, and man, this is a habit that really needs to stick. I love our dates. For a couple hours, I'm not a jungle gym, housekeeper, or dairy farm. I'm just an adult (I use that term loosely) hanging out with the love of my life. Talking about theology, or our future, or our dreams, or coming up with some crazy idea. There's usually a lot of laughter on our dates.
Interestingly, my mom left a message on my phone tonight, because someone had ding-dong-ditched a bottle of tequila (and bag of chocolates) on their front doorstep. She had her suspicions as to who the culprits might be, but I'd rather not give out any names. She was also concerned as to what exactly she should do with said bottle, which, I assume, is part of the humor in the whole thing. I also assume that the culprits shared a good laugh as they scampered away in the night, liketwo an unknown number of mischievous kids.
First, in case you haven't met my mom, she is the very last person on the face of this earth that would drink alcohol. A couple of years ago we were playing the game Taboo as a family, and the person giving hints said something about a Mexican drink. My mom shouted "tequila!" very excitedly. We all stopped and looked at her, at which point she sheepishly said, "that's a drink, right?" Ever since then, tequila jokes have been made with our family on a fairly regular basis.
Ok, now on to the rest of this totally unrelated blog.
Jeremy and I had another Friday night date tonight. We've been making it a habit lately, and man, this is a habit that really needs to stick. I love our dates. For a couple hours, I'm not a jungle gym, housekeeper, or dairy farm. I'm just an adult (I use that term loosely) hanging out with the love of my life. Talking about theology, or our future, or our dreams, or coming up with some crazy idea. There's usually a lot of laughter on our dates.
Interestingly, my mom left a message on my phone tonight, because someone had ding-dong-ditched a bottle of tequila (and bag of chocolates) on their front doorstep. She had her suspicions as to who the culprits might be, but I'd rather not give out any names. She was also concerned as to what exactly she should do with said bottle, which, I assume, is part of the humor in the whole thing. I also assume that the culprits shared a good laugh as they scampered away in the night, like
Monday, October 4, 2010
Ahh yes, a dinosaur
Jeremy got home early from work today, before Jack woke up from his afternoon nap. When he did wake up, he came running out to find Jeremy at home.
Jack: Daddy! There was a dinosaur in my room!!
Jeremy: A dinosaur? What was it doing?
Jack: Ummmm....it went bye-bye!
Jeremy: Where did it go?
Jack: In my BED!!!
Jack: Daddy! There was a dinosaur in my room!!
Jeremy: A dinosaur? What was it doing?
Jack: Ummmm....it went bye-bye!
Jeremy: Where did it go?
Jack: In my BED!!!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Weekend Update
1. We went to a BBQ/bonfire tonight at David and Mattea Whetstone's house. It's so great to enjoy awesome food with good friends. Also, Jack is afraid of small, harmless dogs but is NOT afraid of fire. Go figure.
2. Jack took a break from movies/videos this week (and by this "week," I actually just mean "three days"). We don't have tv, but I've been letting him watch YouTube videos, like Thomas the Train and Mickey Mouse, way too much lately. Isn't it ridiculous that going three days without watching anything is some sort of an accomplishment here? With winter coming, I definitely need to come up with more/better indoor activities for him. Suggestions??
3. Here's a recipe for lemon bread that I've been digging lately. I usually double the amount of glaze on top, though, because I have something of a sweet tooth.
4. Jack, Brooklyn, and Morgan have settled into a really nice routine during the weekdays. Morgan and Brooklyn have been taking two naps during the day at roughly the same time, which leaves me with one-on-one time with Jack. This week we've been playing in our yard/garden/sandbox and getting as dirty as possible. I took all three to the park, and the babies loved the swings.
2. Jack took a break from movies/videos this week (and by this "week," I actually just mean "three days"). We don't have tv, but I've been letting him watch YouTube videos, like Thomas the Train and Mickey Mouse, way too much lately. Isn't it ridiculous that going three days without watching anything is some sort of an accomplishment here? With winter coming, I definitely need to come up with more/better indoor activities for him. Suggestions??
3. Here's a recipe for lemon bread that I've been digging lately. I usually double the amount of glaze on top, though, because I have something of a sweet tooth.
4. Jack, Brooklyn, and Morgan have settled into a really nice routine during the weekdays. Morgan and Brooklyn have been taking two naps during the day at roughly the same time, which leaves me with one-on-one time with Jack. This week we've been playing in our yard/garden/sandbox and getting as dirty as possible. I took all three to the park, and the babies loved the swings.
Brooklyn
Morgan
5. And just in case anyone is worried that Jeremy isn't getting enough air-time in this blog, here's a little morsel:
Just another night at home...playing a wood flute in the hall.
That's all I have for tonight. Our life isn't exactly glamorous, but it sure is good.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Tidbits
*We went to the park today with Sonya and Grace and had a picnic. Later, Jack's and Grace's friend, Abby, showed up. Jack lifted up his shirt and showed her his belly soon after she arrived. Later, at dinner, I asked him about it:
Me: Did you show Abby your belly today at the park?
Jack: No, the baby in my tummy.
Me: You have a baby in your tummy?
Jack: Mmm hmmm.
.
So, I guess the big news this week is that Jack is pregnant. I'd like to see any of you top that.
*I got some new cloth training pants for Mr. Preggers this week from here. He's still rather inconsistent with using the potty, but we definitely need something that he can easily use on his own (and be re-usable). It's weird to be at a place in life where I'm excited about underwear...but whatever. That's where I am, apparently.
*By the way, have you noticed how awesome the weather is right now in Iowa? I plan to spend a lot of time outside in the coming days.
*And just for your viewing pleasure:
Have a good one!
Me: Did you show Abby your belly today at the park?
Jack: No, the baby in my tummy.
Me: You have a baby in your tummy?
Jack: Mmm hmmm.
.
So, I guess the big news this week is that Jack is pregnant. I'd like to see any of you top that.
*And on a related note, he must already be in nesting mode because yesterday he donned an apron and boots to help me clean out the fridge.
Nevermind that the boots are on the wrong feet...
*I got some new cloth training pants for Mr. Preggers this week from here. He's still rather inconsistent with using the potty, but we definitely need something that he can easily use on his own (and be re-usable). It's weird to be at a place in life where I'm excited about underwear...but whatever. That's where I am, apparently.
*By the way, have you noticed how awesome the weather is right now in Iowa? I plan to spend a lot of time outside in the coming days.
*And just for your viewing pleasure:
Have a good one!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
5000 Words
A picture is worth a thousand words, or so the saying goes, so here's the past few days in pictures.
2. In case you didn't know, my son is a Hero in a Halfshell.
3. I love, love, LOVE that Brooklyn is old enough now to be able to play with Jack. Often I just sit in complete awe that these are my children.
4. I equally love Jack's imagination:
In case you can't tell, he's making play dough food for his beloved Ellaroo
5. Brooklyn likes to make a lot of noise in the car. I'm pretty sure she knows that it annoys Jack. His solution:
He's super coordinated too
Well, that's all for tonight....because what I didn't show was the pile of dishes that need to be done, bills that need to be paid, and laundry that needs to be folded. And I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.
Monday, September 13, 2010
And....I'm Back!
I feel like I pretty much dropped off the face of the earth over the last few weeks. And if by "off the face of the earth" we actually mean "into a deep, dark nightmare," then it would be slightly more accurate. But we, and especially Seth and Sonya, have been shown some amazing support, and things are starting to look up. So tonight I'm back to my good ol' list of happenings around here:
1. Brooklyn is nine months old and finally crawling! She's been mobile for awhile now but just perfected the hands and knees thing recently. And* she has the sweetest temperament! She's laid-back, social, happy, and has the most squeeze-ably delightful rolls. And.......(drum roll).......she's been sleeping through the night the past three nights, around 11 hours each night! You have no idea how happy I am. Unless you've also been up in the night with a baby for the past several months. Then you do know how happy I am.
2. We're dog-sitting my in-laws' basset hound this week. She's a good-natured dog and easy to take care of, although I think she might be in a bit of distress over her temporary home. Two crawling babies and a toddler boy are not exactly the peaceful environment she's used to.
3. On a similar note...it's been going really well having Morgan here every day. It was a bit of an adjustment figuring out how to coordinate everyone's routines, but I think we're managing pretty well. She sleeps in a pack n play in our room for naps and goes down really easily. She and Brooklyn are quite a pair, as they're virtually the same age. And it's funny how easy everything feels now when I just have two kids to take care. Ahhh...perspective.
4. 2.5 year-olds are awesome creatures. I love the things that come out of that kid's mouth. And his imagination. There always seems to be a monster following him or eating the food he's giving it under the table. He knows that Nana and Papa Rob work at a hospital, Papa Tom works with Uncle Seth and they "build shelves", and Grandma works at a school. He has a list of people that he'd like to marry (I'm on that list, in case you're wondering), and he thinks that Jesus is our president. He also likes to sleep with the light on because "Ellaroo was sad 'cause it was dark in my room."
1. Brooklyn is nine months old and finally crawling! She's been mobile for awhile now but just perfected the hands and knees thing recently. And* she has the sweetest temperament! She's laid-back, social, happy, and has the most squeeze-ably delightful rolls. And.......(drum roll).......she's been sleeping through the night the past three nights, around 11 hours each night! You have no idea how happy I am. Unless you've also been up in the night with a baby for the past several months. Then you do know how happy I am.
2. We're dog-sitting my in-laws' basset hound this week. She's a good-natured dog and easy to take care of, although I think she might be in a bit of distress over her temporary home. Two crawling babies and a toddler boy are not exactly the peaceful environment she's used to.
3. On a similar note...it's been going really well having Morgan here every day. It was a bit of an adjustment figuring out how to coordinate everyone's routines, but I think we're managing pretty well. She sleeps in a pack n play in our room for naps and goes down really easily. She and Brooklyn are quite a pair, as they're virtually the same age. And it's funny how easy everything feels now when I just have two kids to take care. Ahhh...perspective.
4. 2.5 year-olds are awesome creatures. I love the things that come out of that kid's mouth. And his imagination. There always seems to be a monster following him or eating the food he's giving it under the table. He knows that Nana and Papa Rob work at a hospital, Papa Tom works with Uncle Seth and they "build shelves", and Grandma works at a school. He has a list of people that he'd like to marry (I'm on that list, in case you're wondering), and he thinks that Jesus is our president. He also likes to sleep with the light on because "Ellaroo was sad 'cause it was dark in my room."
Ellaroo is a hand-me-down stuffed animal from when Jeremy was younger
5. We went apple picking at the Berry Patch this weekend with a legitimate candidate from Jack's marriage list, Nora, and her parents, Mark and Anna. I got so excited about all the apples that we ended up bringing home 14 lbs. Looks like we'll be having a lot of apple crisp!
6. Jeremy and I are going through the study, "Economy of Love," by Shane Claiborne and Isaac Anderson. We fell in love with Shane's writing last year when we read his book, Irresistible Revolution. We are continually convicted that if we believe that Jesus meant what He said (and we do), then our lives should be a reflection of that. Economy of Love (what I've gathered so far anyway) is basically just a creative suggestion as to how we can take care of those around us and be the "hands and feet of Jesus." I'm looking forward to the rest of it!
*By the way, I've noticed lately that I love starting sentences with conjunctions, like "and, but, so..." If it bothers you, please discontinue reading my blog. I don't think I'll be breaking that habit any time soon.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Goodbye Zion
I don't really feel like I have the emotional capacity to write about this week, but here goes.
As you know by now, Seth and Sonya lost their baby boy, Zion, last weekend. They were able to come home from the hospital on Tuesday, once Sonya's blood pressure stabilized. Coming home to:
*an empty crib
*an empty rocking chair
*baby boy clothes
*brand new maternity clothes
*laying in bed with a quiet stillness where there was so much movement just days ago
But also:
*a steady stream of friends and family
*a house cleaned by friends
*meal after meal after meal
*offers of help for anything and everything
*an abundance of hugs
This morning we had a funeral service for Zion at Riverside Bible Camp, where Seth and Sonya were married. They put together a powerful service including songs like "Before the Morning". There are no words to describe how painful it is to see an 18" casket holding a tiny body and a lifetime of hopes and dreams. Or to hear your best friendweep wail as she tries to say goodbye to her baby boy. Or to watch grown men cry. And hear little Grace say that she wants to take him home, but eventually kiss her brother's casket and say, "Bye Zion."
It hurts. Bad.
But there have been glimmers of hope too. Like the printer who, after printing the bulletins for the funeral, asked Sonya, "Is this your son?" When she said yes, he replied (with tears in his eyes), "I can't charge you for these. Just take them and go...I'm so sorry." Or the family members that drove from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota to show their support. And then, of course, there's Grace. She is a continuous reminder of how God turned something ugly and painful into something beautiful.
I don't know what the future holds for Seth, Sonya, and Grace. Doctors have told Sonya her body is "inhospitable" for carrying a baby and it would seem another pregnancy is out of the question. Please continue to pray for divine comfort and healing for their wounded souls. And please pray for guidance as they explore the possibilities for future children. Adoption? Or maybe even surrogacy??! :)
So for tonight, I will just say...Goodbye, sweet Zion. I love you always.
-Aunt Sissy
As you know by now, Seth and Sonya lost their baby boy, Zion, last weekend. They were able to come home from the hospital on Tuesday, once Sonya's blood pressure stabilized. Coming home to:
*an empty crib
*an empty rocking chair
*baby boy clothes
*brand new maternity clothes
*laying in bed with a quiet stillness where there was so much movement just days ago
But also:
*a steady stream of friends and family
*a house cleaned by friends
*meal after meal after meal
*offers of help for anything and everything
*an abundance of hugs
This morning we had a funeral service for Zion at Riverside Bible Camp, where Seth and Sonya were married. They put together a powerful service including songs like "Before the Morning". There are no words to describe how painful it is to see an 18" casket holding a tiny body and a lifetime of hopes and dreams. Or to hear your best friend
It hurts. Bad.
But there have been glimmers of hope too. Like the printer who, after printing the bulletins for the funeral, asked Sonya, "Is this your son?" When she said yes, he replied (with tears in his eyes), "I can't charge you for these. Just take them and go...I'm so sorry." Or the family members that drove from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota to show their support. And then, of course, there's Grace. She is a continuous reminder of how God turned something ugly and painful into something beautiful.
I don't know what the future holds for Seth, Sonya, and Grace. Doctors have told Sonya her body is "inhospitable" for carrying a baby and it would seem another pregnancy is out of the question. Please continue to pray for divine comfort and healing for their wounded souls. And please pray for guidance as they explore the possibilities for future children. Adoption? Or maybe even surrogacy??! :)
-Aunt Sissy
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Zion Thomas Lorntson
This was going to be a blog about how much better everyone has been sleeping in our house. And I was going to write about how well we've been adjusting to three kids in our house during the weekdays. Or about baking a cake to celebrate (barely) surviving our latest financial crisis.
But none of that matters to me anymore. If you're looking for a lighthearted read tonight, this isn't the blog post for that. I sit here tonight with a very heavy heart.
As many of you know, my brother (Seth) and his wife (Sonya) were nearly 27 weeks along in their pregnancy with a baby boy. It was a high-risk pregnancy, as they lost their first son (Elijah) at 22 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. (They adopted Grace six months after losing Elijah) We knew the stakes were high, but Sonya had been closely monitored all throughout this pregnancy and everything had been going perfectly. Her last appointment was just on Thursday and there was nothing of concern. She's had regular ultrasounds to check growth, clotting, etc. All normal. By this point, we all thought that if something happened, they would just immediately deliver the baby and he'd have a great chance of survival.
When Sonya called me yesterday at 6:56 pm with the words, "I have bad news," I started crying immediately because I knew she would never use those words unless it was serious. Really serious. She told me that they had come to the hospital in Waterloo (they had been visiting her parents for the weekend) because she was in pain. When they arrived they discovered her baby had no heartbeat and was gone. Gone? That's it? How could he be gone? Can't they do an emergency c-section? He was just kicking and moving hours before! There must be some mistake. This can NOT be happening again.
I was now sobbing (while driving). She told me that they were inducing labor and now they would just wait to deliver their baby boy. Dear God, please don't let this happen again! We've been here before and it's just too painful!
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness..." 2 Corinthians 12:9a
Zion Thomas Lorntson was born this morning at 6:21 am, weighing 2.21 pounds, measuring 13.5 inches long. He now rests in the arms of Jesus, and for that, we rejoice. I so desperately wanted to see him and hold him and kiss him, but I will have to wait for that reunion later. Apparently, the placenta became clotted and abrupted from the side of the uterus, causing his stillbirth. Sonya's blood pressure also became elevated, showing signs of pre-eclampsia. They will stay in the hospital in Waterloo until her blood pressure stabilizes, Monday night at the earliest.
Right now, I'm thinking about this little girl who lost her baby brother.
And I'm thinking about Jack, who lost his would-be buddy.
And I'm thinking about my parents, who have now watched their son lose two sons.
And I'm thinking about my brother that was so excited to have a son to play with. And teach. And build things with.
And I'm thinking about Sonya, who knows Zion better than anyone on this earth. And has been caring for him for months. And has had to go through labor and delivery twice, but never experienced the incredible joy that comes at the end of it.
I don't understand any of it. We're all pretty numb, and Seth and Sonya are still in a state of shock. Less than 48 hours ago they were gathered around, watching him kick and move. And now he's gone. It's pretty shocking. The next few days and weeks are going to be incredibly difficult for them, and I know the pain will never fully cease in this lifetime. Please keep them in your prayers. Please take a minute to write them an encouraging note. Grace is staying with us for the time being, and I'm trying to coordinate meals to bring to them when they come home. Please let me know if you are interested in helping minister to them in this way.
"For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16
But none of that matters to me anymore. If you're looking for a lighthearted read tonight, this isn't the blog post for that. I sit here tonight with a very heavy heart.
As many of you know, my brother (Seth) and his wife (Sonya) were nearly 27 weeks along in their pregnancy with a baby boy. It was a high-risk pregnancy, as they lost their first son (Elijah) at 22 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. (They adopted Grace six months after losing Elijah) We knew the stakes were high, but Sonya had been closely monitored all throughout this pregnancy and everything had been going perfectly. Her last appointment was just on Thursday and there was nothing of concern. She's had regular ultrasounds to check growth, clotting, etc. All normal. By this point, we all thought that if something happened, they would just immediately deliver the baby and he'd have a great chance of survival.
When Sonya called me yesterday at 6:56 pm with the words, "I have bad news," I started crying immediately because I knew she would never use those words unless it was serious. Really serious. She told me that they had come to the hospital in Waterloo (they had been visiting her parents for the weekend) because she was in pain. When they arrived they discovered her baby had no heartbeat and was gone. Gone? That's it? How could he be gone? Can't they do an emergency c-section? He was just kicking and moving hours before! There must be some mistake. This can NOT be happening again.
I was now sobbing (while driving). She told me that they were inducing labor and now they would just wait to deliver their baby boy. Dear God, please don't let this happen again! We've been here before and it's just too painful!
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness..." 2 Corinthians 12:9a
Zion Thomas Lorntson was born this morning at 6:21 am, weighing 2.21 pounds, measuring 13.5 inches long. He now rests in the arms of Jesus, and for that, we rejoice. I so desperately wanted to see him and hold him and kiss him, but I will have to wait for that reunion later. Apparently, the placenta became clotted and abrupted from the side of the uterus, causing his stillbirth. Sonya's blood pressure also became elevated, showing signs of pre-eclampsia. They will stay in the hospital in Waterloo until her blood pressure stabilizes, Monday night at the earliest.
Right now, I'm thinking about this little girl who lost her baby brother.
And I'm thinking about Jack, who lost his would-be buddy.
And I'm thinking about my parents, who have now watched their son lose two sons.
And I'm thinking about my brother that was so excited to have a son to play with. And teach. And build things with.
And I'm thinking about Sonya, who knows Zion better than anyone on this earth. And has been caring for him for months. And has had to go through labor and delivery twice, but never experienced the incredible joy that comes at the end of it.
I don't understand any of it. We're all pretty numb, and Seth and Sonya are still in a state of shock. Less than 48 hours ago they were gathered around, watching him kick and move. And now he's gone. It's pretty shocking. The next few days and weeks are going to be incredibly difficult for them, and I know the pain will never fully cease in this lifetime. Please keep them in your prayers. Please take a minute to write them an encouraging note. Grace is staying with us for the time being, and I'm trying to coordinate meals to bring to them when they come home. Please let me know if you are interested in helping minister to them in this way.
"For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
More Random Thoughts
It'll probably be at least 20 years (if ever) before I have cohesive thoughts, so I won't even bother with that. Here's what's new:
1. Jeremy installed our diaper sprayer! Now that we've added solids to Brooklyn's diet, her diapers have....changed, making cloth diapers slightly less convenient. But the Bum Genius diaper sprayer makes it oh-so-easy to wash the mess right into the toilet.
2. This past weekend, I convinced my family to help with a "2-hour" project of building shelving in the garage. It definitely took more than two hours, but in the end we were able to clean up our garage and organize our bedrooms. We moved Brooklyn out of Jack's room and into her own. At first, I was sad to be splitting them up, but now I have to say I'm pretty relieved that they each have their own space. I'm kicking myself for not taking "before" pictures of the garage because it was a major disaster that is now a usable space.
1. Jeremy installed our diaper sprayer! Now that we've added solids to Brooklyn's diet, her diapers have....changed, making cloth diapers slightly less convenient. But the Bum Genius diaper sprayer makes it oh-so-easy to wash the mess right into the toilet.
2. This past weekend, I convinced my family to help with a "2-hour" project of building shelving in the garage. It definitely took more than two hours, but in the end we were able to clean up our garage and organize our bedrooms. We moved Brooklyn out of Jack's room and into her own. At first, I was sad to be splitting them up, but now I have to say I'm pretty relieved that they each have their own space. I'm kicking myself for not taking "before" pictures of the garage because it was a major disaster that is now a usable space.
Best of all, the whole thing only cost $100!
3. I learned something new today. Are you ready??? If your car is ever parked in a flood, DON'T TURN IT ON. Apparently, turning it on is what ruins it. Even if it's completely flooded, have it towed to a car shop, and they can dry it out and salvage it. (Your interior, on the other hand, might be toast. Also, if you drive into flooded waters, you're probably out of luck) This helpful tip comes from my friend, Kaitlyn, who is an auto mechanic's wife.
4. Brooklyn has a tooth!
5. Jack is talking all the time now. When a friend's baby that I was watching left our house, he said, "We no have two babies any more? We just have one baby now." Good counting, Jack! Papa Tom would be proud. Some of his favorites right now are: trains, vacuums (although he's scared of most of them), diggers, and playing with play-dough.
6. The sleep issue around here is still........well, a bit of an issue. Item #4 may be partly to blame. The past few nights, Brooklyn has gotten up three times a night, which is an improvement. Now that we're back from vacation, and she has her own room, I'm going to really focus on a consistent routine and see if that helps.
7. Today is my brother's 29th birthday (tomorrow is also my sister-in-law's 29th birthday). Which reminds me that my mother is an incredible woman. She delivered a breech baby without any drugs. Uhhhh, hello wonder woman!!
8. Jeremy likes to commentate what he thinks is going through Jack's head, which, by the way, must stop! There are a million reasons why it needs to end, but here's the most recent: the other day, we were taking a walk when a 13-ish year old girl jogged by. Jack was watching her, and Jeremy, pretending to be Jack, said "hey girrrl." Out loud. Then realized after she was gone that all she witnessed was a creepy dad that said "hey girrrl" to her as she ran by.
At least he doesn't still have this mustache.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Recap
A lot has been going on lately. So, in no particular order, here goes:
*My parents' 38th wedding anniversary is today! Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad! I'm so very thankful for their example of love and commitment.
*Brooklyn is 8 months old today! And still not crawling! I'm certainly not complaining, though; it's a lot easier to know that she'll stay roughly in the same place that I set her down. She can roll and scoot to get around, but she hasn't figured out how to get her belly off the floor.
*Central Iowa has been pounded by rain lately, causing some serious flooding. Roads and businesses have been closed, and due to several water main breaks, now Ames residents don't have safe drinking water. Our crawl space (which we refer to as the Jennings' Chamber of Secrets), although damp, has not flooded, thanks to our hard working sump pump. Our church (and its parsonage) did flood and several people have been working hard to clean it up. A lot of people are experiencing incredible frustration and loss right now. With two little ones to take care of at home, I feel a bit helpless. If anyone needs a shower or a flushable toilet or a meal....come on over!!
*We got back from our vacation (to northern Minnesota) on Tuesday night, just before the flooding really hit. We stayed in a cabin with my mom and dad, my brother and his 2-year old daughter, Grace. Jeremy and I have differing takes on how vacation went. He would probably mostly mention the whining children. But this isn't his blog, so never-mind all that! :) For the most part, it was a pretty good trip. Jack traveled in the car great. Brookyln had a harder time on Tuesday, when our trip home took 9 hours. Neither one of them slept well. Jack had a hard time going to sleep every single time. Jeremy had to hold him, crying, until he fell asleep. The weather, on the other hand, was amazing. The kind of weather where you could wear a hoodie and jeans or a t-shirt and shorts and be comfortable either way. Ahhh. One afternoon the kids both slept for over two hours, and Jeremy and I got to spend the time outside our cabin in the cool air, eating junk food. It was a pretty fun time. I captured this delightful picture of my sweet husband:
*Last week's music camp at our church was a success! I had no idea what to expect beforehand, but I ended up with a small group (6) of very fun and talented kids. They wrote a song, recorded it (both instruments and vocals) and made a music video to go with it. All in four mornings!
*My garden is overflowing with tomatoes. I made oven-roasted tomato sandwiches for lunch today and they were oh-so-delicious! If anyone would like some tomatoes, let me know!
*Thanks to a new phone with better texting, I am now on twitter. Being the rockstar that I am, I have not one, but two followers. Move over Ashton.
*My parents' 38th wedding anniversary is today! Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad! I'm so very thankful for their example of love and commitment.
*Brooklyn is 8 months old today! And still not crawling! I'm certainly not complaining, though; it's a lot easier to know that she'll stay roughly in the same place that I set her down. She can roll and scoot to get around, but she hasn't figured out how to get her belly off the floor.
Everything about this is awesome. The baby rolls, the pose, the smile...
*Central Iowa has been pounded by rain lately, causing some serious flooding. Roads and businesses have been closed, and due to several water main breaks, now Ames residents don't have safe drinking water. Our crawl space (which we refer to as the Jennings' Chamber of Secrets), although damp, has not flooded, thanks to our hard working sump pump. Our church (and its parsonage) did flood and several people have been working hard to clean it up. A lot of people are experiencing incredible frustration and loss right now. With two little ones to take care of at home, I feel a bit helpless. If anyone needs a shower or a flushable toilet or a meal....come on over!!
*We got back from our vacation (to northern Minnesota) on Tuesday night, just before the flooding really hit. We stayed in a cabin with my mom and dad, my brother and his 2-year old daughter, Grace. Jeremy and I have differing takes on how vacation went. He would probably mostly mention the whining children. But this isn't his blog, so never-mind all that! :) For the most part, it was a pretty good trip. Jack traveled in the car great. Brookyln had a harder time on Tuesday, when our trip home took 9 hours. Neither one of them slept well. Jack had a hard time going to sleep every single time. Jeremy had to hold him, crying, until he fell asleep. The weather, on the other hand, was amazing. The kind of weather where you could wear a hoodie and jeans or a t-shirt and shorts and be comfortable either way. Ahhh. One afternoon the kids both slept for over two hours, and Jeremy and I got to spend the time outside our cabin in the cool air, eating junk food. It was a pretty fun time. I captured this delightful picture of my sweet husband:
Doesn't he look a little....dead?
*My garden is overflowing with tomatoes. I made oven-roasted tomato sandwiches for lunch today and they were oh-so-delicious! If anyone would like some tomatoes, let me know!
*Thanks to a new phone with better texting, I am now on twitter. Being the rockstar that I am, I have not one, but two followers. Move over Ashton.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Thoughts on my *frazzled* mind
1. Jeremy is sick. Again. Boo.
2. Everyone needs more sleep in this house. Brooklyn's been getting up in the night and usually ends up sleeping in our room before the night is over. And Jack has been staying up too late and having an increasingly difficult time going to bed. The past few nights he's been turning on the light in his room after I leave and then monkeying around. There's really no point in working too hard to change it right now, though, because we're going on the vacation at the end of the week. But let me tell you, once we get back...it's ON!
3. On that note, I'm not sure the kids can continue to share a room much longer. Tonight, I turned up the volume on our monitor only to realize I was listening to the neighbors' monitor because Jack had pulled ours down, turning it off. By the way, I wanted to eavesdrop, but I forced myself to turn it off. When I went into their room, the light was on, and Jack was standing at his very wide-awake sister's crib, talking to her. Grrr.
4. I'm directing a music camp this week at our church. We're planning to write some music and make a music video by the time the week is over. I should be working on it right now, but I guess I must enjoy the thrill of wondering if something will end in disaster or not.
5. Can you tell I have a bad attitude tonight? Sorry.
6. Ok. Now that I've had my moment, here's what I'm super pumped about. Ryan Seiler has asked me to write piano parts to several of his songs on his upcoming solo album. In case you don't know, he's extremely talented, and I'm honored to be a part of his project!
7. And even more exciting still...is all the babies that are arriving in 2010! I have three good friends due to deliver in the next few weeks. And several more, including my bro & sister-in-law, later this fall/winter. And our awesome friends, Dave & Mattea Whetstone, are planning to adopt a baby!! I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am for them. And me. Because our kids will definitely be friends.
I think that's all for now. Here are a couple of sweet pics of my little rascals. :)
2. Everyone needs more sleep in this house. Brooklyn's been getting up in the night and usually ends up sleeping in our room before the night is over. And Jack has been staying up too late and having an increasingly difficult time going to bed. The past few nights he's been turning on the light in his room after I leave and then monkeying around. There's really no point in working too hard to change it right now, though, because we're going on the vacation at the end of the week. But let me tell you, once we get back...it's ON!
3. On that note, I'm not sure the kids can continue to share a room much longer. Tonight, I turned up the volume on our monitor only to realize I was listening to the neighbors' monitor because Jack had pulled ours down, turning it off. By the way, I wanted to eavesdrop, but I forced myself to turn it off. When I went into their room, the light was on, and Jack was standing at his very wide-awake sister's crib, talking to her. Grrr.
4. I'm directing a music camp this week at our church. We're planning to write some music and make a music video by the time the week is over. I should be working on it right now, but I guess I must enjoy the thrill of wondering if something will end in disaster or not.
5. Can you tell I have a bad attitude tonight? Sorry.
6. Ok. Now that I've had my moment, here's what I'm super pumped about. Ryan Seiler has asked me to write piano parts to several of his songs on his upcoming solo album. In case you don't know, he's extremely talented, and I'm honored to be a part of his project!
7. And even more exciting still...is all the babies that are arriving in 2010! I have three good friends due to deliver in the next few weeks. And several more, including my bro & sister-in-law, later this fall/winter. And our awesome friends, Dave & Mattea Whetstone, are planning to adopt a baby!! I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am for them. And me. Because our kids will definitely be friends.
I think that's all for now. Here are a couple of sweet pics of my little rascals. :)
Friday, July 30, 2010
Peace & Quiet
Just before bedtime tonight Jack was wanting to rough-house with Jeremy. Here's what I watched happen:
Jeremy: "You know what I need, Jack? Peace and quiet."
Jack: (gets off couch, looks around floor, and picks up a block) "Here Daddy!"
Jeremy: "What's this?"
Jack: "Peesees quiet!"
Turns out our building blocks are very versatile.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Babies make the best accessory.
We just got back from Orlando, Florida yesterday afternoon. (16.5 hours later than originally scheduled due to some crazy flight delays) The trip was awesome! Here's a recap:
*I packed everything for myself and Brooklyn for six days (which turned into seven) into a carry-on and a diaper bag. And made sure to let everyone know how impressive that really is.
*We traveled with two of our good friends, Julie Larson and Ryan Seiler. Those two make the best travel companions! Ryan did all the work (booking our tickets, making sure we were in the right place, etc) and Julie helped me out a ton (carrying my bag, playing with Brooklyn, etc). They also have a great sense of humor which made our overnight flight delay a lot of fun. Jeremy is always fun to travel with too. He's laidback and goes with the flow, a great quality to have on these sorts of trips!
*I'm back to reality now and facing a giant to-do list, but this past week was worth it 100%. Having a 2-year old around, I don't get a lot of one-on-one time with Brooklyn, and I will forever cherish the time I got to spend with her. I come home so incredibly thankful for my husband, my kids, and my life.
*I packed everything for myself and Brooklyn for six days (which turned into seven) into a carry-on and a diaper bag. And made sure to let everyone know how impressive that really is.
*Brooklyn traveled like a champ. Seriously. She cried for maybe an hour total the entire week. I think 7 months is the perfect traveling age. She could sleep anywhere (a 1:30 AM rock concert, for example), nurse anywhere (airplanes, bathrooms, restaurants, park benches, floors, hotel lobby, etc), and would smile at anyone that would so much as look in her general direction. My girl rocks.
*The convention itself was a bit crazy. I ended up spending quite a bit of time shuttling people around in my rental car. Which was no big deal since I got a free upgrade for "having the most beautiful baby in the world." Yep, that actually happened. Jeremy and friends stayed at the Portofino Hotel and the convention was at the Royal Pacific Hotel, and we traveled between the two via water taxi or shuttle bus.
Portofino Hotel, Orlando
*The night before we left to come back home, Jeremy's band played at another event called Nerdapalooza. It was basically just a convention of comics/video games/fantasy-type things that brought in different bands to play. The guys played and did a great job. But you know who the biggest celebrity there was that night?? That's right. This little lady with her noise-canceling headphones. So many people wanted to take her picture!!
*We traveled with two of our good friends, Julie Larson and Ryan Seiler. Those two make the best travel companions! Ryan did all the work (booking our tickets, making sure we were in the right place, etc) and Julie helped me out a ton (carrying my bag, playing with Brooklyn, etc). They also have a great sense of humor which made our overnight flight delay a lot of fun. Jeremy is always fun to travel with too. He's laidback and goes with the flow, a great quality to have on these sorts of trips!
*I'm back to reality now and facing a giant to-do list, but this past week was worth it 100%. Having a 2-year old around, I don't get a lot of one-on-one time with Brooklyn, and I will forever cherish the time I got to spend with her. I come home so incredibly thankful for my husband, my kids, and my life.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Here. We. Go.
This week has been, and will continue to be, a whirlwind. Here's what's going on:
1. In a few hours, I'm getting a "new" car. We're buying my uncle's 2004 Honda Accord to replace this beauty:
4. I'm fully healed, thanks to my Neti-Pot and raw garlic. And after over a week of not going, Brooklyn finally pooped. So with nasal passages and digestive systems in complete working order, we're set to go! See you in a week!
1. In a few hours, I'm getting a "new" car. We're buying my uncle's 2004 Honda Accord to replace this beauty:
Power windows and locks, fully functioning air conditioner/heater, non-broken cruise control, and working radio antenna are just a few of the upgrades we're looking at.
2. In a few more hours, I'll be headed off to Orlando, Florida with Jeremy and Brooklyn. We're going to play some music at a Harry Potter convention. Get off my back, all you nerd-haters. It's going to be totally rad. Jack is staying behind with family as it wouldn't be too much fun for him to get toted around with us everywhere. Plus we'll be going on family vacation in a few weeks so he's not missing out on much.
3. Along those lines, packing for four people to go in different directions is a bit of a challenge. Jeremy and I aren't even staying at the same place (I'm staying at a friend's mom's house so Brooklyn can get some decent sleep). And I'm trying to fit everything for myself and a baby in one carry-on and a diaper bag. I'm too cheap these days to cough up the extra cash for checking a bag if I don't have to. Creativity is about to kick into full gear over here real soon. I just have to make sure there's room for these:
Gotta protect those sweet baby ears!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
All in one afternoon?
Here's the conversation I just had with Jack when he woke up from his afternoon nap:
Me: Did you have a good nap?
Jack: No.
Me: Did you have a bad nap?
Jack: No.
Me: Did you take a nap?
Jack: No.
Me: Oh. Did you fly to the moon?
Jack: Yeah (giggles)
Me: Wow! We didn't even hear you leave! Did you...bake a birthday cake?
Jack: Yeah (giggles)
Me: Mmm! What color?
Jack: Green!
Me: Yum! Did you...ride a unicorn?
Jack: Yeah (giggles more)
Me: Oh! What was his name?
Jack: Ummmm. Mo.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
I guess I'm not a vampire
An upper-respiratory illness has made its way through our family over the last two weeks. It started with Brooklyn, then me, then Jack, then Jeremy. Each of us was down and out for a few days before making a recovery. Except me. Mine eventually turned into a delightful sinus infection that felt like my face was being crushed. I usually try to avoid taking antibiotics if at all possible, but I would have gladly taken a prescription for this beast....had it not hit me over the 4th of July weekend. To get through the weekend, I turned to natural remedies.
I started with a Neti-Pot, which, after just a few times of using, cleared out my nasal passages and allowed me to breathe again.
Then to really knock this bad boy out, I've been eating raw garlic purchased fresh from our local farmers market. By the way, have you ever chewed a clove of raw garlic before? I dare you. Or you can just watch this:
After using these home remedies, I haven't even had to go the doctor because I feel great! I can breathe, I don't have pain, and I smell like an Italian entrée. I'm living the dream!
Then to really knock this bad boy out, I've been eating raw garlic purchased fresh from our local farmers market. By the way, have you ever chewed a clove of raw garlic before? I dare you. Or you can just watch this:
After using these home remedies, I haven't even had to go the doctor because I feel great! I can breathe, I don't have pain, and I smell like an Italian entrée. I'm living the dream!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Stain Removal
Here it is. The much anticipated post about solar stain removal. Prepare to be amazed.
I'm not sure what all kinds of stains this will work on. But I think it'd be worth a shot to try on just about anything. It's easy, safe for colored clothing, safe for baby clothes, and best of all...it's free!
My kids know how to make a mess when it comes to poop and clothing. Maybe it's a breastmilk thing, but my babies have some major blowouts. Using cloth diapers has helped a ton with Brooklyn, but let me tell you, if she's in a disposable when you hear/smell that thing coming.....look out. As a result, I've had some very stained clothing on my hands. Sometimes I've let the stains set in because I was not at home when the bomb went off, or I was just too busy to deal with it at the time. For a long time, I had a pile of clothes that I had washed several times with no success of removing the stains. I was about to throw them out when I discovered this super simple technique of removing stains. Set the clothes out in the sunlight. Yep, that's it. That's all there is to it. Some people say you can put lemon juice on the clothes first, but I haven't even tried that yet. All I do is put the clothes out on the deck and watch the stains disappear!! Small stains could take an hour or less. Bigger stains take several hours and maybe a couple of days.
Want proof? Here you go!
Stains are completely gone after three hours in the sun!
And look at the improvement of this horrible stain! It should be gone in another day or two.
I'm not sure what all kinds of stains this will work on. But I think it'd be worth a shot to try on just about anything. It's easy, safe for colored clothing, safe for baby clothes, and best of all...it's free!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Ten things on my mind tonight
2. We're trying to go swaddle-free tonight with Brooklyn. Our pediatrician thinks it would be safer to end the swaddling since she rolls over so easily and could potentially roll onto her tummy without the use of her hands. This could get interesting.
3. Speaking of Brooklyn, at her 6-month appointment this week, she weighed 18 lbs, 12 oz. She's sitting up on her own better each day and started to eat rice cereal. We'll start veggies this weekend.
4. Our friend, Jason Munday, posted a Katy Perry parody video this week that went viral and got some neat attention (including a tweet from Katy Perry herself!). I like to see people succeed. Cheers!
5. Father's Day is this weekend, and I'm reminded that I have an amazing dad and so do my kids.
6. Jack has started hitting lately. I don't know where it's coming from, but he preps us by saying, "I hit Mommy" and then goes in for the hit. I appreciate his communication but would prefer a more socially acceptable action.
7. I've wasted a lot of time on the computer today. Perusing Facebook, shopping for clothes that I'm not going to buy, watching music videos (see item #4), and reading random news articles. I feel pretty guilty about the wastage, given the amount of real work I have to do, but the guilt isn't quite strong enough to get me on my feet just yet.
8. I've been using grass clippings as mulch in my vegetable garden to help with weed control. Lately, I catch myself scoping out the neighbors' yards for extra clippings. I've thought about going out after dark armed with a rake and Jack's wagon to pillage for more. Item #7 is the main reason I probably won't.
9. Today I laughed so hard I peed a little. In JC Penneys. Whatev.
10. I serve a loving and gracious God that is in the business of restoration. I'm thankful that He hasn't thrown in the towel on me, despite my many shortcomings.
Now it's time for me to do some laundry check Facebook once more before I go to bed. I'm such a bum.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Precious Moments
There are so many moments these days that I wish I could capture forever. Very simple things that remind me of how blessed I am. Here are a few from this week:
*Brooklyn sitting up at the dinner table with us for the first time, trying out rice cereal, and giggling at her brother across the table.
*Jack running out of his bedroom and straight to the front door first thing in the morning, saying "I play Roman?" (referring to hanging out with his little-man buddy, Roman Barton).
*Jack spotting and announcing every single windmill between Gilbert, Iowa and Northfield, Minnesota.
*Brooklyn's face when she saw Jeremy for the first time after three days of being away.
*Jack pushing his bike down the sidewalk, wearing boots that are too big and a helmet that's too small.
*Jack mooing at the cows at my Grandpa's farm.
*Brooklyn laughing hysterically at Jack, while he's trying to pick on her.
*Jeremy doing push-ups over a giggling baby.
*Jack bringing me a bouquet of dandelions with great excitement.
*Jack saying "Jesus loves you" in his sweet toddler voice.
It's in these moments that I am reminded of God's love, creativity, and sense of humor. (Perhaps I'll put down the moments that remind me of His justice and judgment in another blog...) And I am so thankful that I have the privilege of being a wife and a mother. Oh, how I love my family!
*Brooklyn sitting up at the dinner table with us for the first time, trying out rice cereal, and giggling at her brother across the table.
*Jack running out of his bedroom and straight to the front door first thing in the morning, saying "I play Roman?" (referring to hanging out with his little-man buddy, Roman Barton).
*Jack spotting and announcing every single windmill between Gilbert, Iowa and Northfield, Minnesota.
*Brooklyn's face when she saw Jeremy for the first time after three days of being away.
*Jack pushing his bike down the sidewalk, wearing boots that are too big and a helmet that's too small.
*Jack mooing at the cows at my Grandpa's farm.
*Brooklyn laughing hysterically at Jack, while he's trying to pick on her.
*Jeremy doing push-ups over a giggling baby.
*Jack bringing me a bouquet of dandelions with great excitement.
*Jack saying "Jesus loves you" in his sweet toddler voice.
It's in these moments that I am reminded of God's love, creativity, and sense of humor. (Perhaps I'll put down the moments that remind me of His justice and judgment in another blog...) And I am so thankful that I have the privilege of being a wife and a mother. Oh, how I love my family!
Friday, June 4, 2010
Week in review
1. This week was *supposed* to be Vegan Week in the Jennings house. We wanted to try eating vegan for one week to see what it would be like for our little family. We made it until Wednesday when I said, "You know what sounds good? Pizza." And that was the end of Vegan Week.
2. Parenting a toddler is quite the adventure. Jack's been testing the waters lately to find out how serious we are. It's more important than ever that we are consistent and both on the same page. Jack does really well when given options ("What should we do first-brush your teeth or put on your pajamas?") and takes pride in having a little bit of responsibility (i.e. being in charge of our shopping bags until we check out). I momentarily forgot these things on Wednesday and ended up walking a screaming toddler out of Target.
3. I don't plan to go back to Pizza Hut anytime soon. There are several reasons why going there this week (see items #1 and #2) was a horrible idea. After waiting over 45 minutes for our pizza (I could make one from scratch in less time), our family was pretty much in shambles. I hadn't brought any activities for Jack (mistake #27) and he decided that the phrase, "Please use your inside voice" actually meant shriek louder.
4. On a much more positive note, my niece, Grace, turned two yesterday. Two years ago, our lives were forever changed when the adoption agency called my sister-in-law to say they had a brand new baby girl. Seth & Sonya were holding Grace by the time she was 11 hours old. You don't forget a day like that.
5. We got to hang out with some sweet friends tonight, the Bartons and the Rippkes. We are blessed to know some really great people.
6. I made an amazing discovery in the way of stain removal this week. For now, I will just say solar power. More on that later.
7. Tomorrow marks six years of marriage for us. Man, that's crazy. I was just a kid back then (I turned 20 a few weeks before our wedding) and have changed so much since then. But I am so thankful that I've had Jeremy beside me through all the changes. Jeremy challenges me but shows me grace when I blow it. He makes me laugh daily, and he's a really good listener. We've been through some pretty big ups and downs together, and he knows me better than anyone. I'm excited to see what the next six years will hold in store!
Maybe by then we'll be ready to go back to Pizza Hut.
2. Parenting a toddler is quite the adventure. Jack's been testing the waters lately to find out how serious we are. It's more important than ever that we are consistent and both on the same page. Jack does really well when given options ("What should we do first-brush your teeth or put on your pajamas?") and takes pride in having a little bit of responsibility (i.e. being in charge of our shopping bags until we check out). I momentarily forgot these things on Wednesday and ended up walking a screaming toddler out of Target.
3. I don't plan to go back to Pizza Hut anytime soon. There are several reasons why going there this week (see items #1 and #2) was a horrible idea. After waiting over 45 minutes for our pizza (I could make one from scratch in less time), our family was pretty much in shambles. I hadn't brought any activities for Jack (mistake #27) and he decided that the phrase, "Please use your inside voice" actually meant shriek louder.
4. On a much more positive note, my niece, Grace, turned two yesterday. Two years ago, our lives were forever changed when the adoption agency called my sister-in-law to say they had a brand new baby girl. Seth & Sonya were holding Grace by the time she was 11 hours old. You don't forget a day like that.
5. We got to hang out with some sweet friends tonight, the Bartons and the Rippkes. We are blessed to know some really great people.
6. I made an amazing discovery in the way of stain removal this week. For now, I will just say solar power. More on that later.
7. Tomorrow marks six years of marriage for us. Man, that's crazy. I was just a kid back then (I turned 20 a few weeks before our wedding) and have changed so much since then. But I am so thankful that I've had Jeremy beside me through all the changes. Jeremy challenges me but shows me grace when I blow it. He makes me laugh daily, and he's a really good listener. We've been through some pretty big ups and downs together, and he knows me better than anyone. I'm excited to see what the next six years will hold in store!
Maybe by then we'll be ready to go back to Pizza Hut.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Read this only if you are super bored...
Now that I'm finished with piano lessons (I'll still teach a few over the summer, but they're pretty low-key), I have more time to experiment with food. I'm trying to move in the direction of "from scratch" cooking as much as possible, but I still have a toddler and a baby, so time is pretty limited. Being the uber-nerd that I am, I came up with a detailed meal-plan for this week (oh yes, snacks are included!). Next week is Vegan Week, but for the time being, I'm still incorporating dairy/egg products.
Here's what it looks like:
And here's part of my geeky shopping list, broken into categories:
Now, you may be wondering why on earth I would write such an incredibly boring blog. When we switched to vegetarian eating, I felt a little lost because I'd grown up planning meals around meat. There are a lot of websites on the ol' internets that provide great recipes for vegetarian eating, however, I have a young family keeping me very busy. It's hard to find the time to look up healthy recipes, experiment with new recipes, and find something that everyone enjoys eating. I kept saying I wish I had a vegetarian "mentor." So I guess I'm just going to record our successes and failures, and if someone gets some helpful ideas from it, great. If not, sorry for putting you to sleep.
You were warned.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Goals
I'm a very goal-oriented person. I love making lists and checking things off. Sometimes I write things down on my list after I've already accomplished it, just so I can check it off. I notice that I have the most ambitious goals in the morning, after I've had two cups of coffee but before the kids wake up. And that's where I find myself right now. So I thought I'd put down some personal summer goals and see how they shake out in the next few months:
1. Lose five more pounds. I just finished up my 8th week of Jeff Barton's bootcamp (http://www.jeffbartontraining.com/), losing ten pounds total (yup, gained a pound this week). This month, I'm going to try working out on my own. I don't really need to lose more weight but having a weight-loss goal helps me stay on track with nutrition and exercise. The plan: run or ride my bike at least three days a week and try to eat well (curse you, afternoon sugar craving!)
2. Minimize waste from my vegetable garden. I let a lot of vegetables (mostly tomatoes) go to waste last summer because I didn't have a plan for using them. This summer, I'd like to try my hand at canning and freezing so we can enjoy them year-round. I'm thinking it might be fun to have a canning "party" with other hippie folks like us. Interested?
3. Sew something that I actually wear. I have all these ideas and nothing to show for it. I just need to start somewhere and not expect perfection. I have this pattern:
4. Write a song (or finish one that I've already started) every week. Maybe I'll start a YouTube channel so I too can become a teenage pop-star. Mostly, I just need to keep my creative juices flowing. Writing songs about brushing teeth, peeing in the potty, and being kind to your sister is wonderful and all, but I'd like to expand my horizons just a bit.
5. Organize my house. Just seeing this listed here makes me tired. I need to go through our kitchen cupboards and come up with a more organized system. And I'm continually sorting through kids clothes because they just keep on growing out of sizes! Speaking of clothes, I have a total smorgasbord of sizes in my closet that need to be packed up. I've been finding it hard to get into big organizing projects because I know I'm going to need a few hours. And hours are pretty hard to come by these days.
Ok, I better stop there. The kids will be up soon, and all my good intentions will, no doubt, be forgotten until tomorrow morning's coffee. :)
1. Lose five more pounds. I just finished up my 8th week of Jeff Barton's bootcamp (http://www.jeffbartontraining.com/), losing ten pounds total (yup, gained a pound this week). This month, I'm going to try working out on my own. I don't really need to lose more weight but having a weight-loss goal helps me stay on track with nutrition and exercise. The plan: run or ride my bike at least three days a week and try to eat well (curse you, afternoon sugar craving!)
2. Minimize waste from my vegetable garden. I let a lot of vegetables (mostly tomatoes) go to waste last summer because I didn't have a plan for using them. This summer, I'd like to try my hand at canning and freezing so we can enjoy them year-round. I'm thinking it might be fun to have a canning "party" with other hippie folks like us. Interested?
3. Sew something that I actually wear. I have all these ideas and nothing to show for it. I just need to start somewhere and not expect perfection. I have this pattern:
but I still need to buy fabric and get to work!
4. Write a song (or finish one that I've already started) every week. Maybe I'll start a YouTube channel so I too can become a teenage pop-star. Mostly, I just need to keep my creative juices flowing. Writing songs about brushing teeth, peeing in the potty, and being kind to your sister is wonderful and all, but I'd like to expand my horizons just a bit.
5. Organize my house. Just seeing this listed here makes me tired. I need to go through our kitchen cupboards and come up with a more organized system. And I'm continually sorting through kids clothes because they just keep on growing out of sizes! Speaking of clothes, I have a total smorgasbord of sizes in my closet that need to be packed up. I've been finding it hard to get into big organizing projects because I know I'm going to need a few hours. And hours are pretty hard to come by these days.
Ok, I better stop there. The kids will be up soon, and all my good intentions will, no doubt, be forgotten until tomorrow morning's coffee. :)
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