Whitson's Adventures

I Know, It's About Time!

2009-10-13T17:20:00.000-07:00

To my few followers I appologize for not updating the blog in about 2 months. It has been a busy two months. I dreamed I would have extra time to blog on my days off, but Jonah, who is now on the move, decided to change that.
How is it that I can have all these lofty plans and some days get absolutely nothing done. School is going well. I love being able to stay home and do school. Here are a couple videos of Jonah. Sorry for the one that is sideways.

Dedicating Jonah

2009-08-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

Today, surrounded by friends and family, we dedicated Jonah to the Lord. I think Josh described it best when he said that not many things can bring tears to his eyes, but anything about Jonah will make his eyes wet in a hurry.

Jonah in his new outfit

Family Picture

Pastor made sure the wrapping paper was St. Louis colors

Jonah loves his grandma Kerry We have been wanting to dedicate him for a while, but we were trying to get as many family members here as possible. My sister Hannah and brother Josh came for an extended weekend this week so I thought it was a perfect time. The only person missing was Aunt Rachel. It was wonderful to be surrounded by family as we offered our son to the Lord. I suppose I have done this every night since he was born and even while he was in my stomach but the visual seemed to feel different. I pray every day that the Lord will keep him safe but at the end of the day I know the Lord's plan is so much bigger than my own.

The white and red roses represent the parents and the pink represents Jonah.

Jonah still loves lights!

Jonah still looking at the lights :)

He wasn't sure what to do about the sandals. :)
One sad part of the day was the absence of my mom. Daily I think of how much she would enjoy Jonah. A friend of mine and I were talking about how you don't really appreciate all your mom(parents) do for you until you become a parent yourself. I just wish I could tell her how much I want to be like her.

Another highlight of my sister and brother's visit was the zoo. Hannah and I took Jonah to the zoo for the first time on Friday morning. It was warm but there was a nice breeze to cool us off.

Jonah needed a little nap while we were there.

I have to say that I'm glad we didn't take Jonah any sooner. He was aware of some things but unfortunately most of the animals weren't moving fast enough for him to take interest.

We went to the new tiger exhibit and Hannah and I had to laugh as Jonah was about a foot away from the tiger's head and he was more interested in the strap on his stroller than the tiger.

Eating lunch at Olive Garden after the zoo

We had a great time and a wonderful visit. It is hard having them so far away and a treat to see them whenever they get to come home.

6 Months And Counting

2009-08-04T18:34:00.000-07:00

Today my baby boy reached the ripe old age of 6 months. It doesn't seem possible that 6 months ago Jonah changed our lives. When I fed him last night I was telling him about how we checked into the hospital and got hooked up to that annoying baby monitor. The night wasn't very restful but I think I managed to get a couple hours of shut eye. This morning as I was feeding him I was telling him how that morning they came into my room and got the medicine started that would bring him into the world. I caught myself saying that my contractions started and he was ready to come into the world. I then had to correct myself because I'm not sure that he was ready since he wouldn't come all the way out (even with a vacuum's help :) )

We went to the doctor yesterday for his last round of shots until he is a year. He did so well. Here were his stats:

WEIGHT: 18 lb. 8 oz

HEIGHT: 26 in

My dad, sister, and brother called to sing happy 1/2 birthday to him tonight. My dad asked me what time he was born and I had to think about it for a minute. I was so wired from the drugs and so exhausted from the whole day there are some holes in my memory.

I've said that I don't want 7 kids and I don't but I loved being pregnant and giving birth. I guess the Bible is correct that you forget all the pain of childbirth when you look at the most precious gift you have ever received. We're not ready for another one yet, but I hope there will be a couple more :)

I took Jonah last week to get his pictures professionally taken. The place we went has a $10 special with a lot of pictures, but the only drawback is that you can only pick one pose. There was no way I could do that so I unfortunately spent more than needed but they were just so gosh darn cute.

Enjoy!

The Adventures of Rolling Over

2009-07-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

Jonah woke up from his nap this morning and this is how I found him. There are many benefits to rolling over but looking like he is in prison isn't one of them :) He has discovered sleeping on his tummy for the first time. Not sure if he likes it better than his back but he is giving it a try.

A Beautiful Dinner

2009-07-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

So I couldn't resist posting a picture of our dinner the other night. It was just almost too beautiful to eat. My step sister Christa made this salad one Sunday for lunch and Josh and I loved it so much we have it about once a week.

It is so easy to make. It's just spinach, strawberries, mandarin oranges and pecans (the candied ones are the best). I had some extra blueberries so I put those on their too. I also add chicken (the rotisserie ones work really well). The best dressing is raspberry vinaigrette (store bought or homemade).

ENJOY!

Vacation at the Lake

2009-07-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry friends that it has been a while since I have posted. We were gone for a week at the lake and then it seems like it has taken me forever to get caught up around the house. Having three to unpack and clean for is different than two.

Friday afternoon Josh loaded up Jonah and I headed to see my grandparents in Tulsa while he went on a canoe trip with the men's group at our church.

Then Saturday evening we met Josh and headed to Beaver Lake in Arkansas. If you have never been you must go. It is a beautiful lake. We had to stop by Chick-Fil-A for dinner, a first for Jonah.
We were able to spend the week boating, floating, swimming, skiing, and jet skiing. A friend of my dad's owns two houses there. Josh and I were able to stay in one and my dad and Lana along with her family stayed in the other. We had a great time. Jonah and I gave Josh a guided fishing trip for Father's Day which he was able to go on with uncle Caleb. Jonah enjoyed being in the water. The funniest part of the whole week was seeing Jonah's face when we put his life jacket on. Needless to say the kids was not going to sink.

Another exciting thing that happened while we were gone is that Jonah rolled over all by himself. Now he loves to do it all the time. I tried to upload the video but it wouldn't upload. I'll try again some other time.

This was our family vacation for the year but Josh and I are planning a night away to go to a St. Louis Cardinal game and enjoy some time together.

More New Things

2009-07-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

Jonah is now 5 months old and the days are just flying by. I cannot believe that I have to go back to school in a month. It hardly seems possible. I am loving my time at home and Jonah is learning new things every day. His new thing as of Monday is spitting. He has discovered that if he can get some spit in his mouth he can use his tongue to get it all over himself. I tried to video it the other day but all I got was him just looking at the camera. Something else we are working on is sitting up on his own. Josh was playing with him the other night so I snapped a couple shots of them.
(Can you tell they're related?)

I was also able to video him all by himself so enjoy it. (Pardon me in the video:))

We also were able to borrow a new toy from a friend and Jonah is having a great time playing in it.

Taste of Summer

2009-07-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

For me, certain tastes usher in summer. Today I had a homegrown cucumber from a farmers market and I thought I was in heaven. As I sat at the table I just closed my eyes and savored the taste. In years past these treats would have come from our own garden but with the new house we are still working on it. We are blessed to have several farmer's markets in our area with great produce. I love buying cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, zucchini and squash.
I wanted to share a delicious Chocolate Zucchini Bread recipe with you. I don't usually tell people that it is zucchini bread until after they have tasted it. :)

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
2 c. sugar (I usually do 1 c. sugar and 1 c. splenda)
1 c. oil
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour (I substitute 1 c. of whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon (I usually add a little extra)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. baking cocoa
2 c. shredded zucchini (2 small or one large)
Options:
1/2 c. chopped nuts
3/4 c. chocolate chips

In a large bowl, blend together the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and blend well. Stir in the cocoa, zucchini and options. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes.

Getting Bigger

2009-06-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

On the day our nation celebrates its birthday, Jonah will celebrate his 5 month birthday. It just amazes me that he is getting so big. We moved in to size 3 diapers today. They are a little big but the size 2 were getting a little snug. Each day we spend some time working on rolling over and we are slowly making progress. Yesterday I had toys on both sides of him to see if he would roll one way or the other. He seems to favor the left side. I keep helping him over but he has yet to do it all on his own.

He is also becoming very aware of the dogs. He loves Mo. Mac doesn't really want to have much to do with him. Mo is a pretty good sport whenever Jonah grabs him.

Today while I was getting ready I propped Jonah up with some pillows. I couldn't help snapping some shots. He also sat up by himself for about 5 seconds before falling over.

Visitors

2009-06-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

This weekend our Aunt Hannah and Uncle Josh came to visit. Josh's girlfriend Alanna go to come and see us all the way from Australia. Josh and Hannah haven't seen Jonah since he was 3 weeks old and Alanna had never met him. We had a great time just hanging out and visiting. Enjoy the pictures.

Can you tell we're related? Just playing around...............

Jonah and the girls went to the pool on Monday. He loves the water! (and the girls)

How do I get these things off????

Hanging out with Aunt Hannah. My thumb is beginning to taste really good!

I'm not sure Jonah has met too many people with long hair. Both Hannah and Alanna have really long hair. He was mesmerized and wanted to grab it.

(We're hoping that they get married so we can take a trip to Australia :) )

Who is this and what is she doing to me?!?!

I am ashamed to admit that I didn't get a picture of Jonah and Josh together on Father's Day. I did get a picture of all his cards though. Jonah and I gave dad a guided fishing tour while we are on Beaver Lake next month. We hope he catches LOTS of fish!

Fun in the Sun

2009-06-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

Jonah and I took our first trip to our neighborhood pool on Tuesday. I was a little anxious because I wasn't sure how he would do in the cooler water. Needless to say we are going to have a fish on our hands. He loved the water!

Yesterday we were able to go to our Gma Pam's and swim with our "cousins" Hannah and Wyatt. I had to snap a couple of Hannah and Jonah. He just kept looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen (which she is). She was a great help. I wanted to get a picture of all of us but Pam and I had our hands full.

After swimming for 30 minutes or so Jonah was tucked out. I couldn't resist snapping a few shots while he slept.

Aunt Hannah and Uncle Josh are coming for a visit this weekend so look for pictures soon. They haven't seen him since he was 3 weeks old.

Sacrifice

2009-06-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

I am continuously amazed at how God uses different avenues to speak to us when he is trying to teach us. Lately I have been challenged to live righteously. A couple posts ago I was talking about what exactly that meant and what is my part in it.

During one of my days of study in Having a Mary Spirit I began reading about righteousness. The author was making the point that righteousness comes by faith. Hebrews 11 is full of examples of those who walked by faith. One of the examples is Abraham. Earlier I posted about Abraham bargaining with God to find 10 righteous people in the city before he destroyed the city and 10 people could not be found. This last Sunday our pastor focused on the part of Abraham's life where he was tested to sacrifice his son Isaac.
Pastor made the following points

God wants to know if we trust him enough to cling to him to take care of us.
Sometimes when God tests us it doesn't make sense.
Will we let go of what we are clinging to and trust Him with it?
What has God asked you to give Him?

In my book here is what the author says: "True faith requires obedience. It requires being willing to stake everything on God's love and faithfulness-and then doing what He asks. Even when we don't understand. Even when He demands that we give up the things we love the most."

I had a hard time dealing with this very thing when my mom was sick. Why would the Lord ask us to give up a wonderful mother, sister and friend. I still deal with those questions, but I have come to realize that I have to live by faith and know that God has a bigger plan. There is good news in the midst of the heartache: "When we stop trying to manhandle our circumstances and start giving them to God, something incredible happens. God takes everything we give Him and begins to work on our behalf. Because we've chosen to believe and trust rather than doubt and fear, He makes all of it-the good and the bad-count for us rather than against us. And that is when we start laying up serious treasure in heaven. And treasure on earth. Faith is counted to us as righteousness-and that righteousness comes in the form of Christlikeness. For when I believe that Jesus is not only able to save me but also to make me holy, I make deposits in my righteousness bank."

I hope this encourages you if you are dealing with circumstances in your life where your faith is being challenged. Know that we serve an AWESOME God who loves you and wants you to trust him with every aspect of your life.

Fun Times

2009-06-12T19:05:00.001-07:00

This will be short and sweet but I had to share this picture. Jonah and I were goofing off in the kitchen this afternoon while I was making cookies. I was doing some crazy dance or something trying to make him laugh. Then as I was loading us up to go and pump in the other room I didn't even notice where I put my equipment. I just needed to be able to carry him and the stuff to the other room. You can see the result below.

As I was laughing hysterically I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotions over my mom not being able to share in these crazy moments. I often tell Jonah that he comes from a long line of crazy people. My mom just had this crazy way about her. I have so many things to be thankful for but sometimes I think I would give it all up just to have my mom back and have her share in these precious moments with my son.

On a lighter note. I do not believe in evolution but my son might be able to make a case for the scientist the way he uses his feet to grab stuff. He almost go his foot stuck in one of the links today.

The Cutest Boy EVER!!!!

2009-06-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the pictures from the last coule days. It seems that each day Jonah is growing bigger and letting out more laughs then ever.

What's Up People??

I think I just tooted :)

For Christmas this year I'd like a bike, a bunch of toys, no more soy milk.....

Hanging out with Dad

We are enjoying walking with a new friend from down the street.

Walking Righteously

2009-06-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

First- I have to correct a mistake from my post a couple days ago. My husband was so kind to point out that it was Abraham who was bargaining with God for righteous people not Moses.
Second- After I posted the other day about our latest sermon and living righteously I came to the conclusion that I'm not sure what it means to "live righteously." So many times I think I/we throw "christian" words around and are not sure what they mean. My husband and I got in a discussion about the murder of the abortion doctor in our area. We began discussing if we thought he would be in heaven. No need to go into details about our discussion because it isn't our place to judge, but it brought about a theological discussion and we were left with the question,"What gets you into heaven."
As a child attending Sunday school so many times I heard that if I accept Jesus into my heart I will live with him in heaven. I believe that is true with all my heart but more complications arise as an adult. What if I stray from the Lord? What if I accept him as my savior but then live a life full of sin? If I invite him in once is that my golden ticket? Are there different rewards for those who follow him daily and those who, like the thief on the cross, repent at the last minute?
I don't mean to belittle the topic by asking these questions but it really caused me to question about living a righteous and holy life. I know I sin on a daily basis. I try not to but I know I do. In my mind living righteously is following Christ, having a personal relationship with him, seeking him daily, and striving to live a sin free life. This brought us to the topic of sin. I was telling Josh that we had a skit/trick we used to do when I was young. Someone would have three different size ropes. One really long one that represented someone who murdered someone, a shorter rope for someone who committed adultery, and then a shorter one for someone who lies. At the end of the "trick" they all become the same size. Sin is sin is sin. As a human I want to think of murder being a bigger sin than lying but in God's eyes they are the same. So again that brought us back to living a righteous life. Josh reminded me of the verse that I have been memorizing over the last week and that part that says, "Brothers and Sisters, I know I have not yet reached the goal (of being who God wants me to be), but there is one thing I always remember: Forgetting the past and striving towards what is ahead I continue trying to reach the goal and gain the prize for which God has called me through Christ to the life above."
I think that verse answers the question of how do I live righteously: Forget the past (God has) and strive daily to live as Christ.

Again, I challenge you to be one of the righteous in this world full of unrighteous!

Pampers-Gifts To Grow

2009-06-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

Just a small post for today. I thought I would let all the mommies out there know about the Pampers "Gifts To Grow" program if you don't already know about it. On each package of Pampers diapers and wipes there should be a 15 digit number/letter code. If you enroll in the gifts to grow program you can earn points by inputting these codes into your account. After so many points they have rewards you can choose from. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy Pampers just to do this, but Jonah does so much better in them that I might as well take advantage of the extra perk. **Make sure that if you buy a big box that you look for the codes on both packages in the box. Happy Hunting!

Jonah's First Baseball Game

2009-06-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

If any of you know my husband you know he is an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan. Unfortunately we are not able to take Jonah a game but the next best thing would be to see his uncle Ben play. Last night Jonah and I, along with my dad (Jonah's Papa) went to see uncle Ben play. My dad was so excited to see Jonah and spend some time with him after being on vacation for the last week. Here are some pictures of Jonah and Papa at the game.

On another note.................

I wrote last week about memorizing scripture. I finished the verse today so here it goes... Philipians 3:12-14 " I do not mean that I am already who God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal, but I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. Christ wants me to do that which is the reason he made me His. Brothers and Sisters, I know I have not yet reached this goal but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and striving towards what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ....." I almost made it. There are a couple words at the end that I am missing. It is a little hard for Jonah to help me when I say the verse to him every morning. :)

Our pastor preached this weekend on the verses where Moses is bargaining with God to save a city. He starts by asking God if he will save the city if there are 50 righteous people in it. Then he keeps bargaining until he gets down to 10 righteous people. Needlss to say the city wasn't saved. I kept thinking, "How could there not have been 10 righteous people in the city?" Our pastor challenged us to be one of the righteous. The Lord kept recalling my memory verse to my mind. I know I am not a righteous person everyday but, " I continue trying to reach the goal and make it mine."

I hope you all will strive to be one of the righteous.................

6 Years And Counting

2009-06-08T13:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Josh and I celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary. Needless to say we have come a long way in 6 years but still have a long way to go. I found myself several times yesterday thinking what was I doing at that moment 6 years ago. Here's what I remember:

8 a.m.: A picnic breakfast made by a family friend in the livingroom of our just aquired house

9 a.m: Off to the hair dresser in the limo with my sister and bridesmaids

10 a.m.: Dropped the bridesmaids off at the church and went to pick up my mom and sisters at their hair dressers.

11 a.m. Getting dressed, makeup, and preparing for pictures.

2 p.m. Racing down the isle to meet my groom. My dad had to hold me back and tell me to walk slower.

3:30 p.m. After what seemed like hours of taking pictures Josh and I were able to greet friends and family at the reception (I never got any of my cake)

5 p.m. After changing Josh and I exited the church while our families and a few friends (they were the only ones left) blew bubbles. I seem to remember someone tossing the bubble mixture at me insted of using the little wand.

6 p.m. Timberline Steakhouse. Josh and I were starving after the long day and decided to share our first meal as husband and wife at one of our favorite steakhouses.

The first year and a half of marriage was tough. Not only were we getting used to each other and all that comes with sharing a house with someone but we were dealing with the illness and death of my mom. I thank the Lord every day that I have such a wonderful husband who put with a lot of emotion those first couple years.

We now have a beautiful son and a new house. The Lord has so richly blessed us. So many marriages don't even make it this far. I know that we are older and wiser now and I pray that we continue to grow closer and closer as husband and wife but also closer as parents to Jonah and hopefully more kids to come.

We hope to get away soon to celebrate but Josh and a family friend spent the weekend putting in our sprinkler system. I couldn't resist taking a couple pics.

The pictures don't have anything to do with our anniversery but I have to keep my family (now 3 gone) updated. Here are some pictures of Jonah this weekend.

Does anyone know how to get these things off my feet?????

I promise that I don't usually put my child in front of the TV. Unfortunatly he already loves it. If we are in the living room he is automoatically drawn to it. I just had to take the picture!

Lists

2009-06-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

Lists, lists, lists, lists, lists. I am a list maker. My colleagues would say it is because I am a gold (personality test thing). So every summer I make lists of things I need to do. This year has been pleasant because we are in a new house and the in depth cleaning that had to be done at the old house doesn't exist here. Although, have you ever noticed how much dust accumulates on the top of your refrigerator? We have lived here 5 months and let me just tell you, there was A LOT of dust up there already. Anyway. This morning after my devotional I made a list for this week. I quickly realized that I might have been a little ambitious. Life is definitely different now that there is another person to take care of on a daily basis. I suppose that I should be thankful that he isn't mobile yet or I would really be in trouble.

I said in my first post after school was out that I was really looking forward to having time to do an in depth devotional. I am reading Having a Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver. It is all about letting God change you and having intimacy with God in this busy life. The study guide for this week had me memorizing scripture. I used to have to do this in elementary school when I went to a Christian school but I have wanted to get back into it. So here goes my couple phrases for today. Phil. 3:12-14 "I do not mean that I am already as God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. Christ wants me to do that, which is the reason he make me his."

Memorizing is much more difficult as an adult. I hope to have the whole verse memorized by then end of the week. I also wanted to point out a key part of the book that really struck home. She says, "I can't imagine anything more terrible than getting to the end of my life only to discover that God had so much more in mind for me-more freedom, more joy, more peace, more true effectiveness. And I missed it all, simply because I refused to change." Changing is not easy, but if I refuse to grow and be stretched who knows what I will have missed.

Another activity I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to do is walking with Jonah. We have a great neighborhood and love to go walking around the mile and a half circle that makes up the whole edition. The other night we went walking and Jonah fell asleep. I couldn't pass up the pictures.

Snoozing while we walk

To our Aunt Rachel: WE MISS YOU ALREADY!!! My sister Rachel graduated early from HS to babysit Jonah after I went back to school. I couldn't have asked for anyone better to spend each day with Jonah. She is now on her way to Alaska to go to a missions school there. We will miss you and can't wait until you get back!

Jonah and his Aunt Rachel

Last thing for today. My mother-in-law got me this book that shows you all sorts of activities that kids should be doing at different ages. One of the activities was putting a towel under their arms while they are on their tummy to help them work their neck muscles. These are some of the pictures from this morning. Have a great day!

Here is Jonah playing in his little "Jungle Gym"

Just Another Day

2009-05-29T18:28:00.000-07:00

Well today officially ends the work week. Oh, wait..... I didn't have to go to work. YIPEE!!!! Actually, I did stop in twice this week because I'm not checked out of my classroom yet. It is amazing how much you don't get done when you have a little one. Gone are the days of just getting up and going to school or the store or anywhere for that matter. I have no complaints, he is a great baby, but having a child really changes things.

Tonight we decided to take Jonah to the pool for the first time. We went to the new YMCA indoor pool. I didn't get any pictures because I wasn't sure where to put the camera where it wouldn't get taken. I'll try to get some soon. He looked so cute in his little board shorts and sun shirt. Let's just say it is hard to get all those clothes off when the kid is wet!

Anyway.... Today Rachel watched Jonah for a couple hours while I went in to school and got some things done. It is amazing how much crap I have accumulated over the 2 years I have been at the school. After working, Jonah and I took Rachel out for a thank you lunch. We are really going to miss her when she is gone. Jonah will be 9 months old when she gets back.

Here are a couple pictures from our day. I also included a video of Jonah starting to roll over. I say at the end of the video that his "rolls" keep him from rolling over and it really is true! He has discovered his toes too. If he could get enough momentum he might be able to get over the rolls. :) Good Night and God Bless..............

I have to lose 5 lbs so I look good in my suit.

Anyone have a membership to the Y I can borrow?

Our blanket boy

Have you been riding with my mom lately?

Clothes. I need clothes. Does anyone know where I can find some?

4 Months

2009-05-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

How time flies.....

Jonah had his 4 month doctors appointment today. I can't believe how fast time is passing. Unfortunately the first couple doctor's visits bring pain. He had more shots today and isn't doing quite as well as he did for the 2 month ones. He weighed 15.5 lbs and was 24.25 inches long. We are still dealing with his milk allergy but other than that he is doing really well. He is loving sitting up and doing really well holding his head up.

He is also developing a personality. My brother was over

today and said that he is crying more. Actually, I think he has just figured out that when he cries things happen, ie. Mom or Dad come, he gets picked up, or he gets fed. He smiles when you walk in the room and laughs when you make a funny face.

It is such a blessing to be able to be home with him each day. He still takes 2 good naps each day (except for today :( ) We play on the floor, take walks around the neighborhood, read books. Jonah even helps me cook! Then when dad gets home at night we take a bath and snuggle.

We are looking forward to being able to go to our neighborhood pool as soon as it warms up. I think we might try and go to the pool at the YMCA since it is like a big bathtub!

School's Out For The Summer

2009-05-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

Well it is finally finished. The 2008-2009 school year is behind us. I'd never heard the song School's Out For The Summer before it appeared on Guitar Hero but it is truly fitting for this post. I don't know any more words than those but that seems to be enough.
I can't tell you how good it feels knowing that I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow. No more grading papers until 11:00 only to get up at 5:45 and getting ready for school the next morning. I am so looking forward to hanging out with Jonah, getting some cleaning done, and going to garage sales on Thursday and Friday. All these sound great but I think the thing I am most looking forward to is getting my devotional time back in the morning. When I was on maternity leave I was able to have my devo time while Jonah took his morning nap. Since I returned back to school my devo time has gone down the tank. Most days I was blessed to get a shower, feed Jonah and get to school only 15 minutes late :).
I receive several on- line devotionals but I think I am going to pick up "Having a Mary Heart" by Joanna Weaver. I have read it before and I really think I need to read it again. Here is an issue of the on-line devotioanal I get that really described how I am feeling as of late.

The Motions by Matthew West
This might hurt, its not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I dont care if I break,
At least I'll be feeling something

Are you in a rut? Do you feel like you’re just going through the motions every day? Are you numb to the world around you? It’s easy to get so busy that you forget or don’t notice what’s going on around you. Everything around you is moving, but you feel like you’re standing still, unable to react to anything. And it’s usually in these moments that we feel the need to do something different.We want to change something, just so that something in our life changes; so that we can begin to feel something—anything. Our actions become desperate. But taking desperate measures is not always the best move. Sometimes what we want to do is dangerous, and might even have the potential to ruin our lives. So be sure that whatever you do to get rid of the numbness and stir up your life is in line with what God would want for you. God doesn’t want you to do anything harmful or destructive to yourself or to those around you. Seek God first, take action second.

Psalm 63:1
O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary landwhere there is no water.

There are no pictures today but I hope to post some later this week. Jonah and I are going to try and make it to the zoo either this week or next.

My First Mother's Day

2009-05-10T19:20:00.000-07:00

This year was my first Mother's Day and it was filled with many different emotions. Having a child I often wonder, "What would mom do?" I tell Jonah often about his Grandma Teri and how crazy she was. At my dad's house this afternoon they were singing You Are My Sunshine. My mom used to sing that to me and I often sing it to Jonah. When my mom used to sing it to me when I was little I used to say gravy instead of gray. I know that seems silly but whenever I sing it to Jonah I always sing gravy instead of gray. I think I miss my mom more this Mother's Day than I have before. She meant so much to me. I think back on all the things she did for me and my family and I never said thank you enough. I never told her how much I appreciated all she did.

I still struggle daily with the thoughts of "why?" She would have loved to see Jonah with his red hair, his smiles and his soft arms. She always loved to rub arms. I never quite understood it until now. The skin on Jonah's arms is so soft and I love to just rub them while we're playing or eating.

Although none can replace my mom the Lord has seen fit to bring some wonderful women into my life who have lessened the loss.

Lana-You are so patient and caring. Thank you for stepping into our family and loveing us as your own. Your baby advice has been invaluable! The one day you were at work and I couldn't reach you was the day Jonah had to have surgery! I think I agonized all day over calling you at work. The Lord knew I would need someone to help answer all of those new mom questions.

Pam-practically perfect in every way. Oh, wait that was Mary Poppins. :) You have showered us with love and food. I can't believe that almost 10 years ago I was in your classroom helping out and now here we are. Thank you so much for loving me as your own and being a grandma to Jonah. We are all so blessed to have you in our lives.

Kerry-my spiritual advisor :) Thank you for all your encouraging words over the last 4 years. Your prayers and support have meant so much to me. So many tears have been shed, happy and sad. Thank you for all your love. God knew what he was doing bringing Josh and I to Maranatha at just the right time. Dine-My wonderful mother-in-law. I am so blessed to be apart of your family. From day one you have accepted me and treated me as your own daughter. Our son is so blessed to have you as a grandma. You do a great job of spoiling him :)On a lighter note I was able to have a 3 day weekend with Jonah. There were 100 mi/hr winds around the area and knocked out the power in the town where I teach. It was a fabulous day of just hanging out with my boy.

I had a wonderful Mother's Day and I hope you all did too. 2 more weeks until school is out!!!!

New Things

2009-04-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to me how fast Jonah is growing and discovering and experiencing new things. This weekend Jonah attended his first party. Although it was an adult party the theme was a such that he was able to attend. Some friends of ours threw a "White Trash" party. Apparantly they are becoming hot new trend. Look up stuff on the internet from costumes to decorations and you can find all kinds of stuff inbetween.

Jonah with his new friend Clair. They attended the party together :)Jonah has also been trying to working on his head control. He really likes to sit up so we decided to put him in his Bumbo seat to see how it would go.

Sitting in our Bumbo seat like a big boyMonday while with Aunt Rachel Jonah had the experience of holding his own bottle. This might be just one of those things that happened today, but who knows. He could be an overachiever!

Lastly, I have tried to play Peek-A-Boo several times with him and get him to at least smile and I captured it on video today.

Family Night

2009-04-25T11:31:00.001-07:00

Balancing work and home is tough to do. Add a baby to the mix and it gets even harder. This is the third week that I have been back at school and it has been tough to find time to get school stuff done as well hang out with Jonah. Teaching has a great schedule but it is not a job where you go, work, and go home. Also, many times the two and a half months off in the summer is spent recuperating from the past year and getting ready for the year ahead. Next year I will be blessed to be able to go part time. This will allow me to work 2 or 3 days a week. All this being said I've decided to devote at least one night a week to just hanging out with Josh and Jonah and that is what we did on Thursday night.

For our first family night we decided to go on a walk around our neighborhood. It is a mile and a half all the way around. We've walked it 2 nights in a row! After getting back we took a bath and had our 8 o'clock snack out on the deck. It was perfect.

Check out our HatFashion Show
This weekend we are going to a "White Trash" party so stay tuned for pictures.

Our Little Man Is Growing

2009-04-21T17:15:00.001-07:00

Jonah is going to be 11 weeks tomorrow. How time flies. A co-worker of mine says that Jonah looks like a "man" with a little baby's body. He seems to just be growing by the day.

Dad was playing with Jonah the other morning and I just couldn't resist taking a couple pics.

I took this video last night while we were playing on the floor. He loves to lay under the fan and just kick and sqirm.

Enjoy!

PJ Disaster

2009-04-13T18:50:00.000-07:00

Putting clothes on an infant can be a chore. Especially when this is the first time you've done this. As new parents we have been learning many things and one thing we have learned is how hard it is to put clothes on Jonah. It is even harder when he is wet. Below there are several pictures of Jonah before and after dad got his clothes on. I just couldn't resist sharing them.

I tried to upload some pictures of Jonah from Easter but for some reason the computer wouldn't let it happen yesterday. Here are the pictures I wanted to upload.

Aren't I cute?????

What's up dude?

Our beautiful family

Jonah's First Easter

2009-04-12T17:56:00.001-07:00

HE IS RISEN......HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!!

Happy Easter. Today Jonah participated in his first Easter celebrations. Unfortunatly the rain kept him from having an egg hunt but it didn't seem to phase him too much.

I asked Josh on the way to church this morning where the tradition of Easter eggs and the Easter bunny came from. He didn't know but it got me to thinking what does a bunny and eggs have to do with the risen Savior. Nothing. I hope that you were able to spend time today reflecting on the true events of Easter.

My love for Jonah grows with each passing day. I can't imagin the mother of Jesus as she watched him suffer on the cross. How truly thankful we should be. I know I am not thankful enough!

Enjoy the pictures and have a blessed week.

Hanging out with my basket from Gma Pam

A New Friend

2009-04-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

Jonah and his friend Landon "chillin" at Chili's

This weekend our friends Steven and Ellie came to visit with their kids Natalie and Landon. Landon is 6 weeks older than Jonah. The last time they saw each other Jonah was only a couple days old.

It was soooooo good to see them and have some time to hang out like old times. Soon they will be leaving for France. We've already started saving to take a visit. The boys weigh the same but Landon is about an inch longer than Jonah. Enjoy some pictures from the weekend.

Where are we headed Mom?

Bathed and just getting to know each other.

We hope you all have a great Easter. I'll try and post pictures from Jonah's first Easter tomrrow.

Good Night!

Sleeping In His Own Bed

2009-04-02T12:52:00.000-07:00

Jonah sleeping in his bed for the first time

Well we(I) felt it was finally time for Jonah to move into his room. I have to go back to work on Monday and decided that we both might get more sleep if he was in his own room. The only thing that holds me back is that I might not hear him or he might choke and I won't wake up. I lay him down every night and leaving him in the Lord's hands. So that is what we will be doing tonight. He just napped in there yesterday, but we are going to go for an all nighter tonight.

He has been sleeping really well. Most nights I lay him down around 8:30 and he sleeps until 3 or 4.

He turned 2 months yesterday and we went for his 2 month check up on Monday. Ht: 21 1/2 inches (not sure that this is totally correct)Wt: 12 lb 1oz

The doctor said that everything looked good. We have been dealing with a milk alergy so that means that I have to stay away from dairy foods. Needless to say this might be the best way for me to lose the last of my baby weight.

Below are just some pictures of us that I've taken since the last update. Enjoy!

Hanging with Papa

Waiting for mom and dad to get ready for church

Napping with uncle Caleb

Nighttime reading with dad

A visit with Mimi and Papa

Our Days

2009-03-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

I'm sure lots of people wonder what moms do when they stay at home with their kids. Needless to say we do a lot. There are not always outward signs of the things we get done but let me asure you, we do plenty.

Here is how Jonah and my day goes. It isn't always the same time every day but it's getting better.

4-6 am: Wake up, eat, and look at our lights (We have indirect lighting in our room and Jonah loves to look at them while he sits in his boppy pillow). Eventually, he falls asleep for his morning nap.

6-8 am: Early morning nap, wake up and eat.

8-10 am: Sit in our swing or seat while mom eats breakfast and has her devotional time. Sometimes I have to eat and read fast because it is time for another feading.

10-12 am: Help mom with the laundry, have some mommy time, take another nap, and yes, EAT!

Our afternoons vary. Lots of times we take a nap together or sit and watch a show together. We start dinner and wait for dad to get home. Then Jonah gets to have his daddy time.

As night draws near I realize that it has been a really long day and sometimes like I said before there isn't a lot to show for it but I have had a day with my little boy and nothing can compare with that.

So that is kind of our day in a nutshell. Each day is a little different but nothing can replace these few precious days at the beginning of a life.

One Month Old

2009-03-04T17:45:00.000-08:00

Well today Jonah is 1 month old. Where does the time go??? It seems just like yesterday that I was checking into the hospital to have him. I was looking at some pictures that my sister took of me in labor and I miss being pregnant. I love having Jonah out here, but I also loved being pregnant. I took a couple pictures of him today just to remember this day. I know before I know it he will be crawling then walking then going off to school.....

I plan to take each day and cherish something that he did that day. Today we made our first trip to the library. The minute we walked in the door he started to fuss. I hope this is not a sign of things to come :) I hope he loves to read as much as I do or at least loves to listen to stories.

A Day of Rest

2009-02-28T15:12:00.000-08:00

After returning home from the hospital last night the family decided to have a much needed day of rest. Thank you to everyone who called to check on Jonah. We love and appreciate the calls.

Have a great weekend!

At the Hospital Once Again

2009-02-27T07:51:00.000-08:00

Well, I decided to start a blog. I'm writing this from the hospital room where my son is recovering from emergency surgery.
The first couple weeks of Jonah's life have gone quite smoothly, until yesterday.........
He was his normal self until 10 o'clockish and then it all went south from there. He began to cry like I've not heard him cry before. Being a new mom I had no idea what was wrong with him or what I could do for him so I just started to cry right along with him. :)
Come to find out later in the afternoon he had incarcerated hernias on both sides of his lower abdomen. After sitting in the ER for 3 hours and finally seeing the surgeon Jonah went under the knife and returned drowsy but healed. After a long night sitting in an extremely uncomfortable "recliner" Jonah is feeling much better. He was able to eat and keep his food down and even go to the bathroom.

I know I am new to all this mom stuff and let me tell you I think I cried just as much as Jonah did yesterday, but as we were sitting in the ER and while they were poking and prodding on him, I was suddenly very aware of how Mary, the mother, of Jesus must have felt watching her son being beaten and hung on a cross. My son's pain was minimal compared to our Savior and wow, I was just in awe once again of what He did for me.

I hope to have enough time to write each day or at least a couple times a week. So many I know are excellent bloggers and I hope to become at least proficient.

Stay tuned for more.....................