Mine: Didn't have a mason jar. Did have an empty bottle of Frank's hot sauce that I saved because I loved the shape of it. Turns out the $1 Softsoap dispenser pump fits perfectly. One twist and now I have a beautiful soap dispenser for the kitchen. Only problem is the straw is a little short so I will have to find a different one eventually.
Mine: I got to bring some banana pudding to an owl themed baby shower. Kai "helped" me make an owl out of banana, nilla wafers, and frosted flakes.
Knock knock.
Whoooooo's there?
Orange.
Orange who?
Orange you glad I didn't say banana ;)
The next few are from a baby shower I got to host for a very dear friend. She just had a precious, precious little girl! FB pics are making my heart melt haha!
I can hardly believe Caleb will be 5 months next Friday. He is a little party boy, so different from our serious little Kai baby. In the middle of the day, I'll be going about my business and look over to see Caleb in his bouncy chair just staring at me--waiting for a moment to catch my gaze just so he can give me his biggest grin and watch me melt into a huge smile back. I am so in love with him.
This week was a huge victory for me and Caleb. He finally started sleeping through the night!! I know, I know. 5 months is a little late. You're telling me. It wasn't Caleb's fault. He was born during the busiest time of our lives yet. It's a good thing he's a flexible, happy, party baby because the first two months of his life he just had to come along for the ride amidst Brandon's graduation, new job, Bar exam, buying a house, and moving. Oh, and before we moved he slept in the living room on the floor in our apartment. The noisy neighbors woke him up all night long and he never even complained. I sure did. So even though I am a schedule and routine kind of gal, Caleb ended up with no routine at all.
Two weeks ago I hit that point of exhaustion again where I just didn't know how much longer I could go waking up every 3 hours at night. I was begging God for help. Instead of letting Caleb sleep through the night, God whispered something to me during one of his early morning feedings. He reminded me of a Bible verse that my friend Lisa over at Beginning the Journey had posted on her facebook a few days earlier.
"By his Word God 'calls the things that are not as though they were.'"
God told me to stop grumbling and start calling the things that are not as though they were. I was supposed to start saying that Caleb slept well. "But God, isn't that lying? How can I tell my friends that he sleeps well when he doesn't?". He said, "It's not lying if you believe it." Wow.
That night we went to a baby shower with our community group. I was speaking with two other friends who recently had their second child as well. Of course, the subject went to sleeping. Their babies were sleeping GREAT at night. I was fighting off the envy with a stick. I wanted so badly to complain and then beg for advice. When they asked about Caleb I mustered a, "Oh, he sleeps well." Change the subject, quick! Ok, God, I did it. I said it. Will he sleep tonight now?
He still woke up every 3 hours that night. The next morning I just kept telling myself, "He slept well. I am content. I have enough." Slowly I could feel my spirit just shifting into gratitude and out of exhaustion.
The next day at church I met someone new. Her name was Tammy. She mentioned that she used to teach Babywise classes. Then she said, "Oh yeah, I can get any baby sleeping through the night by 6 weeks."
Amazing.
Thank you, Jesus.
Tammy came over last week, had lunch with me, and helped me figure out how to get Caleb back on track. This week for the first time in 5 months I have slept in 6-8 hour undisturbed bliss.
"Oh wow! You can make a dress out of an old t-shirt? Repin. Yes, please. I want to do that. Oh, right. I don't have any free time. ..
[enter grumbling thoughts. sneaky buggers]
How come I never have time to do anything for myself? I didn't know being a mom was so hard. I would love to just stop cleaning for half an hour and do something for me for once. (continue in self pity for 5 minutes while unloading dishes)
[enter Holy Spirit. Beautiful truth whispering in]
Love is better. Love is to give up everything. That is what He did for you. It's painful, but it's so good isn't it? Your kids don't care if you have a DIY t-shirt dress or just a t-shirt covered in baby food. All they'll remember is how you loved them. I won't ask you how you recycled your shampoo bottles. I will ask you how you loved the ones I gave you to love. Care about what's important.
Jesus, you are good. The wish list can wait because I have all I want and I am who I want to be when I am with you.
Today's note to self:
Note to MY mom: You loved to sew and you never had the time. Thank you for feeding me, teaching me, and cleaning up after me instead of sewing nifty, creative things instead. You are awesome and I love you. <3
I've been gone for a while. I was on a media fast for a little while. It was awesome. Then we moved and things were really busy. The new house is awesome too.
Caleb still wakes up a lot every night. Not awesome. Please pray that he starts sleeping. Last night Brandon stayed up with him and I actually slept long enough to dream. It was pretty weird so I wanted to write it down somewhere while I can still remember it.
I was in field with a large group of people. I saw a lot of people I recognized from my high school days. I think the group of people was all high schoolers actually. There was a ridiculous amount of animosity and fighting in the group. In fact, the anger boiled over and the field turned into a battle ground. Everyone was fighting. I looked in their hands and they were fighting with plastic knives and forks (told you it was weird). Even though they were just plastic, they were trying to stab each other with them. Then I dreamed that I woke up and thought, "What an awful dream. Why did I dream that?". Then, still dreaming, I translated the beginning of the dream for myself. "Oh, I know what it means. The high school kids ARE in a battle field. However, they are confused and they are fighting each other instead of preparing for the real war that is coming. They care so much about trivial things--enough to fight and try to kill over them. But the things they care about are as harmless and trivial as plastic ware. Better to throw it away (or recycle it lol) and move on."
Then I really woke up. Strange. How will you fight in the battle to come when all you hold in your hand is plastic and all you hold in your heart is care over things that don't matter?
~~
"I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one...I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever." 2 John 2:14-17
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Heb 4:12
