I realize its been 6 longs months since I last posted. A lot has happened, and well, I probably will not be able to get you up to speed. Lets just say there has been a huge adjustment to adding another human to our family. And he is the best little human. We are all enamored and in love.
I have thought of many things I want to blog about and hopefully I will take the time to actually do it. Everything from how to sort your laundry to be most efficient to how budgeting is a good discipline. Oh and I'm sure there will be plenty about my kiddos and food.
For now I'm off to take care of my sick family and enjoy the warmth of a fire.
XO
Monday, December 31, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
Simon Is One Month Old
We have been home now for three weeks. I have been surprised by many things; how to survive on very little sleep; how difficult and wonderful the early stages of breastfeeding and ALL that it requires is {now I know why my sister-in-law said, "If your not committed, you will never keep going."( Please know I realize there are many legitimate reasons for why some moms cannot breastfeed)}; how every time he smiles it melts my heart; how badly I want to protect him from everything; how difficult it is to just get out of the house; how mentally challenging every task that once took no time or thought is exhausting {like blogging}; how you have to schedule everything in small blocks of time because he eats all the time; how much I miss time in the evenings with my husband; how precious it is to watch my older boys love on and take care of him. I could go on and on, these are just a few.
Simon is a pure joy. He is getting bigger and changing so quickly. There have been several times that Ive peeked into his room and looked at him in his crib sleeping and he looks like his older brother Chai. I'm thankful for all the little ways Simon reminds of his "Big Brother." He is already rotten and oh is he loved.
We are simply thankful. And no matter what, we have learned to say, "God is good."
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Not Forgotten
Tonight I will be sitting down to watch the Oscars like I enjoy doing every year, but this year it will be with the rememberence of this night one year ago.
The dates are not the same, but Sunday night of the Oscars is. Last year I remember sitting in my living room with Trevor and several college students who had come over to watch the show with us and getting the call.
My dearest friend who was 11 weeks pregnant called crying and telling me that she had begun spotting and she had not been sick all day much like she had been the weeks leading up. She was scared and asking for prayer. She knew something wasn't right and her fears were confirmed. She was losing her baby. Number 3. Maybe even the little girl they hoped for. After all this pregnancy had been different than the previous two. Right there on the phone feeling helpless, I prayed for her, for the baby. Asking God to save this baby.
Just 7 months before we had prayed a similar prayer for our baby boy. Please God save him. It felt numbing to be asking God to have to do this again, knowing the outcome might be the same as ours. Death, lose, empty arms.
On February 28th, Rae Joanna went to be with Jesus. Leaving this family with a forever whole. Leaving this family with only the thoughts of what life would be like with four little ones running around one day. Only the thoughts of what life would be like with two big brothers and two little sisters.
So today, even though its not the 28th, I remember, my sweet friend, who when death became a fabric forever woven into my family, loved me well and always, even a year and a half out, never forgets these tough days. Never fails to say I'm thinking about you today. So to the one who helped me walk through those dark days, I want you to know...Rae is NOT FORGOTTEN. Her absence is felt by many.
God comfort this family in the coming days. Let them not lose heart, continue to be there peace and refuge in days of sorrow. You Jesus, are our hope.
TREAURE IN JAR OF CLAY
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.
13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak,
14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.
15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
XOXO
The dates are not the same, but Sunday night of the Oscars is. Last year I remember sitting in my living room with Trevor and several college students who had come over to watch the show with us and getting the call.
My dearest friend who was 11 weeks pregnant called crying and telling me that she had begun spotting and she had not been sick all day much like she had been the weeks leading up. She was scared and asking for prayer. She knew something wasn't right and her fears were confirmed. She was losing her baby. Number 3. Maybe even the little girl they hoped for. After all this pregnancy had been different than the previous two. Right there on the phone feeling helpless, I prayed for her, for the baby. Asking God to save this baby.
Just 7 months before we had prayed a similar prayer for our baby boy. Please God save him. It felt numbing to be asking God to have to do this again, knowing the outcome might be the same as ours. Death, lose, empty arms.
On February 28th, Rae Joanna went to be with Jesus. Leaving this family with a forever whole. Leaving this family with only the thoughts of what life would be like with four little ones running around one day. Only the thoughts of what life would be like with two big brothers and two little sisters.
So today, even though its not the 28th, I remember, my sweet friend, who when death became a fabric forever woven into my family, loved me well and always, even a year and a half out, never forgets these tough days. Never fails to say I'm thinking about you today. So to the one who helped me walk through those dark days, I want you to know...Rae is NOT FORGOTTEN. Her absence is felt by many.
God comfort this family in the coming days. Let them not lose heart, continue to be there peace and refuge in days of sorrow. You Jesus, are our hope.
TREAURE IN JAR OF CLAY
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.
13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak,
14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.
15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
XOXO
Monday, February 13, 2012
Happy Adoption Day
Isaac Sentayehu Atwood
You are loved more than you will ever know.
Read the words from our Daddy.
Love,
Mom
You are loved more than you will ever know.
Read the words from our Daddy.
Love,
Mom
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
18 Weeks And Counting
I hope each of you caught the last post. In an effort to be cute it took me forever to post baby boy's name. We went our usual route of finding a name that was signifiant, had real spiritual meaning and these do, Simon means, "he has heard," and Elliot means, "My God is the Lord." But in all honesty, we just really like them and as an added bonus they have great meaning.
We went to the Dr again this week. I will be at Vandy nearly every week until at least 32 weeks. They are doing a fabulous job of taking care of me and Simon. I will also begin taking an injection once a week to hopefully prevent preterm labor. I've already had one sleepless night about these painful injections, truely hoping they are not as bad as I've been told they are. But I have to believe they are worth every ounce of pain.
As you can see in the last picture, I'm still pretty small, but I'm okay with that...to a degree. Of course I want to be "obviously" pregnany by now, but also thankful for a slower weight gain this go around too. Cant have both, right? As long as the doctor continues to say, Simon and I are okay, then that is that. I still love that my husband makes me cheese fries and milkshakes to fatten me up.
Trevor has been truely amazing in all of this. He still gets up every morning with the boys to get them ready, feed them and takes them to school, so that I can rest and sleep off my still ever present morning sickness. He says,"I love seeing you sleeping, I know you are getting the rest you need." LOVE HIM. He makes it to all my doctors appts (however I know that will be less since they are becoming more frequent), he loves to make me my nightly snacks, OH and he still brings me breakfast in bed, every morning (since 8 weeks). But above all that, he loves me well, he prays for me and he sacrifices a lot to keep me and Simon safe and healthy. I am blessed.
God is teaching a lot through this pregnancy. A lot of which I learned through loving and losing Chai. Life is precious, every moment in the womb and out matters, He is in control of this pregnancy, this baby, my life, EVERYTHING. As I continue to hear stories of death or horrible sickness in children, I am constantly, once again, reminded, we live in a fallen world. Everyday is the grace of God. It may bring joy or it may bring suffering, but in it all God will show us His grace and I hope it will bring glory to His name.
We went to the Dr again this week. I will be at Vandy nearly every week until at least 32 weeks. They are doing a fabulous job of taking care of me and Simon. I will also begin taking an injection once a week to hopefully prevent preterm labor. I've already had one sleepless night about these painful injections, truely hoping they are not as bad as I've been told they are. But I have to believe they are worth every ounce of pain.
As you can see in the last picture, I'm still pretty small, but I'm okay with that...to a degree. Of course I want to be "obviously" pregnany by now, but also thankful for a slower weight gain this go around too. Cant have both, right? As long as the doctor continues to say, Simon and I are okay, then that is that. I still love that my husband makes me cheese fries and milkshakes to fatten me up.
Trevor has been truely amazing in all of this. He still gets up every morning with the boys to get them ready, feed them and takes them to school, so that I can rest and sleep off my still ever present morning sickness. He says,"I love seeing you sleeping, I know you are getting the rest you need." LOVE HIM. He makes it to all my doctors appts (however I know that will be less since they are becoming more frequent), he loves to make me my nightly snacks, OH and he still brings me breakfast in bed, every morning (since 8 weeks). But above all that, he loves me well, he prays for me and he sacrifices a lot to keep me and Simon safe and healthy. I am blessed.
God is teaching a lot through this pregnancy. A lot of which I learned through loving and losing Chai. Life is precious, every moment in the womb and out matters, He is in control of this pregnancy, this baby, my life, EVERYTHING. As I continue to hear stories of death or horrible sickness in children, I am constantly, once again, reminded, we live in a fallen world. Everyday is the grace of God. It may bring joy or it may bring suffering, but in it all God will show us His grace and I hope it will bring glory to His name.
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