Michael's 2nd Birthday

Michael's second birthday was a lot of fun - low key, full of family and smiles from the birthday boy. 

The day before his birthday, we went to get balloons for decoration - to say Michael was thrilled would be an understatement... he was ecstatic (and his hair full of static - haha - winter in Michigan left my kid's hair so crazy - until someone told me about leave-in conditioner solving all our problems).  If all we did for Michael's birthday was buy him balloons he would have been a content kid, but there was more to come. :) 

The sleepy eyed but happy birthday boy. 

Grandma Lori, Grandpa Wayne, Aunt Amy, Great Grandma Buning and Great Grandma Kidder joined us for a lunch of Mac and Cheese (Michael's favorite), green beans, salad and fresh bread. 

Michael choose to have BOTH Moose and Football cupcakes :) well... maybe I decided, but only after he kept changing his mind about what he wanted! I showed him the picture below before Gordon was born and asked him what he wanted, he chose the Moose, but then later he told me he wanted "fooba." No consistent answer was ever given, so I just chose to do both. :) 

I don't have pictures of the moose cupcakes or detailed pictures of the football ones (silly hard drive) - but here are my inspiration pictures, found on Pinterest. The moose ones turned out super cute, the football ones... looked a little strange, but Michael didn't care. :) 

Michael received so many fun toys and books. It was a great birthday for our sweet boy. A new fire truck, books, puzzles and clothes from Michigan family and a trampoline from Grammy, Papa and Uncle Sam - hurray! A great way to get wiggles out during our first Michigan winter. 

(little did we know what Michigan's Winter was going to bring us...)

Long time no see!

Hi friends,

It's been a long time! What? Like 7 months? No wait... it's been 10....

So, a few things have kept me from posting.

First, life. Other tasks have risen to the top of the list of priorities and have been a little more pressing to complete (aka: laundry, feeing my kids and staying sane). Though, I have missed writing in this space.

Second, our hard drive crashed. The one with ALL our pictures/videos on it. We hope (really really hope) it can be fixed but we've chosen to wait for a bit to try (mostly because of $... being wise responsible adults is hard).  I only lost-lost 2 months worth of pictures (Decemberish-Early February) - really, it was everything from the past 6 years. BUT thankfully, I still have these records that are on the blog and had the past 9 months still on the camera card. Thanks to the technology we have at our finger tips - I have picture/video records of Michael's 2nd Birthday and Christmas. Gordon's 2 Month pictures will have to wait :'( :'( I'm choosing to look on the positive side of this and not be too sad about what is lost and hoping that the documents on our hard drive are salvageable.

So it's been a combination of life's activity and sadness that has kept me away. But I'm back with a goal to get you updated on Gordon's first year before his 1st birthday (Haha - we'll see if that happens!). And because I'm a crazy person and like to go in order, I'll update you on the other big happenings of the past 10 months too. :)

But let's smile at the new blog header - it includes Gordon now! And get this marathon started! :)

One Month

 December 4, 2013

Gordon at 1 Month:

• Nurses like a champ.
• Loves being swaddled. Wrapping him up nice and snug calms him and helps him fall asleep. Often, if he's fussy (and it's not time to eat) if we swaddle him he'll calm down and fall right to sleep.
• Will take a bottle. Making errand running/date night easier on mommy and daddy (he was our third wheel on two dates in November!). 
• Likes to be sung to (Lucy helps out with this!) and being snuggled (Michael loves to hug his brother!).

(Click on the above image to see the captions)

To see Lucy at 1 Month click here

To see Michael at 1 Month click here

A Change of Plans

Thinking back to when we moved to Pampa and when we came to Lansing our family’s “mission” or desires have stayed the same: We want to build authentic relationships with people and help individuals grow in their understanding of the gospel in order to deepen their love for Jesus. We’ve had different settings in which these desires have worked out: The big city of Chicago, and, in comparison, the small town of Pampa. Here in Lansing and, we anticipated, in a location where we would start a new church. 

Let’s back up a bit… to mid-October, when we only had two kids, when I was hugely pregnant and when we were trying to decide where we would move and plant a church in the Summer of 2014… 

Brad was approached and asked if he wanted to apply for a full time position at Riv. The position was the Senior Director of Youth and Students and entailed leading a team of 7 staff members and countless volunteers that teach over 700 kids and students each week, providing overall vision and helping these ministries transfer to new venues. This request shocked both of us, honestly we shook our heads in confusion/excitement/surprise for a few days. If we did apply for the job and get it, the implications would completely change the trajectory of our lives (we’d stay in Lansing and not need to move, we’d be employed by a church and not need to fund raise, Brad would work alongside the staff at Riv and volunteers instead of with a core group of lay-people). After praying about it we decided to apply and see what God would continue to do. It dawned on me as I was processing through all this that our family’s mission would stay the same if we stayed, only the location and some methods would change. This was a reassuring thought for me, realizing that God could want to use us in a different way than I anticipated but that I could still pour out my life for the gospel was helpful. 

After a few stages of interviewing and completing a project, Brad was offered the job and we accepted the position. He started the Monday after Thanksgiving. We are staying in Lansing! I feel like this news is still sinking in for me personally, over 2 months later. We really enjoy Lansing and have found community in so many areas - through visiting the park, a women’s bible study, our life group and spending time with other church staff and their families. God has been good to us. 

Want to know something else? There is another couple who was able to step into the residency program. The timing of the current training works perfectly with the stage of planning and preparation they are in as they prepare to plant a church. Isn’t that cool?!  

God’s leading is a strange thing. I truly believe he works in our hearts, guiding our desires to bring us to a place of rest and deepened trust. He has been faithful to our family and I am so thankful. 

We have not completely ruled out the option for church planting in the future and we’ve been told that the option for us to church plant in partnership with Riv is still open. But for  now, we are where the Lord wants us - even though it's a different place than we thought he was directing us to in the first place. 

"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'" James 4:13-15

How fitting is that verse to our current situation! (Although, we didn't come to Lansing to make a profit! Ha!)

So, we are here in Lansing. Brad says that he is leading a team that teaches 700+ potential church planters every week. :) We have three kids. We are seeking to live authentically with those around us in the hopes that they grow in their understanding of the gospel and have a deepened love for Jesus.

~

Bonus! You can hear a bit of Brad’s vision for the students and kids at Riv yourself! This video was played during services this last weekend. 

Thanksgiving

(Okay okay, so I know we JUST celebrated Christmas and I'm about a month late but stick with me while I catch us up! :) If you need a refresher about my goals for this blog, feel free to read this.) 

We spent Thanksgiving 2013 in Hastings with Brad's immediate family and Great Grandmas. Contrary to Michael's face above, we had a great day. (I'm learning that with every child added to the scenario  it becomes increasingly difficult to get a good picture)

 

Mama forgot her camera, but thankfully camera technology on cellular devices is pretty great these days! :) Gordon celebrated his first holiday, at 3 1/2 weeks old, and enjoyed all the cuddles and coos that were freely given him. How cute is he?! Answer: Adorable. 

Side Note: Looking back on these pictures a month later... 

I can't believe how much he's filled out!

Our daddy cooked us an equally yummy and beautiful turkey... 

...while we watched the parade and goofed off. 

I had a lot to be thankful for this year.

A God who loves me, more than I realize. 

Jesus, through whom the steadfast gospel is applied to me.  

A husband who works hard to provide for our family and values time with me. 

THREE kids who are healthy and all-around wonderful (even though their "wonderfulness" is sometimes hard to spot).

The fact that "the Church" is a global entity of people who follow Jesus and is not contained to one location.

A safe move to Michigan from Texas. 

The Lord's provision, in so many ways, as we await the sale of our Texas home. 

Our rental house in Lansing. 

A community of believers in Lansing who love Jesus and live out grace. 

Transitioning to Three

I was a little worried after having Gordon that Michael, who has always been a mamma's boy would respond negatively to having a new baby held by mamma so much of the day. I have been so surprised and pleased with how Michael has responded to Gordon - he truly loves him. His favorite question for the weeks after Gordon was born was "Hug?" He wanted to hug, kiss and hold his brother all day long - it made this mamma's heart so happy!

The first week of transitioning to three kids was relatively easy, I had constant help from Brad or my mom. My goal on my first day alone with all three kids was to get ready for the day at some point (Brush hair, make up, brush teeth, get dressed) and to care for the kids. I had no other agenda - the day went pretty well (like I said in previous posts, my mom set me up for success before she left!). 

Since that first week, we have had many highs and lows. Yesterday was a definite low. Lucy was being super sensitive, Michael fussy and moody (we think he has an ear infection) and Gordon wasn't quite right. Added to the mix was a tired, congested mamma. Oh and tears - everyone had tears at one point or another.  Honestly I didn't respond well to the kids attitudes, I matched their bad moods with a worse one and had to apologize for the way I spoke to them later in the day.  We made it to nap time and I joined them in sleeping for 45 minutes. Naps were shorter than normal but we all had a snack of cookies and milk after we woke up and our afternoon outlook seemed a bit better. I gave the kids separate activities (they were still picking on each other) and we made it through the afternoon. Daddy to the rescue, Chinese delivery and a glass of wine helped the evening end well.

One of my favorite "high" moments thus far with three kids happened right as our Life Group was starting, we were all set up and ready but then Gordon decided he was hungry and Michael had a melt down. I took both boys upstairs (our house is small and two fussy boys makes it feel smaller) and gave Michael some books on my bed while I sat down to nurse Gordon. Usually looking at books quietly helps Michael calm down but this particular evening he was really upset. Lucy came in and I got to witness a super sweet sibling interaction,

L: "Michael are you still feeling upset?" 

M: (Through tears) "Yeah"

L: "Can I read you a book?"

M: "Yeah"

Lucy proceeded to "read/recite" him two or three books and Michael calmed down. 

L: "Are you feeling better now?" 

M: "Yeah" 

(source)

Any transition comes with highs and lows. As we settle into parenting three kids and finding our new normal (what used to work just won't anymore) I'm so thankful for the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ. I keep being drawn to 2 Thessalonians 3:5 and thinking of the love that God has for me and what that love produces in me - in thought or action. How does the knowledge of how much God loves me help me better love my husband and kids? I've also been thinking about the phrase "steadfastness of Christ" - I am anything but steadfast these days, maybe that's what's drawing me to it. I'm a mess. But knowing that my Savior is steadfast in his love for me, that my salvation - bought by his blood - is steadfast, has been a calming reassurance in the midst this transition.

I've also found this verse to be a wonderful verse to pray for friends - what better request could we offer up for those we love? 

How does this verse impact your thinking today? 

1 Week

Much like I've done with our two older kids, I'm looking forward to taking monthly pictures of Gordon. To start us off, here are some shots I took when he was 1 week old - I took them right after breakfast when he happened to be awake, I wasn't sure if I'd see his little eyes again for the rest of the day! (This boy sleeps all. day. long!) 

1 Week:

• Does a great job nursing! After working and working on getting the "perfect" latch (including some worrying, tons of un-helpful internet searching and talking to friends) we decided that Gordon was getting food, I was feeling fine and we were going to give ourselves grace and let the issue rest. "Do what works for mama and baby." was wonderful advice. :) Gordon nurses every 3 hours. 
• Sleeps really well! Gordon has slept a few 4 hour stretches at night (What? Aren't you just days old child?!) and stays awake relatively well to eat during the day and in the middle of the night.
• First outings: We went for a drive to get a special coffee treat for mommy and daddy (we all stayed in the car for this one) and went out to lunch at Chipotle and then walked around Horrocks (our favorite grocery store in Lansing) a few days later. :) I had pretty low expectations for our first week with a newborn in the house but Gordon has been such a good baby we've been able to do some fun things - in addition to resting a lot.

To see Lucy at one week, click here.

To see Michael at one week, click here.